Curds and Honey

Posted 8/12/2003 7:57:57 AM

We all know the prophecy,

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel. Is 7:14

What isn't so familiar is the context of this sign. It turns out that Jerusalem is besieged, in the rule of Ahaz. Syria and northern Israel got together to go attack Jerusalem. This particular attempt would not succeed Is 7:7, but soon the land would indeed be desolate and most of the people would be taken away captive. However, even with this looming promise of destruction, God still loves His people, and gives them an amazing promise. Here, in the middle of a seemingly inconsequential siege in the long run, He tells Ahaz to ask for a sign. Ahaz uses the excuse of not testing God, but God reveals that He just didn't want to obey. Is 7: 10-13

God promises two things. One, the miraculous birth of Immanuel to a virgin, and second, what he's going to eat. Yes, the land will be forsaken, and horrible days of suffering will be endured, but God still provides for His people. He promises curds and honey for them to eat. No wine Is 7:23 to be drunk with, and no fruit of the field to gorge upon Is 7:25, but plenty of cows and sheep for curds Is 7:21-22, and tons of busy bees plying the thorns and brambles to make honey Is 7:18-19.

From the thorns come honey, and from this desolate time comes the Messiah! Just like honey needs those flowers for the bees to harvest and make their honey, so hard times and a realization of our sinful inadequacies create a sweet dependency on the providence of God. After all the judges and laws being regularly disgregarded, a permanent solution is provided: the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

For thought: what does Is 7:20 mean? The Lord will use the razor of Assyria to shave the head, hair, legs, and beard. What does the hair symbolize?

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