Isaiah Chapters 7-8
A solid Baptist pastor began his Sunday sermon with these words, “I hate faith.” I was in attendance, sitting in the second row of the church when he said that. It certainly got the attention of everyone. Then, he went on to qualify his statement, indicating that his flesh, like all of us, felt most comfortable when imagining he had control. By contrast, real faith, trust and reliance upon God can make you feel exposed, like you are way out on a limb with God. If He comes through, whew!! Great, but if He lets you drop, what an embarrassing, fearful ‘splat’ it will make. I am happy to say that this pastor went on in his sermon to make a superb biblical case for trusting God.
Our tests and trials are relatively small compared to some faced by Bible characters: Daniel’s three friends in the fiery furnace, Daniel himself cast into the lions’ den, David chased by a host of commandoes, king Saul’s elite soldiers. My friends, trust is the heartbeat of your intimate walk with God. There is no God-honoring obedience without faith. Hebrews 3:12 uses unbelief and disobedience as synonyms: “Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God.”
It is through faith that we walk with God and serve Him. Our culture today is filled with the lie of a ‘master-less freedom’—that is the idea that true freedom involves serving no master. Romans chapter 6 puts that to the lie; we either serve the Lord, OR, sin, self, Satan (see 2 Cor 4:3-4).
If you know Christ this morning as your Lord and Savior, then the promises of God belong to you. And, those promises are assured and paid for by the blood of Christ, for Scripture states, “For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore, also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us. Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge” (2 Cor 1:20-22).
I. The call to TRUST God amidst trouble (vv. 7:1-9).
We could say that Isaiah’s response upon seeing God’s holy glory in chapter 6 was, “Created things no longer compel me!” “My eyes have been opened to the glory of Messiah.”
But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him. This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet which he spoke: “LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT? AND TO WHOM HAS THE ARM OF THE LORD BEEN REVEALED?” For this reason, they could not believe, for Isaiah said again, “HE HAS BLINDED THEIR EYES AND HE HARDENED THEIR HEART, SO THAT THEY WOULD NOT SEE WITH THEIR EYES AND PERCEIVE WITH
THEIR HEART, AND BE CONVERTED AND I HEAL THEM.” These things Isaiah said because he saw His glory, and he spoke of Him (Jn 12:37-41).
Isaiah makes his ‘glory point’ corporately in Isaiah chapter 7:1-9:7. God will save a portion of Judah, a remnant who trust their covenant-keeping God and who really know and understand what it means to be saved by grace.
v. 2 – The people of Judah, their hearts shook with fear at the prospect that their adversary Syria had united with the Northern Kingdom of Israel. They knew that they were greatly outnumbered. God does test His people, He brings them into crisis at times—such circumstances reveal our functional object of reliance. Do we really count the gospel promises as true, as backed up by God’s character?
v. 3 – Isaiah brings his son named, “a remnant shall return” and meets king Ahaz at the conduit of the upper pool. No doubt the king is there inspecting the water supply so he can figure out how to stockpile water for the imminent invasion. vv. 4-8 – Isaiah speaks of the threat from the Syro-Ephraimite alliance, telling Ahaz that God is still with His people; the Davidic covenant still stands (Ahaz is a descendent of king David). V. 4 – Be careful, be calm, don’t fear their anger (that you didn’t ally with them), don’t devise your own plans for protection.
Vv. 5-7 --God calls Ahaz to confidence in the Lord. For, these two enemy nations are ‘burnt out stubs’ (a ‘punk’; material for starting fires). They are headed by mere men, and God will not allow them to succeed. Vv. 8-9 – The Lord through Isaiah the prophet, gives king Ahaz a ‘drop dead’ date for the demise of the two nations that Judah fears. This is an incredible act of condescending grace extended to this carnal king who has filled the land with so much moral decay and idolatry.
The offer of a sign from God Himself; this is the opportunity of a lifetime (in crisis)—to treat God as God. God kept His Word, within 3 years Syria was crushed and in 10 years the northern kingdom, Israel was crushed. V. 9 – But there is a condition; divine protection for Ahaz and the nation will require the obedience of faith in God. If firm in faith, you will not fail, but if not firm, you will fail. If you hold God in doubt, you will not hold out. God sees our need, our weakness, our fear—and He answers with Himself. Ahaz is warned; God is repelled by self-assured pride and self-will.
Sometimes we don’t really define faith in God as He does. We treat faith in God like auditing a class in college (you just agree with what is taught, but there is no homework due, no exam, no commitment, no final grade). Actually, the faith that God honors is a whole-souled embrace of God; a whole-souled movement of the intellect and will—consenting, confiding, and committing ourselves to Him so that the focus of our reliance converges upon Christ (leveraged on God).
Genuine faith is a God-awakened capacity to respond fully to Christ. This does not mean that faith is not a fight; it is. You will have to preach the Word to yourself, sometimes quite often—arguing yourself out of moods of doubt. When faith in God is rejected in favor of faith in self, things will unravel. How can things go right when trust in God is withheld? In effect, God is saying through Isaiah, “If you treat Me as unreal, you will find yourself out of touch with reality.” Ahaz goes his own way and in so doing, seals the fate of his generation.
