Isaiah 7-11 — Authentic Trust

Names and context

Rezin = king of Syria
Pekah son of Ramaliah = king of Israel (the Northern Kingdom of Israel)
Ephraim = another name for the Northern Kingdom
Ahaz = king of Judah (the Southern Kingdom of Israel)

Context = As the Assyrian empire gathers strength, Syria and Israel join forces to resist the Assyrian expansion and they ask Judah to join their alliance. However, King Ahaz turns them down, so Syria and Israel march down to overthrow Ahaz, absorb Judah into their union, and install their own puppet king on Judah’s throne. God’s promise to be with Judah still stands (cf. 2 Samuel 7), but Ahaz doesn’t believe this and seeks out the aid of Assyria to defend him against the Syrian-Israelite alliance.


EXPLORE

  1. Read Isaiah 7:1-7:13. Summarize the passage in your own words in 1-3 sentences.

  2. What does God mean when he tells Ahaz in v.9, “If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all”?

  3. Read a parallel account of this episode in 2 Kings 16:5-9. How does this shed light on Ahaz’s response to God in Isaiah 7:11-12?

  4. Now read the next few verses in the Kings’ account: 2 Kings 16:10-14. What lesson can be drawn from this? (cf. 2 Chronicles 28:22-24)


APPLY

  1. Ahaz believed in God in a general way but didn’t trust Him with the particulars of His life. What are one or two areas God is calling you to invite Him into in very real ways? (ex. plans, decisions, relationships, disappointments, blessings, hopes)

  2. In Isaiah 7:3-4 and 11:1-10 we see three ways to invite God into the real stuff of our lives: God’s Word, Community, and King Jesus. Can you give an example of how God has used one of these in the past to help/comfort/challenge you? Which area is God calling you to lean more into presently?

  3. Isaiah 11:2-3 speaks of Christ’s perfect wisdom. Through the Holy Spirit, you have immediate access to Jesus and His wisdom today. Does this excite you? What will it look like for you to regularly take advantage of this gift? What should you expect/not expect from asking Jesus for wisdom?

  4. Does trusting God with the specifics mean your circumstances will go exactly as you hoped? Why/why not? What are some of the things God does promise will always be true? Why do these promises matter the most?


Pray

  • for one another, our church, our city

Doxology Admin