1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,080 Isaiah chapter seven. 2 00:00:03,080 --> 00:00:07,160 If you have your Bibles with you, that's Isaiah chapter seven. 3 00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:16,400 No, it's just last week that Haley and I were invited 4 00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:19,080 to go out to Perth concert hall 5 00:00:19,080 --> 00:00:22,320 to go and see Handel's Messiah. 6 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:26,480 Now, if you've never heard of Handel's Messiah, 7 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:31,320 let me tell you it is one of the most powerful proclamations 8 00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:36,320 of the gospel that one can hear in opera form. 9 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:41,120 That's right, the Perth concert hall was completely sold out 10 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:45,600 and packed full of sandgroopers hearing the proclamation 11 00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:50,600 of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 12 00:00:50,800 --> 00:00:54,200 It was absolutely wonderful indeed. 13 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:59,200 And that was George Frederick Handel's whole objective. 14 00:00:59,960 --> 00:01:03,720 He wanted for his audience to hear the gospel 15 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:07,520 of Jesus Christ loud and clear. 16 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:12,120 And so he wrote a beautiful piece of music, 17 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:16,600 many pieces actually, to carefully selected scripture 18 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:21,240 so that his audience could be mentally and emotionally drawn 19 00:01:21,240 --> 00:01:26,040 into the good tidings of Jesus Christ through opera. 20 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:29,280 However, what I really appreciated 21 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:33,440 about this gospel work was where George started 22 00:01:33,440 --> 00:01:34,920 the whole thing. 23 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:38,520 And that actually wasn't where most people would have thought 24 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:43,520 to have gone with the little baby Jesus born in Bethlehem. 25 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:47,240 Now, he actually thought about the whole picture, 26 00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:51,800 the whole story of God's glad tidings 27 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:55,360 and took his starting point all the way back 28 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:59,880 in the book of Isaiah, to the very scripture 29 00:01:59,880 --> 00:02:02,960 that we are going to be looking at this morning, 30 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:07,960 to the prophecy that Isaiah gave nearly 700 years 31 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:12,440 before the birth of Jesus Christ. 32 00:02:12,440 --> 00:02:14,440 And so what I wanna do this morning 33 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:19,040 on this beautiful Christmas Eve is to also take you, 34 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:22,080 the church, back to that wonderful prophecy 35 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:27,080 that Isaiah gave about Jesus being born to the Virgin. 36 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:29,960 And then tomorrow on Christmas Day, 37 00:02:29,960 --> 00:02:34,360 we'll look further in detail as to why Matthew, 38 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:37,720 under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, 39 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:42,160 used these very words of Isaiah as proof 40 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:46,840 that the Christ had really been given to the world. 41 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:49,400 And so if you have your Bible with you this morning, 42 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:52,120 again, we're going to be looking predominantly 43 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:55,840 at Isaiah chapter seven, verse 14, 44 00:02:55,840 --> 00:02:58,560 but we wanna have a look at the whole chapter 45 00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:00,520 just to have a bit of context 46 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:04,880 to see why this prophecy was given. 47 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:06,800 But before we do any of that, 48 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:08,840 let's come to our Father in prayer. 49 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:14,840 Would you pray with me? 50 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:20,680 Father, we are so grateful to be here this morning. 51 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:27,960 And Father, as we look in anticipation to tomorrow, 52 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:32,440 we ask that you would help us to know this scripture 53 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:36,040 as your people looked in anticipation 54 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:38,160 to the birth of Christ. 