ISAIAH 8 DARKNESS BEFORE LIGHT

 

Isaiah 7-12 (The Immanuel book) provides us with the fuller picture behind the fulfillment of the prophecy in Matthew 1:21-23, announcing the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In Isaiah 6 we previously considered Isaiah’s vision of God in the temple and his subsequent call to the prophetic ministry. Isaiah was commissioned to prophesy to a hard-of-hearing, non-understanding, unresponsive people (Isa.6:9-10). The prototype of this sort of person is Ahaz, the king of Judah. 

In Isaiah 7 Isaiah was called by God to convince Ahaz that he needed not to fear the alliance between the northern kingdom of Israel and Syria, threatening to attack Judah and Jerusalem. He needed only to put his trust in the Lord.   Ahaz did not want to trust the LORD. He only trusted in a political alliance with the Assyrians – the most powerful nation at that time.

Isaiah challenged Ahaz to trust in the Word of the Lord, even offering him to ask for a sign from the Lord (7:11) which king Ahaz declined. Isaiah then cried out in exasperation: “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (7:14).

We have seen that God speaks to a deaf, unresponsive, dull people. (Darkness) 

DARKNESS BEFORE LIGHT! 

We must remember that He does this because He is committed to the fulfillment of His own covenant, which in time would be fulfilled in His Immanuel – the Saviour (Matt. 1:21-23) the Lord Jesus Christ, born to redeem God’s foreknown children. (Light) 

 ISAIAH  8

8:1-4 Then the Lord said to me…

The God of the covenant is absolutely committed to His eternal plan- but “He does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7).

Isaiah is now commanded to make a tablet and write upon it these words, “Belonging to Maher Shalal Hash Baz“, translated “speed- spoil- haste –booty “.  A very odd statement, but enough to arouse the curiosity of the people and to provoke questions. Keep the context in mind. This message relates to the threatened invasion of Jerusalem by the northern kingdom, which is allied with Syria.

God instructs Isaiah to get two reliable witnesses, Uriah the priest and Zechariah[1] to testify that Isaiah had indeed written this banner. But the prophecy isn’t yet completed. It also had to become flesh in the form of a son that would be born to Isaiah’s wife[2]. When that son is eventually born (at least 9 months later), he will receive that prophetic name, which conveys that same message. His name was intended to be a sign (see 8:18) to Ahaz and to Judah. 

In 8:4 we are informed that before this boy would be able to talk, the Assyrians would successfully attack the Syrians and Israel, utterly defeating them, and therefore swiftly carrying off the spoil or booty.  Please note – God was going to do this! Ahaz did not need to enter into an alliance with the Assyrians to protect himself.

8:5-10 God continues to speak strongly through Isaiah: “The Lord spoke to me again: 6 “Because this people has refused the waters of Shiloah that flow gently, and rejoice over Rezin and the son of Remaliah, 7 therefore, behold, the Lord is bringing up against them the waters of the River, mighty and many, the king of Assyria and all his glory. And it will rise over all its channels and go over all its banks, 8 and it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass on, reaching even to the neck, and its outspread wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel.” 9 Be broken, you peoples, and be shattered;  give ear, all you far countries; strap on your armor and be shattered; strap on your armor and be shattered. 10 Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing; speak a word, but it will not stand, for God is with us.  

“This people“ refers to the northern kingdom of Israel. These 10 northern tribes (under Jeroboam) had separated themselves from Jerusalem and the temple. They had refused the gentle waters of Shiloah. The waters of Shiloah flow from the Gihon spring into Jerusalem.  At Gihon,  Solomon, the son of David, was anointed and declared to be king (1 Kings 1:32-35). It was also here that Isaiah first found king Ahaz (7:3) who was worried that the enemy would cut off this water supply from Jerusalem.  

These people, the northern kingdom had alienated themselves from that life giving water, and from the LORD a   long time ago.    God was against them!

The Lord says here that they (the NK and their ally Syria) would endure the Assyrian flood, which would threaten Judah as well, BUT Jerusalem would not be conquered at this time. The Assyrian waters would well come “up to the neck” (8:8), but no further.  This happened in king Hezekiah’s day, when Jerusalem was threatened by the Assyrians, but there the Lord struck down 185 000 Assyrians (2 Ki.19:35) !  That was basically the end of Assyria. 

A strong point is made in 8:9,10 that this is Immanuel’s land!  THEREFORE (and not for any other reason) we are reminded once more that God’s plan and promises cannot be thwarted by any human power.  8:10 could also be loosely translated, “Go ahead, make your crazy plan; it will fail” 

All this begs us to reflect upon a very comforting doctrine: The sovereignty God!  No weapon formed against God and His purposes will stand (Isa 54:17).

To contextualize that:

Every opposition against God’s kingdom will fail.

Everyone that wants to exterminate the people of God – the true church (from among all nations)  must fail!   

The reason is plain. God is with us, and if God be for us, who can be against us?  (Rom 8:28). The true church (the qahal or assembly of God) is in Immanuel’s hand. Jesus said that the gates of hell would not prevail against His church! (Matt. 16:18). She is Immanuel’s land, Immanuel’s treasured possession, Immanuel’s bride!

