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Section Introduction

One of the major themes running through most of chapters 7 to 35 is, “Who do we trust?”. The choice is either to trust in the power of the nations, or to trust in Yahweh. The consequence of trusting nations is destruction (chapter 34), and of trusting Yahweh is blessing and abundance (chapter 35). Two kings are given as contrasting examples: Ahaz - who failed to trust God, and Hezekiah - who did trust God and was delivered. Both were challenged to trust God at the same location, emphasising the contrasting responses: Ahaz - “at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Fuller’s Field” (7:3) and Hezekiah - “by the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Fuller’s Field” (36:2).

Chapters seven to twelve describe the historical situation during the reign of Ahaz, during the Syro-Ephraimite war (735 BC). Ahaz refused the opportunity to trust God, but instead trusted Assyria, which led to disaster. Ahaz fails as the son of David, so God himself will provide a son of David.

Ahaz (736 - 716 BC) was one of Judah’s worst kings (2 Kg 16 & 2 Chr 28) who even burnt his sons in the fire as an offering (2 Kg 16:3). He trusted in Assyria, rather than Yahweh, and was idolatrous, building a copy of a pagan altar from Damascus in the temple. Judah was brought low by God because of Ahaz's faithlessness (2 Chr 28:19). The threat of invading powers (Israel and Syria) were more real to him than the power of God. Ahaz is given as an example of someone with a hard heart, who refused to hear Isaiah's message, and refused to trust God.

Section outline

1. Plot by Syria and Israel (7:1-25)
2. Maher-shalal-hash-baz - Darkness (8:1-22)
3. Prince of Peace - A great light shines (9:1-7)
4. Lord’s anger not turned from Ephraim (9:8 - 10:4)
5. God will use proud Assyria (10:5-34)
6. King as shoot from stump (11:1-16)
7. Psalm of trust celebrating new exodus (12:1-6)

1. Plot by Syria and Israel (7:1-25)

Chapter seven is set during the events of the Syro-Ephraimite War (736-734 BC), when Rezin of Aram (Syria) joined with Pekah of Israel in an anti-Assyrian alliance, in response to the rise to power of Tiglath-pileser III in Assyria. They proposed to invade Judah, and to replace Ahaz with their favoured ruler, the son of Tabeel (v6), who would join their alliance against Assyria. The advance of Rezin and Pekah had also enabled the Edomites to regain control of Elath on the Gulf of Aqaba. Many people of Judah were killed and many were taken captive (2 Chr 28:5-8). This is how it is described in the Book of Kings:

In those days the LORD began to send King Rezin of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah against Judah” (2 Kg 15:37).

Then King Rezin of Aram and King Pekah son of Remaliah of Israel came up to wage war on Jerusalem; they besieged Ahaz but could not conquer him. At that time the king of Edom recovered Elath for Edom, and drove the Judeans from Elath; and the Edomites came to Elath, where they live to this day. Ahaz sent messengers to King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria, saying, "I am your servant and your son. Come up, and rescue me from the hand of the king of Aram and from the hand of the king of Israel, who are attacking me." Ahaz also took the silver and gold found in the house of the LORD and in the treasures of the king's house, and sent a present to the king of Assyria. The king of Assyria listened to him; the king of Assyria marched up against Damascus, and took it, carrying its people captive to Kir; then he killed Rezin. (2 Kg 16:5-9)

Outline

1a. Attack from Rezin and Pekah (7:1-2)
1b. First sign: Shear-jashub - a remnant shall return (7:3-9)
1c. Second sign: Immanuel - God with us (7:10-17)
1d. Assyria: God’s razor (7:18-25)

1a. Attack from Rezin and Pekah (7:1-2)

The first two verses set the scene for Isaiah’s confrontation with Ahab. Rezin and Pehah went up to attack Jerusalem, but were unable to begin a siege. Both Ahaz and the people were terrified, shaking like trees in the wind, showing that Ahaz did not trust the promise by God of the continuation of the Davidic dynasty (1 Kg 8:25).

1b. First sign: Shear-jashub - a remnant shall return (7:3-9)

Isaiah and his son Shear-jashub met Ahaz at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Fuller's Field (v3). We should note the easy access Isaiah had to the king, perhaps because he was a member of the extended royal family. Ahaz was probably checking the water supply because of the approaching siege of Jerusalem. His main concern would be that the enemies could cut off the water supply to the city. Jerusalem had no water supply within the city walls until Hezekiah built his tunnel (2 Kg 20:20). As noted above, significantly, this is the same place where the king of Assyria later sent a message to Hezekiah (36:2): where Ahaz failed, Hezekiah trusted God. Isaiah's son's name means "A remnant shall return", which is a prophetic name of both doom and hope, destruction will come, but a remnant will return.

