Monday: Attempted Interception
Isaiah 7.3-9
While Ahaz was weighing his political options to meet the threat from Israel and Syria, God knew some things he did not. For one thing, it was God who had allowed trouble to come upon him in order to discipline him and bring him to his senses (2 Chron: 28:5, 2 Chronicles 28:19). Moreover, although appealing to Tiglath-pileser for help seemed logical and attractive from a human standpoint, God knew it would bring the Davidic kingdom of Judah under foreign control from which she could never recover.
The stakes were staggeringly high. So, the Lord sent Isaiah to intercept the king (apparently as he was inspecting Jerusalem’s water supply in preparation for a siege) in order to persuade him not to contact the Assyrian leader.
Why did the Lord tell Isaiah to take his son, Shear—Jashub, with him (Isa: 7:3)?
Ahaz would be startled when Isaiah greeted him and introduced his son, named “A Remnant Shall Return.”
Image © Kevin Carden at Goodsalt.com
Remnant of whom? Shall return from what? Because the boy’s father was a prophet, the name sounded like an ominous message from God about people going into captivity. Or was it about returning to God in the sense of repenting (the verb “return” also carries the meaning of repentance)? The message from God to Ahaz was: It means what you make it mean! Turn from your sins or go into captivity, and from captivity a remnant will return. The decision is yours!
How did God’s message address the king’s situation? Isaiah 7.4-9, NRSV). There was no need for Ahaz to appeal to Assyria for help.
But in order to make the right decision, Ahaz needed to trust the Lord and His promises. He needed to believe in order to be established (Isa: 7:9). The words for “believe” and “be established” are from the same Hebrew root, from which come also the word for “truth” (that which is reliable) and the word Amen (affirming that which is true/reliable). Ahaz needed to be sure in order to be made sure; he needed to rely in order to be reliable.
| Look at that last section of Isaiah 7:9. Why are faith and belief so important in order to be “established”? Established in what? How does this principle apply in the life of the Christian? |
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Lets get the facts straight about Ahaz:
Chronicles provides even more detail:
In the last few days, we have horrified to see the government institution of one nation being invaded by an unruly mob. Ahaz was guilty of a very similar offence. He abused the Temple and all it stood for and used it in an attempt to gain favour with the nations around him.
And yet in all this wickedness, God sent Isaiah to give him an encouraging message. The very least we can learn from this is that God tries very hard to save the wicked.
[This is the last comment I will be making for about a week. I am taking a short break as I am having surgery and will be in hospital for a few days. It is not life-threatening - merely a consequence of being old and male. I look forward to returning in about a week's time. Maurice]
I will miss your comments but I wish you a speedy recovery.
I so look forward to your comments. I pray that your pain will be minimal and your recovery fast.
Maurice - Praying for your speedy and full recovery!
Get well soon Mr. Maurice, we pray for you. There is a lot of work that God has given us while we are given opportunities by God. Maybe the people we meet directly or indirectly to strengthen the weak of faith also admonish sinners to repent, like the prophet Isaiah rebuking King Ahaz, so we also feel strengthened by the opinion of the brothers in God, especially Mr. Maurice, I like your post. on youtube and instagram reminds us God is so miraculously beautiful and awesome. We will also share with the people we meet (even though the Covid 19 period can meet) who have been denying the Lord Jesus because of their marriage to being an old brother or who have not accepted the Lord Jesus and kept the Sabbath holy. Please pray for brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus, realizing that we are only lay people, not the prophet Isaiah, whom God specifically appointed.
Hey Maurice, Please check in with the Master mechanic at the repair shop. He already knows you are coming in. By the way His two Assistance and a host of ministering servants will be there. I will be praying for you. I bet you that your sweet help meet is going to be the first one to embrace you! All is well. Ron
will greatly miss your comments Sir Maurice, I pray for a successful surgery and speedy recovery. Amen
God be with you always.🙏🏽
Maurice, wishing for you a speedy recovery. The Lord is in control. You are in my prayers.
I look forward to your comments each day,a week seems a long time. I pray that all will go well and that God will go with you and that healing will be rapid.
Take care & get well soon. We will all be praying for you and missing you. God be with you till we meet again.
Blessings be yours Bro Maurice. Thank you for your very insightful commentaries day after day. I pray for a speedy recovery. It’s in God’s hands.
Dear Brother, Remember that Jesus is the Great Healer.
Blessings
Maurice, you and your comments will be greatly missed.I pray that all goes well. Have the speediest of recoveries!!
Thank you Maurice for all your insightful and inspiring comments. I faithfully read them daily and will miss you during this little hiatus.
