Coming war… vs. 1-9

• 1^st – King Ahaz… vs. 1
  • Bad king…
    • Now it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham – son of Uzziah – king of Judah!
    • King AHAZ [12^th king of Judah] ruled Judah from 735-715 B.C.
    • He was the son of JOTHAM [good king] – grandson of UZZIAH [good king]
    • But he became a WICKED king – who even sacrificed his children to MOLECH – II Kings 16:3
    • TWO possibilities why he REJECTED the God of his father and grandfather…
    • FIRST – the PROSPERITY of Judah under GODLY Uzziah and Jotham…
    • Because he grew up in a RICH country – he NEVER learned to depend on the LORD…
    • The name AHAZ means to GRASP [אָחַז] – grab ahold of things…
    • SECOND – his father JOTHAM – did not pass on his relationship with God!
  • Teaching kids…
    • We are taught by the world that we should give the BEST for our kids…
    • But the WORLDLY idea of what is best – is things that DO not last [money – things]
    • Ironically those things we think are a BLESSING – might keep them from Jesus [prosperity]
    • Dads listen – our children will NOT accidentally learn to follow Jesus…
    • We have to CHOOSE to train them up to KNOW the LORD!
    • Ephesians 6:4 – “Fathers… bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” [NIV]
• 2^nd – Defeated… vs. 1-2
  • Wicked kings… vs. 1
    • Rezin king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah – king of Israel.
    • An alliance of TWO kingdoms came against Ahaz and Judah…
    • King REZIN [firm] – who was the king of SYRIA [Damascus]
    • King PEKAH [open] – WICKED king who ruled Israel from 752-732 B.C. – II Kings 15:28
    • PEKAH came to power by murdering PEKAHIAH son of MENAHEM…
    • MENAHEM had become king by murdering king SHALLUM [only reigned for a month]
    • SHALLUM became king by murdering king ZACHARIAH – II Kings 15:10
    • Needless to say – it was NOT necessarily a good things to be the KING [short lives]!
  • Shaken… vs. 1-2
    • [They] went up to Jerusalem to make war against it – but could not prevail against it.
    • It was told to the house of David saying: Syria’s forces are deployed in Ephraim.
    • His heart – and his people – were moved as the trees of the woods are moved with the wind!
    • These TWO armies [Israel and Syria] set out to go to WAR with JUDAH …
    • When JUDAH heard about the alliance – they were SHAKEN [sequential] to the core [לֵבָב]
    • SHAKEN – like [כְּ] when trees are blown by the WIND [רוּחַ]
    • God delivered JUDAH into their hands – because of the sins of AHAZ – II Chronicles 28:5-15
    • They killed 120 THOUSAND soldiers of JUDAH in one day [more than any day in WW2]
    • ISRAEL then took 200 THOUSAND women and children captive from JUDAH as slaves…
    • But a prophet named Oded [restorer] – came to ISRAEL and rebuked them…
    • God had allowed them to defeat JUDAH because He was angry with them…
    • But ISRAEL was not innocent – and was provoking God to come against them!
• 3^rd – Do not fear… vs. 3-4
  • The Remnant… vs. 3
    • Then the LORD said to Isaiah: Go out now to meet Ahaz – you and Shear-Jashub your son.
    • At the end of the aqueduct from the upper pool – on the highway to the Fullers Field!
    • All of JUDAH had FALLEN – only Jerusalem was still standing…
    • As AHAZ tried to find HELP – any ANSWER to this existential threat…
    • [Sequential] – then the LORD [יְהוָה] commanded ISAIAH to go and meet with him…
    • ISAIAH was to bring his SON [שְׁאָר יָשׁוּב] – a REMNANT [שְׁאָר] will RETURN [יָשׁוּב]
    • He was to meet AHAZ by the UPPER pool [AHAZ was preparing the city for a siege]
    • In ancient times when an invading army came against a walled city [like Jerusalem]
    • The most important thing was to PROTECT the WATER source…
    • Hezekiah [son of Ahaz] would carve a TUNNEL for the Gihon spring – II Kings 20:20
  • Just smoke… vs. 4
    • Say to him: Take heed and be quiet. Do not fear or be fainthearted for these two.
