(2) Ahaz was one of the most debased rulers under which Judah ever suffered.

Transcription

1 Explore the Bible Lesson Preview March 15, 2009 "Act on Revealed Faith" Background: Isaiah 7:1-23:18 Lesson: Isaiah 7:1-14, 16 Motivation: How do we react under pressure? Our most powerful Christian testimony comes from showing peace and faith in God in times of crisis. I. Good News (7:1-16) A. The Problem "Now it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to make war against it but could not prevail against it." (1) B. The Pressure 1. Fear "And it was told to the house of David, saying, Syria's forces are deployed in Ephraim.' So his heart and the heart of his people were moved as the trees of the woods are moved with the wind." (2) Ahaz was one of the most debased rulers under which Judah ever suffered. His lack of spiritual depth affects him and his subjects as he quakes in fear "as the trees of the woods are moved with the wind." God's prophet responded "Do not fear" (4). 1 / 9

2 2. Stubborness "Moreover the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying, Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above.' But Ahaz said, I will not ask, nor will I test the Lord!'" (10-12) Ahaz showed false piety in not asking for a sign. Actually, he refused a direct command of God's prophet (11). C. The Prophecy "Then he said, Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also?' Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.'" (14) The virgin birth of the Messiah was prophecy looking forward to the Messiah, Immanuel "God with us" which was fulfilled in God becoming flesh through Jesus Christ (I Cor. 15:45). II. Bad News (7:17-8:22) A. "In that day" (18, 20, 21, 23) describes the judgment coming upon Israel from Assyria (17). The invasion would turn prime vineyards (23) and farmland (25) into wilderness. B. "Ma'her-Shal'al-Hash-Baz" (8:1) literally means "speeding to the plunder, hurrying to the spoil." This "sign" pointed to the prophecy of the plunder of the Northern Kingdom by Assyria in 8:4. C. "He will pass through Judah" (8:8) - Assyria would not stop with Israel but would also invade Judah. God 2 / 9

3 reminded the people of His name "Immanuel" (8) "God is with us" (10). His miraculous delivery of Jerusalem in 600 B.C. is recorded in 2 Kings 19: Isaiah's First Report (8:6-9) because Israel had not taken refuge in God (Shiloh), Assyria (the great river) would overflow them. 2. Isaiah's Second Report (8:10) Isaiah expressed confidence in God's Word. 3. Isaiah's Third Report (8:11-15) -Listen to God rather than men. Ps. 118:8 4. Isaiah's Fourth Report (8:16-18) - Isaiah again expressed confidence in God's Word. D. "Mediums & wizards" (19-22) - Another prohibition against a kind of false prophet. III. Persistent Hope (9:1-12:6) A. The True Light (9:1-7) 1. Hope (2) - "people who walked in darkness have seen a great light." Isa. 49:6; Acts 13:47 2. Joy (3) - "increased its joy." 3 / 9

4 3. Victory (4-5) - "as in the day of Midian" (Judges 7:22). 4. Wisdom (6) - "Wonderful Counselor". 5. Power (6) - "Mighty God." 6. Eternal (6) - "Everlasting Father." Dan. 2:21; 7: Peace (6) - "Prince of Peace." Rom. 5: Victory (7) - "of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end." 9. Justice (7) - "judgment and justice." B. Rebellion of Israel and Resulting Punishment (9:8-21) 1. Pride "who say in pride and arrogance of heart" (9). 2. Plans "we will rebuild...we will replace..." (10) Rather than learning a lesson of judgment, the people planned to make things better than before (bricks/hewn stones; sycamores/cedars). 3. Punishment "For all His anger is not turned away" (17b) During the time of 4 / 9

5 this sermon (c B.C.) only one of the six kings in Israel died a natural death. Despite continual attacks (v. 12), the people refused to repent (v. 17). C. Resulting Lessons for Judah (10:1-11) 1. Judgment on Sin of Leaders "Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees" (1) Leaders are judged with a stricter judgment (James 3:1, cf. Isa. 9:14-16). 2. Judgment on Sin of Assyria "Woe to Assyria" (5) 3. Judgment on Jerusalem "Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Lord has performed all His work on Mt. Zion and on Jerusalem..." (12) By 722 B.C., Israel had fallen to Assyria as judgment by God for the sins of the people. This should have been a stark warning to Judah; however, history records that a little over a century passed before Judah fell to the Babylonians. D. Return of a Remnant (20-34) 1. Counting on a Remnant "The remnant will return, the remnant of the day of Jacob..." (21) Believer's Study Bible, p. 935: 10:20, 21 "God promised that the nation would survive captivity and return to her land. This is very unusual as most nations that were so completely desolated vanished from history. God also states that the people would learn their intended lesson well and never again turn to worship any God other than YAHWEH." Amos 9: / 9