55 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:41,520 But there is such hope for the people of God 56 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:44,160 because when you give your word, 57 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:47,960 you work it out in your world. 58 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:52,080 Father, we ask that today, tomorrow would indeed be 59 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:55,000 a great celebration of your work 60 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:58,640 and that we would look forward in anticipation 61 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:00,400 to the final work being done, 62 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:04,840 where you will take us to be where you are. 63 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:07,520 We love you, Lord, and we ask that you administer to us 64 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:09,440 through your word this morning. 65 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:12,160 In Jesus' name, amen. 66 00:04:12,160 --> 00:04:15,320 These are the words of God, Isaiah 7.14. 67 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:19,200 Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign. 68 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:24,320 The Virgin will conceive and give birth to a son. 69 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:27,760 And he will be called Emmanuel. 70 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:30,800 Now, not many people know that the context 71 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:34,040 to our passage this morning was actually given 72 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:36,760 right in the middle of a war. 73 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:40,360 That's right, this incredible word of hope 74 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:45,280 was given in a horrid time of Jerusalem's history. 75 00:04:45,280 --> 00:04:48,120 And God gave his people this word 76 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:52,560 because he wanted his people to trust in him 77 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:54,880 against all the odds. 78 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:58,200 And so God sent the prophet Isaiah 79 00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:01,400 as he wanted his people to hear from him 80 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:04,120 so that they would trust in his word 81 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:08,160 over their current external pressures. 82 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:09,840 And if you look at verse one, 83 00:05:09,840 --> 00:05:14,840 the current external pressure was actually an invading army. 84 00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:17,960 Now, what's really sad to note here 85 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:21,280 is that the invading army was none other 86 00:05:21,280 --> 00:05:25,800 than Jerusalem's own kindred, the northern kingdom. 87 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:28,600 That's right, the northern kingdom of Israel 88 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:32,440 was coming against the southern kingdom of Israel, 89 00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:37,040 which had come to be known as Judah or Jerusalem. 90 00:05:37,040 --> 00:05:38,800 Now, what's so sad about all of this 91 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:41,520 is that they were once one people. 92 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:44,920 But as you might remember, under Solomon's reign, 93 00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:47,200 the north and the south, 94 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:50,800 well, they split into two different kingdoms. 95 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:52,640 The north committed apostasy 96 00:05:52,640 --> 00:05:55,120 in that they built their own temple 97 00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:57,320 and they had their own idols, 98 00:05:57,320 --> 00:06:01,800 yet the south remained somewhat committed to God 99 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:05,320 by knowing him through the Levitical priesthood. 100 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:08,920 However, what is worth noting and important here 101 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:13,920 is that the king of the south was always one of David's heirs. 102 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:18,840 Now, that's important because God promised David 103 00:06:18,840 --> 00:06:23,840 that he would always have one of his sons on the throne. 104 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:26,040 And so, with that said, 105 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:28,360 the southern kingdom had the temple, 106 00:06:28,360 --> 00:06:29,840 they had the priests, 107 00:06:29,840 --> 00:06:34,160 and they had the king that was given to them by God, 108 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:38,560 yet the north had completely fallen away. 109 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:41,760 They'd fallen away from the true worship of God 110 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:45,840 and from the true leadership of the God of Israel. 111 00:06:45,840 --> 00:06:48,520 And so, verse one of our chapter this morning 112 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:51,240 starts with incredible tension 113 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:54,640 with the north versus the south. 