Isaiah 9:6a – “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given…”
The prophet Isaiah begins with language so familiar that it’s often read too quickly. Yet within this brief phrase lies a depth of mystery and majesty that anchors the entire gospel. “For unto us a Child is born” speaks of an earthly event–Messiah’s humanity. He was born as all men are born, taking on flesh, entering a specific culture, time, and lineage. The Hebrew word for “born” (yalad) reinforces His full identification with us. This is the miracle of the incarnation: God wrapped in the vulnerability of a newborn child.
But Isaiah doesn’t stop there. He continues, “unto us a Son is given.” This second phrase doesn’t repeat the first–it deepens it. The Child is born, but the Son is given, not created. The eternal Son of God–the second person of the Godhead–was not born in Bethlehem in the way His humanity was. He was given a gift from heaven. The Hebrew word natan (נָתַן) is used throughout Scripture to denote intentional, covenantal giving — often in the context of offerings and sacrifices. This is the divine generosity that would later be unveiled entirely at the cross.
The dual nature of Messiah–fully God, fully man–is not abstract theology; it’s the foundation of your salvation. Only a perfect man could die in the place of mankind, and only God could bear the infinite weight of humanity’s sin. Yeshua (Jesus) didn’t come to Earth as a religious symbol. He came as the ultimate expression of God’s love–clothed in flesh, destined to bleed, and determined to redeem. He is heaven’s answer to earth’s need.
This changes how we approach Him. He didn’t arrive with royal demand but with divine mercy. He didn’t come to take from us — but to give Himself for us. In a world where value is so often based on performance, this truth lifts the burden: your worth is not found in your striving, but in His giving. You don’t work your way to Yeshua; He came to you.
So understand this–not with cold intellect, but with trembling wonder: a Son was given for you. Not loaned, not bargained, not reluctantly offered–but freely, fully, and forever given. Heaven’s most precious treasure was not withheld. The One through whom all things were made stepped out of eternity and into a womb–for you. The radiance of God’s glory wrapped Himself in the frailty of flesh–for you. The eternal Son, co-equal with the Father, laid aside His majesty and embraced mortality–for you.
He was given not merely to inspire you, but to redeem you. Given not to judge, but to justify. Given not to add to your burdens, but to break them. The weight of your sin, your shame, your story–He took it all upon Himself. This is not abstract theology; this is a divine intervention. Heaven bent low and placed its finest jewel into a broken world–for you.
So fall to your knees in awe, and let this reality pierce through every layer of doubt and weariness: You were worth the giving of the Son. Not because of who you are, but because of who He is. And He is love in its purest form, gift in its highest expression, and grace in its fullest measure. Be still–and receive the wonder of His love!
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]For the past two weeks we have examined lessons from the OT account of Israel’s Exodus from Egypt in hope of avoiding the errors and attitudes of the children of Israel. This week we will draw connections between the Exodus and the prophecies in the book of Revelation.
For the past two weeks we’ve been building life lessons derived from the Exodus wanderings and from Paul’s exhortations to the church in Corinth. Notice carefully that Paul says, “these were written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the ages have come”…
…that is, written for us today! – admonitions from Paul to learn lessons from the history of the children of Israel.
Paul exhorts the church at Corinth about grumbling and complaining. He reminds the believers of the judgments that befell the 10 spies who brought a bad report of the land – and were struck down by a plague, and terrible fate of Korah and those aligned with him that came against Moses and Aaron and were swallowed up by the ground under them.
Here we have a stark word. Here we see the Lord testing Israel: “He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you.” [Deuteronomy 8:16]. Yet Paul says that they put Him to the test. A great irony occurs when God is testing us, and we despise His discipline, thereby testing Him.
The Apostle Paul continues his warning to the Corinthians against idolatry by referring to Israel’s celebration/worship of the golden calf. Aaron’s proclamation, “These are your gods (plural) O Israel” could be one of the earliest declarations mixing the worship of the true and living God, YHVH, with idols. This is called “syncretism”. Dictionary.com defines it: ” the attempted reconciliation or union of different or opposing principles, practices, or parties, as in philosophy or religion.”
The Apostle Paul’s admonition in 1 Corinthians 10:6 against desiring evil as they did, would seem to point to the obvious sins – lying, stealing, adultery, fornication, etc. – and following their deliverance from slavery, many of the children of Israel were certainly guilty of some of these. But this passage in Numbers describes a type of sin we don’t normally consider: it was simply their desire for the foods they ate in Egypt.
When I was in school, it seemed they ran a “fire drill” at least once a year. A long, loud, kind of scary bell would sound and we knew it was either a real fire, or, more likely, just another drill. We were formed into lines, ushered down the halls, and out the doors we went. Of course, the point was practice….so we would be prepared for a real fire.