Isaiah ordered Ahaz, "Take heed, be quiet, do not fear, do not let your heart be faint" (v4). There was nothing to fear, because there was no real danger. He needed to trust God. Sarcastically, he calls Pekah and Rezin "smouldering stumps of firebrands", because they were burnt out, and had no real strength.

Rezin and Pekah's plan was to conquer Judah, and to remove Ahaz (v5-6). This would have the theological significance of ending the Davidic line. They would replace Ahaz with the unnamed son of Tabeel, an anti-Assyrian puppet king, who would join Israel and Syria in their plans to throw off Assyrian rule.

Isaiah brings God’s word into the situation, showing the folly of the plans of men (v7-9). Their plan will not work, because God alone has control over the destiny of the nations, not Rezin, Pekah or Ahaz. Rezin of Damascus was killed by Tiglath-pileser in 734 BC (2 Kg 16:9) and Pekah of Samaria was killed by Hoshea, a vassal king of Assyria. Galilee and Naphtali, the most northerly part of Israel, was taken into exile (2 Kg 15:29-31, Is 9:1). Isaiah predicts that within 65 years Ephraim will be broken into pieces so that it will no longer be a people (v8). The city of Samaria fell to the Assyrians about twelve years later (722 BC), and the final scattering of the people occurred when first Esar-haddon, and then Ashurbanipal, took the people of Israel into exile and replaced them with foreigners (2 Kg 17:24). By 669 BC, the people were scattered, within 65 years.

God concludes with a strong warning to Ahaz, "If you will not stand firm in faith, you shall not stand at all" (v9). If Ahaz was to continue to exist, he had to believe what God said through Isaiah about the nations of Israel and Syria. If he did not believe, he was not a true Davidic king, so the dynasty was not secure. Ahaz did not believe Isaiah, but instead trusted in the military might of Assyria. Forming an alliance with Assyria also involved worshipping their idols, so Ahaz was not secure. The Assyrians who he trusted will turn around and invade him (7:17,20).

1c. Second sign: Immanuel - God with us (7:10-17)

Isaiah offered Ahaz complete choice of a sign to confirm his word calling him not to be afraid of Israel and Syria (v10). The aim of the sign would be to convince Ahaz that God could be trusted, to help Ahaz to soften his heart and to respond in faith. We see God's amazing grace shown to a rebellious, evil, hard hearted man. The sign could be anything, whether a miracle, or a prediction and its fulfilment. God was testing Ahaz, to ask for a sign would be an act of faith, but Ahaz had no intention of trusting God.

Ahaz refused, sounding pious, even quoting scripture, saying to ask for a sign would be testing God (v12, Deut 6:16). His refusal was a turning point in the history of the house of David, which lead to the eventual destruction of the city, and the royal dynasty. However, the dynasty will continue to the Messiah, the son of God, and son of David, hence the prediction of Immanuel.

Addressing the whole house of David, Isaiah's response shows that Ahaz was rejecting God's word (v13). "Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also?" It is significant that the pronoun has changed, from your God (v11), to my God. By his rejection of the offer of a sign, Yahweh is no longer Ahaz's God. As the representative of the house of David, and the nation as a whole, Ahaz had rejected God's mercy and deliverance, preferring to trust in his own wisdom and the military might of Assyria.

Isaiah declares that the Lord will give Ahaz a sign, whether he wants one or not (v14), his choice is removed. The 'you' is plural, so the sign is for both the king and the nation. There will be the birth of another son, "A young woman will conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel". Immanuel means 'God with us', indicating that God promises to protect Ahaz, as long as he puts his faith in Yahweh, and not in the nations. If Ahaz shows no faith, then judgement will come as Assyria invades.

The child eating curds and honey (v15) is a sign of the coming trouble from Assyria. He predicts that all who are left in the land will eat curds and honey (v22), made from the surplus milk because nearly all the people have gone into exile. The timing of birth (v15-16) indicates that before the child reaches the age to discern right from wrong, the land of Syria and Israel will be forsaken. The age of discernment could either be around the age of three, or otherwise when the child reached adulthood around twelve years. The prediction was given around 735 BC, Damascus fell three years later in 732 BC, and Samaria fell in 722 or 721 BC, just over twelve years later.

The birth of the son is both a sign of deliverance from the threat of the Syria/Israel coalition (v16), as well as being a sign of doom, because the king of Assyria is coming (v17). The child brings God's presence to the people, both to save and deliver, as well as to bring judgement on Ahaz for failing to trust God. Ahaz asked for the king of Assyria, and will get him as an invader.

Trying to identify the child

There are many questions about this famous passage, particularly over the identification of the woman and the son. It is noteworthy that no father is mentioned, when compared with the first son, Shear-jashub (v3).