I pray for your rapid and complete recovery & look forward to reading
your comments again next week. Leilani
May God guide the surgeons hands, and bless you with a speedy recovery.
I will surely miss your comments Bro.Ashton. I look forward to reading them each morning.
I pray and hope that your surgery will be successful.May God be with you and family at this time.
Blessings
God's blessings be with you and see you through.
Jaslyn.
Hello Maurice
I pray for you recovery fast.
I like to read your comments.
It helped me think poitively.
Praying for your God’s protection and speed recovery. Looking forward to hear from you on your return.
"If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all." Isaiah 7:9b, NIV
1. Upon what or whom are we standing?
Ps. 40:1-2; Is. 40:8; John 14:6; Hebrews 13:8
2. What or who keeps us from standing firm in faith?
1 Peter 5:8-9; 2 Corinthians 10:5; Luke 22:31-32
3. How do we stand firm in faith?
Ephesians 6:11-18; 1 Kings 18:21; Rom. 4:20-21; Ps. 119:11
I always look forward to reading your comments and the anecdotes that always add a personal touch to your message. I shall be praying for you, and wish you a hearty recovery.
Praying for you sir, you are a blessing to many. quick recovery
It is true that we need to put on the armory of God as given to us in Ephesians 6:10-20. Without that we are prone to fall easily to devil scheme. The example of King Ahaz is common practice amongst Christian, tend to trust in themselves and ally with enemies rather than trust in God.
I wish you a speedy recovery ,I always look forward to your comments each week.go with Isaiah 41:10,I be praying for you.
A remnant will return! Or repent, or believe in the truth.
It is not surprising that Ahaz didn't believe the message from the LORD, after all he had nailed the doors of the Temple shut. I believe that this was a proclamation from the LORD that inspite of all that Ahaz had done there were a remnant left who still believed in the truth and the LORD would save them one way or another.
We discover that repeatedly through out history the LORD has a remnant who remain true to Him, like Elijah and the 7000, also read the Great Controversy for more recent examples. But more important for us there will be a remnant in the last days that will remain true, will I? Will you?
Br. Maurice, wishing you peace in the storm and a speedy recovery. We are all praying for you.
Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not..... But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strenth...Isa 40:28-31.
Attempted Interception
The author says-'For one thing, it was God who had allowed trouble to come upon him in order to discipline' is this true that God allows trouble to come on anyone? There are two powers that are fighting in a battle for our minds- The Lord and Satan. When we choose to leave and walk away from the Lord as Ahaz did, we are under the control of Satan. He, Satan then brings those things on us so as to destroy us.
The Lord warned his people over and over again to let him fight our battles but we, like Ahaz want to fight our own battles. Had he depended on the Lord and listened to the prophet, he would have been rescued.
This reminded me about my own situation in life. For years I face these people at my work place, the Lord gave me that text above. He is fighting for me and I am holding my peace.
Can someone define attempted interception for me please.
God sent Isaiah to prevent Ahaz from making a mistake. So God was attempting to intercept(take away/prevent) the bad idea of seeking help from a pagan nation by showing the king the events that were to take place that would remove the threat he was afraid of.
I hope this helps.
Like Ahaz, to him who knows good and doeth it not, it's a sin. Our prayer is God help us to stand for truth...
Good morning Maurice. Praying for your complete recovery. God will be your physician
Praying for a speedy recovery, Maurice. As one old man to another, the geriatric years are certainly faith building. We serve a great God and His Son comes to us with healing in His wings. I'll miss your commentary and look forward to hearing from you in a few days.
I become more aware of God’s character reading about how He deals with faithless, sinful beings. It’s always amazing. In patience He told Ahaz of the future. Ahaz still chose to worship his personal ideas of salvation for Judah instead of listening and taking heed to what God said.
In reading today’s lesson, I thought about the many times God as intervened for humanity and for individuals. How often He’s stepped in and redirected me so that my gains are greater and losses lessened.
How often am I willing to surrender my own ideas and understanding of my own life challenges when God tells me to do, say or go in a way different, than what I thought was best.
My response in such circumstances show me who or what I really worship.
May God and his Holy and healing spirit be with you till we meet again brother Maurice. I’m sure your bird friends are also pulling for you too!
It is always to believe. I have been studying the Bible privately, and I always encounter this word, and I always reflect on it as it is.
To believe is a powerful emotion, and not only an emotion but an action. I understood it as something actively worked on. If people will just believe in Christ and in God, we will all live with an understanding that there is always a provider, a powerful being who is always looking over us, ready to help us. We live with an understanding that the world is not a fair place, where justice is always served for the righteous people. We will live with an understanding that as God's followers, it is expected to follow His path, and that soon we will go through dark and hard days before we can finally meet Jesus Christ who'll come down on Earth the second time.
