Grace Institute: Isaiah: The Pride of King Ahaz

The Pride of King Ahaz Isaiah 7-12 Fall 2008

The Failure of Ahaz (Isaiah 7:1-8:22)

A Sign Offered to Ahaz (7:1-25)

The Situtation (7:1-2)

Chapters 7—12 of Isaiah are set during the reign of King Ahaz of Judah. Ahaz was the first king in over 100 years who did not worship the true God, sacrificing to foreign gods and even offering his own son as a burnt offering.

The Syro-Ephraimite War

During Ahaz's reign, the northern kingdom, Israel, allied itself with Syria in an attempt to defend against the armies of Assyria. Ahaz refused to join this alliance, so Israel and Syria attacked Judah so they could put their own king on the throne of Judah (7:6).

Judah was much smaller than Israel, and when allied with Syria, Ahaz's army was vastly outnumbered by this invading army. The Syro-Ephraimite forces were able to liberate the land of Edom, which had been under Judah's control for centuries, and the Edomites joined against their former oppressors. Philistia is also thought to have joined this confederation. Ahaz was surrounded and outnumbered.

The Fear of Ahaz

As the invading armies came up to Jerusalem, Ahaz and the people of Judah “shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind” (7:2). Ahaz is scared.

However, King Ahaz feared the armies of Aram and Israel more than he feared God. In chapter 6, Isaiah, when confronted with the holiness of Yahweh was full of fear (6:5). In fact, the very thresholds of the heavenly temple shake in fear of the holiness of God (6:4). However, Ahaz was not afraid of God. He was afraid of the armies of men. However, it is Yahweh of hosts, the Holy One whom Ahaz should fear:

The Lord of hosts,
Him you shall honor as holy.
Let him be your fear,
And let him be your dread.
(Isaiah 8:13 ESV)

The Prophecy of the Lord (7:3-9)

The Lord sends Isaiah along with his son, Shear-jashub, to an aqueduct outside the city of Jerusalem, where apparently Ahaz was inspecting this water source. At this point, Jerusalem has no water source inside the city, so as it readied itself for a siege, this would have been a key concern for the King (Oswalt 199) . This location will become an important illustration in 8:5-7).

We do not know why the Lord send Isaiah's son with him. His name, however, means, “a remnant shall return.” This becomes an important part of the message of Isaiah in chapters 10-12.

The Lord 's message to Ahaz is simple. He need not be afraid of the invading armies of Syria and Israel (7:4-6). The invasion will not be successful (7:7). Furthermore, within 65 years, both Syria and Israel will have been defeated and their kingdoms will be no more (7:8).

All Ahaz must do is believe the word of the Lord . If he does so, he will be delivered. If he does not, there will be no rescue.

If you are not firm in faith
You will not be firm at all
(Isaiah7:9b ESV)

The Sign Offered (7:10-16)

Ahaz Refuses the Sign

God tells Ahaz to ask for a sign to prove that indeed He would protect Jerusalem. The sign could be anything, great or small (7:10-11). God is giving Ahaz the opportunity to receive anything from Him. However, Ahaz passes, saying with false piety, “I will not test the Lord” (7:12). Ahaz was not concerned with putting the Lord to the test, for in his mind, he did not need the Lord, for he had already taken care of the problem. He had arranged an alliance with Assyria who would help him with the threat of Israel and Syria (2 Kings 16:7-9).

Ahaz's refusal of the sign tells us something of his character. Ahaz sounds almost spiritual in his response. He quotes from Deuteronomy 6:16, which says, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.” However, his response wearies God. Here God was promising deliverance. God wanted to prove his faithfulness to Ahaz. God wanted to help Ahaz be “firm in faith.” However, Ahaz gave God the cold shoulder.

The Sign Given Regardless

While Ahaz refused a sign, God would give a sign anyway.

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. ….before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted. (Isaiah 7:14-16 ESV)

The fulfillment of this sign will come in Isaiah 8, when Isaiah's wife bears him a son (8:3-4). This is the immediate sign available for Ahaz so that he might know the faithfulness of the Lord . However, Isaiah does not name his son, Immanuel.

