Advent 2025, Day 21

   

Day 21, December 20, 2025

Theme: 

Joy

Readings: 

Reading: Is 7:10-14 

Gospel: Lk 1:26-38

Reflections:

We are finishing the third week of Advent today. If you have read daily thus far, thank you for participating!  If you have enjoyed the series consider commenting below or sending some feedback here.

To understand why today's passage features such a sharp response to Ahaz, I admit, for the first time in this series, I asked an AI tool for a little help in understanding the passage in Isaiah.  Here's what I found, and it's instructive for us today:

To understand why God is "mad" at King Ahaz in Isaiah 7:10–14, it is helpful to look past Ahaz’s seemingly polite words and into the political crisis he was facing. On the surface, his response sounds humble, but in reality, it was an act of open rebellion.

The Historical Context: A Kingdom Under Siege

Judah was in a state of panic. Two neighboring kings—Rezin of Syria and Pekah of Israel—had teamed up to invade Jerusalem. Their goal was to depose Ahaz and install a puppet king who would join them in a revolt against the superpower of the day, Assyria.

Ahaz was terrified. Isaiah 7:2 describes the hearts of the people shaking "as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind."

Why God Was Angry with Ahaz

In the middle of this crisis, God sent the prophet Isaiah to tell Ahaz to stay calm and trust Him. To prove He would protect Judah, God gave Ahaz a "blank check," telling him to ask for any sign he wanted—no matter how miraculous.

Ahaz replied: "I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test" (v. 12). While this sounds like he is following the law (Deuteronomy 6:16), God was angry for three specific reasons:

1. Fake Piety: Ahaz wasn't being humble; he was being evasive. He had already decided to ignore God and send a massive bribe (using gold from God’s Temple) to the King of Assyria to buy protection.

2. Rejecting God's Help: By refusing to ask for a sign, Ahaz was essentially saying, "I don't need Your help, and I don't want to be obligated to You." He preferred a political alliance with a pagan empire over a covenant with God.

3. Wearying God: Isaiah’s response in verse 13 is sharp: "Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also?" Ahaz was "wearying" God by pretending to be religious while actively trusting in human power.

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The Meaning of the "Immanuel" Sign

Because Ahaz refused to ask for a sign, God decided to give one anyway—not just to Ahaz, but to the entire "House of David." This came through the predicted pregnancy of a virgin named Mary, the mother of Jesus. 

What's instructive for us today is not to act religiously when, in actuality, we are trusting in ourselves, systems, or others.  The goal is grow in our reliance on God more and more over time.  Our screen time often betrays our claim of reliance on God, revealing where our true devotion lies. This is precisely the heart of Advent--to remember Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love, as embodied and fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth.  We are practicing 4 weeks of presence so that we might enjoy God all the more, not to build anticipation for presents under a tree.  And no matter who we are relying on, God is wonderfully mysterious in that he sends his son anyway.  Even though we take Him for granted, he sends Jesus anyway.  Even though we choose unwisely and selfishly after entering grace, he forgives anyway.  This way of God, loving us anyway, is the perfect bridge to tomorrow's focus on Love in the final week of Advent.

As we wrap up a week of Joy, we see a repeat passage in Luke, from Day 9 of this series, during the week of Peace. In Luke, we see Jesus, the Prince of Peace, was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of his mother, who, herself, was committed to obedience and peace.  Mary, we must admit, was remarkable!  She took the call seriously and said it aloud, "I am the Lord's servant."  Her response is what we should consider as we confront big challenges to our comfort, patience, and the way folks perceive us.  

Mary claimed an identity of Joy in the midst of something totally unprecedented.  Let us follow her example, joyfully returning daily to God and choosing more often to (actually) rely on God, not just act religiously or go with the worldly flow.

Song: Gabriel's Message, by Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles

Bonus! My Advent 2025 playlist is ready for you to listen to on Apple Music. It's diverse, and it was so much fun to put together as I read through the scriptures and wrote this series.

NOTE: the songs are on Apple Music, which you can get for a month for free if you are new... I just didn't want an obnoxious YouTube Ad ruining your quiet time :-)

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If you are looking for a nondenominational church in the Denver area, check out denverchurchofchrist.org