If we believe, we will have understanding, assurance, and blessings. 🙂
All glory to God!
Yes, Donna, the active belief that you describe is a description of saving faith. Biblical language depends on context for meaning. For instance, in Ro. 10:9, the word "believe" is much more than intellectual assent. It is a strong word that describes saving faith, and the word "believe" is generally used that way throughout the New Testament when it refers to believing in Christ. In other words, "believe" is the verb, and "faith" is the noun form of the same saving concept. (We don't have another "faith" verb. We don't say "I faith you." 😉 ) See also John 7:31 John 20:31, Acts 8:37, Acts 16:31.
Hi Donna - yes, believe and faith are the two aspects that no believer in the Gospel can do without; or, for that matter, no one can base an action which is guided by 'believe' without being motivated by faith.
Please, allow me to share what has helped me greatly to understand the distinction between when I *believe* and when I exercise *faith*. When I believe, I believe the Word of God as revealed to us by His Son Christ Jesus to be true, leading to Salvation; I believe the Scripture to be the true Word of God, our Creator, revealed to mankind. I can only respond in one way, because I cannot disprove it in any way, fashion or form - all I can do is to either believe or daubt/not believe!
If I chose to believe, I exercise faith in what I believe to be true, applying the Word of God's teachings, wisdom, guidance and Truth to my life; but I cannot proof that this willingness to follow what I believe to be God's Truths will bring about that which the Word of God reveals - I live so by faith.
By God's Grace I believe, and by God's Grace I live that which I believe in by Faith - 2Cor.5:1-10.
In my opinion, the most difficult part of walking faithfully with God is that, because we have good ideas and are smart enough to implement them to help with our life’s challenges, to know when we take our eyes of the One who makes all good things possible. We want to always remember that every good thing/gift comes from the Lord - James1:17KJV.
He, first and foremost, provides the loving thoughts and the disposition to want to engage in good conduct. He is the One who works in the *unobserved circumstances* to make a way for the good which He placed into our hearts to manifest as good works.
As long as we are not resorting to immoral or unethical conduct according to God's Will, we will be blessed by the Grace of God with peace in heart and mind and comfort to the body – Phil.4:19KJV.
When/how is it that we go astray? What causes us to take our eyes of Him from Whom all blessings come? In the KJV's Bible, Proverbs chapters 8 through 14 are entitled “The wise and the foolish”. These chapters provide godly wisdom and insights of all types applicable for the life of the wise versus the foolish. To not appear wise in our own eyes and become foolish, we do well to read them, become familiar with them, talk about the wisdom of their application with our family members and friends and others who might need advise. Righteous living - our heavenly Father has directed us to live by His Word - is the bread of life, and the Spirit of God will apply the water from the well which never runs dry to our hearts and minds.
For those who love wisdom and look for these markers to help discern when we loose sight of the Way of Truth and Light, these chapters will point us into the right direction. Just to mention a few:
Prov.14:12KJV – “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”
Prov.14:14KJV - ”The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways; and a 'good' man shall be satisfied from himself.”
Prov.14:15 - ”The simple believeth every word, but the prudent man looketh well to his going.”
The one who cannot consider that he is lost, has gone astray from the Way of Truth and Light, he will find no reason/need for repentance - a change of his ways. We, on the other hand, who want to deliberately walk in the Way of God’s Truth and Light need to know what that looks like in our practical lives; how does our new nature's ways/conduct look like?
In the practical evidence of our repentance through our conduct - the turning away from our old nature’s wicked ways -, we will praise God in all His Glory – Isaiah 12:1-6KJV.
This is how God "hardens" the sinner's heart, by offering the best remedy, though knowing they will reject it. It is the same method He uses to soften the sinner's heart.
It is our choice to make when it comes to softening or hardening our heart towards God, who always offers mercy and salvation to every soul.
Spot on! Furthermore, although God makes every loving and sincere effort to lead the horse to water, so to speak, yet He knows in advance whether or not it will drink, and He has already incorporated this knowledge into His overall plan for the best good of His creatures, especially of those who love Him. Thus, the statement that God hardened Pharaoh's heart is not merely an unfortunate word choice to be explained away. Rather, it is a profound insight to be studied and appreciated.
Hello Robert - thank you for sharing this thought. It helped me understand the softening and heartening of hearts better. God is available in the circumstances in which we make our choise to soften or harden our hart.
He gives us these opportunities to choose every day.
God will perfect the surgery process and a speedy recovery
Maurice you're in God's hand God, his power will manifest in you in Jesus name