Isaiah 7

Intro:

- Last week we looked at Isaiah 6 and we saw the commissioning of Isaiah. We saw after the death of king Uzziah, Isaiah saw this vision of the throne room of God in heaven.

- And we looked at what Isaiah saw, but more importantly, we saw how what he saw impacted him. He saw these Seraphim crying out Holy, Holy , Holy is the Lord of hosts. The same picture we get in the book of Rev. 4-5, the constant praise being offered to God, and declaring His holiness.

- This vision of God in His holiness had a direct impact on Isaiah, he was moved to look inwardly, he would say,. “woe is me, for I am undone”.

- In other words, it was in the presence of God, that he saw who God was, and in turn, it shined a light into who he was, a sinner.

- And we took to time to look at how God made a way for our transgressions, through the death of Jesus. Here the picture we saw was of the Seraphim placing a live coal on the mouth of Isaiah, taking away his iniquity.

- And it was only after Isaiah looked upward and saw who God was, only after he looked inward and saw who he was, and his iniquity was dealt with, that he would be able to look outward to a lost world.

- Mike talked about the fact that God has called un into salvation through thru faith in Jesus, but we are also invited to join in the service of our God.

- The Lord would say, who shall I send, and who will go for us?

- And we would see Isaiah say, “here I am, send me”. This invitation is met with a willing heart of surrender, whatever it is you are calling me to do, I am in.

- There were no conditions, no reservations, no hesitation to the call, Isaiah simply said, “here I am, send me”.

Transition

- Now we begin chapter 7 today. We will see Isaiah begin to address the current situations and issues that are taking place during his time. Now as we start chapter 7 to chapter 12 really, we will see Isaiah jump back and forth with things that took place already, things that will take place in the near future, and things that will take place in the far future.

- Remember we talked about Isaiah’s prophetic ministry consisting of foretelling of future events, as well as forth telling the current events.

- So, we will see in the next few chapters, Isaiah prophecy about things that will happen immediately after, and other things like the coming Messiah, that would take place hundreds of years later.

I. Syria and Israel Advance ( 7:1⁠–⁠9 )

A. Syria and Israels attack (v.1-2)

- In this chapter we are drawn in to situation taking place both in the northern Kingdom of Israel and in the southern Kingdom of Judah.

- This section of Isaiah, is specific in time, we are told that it happened during the days of the reign of King Ahaz of Judah.

The Southern Kingdom

King Ahaz

Ahaz’s grandfather was King Uzziah and His father was king Jotham. These kings were men who sought to do what was right in the sight of the Lord, yet Ahaz was a man who chose not to follow in the footsteps of his father or grandfather.

- In 2 Kings 16, we are told of the great evil of Ahaz. We are told….

- He did not do what was right in the sight of the Lord

- He walked in the way of the Kings of Israel ( all evil) instead of walking in the Heritage of His grandfather/father.

- He established pagan altars and sacrificed and burned incense on the high places

- He made his son pass through the fire/ worship to Molech. This pagan statue would have his hands extended out, and a large fire burning under him cause this metal or bronze statue to be extremely hot, and they would place their babies on these extended hands as a sacrifice to Molech.

- Ahaz was a wicked and evil king.

The Northern Kingdom & Syria

- We are told that Pekah is the king of the Northen kingdom of Israel and Rezin is the king of Syria.

- In 2 Kings 15 & 16 we get a clear picture of what is taking place during this time.

- In 2 King 15, we see that Pekah was once an officer to King Pekahiah. Pekah conspired against his king and killed him in Samaria and he reigned in his place. It was by conspiracy and murder that Pekah became king of Israel. This is important to take note of as we look at what was happening in our passage today. ( 2 Kings 15:23-26)

- Now we need to understand that during this time Assyria was the dominating nation that was going around conquering lands and people groups. There is no doubt that both Syria and the Northern kingdom of Israel understood this and they hoped to put together and alliance of different nations to band together to withstand being conquered by the Assyrians.

