Isaiah 9

Study Guide 55: Isaiah 7-12 IMMANUEL Overview During the 60-year ministry of Isaiah he served God under both godly and ungodly rulers. One of the wicked rulers was Ahaz, who even sacrificed to the pagan gods of surrounding nations. Yet it was during the rule of Ahaz that one of the most powerful of Isaiah’ s great promise-prophecies was uttered. It was to this king who had turned away from the Lord, and who in this represents all human kind, that Isaiah was sent with a clear promise that one day God Himself would take on human form. One day a virgin would have a Child, and He would be the Son of God. Against the background of Judah’ s sin, and despite the dark warnings of judgment Isaiah was commissioned to bear, the promise of Immanuel shone through the ages as a bright, eternal hope. SIGN. Isaiah told Ahaz to ask God for a “ sign.” Old Testament prophets often authenticated their messages by making a prediction or performing a miracle which proved God spoke through them. VIRGIN. The Hebrew word speaks of a young unmarried woman. But the Greek of the New Testament and the rabbi’ s translation in the LXX uses a word which definitely means “ virgin.” IMMANUEL. This word is unusual. We might render it, to give it its true emphasis, “ WITH US is God!” Thus the construction of this name captures the wonder of the Incarnation itself, that the God of glory would actually become a Man.

Commentary In Isaiah 7-12 we not only meet the Immanuel, the One God promised would come to bring everlasting righteousness, we are also reminded that our God is Sovereign. He will accomplish all He purposes, for none can stay His hand. Thus Isaiah says: The Lord Almighty is the One you are to regard as holy. He is the One you are to fear, He is the One you are to dread, and He will be a sanctuary; but for both houses of Israel He will be a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall. And for the people of Jerusalem He will be a trap and a snare. Many of them will stumble; they will fall and be broken, they will be snared and be captured. Isaiah 8:13-15Isaiah told us very little of himself. He would only say that he and his children were signs to Israel from the Lord (Isaiah 8:18). The prophet, after the brief but revealing picture of his call, submerged himself in his message and told us nothing about his own feelings. When we meet him next, holding his infant son Shear-Jashub in his arms, he was confronting King Ahaz outside Jerusalem. Even the name of his son is a message: it means “ a remnant will return” (Isaiah 7:3).

Ahaz Jotham, son of Uzziah, ruled for some 16 years and then was succeeded by his son, Ahaz. While Jotham had followed the Lord’ s ways, Ahaz “ did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord” (2 Chronicles 28:1). He adopted the apostate ways and faith of the Northern Kingdom, Israel, even erecting images of Baal and sacrificing his own sons in the fire. Politically, the times of Ahaz were marked by constant crisis. Tiglath-Pileser, ruler of Assyria, was expanding his power westward. Egypt, which had counterbalanced the power of northern empires for centuries, was now weak. Syria and the Northern Kingdom, Israel, were struggling to form a defensive alliance against Assyrian encroachment. Ahaz was pressured to join the coalition. He refused. Determined to replace Ahaz with a puppet king who would cooperate with them, Rezin of Syria (whose capital was Damascus) and Pekah of Israel (whose capital was Samaria, Isaiah 7:8-9) decided to attack Judah. They forced Ahaz’ s hand, and he sent envoys to Assyria, begging for help against his nearby enemies. This was all the excuse Assyria needed. Soon the Middle East was plunged into a complex and fratricidal war. The first action was a battle between Judah and the combined powers of Israel and Syria. In a crushing defeat, some 120,000 of Judah’ s soldiers were killed. Another 200,000 women and children were taken captive but, through intervention of a prophet sent by God (see 2 Chronicles 28:8-15), these were released and were returned to Judah. When Assyria responded to Ahaz’ s plea for help, she swept down to crush both Damascus and Samaria, and then turned on Judah, her ally! Tiglath-Pileser came against Ahaz and “ gave him trouble instead of help” (2 Chronicles 28:20). Ahaz was forced to strip the land of its wealth to buy off Assyria (2 Chronicles 28:21) and Judah became in effect a satellite nation that reflected the policy of its powerful neighbor. Bitterly angry at God, Ahaz closed the Jerusalem temple, stripped it of its remaining treasures, and cut up even the golden vessels dedicated to God’ s worship. He “ offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus, who had defeated him; for he thought, ‘ Since the gods of the kings of Aram have helped them, I will sacrifice to them so they will help me’” (2 Chronicles 28:23).

