Faith In
and faith that
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 7
Yesterday we began looking at the context of the promise of Isaiah 7:14. You can go back and read that if you missed it. Today is a continuation of that devotional. In Isaiah’s challenge to Ahaz, he tells him to ask God for a sign that everything will be okay, that Rezin and Pekah won’t be able to conquer Judah and overthrow his kingdom. The Lord tells Ahaz he can ask for anything. Ahaz refuses on the grounds that it would be putting God to the test. That seems like logic that is consistent with biblical teaching. During the Wilderness Temptations Jesus refused to test God. So, what’s the problem here?
Most scholars agree that Ahaz wasn’t being spiritually wise here. He didn’t want to ask for a sign because that would mean he would have to begin acting in faith when God gave the sign he asked for. It is clear that his refusal was an affront to God because Isaiah says Ahaz is wearying God. But it wasn’t Ahaz alone. It was the whole house of David. Therefore, God himself chose the sign and that is where the Messianic promise of the virgin birth is introduced.
The sign of Immanuel is given in 7:14. The virgin “shall call his name Immanuel.” Of course, we know that when Christ came into the world he was named “Jesus” not “Immanuel.” What’s up with that? Immanuel translated means, “God with us.” When we talk about the names of God, we know that the Old Testament gives us a plethora of names, each revealing something about the nature and works of God. “Jesus” was given because He would save His people from their sins. He would be known by His people as “Immanuel” because he is God with us.
This relates to Ahaz in that the promise/sign was one that Ahaz was to trust in. He was to trust that the Lord is Immanuel – God with us. He was to believe in Immanuel, but also to believe that the Lord is Immanuel. This faith in/that would be the key to doing what he was told to do in 7:4…
Be careful, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint…
Circumstances have changed. History has moved on. We live in a different time and culture and place in history. What hasn’t changed is the necessity for faith. And not just faith in a general sense. To have peace and hope in this world we need to have faith in/that. Faith in Immanuel. Faith that He is Immanuel – God with us.
For, “if you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all.” (7:9)
