Prophecies against Israel: Isaiah 7-12 (1)

Pray Psalm 25.4, 5.
Show me Your ways, O LORD;
Teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day.

Read Isaiah 7.

Reflect.
1. Part 2 of the book of Isaiah (chapters 7-12) focuses on prophecies against Israel, the northern Kingdom. As we see in the opening verse of chapter 7, Israel is united with Assyria. What’s so bad about that?

2. Isaiah speaks a word of comfort to King Ahaz, then invites him to seek a sign from the Lord, that he might know the Lord’s Word is sure. Why do you suppose Ahaz declined? Why then did God go on and give him a sign anyway?

Meditate.
In Part 2 of Isaiah, we begin to see some of the mystery and wonder of the prophet’s work. Our vision goes from immediate circumstances to events shortly to take place and, finally, to further off events involving a coming King and Kingdom of the Lord. Using a contemporary situation as his touchstone – Israel’s soon demise – Isaiah will show the grace of God in sparing Jerusalem, using that as a token of the grace of God to come in a latter day (Is. 2.1ff) when the Kingdom of righteousness shall prevail on the earth (Is. 9.1-6).

King Ahaz was a wicked man, and God was bringing the armies of Israel and Syria against him in judgment (2 Chron. 28.1-8). While these nations would not prevail against Jerusalem (v. 1), they would inflict severe damage and death on Judah. Ultimately, Isaiah promises that God will bring both nations down, warning King Ahaz that he must believe this will happen, or he himself will be destroyed (vv. 6-9).

Commanded to ask a sign of God – as a demonstration of the reliability of Isaiah’s prophesy concerning Israel and Syria (vv. 3-9) – Ahaz refuses, pretending to honor God (vv. 10-12). He cannot obey the Word of God even in this simple matter, and Isaiah is outraged (v. 13). Ahaz will lose a son in his war with Israel and Syria (Maaseiah); but God will give a son – first, to Isaiah and his wife (Is. 8.3, 4), then later, to an as-yet-unnamed virgin (v. 14). We can only imagine how, seeing this, Ahaz would have been greatly chided.

For his unbelief, Ahaz will lose a son; but God will graciously provide a son to His faithful prophet, and, later, a Son to the nation, a holy Son, Who will become their King and Redeemer (vv. 15, 16). But for now, Israel and Assyria are coming to wreak havoc and destruction on Ahaz (vv. 17-25).

God has a long vision for His people, and He is proclaiming it through His prophets. Isaiah’s role is to demonstrate the faithfulness of God’s Word for the long term by making prophecies concerning the immediate future that, when they come true, should have the effect of leading the people to trust in God and His Word, for the present and for the long term. Ahaz will die, a miserable reprobate, condemned by God. His successor, Hezekiah, will realize a measure of the promised blessing and restoration of the Lord, but only for a season.

Prepare.
1. What are you learning about how to read a prophet like Isaiah? How should his words to the people of his day guide us in applying his words in our day?

2. God used the nations of Israel and Syria to discipline His people in Judah and Jerusalem? What was He trying to accomplish with His people? 

3. What are we learning about the role of the leaders in bringing the favor or judgment of God against His people? What does this suggest about how we select leaders for our churches today?

Certainly one must have faith in the Scriptures as containing the divine mind, and thus one must proceed to the understanding of what is written in them. For one must go beyond the types and thus apprehend the truth of what has been shown to us. First one must believe in the Scriptures with the simple faith that they are “inspired by God and useful” and then go on to examine subtly and enquiringly the meaning contained in them. Basil the Great (330-379 AD), Commentary on Isaiah 7.197

Lord, give me grace to believe Your Word, so that in all my ways and paths I…

Pray Psalm 25.
God can teach you the path He wants you to walk each day. Fear Him, submit to His Word, rest in His promises, and He will deliver you from all enemies, keep your soul in salvation, and guide you in His upright way.

Sing to the Lord.
Psalm 25 (Festal Song: Revive They Work, O Lord)
I lift my soul to You; O Lord, in You I trust.
Let me not come to shame, nor let my foes o’er me exult.

All they who wait on You shall never come to shame;
yet they to shame shall come who stand against Your holy Name.

Make me to know Your ways, teach me Your paths, O Lord!
My Savior, all day long I wait and seek You in Your Word.

Remember mercy, Lord, and steadfast love to me!
And all my sins before You let them not remembered be!

My sins have been of old, Your love is new each day;
according to Your goodness, Lord, regard my sinful way.

Upright and good are You, You lead us in Your way;
the humble You instruct in truth and guide him day by day.

The paths of God are all of love and faithfulness;
all they who keep His covenant the Lord will surely bless.

For Your sake, Lord, forgive.  All they who fear You, Lord,
shall know Your blessings day by day and follow in Your Word.

Your friends are they who fear and seek Your holy face;
Your covenant with them You share and save them by Your grace.

Be gracious, Lord, to me; my heart is weighed with woe.
My troubles and affliction see; let my transgressions go.

Consider all my foes, who hate me all the day;
and rescue my poor soul lest I should stumble in the way.

Preserve me in Your way, redeem Your people, Lord!
We wait for You and refuge seek in Your own faithful Word.

T. M. Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006).All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (available by clicking here).