Isaiah 7-9

Introduction

Section, but I think every section is important, so I don’t know if I can set it apart that way. But in this section, we have about three or four really prophecies that are quoted and applied even in the Messianic period or the New Testament period. So for that reason, it is significant that we kind of take a look at it and understand really what is behind it. I’d like to begin, though, by looking at the questions on page 23, and that’s sort of kind of serving as a a review of the lesson we had Wednesday night. I know some of you were not able to be here. But uh obviously I think every part when you miss a class, I hope you have still kind of gone through that section and studied it and and comprehend if there’s some questions you have about it at any point in time.

I you know, I’m always willing for you to ask me, whether privately or uh, you know, uh even in between classes, you can send me a note or call me, and I’d be glad to talk with you about the scripture. But on page 23, and I guess the best way sometimes to handle these questions, let me just kind of go down the right row. We’re gonna start with Debbie. Number one Israel is rebuked by a song or parable, and it was concerning what? Do you remember the parable he illustrated? God planted what?

All right, yeah, planted a vineyard, and it hedged it around, dug all the rocks, and what did that represent? What was that to represent? Israel, his people. And in fact, uh, what uh what was the what was the uh the point of that parable? Because when he came, he planted the very best kind of uh vines there, but when he got and found it, what did it turn into? Wild grapes, wild grapes, and so what did it illustrate? That they were not justice, yeah. God’s question, what more could I have done? Why would you have turned away from me when I’ve done everything that I know to do, you know, to bless his people? He said much the same way through Jeremiah, too. Can you can you kind of understand the pleading of God that his people have been blessed with every possible thing that he could give, and yet they were not faithful?

Question number two, Doug. The first of six woes in the fifth chapter is against what? The wicked. Alright, but yeah, all of these are the wicked, but particularly they were guilty of covetousness. And so it was a sin they would go on house to house and field to field. Chapter 5, verses 8 and 9. Number three, those who follow strong drink, regard not, nor consider what, Andy? The warnings of God. Alright. They didn’t consider the work of the Lord, and either the work of his hands from verse 12 of chapter 5. Number four, those who draw iniquity with cords of vanity, that is openly piling sin upon sin. Actually say what words. Aurelian? Let him make speech. Let him make us feel. Yes. And hasten his word.

What they’re saying is, huh? If God’s around, let him show us. You know, who are we? In other words, it’s kind of like they were involved with their sin, but they were unconscious of God’s nearness and God’s availability. Oh, let him show us some sign. Let him prove to us. Kind of an arrogant mockery. Number five, the fourth woe, and I’m pointing these out in this question because there were six woes that were listed. What’s wrong with God’s people? Throughout Isaiah, of course, he he we said from the start, while it’s he’s called the Messianic prophet, and he speaks about things that many prophecies of the Lord in the age yet to come in which you and I now live. But primarily his message was to the people of his generation.

So here, God’s uh uh appeal to a people, and these six woes say, Here’s what’s wrong. You need to repent, turn from it. The fourth woe, question number five, is against those who say what about good and evil, Joyce.

Yeah. Verse 20. They call evil good, good evil, bitter sweet, sweet bitter, and they simply morally just turn things totally around from what really is the truth. And does that happen in our generation? That was among your thought question uh at the end of the lesson. The fact is, does that happen today? Again, while he spoke to the people of his day, what I hope you gather from Isaiah is people haven’t changed that much. We may live now uh uh 2,025, 2600 years later, but you find the characteristics that uh plague God’s people back then, plague God’s people now. I think I’ve got my date wrong, but anyway, let’s go with it. So it in verse uh in question number six, the fifth woe was against whom?

Those who feel wise in their own eyes and clever in their own skin. What does that do when you deal with God? A person is proud and arrogant, doesn’t much matter what God says, he can guide himself. So from chapter 5 and verse 21. Then finally, the sixth woe is against men who justify the wicked for what? Taking a bribe and bribing the innocent of the water. Take away righteousness from the land. Even the rulers were guilty. It wasn’t just the common people, maybe it started with the rooters, and of course, uh that they would drink and have their buddies, and no doubt would uh do what uh what they uh wanted to do, and it it deprived men of justice and righteousness. The real cause that makes their quote root as rotteness, question number eight, is what?