The first question is about the woman, whether or not she was a virgin, who was pregnant without ever having sexual relations with a man. The Hebrew word used here is almah, which is not used for a married woman in the OT, but instead indicates an unmarried woman of marriageable age. If the woman was truly a virgin, never having known a man, this sign only truly and fully fulfilled in the virgin birth of Jesus, as the NT claims: "Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel" (Mt 1:22-23). Matthew quotes from the Greek Septuagint (LXX), where the word 'parthenos' is used, which specifically means 'virgin'. Matthew gives the word 'parthenos' great significance in describing the miraculous birth of Jesus, and to reassure Joseph that Mary had not been unfaithful to him.

The difficult question is what this meant to Ahaz. It is difficult to see how a birth 700 years later would act as a sign to Ahaz. The descriptions must have meant something to Ahaz in his time. However no child was actually born at that time who would act as such a sign to Ahaz. In naming the child 'Immanuel', Isaiah was seeing far beyond the immediate historical situation in the reign of Ahaz, to a time when God really would be with them (8:10). It has been suggested that the woman was Isaiah’s wife, and the child is his next son, Mahar-shalal-hash-baz (8:1). Otherwise that the child is Hezekiah, the son of Ahaz, but the timing of his birth does not fit, because, by this time, Hezekiah was already born. As noted above, the ultimate fulfilment was the birth of Jesus by the Virgin Mary.

1d. Assyria: God’s razor (7:18-25)

Now follow four descriptions of the coming judgement, each introduced, “On that day ...” (v18,20,21,23). The king of Assyria is coming, Tiglath-pileser and his successors. This will prove to be a turning point in ancient history, and in the history of Judah. Historically, this marked the start of the series of great world empires which dominated the land of Israel for the next thousand years, and the loss of independence for Judah, eventually leading to their destruction and exile in Babylon.

The Lord will whistle for the fly (Egypt) and the bee (Assyria) (v18-19), the two major powers surrounding Judah, to the south and north. Both will be used as tools of God's judgement on Judah, because both are ultimately controlled by God. King Shabaka of Egypt came into Palestine but was defeated by Sargon II of Assyria in 720 BC.

Assyria will be like a razor from beyond the Euphrates (v20). Assyria was hired by Ahaz to defeat Rezin and Pekah, but will now be hired by God to afflict Judah. Prisoners taken by the Assyrians were often shaved to humiliate them, so Judah will also be insulted and disgraced.

Agriculture will be affected because there are no people left to till the land (v21). Only cattle and sheep will be left, producing an abundance of curds. The land will be left like a desolate wilderness (v23-25), covered with briers and thorns, as described in the song of the vineyard (5:1-5).

2. Maher-shalal-hash-baz - Darkness (8:1-22)

In chapter seven, two signs were given privately to King Ahaz, with Isaiah described in the third person. In chapter eight, the pronoun changes to the first person, as Isaiah records the words that the Lord spoke to him, telling him that he will have another son, Maher-shalal-hash-baz, who will be a public sign to the people to confirm the prediction of invasion by Assyria. Because the king has failed to trust God, and has melted in fear before Pekah and Rezin, the Lord will bring the king of Assyria, whose armies will swamp the land like a flood.

The families of the prophets were often used as signs to confirm their messages. Isaiah said, "I and the children ... are signs and portents in Israel from the Lord of hosts" (8:18). Hosea, called to marry an unfaithful wife, had three children who were given symbolic names (Hos 1). Jeremiah was called to remain unmarried as a sign of the hopelessness of his time (Jer 16:2).

Outline

2a. Third sign: Spoil speeds, prey hastens (8:1-4)
2b. Flood of Assyria up to neck (8:5-10)
2c. Sanctuary or stumbling stone? (8:11-15)
2d. Look to God, not to darkness of spirits (8:16-22)

2a. Third sign: Spoil speeds, prey hastens (8:1-4)

Isaiah wrote the word 'Maher-shalal-hash-baz' publicly on a tablet for all to read, witnessed by two witnesses (v1-2). One of the witnesses was the priest Uriah, who built the altar in the temple for king Ahaz, which was a copy of a pagan altar in Damascus (2 Kg 16:10-16). Isaiah’s wife is described as the prophetess (v3), either meaning that she was the wife of the prophet, or otherwise that she was a prophet in her own right. Isaiah is then told to name his son, 'Maher-shalal-hash-baz' . The meaning of this strange name is given in the footnote, "The spoil speeds, the prey hastens”, and its significance explained: that the wealth of Damascus and Samaria will be carried away by the king of Assyria (v4). So the birth of Isaiah’s son is a sign and prediction of the attack on Syria and Israel by Assyria, which will happen by the time the child begins to say his first words. Damascus fell in 732 BC, about one year later, after which Israel was plundered by Assyria.

