Our "God With Us"

As we enter the Christmas time, I wanted to do a series of slighty more serious posts. Not to worry, From The Still will not always be as meaty; I just wanted to commit some time to Someone closer to my heart.

Isaiah 7
¹⁴ Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Isaiah 9
⁶ For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

These words were spoken around 740 B.C. by the son of Amoz, the prophet Isaiah.

Historically, this was about 400 years before the start of the Persian period (410-334 B.C.). Then, a name you might recognize from a recent motion picture conquered the Persians in Palestine beginning the Hellenistic period in Israel(~332 B.C.). When Alexander died, his kingdom was divided between his generals, the Ptolemies and the Seleucids. The Ptolemies (Egypt) were tolerant of the Jewish religion. The Seleucids of Syria were not.

In 198 B.C, the Seleucids defeated the Ptolemies gaining control of Palestine. This ushered in the Hasmonean Period which was a time when the Jewish faith was greatly oppressed. It was also a very heroic time for the Jews as they fought against this oppression. The miracle of Hanukkah occurred around 168 B.C.

Pompey, the Roman general captured Jerusalem in 63 B.C. thus putting the provinces of Palestine under Roman rule. In late 5 B.C or early 4 B.C. Isaiah's prophecy was fullfilled, the Christ Child was born to Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem.

The words of Isaiah served as an invitation to the shepherds to come and see Immanuel. The King who had been with His people through 730 years of war, strife and religious oppression. And is still with us today.