A big decision! Would King Ahaz go it
alone with his decision-making, or would he seek out Yahweh – the God of the
Hebrew people – the One who had brought them out of slavery in Egypt and gave
them land on which to live and thrive. Yahweh had always been faithful to them,
but so often the people just plainly forgot and went their own way. And so it
was that the true and great prophet Isaiah pointed out to King Ahaz that the
Lord should be consulted about the crucial decision he faced (Isaiah 7:10-11).
If Ahaz asked, Yahweh would
undoubtedly give a sign and thus bring guidance. The king would just have to
make the request and be open for God’s response. But Ahaz said (v.12), “I will
not ask”, and interestingly went on to add, “I will not put the Lord to the
test”. This might sound reverent, but what does it really suggest about Ahaz’s
attitude? This latter phrase seems to suggest that either: (i) despite so much
evidence to the contrary, Ahaz did not believe that God could help, that any
test would actually prove a failure, the problem (Ahaz thought) was too large;
or (ii) Ahaz had already made up his mind, he already had his preference, and
didn’t want any reason to have to change anything at all.
Isaiah then communicates the complete
frustration of God in verse 13 – Ahaz’s intransigence, his unwillingness to consult
or to change, has actually “wearied” God!! Yet this behaviour will never defeat
God, nor deter God’s desire (even desperation) to connect with God’s own
people, especially those under the worst of threats. Where people are stuck,
even seemingly unmovable, God will still do something … God will continue to
mercifully act in people’s best interests. The Lord will still, despite the
king’s refusal, offer a general “sign” for any and all who are prepared to see
it and receive it (v.14) – “Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear
a son, and shall name him Immanuel”.
“Immanuel” means ‘God is with us’. No
matter how bad things get, there will be enough evidence that ‘God will be with
his people’. There is no need to panic, no need to fear, no need to make rash
decisions, because “God is with us”! You can’t trust the Assyrians, you can’t
trust entirely your own judgment, you can only fully trust God. We have to be
so careful who and what we trust in. One commentator writes: “Whatever we
rely on instead of trusting in God will eventually turn and devour us”
(Barry Webb, BST, p.64). And the Assyrians did have their way with both
Judah and Israel, resulting in the loss of land and exile.
Now this prophecy from Isaiah, in its
own time, may have originally referred to thoughts of King Ahaz’s wife bearing
a son who would assume the throne (in the line of King David) and rule with much
more wisdom than his father Ahaz. Or perhaps it would a later ‘king’ who would
achieve a ‘reversal of fortune’. Where one regime fails, the next may well be
better (as long as they first seek God). Such optimism and confidence continued
in the opening words of chapter nine.
God’s ancient people often lived in
“gloom” under the fear of exile and the threat of military defeat. Places that
they called their own were often overrun by stronger invading forces. Then
there were those who were continually oppressed by their poverty, or through
being widows or orphans without help (and seemingly without hope). Then there
are those who have made a mess of their lives through all sorts of bad
behaviour and neglectful decision-making. Into such experience of anguish and
“darkness”, God will still bring “light” – note the bold statement in verse 1 –
“there will be no gloom …”! God has a ‘passionate commitment’ to this –
“the zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this” (verse 7 concludes). Why?? Well
Psalm 24:1 expresses it well – “The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it,
the world, and those who live in it”.
God will not allow people to
endlessly dwell in despair and “darkness”, but rather provide a path to the
“light”. Where everything has appeared to be hopeless, there will be new
fertility, growth, blessing, joyfulness and positivity (v.3). The heavy burden
that has held people captive to negativity will be removed (v.4), and the
vindictive “rod” of punishment has been disarmed. There will be an end to all
war and violence (v.5). What a great vision – surely it is achievable! But how?
And when?? It is when, and only when, the servant of God is readily received!!!
As mentioned earlier, Isaiah probably
first thought that the new king Hezekiah (Ahaz’s son) would be the one to push
this agenda. Yet, as history unfolded over the next eight centuries, no earthly
leader was able to live anywhere near up to this prophecy. Isaiah’s prophetic
poetry actually well and truly transcends his own time. It was left to God to
come and personally fulfil this bold vision in the physical form of the person
Jesus. And it was to be in that formally decimated area referred to in verse 1
where the redemptive activity of Jesus would be centred – “Galilee of the
nations”.
Jesus actually displays all the
creativity and compassion of God – if we want to know what God is like, we
study Jesus (e.g. Jesus resembles a “Mighty God” by providing salvation, and an
“Everlasting Father” by promoting personal relationships). We can now see how
Jesus is indeed the ‘wonder of all counsellors’ and the ‘royal divine advocate
of peace’. Yet, for this vision to be realised, the servant of God, Jesus, will
still need to be welcomed!
Two of these descriptions do seem most
significant in our day and age … “Wonderful Counsellor” and “Prince of Peace”. Two
of the big ticket problems in this world are: (i) the darkness of the soul –
human spirits that are so confused and angry they can hardly function; and (ii)
the prevalence of injustice and violence – people having to live under economic
and political oppression. As God’s response to ‘the darkness of the soul’,
Jesus comes as “Wonderful Counsellor”; and as God’s response to injustice and
violence, Jesus comes as the “Prince of Peace”.
A “counsellor” sits with another and
listens carefully to their needs, providing sensitive support and gentle wisdom
to help them move forward. The ‘wonder of all counsellors’ would also share the
burdens of others and calm all their fears. The advocate of “peace” breaks the
cycle of bitterness and revenge with forgiveness and reconciliation. The
ultimate “Prince of Peace” will usher in true peace with God, as well as the
possibility of having peace within oneself. Then follows peace within
relationships and the possibility of harmony between nations.
It will be as these two facets of
Jesus’ identity (wise counselling and peace-making) strongly influence the life
and behaviour of his followers, that this great vision will come to be
realised!! We could
say that our lives are designed to be a perpetual struggle for hope and justice
on behalf of others (Howard Peskett, Life-guide, p.91). Sometimes, in the face
of the person who continually refuses our overtures of peace, or in the face of
the world’s constant turmoil, we may want to give up on the bold vision of
peace, but this is not an option! Rather we need to continually stand up
for the vulnerable and oppressed, and actively seek to right society’s wrongs.
We should note that Jesus did not
express his ‘kingship’ from on high, but rather as a ‘suffering servant’
dwelling amongst the people … in the press of the crowds, in a fishing boat, in
a leper colony, dining with those normally rejected. Jesus was living out the
concept of “Immanuel” – ‘God is with us’. This is our call, this is our
prayer, that people will know that ‘God is with them’. For the earth is the
Lord’s and all those who live in it! So we need to emulate Jesus. And we need
to be confident in the name of Jesus (i.e. the character of Jesus), so that
others will catch on to the fact that ‘God is with us’!
So it is … that the world that was in
need of a Saviour in the time of Isaiah, and the world that was in need of a
Saviour when Jesus came, is the same world that is in need of a Saviour now.
For ours is a hurting society, full of relational dislocation, injustice,
ethical confusion and spiritual poverty. Yet the bold vision of the prophet was
for there to be “no gloom” any longer where there was previously anguish. Rather
there would be the onset of a “great light” bringing with it joy and blessing
(9:1-3).
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