There are two predictions: two signs and two children, both described in a similar style. Both speak about a woman conceiving and bearing a son (7:14, 8:3), who is given a symbolic name by the Lord (7:14, 8:3-4), and both predict the land of the kings of Syria and Israel being deserted before he can know good or evil, or being able to say his first words (7:15, 8:4). The difficult question is whether the two signs are about the same child. Is the prophetess (8:3) the same person as the young woman (virgin) (7:14)? Is chapter eight a fulfilment of the prediction in chapter seven? If so, the prophetess would be Isaiah's second wife, a virgin until now. If this is correct, then Maher-shahal-hash-baz is a type of the Messiah, and a sign that the Messiah would come.

2b. Flood of Assyria up to neck (8:5-10)

God again predicts the invasion by Assyria. The people, not just king Ahaz, have rejected God's quiet waters, rejecting a quiet confidence in God, and have chosen the turbulent flood waters of the Euphrates, a picture of the invading armies of judgement (v6). There is a paradox here that the gentle quiet waters which are a picture of the mightiness of God, are contrasted with the mighty armies of Assyria. Judgement is deserved because the people have rejected God. As the sovereign king over the nations, the Lord is bringing the flood waters of Assyria, but they will not stop at Syria and Israel. Maher-shalal-hash-baz applies to Judah too. The flood will sweep on into Judah, reaching up to the neck (v7-8). Defeat will be total, but not quite, a prediction of Sennacherib's invasion of Judah and siege of Jerusalem in 701 BC. All of Judah was conquered except Jerusalem, which was miraculously delivered by God. The picture then changes from a flood to a bird’s wings filling the land, like a vulture (v8). The oracle ends with a cry to "O Immanuel" (God with us), a prayer for deliverance, but addressed to the Messiah, the one who will bring true deliverance.

Isaiah brings a bold word to the nations (Assyria), that you are only tools in the hand of God (v9- 10). The nations are being used by God to judge Judah, but their plans will come to nothing. Politically, Judah had become a pawn in the hands of the nations, but God was still with them, therefore there is hope. The nations will in turn be judged, because God is with us (Immanuel).

2c. Sanctuary or stumbling stone? (8:11-15)

This is a strong personal warning from God to Isaiah himself, to walk in God's way. The people probably accused Isaiah of conspiracy when he called Judah not to trust Assyria. Ahaz might well have thought that Isaiah was a traitor in the service of Rezin and Pekah. Isaiah was not to fear what the people feared. He is called to fear God and God alone, not man or man's ways, as Ahaz did, and be an example of faith to the nation. Each person, including Isaiah and Ahaz, has a choice, whether to choose God as a sanctuary or as a stumbling block, depending on whether they respond in faith, or not. Both Paul and Peter quoted this verse to indicate that Jesus was a stumbling block that the Jews stumbled over (Rom 9:33, 1 Pet 2:8).

2d. Look to God, not to darkness of spirits (8:16-22)

Isaiah is called to bind up the testimony (v16). He will wait confidently for the Lord, because the signs will be fulfilled. Isaiah and his sons are a testimony to the coming disaster (v18), a visible testimony of the word of God. It will be no use to listen to those who encourage others to listen to spirits. It is folly to consult the dead on behalf of the living (v19). The future for those who consult the spirits is only gloom, anguish and darkness. (v21-22).

3. Prince of Peace - A great light shines (9:1-7)

By contrast to the darkness of judgement, a great light will shine when the child is born. The gloom will not last for ever, the light will come. In the former time, Zebulun and Naphtali, the first part of Israel to be threatened and conquered by Assyria, will be held in contempt, darkness, gloom and despair. Tiglath-pileser invaded the northern part of Israel in 733 BC, taking people captive to Assyria, and leaving the land depopulated, as recorded in the Book of Kings:

In the days of King Pekah of Israel, King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria came and captured Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; and he carried the people captive to Assyria. Then Hoshea son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah son of Remaliah, attacked him, and killed him; he reigned in place of him, in the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah. (2 Kg 15:29-30)

In the latter time, the way of sea, the land beyond the Jordan and Galilee will be made glorious, with light, joy and hope through the coming of the Messiah. According to Matthew, this was fulfilled when Jesus came preaching and ministering in Galilee:
Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
'Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles -
the people who sat in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death
light has dawned.'
From that time Jesus began to proclaim, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." (Mt 4:12-17).

In Mark’s account, Jesus came into Galilee preaching the gospel of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe in the gospel" (Mk 1:14-15). A great light is coming in the land previously plundered by the Assyrians, a light to people in physical and spiritual darkness. The external physical darkness of invasion, defeat and exile was a picture of the internal spiritual darkness of the Gentiles before Jesus came, as John stated: "The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it" (Jn 1:5).

