His Word Today

² “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. ³ You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. ⁴ For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. ⁵ For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. ⁶ For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ⁷ Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.” (Isaiah 9:2-7)  

Dr. R. C. Sproul writes, “Isaiah 9:1–7 records the famous prophecy of the coming child who would be “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah uttered these words during the reign of King Hezekiah, who lived at the end of the eighth century and the beginning of the seventh century BC. Hezekiah was one of the godliest kings during the old covenant period (2 Kings 18:1–7), but he was no King David. Hezekiah inherited the throne of David his forefather and reigned during a period when the Assyrian Empire was the strongest power in the ancient Near East. David, however, was established on the throne of Israel by the Lord, and he took Israel from being a minor player on the world stage to one of great importance (2 Sam. 5; 1 Chron. 18:4). Because of the glories of David’s reign, David became the prototype of the ideal ruler, and the prophets looked forward to the day when a king like David but even better would rule over God’s people once more (Jer. 23:5; 33:14–15; Zech. 12:8).”

Since Isaiah 9:2-7 is such a magnificent oracle, we are going to examine each verse, beginning with Isaiah 9:2, individually. My hope is that you will truly be blessed by this study.

Isaiah 9:2 says, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.” Let’s begin to unpack this verse.

The people. Within the immediate context the people would be both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah in the 8^th century B.C. The entire nation was existing and living in darkness. The word darkness refers to a time and condition of terror, ignorance, sadness, confusion and evil.

The coming of the Messiah was and is synonymous with the coming of light to remove the darkness of captivity (42:16; 49:6; 58:8; 60:1, 19–20). However, the condition of the Jewish people walking in darkness politically and culturally in the 8^th century B.C. mirrors the spiritual darkness all unredeemed people experience without Christ.

Ephesians 5:8-11 says, “⁸ for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light ⁹ (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), ¹⁰ and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. ¹¹ Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.”

I John 1:5-7 says, “⁵ This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. ⁶ If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. ⁷ But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”  

Dr. John MacArthur writes that, “Darkness describes the character of the life of the unconverted as void of truth and virtue in intellectual and moral matters (cf. 1 John 1:5–7). The realm of darkness is presided over by the “power of darkness” (Luke 22:53; Col. 1:13), who rules those headed for “outer darkness” (Matt. 8:12; 2 Pet. 2:17). Tragically, sinners love the darkness (John 3:19–21). It is that very darkness from which salvation in Christ delivers sinners (see John 8:12; Col. 1:13; 1 Pet. 2:9; cf. Ps. 27:1).”

Those in Israel who lived in spiritual darkness now understood a great light would come. This light would be the source of guidance, health, life and prosperity. It would be a great, important and excellent light. The light is the Messiah and His coming symbolizes not only the removal from political captivity of the Jewish nation then, but also, and more importantly, the spiritual captivity of the soul for all time.

Much like Israel during Isaiah’s day, do you recall your life when it was in darkness? How has the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ changed your life? Take time to thank the LORD for delivering you from darkness and bringing you into the light.

Soli deo Gloria!    

“But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.” (Isaiah 9:1)

 Dr. R. C. Sproul writes that, “Scripture does not tell us about people and events that are divorced from history. It explains that God has worked out His salvation in space and in time. One of the clearest examples of this is the Bible’s use of prophecy that is set firmly in one historical setting while predicting events in another. Prophecies of the coming Messiah fill the Old Testament, with the book of Isaiah featuring some of the most well-known predictions of the future.”

Zebulun and Naphtali were two geographic regions in the northern kingdom of Israel. Both regions were located to the west, northwest of the Sea of Galilee. They were both located west of the Jordan River and contained fertile land suitable for raising crops and for grazing livestock. This remains so today.

These two regions were the first to suffer from the invading forces of Assyria (2 Kings 15:29). This marked the beginning of the dark days for the northern kingdom of Israel.