From chapter 524, David, you have that? Well, it’s the judgment of God, because it says uh the as the fire devours the stubble and the flame consumes the shaft, so their root will be as rottenness. Truly, it’s a result of their own deeds. Yeah. But on down the last part of that, because is what I was trying to get to, they have rejected, they have rejected the law of the Lord and despise the word. You know, who thinks they despise God’s word? Oh, that’s God’s that’s God’s assessment of it. This is what they’ve done, and this is what has led them by casting away the law of the Lord. Terrible concept. Number nine, what vision did Isaiah see in the year of Zionide? Ruth? The Lord sitting on the throne in his head, and the train filled.

What a what a wonderful uh passage, really, chapter six. Uh, the majesty of God, the holy, holy, holy, the holiness of the Lord. And when Isaiah saw this, his own response, first of all, is what? I am unclean. In the presence of God, who are we? And there’s no record of any reason to think Isaiah was a bad man or came from a bad family. But anyone, when you put yourself in view of what the holiness of God is like, can say, I’m a sinner. I am unclean. And so, what happened to him when he had that kind of a spirit? What did he do? What was done unto him? Of the coal, touched him with the coal. All right, well, the cherubim came and put a coal to the tongue and cleansed him, made him free, and therefore by the grace of God he was made clean, and therefore, what was his response then?

When the Lord said, Who will go for me? His response was here, hear my Lord, send me. Why would anybody want to do it? He did that before God told him where he was going, what he’s going to be preaching, how long he’d be there. What did he later learn is going to happen when you go there? When he asked how long or where? No one will listen. Yeah. They won’t hear you. Quoted five times in the New Testament fact. That’s a passage in Isaiah chapter 6, the last few verses of it. That men will stop their ears, their heart to this people will be dull, they’ll shut their eyes, they won’t hear with their ears. Did Jesus apply that to the people of his day?

1. Do You Trust in the Lord or Not?

Absolutely. And it even hits today sometimes. There are people who think they have their open heart, but they don’t have their open heart. And therefore, Isaiah is applied to people who like that, shut their eyes and shut their ears. And oh, they’re religious, all right, but they have it their way, and that’s the only way. Question number 10. Where are we? We Kathy, did you get one? Uh no. Question number 10. What was Isaiah’s response when the Lord asked, Whom shall I send? I thought we didn’t answer that. Got these two. All right. Okay, into the lesson today. In chapter 7, the scriptures just begin with the first two verses. It came to pass in the days of Ahaz, the son of Joseph, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin, king of Syria, and Pikah the son of Rimaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to make war against it, but could not prevail against it.

And it was told to the house of David, saying, Syria’s forces are deployed in Ephraim. So his heart and the heart of his people were moved as the trees of the woods are moved with the wind. What does that suggest to you? Trees are moved like the wind moves. Somebody may have a little different translation. Anybody have it where it just says he shook? Shook as the trees. Yeah, shook as the trees. Why was Ahaz so nervous? I ask you to remember what, if somebody were asking you the major theme of the prophecy of Isaiah. On the front of your book, I put trust in the Holy One of Israel. And if this was ever a test, why would that be the point in this whole chapter, really?

Do you trust in the Lord or not trust in the Lord? Now Ahaz was the son of Jotham, the grandson of Uzziah. If we were to talk about the kings and their righteousness, how do you remember Uzziah in the Bible? Good or bad king? Good in the beginning. Well, yeah, he did something at the end was not good at all. Wound up with leprosy and tried to offer incense in the temple of the Lord. But basically, he was a good king. His son Jotha, who may have started his reign co-regent with his father after his father was uh afflicted with leprosy. But he likewise as a good king. But we come to Ahaz. What kind of king is Ahaz? He is very wicked. Burned his children as a bird.

That’s right, even sacrifice his children. And built an altar. He saw up at Damascus that he had the priest back at Jerusalem to copy and to build, and he set it in front of the tabernacle and offered sacrifices on it. He was a wicked king. But really to portray his wickedness is summed up in this chapter seven, probably as best at any. Evidently, uh Ephraim and Syria made war against Judah. Now let’s give a little background to that. Why? When I say Ephraim, or when Isaiah speaks of Ephraim, who is he speaking about? Just simply that tribe of Ephraim. Samaria, Israel. Samaria is the capital of the northern ten tribes. We might more often call it the northern ten tribes, or Israel that came to be signified as.

