They Overcame (2)

Hey there,

I would faithfully like to exposit the first prophecy given to Isaiah in the book of Isaiah. This comes directly after His calling in Chapter 6. Two generations later, the Grandson of Uzziah is on the Throne of Judah in Jerusalem.

I have been wrestling with the assumption that the whole point of the Prophets is to "Repent", "Turn and Repent" or "Remember, Repent and Do" It just does not work with some prophecies given. I think of Hosea 1&2 which is a direct contradiction of this rule. In fact, all Hosea is called to proclaim is "You are not my people" and "I will not have mercy on you" - Sit under that teaching and die! Then what does he goto? The complete opposite. Hosea, how are we supposed to respond? Are you telling us that God is angry with us? That God also loves us? How do we respond? In fact, he's not asking them to respond in any way.

It is because there is a hidden meaning behind what is being said, that is clearly seen in the prophecy given to Isaiah for the King Ahaz. If you have a chance, read Chapter 7 of the book. I will be starting at Verse 10 and finishing at Verse 17

Moreover the LORD spoke again to Ahaz, saying, "Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above." But Ahaz said, "I will not ask, nor will I test the LORD!" Then he said, "Hear now, O house of David! [Is it] a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the Child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that you dread will be forsaken by both her kings. The LORD will bring the king of Assyria upon you and your people and your father's house--days that have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah."

I did not know what to do with this. God Himself is saying "regardless of the faithlessness of my people, I will provide a sign" So why did God give Ahaz a chance to ask for a sign? It was because He saw that Ahaz was struggling to believe, but He wanted Him to know in earnest, that "God is with us!"

But then, what is happening afterwards is this, because Ahaz responded in unbelief, He is now basing all that He will do - the Assyrian Invasion, on the state of His heart, had he believed in Him, he would have established Him. (Isaiah 7:9)

What a monumental expectation! He is wanting us to trust Him. In other words, it is with the heart that one believes. God bring on all that you are planning to do in our generation!