- In 2 Kings 16:5-9, we see that Pekah the king of Israel and Rezin the king of Syria had an alliance, and they gathered their forces to come against the southern Kingdom of Judah. They wanted to overthrow Judah and replace the king with a king who would do what they wanted, a king who would join their forces against Assyria. Later we will see the man they wanted to be king of Judah was this man, the son of Tabel. We don’t know anything about him.

- Now At first glance it sounds crazy that the Northern kingdom would join with a heathen nation to go against their own brethren, God’s people. But as we mentioned earlier, Pekah was a man who came into power by conspiracy and murder of his own king, it is really then, no surprise that he felt nothing in the attack of God’s people.

Transition

- We are told here in Isaiah that when Ahaz heard of these two armies coming against him, his heart and the heart of the people we moved or shaken as a tree moves in the wind. It is a description of the fact that both he and the people of Judah were shaken by the news of this threat. They were afraid. Fear had come and gripped them.

B. Isaiah’s Commission (v.3)

- God speaks to Isaiah here and tells him and his son to go meet king Ahaz. He is told a specific place to go, at the end of the aqueduct from the upper pool on the highway to Fullers field.

- Now Isaiah’s son’s name Shear-Jashub’s - means “A remnant shall return”. His son would be a walking object lesson if you will.

- This is a constant reminder to the people that in order for a remnant to return to the land, they must first be taken into captivity. Interesting the Lord would want him to go with Isaiah. This would have been a reminder to Ahaz as well.

- God’s purpose for Isaiah going to Ahaz was to deliver a message to him.

C. God’s words to Ahaz (v.4-9)

1. Words of Encouragement (v.4-6)

- Isaiah is given a message to give to King Ahaz. The first portion of the message are words of encouragement. God would tell king Ahaz ….

1. Take heed, or listen , be careful

2. Be quiet / be tranquil, or have peace

3. Do not fear

4. Do not be fainthearted

- In v. 2 were told that the heart of King Ahaz and the people were moved like trees in the wind, they were moved with fear. So, it is fitting that God would reach down and encourage His people, by telling them to listen to His words, by telling them to be quiet or to have peace, not to fear, and not to be fainthearted.

One commentator said.

“Take heed, and be quiet, seemingly, Ahaz needed to pay attention and stop talking about his problem. He needed to trust God and take courage in the Lord.

- Why was God able to say “do not fear”? In 2 Kings 15:37, we see that after the death of Jotham king of Judah, his son Ahaz would be the new King of Judah. And we are told that “in those days the Lord began to send Rezin king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah against Judah”.

- It was the Lord who was allowing the attacks from these nations because of the rebellion of Judah. God in His sovereignty was showing mercy, by using the northern Kingdom and Syria as instruments to bring judgement to Judah. The mercy of God was using correction, as a means bringing the nation to repentance.

- Think of when we discipline our kids, the hand is the instrument used in correction, but the heart is not to destroy the child, but to lead the child to a change of ways. These nations were that instrument in the hand of God to bring correction to Judah.

- So, God in His Sovereignty was able to say do not be afraid, because the same God who allowed these attacks, was the same God who would not allow Judah to be destroyed by them.

- To God, these nations had no full power, he calls them smoking firebrands, no real fire but only smoke.

- One commentator said.

“God looked at Israel and Syria and saw two stubs of smoking firebrands. To the Lord, they were all smoke and no fire”. David Guzik

Transition

- This gives us insight into our own lives. There are many difficulties, hardships, injustices that we may face living on this earth, and while God is not the one who may directly bring these things into our lives, in His sovereignty and mercy, He will use these things for our good. Rom. 8:28-29

- God has a way of using difficulties and hardships to mold us and shape us. To teach us new things, to cause us to depend on Him more.

- And it is neat to see that in the times of difficulties God encourages His people with words of comfort but also with His promises.