Joseph refused. And evidently that was the first battle. In 2 Kings, the story, also 2 Chronicles 28, 2 Kings 15, and 2 Chronicles, and 2 Kings 16, as well as in 2 Chronicles 28. The story is told very briefly that as they come against Jerusalem, in fact, maybe the second invasion, in one day, a hundred and twenty thousand soldiers were killed. And also 200,000 women and children were taken captive back up into Ephraim or into the Israel area. And only because there was a priest who said, you know, these are God’s people. And uh, you know, who are we? We we’ve sinned as well. And you know, we need to let them go back home. And so they clothed them and fed them and sent them back to Jericho, sent them back to the area at least to their people.

So they’ve already shown some strength against Jerusalem. But now here’s a third time, evidently, that they’re coming to battle against Ahaz and Jerusalem. Can you imagine now? The king is shaking, and all the people are afraid. Why would they be afraid? They’ve already lost. 120,000 in one day, and 200,000 women taken captive. I mean, it’s a mighty battle. And so what is he told to do? Why, in verse 3, the Lord said to Isaiah, go out now to meet Ahaz, you and Sherajashab, your son, at the end of the aqueduct from the upper pool on the highway to the Fuller’s field, and say to him, Take heed and be quiet. Do not fear or be faint hearted. For these two stubs of smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezan and Syria, and the son of Rimaliah.

Because what’s going to happen? Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Rimaliah have plotted evil against you, saying, Let us go up against Jerusalem and trouble it, and let us make a gap in its wall for ourselves and set a king over them, the son of Tabal. But thus says the Lord God, it shall not stand, nor shall it come to pass. For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is a resident. Within 65 years, Ephraim will be broken, so that it will not be a people.

In fact, Ephraim within 65 years will be broken. What do you think that refers to? If this dates somewhere around 735, Ahaz became king somewhere around 735, BC. What happened to the northern kingdom around 72? What happened to John? Well, they went into captivity at Syrian captivity at 72. But if you would uh go ahead and clarify for me the 65 years in relationship to 732. That’s what we’re coming to. Alright. Let’s start from 735. Whenever Ahaz, and perhaps this whole premise is starting.

From 735. About 670. And it just so happens that Esher Hadan, somewhere around about uh uh that period of time, came in and brought in strangers and what happened at Samaria. Why, by the time of Jesus, do we say, Well, the Samaritans are a mixed breed, a mixed race? So, what he’s prophesying is the fact is, not only will in effect Ephraim no longer be, they’ll be taken to Syrian captivity, which happened a few years after this was said, but then in time what happened is the next uh Assyrian king brought in, or allowed others, Gentiles, to come in who began to intermarry with the people of Ephraim. So, in that sense, you know, within a sixty-five year period, I don’t know if we have to say, well, okay, let’s be exact uh by 7 uh 770 BC, that that’s exactly the date when they came in.

But it was certainly true that within that period of time, uh, there were brought in Gentiles who intermarried with the Jews of the northern kingdom. So, in that sense, it’s a broken people, it’s no longer the pure race, lineage of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. So, in that point, what God was saying is, why are you fearing Ephraim? Are they gonna stand? No, they’ll be brought down. In fact, they become, in effect, a broken people, as he said. And then as though to test, now, if you stop and look as men count it, why Ahaz had every reason to be afraid. As men measure by men’s way of vision, already those two have come out and looked strong and been victorious. But so, verse 10 the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying, Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God.

2. The Virgin Shall Conceive and Bear a Son

Ask it either in the depth or in the height above. But Ahaz said, I’ll not ask, nor will I test the Lord. Now look, Isaiah’s already told you, don’t fear, they won’t stand. And frankly, uh, why don’t you just ask a sign of the Lord and he’ll prove it to you? He’ll confirm the very word of Isaiah. And Ah says, Well, I don’t need to ask a sign of the Lord. Why do you think Ahaz reacted like that? I don’t think he really trusted God in the first place. He already had his mind made up. He he already had decided he’s going to turn to Assyria for help against Ephraim and Syria. Egypt then. Ephraim and Syria were the winnings against him. Well, he turned to Egypt, but he also paid tribute to Assyria.

