That Divine Sign

A sign is a tool that brings information from those who are not with you to speak to you. The sign on the building stating that it is for sale tells you what those who own it say, while they are not there to do it with their mouths.

Thus also in Isaiah 7:14 we read, "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."

Our God is here speaking to us through a work which He performs, so that we might have this truth and enjoy its blessedness. This work is a sign through which He speaks to us.

There is a very important truth here that we must believe. Our God has done for us that which no creature can do. A virgin cannot bring forth a son. Yet God did this humanly impossible work, causing a child to be born by a virgin and bringing us salvation through that Son.

We cannot save ourselves, because we are spiritually dead; and our sin calls for an everlasting punishment. Our Savior must be the eternal Son of God, Who never sinned and Whose work has everlasting value.

Our God did for us what we do not deserve, and saved us from what we do deserve. In that virgin birth we have a divine sign which tells us that we owe Him everlasting thanks for this gift of His grace. We should bear this in mind when in a few days we celebrate that birth of Christ.

God Himself came into our flesh by a virgin birth so that we might become His spiritual sons and daughters. And when Christ returns pretty soon we are going to have an everlasting day of celebrating this wonder work of God's grace, this mighty work whereby He has changed us.

Read the sign and rejoice in the truth that He saves us by a wonder work of His sovereign grace.

Read: Luke 1:26-35

Meditations on the Heidelberg Catechism

Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:
Zechariah 1:1-21 
Revelation 12:1-17 
Psalm 140:1-13 
Proverbs 30:17 
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Quote for Reflection:

 The point that ought to be understood is that this changed law is made necessary by the change of the priesthood. As the priesthood is, so is the law! For the law is based upon the priesthood! This is a matter of necessity. The term necessity means in the Latin: that which cannot cease. It is from ‘ne-cesso’: that which has in it a quality which cannot be stopped. The term in the Greek language is ‘anagkees’ which is derived from the verb ‘anaykizoo’ to force, to demonstrate, to prove. And thus is the case here. The law must be changed when the priesthood is changed, because upon this priesthood the people receive the law. The entire legality and sanction of the law rested upon this Levitical-Aaronitic priesthood. This is not a mere logical necessity, based upon logical demonstration of a man-made premise. On the contrary, this is a necessity which follows from the God-ordained connection between priesthood and law as revealed by God Himself concerning the Mystery of salvation. One has but to study carefully this matter in the Old Testament to see that this is implied in the very structure of the law-giving itself through Moses.

~ George Lubbers (The Glory of the True Tabernacle, p. 190).