The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From the Tree

Isaiah 7:10-14

You’ve heard it said before, you’ve heard this expression before, like father, like son. Or maybe you have heard it that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Both of these expressions are meant to imply that the successor is very much like or identical to the predecessor in many ways. I see this when it comes to my own son. I see many of my own characteristics in my own son, and there’s no doubt about it. He is a chip off the old block. In many ways, he thinks like me. In many ways, he acts like me. Sometimes that’s a good thing. Other times, not so much. King Ahaz in our text this morning is anything but a chip off of the old block. In this case, the apple could not have fallen further from the tree. Ahaz’s father was described in the Bible as one who did right in the eyes of the Lord. King Jotham, who was Aor, Ahaz’s father, did not follow the ways of the world. He steadfastly and faithfully put his faith in the Lord. In contrast, his son Ahaz is described as one who did evil in the eyes of the Lord. In fact, he is described as an evil king. We’re told that he made idols of the Bales for worship, the gods of the people who lived near and around the nation of Judah. Second Chronicles were told that he even sacrificed his own sons in the fire. Because Ahaz was so evil, the Lord allowed him and the nation of Judah to be attacked by its enemies on all sides. In his hour of need, does he turn to the Lord? No. He turned to the king of Assyria saying to him, “I am your servant.” He even went so far as to take gold and silver from the temple and give it to the king of Assyria. Then on a visit to Damascus, while he was there visiting the king of Assyria, he noticed an altar built to the false gods of the Assyrians, and he ordered Uriah the high priest to build a duplicate altar in the city of Jerusalem. He reasoned that if the gods of Assyria could protect the Assyrians, then the gods of the Assyrians could protect the nation of Judah as well. This is true. This is Ahaz’s story, and it’s sad, my dear friends. We, too, have to wonder to ourselves, have we always been faithful to God? At times in our lives, have we, too, worshipped idols? Now, I’m sure, and I hope, none of us has ever made an idol and bowed down and worshipped it. But how many times in our lives have we failed to trust God as Ahaz did? How many times did we try to fit into the world and do as the world around us would do? How many times have we failed to listen to our Lord? Even when we have not done what is pleasing in the eyes of the Lord, the Lord says to us, “I will give you a sign. The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and will call him Emmanuel.” Now, in amazing grace, God sent his son into this world. True man, but also true God. Emmanuel, meaning God with us. God sent his son into this world to dwell with human being sinners like you and I. In this case, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. The Almighty God the Father sent his son. God the son into this world to deliver us from our sins. And this is a sign that proved for all eternity just how much God loves us. For every time when we have failed to love God fully, we have this sign of grace. For every time when we have not lived the lives that God would have us to live, we have this sign of his mercy and his grace to us. In a few short days, we will celebrate that sign that God gave to Ahaz and to people everywhere. We will celebrate the birth of our Savior. The promise that God gave to Ahaz is the same promise that gives us joy during this time of year and every single day of our lives. Never again do we have to fear the consequences of our sins that we rightfully deserve. Never again will we have to wonder what will happen to us when we die because God has kept his promise to us. During his life, King Ahaz was so concerned with the trappings of this world that he lost sight of the bigger picture. He forgot that this life is only temporary and that led him to commit unspeakable sins. He forgot that his Savior was with him and with him always. Now, when we think about everything that has happened in this world when we think about everything that happened to Ahaz, we have to wonder to ourselves, have we too done those same things? Have we too committed unspeakable sins against God? But here’s the thing, God is faithful and God never changes. Even when we were opposed to him in every fathomable way, he wanted us to be saved from our sins. He wanted us to be with him and to trust in him for everything in this life and the next. And to that end, he sent his son who, like the father, loves us. And so the son came into this world. So are you looking for a sign that says that God is faithful and full of grace? Then look no further than the birth of the one who was born of the virgin who was called Emmanuel. God is with us today, tomorrow, and forevermore. Amen.