2022-12-22 Do You Trust Me

Isaiah 7 vv 10+ For this chapter, we should understand 8th cent BC international politics in this area. Judah & Israel had split and Assyria was threatening the region. Israel and Aram (syria) had allied to resist, but Judah was not joining the alliance. So Israel and Aram turned to attack Judah to replace Ahaz as king. In Isaiah 7:9, Isaiah tells Ahaz: If you do not stand in your faith, you will not stand. God tells Ahaz to trust him In fact, God tells Ahaz to ask for a sign (v11) (I don't know if we should consider this to be carte blanche, but it's not specified) Ahaz says, "I will not put the Lord to a test" which sounds great, but God has asked for it! Beyond this, we see that Ahaz isn't trusting God anyways - he has struck a deal with Assyria But - though Ahaz hasn't asked for a sign, Isaiah gives one anyway: The virgin wtih child Matthew 1 v22-23 claims this prophecy "Emmanuel" - a title meaning "God with us". Despite Ahaz's refusal of a sign, God was faithful.