Isaiah 7:2 (MEV): It was said to the house of David,” Aram is allied with Ephraim.” Then his heart trembled and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood tremble with the wind.
I have heard it said that the people are only as good as their leaders. I have also heard that you cannot teach anyone lessons if you have not already learned the lesson yourself. Ahaz was afraid and so was his people. What would have happened, if instead of fear being their first thought, prayer would have taken its stead. I guess we will never know. But just as God told me in the hospital: Fear is from the evil one; so God is telling Ahaz “Take heed, and be quiet. Do not fear nor be fainthearted. (Isa 9:4)
Isaiah 7:10-12 (MEV): Moreover, the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying: Ask for a sign from the LORD your God. Make it either as deep as Sheol or as high as the heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, nor will I tempt the LORD. Then he said, “Hear now, O house of David. It is a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also?
Like I said, you cannot teach what you do not know. How sad that the King of Israel did not know that God was for him. God just told him: you can have anything in the whole wide world, what do you want? He could have said: Lord, please protect us from King Aram and Ephraim, or he could have asked for wisdom like Solomon. But instead, he says “I don’t want to weary God”. God is never wearied by any of his people. In chapter 9 it describes various scenarios that the people went through, and ways they turned their back on God, and over and over it says:
For all this His anger is not turned away, and His hand is stretched out still. (Isa. 9: 12,17, and 21)
He is still stretching out his hand to you and me. It doesn’t matter what mistakes I have made; all He wants is for me to run into His outstretched arms. He is for us, every one of us. That is why He says:
Isaiah 7:14-15 (MEV): Therefore, the Lord Himself shall give you a sign: The virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Curds and honey he shall eat at the time that he knows enough to refuse the evil and choose the good.
I am sure that the City of David did not understand these words. Being on the other side of the cross, we can see the blessing they bestowed on all who believe that Immanuel (God with us) wants us to constantly seek Him with all our hearts as He did in the days of King Ahaz. Does that sound like a God who is wearied by His chosen people? He loved them so much, and yet they did not see it.
Psalm 22: 4-5 (MEV): Our fathers trusted in You; they trusted, and You did deliver them. They cried to You and were delivered; they trusted in You and were not put to shame.
Psalm 22:11 (MEV): Be not far from me for trouble is near, for there is none to help.
Psalm 22:23 (MEV): You who fear the LORD, praise Him.
As you can see in Psalm, there are ways to God’s heart. The desire to be in His presence, trust, prayer and praise. It is really that simple. God helps those who earnestly seek Him with all their heart.
In Matthew 26, we see the fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah. Jesus (Immanuel) came, He was anointed by the alabaster jar of expensive perfume, He partook in the Last Supper, He prayed that the cup be taken, He was betrayed by someone close to Him, He was arrested, and again another even CLOSER to Him denied knowing Him. God’s heart gets stomped on over and over, yet STILL! How much more can God do to prove His love? How much more should He do?
O Father, thank you for your son! He is Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. I cannot wait until the government rests upon Your shoulders permanently. I cannot wait for the elimination of sin and wrong choices. It will be a government of justice, peace and righteousness from now until forever. You are, and have always been, just what the world needed! Please open our eyes to see the love of the Father! In Jesus’ name AMEN.
Carol (carolvorwe)
Sixty-six books in a year 