The prophet Isaiah gave the Israelites an amazing birth announcement that was 700 years early. This message was delivered to the people while they were facing a threat from the Assyrian superpower that would eventually destroy Israel and sent some of its people into captivity.

God cared about the Israelites and wanted you to know that He cares about what’s happening to you!

In our modern culture, new moms and dads post cute ‘reveal’ pictures when they share the birth announcement for their newest addition to their family. The birth announcement used to come when the baby was born but these days it comes several months before the baby is born.

But NOT 700 years early!

AND . . . get the gender absolutely correct SEVEN-HUNDRED years early!

That was how God delivered the birth announcement of His only Son through the prophet Isaiah!

If you really stop and think about how amazing it was for a birth announcement to be given long before a baby is born, you will be blown away!

I actually had never thought about it before I focused only on Isaiah 9:6-7 the other day.

 

This Birth Announcement Gave Hope

 

 

For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
    and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
 Of the increase of his government and of peace
    there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
    to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
    from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. Isaiah 9:6-7

 

Isaiah gave hope to the Israelites that there was a coming King promised to them. They were giving up hope as they were facing a stressful situation with the Assyrians.

God wants to give us hope to sustain us through the dark times. That is why He gave this super early birth announcement.

The long wait between promise and fulfillment was a gift from God.

How often do we think of a long waiting period as being a gift?

We can’t see the big picture of events in our lives. Looking at this story we know how things turned out in the end. We know that the coming King really did come in the long run (Luke 1:32-33).

After 700 long years.

Because we can see how it all ended up, we can understand how there might be something in our life that we can’t see how it turns out.

This gives me hope that some things I am praying for can give me hope. Hope for a future and the end that God is planning for me (Jeremiah 29:11).

 

A Baby with Four Names!

 

 

On most birth announcements, the baby has a first and middle name and sometimes not even that. Baby Jesus was given four names on his special birth announcement.

These names tell what this Baby will do.

 

1. Wonderful Counselor!
2. Mighty God!
3. Everlasting Father!
4. Prince of Peace!

 

One name wasn’t sufficient for the most special Child ever born!

If you have a decision to make, Jesus can be your Wonderful Counselor!

He is your Mighty God and can do amazing things in your life!

If you no longer have an earthly father, you understand more fully what it means that He is your Everlasting Father. You can’t call your parents once they are gone from this earth but you can connect with Jesus and call on Him at any time.

If you have relational difficulties with your husband, children, a parent or friend, Jesus can be your Prince of Peace and show you how to bring peace into the relationship.

God did deliver on this promise and Jesus was miraculously born 700 years later. Every promise in Isaiah’s birth announcement was fulfilled.

God came among us so He could understand us, in the person of Jesus. He took on flesh and became like us in order to understand us and give us wisdom, protection, fatherly care, and peace as we learn what it is to walk in a close relationship with Him.

Have you experienced this hope? Do you know the closeness of Jesus with you each day? Let me know below how I can encourage or pray for you.

 

 

Making A More Meaningful Christmas + Bonus of James and Luke DOWNLOAD HERE

is a journaling workbook that will encourage you to draw closer to Jesus. It is a thirty-day workbook that you use with the 14 passages and 12 Scripture Memory Verses.

 

DOWNLOAD HERE!