Isaiah 7-11

Chapter 7 begins with Isaiah receiving instruction from the LORD to inform king Ahaz, of the confederacy between Northern Israel (Ephraim) and Syria (Rezin).  Their intention is to raid Jerusalem and install a king after their own design.  The LORD has said to Ahaz through Isaiah to trust in Him, and not fret over Ephraim and Rezin’s plans. They will not come to pass. (7:4,7)  In saying this, God offers Ahaz a sign in order to turn his unbelieving heart to faith.   Here, God has made it very easy for Ahaz to repent towards God and believe soley in God’s promises.  Instead Ahaz replies with a seemingly pious but sarcastic response that shows his unbelief (7:12).  Unbelief in God’s promises is the same as rejecting God.  Though Ahaz refuses a sign from God, God gives him one anyway, a boy that will be born named, Immanuel (7:14):

1. He would born of a virgin 7:14

2. He would be raised in a time of calamity (curds and honey 7:15)

3. During his youth the Ephraim-Rezin Confederacy will be broken 7:16)

First and foremost this prophecy speaks of Jesus Christ.  Matthew quoted this portion of Scripture as the ultimate fulfillment of this prophecy.  However there is room to say that Matthew’s use of this Scripture isn’t the only exclusive one.  I believe it is fair to say Maher-shalal-hash-baz is given as a type of “Immanuel” as he is immediately discussed in chapter 8. The Old Testament as we know is not lacking in messianic typology.  Maher-shalal-hash-bas was not named, Immanuel, and his mother was not a virgin.  Other commentators say Isaiah’s wife in 8:3 was not a virgin at the time of the prophesy though I could not find any biblical evidence for that.  The partial fulfillment Maher-shalal-hash-baz could have lies in eating of curds and honey(7:15) as well as the broken alliance between Israel and Syria (7:16), but the rest as we shall see is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

The LORD will bring Assyria to Judah, and they will by God’s instrument against Judah’s rebellion.  During the oppression livestock offspring will be few and milk will be in abundance, thus the child will eat butter (7:15,22)  Also farmers fields will not be plowed and left to nature to produce abundance of wild flowers and honey, hence the child will eat honey (7:15,22).

Chapter speaks of Isaiah’s son, Maher-shalal-hash-baz, and given the context of the prophecy given in chapter 7, it is only natural to assume this child will have some part in the prophecies fulfillment.  Before “Immanuel” of chapter 7 is able to tell right from wrong Samaria and Syria will have been dealt with, and likewise Isaiah’s child before the time he can say “my father” or “my mother” Assyria will have already broken up the alliance.  This gives concession to my thoughts towards a partial prophecy fulfillment scenario for Maher-shalal-hash-baz.

Now the LORD has promised to be with Judah, and desire them to not seek after a confederacy like the unbelieving norther tribes have done.  God wants them to solely trust in Him.

“Sanctify the LORD of host himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And he shall be for a sanctuary…” -Isaiah 8:13-14a

The LORD and Isaiah reminds us the only One we truly should fear and exalt is the LORD. With his promises firmly under our feet, who is left to fear?  But in times of fear of other nations and other gods, the Israelites have made bad habits to join confederacies and seek out fortune tellers to commune with the dead about their futures(8:19)  God tells them what they need to know about their future is in the Law and Testimony (8:20)  We need not to make the same mistake Eve made thinking God is with holding something good.  God has made provision a plenty through His word.

Because their reluctance to seek God and continue reject of His word, they will fall into darkness.

Here more prophecy of the Messiah and Jesus Christ appears.  The darkness is temporary for “the people that walked in darkness have seen a great light:” (9:2) Jesus fulfilled this prophecy in certainty in Matthew 4:15-16.  In this spiritual darkness comes a child (v6) the Messiah:

Now judgment will follow very quickly for Northern Israel (9:9).  And after the first judgement is finished the people will remain unrepentant and assume to rebuild after the first destruction (9:10).  But the Israel’s enemies will continue to devour all that is left until there is nothing, from “head to to tail” (9:14)  The LORD exclaims the whole of Israel is sick from it’s leaders (head, 9:16) down to the fatherless and widows (tail, 9:17).  After a final rebuke of Israel’s leaders for decreeing harsh and painstaking laws on the poor, the LORD turns His attention to the Assyrians.  Even though they are His tool in Israel’s punishment (10:5), they too are found unacceptable before the LORD for their prideful heart (10:12).

In spite the judgments on Israel a remnant will return (10:20) and the Lord encourages them not to fear the Assyrians who at first destroyed them (10:24).    The LORD likens Assyria to a mighty forest who the LORD will cut through (10:34), but out the thickets will grow a  “Branch” from the roots (11:1).  His kingdom will be characterized with righteousness (11:4) and peace (11:6) such to the point violent animals will rest, lions with lambs, and children with adders.