2. Words of Promise (v.7-9a)

- The Lord gives promises concerning the future of these two kings and the people that are attacking Judah. These promises were meant to bring hope and to draw Ahaz and the people to trust in God and in His promises.

- Damascus was the capital of Syria and Rezin was the king over Syria.

- Ephraim is in reference to the Northern kingdom. Samaria was the capital of the Northern kingdom and Pekah was the king of Israel.

- The attacks that these men were bringing with their armies would not prevail over Judah, matter of fact we are told that in 65 years, the northern kingdom will be broken.

- These words were spoken by a Sovereign God who knows and sees all things, would be a promise to a nation in distress.

- Now in 2 Chronicles 28 we see additional information to this scene. While God was telling the people of Judah that these two kings would not prevail over them, the reality is that God’s hand of correction would come with real consequences.

- Judah would not be overtaken by these kings, but… they would suffer a great devastation. We are told in 2 Chronicles 28:5-8 that 120,000 people were killed in one day by Pekah. And Israel carried away captive 200,000 women and children from Judah.

- These 200,000 women and children would be returned to Judah after the prophet Oded confronted Israel about going too far in the judgement,. They were supposed to be used as vessels of God’s correction and Israel had acted in rage.

- These words Isaiah is speaking in chapter 7, of these kings not prevailing took place before the devastation of the kings attempting to conquer Judah in 2 Chronicle 28.

Transition

- Now as I was looking at this section, I couldn’t help but see the principals for our lives. Those of us who have lived some years, understand that in this world, you will deal with trials, tribulations, hardships, injustices, death, loss of jobs, heartache….

- Jesus Himself would tell us this,

John 16:33 NKJV

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

- And regardless if God brought the situation into our lives or if we brought them on by our own actions, the pain, and difficulties are real. And the reality is that no person wants to stay in that place of pain, the place of being uncomfortable, the place of loss, for very long.

- Our human nature is to try to figure out how to fix the problem, how to get ourselves out of this hardship…..

- and often, we can miss out on what God was trying to produce in my life through the hardship….

- but I want you to notice that in the midst of great difficulties, tragedy, and loss, God provides Hope through His word & through His promises.

- And this is true in our lives. Rather than looking to ourselves, or looking to others to fix our situation, we should find rest, peace, security, strength, comfort and direction in the word of God and in His promises.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 NKJV

For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.

- this speaks about the word as the words of God, as being truth, as working effectively in our lives.

- This is why we hold the bible in such high regard when we read it and when we teach it, because it is the word of God, it is alive, it is working in my life.

- And as God’s word working in my life, it will require a response to it.

- Here these words of assurance were to calm the fears of Ahaz, but they also challenged him to respond appropriately by accepting God’s knowledge of future events and by trusting in God’s deliverance from the enemy.

3. Words of warning (v.9b)

- God not only gives words to encourage, words of promise, but here we see a conditional warning. “IF”……

You do not believe.

- The warning is based on the choice of the person, here specifically speaking to Ahaz and Judah. If you do not believe or trust in the Lord and in His word, His promises, in His ability to bring relief, ……

-surely, the direct outcome is that they will not be established, or they will not be secure, firm…..

- this is important to take note of because we will see what choices Ahaz made and the result of his choices at the end of the chapter. He will respond to God’s promises in disbelieve.

Transition

- What we have to understand is that the Northern Kingdom and Syria were not able to conquer Judah, because Ahaz reached out to the king of Assyria for help, Tiglath- Pileser. ( 2 Kings 16:7)

- Rather than turning to God in repentance, and putting his trust in the promises of God, he turned to the Assyrians for help. Ahaz took silver and gold from the house of the Lord to give to the king of Assyria. The king of Assyria eventually would conquer Damascus in Syria and would kill King Rezin.

- But this act of Assyria was not an all-out deliverance, they were working for their own benefit….later on, Assyria would use this opportunity to come in and overtake Israel and to take captives back to Assyria, in the first siege.