    • Stubs of smoking firebrands – for the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria the son of Remaliah!
    • ISAIAH was to command [imperative] AHAZ to WATCH [שָׁמַר] and be QUIET [שָׁקַט]
    • He was NOT [אַל] to let [jussive] himself FEAR or be fainthearted…
    • Because the ANGER of REZIN and PEKAH [son of Remaliah]
    • Was all SMOKE and no FIRE – nothing to be concerned about!
    • FEAR is NOT a response – it is a choice – we choose based on what we are looking at…
    • If we are looking at our CIRCUMSTANCES – then we choose to be AFRAID…
    • If we look to the Lord – then we by FAITH – have nothing to FEAR!
• 4^th – End of Israel… vs. 5-9
  • The plot… vs. 5-6
    • Syria – Ephraim – and the son of Remaliah have plotted evil against you saying:
    • Let us go up against Judah and trouble it – and let us make a gap in its wall for ourselves.
    • And set a king over them – the son of Tabel.
    • Because [כִּי] – even though SYRIA and EPHRAIM [Israel] have plotted EVIL…
    • They wanted to go UP to JUDAH [Jerusalem] – and break through [hiphil] the WALL…
    • Then replace AHAZ with their own KING – the son of TABEL – God [אֵל] is good [טֽוֹב]
  • The truth… vs. 7-9
    • Thus says the Lord GOD: It shall not stand. Nor shall it come to pass.
    • For the head of Syria is Damascus and the head of Damascus is Rezin.
    • Within sixty-five years Ephraim will be broken so that it will not be a people.
    • The head of Ephraim is Samaria – and the head of Samaria is Remaliah’s son!
    • In spite of what MEN said – and what their PLANS were….
    • The MASTER [אֲדֹנָי] – who is the LORD [יְהוָה] said [perfect]
    • Their plan would NOT [לֹא] stand – it would NOT [לֹא] happen…
    • Because [כִּי] – SYRIA is only as strong as its CAPITOL [Damascus] – and its KING [Rezin]
    • SYRIA would fall to ASSYRIA and REZIN killed – that same year [732 B.C.] – II Kings 16:9
    • ISRAEL [Ephraim] – was only as strong as its CAPITOL [Samaria] – and its KING [Pekah]
    • Pekah would die that year – and SAMARIA fall TEN years later…
    • Only SIXTY FIVE years after Isaiah gave these words – they would cease to exist as a people!
    • ISRAEL was conquered by ASSYRIA in 722 B.C. – II Kings 17:6
    • The king of Assyria [Shalmaneser] took all of Israel captive to foreign lands [diaspora]
    • Over the next 55 years – they would be absorbed into other cultures…
    • And the TEN northern tribes would be lost to History – dispersed among the nations!
  • The challenge… vs. 9
    • If you will not believe – surely you shall not be established!
    • JUDAH would NOT fall – instead SYRIA and ISRAEL would be conquered…
    • But if AHAZ looked at the CIRCUMSTANCES [two armies at his gates]
    • It would be HARD [if not impossible] to believe that…
    • He had to choose to have [hiphil] FAITH [אָמַן] in the WORD of the LORD…
    • IF [אִם] not [לֹא] – THEN [כִּי] he [specifically] would NOT be [niphal] saved [אָמַן]!
    • This is a HUGE challenge that EVERY person has to face…
    • Who do we CHOOSE to listen to – where do we put our FAITH…
    • If we look at our CIRCUMSTANCES – listen to the PLANS of men [who are going to fall]
    • Then it should come as NO surprise – that we also are NOT going to succeed…
    • But if we put our FAITH in the WORD of the LORD – who is the MASTER [אֲדֹנָי]
    • Then we have the CONFIDENCE that everything will turn out RIGHT in the END!

• 2^nd – Immanuel… vs. 10-25
  • 1^st – The proof… vs. 10-13
    • Ask the Lord… vs. 10-11
      • The LORD spoke again to Ahaz saying: Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD your God.
      • Ask it either in the depth or in the height above!
