Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai
INTRODUCTION
Throughout the history of God’s people, there are several instances where siege was laid against them, and also several accounts where the Almighty God intervened. There is an interesting account in Isaiah 37:1-38 where God sent one Angel in verse 35 to destroy the entire army of the Assyrians made up of 185,000 soldiers. This account is also recorded in 2 Kings 19:1-36 and 2 Chronicles 32:1-23. Isaiah Chapter 7 is the account of another of such failed attempt of the enemies of God’s people, that later culminates in the greatest deliverance in Isaiah 37:1-38; during king Hezekiah’s reign.
But this time, Ahaz is king; and the prophet Isaiah summarises the entire failed attempt with this statement at the end of verse 1. “However, they were unable to carry out their plan.”
And then, from verse 2, he tells us how it all happened. And as we progress through the incident, it presents us with very important learning points.
IMPORTANT LEARNING POINTS
1. Point 1 (Verses 2-4): See Your Challenges Through The Eyes Of God!
“The news had come to the royal court of Judah: “Syria is allied with Israel against us!” So the hearts of the king and his people trembled with fear, like trees shaking in a storm.” [NLT]
As we see in verse 2, Bad news had come that Israel and Syria had formed an alliance to fight against Judah and they were terrified. Just like Israel at the walls of Jericho who said they were like grasshoppers in the eyes of the Anak (Numbers 13:33) the people were terrified. But the Almighty has this to say in verse 4
“Tell him to stop worrying. Tell him he doesn’t need to fear the fierce anger of those
two burned-out embers, King Rezin of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah.”
God called the two kings burned-out embers. All smoke no fire. All bark no bite. Here is an unfailing truth. “Everything fades into irrelevance when they come in contact with the Almighty.” So whose report will you believe? Isaiah 53: 1
2. Point 2 (Verse 7-9a): Sometimes God Does Things For His Namesake
“But this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “This invasion will never happen; it will never take place; for Syria is no stronger than its capital, Damascus, and Damascus is no stronger than its king, Rezin. As for Israel, within sixty-five years it will be crushed and completely destroyed. Israel is no stronger than its capital, Samaria, and Samaria is no stronger than its king, Pekah son of Remaliah.
Psalms 23: 4 says: “He leads me in the path of righteousness for His namesake”
That’s why we see here that although Ahaz was not a good king, God still saved His people and thwarted the attempt of Syria and Israel. He does certain things in spite of us, not because He is pleased with us. He, choosing to remain faithful to His Word and promises, is not a yardstick to measure our standing with Him. We must consistently seek His grace made available to us through Christ, to live each and every day of our lives in right standing with Him.
3. Point 3 (Verse 9b): We Need Faith to Stand Firm
“Unless your faith is firm, I cannot make you stand firm.”
The MSG says: If you don't take your stand you won’t have a leg to stand on.
This statement stands true even to today. It is very important for us as Christians to in faith, stand up for what we believe
• 1 Cor.16:13 says: “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”
• 1 Pet. 3:15 says: “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defence to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
• Phil.1:27 says: “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel”
4. Point 4 (Verses 10-12): Faith and Trust is better than Signs and Wonders
Ask for a sign from your God. Ask “God spoke again to Ahaz. This time he said, “ anything. Be extravagant. Ask for the moon!” But Ahaz said, “I’d never do that. I’d never make demands like that on God!”” MSG
Having faith and trusting in God completely is the sign of a healthy relationship with God. And people with such give Him more pleasure as opposed to those who will not believe unless they are given signs. (See 1 Peter 1:8)
Signs are really for the unbelieving. Matthew 16:4a says: “A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign . .”
In John 23:20, Jesus told Thomas, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Ahaz was an idolater. So God asked Ahaz to choose a sign. And when he refused, God gave him His own sign.
5. Point 5 (Verse 14): The Significance of the Virgin Birth
“All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).” NLT
In this verse, Isaiah prophesies of a virgin birth.
Why was the birth of Christ through a virgin very important?
It is because it is crucial to and the bedrock of our faith. After the fall in Eden, sin started to be passed down through Adam, through the father. So if a human father had been responsible for the birth of Christ, Jesus would have been born with sin Himself. And His death on the cross would not have been substitutionary for us. He would have been dying for His own sins not ours. For Jesus to die for us, it was necessary for him to be born sinless. It was the virgin birth that enabled Jesus to be as human as his mother, Mary while at the same time as sinless and divine as His Father God Almighty
6. Point 6 (Verses 15-16) Assurance of Safety
“By the time the child is twelve years old, able to make moral decisions, the threat of war will be over. Relax, those two kings that have you so worried will be out of the picture.” MSG
Here again is where the prophecy of Isaiah spans two eras. He prophesies the birth of a miraculous child and that before that child will attain maturity, Israel and Syria would have been dealt with by the Assyrians and will no longer be a threat. Although the virgin birth refers to Jesus here, but it was 730 years after this prophecy that Jesus was born. However, if Jesus had been born at that time, the time frame would still have been valid!
Because a Hebrew child celebrates his passage to adulthood at age 12; and in less than 12 years, the Assyrians came and wiped out Israel and Syria. See Isaiah 17:1-6
2 Kings 17:6 also records how Assyria swept out of the north, captured the Northern Kingdom of Israel, and took the ten tribes into captivity. And from there they became lost to history.
“In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, in Gozan on the Habor River and in the towns of the Medes.”
Also see 2 Kings 18:5–18
7. Point 7 (Verses 17-25): God Does Not Compromise When It Comes To Consequences
In these verses, the prophet Isaiah prophesies against Judah. Immediately after prophesying against their enemies. Verse 17 says
“But also be warned: God will bring on you and your people and your government a judgment worse than anything since the time the kingdom split, when Ephraim left Judah. The king of Assyria is coming!” MSG
This prophecy came to pass as recorded in 2 Kings 18:13, when the new Assyrian King Sennacherib led a powerful invasion force to suppress Judah’s revolt. He came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them.
“In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah’s reign, King Sennacherib of Assyria came to attack the fortified towns of Judah and conquered them.”
CONCLUSION
We have looked at seven learning points from the study of this chapter. We are admonished to take these learning points to heart and allow them guide us as we journey through our paths in life. Every of our actions and inactions have consequences. Galatians 6:7-9 says:
“God will never be mocked! For what you plant will always be the very thing you harvest. The harvest you reap reveals the seed that you planted. If you plant the corrupt seeds of self-life into this natural realm, you can expect a harvest of corruption. If you plant the good seeds of Spirit-life you will reap beautiful fruits that grow from the everlasting life of the Spirit. And don’t allow yourselves to be weary in planting good seeds, for the season of reaping the wonderful harvest you’ve planted is coming!”
