Daily Devo- Isaiah 7: 1-17 "The Timeless Message"

 

Isaiah 7

 ¹ When Ahaz son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, King Rezin of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel marched up to fight against Jerusalem, but they could not overpower it.

 ² Now the house of David was told, “Aram has allied itself with Ephraim”; so the hearts of Ahaz and his people were shaken, as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind.

 ³ Then the LORD said to Isaiah, “Go out, you and your son Shear-Jashub, to meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field. ⁴ Say to him, ‘Be careful, keep calm and don’t be afraid. Do not lose heart because of these two smoldering stubs of firewood—because of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and of the son of Remaliah. ⁵ Aram, Ephraim and Remaliah’s son have plotted your ruin, saying, ⁶ “Let us invade Judah; let us tear it apart and divide it among ourselves, and make the son of Tabeel king over it.” ⁷ Yet this is what the Sovereign LORD says:

   “‘It will not take place,
   it will not happen,
⁸ for the head of Aram is Damascus,
   and the head of Damascus is only Rezin.
Within sixty-five years
   Ephraim will be too shattered to be a people.
⁹ The head of Ephraim is Samaria,
   and the head of Samaria is only Remaliah’s son.
If you do not stand firm in your faith,
   you will not stand at all.’”

 ¹⁰ Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, ¹¹ “Ask the LORD your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.”

 ¹² But Ahaz said, “I will not ask; I will not put the LORD to the test.”

 ¹³ Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? ¹⁴ Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. ¹⁵ He will be eating curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, ¹⁶ for before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste. ¹⁷ The LORD will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since Ephraim broke away from Judah—he will bring the king of Assyria.” 

I was led to this passage this morning, and was very surprised by what I found. I should not have been surprised , but I was. Let me share what I found.

Ahaz was a good king. He was having some trouble with some bad leaders. He was frightened, and struggling to know what to do. 

Ever been there? Trying to do right, and all you get is grief? People attack you, complain, just really wear you down, until you think you might just be unable to go on? Yeah, me too at times. That's where Ahaz is. 

God sees and knows what is going on with Ahaz. God sends Isaiah the prophet with a message for Ahaz. It is the message that surprised me.

This is the message:

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. 

Isaiah brought the message of Jesus! The coming of Jesus! Even approximately 500 years before His birth, Jesus was the message Ahaz needed to hear.

Now a little over 2000 years after His birth, Jesus is still the message we need to to hear! He will always be the message that brings perfect hope and peace all the time.

There is a song that really brings this thought home, it goes like this:

Lord, I lift your name on high Lord
I love to sing your praises
I'm so glad You're in my life
I'm so glad You came to save us

You came from heaven to earth
to show the way
From the earth to the cross
my debt to pay
From the cross to the grave
From the grave to the sky Lord,
I lift your name on high

(Music and words by Rick Founds)

So remember, no matter what you are walking through, the message of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus has all the answers and reassurances you will ever need!

Chasing After Hearts,
Glenda Johnson

From: http://www.musicbabylon.com