- Ahaz opened the door for the Assyrians to make their way further into the land, and for Pagan worship to become prevalent in Judah, as Ahaz would build altars in Judah just like the ones he saw in Damascus when he visited with Tiglath- Pileser.

II. The Sign of Immanuel ( 7:10⁠–⁠16 )

A. God speaks again to Ahaz (v.10-12)

- The Lord speaks to Ahaz again now for the second time. And He tells him to ask for a sign from the Lord. In other words, since it might be difficult for Ahaz to believe that God can stop these kings and to deliver them, God is telling him to ask for a sign as proof, and God would do it.

- God has just challenged Ahaz to believe and be blessed, and now God offers to give Ahaz a basis for belief.

- But Ahaz would not ask. He said, he would not test the Lord. Now from the sound of it, it sounds spiritual and sounds like what Jesus said in Mt. 4:7 “you shall not tempt the Lord your God”.

- But Ahaz refused to ask for a sign, because when God fulfilled the sign, he would have been obligated to believe and to obey, so instead he sought to put his trust in man.

David Guzik

“Perhaps Ahaz was bitter against the Lord, because of all the disasters Judah had already been through at the hands of Israel and Syria. Perhaps his mind is “I want nothing to do with the God who allowed it to get this bad”.

B.God speaks to Judah (v.13-16)

1. The promised Messiah (v.13-16)

- Isaiah speaks now to Judah, the house of David. And he is asking a question to them, it is a small thing to weary men, but will you be weary God also? In other words, they had frustrated both Isaiah and God with their rebellion.

- Then Isaiah goes on to give a prophetic passage speaking about the promised Messiah. One of the most well know prophecies. Since Ahaz would not ask for a sign, God would give him a sign.

- This passage gives us insight into both the near fulfillment as well as future fulfillment of this prophecy.

Future Fulfillment

- This speaks of the miraculous virgin birth of Jesus.

- In Matt. 1:18-23, we see the story of Mary being pregnant before she married Joseph. We are told that Joseph wants to put her away secretly because of what he thought to be infidelity.

- An angel would appear to him in a dream and would tell him not to be afraid to take Mary as your wife for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

- The angel would tell Joseph that the Childs name would be Jesus for He will save His people from their sins.

- And then he tells him that this happened in order for the prophecy in Isaiah 7 to be fulfilled, this very prophecy that we are looking at today.

- “behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which is translated, God with us”.

- Jesus which is the Greek translation of Jeshua in Hebrew, which means God is salvation, the name describes His mission, to save the world, but Immannel is who He is, He is God with us.

John 1:1 NKJV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:14 NKJV

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

- God dwelt among us. Speaking about the incarnation, God stepping down in human form, to live among us and ultimately die for our sins. The Hope of the world rests on this truth.

- This is just one of over 300 prophecies that Jesus would fulfill in His coming.

Near Fulfillment

- The near fulfillment of this prophecy centered around Ahaz, Jerusalem and the attack from Israel and Syria. For Ahaz, the sign centered on this time span.

- In other words, God is giving Ahaz a sign, that within a few years, both Israel and Syria would be crushed. This would be a sign of deliverance to Ahaz but also would serve as a warning of consequences to come with Assyria.

- Interesting to think about that the name Immanuel, must have come as a rebuke to Ahaz. If God is with us, then why were we afraid, why did we not trust in Him, why did we turn to foreigners for Help, why did we not turn in repentance.

- This is a great reminder to you and me. That in our most sinful state, God reached down to us to bring us into a personal relationship with Him, that we would be with Him.

- Even in our most difficult situation we may face, there is the promise that God is with us….. in the midst of those hardships. There is hope to be found in the presence of God; and the promises of God.

Clarke

“How is God with us? Jesus is called Immanuel, or God with us, in His incarnation; God with us, by the influence of the Holy Spirit, in the holy sacrament, in the preaching of His word, in private prayer. And God with us, through every action of our life, that we begin, continue, and end in His name. He is God with us, to comfort, enlighten, protect, and defend us, in every time of temptation and trial, in the hour of death, in the day of Judgement, and God with us and in us, and we with Him, to all eternity”.

