Two Kings March on Jerusalem
Two kings march on Jerusalem and Ahaz's heart shakes like trees in wind. Isaiah brings our Father's word that the plot will not stand, and offers any sign he wants. Ahaz refuses under a show of piety, so the sign comes anyway — Immanuel.
7 1In the days of Ahaz son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah, Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel marched on Jerusalem to fight it, but could not overpower it. 2When the house of David heard, "Aram has joined forces with Ephraim," the hearts of Ahaz and his people shook like forest trees before the wind.
3Then our Father told Isaiah, "Go meet Ahaz, you and your son Shear-jashub, at the end of the upper pool's channel, on the road to the Launderer's Field, a a v3 Shear-jashub means "a remnant shall return" — the boy's name was itself a message of hope carried to a frightened king. 4and tell him: Take care, stay calm, don't be afraid or lose heart over these two smoking stubs of firewood—over the fierce anger of Rezin, Aram, and Remaliah's son. 5Because Aram, along with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has plotted evil against you, saying,
6'Let us march up against Judah, terrify it, split it open for ourselves, and set the son of Tabeel as king over it,' 7this is what the Sovereign Father says: It will not stand, and it will not happen. 8For the head of Aram is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin. Within sixty-five years Ephraim will be shattered—no longer a people. 9The head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you do not stand firm in faith, you will not stand at all."
The Father Speaks to Ahaz Again
10Our Father spoke to Ahaz again, saying,
11"Ask your Father for a sign; make it deep as the grave or high as the heavens."
12But Ahaz said, "I will not ask, and I will not put our Father to the test."
13Isaiah said, "Listen, house of David! Isn't it enough that you weary people? Must you weary my Father too? 14So the Sovereign Father himself will give you a sign: Look, the virgin will conceive, bear a son, and name him Immanuel. b b v14 Matthew applies this prophecy directly to Jesus, born of the virgin Mary (Matt 1:22-23). "Immanuel" means "God with us" — our Father drawing near in his Son. 15He will eat curds and honey by the time he knows to reject evil and choose good. 16Before the boy knows to reject evil and choose good, the land whose two kings you dread will be abandoned.
17Our Father will bring on you, your people, and your father's house days unlike any since Ephraim broke from Judah—the king of Assyria.
18In that day our Father will whistle for the fly from Egypt's distant streams and for the bee in the land of Assyria, 19and they will all come and settle in the steep ravines and in the clefts of the rocks, on all the thornbushes and at all the watering holes.
20In that day the Sovereign Father will shave—with a razor hired from beyond the Euphrates, the king of Assyria—the head and leg hair, and sweep the beard away too. 21In that day a man will keep alive a young cow and two sheep, 22and because of the abundance of milk, he will eat curds; all left in the land will eat curds and honey.
23That day, every place with 1,000 vines worth 1,000 silver pieces will become thorns and thornbushes. 24People come there with arrows and bow, for all the land will be thornbushes and thorns. 25You will not go to the hills once worked with the hoe, for fear of the thornbushes and thorns; they become pasture for cattle and trampling ground for sheep."