According to Matthew, this sign has a second fulfillment. Just as God's salvation of Judah from the invading armies is shown by the birth of a child, so God's salvation from their sins shall also come by the birth of a child.

“(Mary) will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us). (Matthew 1:21-23 ESV)

There is much controversy over the word translated “virgin.” In the original Hebrew, the word can mean “virgin” or “young woman.” In the case of Isaiah's wife, it clearly has the latter meaning. However, Matthew quotes from the Septuagint, the 2 nd century BC Greek translation of the Hebrew bible. In this translation, the Greek word can only mean “virgin.” In the case of Mary, it therefore has the former meaning.

“In that Day” (7:17-25)

Not only will Israel and Syria be defeated before Isaiah's son reaches the age of accountability, but the very country which Ahaz will trust to save Jerusalem will turn around and cause ruin for Jerusalem (7:17). These will be “days as have not come since the day” that Israel and Judah divided into two kingdoms.

Isaiah repeats the phrase “in that day” four times, as he describes the day in which Assyria will come upon the land.

• In that day, God will whistle for Assyria and they will swarm like flies over the land (7:18-19)
• In that day, God will shave his people with the razor of Assyria (7:20).
• In that day, the land will be so depopulated that a single young cow and a couple of goats will provide more than enough milk for all the people of the land (7:21-22).
• In that day, there will be so few people left, that the cropland will become a wilderness (7:23-25)

The Sign Provided to Isaiah (8:1-22)

The fulfillment of the sign promised in chapter 7 is found in chapter 8. This chapter is more personal for Isaiah, as the message of the Lord is directed more towards the prophet than for the king.

The Sign Given (8:1-4)

Isaiah is told by the Lord to write down the details of the sign, namely the name of the coming child to be born. The writing is to be in on a large table and in “common characters,” so that everyone will be able to read it. The priests will attest to the writing. This way the people will know the prophecy was given before the events take place, thus confirming that Isaiah's message was actually from the Lord.

The message is the name of the child which will be born to Isaiah and his wife, “Maher-shalal-hash-baz,” which means “speeding to the plunder, hurrying to the spoil.” This is a prediction of the speed at which the Assyria will come and plunder the wealth of Israel and Syria (8:4).

“God is with Us” (8:5-10)

The Lord speaks again to Isaiah, comparing the gentle waters of Shiloah to the flooding waters of Assyria. The original message of the Lord to Ahaz was given while he was inspecting the water supply for Jerusalem. The upper pool he was inspecting comes from a stream named Shiloah. This is not a great river, like the Nile in Egypt, or the Euphrates in Assyria. It is a small spring. In the same way, the deliverance offered by the Lord must have seemed small and insignificant to Ahaz compared to the power of Assyria.

God is telling Isaiah that because Ahaz had not trusted in the Lord , the waters of Shiloah, but in the floodwaters of Assyria, Judah itself will not be threatened by the rising waters breaching the banks.

However, the floodwaters will not overtake Judah. It may “reach even to the neck,” but it will not completely destroy Judah (8:8). Assyria may come near, but they will be broken before they can conquer Judah (8:9). Assyria may plan and talk about the defeat of Judah, but it will not stand (8:10).

The reason Assyria will not be able to defeat Judah is simple. Judah is “Immanuel” (8:8), and “God is with us” (8:10).

God warns Isiaah (8:11-15)

In light of this, the Lord gives Isaiah a strong warning. He is not to be like the rest of Judah. Isaiah is to be different (8:11). When Assyria comes like a flood, he needs not to be caught up in the fear that will overtake the people of Judah. Instead, remembering the experience recounted in chapter 6, Isaiah need fear only the holiness of the Lord (8:13).

A recent psychological study revealed that when people feel that things are outside of your control, people fall victim to conspiracy theories and develop superstitions (Begley) . As Judah sees the coming forces of Assyria, they will be look towards conspiracies (8:12) and fortunetellers (8:19) to help them make sense of it all.

Isaiah is warned not to be caught up in these things. He need not look to these things to find the reason for this distress. He need look back to the testimony and teaching he received from the Lord (8:16).

