Standing on the Promises
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 7
Most Christians are familiar with Isaiah 7:14 which says, “Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Immanuel.” They know have heard it and might even be able to quote it, even if they couldn’t give you the biblical address for where it could be found. The context isn’t as familiar. Not many people could tell you the circumstances that prompted that promise. So, let’s briefly explore that territory.
Rezin, the king of Syria, and Pekah, the king of Israel had allied and were threatening Judah. They planned to overthrow Ahaz and install their own puppet king, the son of Tabeel. Ahaz and the majority of the citizens of Judah were terrified. Their hearts “shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind,” (7:2).
Isaiah is sent to Ahaz with a word from God. He told Ahaz, “Be careful, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint…” The plans of Rezin and Pekah would not succeed. Isaiah exhorts Ahaz:
If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all. (7:9 ESV)
Reading different translations of this statement helps clarify the meaning:
Unless your faith is firm, I cannot make you stand firm. (NLT)
If you will not believe, surely ye shall not be established. (KJV)
If you will not believe, you surely shall not last. (NASB)
If you will not believe, you shall not continue. (DRB)
If your faith is not enduring, you will not endure. (GNT)
Other commentators have put it in various ways that might be helpful too:
If you hold God in doubt, you will not hold out.
Live by faith or you will not live at all.
If you don’t treat me as real, you will not connect with reality at all.
What this verse points out is that faith is the central question of life. Will we trust God? He gives us promises in His word. Yes, we are to believe the promises, but believing the promise is believing the Promiser. Not believing the promise is not believing the one who made the promise. We don’t “stand on the promise” without standing on the God who made the promise.
(Part two tomorrow)
