Isa 7:18-19 | KingComments | STEP | Isaiah has a good message and a bad message for Ahaz. The good message is that Israel and Syria will be defeated soon ( ). This will happen through Assyria ( ). Ahaz will have listened to that message with pleasure. But then the tone changes and he also hears bad news and that is that Assyria, on whom Judah put his trust, will also invade Judah afterward ( ). Here too Isaiah connects the events of his time with those of the end time. Here, for the first time Isaiah mentions Assyria, the enemy that will play such a significant role in the history of Israel. Within a few years Assyria will defeat Israel, the ten tribes realm. Then Isaiah speaks about Assyria also attacking Judah. What happens then overshadows everything that has already happened to Judah since the tearing of the realm in a northern ten tribes realm and a southern two tribes realm. By Ephraim is meant the northern ten tribes realm that has been separated from Judah since the days of the break-up under Rehoboam, the son of Solomon. Assyria will also invade Judah after the carrying away of the ten tribes. That will be in the days of Hezekiah. Although a restoration will be given in those days, it will only be of a temporary nature. The Egyptians, “the fly”, and the Assyrians, “the bee”, have often fought their battle for world domination in the territory of Judah. These two superpowers, to whom Judah goes alternately for help, will destroy the land and thus fulfill . In order to create heaven and earth, God only had to speak. To gather together the instruments of His judgment He only has to “whistle” ( ). “Fly” and “bee” are insects that penetrate every nook and cranny and cause irritation and pain to people. Flies bring dirt and destruction. Bees are aggressive and chase and surround fugitives ( ). The inhabitants of Judah will try to escape from the enemy forces. To do so, they will hide in all sorts of places that are difficult to access ( ). But no place is safe, because wherever they are, the enemies will find them. The details of have been only partially fulfilled in the past. Only in the end time will they be fully fulfilled. It is remarkable that in first ‘the fly of Egypt’ and only then ‘the bee of Assyria’ is called. Daniel 11 makes that clear. We read there that first the king of the South ( ) takes the initiative to attack Israel and only then the king of the North. They will both attack Israel. So far, the state of Israel has won every war, such as the liberation war in 1948, the six-day war in 1967, the Yom Kippur war in 1973. But they will lose this war, with all its disastrous consequences. In this war, the king of the North will be stronger and more dangerous than the king of the South, just as bees are more dangerous than flies. If Israel is destroyed, the king of the North will go on and go to destroy the king of the South ( ). The king of Assyria is called “a razor” which was “hired” by “the Lord” ( Adonai ) ( ). Ahaz has decided to hire Assyria to help him avert the imminent danger of Syria and Ephraim. The LORD will hire the same Assyria – there is a certain sarcasm in the use of the same words – to shave Judah with it. Shaving off the “head” is a humiliation of the position of the people; shaving off “the hair of the legs” points to a great libel; “remove the beard” means inflicting a great humiliation on the masculinity. We can apply this in such a way that from Judah the royal authority (hair of the head), the national dignity (hair of the legs) and the masculine strength (the beard) will be taken away. If a Nazirite has defiled himself in his dedication to the LORD, he must shave off his hair ( ). Israel had to be dedicated to the LORD, but defiled itself. The leper must also get rid of all hair ( ). In the same way, Israel has defiled itself and has become leprous. The same applies to the Levite, the servant of the priest ( ). Israel is also no longer able to serve the LORD.

‏ Isaiah 7:18-19

Prediction of the Assyrian Invasion

Isaiah has a good message and a bad message for Ahaz. The good message is that Israel and Syria will be defeated soon (Isa 7:16). This will happen through Assyria (2Kgs 16:9). Ahaz will have listened to that message with pleasure. But then the tone changes and he also hears bad news and that is that Assyria, on whom Judah put his trust, will also invade Judah afterward (Isa 7:17). Here too Isaiah connects the events of his time with those of the end time.

Here, for the first time Isaiah mentions Assyria, the enemy that will play such a significant role in the history of Israel. Within a few years Assyria will defeat Israel, the ten tribes realm. Then Isaiah speaks about Assyria also attacking Judah. What happens then overshadows everything that has already happened to Judah since the tearing of the realm in a northern ten tribes realm and a southern two tribes realm. By Ephraim is meant the northern ten tribes realm that has been separated from Judah since the days of the break-up under Rehoboam, the son of Solomon. Assyria will also invade Judah after the carrying away of the ten tribes. That will be in the days of Hezekiah. Although a restoration will be given in those days, it will only be of a temporary nature.

The Egyptians, “the fly”, and the Assyrians, “the bee”, have often fought their battle for world domination in the territory of Judah. These two superpowers, to whom Judah goes alternately for help, will destroy the land and thus fulfill Isa 7:18-19. In order to create heaven and earth, God only had to speak. To gather together the instruments of His judgment He only has to “whistle” (Isa 7:18).

“Fly” and “bee” are insects that penetrate every nook and cranny and cause irritation and pain to people. Flies bring dirt and destruction. Bees are aggressive and chase and surround fugitives (Psa 118:12a). The inhabitants of Judah will try to escape from the enemy forces. To do so, they will hide in all sorts of places that are difficult to access (Isa 7:19). But no place is safe, because wherever they are, the enemies will find them.

The details of Isa 7:18-19 have been only partially fulfilled in the past. Only in the end time will they be fully fulfilled. It is remarkable that in Isa 7:18 first ‘the fly of Egypt’ and only then ‘the bee of Assyria’ is called. Daniel 11 makes that clear. We read there that first the king of the South (Dan 11:40) takes the initiative to attack Israel and only then the king of the North.

They will both attack Israel. So far, the state of Israel has won every war, such as the liberation war in 1948, the six-day war in 1967, the Yom Kippur war in 1973. But they will lose this war, with all its disastrous consequences. In this war, the king of the North will be stronger and more dangerous than the king of the South, just as bees are more dangerous than flies. If Israel is destroyed, the king of the North will go on and go to destroy the king of the South (Dan 11:42).

The king of Assyria is called “a razor” which was “hired” by “the Lord” (Adonai) (Isa 7:20). Ahaz has decided to hire Assyria to help him avert the imminent danger of Syria and Ephraim. The LORD will hire the same Assyria – there is a certain sarcasm in the use of the same words – to shave Judah with it.

Shaving off the “head” is a humiliation of the position of the people; shaving off “the hair of the legs” points to a great libel; “remove the beard” means inflicting a great humiliation on the masculinity. We can apply this in such a way that from Judah the royal authority (hair of the head), the national dignity (hair of the legs) and the masculine strength (the beard) will be taken away.

If a Nazirite has defiled himself in his dedication to the LORD, he must shave off his hair (Num 6:9). Israel had to be dedicated to the LORD, but defiled itself. The leper must also get rid of all hair (Lev 14:9). In the same way, Israel has defiled itself and has become leprous. The same applies to the Levite, the servant of the priest (Num 8:7). Israel is also no longer able to serve the LORD.