The Promise: Isaiah 7:1-25Before the days of battle came, God sent Isaiah with his infant son Shear-Jashub to meet Ahaz “ at the end of the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Washerman’ s Field” (Isaiah 7:3). He was to review the political situation and warn Ahaz of the danger from Judah’ s neighbors. God was still the Sovereign Lord, while Judah’ s enemies were mere men. God promised, “ It will not take place, it will not happen,” but then went on to warn Ahaz. “ If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all” (Isaiah 7:7, Isaiah 7:9). The plot to replace Ahaz came to nothing. Judah was defeated, but Ahaz remained king. The sign (Isaiah 7:10-14). God then instructed Ahaz to ask for a sign. God had indicated ways that a prophet’ s message could be tested. The Hebrew prophet was to speak in the name of the Lord (not in the name of a false god), and his word was to invariably come true. If the word did not come true, or if the foretold event did not happen, that person was not a true prophet (see Deuteronomy 18:17-22). But what of a prophet who foretells a distant event that may take place long after he and his listeners have died? It was common in such cases for the prophet to speak also of contemporary things, so that the message could be authenticated as God’ s own. Isaiah’ s demand that Ahaz ask for a sign, then, was not unusual. But Ahaz replied, “ I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test” (Isaiah 7:12). At first this reply might seem almost pious. But it was hardly that! Not only was Ahaz insincere in his mocking quotation of Deuteronomy 6:16, he was also disobeying a direct command of God through His prophet. We can’ t hear the sneer that undoubtedly filled this apostate king’ s voice, but we can recognize Isaiah’ s sharp rebuke. “ Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God also?” (Isaiah 7:13) In anger, Isaiah went on to announce a sign, but a sign that would come long after Judah was broken under the enemy. “ The Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with Child and will give birth to a Son, and will call Him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). The name Immanuel means “ God with us.” God is determined to act in human history. Petty kings’ dreams of conquest, or their fears for preservation, are meaningless. One day the true King, God Himself, would take on human form. When God became Man with us, then the fears of Ahaz and all the glory of the kingdoms of this world would dissolve in the revelation of God’ s true glory. The King would enter history as a Man, born of a virgin. When He, the ultimate sign, appeared, all nations would recognize the majesty and wisdom of the Sovereign God. The judgment (Isaiah 7:15-25). When would the Immanuel come? Isaiah set no date. In fact, Isaiah immediately shifted to give a “ near view” prophecy which would authenticate his exalted vision of the coming Deliverer. Holding out his son, Shear-Jashub, Isaiah continued. Before the child he held in his arms was weaned (Isaiah 7:15), the two nations that Ahaz feared most would be laid waste and Judah herself would undergo oppression by Assyria, on whom Ahaz had pinned his hope. By refusing to remain still and trust God, Ahaz would initiate a chain of events that would bring Assyria into the area, and lead to devastating judgments on Palestine. Poverty would replace plenty. Briars and thorns would grow in the once-cultivated fields. Assyria would carry off Israel into captivity while Judah would be beaten down. But even this terror would not cure Judah or bring her back to God. Finally, when Babylon had conquered Assyria, then Judah would know Captivity. LINK TO LIFE: YOUTH / ADULT Study Isaiah 7:3-17 with your group. This passage contains a clear Old Testament prophecy about Jesus’ birth. Lead your group step by step through Isaiah 7:3-9, explaining the political situation. The “ 65 years” in Isaiah 7:8 has been taken to indicate Rezin’ s age (65 years old), for the destruction foretold came quickly. Then concentrate on Isaiah 7:10-17. Point out that the Lord specifically told Isaiah to take Shear-Jashub with him. This is explained by Isaiah’ s reference to his infant child in Isaiah 7:15.

The Two Kingdoms In reading Isaiah it’ s important to remember that the Hebrew people were divided into two nations, a Northern Kingdom (Israel) and a Southern (Judah), which was Isaiah’ s home. Though God spoke through Isaiah about the Northern Kingdom and, indeed, about all the surrounding powers, Isaiah’ s ministry remained directed to Judah. Israel had had a succession of evil kings; not one godly man broke the pattern. Judah had seen revival under kings such as Asa and Jehoshaphat. The fate of Israel stood as a vivid object lesson to Judah. If Judah were to choose the evil ways of her sister Israel, her fate must surely be the same. Judah was warned when Sargon tore the Israelites from the Promised Land in 722 b.c. God had demonstrated His principles of judgment in an unmistakable way. Now God’ s warnings to Judah would come to pass just as His pronouncements against the Northern Kingdom had. History would bear terrible testimony to the trustworthiness of God’ s Word. How carefully then Judah should heed every message. How quickly Judah should repent. But, in spite of all the evidence, Judah would not. She saw, but she did not perceive. She heard, but she would not listen. Like her king, Judah would choose to spurn God’ s offer of a sign.