However, the LORD provided a glimmer of hope and confidence for the people of the land. While in the former days of judgment there would be doom and gloom, in the latter days the LORD would transform the land into glory. He would make it the “glorious way of the sea.”

The New Testament amplifies and applies this prophecy of the returning honor of Galilee to the period of Jesus Christ’s first advent. Matthew 4:12-16 says, “¹² Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. ¹³ And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, ¹⁴ so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: ¹⁵ “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— ¹⁶ the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.”

Matthew 4:15-16 quotes directly from Isaiah 9:1-2. While the initial fulfillment of Isaiah 9:1-7 would occur during the incarnation of Jesus Christ 2,000 years ago, the ultimate fulfillment will take place at His second advent. It will be then that the LORD will expel all foreign invaders from the land.

Dr. John Walvoord writes that, “Galil in Hebrew is a “circle,” or “circuit,” and from it came the name Galilee. North of Naphtali, inhabited by a mixed race of Jews and Gentiles of the bordering Phoenician race (Judges 1:30; 1 Ki 9:11). Besides the recent deportation by Tiglath-pileser, it had been sorely smitten by Ben-hadad of Syria, two hundred years before (1 Kings 15:20). It was after the Assyrian deportation colonized with heathens, by Esar-haddon (2 Kings 17:24). Hence arose the contempt for it on the part of the southern Jews of purer blood (John 1:46; 7:52).”

“The same region which was so darkened once, shall be among the first to receive Messiah’s light (Matthew 4:13, 15, 16). It was in despised Galilee that He first and most publicly exercised His ministry; from it were most of His apostles. Foretold in Deuteronomy 33:18, 19; Acts 2:7; Psalm 68:27, 28, Jerusalem, the theocratic capital, might readily have known Messiah; to compensate less favored Galilee, He ministered mostly there; Galilee’s very debasement made it feel its need of a Saviour, a feeling not known to the self-righteous Jews (Mt 9:13). It was appropriate, too, that He who was both “the Light to lighten the Gentiles, and the Glory of His people Israel,” should minister chiefly on the border land of Israel, near the Gentiles.”

More to come.

Soli deo Gloria!

^16” Bind up the testimony; seal the teaching among my disciples. ¹⁷ I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him. ¹⁸ Behold, I and the children whom the Lord has given me are signs and portents in Israel from the Lord of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion. ¹⁹ And when they say to you, “Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter,” should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living? ²⁰ To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn. ²¹ They will pass through the land, greatly distressed and hungry. And when they are hungry, they will be enraged and will speak contemptuously against their king and their God, and turn their faces upward. ²² And they will look to the earth, but behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish. And they will be thrust into thick darkness.” (Isaiah 8:16-22)

A much quoted portion of Scripture concerning a nation’s repentance towards God is 2 Chronicles 7:14. “^14 If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” It was the LORD’s response to King Solomon’s prayer at the dedication of the Temple of God in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 7:1-10) and is part of the broader context of 2 Chronicles 7:11-21.

The doctrine contained in 2 Chronicles 7:11-21 is almost completely unique in and of itself. It features the conditions for God’s forgiveness of a nation’s sin. This includes (1) humility; (2) prayer; (3) longing for God; and (4) repentance.

These four qualities were lacking in the Nation of Judah in the 8^th century B.C. during the ministry of Isaiah, the prophet. Instead, the people of Judah were proud, they sought out and worshiped false gods of their own making, and were unrepentant.

Instead of humbly seeking the LORD during time of national difficulty, they became enraged against God and spoke contemptuously of Him. The refused to accept the truth of God’s Word, from God’s spokesperson.

Therefore, Isaiah bound up and sealed the scroll containing the testimony of impending judgment. Why? First, it was to ensure that nothing would be added to, or taken from it. Two, to imply that it related to distant events, and was therefore to be a sealed and not understood testimony (Isaiah 6:9, 10), except in part among God’s disciples.

