The Scripture Readings of December 20, Monday of Fourth Week of Advent (Isaiah 7:10-14; Luke 1:26-38), there is a distinct contrast between king Ahaz of Judah in Isaiah 7:10-14 and Mary betrothed to Joseph in Luke 1:26-38, in regard to how they respond to God’s will on them.
Ahaz, though God called him to trust God in dealing
with a very difficult geopolitical situation that he, as king of Judah, faced
in dealing with the Syria-Israel alliance threat. Rather than trusting God’s
will on him, Ahaz allied with a foreign power, Assyria. In contrast, Mary, on
the other hand, though at first troubled for not knowing what it was about, Mary
accepted God’s will on her with her obedience.
Though Ahaz was corrupt king, God nevertheless
wanted save Judah, which he ruled as a Davidic king. During Ahaz’s reign, Judah
was attacked by Syria and Israel (Ephraim). This is known as the Syro-Ephraimite
War (736-732BC). But, Judah was not destroyed because God kept his covenant to
save this Davidic kingdom (e.g. 1 Kings 11:36; 2 Samuel 7:12; Jeremiah 31:31;
34:14). So, God kept his promise on Judah and hoped Ahaz would turn his heart
to Him. God tried to make him believe, inviting him to ask Him for a sign
(Isaiah 7:11). But, Ahaz rejected (Isaiah 7:12) and ended up seeking help from
Assyria by making Judah its vassal state – rather than seeking God who is
faithful to His promise.
So, God told Ahaz to listen to Him, rather than
humans (Isaiah 7:13). So, God said to obstinatedly unbelieving Ahaz that God
Himself would give a sign – even though he rejected God’s invitation to ask Him
a sign. So, God promised this sign:
An “almah”,
which can mean a “young woman”, as well as, a “virgin”, to bear a son, named
Emmanuel (Isaiah 7:14).
And this promise of God in Isaiah’s prophesy began
being fulfilled through what is described in the Gospel Reading (Luke 1:26-38),
after more than 700 years.
The Gospel Reading (Luke 1:26-38) is the description
of the Annunciation: when archangel Gabriel came to Mary out of the blue when
she was betrothed to Joseph and told her:
Mary is Yahweh’s favored one (Luke 1:28, 30),
meaning that she is full of grace as she is the Immaculate Conception.
Mary is to conceive and bear a son, who is to be
named, “Jesus”, as he is the Son of God Most High (Yahweh), to be given the
Davidic throne by God the Father, to rule the house of Jacob as his Kingdom
with no end (Luke 1:31-33).
Mary is to be impregnated with the Son of God by the
power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35).
Mary’s older relative, Elizabeth, who was thought to
be barren, is now pregnant, because there is nothing impossible for God (Luke
1:37).
Though the Annunciation is the First Joyful Mystery
(Luke 1:26-38), followed by the Second Joyful Mystery, the Visitation (Luke
1:39-45), Mary did not respond to these series of announcements by Gabriel with
joy at all at first.
When Gabriel told her that she is God’s most favored
one, Mary was rather greatly troubled as she had no idea about what this archangel
was talking about, wonder what sort of greetings that he made to her by saying
such a thing (Luke 1:29).
Recognizing Mary’s troubled reaction, Gabriel told
her not to worry (Luke 1:30) and explained what the her “most favored by God” (full
of grace, the Immaculate Conception) status meant, and it is that she was to
conceive a son, to be named “Jesus”, who is actually the Son of God the Most High,
by the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:31-33).
But, Mary was still puzzled about what Gabriel said
about her status as God’s most favored one and about her pregnancy with the Son
of the Most High without having any physical relationship with a man (Luke
1:34).
So, Gabriel had to explain to Mary more and
explained with a reason.
Mary’s unexpected and unfathomable pregnancy is by God’s
will, and therefore, done by God’s power overshadowing her through the Holy Spirit
on to bear His Son, the Son of God to rule his Kingdom forever (Luke 1:35). And
to make a point on this, Gabriel told of Elizabeth’s “impossible” pregnancy was
made possible by God, because there is nothing impossible for God as He wills
(Luke 1:36-37).
Though it was not sure if she understood all of
this, Mary no longer asked a question. Being assured that it is all by God,
being faithful, Mary accepted and trusted God, by her fiat to serve God and His
will as His servant:
Behold,
I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word
(Luke 1:38).
Thus, Christ, who is the Word-God (John 1:1) became the
human flesh to dwell among us (John 1:14), by the power of God through the Holy
Spirit in Mary’s womb (Luke 1:31, 35).
And, Elizabeth blessed this Son of God in Mary’s womb, as the fruit of Mary’s womb, when Mary visited her to this pregnant elder relative of hers (Luke 1:42), because the fruit of Mary’s womb is the Lord (Luke 1:43).
Though Mary was greatly troubled at first in hearing
Gabriel’s words on her status with God and puzzled of conceiving the Son of God
while being a virgin. But, it does not mean she doubted what Gabriel said about
God’s will on her. She accepted it obediently with her fiat to serve Him as His
handmaid. In contrast, Ahaz was given by a chance to ask Him for a sign to help
him believe in God so that He would be a good king for Judah. But, he flatly
rejected God’s call, saying, “I will not
ask! I will not tempt the Lord!”(Isaiah 7:12). Because it was God Himself
to invite Ahaz to ask Him for a sign, it is not to tempt God by asking for a
sign. But, because of his heart so harden with his sinfulness, Ahaz justified
his refusal of God’s call in such an expression.
In response to Ahaz’ rejection of a God-given chance
to turn to and trust God and trusting Assyria, instead, God promised to have an
almah to become pregnant and bear a
son, named Emmanuel (which means “God with us”), to save not only the house of
Israel, not just Judah and its holy capitol, Jerusalem (Zion) but the world,
because this Emmanuel is the Son of God, whom Mary obediently accepted to be
conceived in her womb, to be named Jesus (which means “the Lord saves”) and to
be seen as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world by John the
Baptist (John 1:29) to save.
This is a story behind God sending His only begotten
Son out of His love for us, for the world (John 3:16) by incarnating Christ,
who is God-Word (John 1:1, 14), through Mary’s obedience and her fiat to be God’s
handmaid servant (Luke 1:38).
God’s promise against Ahaz’s rejection of God to
have an almah pregnant with Emmanuel
(Isaiah 7:14), which began being fulfilled through Mary (Luke 1:26-38) is
making further progress, as Emmanuel in Mary’s womb is coming out to us very
soon, as his due day will come in less than a week!
No comments:
Post a Comment