The Immediate Future: Isaiah 8:1-22Isaiah and his wife had another son, named Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz. The name means “ quick to the plunder, swift to the spoil,” and points to the impending judgment on Israel. Within months Syria and Israel were crushed, their capitals plundered, and their people deported. The armies of Assyria flowed over the borders of Judah to flood that nation, rising swiftly from feet to knees to waist and shoulders, right up to the very head itself, Jerusalem. The waters would recede, but Judah was left a disaster (Isaiah 8:6-10). The people of God needed to forget their fear of men, of Rezin and Pekah who terrorized Ahaz but who soon were to die, and to fear God who judges iniquity. Isaiah cried out: The Lord Almighty is the One you are to regard as holy, He is the One you are to fear, He is the One you are to dread. Isaiah 8:13He would be a sanctuary to any who would turn to Him, but if Judah refused to return, the God they spurned would bring about their brokenness. Yet instead of turning to God, the people turned to mediums and spiritualists, to consult the dead on be half of the living (Isaiah 8:11-22).

The Fixed Purpose: Isaiah 9:1-10:34 In spite of the coming disaster, God’ s intention to bless His people and bring them holiness had not been changed. One day the Promised Child would be born. One day the Promised Son would be given. He, whose names are Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace, will reign on the Davidic throne over a cleansed world. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’ s throne and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:7On the throne where Ahaz, that unworthy descendant of David now sat, another King will reign. He will establish the righteousness and the justice that every act of Ahaz denied. And of His kingdom there will be no end. Yet before the final kingdom comes, much history will intervene. The course of history, as well as its appointed end, is fixed by the Sovereign Lord. Israel and its capital Samaria would be destroyed by her enemies. Yet for all this, His anger is not turned away, His hand is still upraised. Isaiah 9:12The elders and the prominent men who led Israel into sin, and the prophets who lied for them, would be killed. Yet for all this, His anger is not turned away, His hand is still upraised. Isaiah 9:17Those who had defrauded the poor and made unjust laws for their own profit would lose all their wealth and cringe among the captives, or fall among the slain. Yet for all this, His anger is not turned away, His hand is still upraised. Isaiah 10:4Then, when His judgment had been executed to the full, God would judge the persecutors! God had given Assyria power to be the disciplining rod against the Lord’ s willful people. But Assyria would fail to recognize God, so she had to suffer punishment “ for the willful pride of [her] heart and the haughty look in [her] eyes” (Isaiah 10:12). God would be recognized, finally, as the Holy One of Israel. And now, in the quietness following judgment’ s raging storm, the remnant would look up and at last see God. How great a day, when they “ truly rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 10:20). In the end, the powers of this world will be lopped off like branches, and the burden will be lifted from the shoulders of God’ s people. In the end history will turn to destiny, and the plans and promises of our Sovereign Lord will be perfectly fulfilled.

