September 10

Isaiah 6-7

2 Corinthians 11:16-33

Psalm 54:1-7

Proverbs 23:1-3

Isaiah 7:6-9

"Let us invade Judah; let us tear it apart and divide it among ourselves, and make the son of Tabeel king over it." Yet this is what the Sovereign Lord says: "'It will not take place, it will not happen, 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. 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.'"

Ahaz was king of Judah and he was afraid. Israel and Aram were joining forces with the intention of attacking Jerusalem. Isaiah was sent by God to comfort Ahaz, saying that He would not allow this to happen. These nations of Israel and Aram were ruled by kings who were merely human and they were not as powerful as they thought they were. In verse 4, God referred to them as "smoldering stubs of firewood." That doesn't sound too threatening, does it? Smoldering firewood compared to the Creator of the universe? I don't think so.

I found it interesting that God pointed out how weak these kings were and that was the reason that Ahaz shouldn't fear them. Then Isaiah gave a sign of the coming Immanuel, God With Us, the Messiah, Jesus. With Immanuel on your side, there will never be anything to fear. Immanuel is the King of kings. If Ahaz was not to fear Israel and Aram because their kings were weak, then how was he suppose to view Immanuel? With awe and reverence and trust. Even when there are armies against you, look to the One is more powerful and the One who is on your side.