This is actually one of the most famous of Old Testament verses-largely because it is quoted in Matthew 1:23 (as part of the story of the Nativity). As will be recalled, Jesus' stepfather (Joseph) received an angel, informing him that the woman he was engaged to (who happened to be pregnant out of wedlock) had not "cheated" on him. In this angelic visitation, Joseph was informed that he should not "put her away" (or break off the engagement) but, instead, go through with their planned marriage.
Various scholars have argued that Isaiah's word (translated "virgin" here) likely only meant a "young girl" and, thus, was not in any way predicting the "virgin birth" or the Virgin Mary. However, in the third century BC, the Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek (in what is known as the Septuagint Translation), and it used the Greek word παρθενος, which unquestionably means "virgin." In other words, about 250 years before Jesus was born-fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy-translators of the Bible understood this verse to be foreshadowing some miraculous forthcoming virgin birth.
With all of that said, the most important part of our verse for today is found in Isaiah's prediction that Mary's baby would be "called" by the "name Immanuel." Is this a contradiction with Gabriel's degree that Mary name Him "Jesus"? (See Luke 1:31) Of course not. The answer to this seeming contradiction is found in the fact that the name "Immanuel" means literally "God with us" (or "with us is God"). In the fourth century, Saint John Chrysostom explained: "Why then do they not call him Emmanuel instead of Jesus Christ? Because the text says not 'you shall call' but 'his name shall be called.' This means that the multitude and the outcome of the events themselves will cause him to be called Emmanuel… Therefore to say 'they shall call him Emmanuel' means nothing else than that they shall see God among us."
Chrysostom's point begs the question: can you see it? Do you recognize Jesus as "God with us"? More particularly, do you recognize Him as "God with you"? Can you survey your life and see Christ's hand in it, evidencing not only His love for you, but also the fulfillment of Isaiah's words in Jesus' life? Jesus is the fulfilment of the "sign" Isaiah told us to look for; and He is the "sign" in your own life that a loving God has sent His Only Begotten Son (John 10:17-18) to walk with you and you seek to make your way back to your God and Father in Heaven. As Jesus Himself declared, "And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world" (Matthew 28:20).
In the book of Jeremiah, the prophet Jeremiah is speaking to the Israelites at a time of great despair. They were exiled, living in Babylon, far from their homeland. Jeremiah's words were meant to offer hope and assurance during this period of upheaval. His message was not just for their immediate comfort but also to give them a perspective of a hopeful future planned by God.
This passage in Jeremiah speaks directly to the heart of encouragement, especially in the face of uncertainty and difficulty. It's a reminder that even when our current circumstances seem bleak or disheartening, there is a broader plan for good, for hope, and for a future. This can be particularly resonant for us when we face our own periods of doubt or when our path seems unclear. It's a call to trust in a greater plan that we might not fully understand yet.