114 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:57,080 Now, Isaiah doesn't tell us in great detail, 115 00:06:57,080 --> 00:06:58,400 but the reason that the north, 116 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:00,840 and it come against the gates of the south 117 00:07:00,840 --> 00:07:04,960 was because the world power at that time, 118 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:09,960 the Assyrians had their eye on the whole land of Palestine. 119 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:14,360 And so, the northern kingdom was getting pretty nervous 120 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:17,880 and they looked to make a federation with the south 121 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:21,520 as they had already done with the pagan nation of Aram. 122 00:07:21,520 --> 00:07:25,080 However, king Ahaz, he says no, 123 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:27,080 he doesn't want the federation. 124 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:30,520 Now, to cut a very, very long story short, 125 00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:31,600 they pretty much say, 126 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:33,800 well, if you're not gonna join us, 127 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:36,000 we'll just invade Jerusalem, 128 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:37,880 we'll set up our own army, 129 00:07:37,880 --> 00:07:39,680 we'll put our own general there, 130 00:07:39,680 --> 00:07:43,240 and we will have safety in numbers. 131 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:45,600 We're reading kings that as they started 132 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:48,000 to implement that plan, 133 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:50,680 that the northern kingdom was pretty successful 134 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:53,000 in taking some of Judah, 135 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:55,760 but they couldn't take Jerusalem. 136 00:07:55,760 --> 00:08:00,760 However, they didn't stop trying to take Jerusalem. 137 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:04,520 They didn't stop harassing the southerners. 138 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:07,240 And as we see here in verse two, 139 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:12,000 Jerusalem was getting very nervous 140 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:16,480 and we're told that the heart of the king and his people 141 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:20,320 were shaken as trees in the forest 142 00:08:20,320 --> 00:08:22,800 that is shaken by the wind. 143 00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:25,640 Now, church, we don't need to use our imaginations 144 00:08:25,640 --> 00:08:27,400 that much here, do we? 145 00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:31,120 Because the context of our text this morning 146 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:34,680 is somewhat like we have seen on our screens 147 00:08:34,680 --> 00:08:38,880 in just the last few months with modern day Israel. 148 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:43,880 An invasion means slaughter and carnage, 149 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:46,880 and the people of Jerusalem were shaking in their boots, 150 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:50,960 thinking about what could happen. 151 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:54,400 And it's in that context that God sends 152 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:57,240 his faithful messenger, Isaiah, 153 00:08:57,240 --> 00:09:02,240 to the king of Jerusalem with a message to trust him. 154 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:04,680 Now, before we have a look at that 155 00:09:04,680 --> 00:09:06,320 and have a think about it, 156 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:09,200 I just want you to notice one small detail 157 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:10,960 here in our passage. 158 00:09:10,960 --> 00:09:15,160 We read that God told Isaiah to go meet the king 159 00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:17,120 near the upper pool. 160 00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:18,200 That's in verse three, 161 00:09:18,200 --> 00:09:21,240 to go meet the king in the upper pool. 162 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:22,160 Now, at first glance, 163 00:09:22,160 --> 00:09:24,160 we might just read over that little detail 164 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:27,560 that Isaiah went to see the king in the upper pool, 165 00:09:27,560 --> 00:09:30,000 but this is the thing. 166 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:32,960 If a city is going to come under attack, 167 00:09:32,960 --> 00:09:36,240 the first thing that the enemy will do 168 00:09:36,240 --> 00:09:40,680 is either cut off the water supply or taint it 169 00:09:40,680 --> 00:09:44,640 so that the people would be in serious trouble 170 00:09:44,640 --> 00:09:48,520 and forced to come outside the walls. 171 00:09:48,520 --> 00:09:53,000 So obviously, King Ahaz in his band were preparing for war 172 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:55,240 and preparing to do something 173 00:09:55,240 --> 00:09:59,920 about keeping their water supply in good flow. 174 00:09:59,920 --> 00:10:02,760 In other words, as we read through this, 175 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:05,520 you're meant to feel the tension. 