SALVATION OF KING AHAZ AND THE MESSIANIC SALVATION In order to understand what came in this chapter, we have to get back to what was written in (2 Kings 16), that dealt with Ahaz, as the most evil among the kings of Judah, known for his hypocrisy and cowardice; passing his son through the fire, and sacrificing and burning incense to the idols on the high places, and under every green tree. At the beginning of the reign of Ahaz, Aram (Syria) made a pact with the kingdom of Israel (Ephraim) against Judah, and attacked it. Pekah the king of Israel killed 120 thousands in one day; while Rezin the king of Syria captured many. Both of them wished to take over Jerusalem, but God kept it. Despite Ahaz’s corruption, he was assured through the prophet Isaiah, who proclaimed God’s care for the salvation of His people and His city. Isaiah proceeded from this worldly salvation, to talk about eternal salvation, that is to be realized by Immanuel, the Messiah. 1. A pact between Rezin, king of Syria, and Pekah, king of Israel against Ahaz 1. 2. Ahaz got frightened 2. 3. Isaiah assures Ahaz 3-9. 4. Ahaz refrains from asking for a sign 10-13. 5. The divine sign: Immanuel 14-16. 6. Assyria, the ally, turns into an enemy 17-25. 1. A PACT BETWEEN REZIN, KING OF SYRIA, AND PEKAH, KING OF ISRAEL AGAINST AHAZ At the beginning of the reign of Ahaz, Rezin king of Aram (Syria), joined forces with Pekah son of Remaliah, king of Israel, against Judah (Is. 7: 1). The former attacked from the east of Jordan, while the later invaded it with his armies from the north. After defeating Ahaz, they ascended to Jerusalem, the capital, to surround it, but failed. The reason for that battle was a political difference between Ahaz and the two kings: Ahaz preferred to join forces with Assyria, while the two kings joined forces with Egypt. When Ahaz found himself in a tight corner, he sought the help of Tiglath- Pileser king of Assyria, who went up against Damascus and killed Rezin (2 Kings 16: 9); and did the same to Samaria (2 kings 15: 29). 2. AHAZ GOT FRIGHTENED When Ahaz knew that Aram came to Ephraim (the northern kingdom or Israel) to join forces against him, “His heart and the heart of his people moved as the trees of the woods are moved with the wind.” (Is. 7: 2) They knew that they are unable to confront both Aram and Israel. But the real reason for their fear, was their disbelief in God, who could have supported them and gave them victory. They lost their inner peace, through their isolation from God, source of conquest and peace. 3. ISAIAH ASSURES AHAZ Ahaz got terribly confused, as he failed to take into account the factor of faith, that is “God’s presence;” he did not call for repentance and return to God; he did not go to the temple to place the problem before God; he did not send for the prophet Isaiah to seek his counsel; but he sought instead, human resources, from restoring to Assyria for protection, to heeding to the end of the aqueduct (Is. 7: 3) west of Jerusalem, together with the elite of his kingdom, to make a reservoir for the water of the old pool, to benefit the city during the anticipated siege, and to deny the enemy its use (2 Chronicles 22; and Isaiah 22: 9-11); beside strengthening the walls of the city as much as possible. Despite all that, God intervened, not for Ahaz’s sake, but for that of the small holy remnant of His people, of David his servant, as well as of His beloved city. He dispatched Isaiah, to go with his son Shear-Jashub [= the remnant will return], to confirm to Ahaz: “Take heed and be quiet; do not fear or be fainthearted for these two stubs of smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin and the son of Remaliah.” (Is. 7: 4) The prophet and his son met the king at the aqueduct, to proclaim God’s decision that the salvation would not be realized through human planning and worldly possibilities, but through the exalted work of God and His care for His children. The prophet confronted the king to confirm to him that God desires to talk to humanity, wherever they might be; to meet with Levi at his tax office; with Zacchaeus on the sycamore tree; and with the Samaritan woman near the well of Jacob etc. He seeks us wherever we are, yearning to our salvation, much more so than our own yearning to Him. God told Ahaz not to fear or be faint-hearted, on the following grounds: a. The two enemies, Pekah and Rezin, are nothing but two stubs of smoking firebrands (Is. 7: 4). The children of God may encounter oppression, and enemy pacts against them; yet, that would be just a smoking firebrand to pollute the air and hurt the nose