| | | | Isaiah Chapter 7 - Ungodly Alliances Isaiah chapter seven is a mix of invasion, international alliances, and ill-fated decisions. It begins with an alliance of Syria and the Northern Kingdom Israel against the Ahaz, king of Judah (the Southern Kingdom):
Now it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to make war against it, but could not prevail against it. And it was told to the house of David, saying, "Syria's forces are deployed in Ephraim." So his heart and the heart of his people were moved as the trees of the woods are moved with the wind. (Isaiah 7:1-12)
The alliance between these two nations and their unsuccessful attack on Jerusalem is described in 2 Kings 16 and 2 Chronicles 28. (also note, "Ephraim" is another title for the northern nation of Israel).
To king Ahaz and the people of Judah, this was a dire situation. Syria and Israel planned on conquering Judah, and installing their own king. When the siege began, the situation looked dire, but the Lord instructed Isaiah to meet with Ahaz and inform him that the invasion would not be successful:
Then the LORD said to Isaiah, "Go out now to meet Ahaz, you and Shear-Jashub your son, at the end of the aqueduct from the upper pool, on the highway to the Fuller's Field, and say to him: 'Take heed, and be quiet; do not fear or be fainthearted for these two stubs of smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria, and the son of Remaliah." (Isaiah 7:3-4)
The message was clear: "Ahaz, I've got this… trust me!"
Now we could go on for days about why God sent a message of victory to an ungodly king (see 2 Kings 16:3-4), or why God would save Judah from Syria and Israel, when later he would allow Assyria and Babylon to conquer them. The point I want to focus on is that God reached out to Ahaz and said "trust me, I've got this," along with a warning:
If you will not believe, surely you shall not be established." (Isaiah 7:9)
This is what I call a "crisis of belief," when we're in a situation that looks hopeless, and there doesn't seem to be a way out. When we're in a crisis, we can respond in one of three ways: Give up, hook up, or look up...
Give up - that's when we just sit in our pit and let it happen
Hook up - go to the world for the solution
...or we can look up to the Lord and His deliverance!
I believe God was trying to get Ahaz's attention, to draw him to a crisis of belief. I mean if you think about it, that's the message of Isaiah; "Judgment is coming, repent and be saved!"
So what was Ahaz's response? 2 Kings gives us the account:
So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria, saying, "I am your servant and your son. Come up and save me from the hand of the king of Syria and from the hand of the king of Israel, who rise up against me." And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasuries of the king's house, and sent it as a present to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria heeded him; for the king of Assyria went up against Damascus and took it, carried its people captive to Kir, and killed Rezin. (2 Kings 16:7-9)
So instead of "looking up" and trusting God, Ahaz "hooked up" and went to Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria for help. And you know what? It worked. Sort of. Tiglath-Pileser rescued Judah. But… that's not the end of the story.
After the smoke cleared, Ahaz travelled to Damascus to pay his respects. When Ahaz met with Tiglath-Pileser, his new master in Damascus, he saw the pagan altars and places of sacrifice. "Wow, these are awesome!" (my paraphrase!). Ahaz copied the designs of the pagan temple, sent them to Jerusalem, and had the priests remodel the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem after the pattern of the pagan temple and altars in Damascus (see 2 Kings 16:12-16). Right.
So instead of trusting the Lord, Ahaz put his trust in carnal methods and the king of Assyria. Jerusalem was spared, and Ahaz no doubt believed he was successful, and his plan worked. But if he would have just trusted in the LORD, Jerusalem would have been spared, and Ahaz would have been blessed.
What's the takeaway?
Be careful who you turn to for help.
I've learned over the years that help always comes with a price, especially if that help comes from the ungodly! They may help you today, but there will come a day when they'll come asking for something in return. Or worse, they'll use what they learned of your weakness against you.
An alliance with the ungodly can corrupt us.
When we turn to the ungodly for help, we open ourselves up to their way of life. Suddenly they feel that we "have something in common," and they'll want to influence us with their methods. After all, "our way" seemed to have gotten us into a bind, so maybe "their way" is something worth considering.
Trust in the Lord.
When we turn to our own "plan of escape" we're essentially saying "I don't trust you God, I need to handle this my way." God reached out to Ahaz in a time of crisis to allow Ahaz to see that God is not only all-powerful, but that He can be trusted!
Ahaz is a powerful example of someone who enters into an ungodly alliance for "good" reasons, but ends up being thoroughly corrupted as a result.
On last note, when God offered to give Ahaz a sign, Ahaz rejected that offer, but God gave a sign anyway:
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14).
This is one of the many Messianic prophecies we'll find in Isaiah, albeit a difficult one, as it comes right smack in the middle of an international drama! But we know this passage speaks of Jesus because the Holy Spirit says so through Matthew:
"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us." (Matthew 1:23)
Indeed. Regardless of whether or not Ahaz "got it," God's word will stand, His counsel will come to pass, and His will be done. Amen!
Pastor Clay | | | | | | | |
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