Isaiah's Statement of Faith (8:16-22)

Isaiah responds to the warning of the Lord with a strong statement of faith. In the midst of the coming crisis he will, “wait for the Lord ” (8:17). Isaiah's own children will serve as the sign of God's faithfulness (8:18), for every time he calls his sons by name he is reminded of the promises of God.

Judah, however, does not have this same faith. The same faith which serves as a rock to Isaiah is a stone of offense and a stumbling block to Israel and Judah (8:14-15). Instead of seeking the revelation of God, they look to mediums and sorcerers to explain the situation (8:19). Because they do not look to the teaching of God for answers (8:20), the people are in darkness and in gloom (8:22).

When we face uncertainty or times of trouble, we are confronted with the same question as Ahaz and Isaiah. In whom or in what will be trust?

Will we, like Ahaz, trust in our own schemes and plans? If so, then just as Ahaz's plan to trust in Assyria resulted in the floodwaters of that army consumed Judah, so also our schemes and plans will become our own demise. Our cure is often worse than the illness. Instead, trust in the goodness and the sovereignty of God. If we are not firm in the faith, we will not be firm at all (7:9).

Will we, like Judah, be caught up in conspiracy theories and paranoia? Will we be fearful of very threat that comes along? Instead, honor the Lord as holy and let Him be our fear and dread (8:13). He is sovereign and nothing is outside of His control.

Will we, like Judah, look for answers in false teaching and pseudo-spirituality? Do we look to astrology, television talk shows, and self help books for answers to our problems? Instead, look for answers in the teaching and the testimony of the Lord (8:16, 20). If we do not then we will walk in darkness (8:22).

The question we face is simple. In whom or in what will we trust?

The Success of the Coming Messiah (9:1—12:6)

For to Us a Child is Born (9:1—7)

Because they had placed their hope in the wrong places, the people were walking in gloom and darkness (8:22). However, in chapter 9, there is a prophecy of hope, where there will be no gloom (9:1), and where the people who walked in darkness will see a great light (9:2).

The source of this light comes from an unexpected place. It will come from the region of Galilee, the region on the far borders of Israel. Furthermore, in the time of Ahaz, Galilee had already been conquered by Assyria. It was indeed, “Galilee of the nations” (9:1).

The light from Galilee will inspire joy (9:3) as He brings deliverance from the oppressor (9:4) and as He ousts the invading warriors (9:5).

But who is this light? Who is this deliverer? It is a child. In a reference to the same child born of a virgin, but in a future fulfillment rather than the fulfillment found in Maher-shalal-hash-baz. For this child shall rule over the government and shall be God incarnate.

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.
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 9:6-7 ESV)

Ahaz's failure to trust in Yahweh prompts God to announce the coming of a future king who would rule His people well (Stewart 179) . The current occupant of the throne of David was leading the people into oppression. However, there will come a future occupant of David's throne who will bring deliverance, peace, and wise counsel.

Remarkably, this One, born of a child will also be called “Mighty God,” and “Everlasting Father.” This coming Messiah would be God incarnate! Some have suggested that the idea of a divine Messiah was a New Testament invention of the church. But Isaiah is declaring the divinity of Christ seven centuries earlier, providing one of the great proof texts in scripture to the fact that Jesus is fully God and fully human.

The promise of the coming Messiah forms a bookend for this section of Isaiah. Isaiah will proclaim condemnation for the arrogance of Judah and Assyria and then return to the rule of the Messiah in chapters 11—12.

Condemationof the Arrogant (9:8—10:19)

Condemantion of Israel's Pride (9:8—10:4)

Isaiah contrasts the coming Prince of Peace with the leadership of Israel, as the Lord sends a word against the northern kingdom of Israel.

Israel is facing the continual encroachment of Assyria on their territory. As Tiglath-Pileser comes to Ahaz's rescue, he conquered Syria and occupied Galilee and much of the northern territories of Israel.

Yet in the midst of this, the people of Israel arrogantly believe they can recover from this. They plan to rebuild the destroyed buildings and replant the destroyed trees (9:10).

Because Israel has looked to Syria and the Philistines for deliverance (9:12), rather than the Lord of hosts (9:13), God will remove the leadership of Israel who had led them astray (9:15-16).