II. The sin of DISTRUSTING God amidst trouble (vv. 7:10-16).
Vv. 10-11 -- The Lord spoke to Ahaz, “Ask for a sign, make it as big as you wish!” This is a ‘blank check’. God is offering an overflowing gesture of grace that seems inconceivable. What would you do? Think of Hezekiah’s requested sign! (See 2 Kings 20:8-11, the shadow on the stairs went back ten steps).
Vv. 12-13 – Ahaz’s unbelief is witnessed in his answer of ‘no’. His refusal to ask for a sign reveals his hard, rebellious, unbelieving heart. For, Ahaz made plans that did not include God or His will. And, his reply is a monumental piece of hypocrisy. He uses spiritual talk in an attempt to conceal his iron-fisted grasp for control. He wants his reply to be plausible; he wants his unbelief to sound pious; but it is a refusal to have God as his God (Note: Hebrews 3:12, 18-19). The Lord is weary of Ahaz’s lack of faith, but still addresses him as ‘house of David’ (See Ezra 6:12, the words of king Darius—God’s Name in Jerusalem). That title ‘house of David’ requires a response of obedient trust, for God has annexed His reputation, honor, and glory to this city.
V. 14 – ‘Virgin’ refers to an unmarried woman. This verse is the great messianic prophecy of the incarnation of Christ; His virgin birth. An angel speaks to Joseph in a dream: “BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL,” which translated means, “GOD WITH US” (Matt 1:23).
I would agree with commentator, Geoffrey Grogan that in order for this to be a sign (v. 14) during the time of the reign of king Ahaz, it must have had a local, or contemporary fulfillment. A person in the royal house who will shortly marry and conceive who will be called Immanuel (“God with us”—especially in view of the Assyrian threat). Vv. 15-16 – Before the child reaches an age of moral discretion, Assyria will lay waste Aram (Syria) and Israel (733-732). God has the situation well in hand; the king is rebuked for his lack of faith (misplaced fear). The child’s diet: scarcity of provisions in the land (v. 15, cottage cheese and honey), attests to the fact that the foreign invaders have decimated the land, ravaged the crops, and food is restricted to dairy products and very little produce is left.
III. The punishment which follows DISTRUST in God (vv. 7:17-25).
Ahaz’s intrigue, he hopes to outwit his enemies (Syria and Ephraim/Israel) by making an alliance with (friends w/) Assyria. But, in the remainder of chapter 7 Isaiah makes it clear what kind of friend Assyria would prove to be (a ‘frenemy’). Add EX. A mouse attacked by two rats – squeaks for the cat to save him—winds up being dessert for the cat (Assyria). Ahaz’s refusal to trust means that there is a reckoning coming. Vv. 17-19 – God ‘whistles’ for His instruments of punishment. Like a plague of insects, the Assyrians will settle thickly—even in unexpected places. V. 20 -- Shaving of the beard was done to inflict shame upon a defeated foe (emasculate, disgrace, humiliate—the whole ‘body’ of Judah: head and legs included). The word, “hired” alludes to the fact that they are ‘well paid’ by the spoils/booty of war for their trouble. Speaking of the spoils of war, the phrase in 8:1-3 – is rendered by the J. B. Phillips Translation, “Quick pickings, easy prey.” In Ahaz’s unbelief, he thinks he has ‘hired’ Assyria to rid him of his enemies. In reality, God has ‘hired’ Assyria to punish Ahaz! Our ‘real’ foes/enemies: sin, death, hell, world, flesh, devil. Only Christ can get you past these six enemies. You cannot defeat a single one of theme by yourself.
IV. The object of false TRUST becomes the rod of reproof (vv. 8:1-10).
Vv. 1-4 – depicts a large placard, like a poster, which announces who would win the battle. God is testifying through His faithful witnesses as to the veracity, the unbreakable character of His Word proclaimed through Isaiah (for the enemy is at the gate). Vv. 5-8 – Is an analogy, a metaphor, like a parable in which one’s object of trust is compared to the flowing water of two different rivers. ‘Shiloah’ is the stream from Gihon which supplied Jerusalem’s water. It typifies the reign of God in the yielded heart of a believer. Thus, Shiloah symbolizes the city’s dependence upon the Lord and His defense of the city (His Name there, 2 Chron. 6:6; Ezra 6:12).
The reproof; by calling in evil (Assyria) to fight evil, Judah will face a massive flooding army of evil. Judah (Ahaz) rejected God as source, so now she will have to stand in the path of a great ‘flood’ that she has unleashed (‘flood’ figuratively). As the invading armies of Assyria (depicted as the Euphrates) ‘flood’ the land, little Judah will have to stand on tip-toe to catch a breath of air. Vv. 9-10 – Yet, God is working with a little remnant who fear God and who trust in His Word. The defiant self-confident Judeans who relied on their plans, and not upon God, will have their pride/arrogance broken, their plans shattered.