From verse 2 the prose changes back to poetry, as the people address God, praising him because the distress has been changed to joy. The light has shined, the nation has been multiplied, so the people rejoice as at the time of harvest (v2-3). There are three reasons for this rejoicing, each introduced with the word 'for'. The first is that the burden of the oppressor has been broken, just Gideon broke the Midianites (Judges 6-7) (v4). The second is that the war has ended, and the armour has been burned, showing that peace has come (v5). The prince of peace has been born.

The third brings the climax that a child is born, a son is given, the cause of first two reasons for rejoicing (v6-7). God’s answer comes through a child, true salvation comes through one who appears weak, in contrast to the military might of Rezin and Pekah, and Ahaz looking to Assyria for salvation. Just in the contrast between the quiet waters of Siloah and the mighty waters of the Euphrates (8:5), God's ways often look foolish to the world.

God will send a child, showing the humanity of the Messiah. Jesus will come as son of David, son of God and son of man (Jn 3:16). He will come as the ideal ruler and authority will rest on his shoulder, as Jesus claimed (Mt 28:18).

He is given four names (v6), which describe him and his ministry. The first is, “Wonderful counsellor”. A counsellor is someone who brings wisdom. In contrast to the earthly kings who had their counsellors who normally brought bad advice, this king is his own counsellor. Later Isaiah says that he will have the spirit of wisdom, ... counsel (11:2). His wisdom is above all others. The second is, “Mighty God”, which points to the deity of the Messiah, in contrast to the child (v6), which points to his humanity. Later, Isaiah says he will have the spirit of might (11:2). The third is, “Everlasting Father”. He is the eternal father, another description of deity, as well as being the good shepherd, who looks after his sheep, the Messiah who supplies his people's needs. The fourth is, “Prince of peace”. In contrast to the Assyrian invaders bringing war and suffering, the Messiah brings peace. This is not just the cessation of warfare, but he will remove the cause of war, which is sin expressed in pride, greed, and covetousness, and bring harmony in relationships. He will reconcile man to God, and man to man.

His authority shall grow continually. The NT shows that his kingdom will start small and continue to grow until it is very large, as shown in the parable of the mustard seed (Mk 4:30-32). The angel's description of Jesus to Mary is similar: "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end". (Lk 1:32-33)

It is a kingdom of justice and righteousness, in contrast to the tyrannical empire of Assyria. He will establish and uphold the throne of David, in fulfilment of the promise to David of an eternal dynasty (2 Sam 7). In contrast to the weakness of Ahaz and his idolatry, this king will rule forever in justice and righteousness. All this will be accomplished by the zeal of the Lord. The establishment of the kingdom is a work of God, in the context of a hopeless situation in Isaiah's time (cf 37:32).

4. Lord’s anger not turned from Ephraim (9:8 - 10:4)

Next comes a series of four words of judgement on the northern kingdom of Israel, with Ephraim as the main tribe, and Samaria the capital city. Each word ends in the same way, "For all this his anger is not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still" (9:12,17,21, 10:4). The picture is of a father disciplining his rebellious son, with the rod of God’s anger being Assyria (10:5). However, Assyria will in turn be judged (10:12). God is sovereign over the nations, mighty Assyria is merely a tool in the hand of God.

Outline

4a. Against the pride of Ephraim (9:8-12)
4b. Against lying leaders (9:13-17)
4c. Against civil war (9:18-21)
4d. Against oppression of the poor (10:1-4)

4a. Against the pride of Ephraim (9:8-12)

The Lord sent a word against Israel. The word is powerful, and leads to disaster for Samaria. However, in their pride, they say they can easily rebuild the city and replace the trees, so the Lord raised up their neighbours from the east and west, the Arameans (Syria), and the Philistines, who will devour Israel.

4b. Against lying leaders (9:13-17)

The second word is against the ungodly leaders. The people did not repent, so the Lord cut off the leaders and the prophets, because they led the people astray, but without their leaders, the people are left in confusion. The normal Assyrian procedure was to take political and spiritual leaders into exile first.

4c. Against civil war (9:18-21)

The third word is against the civil war and anarchy that followed the plundering of the land. The people turned against their brother tribe, Ephraim against Manasseh (the sons of Joseph).

4d. Against oppression of the poor (10:1-4)

The fourth word is against the oppression of the poor, the widows and the orphans. Leaders were making unjust and oppressive laws, so they could rob the poor. The rich got richer, and the poor got poorer. God asks what they will do when calamity comes from far away (v3) - probably a reference to the coming of the Assyrian armies. There will be no one to flee to, but they can only hide among the prisoners or dead bodies.