This thought gives rise to the next section in 8:11 – 22 

ISAIAH 8:11-22

The LORD continues to speak to Isaiah, and from these remaining verses in chapter 8 we must draw at least three  powerful conclusions 

1. 8: 11-13 In times of spiritual threat we must guard our hearts and minds by not following a pragmatic route of escape.  Isaiah is warned not to follow the unspiritual thinking of the world around him: “For the Lord spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: 12 “Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. 13 But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.”

Godly people must learn not to fear what people around them fear. Godly people must fear the LORD alone. They must believe His Word.

 2.   8:14-15: Know that God is either for you or against you. There is no middle-ground: “And he will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 15 And many shall stumble on it. They shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken.”  The Lord is either a sanctuary or a stone of offense/ stumbling (Gr. skandalon) for all people. In the OT the sanctuary was the holy place where He promised to dwell and where people were invited to dwell under the shelter of His wings. But He is also a stumbling stone for those who will not take Him seriously. 

So too Jesus is there either for our protection or our downfall. The old prophet Simeon prophesied this about the Lord Jesus:  He is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel“ (Luke 2:34).  Many people stumble because they disobey the message about Christ (1 Peter 2:8). To those who believe in Him and obey Him, He will be a sanctuary.   Jesus is either a snare, a stumbling block or a Saviour.  What is He to you? There is no third way, and no one can ultimately get away from Christ. He is the coming Judge!

3. 8:16-20 Hold on to the Word of God and not on to lies: “Bind up the testimony; seal the teaching among my disciples. 17 I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him. 18 Behold, I and the children whom the Lord has given me are signs and portents in Israel from the Lord of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion. 19 And when they say to you, “Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter,” should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living? 20 To the teaching (law) and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.”

When times are desperate it is important to hold on to God’s word. In such times it is important to be aware of false prophets.   What God has said through Isaiah was God’s word.  “The LORD spoke thus to me with His strong hand upon me (8:11).

Note that Isaiah’s family signs and symbols that communicated truth. One of Isaiah’s sons name, (Shear-Jashub- 7:3) promised that there would be a remnant; another son’s name, Maher-Shalal Hash Baz was a prediction that swift destruction would come on Judah’s enemies. It happened while this boy was still a baby who could not yet talk! And don’t forget that Isaiah’s own name means “the Lord saves”, a gospel message in itself!  Immanuel would INDEED appear in the fullness of time   in the flesh (Jn. 1:14, Gal. 4:4) and in the line of David centuries after Isaiah spoke!

Sadly, those who reject God’s word always seek alternative counsel and wisdom, therefore we are not surprised to read that they turned to mediums and necromancers who chirp and mutter (8:19). By so doing they broke God’s law (Deut.18:9-13), preferring to hear a word from the dead over the Word of the Living God.  They were rejecting the law and the testimony (8:20)

In doing so they ultimately lost their heritage, their blessing, and their life. Their unbelief would bring distress, darkness, and fearful gloom in time to come, and if it were not for the amazing mercy of God they would have remained in darkness. So, the words in 8:21& 22 are all too true: “They will pass through the land, greatly distressed and hungry. And when they are hungry, they will be enraged and will speak contemptuously against their king and their God, and turn their faces upward. 22 And they will look to the earth, but behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish. And they will be thrust into thick darkness.”

THE OLD TESTAMENT SPEAKS TO YOU!   

Do not be tempted, like Ahaz, to reject God’s law or the word of His prophets (OT) or like Judas, the final Word that was spoken by Jesus (Hebr.1:1-3), and communicated by the apostles.

If we reject God’s revelation and direction in favor of human saviours or by consulting the dead etc. we will not have light at all but darkness, and the despairing gloom that comes with it.

On Christmas day we are going to take a close look at Isa 9: 1-7, in which we see Immanuel dispelling the gloom of people that have been walking in darkness. We will take a good look at the child with the four Names, in ALONE can be all our hope.

Thank God for Immanuel. Thank  God that  the darkness  cannot extinguish the light. 

Amen!

 

 

 

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[1] See 2 Ki. 16:10-16;18:2 This Zechariah  cannot be identical with the prophet  and author Zechariah, who prophesied around 520 B.C.

[2] The title ‘prophetess ‘ was probably given to Isaiah’s wife here because she was literally the bearer  of the  Lord’s Word, incarnate in her son  (Motyer, p.90)

ISAIAH 7:1-14 THE IMMANUEL SIGN

 

Isaiah 7 contains the prophecy of the virgin birth of a son called Immanuel (7:14)[1].  The name of Immanuel and the circumstances under which he was conceived are as mysterious and unique as was the life of king Melchizedek,  who is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days or end of life…”  cf. Genesis 14:17ff cf. Hebr. 7:3. The mystery   is thankfully lifted when we read Matthew 1:20-23. But more about that in a moment.

We may be somewhat surprised when reading and meditating on this text. It does not come across very “Christmassy”[2]  at all when we consider the historical picture. Sadly,  many Christmas sermons are sentimentalized and rarely ever recognize the historical context and prophetic profundity of these texts.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Isaiah’s commission begins with a great vision of God  (6:1-8). It ends with a very difficult commission and message  from God in 6:9,10. There, God said to Isaiah,

“Go, and say to this people: “‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ 10 Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

Let us consider the basic facts. 

