Stories of the Prophets (Before the Exile)Landman, Isaac
Religion
Stories of the Prophets (Before the Exile)
Landman, Isaac
Bible. Prophets
Then Isaiah said:
"Hear now, O House of David! Is it too small a thing for
you to weary men, that ye must also weary my God? Therefore
the Lord, Himself, will give you a sign. Behold, a young
woman will bear a son and call his name Immanuel (God is
with us). Before this child shall know to refuse the evil
and choose the good those two kings before whom thou
tremblest shall be deserted."
Ahaz was tired of mere words. Advice he had enough; he wanted now to
act. In fact, when the knowledge of the political intrigue in
Jerusalem became known to him, he immediately made up his mind what to
do. He, therefore, again turned from Isaiah and ordered his retinue to
continue the examination of the water supply.
Isaiah then tried another form of argument with this cowardly young
king, in order to bring him to his senses. He, himself, was positive
that Tiglath-Pileser, who was at that time in Asia Minor, had, no
doubt, been informed by his spies of the action taken by Rezin and
Pekah. Isaiah felt sure, also, that Tiglath-Pileser would immediately
invade Syria. He knew, in addition, that neither Rezin nor Pekah was
strong and powerful enough, at this time, to wage a protracted war
with Assyria; that is why he described them as "two fag ends of
smoking firebrands." He, therefore, concluded that, at the first
information of Tiglath-Pileser's march into the northern country,
Rezin and Pekah would have to return to defend their own lands.
On the other hand, Isaiah knew that, if Ahaz did anything that would
in any way displease the mighty King of Assyria, the latter would,
after finishing his campaign in Syria and Israel, attack Judah.
Therefore, he warned Ahaz in these words:
"God will bring upon thee and upon thy people and upon thy
father's house days such as have not been, since the day
Ephraim departed from Judah, through the King of Assyria.
Curds and honey will be that child's food (in the wilderness)
when he knows to refuse evil and choose the good."
Isaiah ceased. He had delivered his message, had counseled and warned
the king. He made it clear to Ahaz that, if he did anything except
trust in the power and care of God for his people, Judah, like Syria
and Israel, was destined to become a wilderness in the short time that
it takes a child to reach that age when it can begin to think for
itself.
Ahaz, however, acted upon his own and his young men's counsel. Hardly
had he returned to the palace that day, when he sent messengers
carrying the following letter to Tiglath-Pileser, King of Assyria:
"I am your servant and your son. Come up and save me from
the power of the King of Assyria and from the power of the
King of Israel, who have attacked me."
Ahaz followed up this message by ransacking the Temple in Jerusalem
and the treasures of the royal palace, sending both as a gift and
bribe to Tiglath-Pileser.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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