5. God will use proud Assyria (10:5-34)

In his sovereignty, God will use proud Assyria as his tool or rod of judgment, but Assyria in turn will be destroyed. The message for Ahaz is not to trust in Assyria, as they are just a tool of Yahweh. Most of this next passage was fulfilled in the invasion of Judah by Sennacherib in 701 BC, which is described as history in chapters 36-37.

Outline

5a. Assyria - rod of God’s anger (10:5-11)
5b. Pride of Assyria punished (10:12-14)
5c. Lord’s fire and axe against Assyrian forest (10:15-19)
5d. Remnant of Jacob will lean on Lord (10:20-27)
e. Assyrian advance against Jerusalem axed (10:30-34)

5a. Assyria - rod of God’s anger (10:5-11)

The Assyrians did not realise they are merely a tool in God's hand. They thought they were acting in their own strength, thinking Assyria was sovereign. Assyrian kings, like Sennacherib, described themselves as 'King of the world, king of Assyria'. Their basic sin was pride, their motive was greed and the expansion of their empire. However, their achievements were only made possible because of the part they played in God's wider purposes.

Now Assyria speaks arrogantly, listing all their conquests, and saying that the god of Judah is no more powerful than the gods of the nations they have already conquered. They considered Yahweh to be weak, and no different from the idols, because Samaria had already fallen, so are confident that Jerusalem will fall too. Assyria’s words show their understanding of holy war, when a nation conquers another nation, their god is shown to be more powerful than the defeated nation’s god.

5b. Pride of Assyria punished (10:12-14)

"The palace of Ashurnasirpal, the priest of Ashur, favourite of Enlue of Inerta, beloved of Anu and Dagon, the weapon of the great gods, the mighty king, the king of the world, the king of Assyria ..., the valiant man who with the support of Ashur his lord, has no equal in the four regions of the world. The wonderful shepherd who is not afraid of battle. The Great Flood which no one can oppose. The king who has subjugated all mankind, the Mighty Warrior who treads on the neck of his enemies. The King whose word of his mouth destroys mountains and seas, who by his lord we attack, has made fearsome merciless kings. From the rising to the setting sun, all acknowledge one rule."

Once God has finished the punishment of Jerusalem, then he will punish the arrogant boasting and haughty pride of Tiglath-pileser III of Assyria. Tiglath-pileser thought he was unbeatable, but he was only the axe used by God (v15).

5c. Lord’s fire and axe against Assyrian forest (10:15-19)

Assyria is merely the axe or rod used by God, and God will punish this boasting. “Shall the axe (Assyria) vaunt itself over him (God) who hews with it?” (v15). God will send judgement - a wasting sickness against Assyrian army (v16). This could be a reference to 701 BC, when Sennacherib's army was struck down by an angel of the Lord, thought by historians to be a plague (37:36). The light of Israel becomes a fire to destroy the army, described as a forest (v17). The light of God is salvation to his people, but destruction to his enemies.

5d. Remnant of Jacob will lean on Lord (10:20-27)

By contrast to the remnant of Assyrians who have no hope (v19), there is hope for the remnant of Israel, who will be restored. Instead of leaning on their enemies, they will learn their lesson and lean on the Lord. The remnant will trust in the Lord, not in pagan kings (as Ahaz did) (v20), and will return (v21), as indicated by the meaning of Isaiah’s son Shear-jashub. For Israel, there is both judgement and hope. God's judgement off Judah will not bring total destruction. There is always a remnant, who will be saved. This interplay of judgement and redemption is characteristic of Isaiah. Historically, only a small proportion of the people did return from exile. Most remained scattered, and became known as the Dispersion. Verse 22 is quoted by Paul when he considered the issue of Jews not coming to believe in their Messiah (Rom 9:28).

Abraham was promised that his descendants would be as the sand of the sea (Gen 22:17). There was a tendency for Israel to put false superstitious trust in these promises of descendants, land and temple. Jeremiah addressed this in his famous temple sermon (Jer 7). The promises did not deny their responsibility for being faithful to God. The sinfulness and idolatry of the people caused God to judge and expel them from the land, destroy the temple and only allow a remnant to return. The remnant are the true Israel, the people who remained faithful to God. The promises are not valid to unfaithful people.

The conclusion is an exhortation to the people not to be afraid of the Assyrians (v24). They will attack and oppress as in Egypt, but God's anger will not last for ever. It will be turned against the Assyrians, then the burden and yoke will be lifted, just as God broke the oppression by the Midianites (Judges 7:25), or destroyed the Egyptian army in the Red Sea (Ex 14). The time from Tiglath-pileser and the Syro-Ephraimite war (735 BC) to the final invasion by Sennacherib (701 BC) is only 34 years.

