Isa 7:1 | KingComments | STEP | Here a new section begins. It is about the question of whether Israel satisfies as a servant of the LORD, with as touchstone whether there is faith. This chapter shows in Ahaz, the king and representative of Israel, a picture of a servant without faith. This prophetically refers to the antichrist in whom faith in the LORD is utterly lacking. Later we will see in Hezekiah, as the representative of the faithful remnant, the true faith ( ). After the death of Uzziah ( ), Jotham became king. During his reign, that is over a period of four years, Isaiah received no prophecy from the LORD, at least not one that had to be written down. Although King Jotham does what is right in the eyes of the LORD, the people continue to do evil ( ). Then Ahaz, the wicked son of Jotham, comes to the government. This creates a new series of prophecies of the LORD in the section of Isaiah 7:1-9:6. The central subject is Immanuel, the Son of the virgin, of Whom we have the first direct prophecy in this chapter ( ). The events in the coming chapters up to and including Isaiah 12 are more or less chronological. What is described in can be found in more detail in 2 Kings 16 and 2 Chronicles 28 ( ; ). There it is told how, because of the threat of the great empire of Assyria, the small kingdoms of Syria and Ephraim, the ten tribes realm, form an alliance. Ahaz, king of Judah, does not want to participate in this alliance. That is why Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah king of Israel attack Ahaz. They want to replace Ahaz with the son of Tabeal, of whom we can assume that he is a Syrian man ( ). Ahaz panics and seeks refuge with Assyria ( ). When Rezin and Pekah attack him, Assyria comes to help him ( ). In this way evil is averted and Ahaz seems to have succeeded in his intention. Ahaz is the son of faithful Jotham and the grandson of faithful Uzziah ( ). Faith, however, is not a heritage. Ahaz is one of the most wicked kings of Judah. In God’s discipline over him, the kings of Syria and Israel enter Judah together. They have won victories and inflicted a great stroke on Judah, but they have not been able to achieve a final victory. They did not succeed in conquering Jerusalem. When “the house of David” – Ahaz is seen here as its representative – hears that an expedition is being prepared against them by the allies, Ahaz and the people become very frightened ( ). Whenever ‘the house of David’ is spoken of, the thought of the Messiah, the Son of David, is always connected to it. This is at the same time the reason why a message of the LORD follows. The message about the imminent expedition causes a crisis in Judah. A crisis, also in our lives, is a test to see how it is responded to. Are we going to the Lord or are we resorting to a human being and human resources? Ahaz and the people, however afraid they may be, do not think of the LORD. The powerful message He has sent through His prophet Isaiah does not change that. In this history the prophecy of the LORD about unbelief in Israel ( ) is fulfilled.

‏ Isaiah 7:1

Introduction

Here a new section begins. It is about the question of whether Israel satisfies as a servant of the LORD, with as touchstone whether there is faith. This chapter shows in Ahaz, the king and representative of Israel, a picture of a servant without faith. This prophetically refers to the antichrist in whom faith in the LORD is utterly lacking. Later we will see in Hezekiah, as the representative of the faithful remnant, the true faith (Isa 36:1-7 ; 13-22 ; Isa 37:1-20).

After the death of Uzziah (Isa 6:1), Jotham became king. During his reign, that is over a period of four years, Isaiah received no prophecy from the LORD, at least not one that had to be written down. Although King Jotham does what is right in the eyes of the LORD, the people continue to do evil (2Chr 27:2).

Then Ahaz, the wicked son of Jotham, comes to the government. This creates a new series of prophecies of the LORD in the section of Isaiah 7:1-9:6. The central subject is Immanuel, the Son of the virgin, of Whom we have the first direct prophecy in this chapter (Isa 7:14).

The events in the coming chapters up to and including Isaiah 12 are more or less chronological.

Rezin and Pekah Against Jerusalem

What is described in Isa 7:1 can be found in more detail in 2 Kings 16 and 2 Chronicles 28 (2Kgs 16:5-20; 2Chr 28:5-27). There it is told how, because of the threat of the great empire of Assyria, the small kingdoms of Syria and Ephraim, the ten tribes realm, form an alliance. Ahaz, king of Judah, does not want to participate in this alliance. That is why Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah king of Israel attack Ahaz. They want to replace Ahaz with the son of Tabeal, of whom we can assume that he is a Syrian man (Isa 7:6). Ahaz panics and seeks refuge with Assyria (2Kgs 16:7). When Rezin and Pekah attack him, Assyria comes to help him (2Kgs 16:9). In this way evil is averted and Ahaz seems to have succeeded in his intention.

Ahaz is the son of faithful Jotham and the grandson of faithful Uzziah (Isa 7:1). Faith, however, is not a heritage. Ahaz is one of the most wicked kings of Judah. In God’s discipline over him, the kings of Syria and Israel enter Judah together. They have won victories and inflicted a great stroke on Judah, but they have not been able to achieve a final victory. They did not succeed in conquering Jerusalem.

When “the house of David” – Ahaz is seen here as its representative – hears that an expedition is being prepared against them by the allies, Ahaz and the people become very frightened (Isa 7:2). Whenever ‘the house of David’ is spoken of, the thought of the Messiah, the Son of David, is always connected to it. This is at the same time the reason why a message of the LORD follows.

The message about the imminent expedition causes a crisis in Judah. A crisis, also in our lives, is a test to see how it is responded to. Are we going to the Lord or are we resorting to a human being and human resources? Ahaz and the people, however afraid they may be, do not think of the LORD. The powerful message He has sent through His prophet Isaiah does not change that. In this history the prophecy of the LORD about unbelief in Israel (Isa 6:9-10) is fulfilled.