December 21: The Immanuel Prophecy: God is With Us
♫ Music:
Day 19 - Thursday, December 21
Title: THE IMMANUEL PROPHECY:
GOD IS WITH US
Scripture #1: Isaiah 7:10-17 (NKJV)
Moreover the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying, “Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I test the Lord!” Then he said, “Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the Child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that you dread will be forsaken by both her kings. The Lord will bring the king of Assyria upon you and your people and your father’s house—days that have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah.”
Scripture #2: Isaiah 41:13-18 (NKJV)
For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’ “Fear not, you worm Jacob, You men of Israel! I will help you,” says the Lord And your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. “Behold, I will make you into a new threshing sledge with sharp teeth; You shall thresh the mountains and beat them small, And make the hills like chaff. You shall winnow them, the wind shall carry them away, And the whirlwind shall scatter them; You shall rejoice in the Lord, And glory in the Holy One of Israel. “The poor and needy seek water, but there is none, Their tongues fail for thirst. I, the Lord, will hear them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will open rivers in desolate heights, And fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, And the dry land springs of water.
Poetry & Poet:
“Theotokos”
by William Baer
Before eternity, in timeless space
in timelessness, in time before all-time,
the mind of God, with enigmatic grace,
conceived that Panagia, the paradigm,
goal of generative history,
the masterpiece, of whom God said
that she and her seed, that fathomless mystery,
would crush the serpent's bloody head.
Who seemed an obscure Jewish girl until
that moment-of-moments when she would say:
“Fiat,” the handmade of her Father’s will,
to consummate eternity, then pray
humbly accepting she-knows-not-what,
singing her silent Magnificat.
THE IMMANUEL PROPHECY: I WILL MAKE YOU NEW
Isaiah 7:14 is spoken by God to King Ahaz through Isaiah. Ahaz ruled over Judah and was an evil king (2 Kings 16). Along with much of Israel at the time, he was so given to pagan worship that he burned his own son as a sacrifice to a pagan god (2 Kings 16:3-4).
When God tells Israel and Judah that the Virgin will conceive and bear a son, he does so during an exchange with Ahaz (Isaiah 7:1-17). It is notable that this prophecy – so familiar from countless Christmas cards, sermons, and songs – is spoken to this king. Ahaz, and Judah under his reign, are saturated with evil. This prophecy (and the one in Isaiah 41) ought to make King Ahaz tremble with fear before the impending justice of the Lord, a justice that will decimate the illusion of power to which he is addicted. It ought to make Israel tremble along with him. God will send a sign, yes – and he will allow Ahaz, and all those given over to evil with him, to be burned up like chaff by the consequences of their evil.
Today’s art piece is an icon that depicts Mary with Christ seated in her womb as if on a throne. An icon is a piece of visual theology designed to help us engage in prayerful contemplation of theological truth. This icon follows the Orthodox tradition of icons of the Virgin Mary, in which she is known as the “Theotokos,” or “God-bearer.”
Hundreds of years after Ahaz’s reign, the angel Gabriel tells Mary she will bear the Son of God. In stark contrast to King Ahaz, her reply to God’s will is “yes, I will do it.” This fiat (Latin for “be done”) is spoken into a void created by centuries of unfaithfulness. Where Israel said “no” to God in violent ways that gestated death, Mary speaks a consummating “yes” that brings forth life.
In other words: Mary did what the nation of Israel consistently failed to do. She said yes, let it be done as You will. In so doing, she became a new dwelling place for God himself, and an example of what total assent to God’s will can effect both in an individual life and on behalf of entire nations.
In Advent we take four weeks to remember how we, like Mary, live in a world that is ill. It is broken down and violent. It is a place where people are isolated from each other and God. It is a world where we seem to always choose the wrong thing. It is a world that is dying. And we are, like it or not, participants in its death.
As we do so, we find – like Mary – that God visits us and asks: Will you let me dwell in you and remake you? Will you let me burn up the chaff within you and restore the wheat? Will you become the place where I reside, become yourself my throne and temple? (1 Cor. 6:19-20)
We cannot possibly know what our assent will lead to. We can hope for specific outcomes – but that is, in the end, not the point. Our task is simply to become a residence for the life of Christ, a doorway through which he will make his love known to the world. When God visits and asks if we will say yes, we find life can have no other eventuality than our total, simple, and grateful assent.
Behold, we say with the Theotokos. I am the handmaid of the Lord. Be it unto me according to thy word.
Prayers:
“Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. Be it unto me according to thy word.”
“O God, forasmuch as without thee we are not able to please thee; Mercifully grant that thy Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.”
— Collect for the 19th Sunday after Trinity in the 1928 Book of Common Prayer
Alea Peister
Copywriter for Deloitte Digital
Alumna, Biola University
About the Art:
Madonna with a Child
Hlafira Shcherbak
2020
Acrylic and gilding on gessoed wood
40 x 40 cm.