5e. Assyrian advance against Jerusalem axed (10:28-34)

The description of the Assyrian advance against Jerusalem actually predicts the route taken by the Assyrian army as they conquer Judah and approach Jerusalem in 701 BC. Here an approach from the north is described, which was led by Sennacherib’s general. Micah describes an attack down the west coast to Lachish, then an approach to Jerusalem from the south (Mic 1), which was led by Sennacherib himself. He divided the army into two sections, and surrounded Jerusalem from the north and the south at the same time in a pincer movement. The Assyrian armies conquered all the cities of Judah, but stopped at Nob and merely shook their fist at Jerusalem (v22). They failed to conquer it because God stepped in and cut down the forest of Assyrian armies as with an axe, leaving no shoot (37:36).

6. King as shoot from stump (11:1-16)

Out of this stump, the remnant of the forest, will rise a new shoot. In the midst of the judgement, there is hope for the remnant. New life will come out of the destruction. This famous passage looks to the day of the Lord, which includes the return to the land, the coming of God’s Messiah, and to eternity. All three events are brought together into a single day of the Lord.

Outline

6a. The shoot from Jesse: spirit and justice (11:1-9)
6b. Second exodus to gather dispersed Judah (11:10-16)

6a. The shoot from Jesse: spirit and justice (11:1-9)

The is great contrast between the Assyrian forest which is cut down forever (10:33-34), and the shoot which will arise. The deforestation which so frequently occurs in a time of war is a dramatic picture of death and destruction. There will be no shoot arising from the Assyrian forest, but out of the stump of Jesse will come new life (as 6:13). Even though Judah will be cut down, a shoot will arise out of the destroyed house of David, and the branch of the Lord will flourish (as 4:2). There will be restoration, but not just of the material prosperity of being returned to the land. There will be something much deeper, something greater than before, a greater King and greater Kingdom - The Messiah. He will come from the stump of Jesse, as a descendent of David on the throne of David, in fulfilment of the promise made to David (2 Sam 7).

This king will be totally different from any earthly king. He will be empowered by God’s Spirit (v2-3a), he will bring justice (v3b-5), and bring total safety and security (v6-9).

The Spirit shall rest upon him (v2). He will be anointed and gifted by God to be the greatest and perfect king. Both Saul and David were anointed by the Spirit to be kings, foreshadowing the perfect king, Jesus, who was anointed by the Spirit at his baptism, when the Spirit rested upon him like a dove (Mt 3:16).

Isaiah describes six aspects of this anointing to be king, which come in pairs (v2-3a). He is anointed with the spirit of wisdom to make correct decisions, and of understanding and insight to see the true nature of the human heart. The spirit of council enables him to apply wisdom to every practical situation, as the wonderful counsellor (9:6), as well as giving him might - the power to execute his decisions. He has total knowledge, and most importantly the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (Prov 1:7), the heart of everything, to know God for who he is, to know his holiness, and to revere and to be in awe of him. Fear of the Lord leads to total obedience, just as Jesus only did what he saw the Father doing (Jn 5:19). This obedience should be seen in contrast to earthly kings, like Ahaz, who feared man more than God. The Greek Septuagint (LXX) has an extra characteristic, the Spirit of godliness, making a total of seven. John may allude to this when he describes the Holy Spirit as the seven spirits of God (Rev 4:5). The Messiah has total gifting - all the abilities needed to be the perfect king.

We can see all these in the ministry of Jesus, when faced with different situations or dealing with people who were trying to catch him out. Examples would be with the woman caught in adultery (Jn 8:2- 11), and the question about paying taxes to Caesar (Mk 12:13-17)

Again, in contrast to the kings of the time, he will bring total justice (v3b-5), especially in judging the poor. Most of Israel's kings, including Ahaz, did not act justly to the poor and needy, and were criticised by Isaiah and the other prophets. Isaiah spoke out against unrighteous leaders, who were “grinding the face of the poor” (3:15). His righteous justice in judging comes from his fear of God. During his ministry, Jesus had a special concern for the poor, and condemned the rich and powerful. He fed the 5000, and declared, “Blessed are the poor”, and “Blessed are you who are hungry now” (Lk 6:20-21). When he returns, Jesus will punish the wicked with the rod of his mouth, his word (Rev 19).

The nature of his kingdom will be totally different from any earthly kingdom (v6-9). All enmity will disappear, even in creation. All enmity will disappear, even between predator and prey, even dangerous animals will become safe. There will be perfect safety, complete security and total peace, because the Messiah is the prince of peace (9:6). There will be no more sin, making a return to the situation before the fall, in the garden of Eden, where Adam lived in harmony with all the animals.