In a similar vein to Isaiah 8:16-22, Joel 2:12-13 says, “Yet even now,’ declares the LORD, ‘return to me with all your heart, with fasting…weeping, and…mourning; and rend your hearts….’ Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.”

Dr. R. C. Sproul explains that, “Those who have been gifted with circumcised hearts repent when the Lord, through His prophets and Apostles, calls them to turn from their sin. But the call must go out, for God ordinarily works through the preaching of His Word; thus, Joel calls for deep and thorough repentance in Joel 2:13–17. He grounds this call to repent in God’s revelation of His mercy and willingness to relent over the disasters He has announced (see Ex. 34:6–7; Jer. 18:5–8). At the same time, Joel’s call to repentance lacks any hint of presumption. Although God’s people can always be confident that He will forgive them when they turn to Him in heartfelt repentance (2 Chron. 7:14; Luke 15:11–32), even the healing that He promises does not always mean that we will escape the earthly consequences that flow from our sin. Joel 2:14 reflects this point, as the prophet leaves it up in the air as to whether God’s forgiveness might include other undeserved blessings.”

May each nation today, and its citizens, take to heart the oracles from two ancient Jewish prophets. The truth they speak continues to resound in our own day and age.

Soli deo Gloria!  

^11” For the Lord spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: ¹² “Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. ¹³ But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. ¹⁴ And he will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. ¹⁵ And many shall stumble on it. They shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken.” (Isaiah 8:11-15) 

The primary sin by the Nations of Israel and Judah was a refusal to trust in, commit to, depend upon and worship the LORD God alone. They preferred, except for a small remnant, to trust, commit, depend and worship objects of their own device and design. In Isaiah 8:11, the LORD instructed Isaiah not to walk in the pattern of life of the people.

There has always been a trend among so-called leaders of either ancient Israel, or the contemporary church, to cater their message and ministry in light of what the people, or congregation, want and desire. Today, it is what is known and referred to as being culturally relevant. It is being like the people and giving the people what they want. It is telling the people what they want to hear and refusing to tell the people what they need to hear. It is framing a philosophy of ministry that will not offend. In others words, it is a philosophy of ministry void of the truth.

Yahweh warned Isaiah not to cater to the people’s whims and wants. He said, “Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread.” The majority of people in Israel and Judah considered the prophets Jeremiah, Isaiah and others to be the enemy because they preached against alliances with foreign powers and advocated a reliance upon the LORD alone. Isaiah was not to go along with various political conspiracy theories of the time. Neither was he to fear or reverence what they people feared and reverenced or tremble because of what the people might do to him.

Instead, Isaiah was to honor the LORD as holy and to fear and dread Him alone. As the prophet continued to do this, and the nations refused, the LORD would be a sanctuary for those who trusted in Him alone, while at the same time a stone of offense, a rock of stumbling along with being a trap and a snare for those who did not.

Dr. John MacArthur explains that, “Isaiah found encouragement in the Lord as his holy place of protection from his accusers. The NT applies this verse to corporate Israel in her ongoing rejection of Jesus as Messiah (Luke 2:34; Rom. 9:32–33; 1 Pet. 2:8). Another prediction anticipated the stumbling of Israel, which included her rejection of her Messiah at his first advent (Luke 20:18; Rom. 9:32; cf. Isa. 28:16).”

 It is easy to follow the crowd and capitulate either politically, economically, culturally or spiritually to their whims and ways. The believer in Christ must never do this, even when tempted to do so by many within the church. We must honor the LORD alone as holy and He alone we must fear and dread. We must never fear and dread people.

May we all resolve to follow the LORD’s direction this day.

Soli deo Gloria!

 

 

 

 

“Then the Lord said to me, “Take a large tablet and write on it in common characters, ‘Belonging to Maher-shalal-hash-baz.’ ² And I will get reliable witnesses, Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah, to attest for me.”

 ³ And I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son. Then the Lord said to me, “Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz; ⁴ for before the boy knows how to cry ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away before the king of Assyria.”

