The Book of Isaiah, Part 4: The Book of Immanuel, Part A
Survey of the Old Testament Prophetic Books • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Intro
Intro
Series - The Book of Isaiah, Part 4
Title - The Book of Immanuel
Text - Isaiah 7.10-16
10 Then the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying,
11 “Ask for a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; make it deep as Sheol or high as heaven.”
12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I put the Lord to the test!”
13 Then he said, “Listen now, house of David! Is it too trivial a thing for you to try the patience of men, that you will try the patience of my God as well?
14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will name Him Immanuel.
15 He will eat curds and honey at the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good.
16 For before the boy knows enough to refuse evil and choose good, the land whose two kings you dread will be abandoned.
18 Behold, I and the children whom the Lord has given me are for signs and wonders in Israel from the Lord of armies, who dwells on Mount Zion.
Background
Background
Syro-Ephraimite War
Syro-Ephraimite War
During the reign of king Jotham, father of king Ahaz, the LORD began to send Rezin (king of Damascus) and Pekah (king of Israel) against Judah - 2 Kings 15.37;
When Ahaz began his evil reign, God handed him over to king Rezin nd king Pekah. In this battle, 120,000 men of Judah were killed, and 200,000 women and children were led away captives. - 2 Chronicles 28.1-8
This was the setting of Isaiah 7, in which God sends the prophet to send words of hope to the king.
Hoping to get support from Assyria, to which Rezin and Pekah were being rebellious vassals, he sends word to the king od Assyria. 2 Kings 16.7-8; 2 Chronicles 28.16-19
Assyria invades Aram (Damascus) and Israel (Samaria) and later (2 Kings 16.9) but later invades Judah - 2 Chronicles 28.20-21
king Ahaz became even more unfaithful to God - 2 Chronicles 28.22-25
The Book of Immanuel
The Book of Immanuel
Chapters 7 through 12 of Isaiah is known to the Jews as the book of Immanuel
Immanuel is prophesied in Isa 7.14
It is believed that the prophecies here were fulfilled in the days of the child Immanuel
This part of the the Book of Isaiah contain prophecies in which God used children as signs concerning the things that He was going to do to His people, the two kingdoms of Israel and Judah.
Main Idea
Main Idea
In Bible times, it was common practice for God to give “signs” as a way of confirming His word to His people.
But why would God use “children” as signs in this part of Israel’s history?
we will discuss the three children mentioned in chapters 7-8
Main Points
Main Points
The sign of Shear-jashub
The sign of Immanuel
The sign of Maher-shalal-hash-baz
The sign of Shear-jashub
The sign of Shear-jashub
Purpose
Purpose
1 Now it came about in the days of Ahaz, the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Aram and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to wage war against it, but could not conquer it.
2 When it was reported to the house of David, saying, “The Arameans have taken a stand by Ephraim,” his heart and the hearts of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake from the wind.
3 Then the Lord said to Isaiah, “Go out now to meet Ahaz, you and your son Shear-jashub, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool, on the road to the fuller’s field,
4 and say to him, ‘Take care and be calm, have no fear and do not be fainthearted because of these two stumps of smoldering logs, on account of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and the son of Remaliah.
5 Because Aram, with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has planned evil against you, saying,
6 Let’s go up against Judah and terrorize it, and take it for ourselves by assault and set up the son of Tabeel as king in the midst of it,”
7 this is what the Lord God says: “It shall not stand nor shall it come to pass.
8 For the head of Aram is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin (now within another sixty-five years Ephraim will be broken to pieces, so that it is no longer a people),
9 and the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you will not believe, you certainly shall not last.” ’ ”
God gave the sign of Shear-jashub with regards to the captives
God gave the sign of Shear-jashub with regards to the captives
The name of the child means “a remnant shall return”
In the war against Samaria and Aram. captives were carried away by Israel - 2 Chronicles 28.6-8
6 For Pekah the son of Remaliah killed 120,000 in Judah in one day, all valiant men, because they had abandoned the Lord God of their fathers.
7 And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the king’s son, Azrikam the ruler of the house, and Elkanah the second to the king.
8 The sons of Israel led away captive two hundred thousand of their relatives, women, sons, and daughters; and they also took a great deal of spoils from them, and brought the spoils to Samaria.
God’s message to king Ahaz
God’s message to king Ahaz
It shall not stand nor shall it come to pass - v. 7
God intends to destroy the 2 nations within 65 years - v. 8
Believe - or else you will not last/endure.
God fulfilled His word despite Ahaz’ unbelief
God fulfilled His word despite Ahaz’ unbelief
Israel was rebuked by a prophet of God - Oded - 2 Chronicles 28.9-11
9 But a prophet of the Lord was there, whose name was Oded; and he went out to meet the army which came to Samaria and said to them, “Behold, because the Lord, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, He has handed them over to you, and you have killed them in a rage which has even reached heaven.
10 Now you are proposing to subjugate the people of Judah and Jerusalem as male and female slaves for yourselves. Are you not, however guilty yourselves of offenses against the Lord your God?