And that’s when, as this prophecy says, even Assyria is what did come down and shaved them as well as really wound up shaving Jerusalem also. But the fact is, I kind of think of it, you ever heard today, you know, it makes me remind me those who today talk about miracles. There’s a modern faith healers today. And you say, Well, look, if you can really work a miracle, why don’t we go out to the cemetery and you raise the dead? Or why don’t we just go to the hospital and you raise someone who is very ill? And you know they’ll come back. Oh, I don’t want to test the Lord. I don’t want to test the Lord that way. I don’t think that’s right. This is kind of what made me think about it.

You know, when you got your mind made up, Ahaz refused to test the Lord. Good point, I think. Verse 13. Here now, Ouse of David, is it a small thing for you to weary men? But will you weary my God also? Ahaz, you weary men, but look, you’re refusing the Lord’s uh uh willingness to share. You weary God too. That’s what you’re doing, Ahaz. So what was the sign? Verse 14, a very important verse. Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign, behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel. Where is that found in the New Testament? Matthew 1. Yeah, in Matthew chapter 1. And it was said to Joseph whenever he was questioning, you know, his Mary, who’s betrothed to as with child, and he wondered if it were really an unfaithful act by which he became pregnant.

And of course, here’s the explanation. I want to tell you, and I don’t know how much to go into in this class. There’s great controversy. The Jews and the modernists, especially, like to come to Isaiah 7.14 and say, Well, you know, a virgin is not the right translation. And in fact, is you know, there’s a lot of questioning, and they would say whether this is really just simply being fulfilled in the day of Ahaz or not. And to me, to make it simple, at least, I believe that when we have the New Testament, and believing it is inspired of the Lord, the reference in Matthew chapter 1 identifies what this Hebrew word alma should mean. A virgin shall conceive and bear a son. That’s the way it was translated in Matthew chapter 1.

But also, what is the sign? Was it given to Ahaz? I read the next two verses, curds and honey he shall eat that he may know to refuse the evil and choose the good, for 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. The land you dread will be forsaken. The Lord will bring the king of Assyria upon you and your people and your father’s house, days that have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah. So the prophecy was what’s going to happen? The very thing you fear, Lord take care of anyway. Whether you want to accept the sign from the Lord about it or not. And in fact, there are those who would say, Well, how was the sign assigned to Ahaz at all?

And I I have taken the point of view that Ahaz had already said he wouldn’t accept the sign. Even if God had given this as a sign, Ahaz wasn’t going to accept it. He’d already refused a sign. More was to the people of God. What was happening, you might say, is that Ahaz really has proved his unbelief by refusing Isaiah’s quest. I’ll not test the Lord. But what happened is that in the years to come, even, God’s people knew that to trust in the Lord would have brought victory. And in fact, because God’s people were the family out of which the Messiah would come, he did preserve and he did protect them, and he did keep them as a at least as a remnant of his people, always were faithful.

In the Hebrew, uh verse 13, when he said, Here now, house of David, is it is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also? It’s interesting that the word you is uh in the let me let me see, let me go back to verse 11, where it says, Ask a sign for yourself, is singular. He’s speaking to Ahaz singular. But in verses 13 and 14, he says, O house of Israel, the Lord will give you a sign. And the Hebrew there is plural, not simply singular. But then when he comes back to verse 17, the Lord will bring the king of Assyria upon you, goes back to singular. So it seems to me that when he’s really talking about this sign that the virgin should be born, it was really a message to the people, plural, to the nation of Israel, that in years to come that they look back at this scene.

Did God keep his promise? Yes. What was the sign? Indeed, by the very birth of Jesus, the sign was that a virgin shall give birth to a child. His name shall be God with us, or Emmanuel. And it was as to to look back and to say, indeed, God preserved his people, even in the time of an unfaithful king, an unfaithful Ahaz. Yet God preserved his people. Well, looking at our questions, let me see if we can do the first three on that. If you look at on your page 31. Easy now, I hope. Who went up to war against Jerusalem days of Ahaz? Syria and Ephraim. Alright, King of Syria reason and Pika the king of Israel. How long did the Lord say it would be until Ephraim was broken?

