King Pekah of the northern kingdom of Israel has allied himself with King Rezin of Aram to come against the nation of Judah in battle. We previously studied this event during our study of the kings, but not from Isaiah's viewpoint. In 2 Kings 16 we learned that Ahaz, son of Jotham, succeeded to the throne of Judah in the seventeenth year of King Pekah of Israel. We also learned that Ahaz was not a godly man: "He did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord his God. He followed the ways of the kings of Israel and even sacrificed his son in the fire, engaging in the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. He offered sacrifices and burned incense at the high places, on the hilltops and under every spreading tree." (2 Kings 16:2b-4) He followed the ways of the kings of Israel (worshiping other gods) and even sacrificed his son to that abominable Canaanite deity, Molek. Immediately after providing us this horrifying information, the author of 2 Kings says: "Then Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel marched up to fight against Jerusalem and besieged Ahaz." There is a clear connection between the terrible sins of Ahaz and the predicament in which he finds himself.
Chapter 7 of the book of Isaiah begins like this: "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." (Isaiah 7:1) Ahaz and does not yet know that these kings, who have conspired against him, will not be able to overpower the capitol city. The author is writing in the past tense about something that has already happened when he says that the enemies could not overpower Jerusalem. When King Ahaz hears about the combined army coming against him, he shakes with fear. "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." (Isaiah 7:2)
When the news of the approaching army reaches the palace, the royal residence and its occupants are referred to as "the house of David" because Ahaz is a direct descendant of David. However, he doesn't have a heart like David's. This is why he is so shaken. In contrast to the faithless Ahaz, David said, "I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken." (Psalm 16:8) And David also said, "The Lord is my light and my salvation---whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life---of whom shall I be afraid?...Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident." (Psalm 27:1,3)
The threat of Israel and Aram is an opportunity for Ahaz to forsake his idols and turn to the Lord, as we will learn later this week. The Lord is not going to allow Jerusalem to fall to these enemy kings and He sends Isaiah to reassure Ahaz. "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. 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 the son of Remaliah. Aram, Ephraim and Remaliah's son have plotted your ruin, saying, 'Let us invade Judah; let us tear it apart and divide it among ourselves, and make the son of Tabeel king over it.'" (Isaiah 7:3-6) At this time it may be that only the members of the royal household know of the threat. Isaiah's detailed knowledge of it is likely intended as a sign to King Ahaz that Isaiah's message is from the Lord. Isaiah knows things that nobody but the Lord told him.
Because Isaiah knows about the news that reached the royal household, without having been told anything by the royal household, the remainder of his message can be trusted. The king should take the words of Isaiah as the words of the Lord Himself, for that is what they are. "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.'" (Isaiah 7:7-9)
Those who are threatening Judah are mere men. They cannot stand against Almighty God who intends (at this time) to protect Jerusalem from falling. In our next study session we will study the verses above more in-depth and will take a look at the wonderful opportunity the Lord offers to Ahaz.
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