Affirmation
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Text:
Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that 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. He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted.
Reading:
Genesis 3:14-15 “The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.””
Introduction:
In a court of law there are procedural rules and order to follow. There are 36 steps before a trial is finalized. There are pre-trial proceedings, pleadings, motions, picking the jury, bail, etc...
In the storyline of history the transgression has just taken place; sin came into the world and now death passes to every person. God in this moment reveals one part of Himself, the almighty Judge. He handed out the sentencing for the transgression.
Transgression: "The act of passing over or beyond any law or rule of moral duty; the violation of a law or known principle of rectitude; breach of command." (Noah Webster)
Within that sentencing He made a promise:
Genesis 3:15 “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.””
Satan’s power would be killed through the sacrifice of the Messiah.
Messiah: “Christ, the anointed; the Savior of the world.”
The promise was made in the Garden first; then God continued to remind humanity of that promise!
Here today in our text is one of those places.
Isaiah 7:10-16 “Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that 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. He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted.”
Transition:
The political picture here can be summed up with one question: “Will we give in to Assyrian might and pay them tribute or should we try to assert our independence? Different kings of Judah answered the question in different ways.”
King Ahaz was opting for a pro-Assyrian stance, the North wanted to be anti-Assyrian and there was a plan for a coup.
God sent Isaiah to Ahaz, it seemed like He was addressing his fear about the attacks. (:1-:2)
Here we have:
Ahaz's opportunity (:10-:12)
Ahaz's opportunity (:10-:12)
Isaiah 7:10-12 “Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.””
Ahaz has his hands full.
He is king and has enemies at the gates wanting to take his authority; and he is scared.
Isaiah 7:4 “And say to him, ‘Be careful, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint because of these two smoldering stumps of firebrands, at the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria and the son of Remaliah.”
Transition:
God sends Isaiah to encourage the king. Isaiah is the prophet of God.
Prophet: “In Scripture, a person illuminated, inspired or instructed by God to announce future events; as Moses, Elijah, David, Isaiah, etc”
The prophet is the direct connection to God, speak to a prophet you speak to God; hear from a prophet and your hearing from God.
(Express the danger in calling someone a prophet today)
Now Ahaz has:
A. An opportunity to ask of God.
Ask for a sign.
What re-assurances can Ahaz have to remove this fear and be confident for a direction.
Illustration:
Each and every one of us have had points in our lives that we could call our darkest moments we’ve ever dealt with.
? What would it have meant to you for someone to come, re-assure you of your decisions and comfort you through that time?
A lot of people turn to God when times are tough since He has control and all the answers.
Connection:
If the opportunity were there for you to speak with God during that dark moment what would you ask?
In the midst of your thinking of a question God offers an option:
B. No limits to the request.
As high as heaven, as low as Hell.
He presents the limits to the request and they are “limitless”.
Illustration:
When I was little if you were to ask what would my dream car be I would’ve told you:
“A Monster truck with big tires” (Like Bigfoot)
Now a days the question would have to be more specific to a car category.
It is that scenario where you get to ask anything that you would want.
Transition:
It would be simple to talk ourselves into thinking that Ahaz was being humble; that isn’t the case. He was the king of the hill.
The only help he wanted was by the alliance with the Assyrians.
He didn’t want a word from the Lord. (Isaiah ascribes title to God as His, implying that He isn’t Ahaz’s)
He should’ve
C. Known his place.
God is almighty and no man is.
There was another person given a similarly unique opportunity: Solomon.
1 Kings 3:5-15 “At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.” And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day. And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?” It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yours…”
Solomon’s opportunity was about 200 years earlier; look how God blessed Him for humbly placing himself in the merciful hands of the Lord.
Maybe Ahaz was privy to that knowledge and wanted to follow in Solomon’s footsteps.
Connection:
- We each have moments when we fear the surrounding enemy and am not sure what to do.
- We have the same opportunity Ahaz had here in verses :10-:12; appeal to God and ask for anything.
- We should submit to the authority of the almighty, thee all powerful God.
Transition:
Ahaz hadn’t submitted to God He was trying to appease.
- We can see this in:
The Sign (:13-:14)
The Sign (:13-:14)
Isaiah 7:13-14 “And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that 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.”
Isaiah suggested that Ahaz was wearying God, being a burden.
He gets to the point!
A. The Purpose.
The sign could’ve been given to remove the fear Ahaz had.
- God was powerful enough to be Judah’s deliverer.
The passages can read like Ahaz is rejecting God’s offer for a sign.
Affirming the notion that Ahaz had another fear: not believing God could deliver Judah.
Transition:
God brought out the lineage Ahaz was part of; King David’s family, the one God made promises to.
God’s promises always happen!
We often need to be reminded who has:
B. The Authority.
Isaiah the spokesperson for God uses:
The phrase: “The Lord Himself”
Isaiah makes a big statement:
God is talking to you, and He is authority!
The Miracle is that a virgin will get pregnant.
It will be a boy!
Transition:
God is always the authority and possess all control. He revealed that this child would be, by name,
C. God with us.
“Immanuel”
Isaiah makes sure to state that this child wasnt going to be like any other child that has ever come, or ever will.
Pondering:
How many times do we forget that God is always with us every moment of the day?
Ahaz forgot that too.
That promise translates to us too: remember that His presence is always with us and we can have faith and confidence trusting Him.
Transition:
The promise of God to Ahaz was also the future affirmation for God, He would arrive:
In The Flesh (:15-:16)
In The Flesh (:15-:16)
Isaiah 7:15-16 “He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted.”
God almighty would step out from heaven and be in the flesh.
A. His Humanity.
- He will need nourishment like any other human flesh and bone.
Providing irrefutable evidence that not only can God empathize with our sin, but He knows first hand what we deal with.
- He will learn to refuse the evil and choose the good.
- Immanuel will live in flesh and endure culture with all the same opportunities to sin in our evil world.
Transition:
God understands all we deal with, seeing how He lived through it as we do.
Hence the scripture:
Hebrews 4:15 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”
Connection:
Isaiah was the spokesperson for God to the people.
The way He communicated with humanity.
Ahaz seemed to have been trusting in his own wisdom and understanding, and it wasn’t working.
He was scared of the armies that surrounded the city.
When you have a lack of faith and trust in God: remind yourself about the perfect sacrifice who died willingly because He loved you and I.
God has Isaiah remind the world and Ahaz of the promise from Genesis and provides more details regarding the coming messiah.
When a virgin miraculously conceives a child and simultaneously the land of the 2 who are hated will be desolate.
He arrived!
Be reminded:
Conclusion:
God has all authority.
Ask a sign of God to restore your trust in Him, ask anything.
God affirmed the promise made back in the garden, to Abraham, to David, and now through that lineage:
The world will all be blessed through a seed of David, one who will be tested as we are and be victorious, perfect and willingly will pay for our transgressions.
Then the judge will see the payment not our sin.
Pray.