Artist Hlafira Shcherbak describes her art by saying, “My art is about feelings and experiences, dialogue and co-creation with the viewer and their differences, creating integrity in the presence of God, about space and boundaries, the embodiment of meanings and changes. Searches and experiments, observation, variability, uncertainty, but at the same time faith, deep conviction––all of these are in the processes that resulted in my works of sacred art.”
https://iconart-gallery.com/en/artists/hlafira-shcherbak/
About the Artist:
Hlafira Shcherbak (b. 1995) is a liturgical Ukrainian artist. She received her degree at the Lviv National Academy of Arts in the department of sacred art. Shcherbak creates her work using monotype, a graphic technique of flat printing, which in combination with elaborate and strongly modeled forms creates a sense of ephemerality, lightness, and unpredictability of forms. Geometrization and simplification of forms is also characteristic of Shcherbak’s graphic style. These techniques and her graphic style allow the artist to create spaces and forms that build a connection between the divine and the human. Her works are in the collections of the Museum of the Warsaw Archdiocese (Muzeum Archidiecezji Warszawskiej, Poland) and in private collections in Ukraine, Poland, and Germany.
https://nowaikona.pl/en/artysta/hlafira-shcherbak/
About the Music:
“Immanuel” from the album Every Tribe
Lyrics:
Glory to God, peace on earth.
Goodwill to all men.
Here with the angels, we sing.
And as He reigns from above,
May He reign in our hearts.
Our sovereign Lord and King.
Oh, Immanuel,
Oh, Immanuel,
Oh, Immanuel,
God with us. (2x)
Hallelujah to the One who made,
His home among us,
And took our sin away.
Oh, hallelujah!
He has torn the veil
That separated,
To bring us face to face.
Oh, Immanuel,
Oh, Immanuel,
Oh, Immanuel,
God with us. (2x)
Glory, glory, glory to God in the highest (4x)
Oh, Immanuel,
Oh, Immanuel,
Oh, Immanuel,
God with us. (2x)
Glory, glory, glory to God in the highest (4x)
Worthy, worthy, worthy is our Messiah (2x)
Oh, Immanuel,
Oh, Immanuel,
Oh, Immanuel,
God with us. (2x)
About the Composers:
Joshua Aaron, Don Poythress, and Krissy Nordhoff
Don Poythress is one of Nashville’s premier songwriters. His songs have been recorded by both acclaimed country and pop stars, including Tim McGraw, Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, Blake Shelton, Cheryl Crow, and Christian artists such as Kari Jobe, Phil Whikham, Lincoln Brewster, and Jaci Velasquez. “Country music has always captivated me,” Don recalls. “But the first music I remember learning were worship songs that my mom taught me—in particular, ‘Jesus, There’s Something About That Name.’” He was nominated for CMA Song of The Year for his number-one song by Easton Corbin, “A Little More Country Than That.” In 2006, the Martins’ recording of Don’s song “The Promise” received a Dove Award for Southern Gospel Recorded Song of the Year. But regardless of the artist, Don always tries to stay true to his spiritual heritage—“Whether it’s country or Christian music,” Don notes, “I try to write in a way that reflects my faith."
https://donpoythress.com/bio
Krissy Nordhoff is a renowned American songwriter, worship leader, and speaker. She is best known for her powerful and heartfelt songs that have been sung in churches and worship gatherings around the world. Nordhoff's music has been recognized with multiple Dove Awards and her songs have been recorded by notable Christian music artists. Nordhoff is also a sought-after speaker, frequently sharing her message of hope and faith at conferences and events across the United States. She draws inspiration from her faith and her family, and her songs often reflect themes of love, grace, and the power of God to transform lives.
https://krissynordhoff.com/about/
About the Performer:
Joshua Aaron is a singer-songwriter and worship leader known for his unique blend of Jewish and Christian music. He has released several albums, including Bo Yeshua, which features songs in both Hebrew and English, and Every Tribe, which explores the theme of unity among believers. Aaron's music is characterized by its rich melodies, heartfelt lyrics, and a deep respect for Jewish tradition. He has performed in many countries around the world, sharing his message of faith and hope with audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Aaron's music has been featured on several popular Christian music charts, including Billboard's Top 10 Christian Albums and iTunes' Top 100 Christian & Gospel Albums.
https://www.joshuaaaron.tv/
About the Poetry and Poet:
William Baer (b. 1948) is an American author of twenty-five books, including The Unfortunates, recipient of the T.S. Eliot Award; “Bocage” and Other Sonnets, recipient of the X.J. Kennedy Poetry Prize; and four other collections of poetry. Baer has received a fellowship from the Guggenheim Foundation, as well as a Fulbright and a creative writing fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. He is a graduate of Rutgers University, New York University, the University of South Carolina, the Johns Hopkins Writing Seminars, and USC’s Graduate School of Cinema, where he received the Jack Nicholson Screenwriting Award. He was also the founding editor of The Formalist: A Journal of Metrical Poetry, and the founding director of the Richard Wilbur Poetry Series, the Howard Nemerov Sonnet Award, and the Willis Barnstone Translation Prize.
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/william-baer
About the Devotion Author:
Alea Peister
Copywriter for Deloitte Digital
Alumna, Biola University
Alea is a current M.F.A. in Creative Writing (with a focus on Spiritual Writing) student at Seattle Pacific University. She is passionate about the relationship between creativity and prayer, which she explores in ministry with her church community (St. Matthew’s in Newport Beach, CA). She daylights as a copywriter at Deloitte Digital, and is an alumna of Biola’s English Department and the Torrey Honors College. You can follow her writerly escapades on Instagram at @alea_peister and Substack at aleapeister.substack.com.