Isaiah was commissioned to preach the Word of God to a proud and stubborn people.  He is called to speak to a people who do not want to hear or see the Word of the Lord – in fact, in addition to their own rebellious spirit, God has added judicial blindness, so that they are actually twice hardened: they hardened their own hearts and God hardened their hearts! The concept of judicial hardening in also found in 29:9-13. In New Testament language, these  are a people handed over (Rom. 1:18ff) 

On Isaiah’s very first assignment, God called Isaiah to speak to king Ahaz in Jerusalem. He found king Ahaz at the upper pool near the Washer’s field (7:3). Ahaz was concerned that the water supplies were going to be cut off by the invading armies of Syria, allied with the Northern kingdom of Israel. The message from God in  7:4 was this,

 “And say to him, ‘Be careful, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint because of these two smoldering stumps of firebrands, at the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria and (Pekah) the son of Remaliah, the current king of the Northern  alliance.”  

Isaiah’s message  to Ahaz in a nutshell: Call him to trust in me – His God!

Ahaz, although he was a descendant of David (and mentioned in the covenantal line of the Messiah – Matt. 1:9), he wasn’t a godly, spiritual man who trusted in the Word of the Lord.  In 2 Ki.16:3 we read that, “he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel. He even burned his son as an offering, according to the despicable practices of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel.” 

So, Ahaz trusted more in an alliance with the Syrian king than in the God of his father David.  And it’s going to bite him: “Within 65 years, Ephraim – the Northern kingdom  would seize to be a nation (7:8). This is exactly what happened. Indeed, within 65 years the Northern Kingdom and their Allies, Syria would be destroyed by Assyria (2 Kings 15:29; 16:9). All this happened, just as God said it would.  The study of the prophecies and their fulfillments in history are a great testimony to the reliability   and authority of Scripture. 

ASK FOR A SIGN (7:10–17)

Against this terrible background we find a God who is good, and kind to rebellious and ungrateful people.

He sends Isaiah to Ahaz at the upper pool (7:3), worried about the water supply which may be cut off by the invading armies. Isaiah comes to him with words that we would not have expected to be spoken to this godless, faithless king. Isaiah comes with an encouraging (good news) message from God. BUT along with this he also brings a warning: “If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all” [7:9]

Isaiah finds king Ahaz apathetic to this positive challenge. So, God in His patient mercy says to king Ahaz in 7:10-11: 

“Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” 

He is saying,  Ahaz, you don’t believe me? Ask me to confirm this to you via a miraculous sign.

God is surely patient with this faithless son of the covenant, and there is the key! Why does God do this? He does this for the sake of His covenant and for the sake of the throne of David, and for the sake of the Messiah, and not because Ahaz deserves God’s patience.

God tells Ahaz to choose a sign as evidence that the  message  from Isaiah is true: 

“Make it as difficult as you like – make it as deep as Sheol, or high as heaven" (7:11).  

What an offer – what an opportunity to see God at work. Imagine you were given that opportunity!   What would you have asked for?

Astonishingly we read in 7:12: 

“But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test.”  

Some think here that Ahaz is being merely   humble or modest - perhaps he is thinking about Deut. 6:16, “You shall not put the LORD your God to the test”.  But, as others have pointed out correctly, when God invites us to ask for a sign, we are not putting God to the test. If the truth be told, Ahaz response actually masks a very stubborn unbelief. We need no reminder that some of the strongest unbelief hides behind religious language[3]!

Now you can hear Isaiah’s frustration beginning to manifest in 7:13: 

“Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also?   

It is very likely that Isaiah was saying this not only to the king but to a multitude assembled at the upper pool at the Washer’s field.  Many may have heard this word that now came to Ahaz (7:14): “Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” 

 A VIRGIN SHALL CONCEIVE AND BEAR A SON?

The Hebrew word used here for virgin is ‘almah’. This refers to a marriageable young woman of unblemished and pure character. Many have a problem with this because virgins (by definition) cannot conceive or give birth! And yet this is not a grammatical mistake. Many years before Christ was born, Jewish scholars translated the OT into the Greek language (the Septuagint or the LXX).  When it came to translating this word “virgin” they used the word “parthenos”.  The Greek language here is precise and unambiguous.  A parthenos is a virgin! They did not use the word, “young woman” or another equivalent.

That makes this prophecy is truly astonishing.  Yes, virgins do not conceive; and they do not give birth. So, this was going to be something extraordinary.  Ahaz would be given the opportunity to witness the pregnancy and birth of a son called Immanuel, born to a woman who had no man in her life. This sign was impossible beyond the deepest depths of Sheol and the highest heights of heaven (7:10).

But here is the greater miracle: Hidden deep within Israel’s darkest history and unbelief there is the prospect of a light shining (cf. 9:2). Isaiah, employs prophetic perspective, far above that which even he could understand or fathom, and by which God would be true to His promises to David the covenant king.  A virgin would give birth to a male child. The male child would be called “Immanuel”, meaning “God with us”.   Immanuel is mentioned again in 8:8 & 10. Concerning Him we learn,

• The land which was under the rule of the House of David was His land.
• He is addressed in prayer (8:8). Therefore  Immanuel  must be the LORD. He is the Lord who frustrates the plans of His opponents in 8:10.