 ⁵ The Lord spoke to me again: ⁶ “Because this people has refused the waters of Shiloah that flow gently, and rejoice over Rezin and the son of Remaliah, ⁷ therefore, behold, the Lord is bringing up against them the waters of the River, mighty and many, the king of Assyria and all his glory. And it will rise over all its channels and go over all its banks, ⁸ and it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass on, reaching even to the neck, and its outspread wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel.”

⁹ Be broken, you peoples, and be shattered; give ear, all you far countries; strap on your armor and be shattered; strap on your armor and be shattered. ¹⁰ Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing; speak a word, but it will not stand, for God is with us.” (Isaiah 8:1-10)

Interspersed with many Messianic prophecies within the Book of Isaiah are narrative sections, such as Isaiah 6:1-7. Isaiah 8 begins as a first person narrative account between Isaiah and the LORD. We often see pastors, preachers and evangelists use visual aids to help them in the preaching. Isaiah was to use a visual aid to help secure the prophecy contained in Isaiah 8 within in the minds of his audience, the nation and the king of Judah.

The overall theme and truth contained in Isaiah 8 is that God is always with His people. He never deserts those with whom He is in a covenant relationship. Hebrews 13:5-6 says, “⁵ Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” ⁶ So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

The LORD instructed Isaiah to take a large tablet, a placard, poster or sign, and in the people’s language informing them of the coming judgment from the LORD through the Nation of Assyria against the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Two respected leaders in Judah, Uriah and Zechariah, would verify that what the prophet had written was indeed true (Deuteronomy 18:21-22; Jeremiah 28:1-9).

Isaiah used figures of speech in order to illustrate the coming judgment upon Israel in 722 B.C. The primary one Isaiah used was that of overflowing waters. Because Israel allied with Syria, she would be swept away by the mighty floodwaters from the River, a reference for the Euphrates River, which ran in the center of the Assyrian Empire. The king of Assyria (cf. 7:17) would sweep down upon the Northern Kingdom like a river in flood stage overflowing its banks. Amazingly this “Assyrian floodwater,” would continue on into the land of Judah (701 b.c.). Assyria would cover Judah up to the neck, meaning that Judah would be almost, but not quite, drowned.

What is the LORD’s counsel to His people in the predicted judgment? God would be with them and that this judgment from Assyria was not in their own strength. In fact, the LORD warned the Assyrians that they were only an instrument of the LORD. ^9 “Be broken, you peoples, and be shattered; give ear, all you far countries; strap on your armor and be shattered; strap on your armor and be shattered. ¹⁰ Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing; speak a word, but it will not stand, for God is with us.”

Israel’s sin, and Judah’s as well, was a lack of trust in the LORD. Instead, these two nations chose to trust in political alliances and false gods of their own making. Things have not changed very much since the 8^th century B.C.  

The phrase “God is with us” again is the Hebrew word Immanuel. Immanuel guaranteed the eventual triumph of His remnant and covenant people, Israel. What was true for 8^th century B.C. Israel and Judah is true for God’s people today. He is with us.

Soli deo Gloria!

 

 

 

 

^18” In that day the Lord will whistle for the fly that is at the end of the streams of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria. ¹⁹ And they will all come and settle in the steep ravines, and in the clefts of the rocks, and on all the thornbushes, and on all the pastures.

²⁰ In that day the Lord will shave with a razor that is hired beyond the River—with the king of Assyria—the head and the hair of the feet, and it will sweep away the beard also.

²¹ In that day a man will keep alive a young cow and two sheep, ²² and because of the abundance of milk that they give, he will eat curds, for everyone who is left in the land will eat curds and honey.