In the Book of Romans, Paul describes creation groaning, waiting with eager longing for the time when it will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God (Rom 8:18-25). This is the present situation, as we continue to live in a fallen world, but Isaiah is looking ahead giving a description of the new earth, which will last forever, which is also described in the Book of Revelation (Rev 21-22). After Jesus's second coming there will be perfect peace and no sin, as all evil will have been judged, with Satan and his followers having been thrown into the lake of fire (Rev 20:13-15).

Both John in Revelation (Rev 21:1) and Isaiah (65:17) describe a new heaven and a new earth. There will be a transformed physical earth after the second coming, populated with animals living in harmony and with the saints, past, present and future, who will have resurrection bodies (1 Cor 15). The earth will truly be full of the knowledge of the Lord (v9), in which all will worship Jesus as the king, love him and respect his word. A glorious prospect! The paradise lost in the fall will finally be regained.

Some people suggest that this is describing the church age in symbolic terms, which is possible. In Christ, we do taste aspects of the world to come in the present age, as 'now but not yet'. Others suggest that this passage describes the 1000 year reign of Christ (the millennium) following his second coming. However, what Isaiah describes here will last forever, not a mere 1000 years.

6b. Second exodus to gather dispersed Judah (11:10-16)

The branch is now called the root of Jesse (v10). He is the origin of Jesse, as well as his offspring. In the Book of Revelation, he is described as the root and offspring of David (Rev 22:16). This is a tension not understood until the coming of Jesus, that he is both David’s son and his lord. Jesus caught the religious leaders out with this question, quoting Psalm 110 (Mt 22:43, Mk 12:35, Lk 20:41), and they could not answer.

This root will be a signal to the nations, gathering the holy remnant from the ends of the earth. There will be re-gathering of the people, described in terms reminiscent of the Exodus from Egypt - "yet a second time" (v11), to recover the remnant from all the surrounding nations and to re-unite Judah and Ephraim.

There is much debate over this passage, in the attempt to determine which event he is speaking about: the return from exile in Babylon after 539 BC, the re-establishment of Israel in 1948, or the spiritual gathering of all nations into the church. Joshua the high priest was seen as a fulfilment of this prophecy of a Branch (Zech 6:12), but another Branch was still expected (Zech 3:8), so Joshua was merely a foretaste of greater things still to come. There will be second exodus when the remnant are brought back from Assyria (11:16). Zechariah called the returning exiles were called the remnant (Zech 8:6, 11f). However, according the Paul, the true remnant are those who have faith in Christ (Rom 9:27- 29), so it is difficult to see this fulfilled in the modern state of Israel.

It is better to see this passage as an example of the standard prophetic technique of seeing the future as a reversal of the present situation. Evil will be judged and replaced with righteousness: injustice to the poor will be replaced by justice and oppression of Israel by foreign powers will be replaced by Israel becoming great. All of these will come on the day of the Lord, which the prophet sees as a single future event, but from our perspective, much has already happened, with some still to come.

7. Psalm of trust celebrating new exodus (12:1-6)

The section of chapters seven to twelve concludes with two psalms of trust and praise, celebrating the new exodus, and giving thanksgiving to God for the restoration. This is what the people will sing to express their praise and thanksgiving after their return from exile - to celebrate their salvation. God’s anger which previously was not turned away, has now turned away. Again we have to remember this is the celebration “on that day” (v1,3), whether on return from exile, enjoying the coming of the Messiah, or living in the renewed heaven and earth.

Outline

7a. God is my salvation - I will trust (12:1-2)
7b. Draw water from wells of salvation (12:3-6)

7a. God is my salvation - I will trust (12:1-2)

The first song is sung by an individual, spoken in the first person singular, celebrating their salvation, and thanking God for their forgiveness. Even though God was angry with them, his anger has now turned away. This should be contrasted with the earlier refrain that his anger has not turned away (9:12,17,21, 10:4). Judgement has now past, and now is the age of salvation, so God has comforted his people (as 40:1). God truly is our salvation, so we can trust and not be afraid (v2), in contrast to Ahaz who did fear because he did not trust God (7:2-9).

7b. Draw water from wells of salvation (12:3-6)

The second song is corporate, as all are called to give thanks and proclaim his salvation to the ends of the earth. Both parts of the song allude to the songs sung to celebrate the first exodus, when God triumphed over the Egyptians at the Red Sea (Ex 15). "The Lord God is my strength and might” (v2, quoting Moses’ song - Ex 15:2), and “Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously” (v5, quoting Miriam’s song - Ex 15:2). This re-enforces the theme of a second exodus. The same God who triumphed over Egypt at the first exodus will triumph over his enemies at the second exodus, whether the exodus from exile, the exodus from sin achieved through God’s anointed Messiah, or the final exodus from a fallen world in the new heaven and earth.

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