Isaiah 7:1-9:7

What’s Happening?

Northern Israel has allied with Syria and is plotting to overthrow Southern Judah (Isaiah 7:1-2). Recently, these coalition armies slaughtered some 120,000 Judean soldiers, and captured over 200,000 women and children, leaving Judah’s King, Ahaz, barely holding onto the capital (2 Chronicles 28:1-8). Desperate, Ahaz begins a correspondence with Assyria, hoping he can rescue Judah from Israel and Syria. But the prophet Isaiah confronts Ahaz for this course of action. Isaiah even brings his son, prophetically named A Remnant Will Return, as a sign that God will protect a remnant in Judah from Syria and Israel. Instead of allying with Assyria, Ahaz should trust God (Isaiah 7:3-4, 7-9). Isaiah even tells Ahaz to ask God for a sign to prove that God will defeat his enemies (Isaiah 7:10-11). However, Ahaz has already decided to ally with Assyria. Ingenuenly, Ahaz says he wouldn’t dream of testing God this way. But Isaiah sees through his false piety and gives him a sign anyway (Isaiah 7:12-13). Isaiah says a young woman will have a son named God with Us (or Immanuel). God promises that Ahaz's enemies will be destroyed before that boy becomes a man (Isaiah 7:14-16). But if Judah continues to ally with Assyria, Assyria will betray Ahaz, invade Judah, and leave it desolate (Isaiah 7:17-25). Shortly after God gives Ahaz the sign of a son named Immanuel, Isaiah and his wife have a son whom they name “Swiftly Plundered” (Isaiah 8:1-3). As with Immanuel, God promises that before Isaiah’s son becomes a man, Ahaz’ enemies will be destroyed. God also warns that if Judah refuses to trust God for their protection and runs to Assyria instead, Assyria will betray Judah and plunder their land (Isaiah 8:5-8). 

However, Isaiah also calls the plundered land of Judah “Immanuel’s Land” and prophecies that every foreign army that plunders Judah will ultimately be destroyed because God is with his people (Isaiah 8:9-10). Reflecting on all this, Isaiah begs Judah to trust the God who controls their history. Judah should trust the God who knows their future instead of basing their decisions on fear and running to Assyria (Isaiah 8:12-15). Personally, Isaiah’s sons Swiftly Plundered and A Remnant Will Return give him hope that while Judah might be devastated, God would be with them (Isaiah 8:16-18). While Judah’s situation seems dark, Isaiah promises light will soon dawn on God’s people, the heavy burden of oppression will be broken, and every bloodstained combat boot will be burned and forgotten (Isaiah 9:1-5). Judah’s oppression and darkness will end not in a great battle or a show of strength but in weakness and the birth of a child (Isaiah 9:6). He will take his seat on Judah’s throne, and all will recognize that this child is more than a king, but God himself establishing his eternal Kingdom on earth (Isaiah 9:7). While Judah’s situation is dark, Isaiah knows it will end in the birth of a child, and the glorious reign of God.

Where is the Gospel?

Eventually, the child Isaiah prophesied was born. He was not conceived naturally by a young woman but miraculously to a virgin named Mary. Like Isaiah, God also gave this child a prophetic name, and Mary calls him “God Saves” or Jesus. However, Jesus was more than another symbolically named child; Jesus was God himself, Immanuel in the flesh. He was the child Isaiah’s children pointed to, and the light he knew would dawn (John 1:5). His birth announced that God had come to break his people’s heavy burdens, end their oppression, and bring peace to God’s people (Luke 4:16-21).

Our world is just as troubled as Judah’s. Like Ahaz, we can be tempted to replace trust in God with shrewd political and ideological alliances. It’s easy to believe that to survive, we must fight fire with fire and match power with power. Yet God has promised that a weak child will lead God’s people to victory. Even when Jesus was an adult, his greatest victory was accomplished through weakness (2 Corinthians 13:4). Jesus allowed himself to die but plundered the grave and swiftly rose from it three days later. Jesus now sits on a throne. All governments now report to him, and people worldwide call Jesus King, Mighty God, and Prince of Peace. We don’t need to fear the powers allied against us, because God is with us. He will protect his remnant, and he has swiftly plundered our enemies. 

See for Yourself

I pray that the Holy Spirit will open your eyes to see the God who has given us a child. And may you see Jesus as the one who has been born to end our darkness and bring us peace.