Isaiah 7:1-14 Hope in the Midst of Chaos The promise of a Savior

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I. Hope in Chaos: Trouble abounding

A. Opposition from others v 1

(ESV) Isaiah 7 1 In the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah, Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah the king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to wage war against it, but could not yet mount an attack against it.

1. From those outside

2. From those close by

3. ‘Swarming’ with multitude m

B. Real danger v 5-6

(ESV) Isaiah 7 5 Because Syria, with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has devised evil against you, saying, 6 “Let us go up against Judahand terrify it, and let us conquer it for ourselves, and set up the son of Tabeel as king in the midst of it,”

1. Plotted - Schemed against - Took evil counsel against

2. Invade - Actual attack - go against

3. Tear apart - Make life miserable - vex

4. Divide - Destroy – breach

5. Desire to rule over you

6. Tabeel – ‘good for nothing’ – seek to overthrow God’s plan with a good for nothing

C. Deep discouragement v 2

(ESV) Isaiah 7 2 When the house of David was told, “Syria is in league with Ephraim,” the heart of Ahaz and the heart of his people shookas the trees of the forest shake before the wind.

1. Shaken to their very depths

2. Alone against the world

3. Uncertainty about the future

II. Hope in Chaos: The Lord offers hope

A. God’s sends a man with a message of hope v 3

(ESV) Isaiah 7 3 And the Lord said to Isaiah, “Go out to meet Ahaz, you and Shear-jashub your son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Washer’s Field.

1. Lord - God Desires to work in lives

2. Ahaz - Even Undeserving lives

a. Trouble was result of his wickedness

b. Restored idolatry to Judah

c. Reinstituted child sacrifice to Moloch

d. Took temple treasury to bribe Assyrian to help him

3. Isaiah - Uses people

a. Sends Isaiah

b. Specific encounter

c. Shearjashub ‘a remnant will return’ promise/warning – grace/judgment

B. The chaos is not as it appears v 7-9a

(ESV) Isaiah 7 7 thus says the Lord God: “ ‘It shall not stand, and it shall not come to pass. 8 For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin. And within sixty-five years Ephraim will be shattered from being a people. 9 And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. …

1. See it from the Lord’s perspective nor your limited perspective

2. The opposition will not be successful

3. The opposition will be destroyed

4. Be more afraid of what God says than what the world says

C. Be still and trust Him v 4

(ESV) Isaiah 7 4 And say to him, ‘Be careful, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faintbecause of these two smoldering stumps of firebrands, at the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria and the son of Remaliah.

1. Be careful - Take heed - Respond to God, not too late to turn

2. Keep calm - Be quiet - Stop anxious scheming and worry

3. Don’t be afraid - Fear not - Trust in God

4. Don’t lose heart - Be not fainthearted - Take courage

5. Smoldering – The Lord sees them as mere irritants

a. Impossible opposition not a big deal

b. Smolder wood – about to be extinguished

6. Not even mention by Isreal king by name

a. – ole what’s his name – even dad of no consequence and your afraid of him?

III. Hope in Chaos: The Lord invites faith in Him

A. Hope only comes by faith v 9b

(ESV) Isaiah 7 9 … If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all.’ ”

1. Help requires faith in the Lord

2. Without this faith, there is no security or foundation --- will not stand at all

B. An invitation to ask by faith in Him v 10-11

(ESV) Isaiah 7 10 Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: 11 “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.”

1. A question of heaven and hell = hinting it is beyond the current situation

2. Seek God even in unbelief

3. God will respond

C. An unbelieving response v 12-13

(ESV) Isaiah 7 12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” 13 And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also?

1. A demand of

2. No interest in a living God

a. Did not want a changed life

b. Wanted to add God to other things in his life

3. Trusted only in self

a. Felt he could scheme his way and be okay - Assyria not God

b. Requires a humbleness to turn to God

c. Can't have your way and God's

4. Persistent unbelief creates a response from the Lord

a. Weary His mercy

IV. Hope in Chaos: The promise that offers ultimate encouragement

A. A promise bigger than the immediate issue v 14a

(ESV) Isaiah 7 13 And he said, “Hear then, O house of David … 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. …

1. Look beyond the immediate

2. A sign – sourced in God Himself

a. God is bigger than the immediate problem

b. A significant miraculous sign

1) A significant miraculous sign – not just an ordering of events

c. Sign for more than Ahaz

3. Given to the house of David – plural – beyond Ahaz

a. A promise to all people

B. The promise of the God with Us v 14b

(ESV) Isaiah 7 14 … Behold, the virgin shall conceiveand bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

1. Immanuel “God with us”

2. The expected one to come

3. God Himself will dwell with us

4. A God/Man --- able to represent both God and man

5. Represent man

a. Live a sinless life

b. Able to die in some elses’ place because He was not guilty

6. Remained God as well

a. Pay an eternal price of the consequences of sin

b. Pay every man’s sin debt because He was eternal God

C. The promise of a Savior ????

(ESV) Matthew 1 20 … an angel of the Lord appeared to him (Joseph) in a dream, saying, “… that which is conceived in heris from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

1. Deal with the real problem – our sin

(ESV) Luke 2 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this dayin the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

2. Genesis 3:15 – crush the serpent’s head – reverse the curse

3. The promise of redemption from more than nations - Abraham

4. The one bringing rest / victory / peace / set things right

5. Messiah / Lord / Savior