All this would have remained a mystery had we not received the interpretation  in  Matt 1:20-23 :

20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is 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.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).

 And Luke 1:30-37 reads:

30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Please note the deliberate language used here by Mary in  Luke 1:34  And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since a man I have not known? (i.e. I am a virgin) ?” 

From this follows the fact that  this birth is going to be an extra-ordinary birth! 

35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born  will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, (here is an extra sign and a confirmation!)  your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”

APPLICATION 

1.      Much of the OT (the prophecy of Isaiah by way of application) does not make much sense without the revelation of Christ, our Immanuel. The light of the New Testament  illumines  the Old Testament, which is richly furnished, but dimly lighted. The introduction of light  brings into it  nothing which was not  in it before, but  reveals it in full clarity (B.B. Warfield) 

2.      The Christian faith  rests upon the foundation of this prophecy in Isaiah 7. Immanuel defines  our  Christian faith.

3.      The deliverance of Judah’s hopeless position at the time of king Ahaz comes not by human might or power, but by God‘s miraculous intervention – and that despite the deafness and stubbornness of king and people (or if you like – government and nation). There are simply no human alliances that will get the world out of this sticky mess, this entanglement of sin.  We need the gospel of Jesus. He is the same Saviour that must now come and deliver us from  our messy world. Thank God that, with the help of the NT we know Immanuel. We must boldly appeal to Him in prayer.      

4.      This story of Isaiah and Ahaz proves to us once again, that the gospel comes to us utterly undeserved and unsought.  It comes to us because God is faithful to His covenant. In that covenant He has given a people (a bride) to His Son. The Son has prayed for that bride in John 17.  All that the Father has given to the Son will come.   His  sheep know Him and they follow Him (John 10: 14, 27).  Evil, unbelieving, faithless people like Ahaz will not stand in the way of God’s gospel – in fact, evil people like Ahaz are sometimes overwhelmed by the gospel and brought into submission of the gospel.  The apostle Paul was a spiritual Ahaz before the grace of God overwhelmed him. 

5.     May God would be pleased to pour out His great gospel grace   into the heart of many an Ahaz today.  May God be pleased to turn the spiritual coldness, apathy and blindness of this present age   once again into a profound love for Immanuel. May His kingdom come. May His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.

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[1]  For the name Immanuel: See Isa 7: 14; 8:8,10

[2] Every now and then we must invent a word to explain ourselves!

[3] Think for instance of the parable of the tax-collector and the Pharisee in Lk 18:9-14. The Pharisee hides his unbelief behind strong religious language

Isaiah 7:1-9 “Be careful, Be quiet, Do not fear …”

 

This is the season in which we remember the birth of Christ. 

Our thoughts are directed away from the commercialism commonly associated with this season. 

Our desire is to  see Jesus again for who He is – Our Immanuel – God with us.   

Our focus in this Christmas season will be upon Isaiah 7- 9. 

The Lutheran commentator H.C. Leupold gives Isaiah Chapters 7-12 the title “Immanuel book”[1], because of the references to Immanuel  in 7:14; 8:8,10. This prophetic section foretells the conception and birth of Immanuel. The gospel of Matthew 1:21-23 links Immanuel to the Lord Jesus Christ.  The NT solves the mystery of this   mysterious Immanuel.

ISAIAH - A Brief Biographical Sketch

His name (Yeshayahu) means “God saves”. Not much is known about Isaiah.  

• He was the son of Amoz (1:1). 
• He was married (8:3). 
• He had at least two children (7:3,8:3). 
• Isaiah 6 contains   his call   and commission to the prophetic office in the year that king Uzziah died (740 B.C.). 
• He lived in Jerusalem. 
• His prophetic activity lasted approximately from 742-701 BC  
• The greatest political event of his prophetic career would have been the fall of the Northern kingdom (Israel) to the Assyrians in about 722 BC. 

No other prophet in the Scriptures has said more concerning Israel’s Messiah than Isaiah.  He foretells the Messiah’s birth in Isaiah 9. He also presents us with a most graphic picture of the Messiah as the suffering and martyred servant who was wounded for our transgressions (Isaiah 53).  

 ISAIAH 7

Chapter 7 contains the prophecy of the virgin birth of a son called Immanuel (7:14). This Immanuel is as mysterious and unique as Melchizedek who is “without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days or end of life…” (Genesis 14:17ff; Hebr. 7:3).  

Here God commands Isaiah to speak to king Ahaz of Judah[2], who is   presently in a real quandary.  We read in 7:1,2 [3] 

“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…  King Ahaz and the people of the Southern kingdom were clearly very afraid… “the heart…shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind…”.  A very graphic picture of fear!

Isaiah was commanded to speak to Ahaz and the people about this fear in 7:4-9: 

“And say to him, ‘be careful, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint because of these two smoldering stumps of firebrands…, at the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria and the son of Remaliah... 5 Because Syria, with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has devised evil against you, saying, 6 “Let us go up against Judah and terrify it, and let us conquer it for ourselves, and set up the son of Tabeel as king in the midst of it,” 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. If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all.’”

