The Sign

​​A Reflection on the Gospel for Sunday, December 21st, 2025:
Fourth Sunday of Advent

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Isaiah
​7:10-14

The Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying, “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” 
 
Then Isaiah said: “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary the people, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.” 

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

When I first read these verses from the prophet Isaiah, I was drawn to the fact that the Lord encouraged King Ahaz of Judah to ask for a sign. All I could think about in that moment was the 90’s song “The Sign” by Ace of Base. Does anyone else remember this? 
 
I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes 
I saw the sign 
Life is demanding without understanding 
I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes 

Are you singing it in your head?… Okay, back to Isaiah. 

At first glance, Ahaz’s words, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test", sound humble and faithful. But the story behind them reveals something quite different. In the late 8th century BC, Judah faced pressure from Aram and Israel, who wanted Ahaz to join their alliance against Assyria. When Ahaz refused, they threatened war. Fear gripped the king, and God sent Isaiah to reassure him: trust in the Lord, not in human schemes. Instead of seeking God’s sign, Ahaz placed his hope in political maneuvering. In his demanding life, there was definitely a lack of understanding of what the Lord was offering him. His refusal wasn’t humility—it was a lack of trust. How often do we, too, lean on our own ideas rather than God’s promises? For me, this happens on the daily. 

When I am feeling sad or anxious, my go-to comfort is TV… and chips (I wish I could say it was prayer). Distraction from my feelings helps me to numb them for a little while. Eating something yummy sends little signals to my brain, giving me a sensation of pleasure. But it is always fleeting. Inevitably, I do turn to the Lord – typically pouring my heart out to Him on a long run and begging for a sign that He hears me. I guess that’s where King Ahaz and I differ – I ask for signs all the time. I ask for them to be obvious (think big, flashing billboards) since I can so easily miss them.  

Since Ahaz will not ask for a sign, God offers to send one anyway. And boy, is it a big one. He points to the coming of Emmanuel, which means “God with us”. I suspect, at the time, neither Ahaz nor Isaiah could truly understand what this meant. I wonder if anyone truly understood the Old Testament prophesies about the coming Messiah. If I were alive back then, I can pretty much guarantee that I would have been very confused by the idea of a virgin conceiving and bearing a son. And what does this sign ultimately point to? As John 3:16 says: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but have eternal life.” Jesus’ birth is a sign of God’s eternal love for us. I think when I am asking for a sign about some worldly thing, underneath the surface, what I am truly asking for is a sign that God loves me. I need not look any further than to a baby, born of a virgin, who came to save the world…who came to save me.  

O come, O come, Emmanuel. 




Lisa Matheson