In the midst of this anarchy, the tribes of Israel will turn on each other (9:21), resulting in the destruction of the land (9:19) and famine (9:20).

The section ends with a declaration of woe to the leadership of Israel (10:1). They have led without justice, ignoring the plight of the poor, the widow, and the orphan (10:2). They will have no place to run in the coming judgment (10:3), and will all either be taken prisoner or be killed (10:4).

Condmentation of Assyria's Pride (10:5—19)

From whence will come the punishment of Israel's leadership? It will come from the invading armies of Assyria.

Ah, Assyria, the rod of my anger;
the staff in their hands is My fury! (Isaiah 10:5 ESV)

Assyria will not recognize that it is the Lord who is giving them success. He is using them as his agent, but they presume their greatness is of their own doing.

As Assyria conquers one nation after another, they have proven that the national gods of these defeated nations are false gods. Therefore, when they get to Jerusalem, they assume that just as they defeated the false idols of all the other countries, that the Lord , the God of Israel is just another false idol.

As my hand has reached to the kingdoms of the idols, whose carved images were greater than those of Jerusalem and Samaria?

Shall I not do to Jerusalem and her idols as I have done to Samaria and her images?" (Isaiah 10:10-11 ESV)

However, God assures his people that once he is done using Assyria as his agent of judgment against Israel, that he will “punish the speech of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria” (10:12).

The king of Assyria assumed it was his own strength that brought him success (10:13-14), not recognizing he was just a tool in the hands of God.

Shall the axe boast over him who hews with it, or the saw magnify itself against him who wields it? (Isaiah 10:15a ESV)

Because the king of Assyria does not recognize God's role in his success, his warriors will contract a wasting sickness (10:16) and will destroy his army. This is perhaps a foreshadowing of the events that will take place in Isaiah 37.

Restoration of the Remnant (10:20 – 12:6)

The Remnant will Trust the Lord (10:20—34)

“In that day,” when Assyria is defeated, there will be a remnant who trusted in the Lord , the Holy One of Israel (10:20). This remnant will return to Israel. However, there will be very few. While Israel had been numbered as the sand of the sea, the returning remnant will be a much smaller population.

However, this promise that the nation of Israel will not be completely wiped out should bring a measure of hope. They need not fear Assyria (10:24). God's wrath against his people will only be for a time (10:25).

There is much speculation as to when this prophesy of return was fulfilled, or even if it has yet to be fulfilled. It seems to have been at least partially fulfilled at the end of the Babylonian exile in 538 BC when Cyrus of Persia allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem. Indeed, only a remnant returned in that day. Furthermore, out of this remnant will come the Messiah (Jesus), as promised in chapter 11.

However, chapter 11 also promises a time of unprecedented peace, which was achieved neither in the post-exilic period nor in the first advent of Christ. This suggests that there is yet a future fulfillment. Prior to the second advent of the Messiah, Israel will be gathered again to her homeland, and the Messiah will return again to usher in the final restoration for His people.

Nevertheless, this will come only after a time of judgment against the proud. The arrogant and the lofty will be hewn down (10:33) and cut down like a tree (10:34).

The Character of the Root of Jesse (11:1--5)

After a long history of kings like Ahaz and like the leaders of Israel who plotted with Assyria, God will finally send a new leader who will arise from the stump of Jesse (David's father). This leader will provide justice to the oppressed and usher in the final return of the remnant from their long exile.

The description of the Messiah as a branch or shoot from the stump of Jesse refers back to verse 10:34. Where the arrogant kings of Judah were to be cut down as one falls a tree in the forest, from the stump of this fallen tree would come the Messiah. He will still be of the lineage of David, but it will be a new branch of the tree (11:1).

Isaiah then describes in great detail the character of this coming king.

• He shall have the Spirit of the Lord (11:2).
• He shall have understanding, knowledge and might (11:2).
• He shall fear the Lord and judge accordingly, rather than judge from hearsay (11:3).
• He will bring justice to the poor and the humble (11:4).
• He will rule with a rod and kill the wicked (11:4).

Then, as a summary of all these characteristics, verse 5 tells us that he shall be clothes in righteousness and faithfulness.