²³ In that day every place where there used to be a thousand vines, worth a thousand shekels of silver, will become briers and thorns. ²⁴ With bow and arrows a man will come there, for all the land will be briers and thorns. ²⁵ And as for all the hills that used to be hoed with a hoe, you will not come there for fear of briers and thorns, but they will become a place where cattle are let loose and where sheep tread.” (Isaiah 7:18-25)

One of the things to observe when studying Scripture is its use of repetition. When the student observes the same word, or words, repeated they are there for emphasis. In today’s text, we see the phrase “in that day” repeated four times. The phrase addresses the destruction of Syria and the Nation of Judah beginning in in 605 B.C. It foreshadows the events of the last judgment by God upon the fallen and sinful world (Revelation 6-19).

Dr. John MacArthur explains that, “The desolation prophesied in this section began in the days of Ahaz and reached its climax when the Babylonians conquered Judah. Its results continue to the time when the Messiah will return to deliver Israel and establish his kingdom on earth.”

 In the first section (vs. 18-19), the judgment from the LORD will feature a great number of invaders, like a horde of insects. Even traditional places of protection and hiding, such as ravines and clefts of the rocks, will be of no avail.

In the second section (vs. 20), God’s judgment will feature a time of great mourning. This is symbolized by the shaving of the head. In the ancient world, this was a sign of humiliation conquered enemies. Judah in the 8^th century, and the fallen world of the future, will be humiliated by the judgment of God.

In the third section (vs. 21-22), the land will be devastated by war. The only food will be scarce, such as curds and honey (See 7:15).

In the final section (vs. 23-25), the rich, cultivated land of Israel will filled with weeds. It will be fairly fit for grazing. It will be a time of great poverty. This will be God’s covenant curse on the land. The final judgment will impact the entire world.

Dr. John Walvoord explains that, “Though temporary deliverance (Isaiah 7:16; 8:4) was to be given then, and final deliverance through Messiah, sore punishment shall follow the former. After subduing Syria and Israel, the Assyrians shall encounter Egypt (2 Ki 23:29), and Judah shall be the battlefield of both (Isaiah 7:18), and be made tributary to that very Assyria (2 Chronicles 28:20; 2 Kings 16:7, 8) now about to be called in as an ally (Isaiah 39:1–6). Egypt, too, should prove a fatal ally (Isaiah 36:6; 31:1, &c.).”

 The only hope for Judah in the 8^th century B.C., and the only hope for the world today, is to trust in the LORD and receive His deliverance through Jesus Christ. For those who do not, there awaits certain judgment.

Soli deo Gloria!   

 

 

 

 

¹⁰ Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: ¹¹ “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” ¹² But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” ¹³ And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? 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. ¹⁵ He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. ¹⁶ For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted. ¹⁷ The Lord will bring upon you and upon your people and upon your father’s house such days as have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah—the king of Assyria!” (Isaiah 7:10-17)

Each and every Christmas season we either read, or hear these familiar words.

^18 “Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. ²⁰ But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” ²² All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: ²³ “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).” (Matthew 1:18-23).

 Dr. R. C. Sproul writes, “Immanuel, God with us. This conveys God’s promise to save, bless and protect His children. The identity of the virgin and the child have been the subject of considerable discussion and major interpretations exist.”

What are those different interpretations of which Dr. Sproul mentioned? The following perspectives are given for your consideration.

First, some find the prophecy exclusively fulfilled in Isaiah’s own lifetime. Some of these interpreters, especially the Jews of the second century A.D., understood the prophecy to mean Ahaz’s wife and her child, King Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:1-2). But as Saint Jerome (c. A.D. 400) indicated, Hezekiah was already born.

Others identify the woman’s child as Isaiah’s son, Maher-shalal-hash-baz (Isaiah 8:1-3). However, the Hebrew term translated “virgin” would not be normally used for a woman who was already a mother (of Shear-jashub, 7:1-3). If it means someone engaged to the prophet, then one must assume that Isaiah’s first wife had died prior to this prophecy. Further, this interpretation means that the child would have two different names (“God with Us” and “The Spoil Seeds.” the “Prey Hastens”). In this case, the immediate fulfillment would be of God’s presence with His people that not only brings judgment but also salvation.

