Isaiah 7 - Printer Friendly

What does Isaiah 7 mean?

Chapter Commentary:

Isaiah 7 moves from Isaiah's poetry about God's coming judgment to focus on Israel's history. It takes place during the reign of King Ahaz over Judah. Ahaz was the son of Jotham, who was son of King Uzziah (Isaiah 7:1).

Specifically, Isaiah 7 is set during the time when the kings of Israel and Syria join forces to try to remove Ahaz from the throne of Judah. Israel was the name for the nation comprised of the northern ten tribes of Israel. Judah was the name for the nation with the other two tribes, Judah and Benjamin. Pekah was king of Israel at this time, and Rezin was king of Syria, also known as Aram (Isaiah 7:1).

Ahaz and the citizens of Jerusalem are terrified when they learn that Syria and Ephraim, another name for Israel, were coming to destroy Judah together. These two kings knew Assyria was coming to attack them from the east and that Ahaz was loyal to the king of Assyria. They hoped to defeat Ahaz before Assyria attacked so they didn't have to fight both nations at once (Isaiah 7:2).

In this moment, when Ahaz and Jerusalem are weak with fear, the Lord tells Isaiah to go find King Ahaz at a specific place near the aqueduct that brings water into the city. Ahaz may have been attempting to secure Jerusalem's water source ahead of a possible siege (Isaiah 7:3).

Speaking from the Lord, Isaiah tells Ahaz to be careful, to calm down, and to stop being afraid. He tells the king to not lose courage because of the kings coming to attack and attempt to put another man on the throne. Why? Isaiah puts the prophecy to poetry saying that the thing Ahaz is worried about will not happen. In fact, Israel will cease to be a nation within 65 years (Isaiah 7:4–8).

In short, the Lord tells Ahaz to stop being afraid and to be firm in his faith. The Lord even tells Ahaz to ask Him for a miraculous sign as evidence that what He has said is true. Ahaz refuses, though, saying he will not test the Lord (Isaiah 7:9–12).

Ahaz's response sounds good at first. But Isaiah knows it is because the king does not trust the Lord. Isaiah asks why Ahaz must weary God. Then Isaiah gives Ahaz a sign, anyway. The prophet tells Ahaz that a virgin will conceive and bear a son, whom she will call Immanuel. In the modern context, we know this prophecy is about Jesus, because Matthew confirms it (Matthew 1:20–22). However, many scholars say this is a prophecy with a double fulfillment, one that happened in Isaiah's time, as well at the arrival of Jesus on earth (Isaiah 7:13–14).

Isaiah uses the birth of this child to communicate to Ahaz how quickly the Lord will bring about the destruction of Judah's enemies. Before this boy knows how to discern good from evil, the lands of Israel and Syria will be deserted. In other words, in the time it takes for a young woman to go from being unmarried to having a three-year-old, or perhaps a thirteen-year-old, the king of Assyria will have wiped out the two kings Ahaz is worried about. That's the good news. The bad news is that the Assyrians will also bring great destruction on Judah (Isaiah 7:15–17).

When that day comes, the prophet tells Ahaz, the Lord will summon Egypt and Assyria to rain down destruction on Judah. Those enemy armies will cover the land like migrating swarms of insects covering everything in their path (Isaiah 7:18–19).

Also when these days come to pass, the Lord will use the king of Assyria like a razor to shave Judah hairless, to further the complete humiliation of the people of Judah (Isaiah 7:20). The few who are left alive in Judah will have so much milk from so few animals that they will have to use some of it to make curds just to keep it from going bad (Isaiah 7:20–22).

Finally, when that day comes, Judah's grape industry will grind to a halt due to lack of workers to tend the vineyards. The vines will become overgrown with briers and thorns. Those left behind will turn to hunting and herding instead of growing (Isaiah 7:23–25).

Isaiah 7:1–9 describes the terror of Judah's King Ahaz and his people at the news that Israel and Syria have teamed up to defeat him. The Lord tells Isaiah to take his son and find Ahaz in a specific place. Isaiah reveals to Ahaz that what he fears will not happen. Syria and Israel will not conquer Jerusalem and divide up Judah and put someone else on Ahaz's throne. Instead, Israel will cease to be a people within 65 years. Ahaz must be firm in his faith in the Lord if he wishes to have any foundation.

Isaiah 7:10–25 describes the Lord's response, through Isaiah, to King Ahaz's refusal to obey the Lord. He was told to ask for a sign to confirm the prophecy that Israel and Syria would fail to conquer Judah. Isaiah prophecies that a virgin will conceive and name her child Immanuel. Before the child is old enough to reject evil, Israel and Syria will be wiped out. Then the Lord will use the king of Assyria to harshly judge Judah, humiliate His own people, and empty the land of Judah's citizens.

Chapter Summary:

Isaiah 7 begins with the threat of invasion from two of Judah's enemies: Israel and Syria. Judah's King Ahaz and his people are terrified. Speaking for the Lord, Isaiah tells Ahaz to not be afraid because it will not happen. Israel and Syria will soon be gone. Ahaz, though, refuses the Lord's command to ask for a sign. In response, Isaiah tells Ahaz that after Syria and Israel are destroyed, the Lord will use the king of Assyria to bring judgment on Judah through invading armies, emptying the land until little remains.

Chapter Context:

Isaiah 7 follows the description of Isaiah's commission as a prophet in Isaiah 6. Now the Lord tells him to go and speak to Judah's king Ahaz, who is terrified about an impending invasion from Syria and Israel. Isaiah promises this invasion will not happen. Instead, both nations will soon be destroyed. Ahaz refuses the Lord's command to ask for a sign to confirm His words. Isaiah tells Ahaz that after Israel and Syria are wiped out, the Lord will use the king of Assyria to bring harsh judgment against Judah in the form of relentless invading armies.

Isaiah is among the most important prophetic books in the entire Bible. The first segment details God's impending judgment against ancient peoples for sin and idolatry (Isaiah 1—35). The second part of Isaiah briefly explains a failed assault on Jerusalem during the rule of Hezekiah (Isaiah 36—39). The final chapters predict Israel's rescue from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 40—48), the promised Messiah (Isaiah 49—57), and the final glory of Jerusalem and God's people (Isaiah 58—66).

Accessed 4/28/2024 1:46:40 PM