Below are some preliminary questions to assist in the study of this passage. For a comprehensive study of the passage, download the Study Guide (PDF download).
1. What crisis did Judah face in the days of King Ahaz? See Isaiah 7:1-2 (printed below)
When Ahaz, son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, King Rezin of Syria and Pekah, son of Remaliah, the king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to wage war against it—but they could not conquer it. (2) But then the house of David received the report, Syria is in alliance with Ephraim! King Ahaz’s heart trembled—as did the heart of his people—like the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind. (Isaiah 7:1-2)
In the days when Ahaz was king of Judah, the nation of Syria (under king Rezin) began to wage war against the land of Judah. In the course of time, the nation of Israel (under Pekah) also began to wage their own war against Judah. Thus the nation of Judah found herself under attack from two separate enemies: Syria, attacking from the northeast; and Israel, attacking from the north (2 Chronicles 28:1,5-6,8). But despite their attacks, these two individual enemies could not prevail against Judah, they were unable to capture Jerusalem. But now as Isaiah 7:2 reports, word comes that these two enemy nations, Syria and Israel, have joined forces against Judah—this now produces a real crisis in the life of the nation for the people and for king Ahaz.
2. What message does the Lord give Isaiah to deliver to King Ahaz and the nation as they face this crisis? See Isaiah 7:3-6 (printed below)
Then Jehovah 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. (4) Say to him, Pay attention and keep calm. Do not be afraid. Do not become fainthearted because of these two smoking stubs of firewood—because of the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria and that of the son of Remaliah. (5) Do not become fainthearted because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah have planned evil against you, 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. (Isaiah 7:3-6)
In the midst of this crisis, the Lord sent Isaiah to king Ahaz with the following message. First, the Lord instructs Ahaz to get hold of himself: “Pay attention and keep calm.” “Do not be afraid. Do not become fainthearted.” The Lord informs Ahaz that Syria and Israel are enemies without strength; they are two pieces of charred wood, “two smoking stubs of firewood.” Finally, the Lord assures Ahaz that Syria and Israel are enemies whose purpose shall fail: “Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah have planned evil against you, 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. (7) This is what the Lord Jehovah says, Their plan will not be established, neither will it be accomplished.”
3. What concluding word of counsel and warning does the Lord give King Ahaz? See Isaiah 7:9b (printed below)
If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all. (Isaiah 7:9b)
The Lord commands Ahaz to place his confidence in Him. But note that He states it in negative terms, “If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.” That is to say, if you trust in the Lord—but only if you trust in the Lord—He will uphold you in the midst of your trial and cause you to grow spiritually stronger by means of your trial. The reason the Lord states His counsel and warning in negative terms is because He knew Ahaz’ heart; He knew Ahaz was determined to seek his own solution rather than put his confidence in the Lord his God.
4. What does the Lord invite King Ahaz to do (see verses 10-11 printed below?) How does Ahaz respond (see verse 12 printed below?) What was the real reason Ahaz declined the Lord’s offer? See 2 Kings 16:7-8 (printed below)
Again Jehovah spoke to Ahaz, saying, (11) Ask for a sign from Jehovah your God. Ask for a sign to be given either in the depths below or in the heights above. (Isaiah 7:10-11)
But Ahaz replied, I will not ask for a sign; I will not test Jehovah. (Isaiah 7:12)
Ahaz 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 Syria and of the king of Israel, who are attacking me. (8) And Ahaz took the silver and gold found in the temple of Jehovah and in the treasuries of the royal palace and sent it as a gift to the king of Assyria. (2 Kings 16:7-8)
The Lord not only calls upon Ahaz and Judah to place their confidence in Him, He graciously condescends to help them to believe. The Lord is willing to put Himself at their disposal: in order to strengthen their confidence in Him, the Lord offers to provide Ahaz with a sign. Ahaz is invited, “Ask for a sign from Jehovah your God. Ask for a sign to be given either in the depths below or in the heights above” (verse 11). But Ahaz spurns the Lord’s gracious offer, using the guise of humility (verse 12) to conceal his determination to go his own way and seek his own “salvation.” As 2 Kings 16:7-8 indicate, Ahaz had resolved to put his trust in the mighty nation of Assyria, rather than in the Lord Almighty.
5. What does the Lord tell Ahaz will be the result of his seeking help from Assyria rather than from the Lord his God? See Isaiah 7:17-19 (printed below) Note: The “flies” are a reference to the armies of Egypt and the “bees” are a reference to the armies of Assyria.
But Jehovah will bring upon you and upon your people, and upon your father’s house, a time unlike any since Ephraim broke away from Judah—he will bring upon you the king of Assyria. (18) On that day Jehovah will whistle for the flies from the most distant part of the rivers of Egypt and for the bees that are in the land of Assyria. (19) They will come and settle in the steep ravines and in the crevices in the rocks, and in all the thorny bushes, and at all the watering holes. (Isaiah 7:17-19)
Assyria did, indeed, come to the “rescue” of Ahaz and Judah. But the mighty Assyrian “redeemer” did not stop with the conquest of Syria and Israel; it was also determined to control Judah. As the Assyrians proceeded to subject Judah under their control, the empire of Egypt to the south of Judah felt threatened. Consequently, the Egyptians made their advance to protect their own sovereignty at the expense of Judah’s freedom and prosperity. So it happened just as the Lord foretold through the prophet Isaiah (verses 17-25): the Lord brought upon the land of Judah days of trouble unlike any she had seen since the time of the civil war when the northern tribes of Israel broke away from the southern tribes of Judah (verse 17). Like “flies” (representing the nation of Egypt with its fly-infested delta land) and “bees” (representing the land of Assyria with hills filled with honey bees), these two great powers would “settle” in the land of Judah, controlling Judah for their own purposes (verses 18-19).