Still others, in light of the New Testament interpretation and the traditional Christian perspective, identify the child directly and exclusively as the Messiah, a divine person whose birth is miraculous. This would refer us to the “sign” of Isaiah 7:11 and 7:14. This interpretation also identifies the child “Immanuel” with the child possessing the titles for God from Isaiah 9:6 along with being the “branch” of Isaiah 11. According to Matthew, the virgin is Mary and the child is Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:22-23). However, Isaiah 7:16 seems to indicate the birth of Immanuel would be imminent.

Another interpretation is to consider the prophecy to be typological. It would, therefore, have a two-fold fulfillment. There would be an immediate but partial fulfillment in Isaiah’s day and a later definitive fulfillment in the incarnation of Jesus Christ. It is Jesus Christ who would secure the throne of God forever. The difficulty remains as to the identities of the virgin, and the son, in the immediate and partial fulfillment in Isaiah’s day.

Whoever Immanuel was in the immediate context of Isaiah’s day, he would eat curds and honey. Curds can either be milk, butter or cream. Honey could either be the sweet product from bee collected pollen, or a sweet, thick liquid processed from grape juice. This diet seems to point to unworked fields. If so, the child would be associate with the remnant who survive the LORD’s judgment upon Judah.

However, the prophet went on to conclude that before the prophesied boy reached the age of twelve, the Jewish age of adult and moral accountability, the rulers King Ahaz feared would be defeated. But there would also be judgment upon Judah due to King Ahaz’s trust in Assyria and lack of trust, commitment, dependence and worship of Yahweh.

This passage gives us every indication that whatever occurs in history, our present life, or the future, everything is within the sovereign control of God.

Soli deo Gloria!

 

 

  

 

¹⁰ Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: ¹¹ “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” ¹² But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” ¹³ And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? 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. ¹⁵ He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. ¹⁶ For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted. ¹⁷ The Lord will bring upon you and upon your people and upon your father’s house such days as have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah—the king of Assyria!” (Isaiah 7:10-17)

Have you ever asked the LORD for a sign? Perhaps it was to affirm a particular decision which you faced or a particular path you should follow. The LORD told King Ahaz to “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.”

 What was King Ahaz’s response to the LORD’s request that he ask for a sign? “¹² But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” Ironically, by refusing the LORD’s request to ask for a sign by saying he would not put the LORD to the test, Ahaz was pretending to be humble and in effect was putting the LORD to the test.

The LORD said, ¹³ “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also?” Isaiah’s response to the king was one of rebuke on the LORD’s behalf. The prophet not only took King Ahaz to task for his behavior but also the entire nation of wearying, or trying the patience, of God.

In light of King Ahaz’s refusal to ask the LORD for a sign of encouragement, the LORD decided to give the king, and the nation, His own sign. In effect, the LORD said, “You do not want a sign. Well, I’m going to give you a sign whether you want it or not.” What a sign it turned out to be. ^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”

The word “behold” means to call attention to a detail, hear, and emphasize and idea. The word “virgin” can mean a sexually mature female of marriageable age, who may or may not be sexually active (Genesis 24:43; Exodus 2:8; Psalm 68:26; Proverbs 30:19; Song of Songs 1:3; 6:8). The context will demand or suggest if the young woman is sexually active.

The corresponding New Testament texts are not only found in Matthew 1:18-25, in which Isaiah 7:14 is quoted in vs. 23, but also in Luke 1:26-38, in which Mary asks the question, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” Both New Testament texts assert the meaning of virgin to be an unmarried woman who has not engaged in any sexual activity.

The phrase “shall conceive” means to become pregnant. The child who is born will be a boy, a son. His name will be Immanuel, which means the LORD is with us in whom we may have confidence.

John Calvin writes, “Immanuel. This name was unquestionably bestowed on Christ on account of the actual fact; for the only-begotten Son of God clothed himself with our flesh and united himself to us by partaking of our nature. He is, therefore, called God with us, or united to us, which cannot apply to a man who is not God. It is therefore evident that it denotes not only the power of god, such as he usually displays by His servant, but a union of person which Christ became God-man.”