65 years. 65 years. Number three, what sign did the Lord give? And I put here Ahaz, and I think now that I’ve gone back through, I wouldn’t word the question Ahaz. He gave it to the old house of Israel. But what was the answer to that question? Verse 14. The Lord shall conceive and bear a son, who shall be called Emmanuel. And then question four, though Judah now feared Syria and Ephraim, who would the Lord bring against them from verse 17? Assyria. He would be Assyria. So as you as you complete that chapter, in fact, the Lord would then summon Rule in verse 18 and 19. He said he would the Lord will whistle for the fly. And who did he say the fly is in that verse?

Egypt. Egypt. And for the bee. The bee Assyria. It’s as though to say no defense could prevent them from overrunning the country. And that day, the time of Assyria. And then in verse 20, the same day the Lord will shave with a hired razor those from beyond the river with the king of Assyria. The head and the hair, the legs will also remove the beard.

And 2 Chronicles 28, if you happen to read that. He sent gold from the temple. He got treasure and tried to pay Assyria so that Assyria would come down and protect him. But Assyria not only did defeat both Ephraim and Syria, but also came down and she said, shaved. I mean, he took the riches away from Ahaz. Although he didn’t defeat Ahaz at this time, it’s as though he did remove, as the scripture says, the beard. So it became a time in verse 22. It shall be from the abundance of milk they give that he will eat curds. For curds and honey, everyone will eat who is left in the land. In other words, there’ll be a poverty. There’ll be a time in which Ahaz’s unbelief in the Lord brought distress upon the people of Judah.

3. Not Walk in the Way of This People

Alright, any questions you have over chapter 7, at least the background and what he’s talking about. An important chapter, particularly because of the prophecy of the coming of the birth of Jesus by a virgin. Question number five in your text. John, I believe we’ve gotten to you. What is the meaning of the name of Isaiah’s son mayor Shalahashbaz? Faith is Paul, Haston, uh, what was it? Hazen of the Bodhi. Yeah. Meaning really, what’s about to happen? And this is kind of a following right on in from what we’ve just set up in chapter 7. Assyria is going to come. Assyria is going to come in and take over. They are the hasten spoiled the Bodhi of Israel. Right. Very well said. How many of you would like to name your child this, though?

But the names had meaning to it, and John just explained the meaning of it. And in fact, in chapter 8, he really, you know, since uh Judah had rejected God’s offer of assistance to defeat Syria and Abraham. Uh, and he says uh in verse, uh, is it verse 8? It’s like having uh verse 6, as these people refuse the waters of Shalloah that flow softly, and they rejoice in resin and in Remelai’s sons. Now, therefore, behold, the Lord brings up over them the waters of the river, strong and mighty, the king of Assyria, and all his glory. He will go over all this channels and over all its banks. Waters of Shalloah were a gentle water flowing from the Gihon, the spring of Gihon. And he said, You know, to have rejected God and his willingness to defeat the enemy for you.

It’s as though you’ve rejected the very source of water into Jerusalem from the spring of Gihon. And what will happen to you since you’ve turned to Assyria and you gave them the credit and rejoiced that they had defeated your enemy. The same waters of destruction would flood the land of Judah. Verse 8 says, even up to their neck. In other words, you’re going to suffer too. And you rejected God like the waters of uh, what am I trying to think now? I won’t pass through my mind. Yeah, Shalowa. So uh so it is that you will suffer for it. And so, chapter 8, really, and verse 11, for the Lord spoke thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people.

What was the way of this people? Verse 12. Do not say a conspiracy concerning all that this people call a conspiracy. Nor be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled. The Lord of hosts, him you shall hallow. Let him be your fear, let him be your dread. He will be as a sanctuary, but a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, as a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Stop and analyze that for a moment, because again, that’s a prophecy found in the New Testament. Even though Assyria is coming in, and they gave honor, of course, to Assyria, and therefore God, God is turning back, you know, God’s been rejected. He’s the one rejected. But in the process, they would accuse some of saying, Oh, you’re you’re a traitor.

You’re guilty of conspiracy. Isaiah? Is Isaiah a traitor? No, I won’t pay attention to that. Isaiah wasn’t a traitor. He might have been called a troublemaker, but he was not the troublemaker. It’s kind of like back in the days of the Jezebel and Elijah. He was Elijah’s called the troublemaker, but he was not a troublemaker. It was those who brought in like uh Jezebel and uh Ahab the idolatry of the prophets of Baal. I ask on your uh in your application, this lesson, on page 31 at the top, verses 12 and 13, I put every time people describe one as a conspirator or troublemaker, it is not necessarily so. The spiritual condition among God’s people was often so low that when the prophets like Isaiah reproved them and pleaded for repentance, they were accused of being troublemakers, when they really weren’t.

