Sermon Tone Analysis

introduction

In this week’s reading: Isaiah comes to King Ahab in Judah.

What results is one of the most significant events in all of Scripture…that you have never heard about.

Key questions:

If you have ever wondered why Jesus had to be born of a virgin other than it was really cool, I am going to answer this today.

The answer is found in the Ahaz event.

If you have ever wondered why Jesus had to be crucified by order from the Jews, I am going to answer this today.

The answer is found in the Ahaz event.

If you have ignored prophecy in the past because it is hard to understand, I want to show you how important prophecy in Scripture is…and hopefully make it easier to understand.

if you have heard about reformed theology…that no one came come to God unless He mystically draws them…that if God doesn’t mystically, supernaturally draw a person, they cannot ever believe in Jesus…To be clear, the Bible says that God has made Himself known, and requires all people to respond to Him by faith.

I want to show you how people (reformed theology) get this wrong, because they don’t understand the Ahaz event.

The promise of salvation becomes a sign of judgement

The promise of salvation:

Adam and Eve (An innocent One would die on behalf of the guilty)

Abraham (God would raise up a nation to preserve the Seed of Promise)

David (The Innocent One would be a King who would rule forever.)

At this time in history,

the northern kingdom of Israel was practicing witchcraft and sorcery, worshiping idols, and sacrificing their children to Molech.

the southern kingdom of Judah was worshiping idols, and Ahaz is the first king of Judah who sacrifices his children to Molech.

God sends Isaiah to him.

The story of Ahaz is one of the most significant events in all of Scripture.

Isaiah’s prophecies to Ahaz provide a clear interpretive lens to help us make sense of the New Testament and the gospel.

Let’s look at this story and understand it’s impact on the gospel and on us, the church.

Ahaz was wicked, so God allows Syria and Israel to come against Judah for war.

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The armies of Syria were gathering in Israel.

They were allied and preparing to attack Judah.

Ahaz and all of Judah were scared out of their minds…like trees in the wind.

Example: 1964 Cuban missile crisis.

So God sends Isaiah to Ahaz.

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For no reason (except grace), God offers to deliver Judah from the hand of Syria and Israel.

God sends Isaiah with his son, named “A Remnant will return.”

This is significant…we will return to this.

God promises to hold back the armies of Syria and Israel.

God speaks future things and asks Ahaz to believe them.

He says that Israel will be destroyed in less than 65 years.

God tells Ahaz to stand firm in faith, or he will not stand at all.

God is coming to His people who have rejected Him, and saying (for no reason at all except to show His grace): I will save you if you believe Me.

Here is a line in the sand—believe Me or reject Me…right here…make your choice.

What happens next is one of the most significant events in all of Scripture:

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The Lord commands Ahaz to believe His promise and ask for a sign that God will do what He has promised.

This is something God has done throughout history.

He makes a promise, then give a picture of that promise…or a sign that He will be faithful to keep that promise.

Noah…rainbow

The Passover…blood on the doorposts.

This will be a sign to you that the Lord will keep His promise to bring you out of Egypt.

Gideon…fleece

Ahaz does what wicked people do when they try to be religious.

He miss-applies Scripture.

He quotes the Law: I will not test the Lord.

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God responds to Ahaz’ unbelief.

If you will not believe me and ask for a sign…then I will give you a sign: a virgin will have a son…His name will be Immanuel (God with us.)

And Assyria who you have asked to help you instead of Me…will devastate you.

The promise of salvation becomes a sign of God’s judgment on the Jews.

What is God doing?

When the virgin gives birth to a son (sometime in the future), the people of Judah will remember that God pronounced judgment on them.

What is God doing?

When the virgin gives birth to a son, the people of Judah will remember that God pronounced judgment on them.

This was a clear choice for Ahaz.

God came to a wicked man and asked him to believe or not believe.

He did not believe, so God judged him.

Isaiah continues to unpack this sign for Ahaz and the rest of the Jews.

, he tells them that the One born of a virgin will be the Messiah, He will be God, He will be the King promised to David, His kingdom will have no equal and will be eternal.

I want you to see this: In the same way God came to Ahaz, Jesus came to the Jews with an offer to save them, but this is the sign: Jesus would come as a stumbling block…He would come in judgement.

Here is what God is saying: the virgin will give birth…when this happens, I want everyone to remember what happened to Ahaz.

I asked him to believe me and he refused.

Everyone who sees the sign of the virgin birth and believes will be saved, but everyone like Ahaz who refuses to believe will be judged.

Isaiah continues to unpack this sign for Ahaz and the rest of the Jews.

, he tells them that the One born of a virgin will be the Messiah, He will be God, He will be the King promised to David, His kingdom will have no equal and will be eternal.

Look at the remarkable connection between Jesus’ ministry as parallel to this Ahaz event.

I don’t want you to miss this: when Jesus comes by virgin birth, He is coming first to the Jews to execute judgment and fulfill God’s promise to Ahaz.

To understand this: First, look at what Isaiah says: that this son born of a virgin will be a stumbling block for the Jews, bu a sanctuary for others:

, , , , , , , ) They were wicked, but the virgin birth should have been a sign to them that God was willing to save them if they would only believe.

Jesus’ message to them was very clear.

As a stumbling block, He comes to the Jews in the same way God came to Ahaz:

, , , , , , ) They were wicked, but the virgin birth should have been a sign to them that God was willing to save them if they would only believe.

Here is the line in the sand: believe me or reject me.

Repent or suffer judgement.

Jesus said that He was sent to the Jews:

, , , , , ) They were wicked, but the virgin birth should have been a sign to them that God was willing to save them if they would only believe.

Why does Jesus say this?

Because He was the sign given to Ahaz.

He was coming to a wicked people like God came to Ahaz.

He was offering salvation to them for no reason except to show God’s grace.

His offer: believe Me and be saved, reject Me and suffer judgment.

When Jesus sent the disciples out, he told them only to go to Jews:

matt 10:5-6, , , , ) They were wicked, but the virgin birth should have been a sign to them that God was willing to save them if they would only believe.

Peter told the Jews that God sent Jesus to to the Jews first:

, , , ) They were wicked, but the virgin birth should have been a sign to them that God was willing to save them if they would only believe.

The Ahaz event is very important.

When Jesus came to the Jews, born of a virgin...They were wicked, but the virgin birth should have been a sign to them that God was willing to save them if they would only believe.

The virgin birth should have been a been a reminder to them that God was ready to judge them…

The promise of salvation pronounces the end of judgment

Now I want to show you why the Ahaz event is so critical to helping us interpret the New Testament…here is a verse that people interpret wrongly because they don’t understand the Ahaz event:

, , ) They were wicked, but the virgin birth should have been a sign to them that God was willing to save them if they would only believe.

, ) They were wicked, but the virgin birth should have been a sign to them that God was willing to save them if they would only believe.

Jesus is not saying that forever, for all time you cannot come to Jesus unless the Father does some mystical work in your heart to draw you…look at what Jesus says in John 12:

Jesus later promised that when He was lifted up on the cross, He would draw all people to Himself.

) They were wicked, but the virgin birth should have been a sign to them that God was willing to save them if they would only believe.

God responded to Ahaz by giving him and the rest of the Jews a sign of judgement: the virgin will give birth to a Son.

Remember, Isaiah’s son who stood before Ahaz with Isaiah?