176 00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:10,200 You're meant to feel the trepidation and nervousness. 177 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:15,040 Anyway, Isaiah goes to him and he says, be careful, 178 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:18,560 keep calm, don't be afraid, 179 00:10:18,560 --> 00:10:22,800 don't lose heart because of these two smoldering stubs 180 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:24,080 of firewood. 181 00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:27,880 Now, if you think, well, if you're not sure 182 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:30,040 if God has a sense of humor, 183 00:10:30,040 --> 00:10:33,400 then right here you have a little taste of it. 184 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:35,280 You see, what God is doing here 185 00:10:35,280 --> 00:10:40,000 is he's telling Ahaz not to worry about the two kings 186 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:43,400 that have come to invade Jerusalem 187 00:10:43,400 --> 00:10:46,400 because they're nothing more than a couple of stubs 188 00:10:46,400 --> 00:10:48,280 of firewood. 189 00:10:48,280 --> 00:10:51,840 In other words, God is making fun of these kings 190 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:55,440 because he sees them as a couple of useless bits 191 00:10:55,440 --> 00:10:59,280 of splinter which is only good for the fire. 192 00:11:00,640 --> 00:11:03,960 It reminds us of Psalm two, doesn't it? 193 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:08,680 Why do the nations conspire and the people's plot in vain? 194 00:11:08,680 --> 00:11:11,000 The kings of the earth rise up 195 00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:14,720 and the rulers band together against the Lord 196 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:17,880 and his anointed, the king, saying, 197 00:11:17,880 --> 00:11:20,680 let's break their chains and throw off their shackles. 198 00:11:20,680 --> 00:11:22,560 The one enthroned in heaven laughs. 199 00:11:22,560 --> 00:11:25,840 The Lord scoffs at them. 200 00:11:25,840 --> 00:11:26,680 Hear that? 201 00:11:26,680 --> 00:11:30,040 The one enthroned in heaven laughs. 202 00:11:31,120 --> 00:11:33,640 The Lord scoffs at them. 203 00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:38,080 That's how God views the enemy of his people. 204 00:11:38,080 --> 00:11:42,560 Nothing more than the laughing stock of the heavenly realms. 205 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:47,000 Now this isn't to make light of the situation 206 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:49,840 and the very, very real enemies 207 00:11:49,840 --> 00:11:54,120 that are a very real threat to the people of God. 208 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:56,400 But the point is this, 209 00:11:56,400 --> 00:12:00,560 though the people might be shaking in their boots, 210 00:12:00,560 --> 00:12:03,040 God isn't. 211 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:06,280 No, he wants the king of Jerusalem to know 212 00:12:06,280 --> 00:12:10,360 that he isn't on his throne in heaven 213 00:12:10,360 --> 00:12:12,600 worried about what's going to happen. 214 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:13,440 No, not at all. 215 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:16,880 In fact, he sees the enemy, his enemy, our enemy 216 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:20,560 as something to be laughed at, to be scoffed at. 217 00:12:20,560 --> 00:12:23,880 So why aren't the people of God? 218 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:26,920 Why isn't the king that God has put on the throne 219 00:12:26,920 --> 00:12:28,840 doing the same thing? 220 00:12:28,840 --> 00:12:33,840 Why is all Jerusalem like trees shaking in the wind 221 00:12:33,840 --> 00:12:38,840 and the king plotting in how to keep the city from ruin? 222 00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:45,600 Maybe even contemplating making a deal with the enemy. 223 00:12:47,240 --> 00:12:48,920 Well, my notes suggest to you this morning, 224 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:50,440 it comes down to fear. 225 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:53,320 That's what we're seeing here. 226 00:12:53,320 --> 00:12:57,400 The people are scared of the threat before them 227 00:12:57,400 --> 00:13:01,280 because they have taken their eyes off God 228 00:13:01,280 --> 00:13:06,200 and they've put them squarely on their circumstances, 229 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:10,040 on the situation that they see right before them. 230 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:16,000 And might I say, isn't that the root of all our fears? 231 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:19,200 I mean, I don't know about you brothers and sisters, 232 00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:24,200 but when I forget the promises of God, 233 00:13:25,040 --> 00:13:28,560 when I forget how he chose me 234 00:13:28,560 --> 00:13:31,600 before the foundation of the world, 235 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:34,720 how Christ died for my sin 236 00:13:34,720 --> 00:13:38,120 and that my debt has been paid, 237 00:13:38,120 --> 00:13:43,120 how all things work for the good of those who love God. 238 00:13:44,680 --> 00:13:48,080 When I forget those simple promises 239 00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:50,960 held out to the people of God, 240 00:13:50,960 --> 00:13:56,000 I find that the many, the many complex 241 00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:59,600 and difficult situations before my eyes 242 00:13:59,600 --> 00:14:04,360 tend to grip my heart and fear is the result. 