Isaiah 7

Isaiah 7:1

C. The Book of Immanuel (Chaps. 712)

1. Messiah’s Miraculous Birth (Chap. 7)7:1, 2 Chapters 7-12 have been called the Book of Immanuel because of their clear prophecies concerning Christ. Between chapters 6 and 7 Isaiah passes over the reign of Jotham and takes up the narrative during the time of Ahaz. It is the time when Syria and Israel (Ephraim) have made an alliance against Judah and are threatening Jerusalem. 7:3 Isaiah and his son Shear-Jashub go out to meet King Ahaz . . . at the end of the aqueduct from the upper pool, on the highway to the Fuller’s Field. Perhaps the king had gone there to secure the safety of the city’s water supply. The Fuller’s Field was where the people spread their freshly-washed clothes to bleach in the sun. 7:4-9 The Lord assures Ahaz through the prophet that he need not fear. The kings of Syria and Israel (Rezin and Pekah) are nothing but the stubs of smoking firebrands on the verge of being extinguished. Although the confederacy does plan to attack Judah and set up some otherwise unknown son of Tabel as puppet king, the plan will largely fail. (Syria and Israel did invade Judah, but the pressure lifted when the Assyrians advanced.) As sure as Syria’s chief city-state is Damascus and its head is Rezin, so surely will Israel be conquered within sixty-five years. (See 2 Kgs. 17 for fulfillment.) As sure as Israel’s capital is Samaria and its head is Pekah, so surely will Ahaz be disestablished if he does not believe the Word of the Lord. 7:10-13 The LORD instructs Ahaz to ask for a sign, on earth or in the heavens, that the Syria-Israel alliance will not prevail against Judah. Unwilling to abandon his trust in Assyria for protection, Ahaz refuses, with mock piety and humility. The Lord is displeased with the king’s attitude but gives the sign anyway. Vine comments: As Ahaz refused to ask for a sign, the Lord would give one of His own choosing, and a sign the range of which would extend to circumstances far beyond those of the time of Ahaz, and would bring to a culmination the prophecies and promises relating to “the house of David”. Ahaz and men of that sort would have no share in the blessings and glories of the fulfillment of the sign. 7:14 Like many prophecies, this one seems to have had an early fulfillment (in the days of Ahaz) and later, complete fulfillment (in the first advent of Christ). Verse 14 points irresistibly to Christthe Son of the virgin whose name indicates that He is Immanuel, God-with-us. Again we quote Vine: “Behold”, in Isaiah, always introduces something relating to future circumstances. The choice of the word almah is significant, as distinct from bethulah (a maiden living with her parents and whose marriage was not impending); it denotes one who is mature and ready for marriage. 7:15-17 Verses 15 and 16 may refer to Isaiah’s second son, Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz, who is said to be a sign in Isa_8:18. This maiden-born son will live in poverty (eating curds and honey) until he reaches the age of accountability. But before he reaches that age, the lands of Syria and Israel will be forsaken by . . . their kings and thus the alliance that Judah feared will come to nothing. But God will also punish Judah through the incursions of the king of Assyria. How? 7:18-22 God will whistle for the fly (Egypt) and for the bee (Assyria) and they will swarm over Judah. Assyria will be God’s hired razor, bringing shame and disgrace. Jennings notes: Poor indeed shall Judah be in that day, for the sum-total of a man’s wealth shall consist in a calf and two sheep, or goats, yet so abundant shall be the pasture afforded by the uncultivated lands that even these three creatures shall give him all the food he needs, or indeed can get. 7:23-25 Land that formerly yielded bumper crops will be covered by briers and thorns. No longer arable, it will be fit only for oxen and sheep.