Season 6, Podcast 53, Isaiah 7:17-25, “God is My Refuge.”

Season 6, Podcast 53, Isaiah 7:17-25, “God is My Refuge.”

As stated earlier, this is a time of tremendous turmoil for the House of Judah. The tribe of Benjamin stayed with the tribe of Judah when the northern kingdoms split, but their tribe blends in with Judah and no distinction is made. Ephraim, though it is an individual tribe, as used in Isaiah, symbolizes the entire northern kingdom including all ten tribes. 

Not only is Ephraim vexing Judah, but Ephraim is also in alliance with Syria. Ahaz, king of Judah, and the people of Judah are understandably terrified. Ahaz wants to form an alliance with Assyria, a kingdom more powerful than Ephraim or Syria. 

Isaiah, the Lord’s chosen prophet, has everything in perspective. Ahaz has forgotten the most important thing—from the beginning Israel has been protected by the Lord. When Israel followed the prophets of God, they prospered. When Israel failed to follow the prophets of God they failed. Isaiah dismisses the threat of Ephraim and Syria. As stated previously, Isaiah’s message from the Lord was,

Isaiah 7:4

4 And say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah.

Isaiah teaches Ahaz who his real protector is

Isaiah 7 14

14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

In other words, Isaiah, speaking for the Lord, tells Ahaz to look to Christ, known in the Old Testament, of course, as Jehovah. The Lord is telling Ahaz that Jehovah and Immanuel, which means “God with us” are the same person. As prophesied he shall come to earth, born of the virgin Mary.” Even with all the turmoil, Christ is the central message of Isaiah. Ahaz needs to turn to Christ. Judah, through whose lineage the Christ child will come, needs to look to Christ and not worry about what man can do. That is also the message the Lord wants us to carry away from Isaiah. Again, think of Ahaz’s position. On the surface it is desperate. He is outnumbered ten to one by the Northern Tribes in addition to the Kingdom of Syria. But what is that to God? God has the power to deliver Ahaz and Judah, consequently, to deliver all of us regardless of the odds. Let me remind you of the beautiful words of Solomon. 

Proverbs 3:5-7

5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. 

That is the only true protection Ahaz has, but Ahaz, an idol worshiper, does not have the faith of his father Jotham. He looks at things through temporal eyes rather than spiritual eyes. That leap of faith is required of all of us. Man’s logic told Ahaz that he couldn’t win. The Lord told Ahaz that those firebrands would come to nothing. In a short time, they would be destroyed. Isaiah was right. They were destroyed by Assyria whose armies were terrible and cruel. Syria is annihilated and the ten tribes becomes lost to history. 

Probably many of us would say, “If only we had a prophet like Isaiah come to us and lay out the whole picture. The message of Isaiah is that we do. We have the Holy Scriptures. They are as valid to us in our day as they were in ancient times. The same promises that were made to Judah are made to us if we turn to Christ. Circumstances change, but God doesn’t. The same message we get in Isaiah, we also get in the revelations of John. Both prophets were speaking plainly of our day, and that is the only way to read Isaiah and John; otherwise, they are just history books.