for a limited time; but without fire to burn. The enemy might be strong and mighty in appearance; yet, he gets weakened and down to size before us, if we hide in Christ the conqueror of Satan and all his hosts. St. John Chrysostom says to the fallen Theodore: [If the devil has got that ability to knock you down from your exalted virtue to such great limits of evil; so how much more would be God’s ability to restore you to your previous confidence? He would not only get you back to what you used to be, but to a far better status1.] b. Failure of the enemies’ plot: The two kings secretly carried out a hidden devilish plot; Yet, God, who is aware of all mysteries, exposed it, to the benefit of king Ahaz, despite his wickedness and idiocy. God says to him: “It shall not stand, nor shall it come to pass.” (Is. 7: 7) The enemy may succeed at the beginning, assuming that he has fulfilled his evil goals. But God “scatters the proud in the imagination of their hearts.” (Luke 1: 51) c. Aram will not be able to stretch his kingdom as he thought, but he should keep: “For the head of Syria is Damascus; and the head of Damascus is Rezin.” (Is. 7: 8) So however long he fights Rezin, he would eventually return to Damascus, and would never stretch his kingdom at the expense of Judah, as he planned. As to Ephraim, “within sixty-five years, Ephraim will be broken; so that it will not be a people.”(Is. 7: 8) Some people see that it is in the period of 5, and 6 years that is years; as the captivity of Israel had been realized after 11 years of Isaiah’s prophecy (2 kings 17: 3, 6). Yet other scholars believe that the prophet here, is referring to the للمؤلف: ستغود بقوة أعظم، للقدیس یوحنا ذهبي الفم ص 1 .5 destruction of Israel on the hands of Esarhaddon, who brought people over from Babylon Cuthah, Ava, Hammath, and from Sepharvaim, to the cities of Samaria, to replace the children of Israel, in order to destroy the kingdom of Israel completely (2 kings 17: 24). The prophet ended his talk by saying, “If you will not believe, surely you shall not be established.” (Is. 7: 9) In another version, “If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.” If they do not believe in the divine promise, and have complete trust in the arm of God, they will not be capable of sustaining those difficult times. Faith is the “breastplate” (1 Thessalonians 5: 8) that protects us against the strikes of the enemy. In the Septuagint version this phrase came as: “If you do not believe, you will not understand;” to be commented on profusely by St. Augustine. Of his sayings: [You will not be granted prudence, unless faith shines in your heart2.] [Faith is to be sought, but prudence exists, as the prophet says, “If you do not believe, you will not understand3.] [According to teachings of the Church, it is fitting for the mind, first to adopt simple faith, to be able to understand the eternal heavenly issues4.] [You (the heretics), have not been taught in the kingdom of heaven - that is to say, the true Church of Christ - or else you would have quenched your thirst from the fountain of the Holy Scripture, Old and New. God, Himself says, “Every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven, is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.” (Matthew 13: 52)5] St. Augustine6 believes that, with faith, man would be accompanied by Lord Christ to talk with him all along the way, as He did with the two disciples of Emmaus who begged Him to abide with them; and when He did, “their eyes were opened, and they knew Him.” (Luke 24: 31) St. Clement of Alexandria comments on that same phrase, saying, [That means that if you do not believe in what have been prophesied by the Law, and receive the teachings of the Law, you would not understand the Old Testament, interpreted by the Lord Christ, through His coming7.] 4. AHAZ ABSTAINS FROM ASKING FOR A SIGN God granted Ahaz all possibilities of salvation; yet, his heart was utterly hardened, and he put his trust in Assyria, and not in God. Despite that, God, with His love and compassion, kept addressing him through the prophet Isaiah, saying, “Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God. Ask it either in the depth or in the height above.” (Is. 7: 11) As though He is saying to him: why should you seek the help of Assyria, a foreigner? I am your God, ready to confirm my covenants to you, through a sign from earth or from heaven; I am the God of heaven and earth. Ask for whatever you want, and it will be given you. Ask for an earthquake or a break in the earth, as what happened with Korah and his company; or ask for lightenings, thunders, rains, or a sign in the sun, as what happened with Joshua when the sun stood still. Although I do not like giving signs for show, yet, for the sake of my love for the house of David; and in order that you would believe in Me, I am ready to grant you your heart desires. 