243 00:14:06,360 --> 00:14:08,640 Well, that's happening in our texts. 244 00:14:08,640 --> 00:14:13,240 The people of God, they had the promises of God. 245 00:14:13,240 --> 00:14:17,400 They had the promise that he would preserve his people. 246 00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:19,960 He would preserve a remnant. 247 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:22,200 They were living in the city of Jerusalem, 248 00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:23,720 the remnant city. 249 00:14:23,720 --> 00:14:27,000 They had the temple where he would make his presence known. 250 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:29,000 They had the Levitical priesthood 251 00:14:29,000 --> 00:14:31,200 who lived to minister to them 252 00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:35,160 and they had God's chosen King leading them. 253 00:14:36,080 --> 00:14:38,240 Yet despite all of that, 254 00:14:38,240 --> 00:14:43,080 they were scared because they had taken their eyes off God 255 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:46,840 and concentrated on what was right before them. 256 00:14:46,840 --> 00:14:49,480 And fear was driving them. 257 00:14:50,320 --> 00:14:52,160 It was driving them. 258 00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:56,200 So God comes to his people and says, 259 00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:59,880 through Isaiah in verses five through to nine, 260 00:14:59,880 --> 00:15:02,080 that it was all going to come to nothing. 261 00:15:04,920 --> 00:15:08,480 I love what God is doing here. 262 00:15:08,480 --> 00:15:13,480 I love this because he's showing such incredible grace 263 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:16,440 and mercy to his people. 264 00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:20,600 I mean, think about it, time and time again, 265 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:24,800 the Jews lost their faith in God 266 00:15:24,800 --> 00:15:29,800 and they turned to other so-called gods, the boughs. 267 00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:35,480 They turned to other things time and time again. 268 00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:38,280 Time and time again, they lost trust 269 00:15:38,280 --> 00:15:42,520 and tried to work things out in the flesh. 270 00:15:42,520 --> 00:15:45,920 Yet God again in his mercy and in his grace 271 00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:50,880 comes to his scared children in the dark 272 00:15:50,880 --> 00:15:53,800 and lets them know that these clowns 273 00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:57,720 with their party plans were going to come to nothing. 274 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:03,200 So might I say to you all here this morning 275 00:16:04,120 --> 00:16:07,040 that the biggest threat to God's people 276 00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:12,040 isn't actually our enemy, but our own faithlessness. 277 00:16:12,040 --> 00:16:16,400 I think that's what we're meant to see here. 278 00:16:16,400 --> 00:16:19,840 There was a very real enemy, that's not denied here, 279 00:16:19,840 --> 00:16:23,360 a very real enemy knocking at the door. 280 00:16:23,360 --> 00:16:28,200 And there was a very real bigger enemy behind them, 281 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:31,200 Assyria, they were real threats. 282 00:16:31,200 --> 00:16:35,280 However, what was even more dangerous than military might 283 00:16:35,280 --> 00:16:39,480 was the people of God losing trust in their God 284 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:42,760 and thus not trusting his promises, 285 00:16:42,760 --> 00:16:46,600 which was causing this crippling fear 286 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:48,680 in which they were acting out of. 287 00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:51,440 And that is the thing, church. 288 00:16:52,400 --> 00:16:54,840 When we take our eyes off God and put them 289 00:16:54,840 --> 00:16:59,200 onto our circumstances and fear grips our heart, 290 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:02,360 we tend to act out of that fear 291 00:17:02,360 --> 00:17:06,760 and try to take the situation into our own hands. 292 00:17:06,760 --> 00:17:10,680 And when we do that, when we lose trust in God's goodness 293 00:17:10,680 --> 00:17:15,360 and his sovereignty and look to solve every problem 294 00:17:15,360 --> 00:17:18,320 in our own strength and means, 295 00:17:18,320 --> 00:17:22,000 that's when we start to spiral out of control. 296 00:17:23,360 --> 00:17:26,480 That's the warning God gives here in verse nine. 297 00:17:26,480 --> 00:17:29,800 If you don't stand firm in your faith, 298 00:17:29,800 --> 00:17:31,200 you won't stand at all. 299 00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:36,520 In other words, if your face is turned to the problem 300 00:17:36,520 --> 00:17:40,760 and not to God, when, not if, 301 00:17:40,760 --> 00:17:43,480 but when the enemy comes knocking on your door, 302 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:48,800 you'll crumble like cottage cheese under a truck. 