Looking the Gift Horse in the Mouth
Isaiah 7:1-17
United Kingdom - Great Britain, England, London
United Kingdom - Great Britain, England, London
Judah (Ahaz) - Jerusalem, House of David
United Kingdom - Great Britain, England
Judah (Ahaz) - Jerusalem, House of David
Israel (Pekah) - Samaria, Ephraim
United Kingdom - Great Britain, England
Judah (Ahaz) - Jerusalem, House of David
Israel (Pekah) - Samaria, Ephraim
Aram (Rezin) - Damascus, Syria
United Kingdom - Great Britain, England
Judah (Ahaz) - Jerusalem, House of David
Israel (Pekah) - Samaria, Ephraim
Aram (Rezin) - Damascus, Syria
Assyria - the dominant world power of the day
1 Now it came about in the days of Ahaz, the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Aram and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to wage war against it, but could not conquer it.
2 When it was reported to the house of David, saying, “The Arameans have camped in Ephraim,” his heart and the hearts of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake with the wind.
Isaiah 7:1-17
3 Then the LORD said to Isaiah, “Go out now to meet Ahaz, you and your son Shear-jashub, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool, on the highway to the fuller’s field,
4 and say to him, ‘Take care and be calm, have no fear and do not be fainthearted because of these two stubs of smoldering firebrands, on account of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and the son of Remaliah.
5 ‘Because Aram, with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has planned evil against you, saying,
6 “Let us go up against Judah and terrorize it, and make for ourselves a breach in its walls and set up the son of Tabeel as king in the midst of it,”
7 thus says the Lord GOD: “It shall not stand nor shall it come to pass.
8 “For the head of Aram is Damascus and the head of Damascus is Rezin (now within another 65 years Ephraim will be shattered, so that it is no longer a people),
9 and the head of Ephraim is Samaria and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you will not believe, you surely shall not last.” ’ ”
10 Then the LORD spoke again to Ahaz, saying,
11 “Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD your God; make it deep as Sheol or high as heaven.”
12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I test the LORD!”
13 Then he said, “Listen now, O house of David! Is it too slight a thing for you to try the patience of men, that you will try the patience of my God as well?
14 “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.
15 “He will eat curds and honey at the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good.
16 “For before the boy will know enough to refuse evil and choose good, the land whose two kings you dread will be forsaken.
17 “The LORD will bring on you, on your people, and on your father’s house such days as have never come since the day that Ephraim separated from Judah, the king of Assyria.”
Troubling Times for Judah (vv. 1-2)
1 When Ahaz son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, King Rezin of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel marched up to fight against Jerusalem, but they
could not overpower it. 2 Now the house of David was told, “Aram has allied itself with Ephraim”; so the hearts of Ahaz and his people were shaken, as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind.
Ahaz's Options
A) Join Aram/Israel coalition to resist Assyria
B) Submit to Assyria, becoming a vassal state
God's Option C (vv. 3-9)
3 Then the LORD said to Isaiah, “Go out now to meet Ahaz, you and your son Shear-jashub, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool, on the highway to the fuller’s field,
4 and say to him, ‘Take care and be calm, have no fear and do not be fainthearted because of these two stubs of smoldering firebrands, on account of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and the son of Remaliah.
God's Option C (vv. 3-9)
5 ‘Because Aram, with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has planned evil against you, saying, 6 “Let us go up against Judah and terrorize it, and make for ourselves a breach in its walls and set up the son of Tabeel as king in the midst of it,” 7 thus says the Lord GOD: “It shall not stand nor shall it come to pass. 8 “For the head of Aram is Damascus and the head of Damascus is Rezin (now within another 65 years Ephraim will be shattered, so that it is no longer a people), 9 and the head of Ephraim is Samaria and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you will not believe, you surely shall not last.” ’ ”
God's Gracious Offer (vv. 10-11)
10 Then the LORD spoke again to Ahaz, saying,
11 “Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD your God; make it deep as Sheol or high as heaven.”
Ahaz's Refusal (v. 12)
12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask;
I will not put the LORD to the test.”
2 Kings 16:7 Ahaz sent messengers to King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your dependent. March up and rescue me from the power of the king of Syria and the king of Israel, who have attacked me.” 8 Then Ahaz took the silver and gold that were in the Lord’s temple and in the treasuries of the royal palace and sent it as tribute to the king of Assyria."
Ahaz's Refusal (v. 12)
12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask;
I will not put the LORD to the test.”
God's Sign (vv. 13-17)
13 Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. 15 He will be eating curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, 16 for before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste. 17 The LORD will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since Ephraim broke away from Judah—he will bring the king of Assyria.”
Ahaz's barrier is our barrier.
Ahaz's barrier is our barrier.
(A preemptive refusal to submit)
Ahaz's barrier is our barrier.
Whose plans do you believe are truly best for your life?
Ahaz's barrier is our barrier.
Whose plans do you really believe are best for your life?
The sign that you can trust God is still Jesus.
Ahaz's barrier is our barrier.
Whose plans do you really believe are best for your life?
The sign that you can trust God is still Jesus.
All we must do is nothing.
All we must do is nothing.
7:4) "Take heed, and be quiet; do not fear or be fainthearted."
7:9) "If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all."
Ahaz's barrier is our barrier.
Whose plans do you really believe are best for your life?
The sign that you can trust God is still Jesus.
All we must do is nothing.
No one is out of reach of God's grace.
Isa 7:1-17
By Matt Maxwell