11 Now then, listen to me and return the captives whom you captured from your brothers, for the burning anger of the Lord is against you.”
The captives were returned - 2 Chronicles 28.15
15 Then the men who were designated by name got up, took the captives, and they clothed all their naked people from the spoils; they gave them clothes and sandals, fed them and gave them drink, anointed them with oil, led all their feeble ones on donkeys, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brothers; then they returned to Samaria.
Key lessons
Key lessons
You do not take advantage of your brother or sister in the faith when God is punishing them for their sins.
You do not take advantage of your brother or sister in the faith when God is punishing them for their sins.
1 Brothers and sisters, even if a person is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual are to restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you are not tempted as well.
2 Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.
this was Esau’s sin against his brother Jacob/Israel
God gives the sign, our part is to believe the sign!
God gives the sign, our part is to believe the sign!
God does not give signs as often as He used to do in Bible times - because the signs are now written in the Scripture.
Return of remnants - signify restoration of the people back to God
it is a key element in the God’s covenant, being a perpaturl covenant
covenant is another term for “decree” - God decreed in His mind that certain people and individuals will become part of His covenant.
Knowing that His people will fail at some point, so God included “restoration” into the covenant
Remnant is like a seed that cannot be eaten because they are for planting!
Remnant is that part of a person that longs to return to God because he/she belongs to God!
The sign of Immanuel
The sign of Immanuel
Purpose
Purpose
10 Then the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying,
11 “Ask for a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; make it deep as Sheol or high as heaven.”
12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I put the Lord to the test!”
13 Then he said, “Listen now, house of David! Is it too trivial a thing for you to try the patience of men, that you will try the patience of my God as well?
14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will name Him Immanuel.
15 He will eat curds and honey at the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good.
16 For before the boy knows enough to refuse evil and choose good, the land whose two kings you dread will be abandoned.
God gave the sign of Immanuel to confirm His presence among His people!
God gave the sign of Immanuel to confirm His presence among His people!
The prophecy is always directed to its future fulfillment in the birth of Christ. - Matthew 1. 22-23
22 Now all this took place so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled:
23 “Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and they shall name him Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.”
But we must not forget that Immanuel was FIRST given as a sign to Judah in the days of king Ahaz.
how can the child be a sign to Ahaz if it was not fulfilled in his time?
The virgin/young woman
Matthew follows the Septuagint (Greek) translation of the O.T. by using the grk word “parthenos”
The Heb word for virgin is “betulah”; but the Heb word used 7.14 was “almah”
the Heb word “almah” means young woman of marriageable age, with no reference to whether a virgin or not.
“the young woman” refers to a particular person in the time of Isaiah, and does not have to be virgin
Immanuel
Immanuel was the sign for king Ahaz, not the young woman
Immanuel means “God is with us”
to boy is intended to remind king Ahaz and Jerusalem that God was “with them”
the boy did not have to be named Immanuel. Even Mary’s child was named Jesus, not Immanuel.
God’s message
God’s message
“the child will eat curds and honey” - indicates the time and situation when the child grows up [later]
before the boy knows enough to refuse evil and choose good… the land of the two kings will be abandoned
two kings - Rezin and Pekah
God is bringing the days of the king of Assyria - Isaiah 7.17-18
17 The Lord will bring on you, on your people, and on your father’s house such days as have not come since the day that Ephraim separated from Judah—the days of the king of Assyria.”
18 On that day the Lord will whistle for the fly that is in the remotest part of the canals of Egypt and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria.
God will use the king of Assyria to put king Ahaz to shame - Isa 7.19-20
19 They will all come and settle on the steep ravines, on the ledges of the cliffs, on all the thorn bushes, and on all the watering places.
20 On that day the Lord will shave with a razor, hired from regions beyond the Euphrates River (that is, with the king of Assyria), the head and the hair of the legs; and it will also remove the beard.
God will send scarcity of food - Isa 7.21-22
21 Now on that day a person may keep alive only a heifer and a pair of sheep;
22 and because of the abundance of the milk produced he will eat curds, for everyone who is left within the land will eat curds and honey.
curds and honey are a poor man’s diet
this is the time of Immanuel’s growing up years!
Key lessons
Key lessons
“God is with us” does not always mean everything is going well!
“God is with us” does not always mean everything is going well!
sometimes we are in the midst of hardship
but God leaves “something” to remind us that He is with us!
Trusting the enemy and his gods is a sure way to downfall and destruction
Trusting the enemy and his gods is a sure way to downfall and destruction
Ahaz’ downfall - 2 Chronicles 28.22-23
22 Now during the time of his distress, this same King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the Lord.
23 For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus who had defeated him, and said, “Because the gods of the kings of Aram helped them, I will sacrifice to them so that they may help me.” But they became the downfall of him and all Israel.
don’t put your trust in money, or any human idea or strength!
The sign of Maher-shalal-hash-baz
The sign of Maher-shalal-hash-baz
Purpose
Purpose
1 Then the Lord said to me, “Take for yourself a large tablet and write on it in ordinary letters: Maher-shalal-hash-baz.