Transition

- I love the fact that it was when the Nation of Judah was in their worst sinful state, in full rebellion, in their most disparate condition…… that God reached down to speak about Him being with us.

- Because Ahaz did not trust in God’s word and in His promises, but turned to Assyria for help, there would be harsh consequences in the near future.

III. Judgement to Come ( 7:17⁠–⁠25 )

A. The Judgement coming thru Assyria (v.17)

- The Assyrians were known to be brutal and cruel to the people they conquered. They delighted in torture and humiliation.

- There are cravings and writings to this day that show and tell the gruesome stories of conquest. From impaling the heads of the victims on stakes, to cutting off arms, legs, and noses of the victims, to hanging the kings on the gates with their family, to taking the conquered people back to Assyria as slaves.

- V. 9, we see the waring given to Ahaz. If he did not believe in God, he would not be established or be made secure. We will now see the results of the decisions Ahaz made by trusting in man rather than trusting in God.

1. Armies from North and South will come and settle the land(v. 18-19)

- The files speak about Egypt and the Bees speak about Assyria.

- God will not only bring the Armies of Assyria from the North, but the Armies of Egypt will also come from the South, literally pinching Judah in their grip.

- The picture of flies and bees gives the picture of the land being swarmed by these armies.

- Same picture we got in Chp. 5 looking at God’s vineyard.

Isaiah 5:26–30 NKJV

He will lift up a banner to the nations from afar, And will whistle to them from the end of the earth; Surely they shall come with speed, swiftly. No one will be weary or stumble among them, No one will slumber or sleep; Nor will the belt on their loins be loosed, Nor the strap of their sandals be broken; Whose arrows are sharp, And all their bows bent; Their horses’ hooves will seem like flint, And their wheels like a whirlwind. Their roaring will be like a lion, They will roar like young lions; Yes, they will roar And lay hold of the prey; They will carry it away safely, And no one will deliver. In that day they will roar against them Like the roaring of the sea. And if one looks to the land, Behold, darkness and sorrow; And the light is darkened by the clouds.

2. The king of Assyria will shave off everything, the land, the corps and the people. (v.20)

- The Assyrians would destroy everything including ravaging the land, making it useless. We also have the picture of the shaving of the people.

- In the orient, to shave off the beard of a man was an unbearable shame to him and was a sign of slavery. ( 2 Sam. 10:4-5)

- This is something that the Assyrians were known to do.

- We are not sure if this imagery is to be taken literally as the treatment of prisoners of war by shaving off their hair and beards or of figuratively of the land being ravaged. In either case, the point is that God will use these foreigners to accomplish His will against a sinful people.

3. The land will be desolate (v.21-25)

- The land will be destroyed and only a remnant will remain in the land. Those that remain will not be able to farm as before, but instead will have to eat curds or curdled milk and honey. Food of nomads. No fruit or vegetables.

- Normal agriculture will be devastated, wherever there could be a thousand vineyards, there will be briars and thorns instead.

- The land will only be suitable for grazing, It will become a range for the oxen and a place for sheep to roam.

Transition

- Think about the consequences of the choices made. Ahaz had an option of being established in the Lord by placing his trust in Him and by turning to the Lord. But in the moment of his great distress, we see that he turned to foreign enemies.

- These foreign alliances would end up costing him everything, it would destroy the land, and leaving both him, the people and the land in a dried-up state, a desolate place is the picture we see filled with briars and thorns. The green fields are gone.

- This is a spiritual principle that is true in our lives as well. The decisions and choices we make today will have great consequences on our lives. We can trust in God, in His word and walk in obedience, and receive the blessing of God.

- Or we can make decisions that move us away from God’s blessing and the result will be the same as it is here with Ahaz and the land, spiritually dry and desolate, filled with emptiness and grief.

- May we be a people who trust in God, who cling to the God who is with us, and may we walk in obedience.