V. The choice: FEAR God, or FEAR man (vv. 11-18).
Deep reverence for God banishes fear of human beings. (Spurgeon said, “Compared to what God thinks of me, the opinions of humans are like so many chirping sparrows.”) V. 12 – ‘Conspiracy’ -- the intimidating coalition—the league or alliance of siding with Assyria. Don’t trust or fear Assyria (or Syria); trust God! At this time, many considered Isaiah’s message of trusting God and not foreign powers, to be a treasonous message or policy (remember, he was prophet and advisor to the king).
Vv. 13-15 -- God is our refuge, or our ruin. “Only God can save you from God” (R. C. Sproul). V. 13 – no matter how unfavorable present conditions are, true believers will ‘sanctify’ Yahweh by continuing to regard Him as supreme in governing human affairs and in fulfilling His promises. To fear and revere Him only, is to NOT fear men. Vv. 14-15 – the apostates of Jerusalem will stumble over the Word of God through Isaiah, and stumble into destruction and damnation. The terrifying force of the Hebrew is: “Many of them will stumble, they will fall, they will be smashed, snared, and seized.” This is also a prophecy of corporate Israel’s ongoing rejection of Jesus as Messiah (at His first coming). Both houses of Israel collapse until Messiah restores them at His Second Coming.
Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures, ‘THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone; THIS CAME ABOUT FROM THE LORD, AND IT IS MARVELOUS IN OUR EYES’? “Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the fruit of it. “And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.” (Mt 21:42-44).
He is the chief cornerstone (foundation) the stone cut out of the mountain without hands who falls on kingdoms of the world and crushes them (Dan 2:44-45). Whether a ceramic vessel falls on a rock or the rock falls on the vessel, the result is the same. The saying suggesting that both enmity and apathy are wrong responses to Christ, and those guilty of either are in danger of judgment (MacArthur Study Bible, p. 1433).
And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed—and a sword will pierce even your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed” (Lu 2:34-35).
And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For this is contained in Scripture: “BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER stone, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.” This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, “THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE VERY CORNER stone,” and, “A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed. But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY (1 Pet 2:4-10).
How we treat God determines how we experience God; as sanctuary, or as snare. All will experience God, as one way or the other; as sanctuary or as snare. The burden of our text is clear for us. Don’t respond to life in a way that makes (views God) God as weak, distant, detached, helpless, or uncaring. To emotionally live that way is ‘practical atheism’.
The message to the Judeans of Isaiah’s day is the same to us; for God has not changed. To truly fear Him and revere Him as He is revealed in His Word is to stabilize ourselves. He is all that matters. If we take Him into account as He truly is, we will enter the ‘sanctuary’ of His presence and promises. We will know He is for us. But, if other things compel us more than God, we’ll collide with Him, with His (redemptive-glory) purposes—and trip over Him, as a snare.
V. 18 – Grace awakens the remnant to trembling faith. “Disciples” refers to the little group of Isaiah’s followers who, in their faith have been responsive to the Word of God. Isaiah and his sons have a prophetic significance; they constitute ‘signs and wonders’ (v. 18) (Heb 2:13).
For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, “I WILL PROCLAIM YOUR NAME TO MY BRETHREN, IN THE MIDST OF THE CONGREGATION I WILL SING YOUR PRAISE.” And again, “I WILL PUT MY TRUST IN HIM.” And again, “BEHOLD, I AND THE CHILDREN WHOM GOD HAS GIVEN ME.” (Heb 2:11-13).
They are the faithful witnesses, responsible to maintain the written record that will become public after the invasion. They are typical of the church gathered around Christ. Hope in God (Heb 2:13a). Son of God with sons of God (Heb 2:13b).
VI. The CONSEQUENCE of trusting evil instead of God (vv. 19-22).
Vv. 21-25 – Necromancy was strictly forbidden by God in the Mosaic Law. Yet, spiritualists pretended to have communication with the dead. Apostate Judah will stumble under the Word. The Assyrian invasion would bring an acute shortage or food. Hunger would foster anger. The Israelites would blame their apostate king (Ahaz) (but, wrongly their God). The rejection of the Word of God will plunge rebels into an eternal night of perdition—they utter vain and bitter curses. But, the promise of new light and grace follows in Isaiah chapter nine.
God drives history toward its final triumph of grace in the Messianic Kingdom. We didn’t do this, God did. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish this—His infinite commitment to His own holy Name, in divine jealousy He stirs His inward parts and prepares Himself for battle. God is a consuming fire in His holy jealousy (Deut 4:24; Heb 12:29). Faith and trust in God is faith in who He is toward us in Christ. For, His new covenant Name is Father. Our trust in Him is founded on the fact that He backs up His promises in Scripture with His unchanging character. Our trust says that He is trustworthy, worthy of our trust.