      • God did NOT leave it there – He had MORE to say to AHAZ…
      • Because AHAZ needed to have FAITH – God would give him a SIGN [אוֹת]
      • He just had [imperative] to ASK the LORD [יְהוָה] his God [אֱלֹהֶיךָ] for PROOF…
      • ANYTHING – from the depth of HELL [שְׁאוֹל] to the HIGHEST height – and God would do it!
      • We believe the SUN will rise tomorrow morning…
      • Not because we have great FAITH – it is because it is always FAITHFUL!
      • God does NOT ask us to have incredible FAITH…
      • Instead He continually shows Himself as FAITHFUL – He NEVER fails us…
      • And if we are HONEST – and look back at His record – we know it…
      • Therefore when He gives us a PROMISE – we can be CERTAIN He will keep it!
    • Testing God… vs. 12
      • But Ahaz said: I will not ask. Nor will I test the LORD!
      • AHAZ was quick to REJECT the idea – he would NOT [לֹא] test the LORD [יְהוָה]
      • This seems like it might be the RIGHT answer…
      • Because we are commanded NOT to TEST the Lord – Deuteronomy 6:16
      • Even Jesus when He was TEMPED by satan – jump off the pinnacle of the TEMPLE…
      • Would quote from this very VERSE – we should NOT tempt the LORD – Matthew 4:7
    • Weary God… vs. 13
      • Then he said: Hear now O house of David! 
      • Is it a small thing for you to weary men – but will you weary my God also?
      • Yet ISAIAH rebuked AHAZ – commanding him to LISTEN [imperative]
      • He was from the house of DAVID – who obeyed the WORD of the LORD…
      • Did he think it was NOT enough to EXHAUST [hiphil] men with his FALSE piety…
      • Now he wanted to IRRITATE [hiphil] the God of ISAIAH as well [no longer his God]!
      • Like PETER who refused to EAT unclean animals – Acts 10:14
      • It is NEVER a good idea to think we can say NO to the command of God!
      • Too often people use the Bible as a way to EXCUSE their disobedience…
      • Picking and choosing what verse to follow – rather than simply LISTENING to the LORD!
  • 2^nd – The Sign… vs. 14-16
    • The virgin… vs. 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!
      • Since AHAZ would NOT obey the command of God…
      • Therefore [כֵּן] – the MASTER [אֲדֹנָי] would chose a SIGN [אוֹת] for him…
      • BEHOLD – the [הָ] VIRGIN shall get pregnant – and give birth to a SON…
      • VIRGIN [עַלְמָה] – the word just means a YOUNG woman [not necessarily a virgin]
      • The name of this SON – would be IMMANU [with us] EL [God]
      • Quite possibly [debated] the CHILD was the SON of the prophet – Isaiah 8:4
    • Choose good… vs. 15-16
      • Curds and honey He shall eat that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good!
      • For before the Child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good.
      • The land that you dread will be forsaken by both her kings!
      • This CHILD – would grow up eating BUTTER and HONEY [rich foods]
      • In a time when the city was BESIEGED [Syria and Israel] – this was unthinkable…
      • But [כִּי] – BEFORE he was old enough to KNOW [יָדַע] what tastes GOOD or BAD [six months]
      • Both KINGS that AHAZ feared would [niphal] be defeated [and not by him]
      • This would be the PROOF that God was with Judah [Immanuel]!
      • It is estimated that there are FOUR babies born every SECOND…
      • I love that God uses something as COMMON as a women having a baby…
      • Something that literally happens every SECOND – as the PROOF that He is FAITHFUL…
      • The point is POWERFUL – it is NOT hard to see that God keeps His WORD!
    • Dual fulfillment…
      • Often Bible prophecies have DUAL fulfillment [makes them challenging]
      • This was fulfilled in the days of Isaiah – showing God is faithful – even to a WICKED king…
      • He was with His people – protected them from their enemy – gave them VICTORY…
      • But the same prophecy also looked forward to Jesus – Matthew 1:23
      • Notably the word in LXX [παρθένος] does mean VIRGIN!
  • 3^rd – Rise of Assyria… vs. 17-25
    • Judgement… vs. 17
      • The LORD will bring the king of Assyria upon you and your people and your fathers house.
      • Days that have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah!