And even Jeremiah was Jeremiah a troublemaker when he prophesied that they would be taken down. Throughout the history of the church, those who have sought to call the church back that heard God give admission and away from man made programs have been treated as troublemakers, but they aren’t either. Pastor 2 Timothy 4 says preach the word, begins and ends, sees and out of season. Sometimes when even in our own day, we say to people, you know, where’s your Bible authority for this or Bible authority for that? And the attitude generally in the denominational world today is, oh, well, it really doesn’t matter what we do. You know, we’re all worshiping God and you know, we’re all trying to go to heaven, and so it doesn’t matter how we get there.

That kind of attitude prevails so that when you come and say, Well, wait a minute, uh, where’s the authority for this or that? And those who would ask for that may be accused of being troublemakers. And I’d say, just like Isaiah or Jeremiah or Elijah, call men back to God’s way, God’s word. And don’t pay attention if they may call you a troublemaker. When in reality, uh we’re simply pleading for people to turn back to the Lord. But then in the midst of that point, when he says in verse 14, a stone of stumbling, a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel is a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. How is it that he’ll be as a stone of stumbling?

4. A Stone of Stumbling and a Rock of Offense

This same passage is quoted again in the New Testament. Anybody know where you may have it in your own Bible, if not. Alright, 1 Peter chapter 2, really 6 and 8. Let’s look at that. 1 Peter chapter 2. And it’s applied, of course, to Jesus. 1 Timothy 2 and verse 6, therefore it is also contained in the scripture, behold, I lay in Zion, a chief cornerstone elect and precious. He who believes on him will by no means be put to shame. Therefore, to you who believe, he is precious, but to those who are disobedient. The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone, verse 8, and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. You know, to Jesus, to those who really love the Lord and turn to the Lord and obey the Lord, what is he?

He’s the chief cornerstone. And we have confidence in him. We build by faith on him. But to those who rejected Jesus, those who crucified him, what was he? He was the very stone on which they stumbled. Men who reject the Lord will find righteousness as that over which they would stumble, and would, and of course, not heed God’s way. So, in that prophecy, uh, not only in 1 Peter 2, but also in Romans chapter 9 and verse 33, it is quoted there as well, and referred to even the Jews who had rejected Jesus as the Messiah. And so he became to them a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. Let’s move on into chapter 9 before the bell rings, because in this is a very important prophecy as well.

5. For Unto Us a Child Is Born

When in chapter 9 and verse 1, uh he says, Nevertheless, the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed, as when at first he lightly esteemed the land of Zebulun and the land of Nephili. And afterward more heavily oppressed her by the way of the sea beyond the Jordan in Galilee of the Gentiles. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light, and those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined. That’s interesting, I think, that it is quoted in Matthew chapter 4, in verses 13 through 16, when it describes at the time when Jesus left Nazareth and moved to Capernaum, and there dwelt and did perform most of his the miracles in around the Sea of Galilee, proving himself to be the Son of God before people.

So this is a passage that is quoted as being fulfilled in the fact that he has come by the way of the sea beyond the Jordan in Galilee of the Gentiles. For at that point in time did Jesus bring light. People who’ve been walking in darkness will not have light. And that’s how it is applied there. But dropping on down to verses six through nine, where he said, For unto us a child is born. Unto us a son is given. The government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called wonderful, counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace, there will be no end. But upon the throne of David and over his kingdom to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward even forever.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

So don’t say to me, Show us the Father. You’ve seen him. Alright. And the fact is, he is God also, isn’t he? He came with power and work. And Emmanuel is God with us. God with us. So the very attribute that he is God is attributed in the New Testament, isn’t he? The everlasting Father, though. In looking at these, maybe we should go back and say, What would he be called? Well, these are really descriptions of him. His name will be called Wonderful. Or Wonder. Would that describe the Lord? Yeah. He certainly surpasses human thought and uh and power. He’s the marvel of the ages, you might say, and what he’s done in giving up the glory with the Father, becoming like man, born and placed in a feeding trough at his birth and at his death, crucified in a horrible way on the cross.