303 00:17:50,720 --> 00:17:54,560 Church, just this week, I sat with our dear sister, Hennie, 304 00:17:54,560 --> 00:17:57,440 and had the great privilege of praying 305 00:17:57,440 --> 00:18:00,680 with an incredibly faithful woman 306 00:18:00,680 --> 00:18:05,680 who was looking forward to meeting her Lord face to face. 307 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:11,040 There is no denying that the enemy of death 308 00:18:11,040 --> 00:18:14,400 has indeed come knocking on her door. 309 00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:17,880 She has in the midst of it, a sense of excitement 310 00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:22,560 to see how God is going to conquer her greatest enemy. 311 00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:26,160 She is a woman who in spite of it all 312 00:18:26,160 --> 00:18:28,160 has turned her face to God. 313 00:18:28,160 --> 00:18:30,400 And as the enemy of death comes near 314 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:33,320 with its taunting, its trepidation, 315 00:18:33,320 --> 00:18:36,080 its history of destruction, 316 00:18:36,080 --> 00:18:38,840 she sits in absolute confidence 317 00:18:38,840 --> 00:18:41,280 that God has done everything 318 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:43,960 that is needed to be done in Christ 319 00:18:43,960 --> 00:18:47,320 so that her enemy's final sting 320 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:50,080 will ultimately pass her by. 321 00:18:51,520 --> 00:18:54,440 It's like she said several times, 322 00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:57,720 be still and know that I am Lord. 323 00:18:57,720 --> 00:19:02,120 Now as I said before, the people of God, 324 00:19:02,120 --> 00:19:06,760 they're like scared children behind the walls of Jerusalem 325 00:19:06,760 --> 00:19:10,680 in this dark room, but instead of rebuking them, 326 00:19:10,680 --> 00:19:15,120 God in his mercy, we see in verses 10 through to 11 327 00:19:15,120 --> 00:19:18,560 that he was actually willing to give a sign 328 00:19:18,560 --> 00:19:21,280 in order to build their faith, 329 00:19:21,280 --> 00:19:26,280 a sign to strengthen his weak children 330 00:19:26,280 --> 00:19:30,760 to help them, to remind them to be still 331 00:19:30,760 --> 00:19:33,280 and know that he is Lord. 332 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:37,960 However, what we see in our passage this morning 333 00:19:37,960 --> 00:19:41,720 is a really interesting response to God's grace and mercy. 334 00:19:43,200 --> 00:19:44,520 And I say it's interesting 335 00:19:44,520 --> 00:19:47,680 because we're going to look at verse 12 very quickly 336 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:50,120 and it seems quite faithful, 337 00:19:50,120 --> 00:19:52,640 quite pious some might say. 338 00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:55,280 But Ahaz said, I won't ask, 339 00:19:55,280 --> 00:19:57,320 I won't put the Lord to the test. 340 00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:01,080 He sounds a bit like Jesus there, 341 00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:02,440 but as we're going to see, 342 00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:05,720 his heart isn't as pure as one might think. 343 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:08,400 You see, what's really going on 344 00:20:08,400 --> 00:20:12,640 is that Ahaz doesn't want to follow God's direction. 345 00:20:12,640 --> 00:20:16,000 He doesn't want to sign to be given 346 00:20:16,000 --> 00:20:19,840 because he doesn't want to believe the word of God. 347 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:21,640 Now why do I say that? 348 00:20:21,640 --> 00:20:26,640 Well, it all comes down to the plans that Ahaz had. 349 00:20:27,760 --> 00:20:29,520 Again, it's like we saw before, 350 00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:33,400 Isaiah meets Ahaz where the upper pool was, 351 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:34,960 where he could see the enemy, 352 00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:37,560 where he was planning and plotting 353 00:20:37,560 --> 00:20:41,560 to take care of things in his own way, 354 00:20:41,560 --> 00:20:43,640 in his own strength. 355 00:20:44,640 --> 00:20:46,280 Yet what has God just said? 356 00:20:47,560 --> 00:20:49,360 God has just said, 357 00:20:49,360 --> 00:20:53,360 none of the enemy plans will come to fruition. 358 00:20:54,360 --> 00:20:59,360 Verse five, it won't take place, sorry, verse seven. 359 00:20:59,360 --> 00:21:02,920 It won't take place, it won't happen. 360 00:21:05,360 --> 00:21:08,000 God wouldn't let anything happen to his people. 361 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:13,800 So God said, Ahaz, just so you know 362 00:21:13,800 --> 00:21:15,600 that you can trust me, 363 00:21:15,600 --> 00:21:19,600 I'll give you a sign to remind you to be still 364 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:21,600 and know that I am Lord. 365 00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:25,600 But as we see here, Ahaz rejects the word of the Lord. 366 00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:28,600 This is where it gets really interesting 367 00:21:29,600 --> 00:21:31,600 because in verse 13, God says, 368 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:34,600 I'm going to give you a sign anyway. 369 00:21:34,600 --> 00:21:36,600 Now I want you to notice this language 370 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:38,600 because it's terrifying. 