Today’s Reading: Isaiah
Ahaz was still a young man when he became king of Judah, so naturally he looked to others for help. It was during this time in Judah’s history that God called the prophet Isaiah to speak His message loud and clear: You can depend on God and it is foolishness to trust in anything or anyone else but God!
Don’t put your trust in mere humans.
They are as frail as breath. What good are they? – Isaiah 2:22
The horrible time that Judah was experiencing was a consequence of their sin. They needed the reminder that we serve a God who is able to break the power of sin and help us survive the mess we have made. When we look around and trouble surrounds us, when all we can see is the result of bad decisions and sinful actions, we can know that…
OUR GOD IS HERE TO GUIDE US OUT OF THE PREDICAMENT WE FIND OURSELVES IN.
“Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord.
Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them white as snow.
Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.
If you will only obey me…” – Isaiah 1:18-19a
No one wanted to lead the people of Judah because the nation was in such a mess. So many of the Judeans had already been taken captive and escorted to foreign lands, with the threat of exile for those who remained. Who would want to be the leader of this “sinking ship”? Who could possibly desire responsibility over a nation that had turned their backs away from the God of their ancestors? Who wanted to share the fate of those who were now suffering the consequence of their generational sin.
Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?”
I said, “Here I am. Send me.” – Isaiah 6:8-10
I love the heart of Isaiah as revealed in his quick response to the call of God. The moment God called, Isaiah responded. Without details, without questions, Isaiah responded in submissive obedience to whatever God was asking him to do. Isaiah had a willing heart and God chose him for a specific purpose.
IT WOULD NOT BE AN EASY ASSIGNMENT, BUT SOMETIMES GOD CALLS US TO DO HARD THINGS.
God used Isaiah to inform His people that they would go through a time of punishment for all their years of unfaithfulness. He would use their enemies to carry out the consequences of their disobedience. But He also let them know that He would eventually punish those nations for their harsh treatment of His children. He would gather together his army from all across the universe to disperse his judgment on the pagan nations who were lording their power over His people.
“All right then, the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).” – Isaiah 7:11-14
In addition to the priceless advice the Lord was sending to King Ahaz through the prophet Isaiah (to stop worrying and stand firm in his faith), Isaiah was telling Ahaz that God would send a sign of salvation. A baby would be born of a virgin and he would be called Immanuel, God with us. In the midst of the trouble and anguish and dark despair, a light would shine in the land of Zebulun and Naphtali.
Isaiah had the difficult task of declaring the coming judgment, but he also had the privilege of declaring the redemption that was to come. The time of darkness and despair would not go on forever (9:1). A remnant would return from exile (10:21) and the Messiah would come to save His people from their sins.
For a child is born to us, a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His government and its peace will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David
for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
will make this happen! – Isaiah 9:6-7
Look, a righteous king is coming!
And honest princes will rule under him.
Each one will be like a shelter from the wind
and a refuge from the storm,
like streams of water in the desert
and the shadow of a great rock in a parched land.
Then everyone who has eyes will be able to see the truth,
and everyone who has ears will be able to hear it. – Isaiah 32:1-3
Yes, the Sovereign Lord is coming in power. He will rule with a powerful arm.
See, he brings his reward with him as he comes. He will feed his flock like a shepherd.
He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart.
He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young. – Isaiah 40:10-11
O my God, who lives forever, we call on you this morning. We recognize that you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands. Knowing this, we put our trust in you for everything going on in our lives. You remain forever; you have always been and will always be [Psalm 102]. On you we wait, trusting you to move in your perfect time and in your perfect way. Lord, thank you for the reminder that the same God who loves us enough to get our attention when we have strayed is the One who will pull our enemies off of us and stand us back on our feet. With your right hand and your strong arm, you will help us because you love us. Thank you for that kind of grace! Like Isaiah, may our hearts reflect the same willingness to be used by you in the lives of others. Amen.