And yet all of this as a son of God who died for our sins. He that describes him wonderful. He’s counselor. In him is divine wisdom, right? In him are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Colossians 2 and verse 3 would so describe him. And indeed, for a king, he needed to have this kind of wisdom and counseling ability. But also the mighty God, as you said, he possessed the characteristics of deity and indeed performed the works ascribed to only what God could do. As uh even as Nicodemus said, No man can do these things that you do except God be with him. But as an everlasting father, I think it’s sometimes more problematic because he is not the same as the Father, is he?

Alright. For that, for the everlasting father, I wrote that he is the head of the church. So he’s sort of like the father of the church on earth. Alright.

And in that sense, actually, the word father can carry the idea of a relationship. Paul described himself in 1 Corinthians as a father of those he had taught the gospel, 1 Corinthians 4 15. It’s simply as in a relationship that he has, he watches, and Jesus, who watches over his people and supplies their needs. It has to do with the relationship concept. He’s not the same as Jehovah Almighty as the eternal father, but rather as our uh spiritual brother, as the Son of God, as we are joint heirs with him, there’s the relationship that we share with Jesus Christ. It’s in that sense. Kathy? It seems to correlate with good shepherd, as one who provides for the needs and the uh the care and the love for those who depend on him.

And as a shepherd cares for the flock, so that Jesus cares and has a relationship with us as well. Let’s go back on questions number 31, page 31, and let’s see how we’ve done with each of these. They were to sanctify the Lord of hosts, number six, and let him be what to them? Your fear. I believe it’s Tom’s first 13. Let it be your fear, your dread. Alright, from verse 13. Uh Jim, how did Isaiah say you could tell if there is no light in those who speak? In verse 20, they were not speaking according to his word.

And what Isaiah was saying to him, go back and go to the law to the testimony. Don’t turn to the thoughts of men, but turn to God’s will. And then number eight, Junior will have the easiest one now. What shall his name be called who would sit upon David’s throne? Wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting father, press with peace. Alright. And then number nine, uh, when Isaiah or the Lord really through Isaiah is saying, okay, here’s here’s the real trouble in Judah. Who had caused Israel to err? Angie? All right, the leaders of this people from verse 16. And then when you describe really, and that’s connected with it, uh verse 15. Uh Frank, who was the head? And who was the tail? I don’t have a book.

All right, Penny. Um the head was the elder and the honorable, and the tail was the prophet who teaches lies. Okay. True or false. Assyria and Ephraim have taken evil counsel against Judah.

6. Know to Refuse the Evil and Choose the Good

Pardon? Um verses 15, 915. Yes, okay, that’s right. Number two, there’s a period in the child’s uh life before he knows to refuse evil and choose the good. John? Sure. You know, I uh sometimes I’ll I think an application there. Many times, and some of you as parents have already seen this, where your child who’s been taught from infancy about God and about serving the Lord, and they want to be baptized. They know that’s what’s right and literally. But are they ready? Do they really understand what sin is? And it’s a question that always has been brought, you know, certainly as a preacher and as an elder, I get often asked, my child wants to be baptized. Is my child old enough? It’s a hard question to answer because you can’t just say, Well, okay, they’ve reached age twelve, that’s it, they’re ready.

Maybe not. But I’ve come to this particular passage where he speaks about knowing to refuse the evil and choose the good. At what point does a child reach that age and or stage of life when they do not just simply look to their parent for right and wrong, but they also begin to comprehend something about God in their life. And when they know to what is evil in God’s sight and to refuse it, and to seek what is good in God’s sight, not just mother and dad’s sight. That somehow in that area of time we talk about an age of accountability. So uh and again I put that as one of your applications uh of the lesson. Number three, our wait upon the Lord is to put trust in him rather than man.

True, from verse chapter eight, verse 17. And then for the Lord really had no part in the adversaries coming against Israel. Yeah, it was the head, it was the leaders there. Uh number five, the Lamb was darkened through the wrath of the Lord. Anybody? True. All right. From chapter 8 and verse twenty-two. All right. Lord willing, on uh Wednesday night, we’ll do the next lesson.