Isaiah 7

Ahaz the son of Jotham brought much trouble upon God's nation by encouraging false worship. Yet it was this King of Judah who received one of the most famous prophesies in the Bible, a promise which is contained in Isaiah 7. "A virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."

This chapter begins with the nation of Judah and her king trembling in fear. The reason that "the heart of Ahaz and the heart of his people shook as the trees of the forest before the wind" was the alliance between the northern kingdom of Israel and the Syrians. These two nations were allied together and had come to wage war against Jerusalem.

God spoke through Isaiah to Ahaz urging him that he should not fear Israel and Syria, calling them "two smoldering stumps of firebrands." Though they have come to terrify Judah and to conquer it for themselves, the Lord says, "It shall not stand, and it shall not come to pass." In fact God reveals that both of these nations will face impending disaster and will fall. God draws attention to the "head" of Israel and the "head" of Syria as the reason that they will not live up to their proud boasts. By contrast, the head of the house of David in Jerusalem is ultimately one who is much better than Ahaz.

God emphasizes the certainty of His message in two ways. First, he encourages Ahaz in the way of faith with these words. "If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all." In every trial we need to look beyond ourselves and our troubles to God who has given us sure promises. We need to worship Him and believe Him. The second way that he encourages Ahaz is by giving him permission to ask any sign in order to let his heart be more certain that the word of Isaiah is the true promise of God.

Ahaz refuses the command of God to ask a sign, claiming that he does not want to put the Lord to the test. Yet by refusing the direct command of God given for His good, Ahaz is in fact testing God's patience. It is then that God himself chooses the sign of His own faithfulness by giving the Immanuel prophecy.

There will come one who will rightly be called "God with us." He will be the ultimate sign of the strength and reliability of God to His people. In Matthew's gospel we learn that the virgin birth of Jesus to a Hebrew maiden is the great fulfillment of this astounding prophecy. Beyond the disaster of Assyrian attacks in the coming years, God will yet remember his covenant promises and will send Immanuel.

The northern kingdom of Israel will pass away, as will Syria. Even Egypt and Assyria will have only their allotted time of supremacy. Ultimately the southern kingdom of Judah itself will face the Babylonians, and eventually be ruled by the Romans. But the Kingdom of Immanuel will be established forever. Our faith is not in any lessor king, or in an earthly powers. Our faith is in "God with us" who is surely the Head of His people. He accomplished our redemption not through armies or oratory. He established an everlasting kingdom through His righteousness and blood.

There is only one way for us to stand in the face of frightening adversaries and terrifying events. We must have faith in the promises of God. Central to all of God's promises is the Promised One of Isaiah 7. The faithful of Ahaz's day looked forward to His coming. We celebrate His resurrection reign, and continue to believe that to focus on Him is of far greater worth than to tremble in fear of enemies seen and unseen.