God wants his people to be sure of his promises, to be sure of his love, to be sure of his rule. He has repeatedly given them signs so that they might be sure. That has always been the case. He left Noah a sign of the covenant in the sky, a rainbow to assure him and all people after him that God would never again destroy the world with a flood. God left Abraham and his descendants a sign in their flesh, circumcision to assure them that they were God’s people, and they were set apart to him and for him. He gave his people a sign of his presence as they left Egypt, a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. God offered to give Ahaz a sign that his Word was true and that their enemies would not destroy his people. Ahaz refused, but God in mercy gave a sign for us, a son born to a virgin. Repeatedly God has given his people signs so that they might be sure of his promises, sure of his love, sure of his rule.

God still wants that for us. He wants us to be sure of his promises, sure of his love, sure of his rule. He has left signs for us too. He has left us a sign in the manger, a boy born to a virgin, Immanuel! He has left us other signs of his love. They are quite ordinary, yet they are signs nonetheless. He has left us water together with the word as a sign and a declaration of sure promises that belong to us, a sign and a declaration of sins forgiven and love given. He has left us bread and wine together with his body and blood as a sign over the doorframes of our bodies so that death will pass us over. He has left us this holy meal so that we might have a sign and a declaration from him of sins forgiven and love given. We are not without signs of his love. We are not without signs of sure promises.

We’re looking at Isaiah 7:1-17. Take a listen.