      • The LORD [יְהוָה] would do SOMETHING not seen since ISRAEL left JUDAH – I Kings 12:16
      • Which up to that point had been the most DEVASTATING event in their history…
      • God would BRING [hiphil] the King of ASSYRIA upon AHAZ [עָלֶיךָ]
      • They would come against JUDAH [people] – and the line of David [house]!
      • Pointing to the fact the trouble would span generations [Hezekiah]
      • Which might seem ODD – having just promised IMMANUEL [God with us]
      • But AHAZ did NOT just refuse to ask for a SIGN – he turned his back on God…
      • Instead of trusting in the WORD of the LORD – he went to the King of ASSYRIA…
      • And offering him the TREASURES of the HOUSE of God as a BRIBE – II Chronicles 28:16-21
      • To try and get him to HELP save himself and JUDAH [instead of looking to the LORD]!
    • Pain… vs. 18-19
      • It shall come to pass in that day that the LORD will whistle for the fly.
      • That is in the farthest part of the rivers of Egypt – for the bee that is in the land of Assyria.
      • They will come – and all of them will rest in the desolate valleys and in the clefts of the rocks.
      • And on all thorns and in all pastures!
      • As a result of NOT looking to the Lord – FOUR things would happen:
      • FIRST – in that DAY [בַּיּוֹם] – the LORD would WHISTLE [call]
      • The FLY [זְבוּב] – would come from the rivers of EGYPT [drawn to the death]
      • The BEE – would come from ASSYRIA [that would STING Judah]
      • They would be EVERYWHERE [כָּל] – 3x for emphasis – valleys – mountains – pastures…
      • It would NOT be fatal [unlike a lion] – but it would be PAINFUL!
    • Shame … vs. 20
      • In the same day the Lord will shave with a hired razor.
      • With those from beyond the River – with the king of Assyria.
      • The head and the hair of the legs – and will also remove the beard!
      • SECOND – in that DAY [בַּיּוֹם] – the MASTER [אֲדֹנָי] would hire a RAZOR…
      • The king of ASSYRIA from beyond the EUPHRATES river…
      • The SAME razor that AHAZ thought would be his SALVATION…
      • Would SHAVE [piel] the heads – legs – and beards of the men of JUDAH…
      • It was a sign of being DISGRACED by a conquering army – II Samuel 10:4
    • Poverty… vs. 21-22
      • It shall be in that day that a man will keep alive a young cow and two sheep.
      • So it shall be from the abundance of milk they give that he will eat curds.
      • For curds and honey everyone will eat who is left in the land!
      • THIRD – in that DAY [בַּיּוֹם] – a man would NOT kill his young COW and two SHEEP…
      • He would NEED their MILK to keep himself alive…
      • Because [כִּי] – there will ONLY be BUTTER and HONEY left in the LAND…
      • What was used before to show BLESSING – becomes the image of POVERTY!
    • Ruin… vs. 23-25
      • It shall happen in that day that wherever there could be a thousand vines.
      • Worth a thousand shekels of silver – it will be for briers and thorns.
      • With arrows and bows men will come – because all the land will become briers and thorns.
      • To any hill which could be dug with the hoe – you will not go for fear of briers and thorns.
      • But it will become a range for oxen and a place for sheep to roam!
      • FOURTH – in that DAY [בַּיּוֹם] in the place where a THOUSAND vines used to grow…
      • That were worth a THOUSAND shekels of SILVER – only THORNS would grow…
      • Because [כִּי] – of the WAR that would DOMINATE the whole [כָּל] LAND [bows and arrows]
      • EVERY [כָּל] hill where men cultivated the LAND – they would NOT [לֹא] go back to plant…
      • Instead THORNS would grow – and animals [ox – sheep] would be left to WANDER!
      • All Because rather than trust in the Lord – AHAZ looked to ASSYRIA…
      • And the RESULT was PAIN – SHAME – POVERTY – and RUIN!
      • Jude 1:12 – “They are clouds without water.”
      • The world is full of the PROMISES – but they are EMPTY…
      • We are PROMISED if we get a good education [good job] – we will be HAPPY…
      • We are PROMISED if we have enough money – we will have NO worries…
      • But what the world does NOT tell us – only in Jesus are promises Yes and Amen!
      • II Corinthians 1:20 – “All the promises of God in Him are Yes – and in Him Amen.”