2 On the Trinity, 7:6:12. 3 Ibid 15:2. 4 Reply to Faustus and Manichacan, 12:46. 5 Ibid 4:2. 6 Sermons on the N.T. Lessons, 39:4. 7 Stromata 4:21. However, Ahaz disregarded God, and sought the help of Assyria; that is why he abstained from asking for a divine sign, giving as an excuse a quotation of the biblical text, saying, “I will not test the Lord” (Is. 7: 12; Deuteronomy 6: 16). He did not say that out of trust in God, but because he did not want to deal with Him. This chapter is read in the first hour of Good Friday, and on the second week of Great Lent, when readings concentrate on the temptation of the Lord Christ. As though the Spirit of the Lord is confirming that, in all ages, there are evildoers, who try to cover their evil by texts from the Scripture. Even Satan himself, during his conversation with the Lord Christ, as he tempted Him on the mount, used this trend. How dangerous is the abuse of the word of God! Ahaz was deceiving in his answer even to the Lord; that is why the prophet rebuked him saying, “Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary My God also?” (Is. 7: 13) People were wearied by the oppressions of Ahaz and his household, who are now wearing God, by their disbelief, and their leaning on Assyria instead of God. 5. THE DIVINE SIGN: IMMANUEL Ahaz abstained from asking for a sign from God, to assure him that He is going to save him from Aram and Israel. And here is God, offering Himself as a sign, not to Ahaz, but to humanity as a whole, in assurance that He is saving it, not from human arm, but from the evil forces of darkness, to raise it above worldly events, and to carry it with Him to the Fatherly bosoms. And at the same time, to assure Ahaz, that the house of David will not utterly fall. But the Son of David “the Amazing Sign,” Who is capable of raising the fallen tent of David, is coming. The sign, that God desires to offer to every believer, is that He is giving Himself “Immanuel.” We are not “asking in the depth or in the height above;” but, like Ahaz, we are abstaining from asking, although He is offering Himself to us, descending to lift us up to Him, to be our good share, not to be taken away from us. That is why St. Irenaeus says, [What Isaiah said, “Ask in the depth, or in the height above,” is a reference to Him, who “descended, and ascended...” (Ephesians 4: 10)8.] Let us ask for that amazing sign, “Immanuel” who descends to lift us up to His heavens. It is a unique sign and as said by St. John Chrysostom: [As what was going to happen, was an amazing thing, difficult to believe, even when it is realized, that is why, He sent, beforehand, prophets to proclaim that fact9.] St. Justin says, [Things that appeared unreasonable and impossible to humans God proclaimed through the spirit of prophecy10.] a. “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” (Is. 7: 14) And as St. Justin says, in his dialogue with Trypho: [It is obvious for all, that no one of Abraham’s race has been born, or said to be born, by a virgin, except our Christ.] The virginity of St. Mary is a biblical fact, included in our faith in Christ Jesus - her Son. The Word of God, in His incarnation, did not care for His place of birth, the clothes to be wrapped in, nor the food to be fed; but was particulate in designating the “virgin” who is going to become His mother11. 8 Adv. Haer. 3:21:6. 9 Against Marcionists and Manichaeans 3. 10 Apology 1:33. 11 J.B. Carol: Mariology, 1955, vol. 1, p. 51. Cf. Fr. T. Malaty: St. Mary in the Orthodox Concept, ch. 1. The Hebrew word for a virgin is “alma,” that refers to a young virgin, who could be betrothed; while “isa,” could be a married woman. The word “alma” conforms perfectly with the status of St. Mary as a virgin, who is, at the same time, betrothed to St. Joseph, who has been to her, a protector, as well as an honest witness of her virginity. Through his presence, all doubts concerning her are taken away. The prophet Ezekiel said concerning the virginity of St. Mary: “The Lord said to me: ‘this gate (of the sanctuary which faces toward the east) shall be shut; It shall not be opened, and no man shall enter by it, because the Lord God of Israel has entered by it; therefore it shall be shut.” (Ezekiel 44: 1.2) The virginity of St. Mary is an evidence of our faith in the Lord Christ that