2 And I will take to Myself faithful witnesses for testimony, Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.”
3 So I approached the prophetess, and she conceived and gave birth to a son. Then the Lord said to me, “Name him Maher-shalal-hash-baz;
4 for before the boy knows how to cry out ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria will be carried away before the king of Assyria.”
God gave the sign of Maher-shalal-hash-baz to remind Judah of what God will do to Israel and Aram.
God gave the sign of Maher-shalal-hash-baz to remind Judah of what God will do to Israel and Aram.
the name means “swift is the plunder, speedy is the prey”
the king of Assyria will carry away the wealth of Damascus and Samaria before the child is old enough to say “mother” and “father”
God’s message
God’s message
God sends the raging Euphrates river because they have rejected the soft flow of Shiloah - Isaiah 8.6-8
6 “Inasmuch as these people have rejected the gently flowing waters of Shiloah And rejoice in Rezin and the son of Remaliah;
7 Now therefore, behold, the Lord is about to bring on them the strong and abundant waters of the Euphrates River, That is, the king of Assyria and all his glory; And it will rise over all its channels and go over all its banks.
8 “Then it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass through, It will reach as far as the neck; And the spread of its wings will fill the expanse of your land, Immanuel.
Shiloah is the spring that supplies drinking water for the people of Jerusalem
Shiloah stands for God’s comforting and thirst quenching words of promise
Euphrates is the river in the land of Assyria
Euphrates brings in destruction to Israel
the message was addressed to Immanuel - this indicates that
Immanuel exists and lives during the “day of Assyria”
immanuel is the same child named Maher-shalal-hash-baz
Key Lessons
Key Lessons
Do not ignore nor reject the soft pleading of the voice of God!
Do not ignore nor reject the soft pleading of the voice of God!
God is longsuffering/patient! - 2 Peter 3.9
9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.
God’s soft pleading indicates God is with you and desires to remain with you!
God’s soft pleading indicates God is with you and desires to remain with you!
but you must remain in Him!
God desires fellowship that is not clouded and obstructed by sin!
The sign is for the believers!
The sign is for the believers!
The believer is assured of God’s care and protection! - Isaiah 8.9-10
The believer is assured of God’s care and protection! - Isaiah 8.9-10
9 “Be broken, you peoples, and be shattered; And listen, all remote places of the earth. Get ready, yet be shattered; Get ready, yet be shattered.
10 “Devise a plan, but it will fail; State a proposal, but it will not stand, For God is with us.”
The believer is taught who to fear! - Isaiah 8.11-13
The believer is taught who to fear! - Isaiah 8.11-13
11 For so the Lord spoke to me with mighty power and instructed me not to walk in the way of this people, saying,
12 “You are not to say, ‘It is a conspiracy!’ Regarding everything that this people call a conspiracy, And you are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it.
13 “It is the Lord of armies whom you are to regard as holy. And He shall be your fear, And He shall be your dread.
The believer has a safe place in God - Isaiah 8.14-15
The believer has a safe place in God - Isaiah 8.14-15
14 “Then He will become a sanctuary; But to both houses of Israel, He will be a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, And a snare and a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
15 “Many will stumble over them, Then they will fall and be broken; They will be snared and caught.”
The believer learns to wait on the LORD - Isaiah 8.16-17
The believer learns to wait on the LORD - Isaiah 8.16-17
16 Bind up the testimony, seal the Law among my disciples.
17 And I will wait for the Lord who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob; I will wait eagerly for Him.
Conclusion
Conclusion
So, why did God use Isaiah’s children as signs and wonders for His people?
18 Behold, I and the children whom the Lord has given me are for signs and wonders in Israel from the Lord of armies, who dwells on Mount Zion.
1.) The sign of children… indicates the nearness of the fulfillment of these words of God.
1.) The sign of children… indicates the nearness of the fulfillment of these words of God.
Isaiah 7:16 “16 For before the boy knows enough to refuse evil and choose good, the land whose two kings you dread will be abandoned.”
Isaiah 8:4 “4 for before the boy knows how to cry out ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria will be carried away before the king of Assyria.””
2.) The sign of children… means dependence. God wants the king and Jerusalem to put their complete trust in Him, as a child would to his father!
2.) The sign of children… means dependence. God wants the king and Jerusalem to put their complete trust in Him, as a child would to his father!
19 When they say to you, “Consult the mediums and the spiritists who whisper and mutter,” should a people not consult their God? Should they consult the dead in behalf of the living?
20 To the Law and to the testimony! If they do not speak in accordance with this word, it is because they have no dawn.
there is no “dawn” (morning) to those who will not recognize the Word of God and His testimony
there is no hope for the arrogant - see Isa 8.21-22
21 They will pass through the land dejected and hungry, and it will turn out that when they are hungry, they will become enraged and curse their king and their God as they face upward.
22 Then they will look to the earth, and behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish; and they will be driven away into darkness.
To be continued… The Book of Immanuel, part B
Song - Salamat Panginoon