 What will the Messiah be like? What does the text from Isaiah 7 say about Immanuel? This is what we will explore next time.

Soli deo Gloria!

¹⁰ Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: ¹¹ “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” ¹² But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” ¹³ And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? 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. ¹⁵ He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. ¹⁶ For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted. ¹⁷ The Lord will bring upon you and upon your people and upon your father’s house such days as have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah—the king of Assyria!” (Isaiah 7:10-17)

Have you ever asked the LORD for a sign? Perhaps it was to affirm a particular decision which you faced or a particular path you should follow. The LORD told King Ahaz to “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.”

A sign is defined as a visible event intended to communicate a meaning beyond that which is normally understood in the outward appearance of the particular event. In a few examples in the Old Testament, “sign” refers to the observances of heavenly bodies in an astrological sense (Genesis 1:14; Jeremiah 10:1-2), or to the “signs and wonders” as indications of God’s miraculous work within the history of the world (Deuteronomy 4:34; 6:22; Nehemiah 9:10; Psalm 105:27; Jeremiah 32:20). On other occasions, the word sign is used as an insignia of the Mosaic Covenant. Thus, the wearing of the law on the wrist and forehead and the keeping of the Sabbath are considered signs of the relationship between Israel and God (Deuteronomy 6:1-8; 11:18; Ezekiel 20:12, 20).

The Tyndale Bible Dictionary explains that, “The most numerous and significant usages of “sign” appear in relation to the OT prophetic ministry. Beginning with Moses, signs are used to confirm that God has spoken to the prophet. Thus, when Moses received the message of deliverance that he was to bring to the children of Israel in Egypt and the pharaoh, he was given two signs: his staff was changed into a serpent and his hand was afflicted with leprosy (Ex 4:1–8). Signs and wonders were also used by false prophets. After a sign had been given and had come to pass, the leaders of Israel were to examine the message of the prophet to see if it led the people away from the true worship of God. If it did, the prophet who had given the sign was to be put to death (Deuteronomy 13:1–5).”

 Within the Old Testament, the character of the sign varies and often is miraculous. For example, some of the great miracles of the OT are prophetic signs. These would include the moving of the shadow back up the steps of Hezekiah’s palace to confirm Isaiah’s prediction that the king would recover from his mortal illness (2 Kings 20:8–9; Isaiah 38:21–22).

A sign could also be predictive so the people could know whether the prophet had spoken the truth by whether or not the event came to pass. This would include the prophet’s foretelling the death of both of Eli’s sons on the same day (1 Samuel 2:34; I Samuel 14:10; 2 Kings 19:29; Isaiah 37:30).

Sometimes the sign was carefully timed, and the recipient was told that the appearance of the sign would show when to act to fulfill the prophetic message (1 Samuel 10:7–9). At other times, the events predicted were acted out in the life of the prophet. These symbolic actions demonstrated the truth of the prophet’s message. Take for example the Prophet Isaiah’s nakedness for three years to demonstrate the fate of those who preached trust in Egypt’s power (Isaiah 20:3; see also Ezekiel 4:1-3).

Signs in the NT occurrences were much like those in the Old Testament. There are references to heavenly signs that will occur as indications of the end times, and those with special knowledge will understand that the end is drawing near (Matthew 24:3, 30; Mark 13:4, 22; Luke 21:11, 25–26). These apocalyptic signs have no astrological correlations as in the OT.

Arguably, the most significant meaning of a sign from God, both in the OT and the NT, was to confirm the message given by God. This message would come through the prophetic and apostolic ministry to, respectively, Israel and the church.

The LORD told King Ahaz to ask Him for a sign. It could be as deep as the depths of the earth or as high as heaven itself. What was Ahaz’s response and what would be the sign God would give to the king? That is what we will study when next we meet.

Soli deo Gloria!