Isaiah 7 teaches that the crisis of the immediate tempts us to fear and to sacrifice “God with us” through faithlessness.
Isaiah 7 – The Exposition
Syria and Israel tried to persuade Ahaz to trust their help against Assyria.
A. Politics makes strange bedfellows.
B. If Ahaz did not join them, they were going to replace him with Tabeel.
Isaiah and Shear-jashub tried to persuade Ahaz to trust the Lord’s help against Assyria.
A. The message of Isaiah 7
- “Be careful, keep calm, and don’t be afraid,” v. 4.
- “If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all,” v. 9.
B. The message of Shear-jashub, Isaiah 7 :3–God will preserve a remnant of His people.
C. The message of Immanuel: “God with us.”
- Within 65 years, God promised that these rebels would be gone.
- The promise of God’s presence is conditioned by faith.
- The sign of the virgin has a double meaning:
a. To Ahaz, if he believed, he would have a son, a successor to the throne.
b. To the house of David, if they believed, they would have a Messiah, born of a virgin.
Ahaz made an alliance with Assyria, thwarting Syria and Israel, sacrificing Immanuel, “God with us.”
The Application
We sacrifice Immanuel (“God with us”) when we trust human fears more than God.
We sacrifice Immanuel when we trust human alliances more than God.
We sacrifice Immanuel when we trust human wisdom more than God.
The Conclusion
The crisis of the temporary tempts us to sacrifice “God with us” through faithlessness.