Isaiah found king Ahaz at the upper pool. At that time Jerusalem’s water came from the Gihon Spring in the Kidron valley, outside the city. [4] Ahaz was worried about the water supply. It could be easily cut off by an enemy. Isaiah was sent by God to give Ahaz   courage and hope.

Now keep in mind that in Isaiah was warned by God that, “the hearts of this people would be dull…. Their ears heavy and their eyes blind…” (Isa 6:9, 10).   

That would be the mindset of a man like Ahaz.  

He would not hear or believe any word from God through a prophet.  

We must never accuse God of not being patient with His rebellious people. He sends His servants into His vineyard time and again (e.g. the parable of the tenants – Matt.  21: 33-46).  

As Isaiah approaches king Ahaz, he finds a man who had his mind made up. He believed that only Assyria could help him now. To that end he would even give up the temple treasury (the things devoted to God) to Assyria to save his neck.

In 2 Kings 16:7–8 we read 

7 So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your son. Come up and rescue me from the hand of the king of Syria and from the hand of the king of Israel, who are attacking me.” 8 Ahaz also took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the Lord and in the treasures of the king's house and sent a present to the king of Assyria.

This mindset is disturbingly habitual among God’s people. We are inclined turn to anyone for help before we turn to our God. In Isa. 30:1-3 we find the same mindset.  Israel wanted to trust in Egypt rather than in their God:

“Ah, stubborn children,” declares the Lord, “who carry out a plan, but not mine, and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin; 2 who set out to go down to Egypt, without asking for my direction, to take refuge in the protection of Pharaoh and to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt! 3 Therefore shall the protection of Pharaoh Turn to your shame, and the shelter in the shadow of Egypt to your humiliation.

… And these following words in Isa 30: 12-16

12 Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel, “Because you despise this word and trust in oppression and perverseness and rely on them, 13 therefore this iniquity shall be to you like a breach in a high wall, bulging out, and about to collapse, whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant; 14 and its breaking is like that of a potter's vessel that is smashed so ruthlessly that among its fragments not a shard is found with which to   take fire from the hearth, or to dip up water out of the cistern.” 15 For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” (There is the call  to have faith in God). But you were unwilling, 16 and you said, “No! We will flee upon horses”; therefore you shall flee away; and, “We will ride upon swift steeds”; therefore, your pursuers shall be swift.

Isaiah’s message to Ahaz was simple: “Stop worrying! I am in control of these events! Be careful, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint because of these two smoldering stumps of firebrands.”  See how much God is for Ahaz! He sends a prophet to him with a sure and faithful word. Truly, God does not withhold His word from us. That word says: Be quiet! Trust in me!

Another fact:  Ahaz, the son of Jotham, was a son of David.  Pekah of the breakaway northern kingdom was not of the line of David. Of him we read in   2 Kings 15:23-38 that he had murdered the previous king Pekahiah and seized the throne of the northern kingdom (generally referred to as Israel). The point is that the Lord had no covenantal dealings with the kings of the northern kingdom.  Pekah was merely the son of Remaliah (7:9). 

In contrast to this, Ahaz was born into the Davidic line - the covenant. He could have rested in God’s promises, “… I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (2 Samuel 7:14).   But very sadly, this king could not see that a great and mighty God was committed to fight his battles for David’s sake – for His own glory’s sake. 

Instead of looking to His God, he saw these two earthly kings, who from God’s perspective, were   described as smoldering stumps (7:4). Their fire had died and all that was left was the smoke!   Ahaz should have been comforted by Isaiah’s message.  He should not have been intimidated by their threatening words (7:6). He should have remembered the truth expressed in Isa 40:15-17

“Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust. 16 Lebanon would not suffice for fuel, nor are its beasts enough for a burnt offering. 17 All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.”

Ahaz had to do nothing but to stand firm in His faith in the God of his father David. It was not a leap in the dark. It was a faith in a dependable God. It was a faith that was tested and tried by his many godly predecessors.  Not to stand in faith in this situation would mean the downfall of the nation.  And so it was!

In the course of history, it was not only so that the Northern kingdom would be taken into captivity by the Assyrians in 722 BC, but 150 years later the Southern kingdom would share the same fate, being taken into captivity by the Babylonians.

See how much God is for Ahaz!  See how much grace is extended! Next time (Isa 7: 10- 25)  we will consider an incredibly generous offer from the LORD God to this spiritually weak king, Ahaz. God says to Ahaz through the prophet “Ahaz, ask for a sign to prove that I am the faithful God that will protect you and sustain you…”  (7:10). 

We shall find  that Ahaz fails to make an opportunity of this. 

And we shall see that despite his unbelief God Himself will give a sign – “Immanuel” to prove that He is the faithful God who will deliver His people from their trials and tribulations. But, that will be the subject matter for our next sermon. 