He was not begotten through human seed. He is not from this world, but He is the incarnate Son of God, who came to us from up high. She conceived “Immanuel;” whose name means “God is with us.” He descended to us in the virgin womb, to carry our nature, to become one with us, and to dwell in our midst, sanctifying all what we have. Those who proclaimed that He is Immanuel, born from a virgin (Is. 7: 14), also proclaimed the union of God with the product of His hands. As the Logos became flesh; and the Son of God became a Son of Man; He gave, to humanity, through the purity of the womb, a renewal in God12. St. Irenaeus The Lord Christ opened the source of the holy Church, that silent source, the blameless, full of fruits, where the people of God are born13. St. Ambrose Your divine birth, O Lord, has given all humanity a birth... Humanity begot You according to the flesh, and You begot it according to the Spirit... Glory to You, who became a child, to make every thing new14. St. Ephram, the Syrian We confirm that the “Only-Begotten Son” became man... so that as He is begotten from a woman, according to the flesh, He would reclaim the human race anew in Him15. St. Cyril the Great b. “Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.” (Is. 7: 14) Here the prophet confirms the humanity of the Lord Christ. Although He is not of man’s seed, yet He became truly a Son of Man, likening us in every aspect except in sin alone. Curds and honey are the food of little babes; He would not get to manhood all of a sudden, but would pass through adolescent stage, through which He would know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, a sign of maturity of His soul and mind. We beheld Him at the age of twelve sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions; and all who heard him were astonished at His understanding and answers (Luke 2: 46, 47). That was realized concerning the Lord Christ, the only one begotten from a virgin. But as to what happened in the days of Ahaz, God proclaimed the birth of a 12 Adv. Haer .4:33:12. 13 Comm. on Luke, 2:57. 14 Hymn 3 on Nativity. 15 PG. 76:15-18. son to Isaiah, of who is said: “Before the child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that you dread will be forsaken by both her kings.” (Is. 7: 16) That had been accurately realized, as the king of Assyria invaded Damascus, a short time after the proclamation of this prophecy, and killed Rezin its king (2 Kings 16: 9); Likewise, Hoshea the son of Elah killed Pekah the son of Remaliah, and reigned in his place (2 Kings 15: 30); and 200,000 captives were promptly returned home [Shear-Jashub = the remnant will return], not through human ability, but by the Spirit of God (2 Chronicles 28: 8 - 15). 6. ASSYRIA, THE ALLY, TURNS INTO AN ENEMY: As Ahaz leaned on Assyria as his ally, without the counsel of the Lord, God allowed it, that Assyria turned into an enemy against Judah. Judah passed through bitterness, it did not experience since the kingdom was divided into two kingdoms (Israel and Judah) (Is. 7: 17). At the same time Judah faced difficult times on the hands of Egypt. The two countries, Egypt and Assyria did not actually make a pact against Judah; yet the two of them fought one another, to turn Judah into a scapegoat; on whose land battles took place. “It shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord will whistle for the fly that is in the farthest part of the rivers of Egypt; and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria. They will come, and all of them will rest in the desolate valleys, and in the clefts of the rocks, and on all thorns, and in all pastures (that is to say the armies will be all over Judah).” (Is. 7: 18, 19) God described the extent of devastation done by Assyria, likening it to shaving with a hired razor, the hair of the head, the legs and the beard (Is. 7: 20). As though the enemy, would use a razor to wipe away all what belongs to the king, to his household, and to the statesmen (the head), to the common people (the legs), and to the priests (the beard). Shaving the beard was a sign of humiliation; the captives were so committed against their own will. Moreover, another portrait was introduced, of the devastation of Judah, which has been known for its rich wealth of sheep, everyone used to own numerous heads. Yet, after these circumstances, “It shall be in that day, that a man will keep alive, a young cow and two sheep.” (Is. 7: 21) Moreover, It shall happen in that day, that vines will turn into briers and thorns (Is. 7: 22), because of lack of working hands as a result of war.
Welcome