The Righteous Land: Isaiah 11-12 He will not judge by what He sees with His eyes, or decide by what He hears with His ears; but with righteousness He will judge the needy, with justice He will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth; with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be His belt and faithfulness the sash around His waist. Isaiah 11:3-5We may find it hard to be comfortable with God revealed as Righteous Judge. We have experienced the inequities in our judicial system, and we’ ve been bombarded with rationalizations that seek to establish one set of laws for the influential and another for the have-nots. Our sense of justice has become warped. In a recent article on white-collar crime several businessmen and lawyers who had been sentenced to prison for fraud involving hundreds of thousands of dollars were quoted. They argued bitterly that, for them, the shame of exposure was enough. Certainly they did not deserve imprisonment like “ common criminals” ! Too often the newspapers report a rape case brought to trial in which the victim becomes the defendant on the witness stand, subject to insinuations that she invited the crime against her. Of course, we must have due process of law, and sometimes even the guilty will be set free on a technicality. After all, in an imperfect society we can’ t always be certain about guilt. Human eyes and ears are not always reliable witnesses. Perhaps more importantly, human emotions make us anything but impartial. Because it is so hard to be objective and never to waver from an absolute standard of righteousness, we find it difficult to accept the judicial system of the Sovereign Lord, who is absolutely just! Justice. We can’ t read the Old Testament without becoming convinced that God cares about all people and that He expresses His concern by a deep commitment to justice. Justice is hardly an abstract code. The Law of God has always been associated not with arbitrary rules but with life and with how people can best express love for each other. God’ s concern for all people is clear in this sampling of levitical law: When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the Lord your God. Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another. . . . Do not defraud your neighbor or rob him. Do not hold back the wages of a hired man overnight. Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the Lord. Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly. . . . Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. Leviticus 19:9-18Against the background of the good and just life God planned for His people, Isaiah exposed the corrupt lifestyle of Israel and Judah. The vineyard of the Lord Almighty is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the garden of His delight. And He looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress. Isaiah 5:7God has determined to bring terrible judgments on His people. But His acts throughout history have never been vindictive. Nor have they been primarily deterrent. Rather, they have been acts of judgment. God’ s goal is to establish justice. Messiah. Violence had become a way of life in Israel and Judah. As we remember Ahaz sacrificing his own sons to pagan gods, we can more easily accept the picture of God trampling out the grapes of wrath in His holy anger against such bestial sins. So lest we forget what is really involved in the events Isaiah portrays, we are shown Messiah. Messiah’ s person (Isaiah 11:1-3). The house of David was a lofty tree felled by judgments of the Lord. From the stump (note: Jesse was David’ s father) springs a branch (an Old Testament symbol of the promised Messiah). God’ s own Spirit will fill Him with wisdom, understanding counsel, power, and knowledge. He will be in complete harmony with the holy character of God. Messiah’ s task (Isaiah 11:3-5). The task of this one sent from God is to judge. Edward Young comments: The principle function of a ruler is to judge, and to reign with authority. How will this King, One who so delights in the fear of Yahweh, carry out His function of judging? To ask that question is to answer it, for His judging will be completely unlike that of previous rulers on David’ s throne. His judgment will not be based upon the ordinary sources of information open to men, namely, what men see and what they hear. Such means, the eyes and the ears, can bring at best an outward impression. For absolute justice, there must be absolute knowledge (The Book of Isaiah, 3 vols. [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans]). When God acts in judgment He sees perfectly into the heart of every man and into the heart of every issue. Remembering it is God who is the Judge, we must forever turn our thoughts away from temptation to judge Him! Isaiah reassures us concerning the Messiah-Judge: “ Righteousness will be His belt and faithfulness the sash about His waist” (Isaiah 11:5). Archeology tells us what this description means. In biblical times wrestlers wore belts. The object of the match was for each opponent to seek to wrest the other’ s belt away. Later, the figure of a belted man came to indicate any person ready to face a contest or to engage in a struggle. Isaiah pictured the poor and needy of the land moaning on the mat, as human arrogance and pride bruised the neck with a cruel boot. Man is no match for sin and injustice. But wait! Stepping into the arena comes a man belted for battle. His belt is woven of dual strands of righteousness and faithfulness. No man or demon will ever snatch that belt from Him! Restoration (Isaiah 11:6-9). Now follows one of the most famous and moving of all passages of Scripture. After the judgment, when Messiah has won His victory, righteousness and peace will be restored. The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. . . . The lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the hole of the cobra. . . . They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. Isaiah 11:6-9The Gentiles (Isaiah 11:10-16). In the days following Messiah’ s judgment victories, the hostility between Judah and Israel will be healed, and all God’ s people will rally to Him. From every nation to which judgment has scattered them, the chosen of God will return to experience the blessings of messianic rule. Songs of praise (Isaiah 12:1-6). The chapter concludes with two brief psalms. When God’ s judgment work is done and sin has tasted final defeat, how God’ s people will rejoice and sing His praise!

Teaching Guide Prepare As you read through these chapters of Isaiah, mark phrases or passages that deepen your awareness of who God is.

Explore

1. Give a minilecture covering the political situation as it affects this section of Isaiah.
2. Work step-by-step through the Isaiah 7:1-25 prophecy of Jesus’ virgin birth. The Hebrew term “ virgin” (alma) is used six times in the Old Testament and never of a married woman. It is translated in the Septuagint (the pre-Christian Greek translation of the Old Testament) and in the New Testament by parthenos, which does mean “ virgin.”

Expand Either divide into teams for independent study and reports, or select one of the following to look into as a group.

1.Isaiah 8:1-22. Earlier chapters (Isaiah 1:1-31; Isaiah 5:1-30) tell how we are to respond to each other. How are we to respond to God? 2.Isaiah 9:8-10:19. What does “ God’ s anger” really mean? What does this passage suggest about it? 3. Isaiah 9:1-7; Isaiah 10:20-34. God’ s promise of destiny has great meaning for all mankind. How are we to live while waiting for the end? 4. Isaiah 11-12. What is “ justice” ? What is the purpose of a criminal justice system in society?

Apply Have members read aloud the following brief passages, and suggest that each person choose one of them to memorize this coming week. The passages: Isaiah 8:12-13Isa_10:20Isa_12:1-3Isa_9:6-7Isa_11:1-3