371 00:21:39,600 --> 00:21:42,600 The language shifts in verse 13. 372 00:21:42,600 --> 00:21:45,600 Ahazia begins by saying, House of David, 373 00:21:45,600 --> 00:21:47,600 but ends by saying, 374 00:21:47,600 --> 00:21:51,600 will you try the patience of my God? 375 00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:52,600 Notice that shift. 376 00:21:52,600 --> 00:21:55,600 Ahazia comes to Israel's king and says, 377 00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:58,600 this is what our God is going to do 378 00:21:58,600 --> 00:22:01,600 for his king and his people. 379 00:22:01,600 --> 00:22:04,600 Yet Ahaz rejects the word of God 380 00:22:04,600 --> 00:22:06,600 and thus Ahazia finishes by saying, 381 00:22:06,600 --> 00:22:10,600 this is what my God will do for his people. 382 00:22:10,600 --> 00:22:14,600 Anyway, so we might notice a couple of things going on here. 383 00:22:14,600 --> 00:22:17,600 There's going to be a sign given. 384 00:22:17,600 --> 00:22:20,600 And in one sense, it's going to be a sign of judgment 385 00:22:20,600 --> 00:22:25,600 on Israel's king for rejecting the word of the Lord. 386 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:28,600 Yet in another sense, the very same sign 387 00:22:28,600 --> 00:22:30,600 will be a sign of hope 388 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:34,600 because God is going to bring his true, 389 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:36,600 his obedient, his righteous, 390 00:22:36,600 --> 00:22:38,600 his righteous, his righteous, 391 00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:42,600 his obedient, his righteous king into this world. 392 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:45,600 So he says, therefore, 393 00:22:45,600 --> 00:22:48,600 the Lord himself will give you a sign. 394 00:22:48,600 --> 00:22:53,600 The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son. 395 00:22:53,600 --> 00:22:57,600 And they will call him Emmanuel. 396 00:22:57,600 --> 00:23:00,600 God then tells the king in verses 15 and 16 397 00:23:00,600 --> 00:23:02,600 that within three years, 398 00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:04,600 the threat of the northern kingdom 399 00:23:04,600 --> 00:23:06,600 will completely disappear. 400 00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:11,600 But then in verse 17, judgment is pronounced. 401 00:23:11,600 --> 00:23:14,600 Assyria will come. 402 00:23:14,600 --> 00:23:17,600 They will invade Jerusalem. 403 00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:20,600 And Ahaz will be destroyed. 404 00:23:20,600 --> 00:23:23,600 So, dear ones, it's as I pointed out before, 405 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:29,600 this chapter is all about trusting God's word. 406 00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:33,600 But we also see right smack bang 407 00:23:33,600 --> 00:23:35,600 in the middle of this passage 408 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:40,600 that God gives an incredible promise to his people. 409 00:23:40,600 --> 00:23:44,600 You see, God is in total and sovereign control 410 00:23:44,600 --> 00:23:46,600 over all there is. 411 00:23:46,600 --> 00:23:48,600 To Ahaz, he made that clear 412 00:23:48,600 --> 00:23:51,600 in that he is the author of all history 413 00:23:51,600 --> 00:23:55,600 and that nothing would happen outside of his plan. 414 00:23:55,600 --> 00:23:58,600 Yet Ahaz rejected the word of the Lord. 415 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:00,600 He comes under judgment. 416 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:02,600 To God's people, 417 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:07,600 our God promised to always have a king on the throne. 418 00:24:07,600 --> 00:24:10,600 A king in the line of David 419 00:24:10,600 --> 00:24:13,600 who would rule over his people. 420 00:24:13,600 --> 00:24:16,600 And God said that he would bring that king 421 00:24:16,600 --> 00:24:20,600 into this world from the womb of a virgin. 422 00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:23,600 Now, I say that God intended to bring his true king 423 00:24:23,600 --> 00:24:26,600 into this world from the womb of a virgin 424 00:24:26,600 --> 00:24:30,600 because this is exactly how Matthew understood 425 00:24:30,600 --> 00:24:35,600 the birth of Christ to have come about. 426 00:24:35,600 --> 00:24:37,600 Now, as I said before, 427 00:24:37,600 --> 00:24:39,600 we'll look at this in greater detail tomorrow. 428 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:44,600 But for now, I'd like to make a couple of very quick comments. 429 00:24:44,600 --> 00:24:49,600 First, Matthew makes it clear in the first chapter of his book 430 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:54,600 that Jesus Christ, whom he followed in his earthly ministry, 431 00:24:54,600 --> 00:24:59,600 was the fulfillment of this promise made 700 years prior. 432 00:24:59,600 --> 00:25:04,600 It's right there in chapter 1, verse 23, if you want to check it out. 433 00:25:04,600 --> 00:25:09,600 Jesus was born to the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem, 434 00:25:09,600 --> 00:25:13,600 which in and of itself is absolutely incredible. 435 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:17,600 But believe it or not, it's actually the second thing 436 00:25:17,600 --> 00:25:21,600 that is most mind-blowing. 437 00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:25,600 And it's to do with what Isaiah said they will call him, 438 00:25:25,600 --> 00:25:31,600 which Matthew interprets for us, Emmanuel. 