 APPLICATION

• This is the month and time of the year when we remember the birth of our Immanuel – the Living Word, who   was given for our release from   fear and anxiety – and from our own darkness.  The message of Christmas is a message of comfort and joy!
• We too are currently living in a very fearful and anxious age. Many people are fearful and stressed.  Because of this, the modern mental health industry is flourishing. This is nothing new in the history of mankind. In Jesus day, He saw many sick, distressed, demon oppressed, harassed people. These were beset by all sorts of fears and phobias and emotional ailments leading to all sorts of psychosomatic diseases. Many are like the woman who had exhausted her finances to find a cure to her ailment (Mk 5:26). They crowd the consultation rooms of doctors and psychologists. Many of them are religious. They go to church, but their demons of fear and anxiety remain.  Christ (the Wonderful Counsellor- Isa 9:6) appears to be of no help at all.  And the main problem is this:  They hear but do not understand; they keep on seeing, but do not perceive …” (Isa.  6:9).  Like Ahaz and the people of His day they do not respond to the word of the Lord because their fears are great and their God is small.  We cannot hear the Word of the Lord speaking into our fears.  We do not want to believe these words from the Immanuel book, because we are preoccupied with man made solutions,  and  with the words  of   false prophets more than this WORD.  We do not hear these words: ‘Be careful, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint because of these two smouldering stumps of firebrands…”. There is too much noise in our souls!
• Our generation is not firm in the faith (7:9b).  We may not be professing atheists, but we are practical atheists. We trust our purses, and will rob our treasuries to pay for the opinions of secular, man- centred opinion or to find soul deadening medications, drugs, alcohol, spending our money on endless forms of escapism.    We are not a generation that   listens to God.  We accumulate for ourselves teachers to suit our own passions, and we easily turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths (2 Tim 4:3, 4)
• We are not committed worshippers. We are not inclined to work from a God- centred faith. We do not disperse from our churches full of faith and confidence in the power in God.  By nature, we are inclined to be Ahaz’s.  We are easily intimidated by people and their opinions. But when it comes to hearing the Word of God, calling us to faith and obedience, it appears as if we are deaf and blind.
• We need Immanuel to restore us. This whole passage begs for a divine solution.  Next time we will consider God’s solution in Isa. 7:10-25. This is the answer to the counsel offered in 7:4

Turn to Him in prayer now as we beg the Father through the Lord Jesus (God with us) by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, to take away any such blindness and deafness as there may be.  

May He enable us to look with biblical faith to God, and learn to interpret various intimidating situations before us, not at face value, but with biblical wisdom and insight.  

The Grace of God be with you!

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[1] H.C. Leupold: Exposition of Isaiah (One Vol. ed.) Baker Book House, p.144

[2] See the list of kings  in whose reign Isaiah  prophesied in  Isaiah  1:1

[3] The historical background is found 2 Chronicles 28 and 2 Kings 16 .The time frame is roughly about 735 BC.

 [4] Under Hezekiah (715-686 BC) a 533 meter underground tunnel was built  to divert   Gihon’s water to the pool of Siloam, within the city walls

Isaiah 10:5-34 "The Sovereignty of God"

The Bible provides us with perspectives that absolutely rock our common worldviews.  A very common worldview today (and it is even held by many Christians)   is that God has nothing to do with the world’s politics.  It is thought that He leaves that to the world’s rulers. It is thought that He is watching this world from a distance, and some Christians believe that He will only intervene at the end of time, when things have thoroughly gotten out of hand.

Well, the Bible knows nothing of this kind of thinking. Nothing!  Isaiah shows us that God is at work in this world in a sovereign, hands-on way. Even though we do not see Him physically, He is the unseen hand ruling the world, upholding it moment by moment.

Nothing exists or happens in this world which He doesn’t know.

Nothing that happens in this world catches Him by surprise.

God is involved in the political happenings of our world. In and through it all He does not command evil, but He does allow evil to have its way for a while, so that our world may learn to see its own folly. In the history of nations God is frequently seen to be handing nations over to the kind of rulers they deserve.    

Do we have any influence in all of this? 

Yes! We must pray and work. The Bible teaches us to pray (that is, to speak to and ask God) for our governing authorities, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way (1Tim 2:2).  The Bible teaches also that Christians must work positively, working as salt and light in this decaying world.  

From  this text we learn to see God’s hand in the affairs of this world  in  that,

1.     Assyria is  God’s  chastising tool  upon  His wayward  nation (10:5-7)

2.     Assyria   is an arrogant boastful nation  (10:7-11 ; 13-14)

3.    Assyria will be in for a nasty surprise, for God will  judge her (10:12;10:15-19)

4.     God will preserve His people, in the midst of it all political chaos (10:20-34)

1.     10:5-7   Assyria, God’s surprising  instrument of chastisement

In  Isaiah 7:1 -10:4  God  has revealed to  Isaiah that He would use Assyria [i] as an instrument of judgment against Syria, Israel, and Judah, who were at this time  at  war among themselves. God was not standing by idly. He was handing over these nations to Assyria: “Ah Assyria, the rod of my anger; the staff in their hands  is my fury.”

Do you see the Great Shepherd at work here?  “… the rod of my anger … the staff in  their hands is my fury”.  The rod and the staff are a shepherd’s tools to guide and correct his  sheep. Assyria fulfilled that function right now, as God used her to correct Syria, Israel, and Judah. In that sense Assyria was the servant of God - but only in that sense.  Later in Isaiah  44:28  that  same  idea  is expressed,  when  a century and a half later God calls Cyrus, the Persian ruler to be His shepherd  to deliver Israel from Babylonian captivity and to punish the Babylonians  for their brutal ways.

