Slices
Prepare
Give thanks for those who have prayed for you and strengthened your faith in days past.
Bible passage
The sign of Immanuel
7 When Ahaz son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, King Rezin of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel marched up to fight against Jerusalem, but they could not overpower it.
2 Now the house of David was told, ‘Aram has allied itself with Ephraim’; so the hearts of Ahaz and his people were shaken, as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind.
3 Then the Lord said to Isaiah, ‘Go out, you and your son Shear-Jashub, to meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field. 4 Say to him, “Be careful, keep calm and don’t be afraid. Do not lose heart because of these two smouldering stubs of firewood – because of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and of the son of Remaliah. 5 Aram, Ephraim and Remaliah’s son have plotted your ruin, saying, 6 ‘Let us invade Judah; let us tear it apart and divide it among ourselves, and make the son of Tabeel king over it.’ 7 Yet this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
‘“It will not take place,
it will not happen,
8 for the head of Aram is Damascus,
and the head of Damascus is only Rezin.
Within sixty-five years
Ephraim will be too shattered to be a people.
9 The head of Ephraim is Samaria,
and the head of Samaria is only Remaliah’s son.
If you do not stand firm in your faith,
you will not stand at all.”’
10 Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, 11 ‘Ask the Lord your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.’
12 But Ahaz said, ‘I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test.’
13 Then Isaiah said, ‘Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. 15 He will be eating curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, 16 for before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste. 17 The Lord will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since Ephraim broke away from Judah – he will bring the king of Assyria.’
Assyria, the Lord’s instrument
18 In that day the Lord will whistle for flies from the Nile delta in Egypt and for bees from the land of Assyria. 19 They will all come and settle in the steep ravines and in the crevices in the rocks, on all the thorn-bushes and at all the water holes. 20 In that day the Lord will use a razor hired from beyond the River Euphrates – the king of Assyria – to shave your heads and private parts, and to cut off your beards also. 21 In that day, a person will keep alive a young cow and two goats. 22 And because of the abundance of the milk they give, there will be curds to eat. All who remain in the land will eat curds and honey. 23 In that day, in every place where there were a thousand vines worth a thousand silver shekels, there will be only briers and thorns. 24 Hunters will go there with bow and arrow, for the land will be covered with briers and thorns. 25 As for all the hills once cultivated by the hoe, you will no longer go there for fear of the briers and thorns; they will become places where cattle are turned loose and where sheep run.
Explore
Ahaz, king of Judah, wasn’t an easy person to help, but he was worried (vs 1,2). It looked as though the northern kingdom of Israel, in league with Aram (Syria), would overrun Judah and Jerusalem (see 2 Kings 16:1–5). Isaiah tried to allay Ahaz’s fears and strengthen his faith. When they met, Isaiah brought the Lord’s assurance that these neighbouring countries, with their weak leaders, were not as dangerous as they seemed (vs 3–9).
Then the Lord gave the king a sign of hope, showing that the confidence of the people would recover in a few months. For example, a young mother would name her newborn son ‘Immanuel’, which means ‘God with us’ (v 14). This sign of hope among the people was also a sign to the king to take the Lord’s side. He really needed to, as a far bigger threat, from the mighty Assyria, would arrive before long (vs 17–23).
The early church realised (Matthew 1:23) that the name ‘Immanuel’, ‘God with us’, beautifully sums up the person of Christ. God was in Christ, bringing hope to the world. ‘God with us’ is the humble confidence we have in Christ as we go about our daily life: in school, at home, at work, in trouble and in joy.
Respond
An ‘Immanuel’ prayer – ‘May God be with us/me/you/them’ – is good to pray for any occasion or activity. Pray that God will be present to enrich and guide your endeavours and relationships this week.
Deeper Bible study
A mighty fortress is our God, / a bulwark never failing’.1 Express your renewed trust in this God.
Who will you trust when things get sticky? When everything is going right, the sky is clear and the sun is shining, it’s a doddle to trust God! But when the pressure is on? Isaiah confronts a king threatened to the point of terror by near neighbours Aram (Syria) and Israel (or Ephraim), who in turn are menaced by Assyria. Already the king is out safeguarding the water supply in the event of a siege (v 3). ‘Keep calm’ and ‘Don’t be afraid’ (see v 4) seem hollow words when everything appears against you, but God looks for trust. He is the God who created the ‘house of David’ (vs 2,13) with protective promises2 and he now reiterates his Word. ‘You of little faith’,3 Jesus says to his disciples when there is good reason to trust. Isaiah reveals how things will end (vs 7–9) and sets out a timescale that is also in God’s hands (v 16). The sign is a baby whose name declares ‘God with us’ (v 14), standing by our sides whatever transpires. Perspective changes massively when we are not consumed by fear.
Ahaz chooses on behalf of the nation, rejecting any sign from God. Thus, the greater fear of human armies overcomes trust in God. There is both warning and hope in this story. Isaiah’s child’s name (v 3) reveals both. Shear-Jashub, meaning ‘a remnant will return’, is at once a threat (‘only’ a remnant will be left) and a hope (God will ensure ‘at least’ a remnant will be left). In God’s purposes, both will be true. Rejecting trust in God will lead to the four ‘in that day’ images of verses 18–25. They emphasise God’s global power, which can call on nations to humble his people and disturb nature to produce uninhabitable land. Even in the cataclysm, however, the few who remain will be fed (v 22).
Are there decisions we make as individuals and churches which are from fear rather than faith? What can we do to change our perspective?
1 Martin Luther, 1483–1546; tr Frederick Henry Hedge, 1805–90 2 2 Sam 7 3 Matt 8:26
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Nehemiah 9,10; Psalm 78:38–72
Pray for Scripture Union
The Scripture Union Board has overall responsibility for the governance and guidance of the movement, sometimes dealing with routine but important matters. Pray for them as they meet today; amongst other things they will be signing off the annual report and accounts.
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