Hold Fast to God for Grace and Peace
Posted by Pastor Pat on December 11, 2008
“If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established.” Is. 7:9
The year was 720 BC. The messenger was the prophet to the kings, himself of royal descent. The recipient of the message was the wicked king of the Southern Tribe Ahaz. The nation stood on the brink of civil war with the 10 Northern tribes seeking to ravage their Southern “brothers.” “The hearts of the people shook as the trees of the forest shake with the wind (7:2).” Isaiah’s message was simple, “Take care and be calm, have no fear and do not be fainthearted because of these two stubs of smoldering firebrands (7:4).” And yet he added a very sobering reminder, “If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established.” Isaiah’s words remind us of our two options for living life. We will either believe “the facts of God” or work off of “the feelings of man.”
The circumstances facing Ahaz were real and threatening.
He could “see the white of their eyes.” He could “feel the weight of their words.” He could “taste the darkness” that was beginning to swallow up the nation. And yet Isaiah called him to believe God. God would destroy the Northern tribes. None of the evil planned against Judah would stand or come to pass (7:7).