6 2. Comfort to the People "...this burden will be taken..." (27) Although Assyria tried to defeat Judah, (cities in verses mark the approach to Jerusalem), God would eventually remove His enemy. Historically, the Assyrians were removed by a coalition of the Babylonians and Medes in 609 B.C., the scourge mentioned in v Condemnation of the Arrogant "Behold, the Lord, the Lord of Hosts, will lop off the bough with terror; those of high stature will be hewn down, and the haughty will be humbled" (33) The arrogant Assyrians (13-14) will be defeated in a single night by the "Angel of the Lord" (2 Kings 19:35-37). The extent of their humbling is found in verses where the Assyrian army is so decimated that even a child could count them (19b). E. Reign of the Messiah (11:1-16) 1. Progressive Revelation of the Messiah (1) 2. Public Character of the Messiah 3. Prophetic Reign of the Messiah (3-5) 4. Previous Glories of the Garden of Eden (6-9) Not only will the Messiah restore the glories of the Davidic Dynasty but He will also restore the glories of the world before the fall - peace & harmony; man with man, man with nature, nature with God. God didn't intend nature to be destructive; man's fall brought 6 / 9

7 the bad aspects of nature; God has since worked for redemption of nature and man. Rom. 8:23 5. Planned Restoration of Israel (9-16) The Prophet envisions that God will unite all of His people under the Messiah including the reunification of both kingdoms: North and South. Ezek 37:15-28 F. Song of Trust (12:1-6) "In that day" (1) points to the joy realized in the age of the Messiah. Compare this to Moses' song of praise in Exodus. 15:1-18. IV. Accountable Nations (13:1-23:18) A. Babylon: Some of the more specific prophecies concern the judgment of Babylon. Desp ite its power and preeminence, the mighty city walls would offer no protection (13:2b), the Medes would come against them (13:17) and the city would become uninhabitable (13:20). Jeremiah adds that the walls would be utterly destroyed (Jer. 51:26, 58). The fall of the King of Babylon (as a type of satan) is chronicled in 14:3-21). B. Assyria (14:25), Philistia (14:28-32), Moab (15:1-16:14), Syria (17:1-3), Israel (in retrospect 17:4-14), and Ethiopia (18:1-7) are all judged by God. C. Egypt (19:1-20:6) The altar and pillar in Egypt (19:19) await the restoration of God's rule by the Messiah (19:24). 7 / 9

8 D. Judgment Against Babylon, Dumah and Arabia (21:1-17) 1. The Message to the Babylonians (21:1-10) cf. 13:1-14: The Message to the Edomites (21:11-12). Dumah is a region of Edom (Idumea) The doom of Edom is dawning. The nation should turn to God. 3. The Message of God to Arabia (21:13-17). Although the tribes shall escape total destruction, God will still exact judgment on them. Only a few will survive. Application: 1. God is Sovereign over all nations. 2. God judges sin wherever it is found. 3. God's Word is reliable as proved by prophecy, inerrant, infallible and true with no mixture of error. Leader Pack - Item 6: Handout: "Act on Revealed Truth" 8 / 9

9 Biblical Illustrator: p. 64: "The Syro -Ephraimitic War" Notes: **You may access David's Lesson Preview in MP3 format at: y.org/ ; Dates: 1/14-5/13 - Midlink; 3/8 - Time Change Sunday; 3/21 - Share Your Faith Workshop; 3/22 - Guest Speaker - Curt Jones all three services; 3/29 - Spring Loaded; 4/3 - FBA Wax Museum & Intl. Festival; 4/3 - First Things First; 4/9 - Broken for You Service; 4/12 - Easter - no Bible Studies; 4/16-18 SBTC SENT Conference; 4/19 - Dr. Jerry Rankin a.m.; 4/25 - AID Sudan Run/Walk - Bear Creek Park; 4/26 - Dr. Rick Rigsby all three services. 9 / 9