Back to Assyria. The Lord says,  “against a godless nation I send him, and against the people of my wrath I command  him to take spoil and to seize plunder and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.” (10:6b).

The language here leaves us in no doubt that God  was using the Assyrians who were the political superpower at that time. The Assyrians were an efficient, well developed army in its day. They were the first to develop iron weapons, being superior to the bronze weapons, commonly used at that time. Their skill allowed them to make weapons and protective items, so more soldiers could use them. They were the first army to have a separate engineering unit, which could set up ladders and ramps, and fill in moats, and dig tunnels to help the soldiers get into a walled city. They were also among the first to build chariots. These technological advancements allowed the Assyrians to expand their empire.[ii]   What is surprising in all this is that God would use  a pagan nation, an arrogant nation to chastise His people. In this next section we will explore  the arrogance of the Assyrians.

2.      Assyria - an arrogant boastful nation  (10:7-11 ; 13-14)

We have seen that Assyria is a tool in God’s hand. 

But how does Assyria see herself? Chapter 10:7-11 and 10: 13-14 give us insight here.  Assyria, although she is given this momentary authority by God, we find  this  assessment of her own attitude: "(But he- Assyria) does not so intend, and his heart does not so think; but it is in his heart to destroy, and to cut off nations not a few” (10:7). Assyrians  think that they are the  masters of their own destiny.  The arrogance of the king of Assyria is described in  10:13, “For he says, By the strength of my hand have I done it, and by my wisdom, for I have understanding; I remove the boundaries of people, and  plunder their treasures; like a bull I bring down those who sit on thrones…” (10:13,14). Here  we learn  that,  although Assyria was indeed  an instrument in God's hand, and since she  was  doing the will of the LORD,  that this  fact did not free her  from employing her own motives  for  attacking  Syria, Israel, and Judah.  Not at all!  Although  she  was  given a free hand from God, it was in her heart to destroy, and cut off not a few nations.    When we read of the account of the Assyrian besiegement of Jerusalem in Isaiah 36:10 (cf. 2Kings 18:25) we take note that the commander of the Assyrians appeared to have been aware of his divine mandate from the God of Israel. But it is equally clear in that context that Assyria thought little of the God of Israel. The Assyrian commanders appropriated to themselves much glory, but in truth, their enablement came from the sovereign God, who had enabled them to rule at a time such as this.  

Do you see what is happening here? Assyria had an over - inflated view of herself.  She regarded her commanders to be on the level of the kings of other nations: "For he says, 'Are not my commanders  all  kings? Is not Calno like Carchemish? Is not Hamath like Arpad? Is not Samaria like Damascus?” The cities mentioned in 10:9,10 were systematically conquered  by the  Assyrians, and in so doing they  boasted  that  none of their territorial  gods  had been able to help them.

Observe the pride of the Assyrians. Consider their boastful language: “As my hand has  reached to the kingdoms of the idols, whose carved images were greater than those  of Jerusalem and Samaria, shall I not do  to Jerusalem and her idols as I have done to Samaria and her idols?'"  (10:10,11). They thought of  the  God of Israel as nothing more than one of the idols that they had conquered in Samaria or in many other cities. They glory in their own strength and wisdom and power.  This is asking for trouble! The Assyrians were going to be in for a rude  surprise!

3.     Assyria will be in for a nasty surprise, for God will  judge her  (10:12; 10:15-19)

This brings us to the next point. Do not think that God Almighty overlooks anything! In this very text God the Almighty vows to severely discipline the Assyrians.

10:12  “When the Lord has finished all his work  on Mt Zion  and on Jerusalem, he will punish  the  speech of the arrogant  heart of the king of Assyria  and the boastful look in his eyes…”

In 10: 15 -19  the LORD uses the pictures of an axe, a saw, a rod, and a staff to make the point that  a tool  should never take credit for what the workman  does with the tool. The skill is in the user, not in the tool.  Assyria was the tool. God was the workman, but Assyria took the glory.  And now she must face God herself.

10:16 “Therefore the Lord God of hosts will send wasting sickness among his stout warriors…”.   In Isaiah 37:36 we read  how God, in history  actually   judged the Assyrians: “And the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185 000 in the camp of the Assyrians”. That was the end of the Assyrian   attempt to conquer Jerusalem, and that is basically also the end of the Assyrian empire. How those that think they stand beware lest they fall. How the mighty have fallen!  God is a terrible Judge! Let the arrogant and unrepentant  take note! It is a terrible thing to fall into the hand of the Living God.

As we pause to reflect on this, one of the greatest perplexities for the thoughtful reader of Scripture is how God could possibly use such a pagan, arrogant nation to chastise among others, his own people? We shall find that there is nothing uncommon about God’s strategy.  140 years later we shall find a similar situation. In Jeremiah’s  and in  Habakkuk’s day  (605 and 686 B.C.)  God raised up the ruthless, godless Babylonians  to  chastise  the Southern kingdom,  Judah (Hab. 1:6-11), and after which  He promptly  announced judgment on Babylon herself (Hab. 2:6-17)!

