Rev. Joseph Chang 5/3/2014 BOLGPC Don’t Count Him Out Rev. Joseph Chang 5/3/2014 BOLGPC

1A song of ascents. Of David 1A song of ascents. Of David. If the LORD had not been on our side-- let Israel say-- 2if the LORD had not been on our side when men attacked us, 3when their anger flared against us, they would have swallowed us alive; . . . 8Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. (Ps 124:1-3, 8)

Isaiah 7 The Story of King Ahaz Isaiah 7 The Story of King Ahaz. In times of trouble, don’t count Him out.

I. God knows our peril, He puts off the fire even before it burns. 1When Ahaz son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, King Rezin of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel marched up to fight against Jerusalem, but they could not overpower it. 2Now the house of David was told, "Aram has allied itself with Ephraim"; so the hearts of Ahaz and his people were shaken, as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind. 3Then the LORD said to Isaiah, "Go out, you and your son Shear-Jashub, to meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Washerman's Field.

I. God knows our peril, He puts off the fire even before it burns. 4Say to him, 'Be careful, keep calm and don't be afraid. Do not lose heart because of these two smoldering stubs of firewood--because of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and of the son of Remaliah. 5Aram, Ephraim and Remaliah's son have plotted your ruin, saying, 6"Let us invade Judah; let us tear it apart and divide it among ourselves, and make the son of Tabeel king over it.”

I. God knows our peril, He puts off the fire even before it burns. 7Yet this is what the Sovereign LORD says: "'It will not take place, it will not happen, 8for the head of Aram is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is only Rezin. Within sixty-five years Ephraim will be too shattered to be a people. 9The head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is only Remaliah's son. If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.'" (Isa 7:1-9)

The Syro-Ephraimite War 亞蘭-以色列戰爭 734 B.C.

7你是我藏身之處；你必保佑我脫離苦難，以得救的樂歌四面環繞我。（細拉）(詩 32:7) 7You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah (Ps 32:7)

I. God knows our peril, He puts off the fire even before it burns. A. Keep Calm and Don’t be Afraid (v. 4a). B. God despises those who attack His people (vv. 4b-9). The head of Aram is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is only Rezin. The head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is only Remalia’s son.

I. God knows our peril, He puts off the fire even before it burns. C. You need to stand firm in your faith, or you will not stand at all. (v. 9)

Santa Ana Wind

Standing Firm在信心上站穩了

II. God would love to doubly assure us that He is by our side. 10Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, 11"Ask the LORD your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights." 12But Ahaz said, "I will not ask; I will not put the LORD to the test." (Isa 7:10-12)

Ahaz’s Plan 7Ahaz sent messengers to say to Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria, "I am your servant and vassal. Come up and save me out of the hand of the king of Aram and of the king of Israel, who are attacking me." 8And Ahaz took the silver and gold found in the temple of the LORD and in the treasuries of the royal palace and sent it as a gift to the king of Assyria. 9The king of Assyria complied by attacking Damascus and capturing it. He deported its inhabitants to Kir and put Rezin to death. (2King 16:7-9)

II. God would love to doubly assure us that He is by our side. 13Then Isaiah said, "Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God also? 14Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. 15He will eat curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right. 16But before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste. (Isa 7:13-16)

Bar Mitzvah猶太人成年禮

734 b.c., Isaiah prophesied 732 b.c., Damascus destroyed—2 yrs later 722 b.c., Ephraim destroyed—12 yrs later

Ahaz’s scheme— we need to study vv. 17-25.

III. If we count him out, we are to take our own consequences. 17The LORD will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since Ephraim broke away from Judah--he will bring the king of Assyria." 18In that day the LORD will whistle for flies from the distant streams of Egypt and for bees from the land of Assyria. 19They will all come and settle in the steep ravines and in the crevices in the rocks, on all the thornbushes and at all the water holes.

III. If we count him out, we are to take our own consequences. 20In that day the Lord will use a razor hired from beyond the River --the king of Assyria--to shave your head and the hair of your legs, and to take off your beards also. 21In that day, a man will keep alive a young cow and two goats. 22And because of the abundance of the milk they give, he will have curds to eat. All who remain in the land will eat curds and honey.

III. If we count him out, we are to take our own consequences. 23In that day, in every place where there were a thousand vines worth a thousand silver shekels, there will be only briers and thorns. 24Men will go there with bow and arrow, for the land will be covered with briers and thorns. 25As for all the hills once cultivated by the hoe, you will no longer go there for fear of the briers and thorns; they will become places where cattle are turned loose and where sheep run. (Isa 7:17-25)

III. If we count him out, we are to take our own consequences. Rely on the dark side will have a dire consequence. 2. Assyrians will bring such destruction, that you can no longer have the old good life. 3. The population will be scarce, the honey and the butter will be abundant.

Conclusion Are we going to count him out? Faith like muscle has to be built up gradually. 1A song of ascents. Of David. If the LORD had not been on our side-- let Israel say-- 2if the LORD had not been on our side when men attacked us, 3when their anger flared against us, they would have swallowed us alive; . . . 8Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. (Ps 124:1-3, 8)