439 00:25:31,600 --> 00:25:36,600 It means God with us. 440 00:25:36,600 --> 00:25:39,600 In other words, this Jesus, who is the Christ, 441 00:25:39,600 --> 00:25:41,600 who is the Son of David, 442 00:25:41,600 --> 00:25:46,600 is the one who would be called God with us. 443 00:25:46,600 --> 00:25:51,600 That's why wonderful poetry, musicals, operas have been created, 444 00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:58,600 why Christians all over the world come to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. 445 00:25:58,600 --> 00:26:04,600 It's because it's a time where we remember when God himself came into this world, 446 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:10,600 as Matthew says, to save his people from their sins. 447 00:26:10,600 --> 00:26:17,600 Church, Jesus is so much more than a king. 448 00:26:17,600 --> 00:26:22,600 He is God himself who came into this world 449 00:26:22,600 --> 00:26:27,600 to rule this world from the throne of his Father. 450 00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:33,600 In other words, Jesus is the true king who came to defeat our greatest enemy, 451 00:26:33,600 --> 00:26:39,600 sin and death, and he raised victorious over the grave. 452 00:26:39,600 --> 00:26:44,600 And as at this very moment, seated at the right hand of God, 453 00:26:44,600 --> 00:26:48,600 where he will come to gather his people. 454 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:55,600 And so as we bring this passage to an end, what is the message for us? 455 00:26:55,600 --> 00:26:58,600 What is the message for us? 456 00:26:58,600 --> 00:27:00,600 It's very simple. 457 00:27:00,600 --> 00:27:04,600 There are two ways to live in this world. 458 00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:09,600 To be or not to be like Ahaz. 459 00:27:09,600 --> 00:27:12,600 To be or not to be like Ahaz. 460 00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:18,600 You see, God has given his promises to us in his word. 461 00:27:18,600 --> 00:27:25,600 And all people, every single person who has been made in the image of God, 462 00:27:25,600 --> 00:27:30,600 is called to trust in the promises that our God has made. 463 00:27:30,600 --> 00:27:35,600 Matthew makes it clear in his Gospel that the Son, who would be born through the Virgin, 464 00:27:35,600 --> 00:27:39,600 would grow up to be the sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin. 465 00:27:39,600 --> 00:27:46,600 And so we are called to trust in that, rather than me, myself and I, 466 00:27:46,600 --> 00:27:50,600 and our own attempts to get right with God, 467 00:27:50,600 --> 00:27:55,600 through our own good works and our own assessment of things. 468 00:27:55,600 --> 00:28:04,600 We're called to trust God, called to trust and put our faith in the Son that he sent into this world. 469 00:28:04,600 --> 00:28:08,600 To put all our hope in him. 470 00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:16,600 And the promise of God is that if you trust in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, 471 00:28:16,600 --> 00:28:21,600 you will be saved from your sin. 472 00:28:21,600 --> 00:28:25,600 Brothers and sisters, there is only two ways to live in this world. 473 00:28:25,600 --> 00:28:30,600 Trusting or rejecting the promises of God. 474 00:28:30,600 --> 00:28:34,600 There is no middle ground with our Creator. 475 00:28:34,600 --> 00:28:39,600 And there is such a dire warning given in our passage this morning to anyone 476 00:28:39,600 --> 00:28:45,600 who stands in rejection to the words of God, like we see with Ahaz. 477 00:28:45,600 --> 00:28:50,600 But in saying that there is such hope in our passage this morning. 478 00:28:50,600 --> 00:29:00,600 Hope that anyone, who so ever trusts in the Word of God, who puts faith in Jesus Christ, will be saved. 479 00:29:00,600 --> 00:29:06,600 So dear ones, might we ask for God's wonderful grace on this beautiful Christmas Eve 480 00:29:06,600 --> 00:29:15,600 to trust in his wonderful promises and for us to be still and know that he is Lord. 481 00:29:15,600 --> 00:29:21,600 Would you pray with me? 482 00:29:21,600 --> 00:29:25,600 Father, we are indeed so thankful to be here this morning. 483 00:29:25,600 --> 00:29:29,600 So thankful to come around the words of eternal life. 484 00:29:29,600 --> 00:29:38,600 So thankful that your people haven't gathered to hear from me, but from you, from your Word. 485 00:29:38,600 --> 00:29:45,600 And Father, as we pray week in and week out, we ask that you would hold your Son high in our midst 486 00:29:45,600 --> 00:29:53,600 and by your Spirit that you would show us more of him, that we would be conformed to his image. 487 00:29:53,600 --> 00:29:59,600 Father, we are so thankful that you sent your only begotten Son. 488 00:29:59,600 --> 00:30:05,600 We are so thankful that he lived a perfect life, died the death we deserve, 489 00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:14,600 was raised victorious so that we might come to you in the assurance of your grace. 490 00:30:14,600 --> 00:30:21,600 Father, we would ask that gospel truth would grip our heart, 491 00:30:21,600 --> 00:30:30,600 that you would invade the walls that we've put up towards you, Lord, by trying to do things in our own strength. 492 00:30:30,600 --> 00:30:40,600 That Father, you would capture our hearts and cause our eyes to look to the true King, to the Messiah, the Christ, 493 00:30:40,600 --> 00:30:45,600 and that we would work out our salvation. 494 00:30:45,600 --> 00:30:53,600 We love you, Lord, and we ask for you to change us. In Jesus' name, amen.