The Sign of Peace

King Ahaz was a jackass
And a murderous one at that
The faithless shepherd of Israel
Who roasted children before his gods.

But before his Assyrian enemies he shook and cowered,
and the prophet Isaiah came with a strong word from God:
“If you don’t stand firm in faith, you will not stand at all.”¹

The LORD had determined to protect
His people from the Assyrian wolves;
He told wicked Ahaz to ask for a sign
And false-hearted Ahaz refused.

Yet the LORD was committed to His purpose of peace
And gave Ahaz a sign foretelling a birth then and hence
A maiden would give birth to a child, Emmanuel, “God with us”²:
“If you don’t stand firm in faith, you will not stand at all.”

Now as we celebrate our Savior God’s birth
We light a second purple candle to remember
A virgin’s journey to Bethlehem to bear Jesus,
Our Emmanuel.

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¹Isaiah 7:9(b)

²Isaiah 7:14