Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son and shall call his name Immanuel–God with us. –Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23
On this prophecy hang all the hopes of fellow- sinners. Had this failed, we had all been lost: horror eternal had awaited us; hell eternal must have been our doom. "God with us" must be born a babe in time, or sinful man for ever dies. But, O my fellow-sinners, all hail! I give you joy. This day is this Scripture fulfilled. This virgin hath conceived; this Son, this Immanuel, is born God in our nature–God with us, God for us we behold in Him.
He says, "I was set up from everlasting," (as the covenant head of my people,)– my delights were with the sons of men." Prov. 8:23, 31. Now he hath shown how he delighted over us, how ha rested for ever in his love to us. For he visits us in our flesh. "He took not on him the nature of angels," but became a babe in human flesh, a man; born to save, he lived to justify; he died to redeem–whom? fallen angels? No, they are left, reserved in chains of darkness But, unto us, sinners, us miserable apostates from God. in the very same desperate state as devils; behold, "unto us a Child in born; unto us a Son is given:" that we, who are filthy by birth and polluted by nature, might have a holy birth and a sanctified nature in him. "The government is upon his shoulders." He is our King. He reigns over us, for us, and in us. Our souls and all our concerns are safe in his hands. "His name is Wonderful." In his conception, birth, person, God and man in one Christ: in his life, death, resurrection, ascension, and intercession, wonderful: in his love to and salvation of us, wonderful. "Counsellor." He powerfully pleads our cause above; he sweetly counsels our hearts below to come to him, and find rest in him. "The mighty God." None less could save us. Jesus is the God of our salvation. "The everlasting Father." He begets us to himself, by the word of his grace. The most tender parent on earth never loved his children as Jesus loves us. "The Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6. He is ever at peace with us, made peace for us, bestows his peace on us.
The birth of Jesus–behold it, says the prophet; dwell on it in your own minds; feed on it in your hearts. This makes you happy all the year round. For this brings "glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will towards men." Luke 2:14.