ADVENT #4: GOD WILL BE WITH US (ISAIAH 7:10-16)

Sermon Snippet by Rev Helen Hoe

THE CONTEXT
To the people of God (southern Kingdom) who had followed in the ways of its idolatrous neighbours, they were under threat from a possible coalition between King Rezin of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel. They attacked Jerusalem to compel the Southern Kingdom to yield and be part of that alliance. This sent King Ahaz and his cabinet into panic. We learn from 2 King 16 that Ahaz was idolatrous and even sacrificed his son in fire to an idol. Yet to this unfaithful King, God gave assurance to respond with faith and trust.

THE SERMON

The Lord God spoke to them from:

1. the names of the prophet and his son: Isaiah means "The Lord Saves" and his son, Shear-Jashub means "A remnant shall return." This young boy simply accompanied his father to accomplish the mission. His name says it all. If Ahaz refuses to take the Word of the Lord to his heart, only "a remnant shall return."
2. The prophetic message: the two smoldering stubs of firewood will smoke only and do nothing more. They will retreat. God was trying to tell Ahaz, "trust me, for I will deliver you. In 65 years, these 2 kings that you dread will be dead and their land devastated."
3. A sign: God invited King Ahab to ask God for confirmation but in v12 we learnt that he was not forthcoming in his faith in the Lord. He looked pious in not wanting to test God. But the truth is that he had already decided to rely on Assyria rather than on God. He did not want to receive a confirmation from the Lord about the message he had received. In v9 the prophet gave a warning: If you do not believe, you will not last out.

God's response to Ahab was to provide the nation with a sign: the birth of a child who would be named Immanuel. He demands that Ahab respond in trust and faith. But King Ahaz chose NOT to believe.

THE OUTCOME
King Ahaz ransacked the temple in Jerusalem and sent them as his tribute to the King of Assyria to deflect the threat of war. Instead of relying on the living God, his decision to rely on other sources for help enslaved the entire nation through his reign.

THE APPLICATION
That is the same message the Lord proclaims to us today: to walk by faith.

1. Seek God: When faced with a decision and we are pressurized, we tend to look at people and the usual ways our friends and neighbours handle them rather than taking time to wait on the Lord and hear from him. Like Ahaz, our minds are made up already, there is no need for a sign from the Lord.

But it is through such interaction with God that we encounter him and experience the tremendous wonder of his answers to us.

2. Willingness to put aside the 'best' (logical, safest) option: The prophecy is the same one that was given to Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus. The first thing the angel told Joseph was this: "Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. Mary will give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."  Like Ahaz, Joseph was fearful of what will unfold in his life. His own world is about to fall apart dealing with the news of Mary's pregnancy. The most logical thing to do would be to divorce her.

But the angel's words came to Joseph like the promise of light in the darkness. He acted according to the Word of the angel, laid aside his best plan to deal with the situation and obey i.e. to face the social and religious stigma of immorality/fornication... to have caused a woman to be pregnant. Those groundless accusations will be heaped upon him.

But because Joseph chose to walk in faith, he looked past his immediate circumstances and trust that whatever God was doing int he future would be enough to deal with the mess of the present. This act of faith is in stark contrast with Ahaz, who could not look past his immediate circumstances and traded off the Lord's promise for his best approach: appeasing the enemy with treasures from the temple.

CONCLUSION
The walk by faith requires us to look past the present situation, put aside what we think is the best way forward and obey. God's faithfulness never wavers. But ours require building on little, daily decisions to trust the Lord. It is these accumulated experience of the joy of trusting God's promises that will equip us to take a risk when the immediate situation becomes tremendously challenging.

When we walk in faith and obey, we will experience the joy and assurance of God's presence with us.
God's promise is not to take away the immediate pressure but one that demands that we respond in trust and faith. When John Wesley laid on his death bed in 1791, he roused from his sleep and exclaim, "The best of all is, God is with us!"

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
If you are on the brink of making a major decision, make up your mind to trust in the Lord.

1. How are you seeking God?
2. What is the logical response that you are tempted to make?
3. What is God saying to you? What must you do that you may respond in faith and trust?