Here we deal with the mystery of God’s ways in the temporary judgements of the peoples of the world, and especially in the judgement of His backslidden people.  Here we deal with the fact that the LORD can use a wicked nation like the Assyrians to punish His own people’s wickedness. He could use godless nations as the rod of His anger, whilst at the same time   judging theses godless nations, saying to them, "woe  upon you Assyria!"  (10:5). It is true that the backslidden church  has suffered much  at the hand of an ungodly world over these last 2000 years. All this is seen and ordained by God  who  uses  this wicked world to chastise His own.

Scripture teaches us that God can use wicked people  to further His will, without ever approving of their  wickedness, and in the end judging their wickedness. This  is repeatedly seen in the Scriptures. Joseph's brothers sinned against Joseph, but God used it for His purpose, and He disciplined Joseph's brothers. Saul sinned against David, but God used it for His purpose, and God judged Saul. Judas sinned against Jesus, but God used it for His purpose, and He judged Judas. The wicked assault the  people of God, and God uses that for their sanctification, but in the end, the wicked will be judged for their  wickedness.

God is absolutely able to bring  good out of  evil- even the evil  done to  his beloved children. See what good God has brought out of the cross!  But those who  designed and desired the evil cross  will  need to meet  their Maker in the day of  judgement. We cannot  know  exactly how God will bring about  the good, but we can trust  Him for the outcome. God does care about all the evil done in this world, and He will bring about His judgment according to His perfect will and timing. Again, we cannot know when that will be, but it will happen!

4.      What about Israel? In the midst of it  all  God will preserve a remnant (10:20-34)

God  must judge all sin, including that sin  that  is found among His people. “He is  of purer eyes that to see evil and cannot look at wrong” (Habakkuk 1:13). How then shall  anyone escape?  In the midst of all this, God has a word for the worried – for the righteous, who feel themselves to be pawns in the game.  What about  the  true, faithful people of God that are found in  every generation? What about them?  Are they  just  a lost cause,  are they  just incidental to this story, or  are they, as the militarists say,  ‘collateral damage’ in this  eternal wrangle between God and  evil?

Not at all!

The story of the Bible now takes on another profound turn as we are introduced to the doctrine of the remnant ...the survivors of the house of Jacob (10:20) … the remnant of Jacob (10:21).

Chapter 10 closes with real hope and gives us ultimate perspective and application:

(i)   (10:22) “Destruction is decreed, overflowing with righteousness”. When God allows  the destruction  of his own   cause -  Israel or the church,  we must know that it is always righteous, and never unfair. God’s  judgment overflows with righteousness and the outcome will always  be good! The church of our own day, so beset  with compromise and worldly ways  desperately needs  to be cleaned out by God.  Will not God not use our enemies to do that?

(ii)  (10:23) “For the Lord GOD of hosts will make a full end”.  An end of what? An end of Judah's trust in nations like Assyria. They will never again depend on him who defeated him. In the same way, God must cleanse the church  to  stop her  dependence  on worldly solutions  in terms  of her work in this world.

(iii) (10:24) “Therefore … be not afraid of the Assyrians…”. God is telling His people, "I will chastise you, and it will hurt. But I have a plan, so don't be afraid." This may not be nice to hear, but it is oh so necessary.   It hurts to be disciplined and corrected. Yet we must tell ourselves  to  continue  to  trust God, even when it hurts. Weeping will last for a night. Joy comes in the morning.  

(iv) (10:26) God can- just as he did before! Two examples are used: 

a.     Gideon’s victory over the Midianites, and  the Red sea crossing.  “And the LORD of hosts will wield against them  a whip, as when  he  struck Midian at the rock of Oreb.” This is a reference to Judges 7:25 which  describes Gideon's  miraculous victory over the Midianites at the rock of Oreb. Now  God's judgment on Assyria would be as miraculous and complete as Gideon's victory was. We have already seen how the LORD killed  185,000 Assyrians in one night. 

b.     “And his staff will be over  the sea, and he will lift it as he did in Egypt,”  is a reference  to Exodus 14:16  in which we find a description  of  how  God used  Moses staff  to divide the Red Sea. In the same way, He would do something totally miraculous against Assyria.

(v)  (10:27 -34) “In that day that his burden will depart from your shoulder, and his yoke from your neck…”.   In  10:28-32  follows  a  prophetic description of the arrival of the army of the Assyrians. The listing of cities from the north to the south, describes  the route of the Assyrian invasion. Nob is found  on the outskirts of Jerusalem. This is as far as the army of the Assyrians came against Judah. There  they were stopped. Here the LORD killed 185,000 Assyrians in one night (10:33,34).

The buck stops with the Lord God of hosts. Everything rises and falls before the  Sovereign God. 

Do you know of any   human dynasty or world power that has endured for any  significant time? 

No! They all come and go.  

Our text is indeed a grand celebration of the sovereignty of God. So then, do not fear  what man can do. Of what account is he? Fear God.  We need to  be reminded again of what  Isaiah had previously said in 8:11-13,

11For the LORD spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: 12“Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. 13But the LORD of hosts, him you shall honour as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.

Now that is biblical perspective. 

Let God’s Word be true and every man a liar!

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[i] Assyria corresponds to most parts of modern-day Iraq as well as parts of Iran, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey.

[ii] https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/assyrian-empire/