This new branch is the exact opposite of Ahaz, who ruled in foolishness, judging from his own wisdom rather than the fear of the Lord .

The Peace of the Root of Jesse (11:6—9)

When the Messiah does come, His righteous rule shall bring peace and justice. However, this will come not just to the people, but also to all creation. The wolf and he lamb will lie together (11:6), and the infant and the cobra will play with one another (11:8).

Too often, our view of the ministry of the Messiah is too narrow. We see Jesus' salvation for only what it does for us personally. However, Jesus offers not just personal redemption. He also offers redemption of the nation, as found in the restoration of Israel. Furthermore, He offers redemption of all creation.

The salvation brought by the Messiah is not just a personal salvation from our sins. Jesus death on the cross was the beginning of a restoration of not just the human heart, but of all creation.

The apostle Paul explains this in Romans 8:

For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God… in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage. (Romans 8:19-21 ESV)

Protestant evangelicals have over emphasized personal salvation and ignored the greater societal impact of Jesus redemption. Both Isaiah and Paul tell us that the ministry of Jesus has far greater impact than just what happens in our hearts. Therefore, our message of salvation needs to go beyond just the salvation from our personal sin, but needs to extend to societal sin and injustice.

Too often, we give up on seeking societal justice because we know it will only be fully attained when Jesus returns. Yet, we know we will not attain full victory over our personal sin until Jesus returns, yet we still strive towards personal holiness. Why should this be any different?

We need to expand our gospel. We need to expand our understanding of redemption. Jesus has not just saved you from your sins. He is in the process of saving all society from injustice. He is in the process of redeeming all creation so that there will be peace between the wolf and the lamb.

Therefore, we need to be people who pursue justice for the poor and equity for the humble (11:4).

The Return of the Remnant (11:10—16)

The redemption of the root of Jesse will also come to the nation of Israel. He will send a signal to all the nations to bring back his people to the land (11:10).

This will be the second time he recovers his remnant (11:11). The “second time” has two possible interpretations.

It could be that the first time is found in the Exodus, when God brought his people out of slavery and delivered them to the Promised Land. There is some textual consideration for this viewpoint, as verse 11:16 compares this return specifically to the Exodus.

However, the first time also could be the return of the exiles from Babylonian captivity. The second restoration, then, is the yet future event that shall come at the second advent of Christ.

Given the description of the time of peace and justice in this chapter, the latter interpretation is probably more accurate.

The Song of Salvation (12:1—6)

In light of the return of the remnant, and the reign of peace and justice brought from the root of Jesse, Isaiah concludes this section with a song of thanksgiving.

In that day, when the remnant returns, the people will thank God for turning aside His anger (12:1). No longer to they need to be afraid, for God is their strength and their salvation (12:2).

Therefore, Isaiah calls on the people to declare his great deeds, to proclaim his praises.

Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion,
For great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
(Isaiah 12:6 ESV)

Thus, Isaiah completes the theme of this section of the book. In Isaiah 7, a child born to a virgin would serve as a sign to Ahaz. The name of this child was, Immanuel, which translated means “God is with us.” In chapter 8, Isaiah was told by God that he need not fear the coming invasion of Assyria, because, “God is with us” (8:10).

In chapter 9:6, the name of the child born to us is “Mighty God,” and “Everlasting Father,” predicting the incarnation of God in the person of Jesus. Finally, as the root of Jesse establishes his reign in chapter 11, the remnant praise God in chapter 12 because the Holy One of Israel is in their midst.

In chapter 6, we saw the great transcendence of God as we caught a glimpse of the throne room of heaven. God is declared there to be holy, holy, holy, emphasizing his separateness. We are not like God, and even to look upon his holiness is to doom us.

However, in chapters 7—12 we see the imminence of God. While not taking from his holiness, God is not just in his throne room high above us. He is also present with us. He is Immanuel. The ultimate realization of this is in the person of Jesus who God in the flesh (John 1:14).

Furthermore, as a guarantee of the promise that Jesus would return to dwell with us as He reigns in that future kingdom, God has given us His Spirit to dwell in us (Ephesians 1:13-14).

Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16 ESV)