December 18, 2022

CW-A  - OT Lesson - Fourth in Advent- K B Kuschel

Isaiah 7:10-14 

Take a look at some signs. What do they mean.

Today we have

A SIGN WHICH SHOWS US 

                      HOW OUR GOD DEALS WITH US SINNERS


{10}Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, {11}"Ask the LORD your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights." {12}But Ahaz said, "I will not ask; I will not put the LORD to the test." {13}Then Isaiah said, "Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? {14}Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.


(2 Ki 16:5-9)  Then Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel marched up to fight against Jerusalem and besieged Ahaz, but they could not overpower him. {6}At that time, Rezin king of Aram recovered Elath for Aram by driving out the men of Judah. Edomites then moved into Elath and have lived there to this day. {7}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 Aram and of the king of Israel, who are attacking me." {8}And 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. {9}The king of Assyria complied by attacking Damascus and capturing it. He deported its inhabitants to Kir and put Rezin to death.

(Isa 7:1-9)  When 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. {2}Now 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. {3}Then 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. {4}Say 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. {5}Aram, 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." {7}Yet this is what the Sovereign LORD says: "'It will not take place, it will not happen, {8}for 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. {9}The 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.'" You have to know a little history to figure out what is going on in the verses before us today. Remember after Solomon died the nation was split into two.  The northern ten tribes were called the kingdom of Israel.  The southern two were called the kingdom of Judah.  There was ongoing friction between the two.  The people in Israel worshiped at Dan and Bethel so they didn’t have to go to Jerusalem in the south.  They soon lost their hold on the truth about the LORD.  Although the outward practice of the truth about the Lord continued in Jerusalem, many of the people of Judah also abandoned the LORD.

    At the time of the words before us today Israel was trying to form an alliance of small states to ward off the northern power which at this time was Assyria.  Ahaz refused to join this alliance.   Ephraim which is another name for Israel & Aram which is another name for Syria decided to attack Judah.  (2 Ki 16:5)  Then Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel marched up to fight against Jerusalem and besieged Ahaz, but they could not overpower him. {6}At that time, Rezin king of Aram recovered Elath for Aram by driving out the men of Judah. Edomites then moved into Elath and have lived there to this day.  How did the people of Judah respond to this? {Is7:2}Now 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.

  B1 Who was this Ahaz?  He was a descendant of David as were all of the kings of Judah.  Do you know what that makes him?  Let me read a couple verses: (Mat 1:9-10)  Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, {10}Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, (Mat 1:16)  and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.  This Ahaz was an ancestor of Jesus.

    2 What was he like?   He was a spiritual and political disaster.  He offered his sons as human sacrifices.  He followed the detestable ways of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites.  He set up altars at every street corner in Jerusalem.

   C1 Why did God send Isaiah to Ahaz? {3}Then 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. {4}Say 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. {5}Aram, 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." {7}Yet this is what the Sovereign LORD says: "'It will not take place, it will not happen, {8}for 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. {9}The 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.'" God sent Isaiah with a message of encouragement and comfort.

  2 Why did God send Isaiah to Ahaz?    {10}Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, {11}"Ask the LORD your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights."  God wanted to give Ahaz and the people of Judah a sign.  This sign would confirm the deliverance of Judah, pledge the continuance of the Davidic line, and assert the failure of the wicked kings.  Why did God send Isaiah to Ahaz? To offer them a sign?  To lead these people back to Himself.

  D1 How does the Lord deal with us?  He keeps on offering us things.  He offers to talk to us.  “The word of the Lord came” is a refrain throughout the Scripture.  It is also a refrain in our lives.  Think of how often in your lives the Lord has offered to talk to you.  Bible stories on your parents’ knees.  Little Bible books as children.  Sunday School lessons.  Christian school courses.  Bibles readily available throughout your lives. Worship available at least once a week throughout your lives.  Formal Bible study.  Personal devotional material.  The Word keeps coming.  The Lord keeps offering to talk to us.

   2 How does the Lord deal with us?  “Ask the Lord your God!”  He invites us to talk to Him.  He commands us to make requests of Him. Because of the Messiah Jesus of Nazareth He offers us direct access to Him.   The Lord keeps offering to listen.  God offered something very special to Ahaz.  He deals with us in the same way.  He keeps on making offers. 


IIA1 Ahaz refused the offer.  {12}But Ahaz said, "I will not ask; I will not put the LORD to the test."  What is this “putting the Lord to the test” business?   I think an incident in Jesus’ life helps us answer that question.  Jesus refused to jump off the temple because He did not want to put the Lord to the test.  Jesus knew that the Lord promised to protect His people.  He knew that the Lord carries out His promises according to His own timing and purposes.  Jesus knew that the Lord nowhere promises to protect those who foolishly or needlessly expose                                    

themselves to danger.  He did not want to push God to see if God would protect him.  He refused to put the Lord to the test.  Ahaz’ situation has nothing to do with putting God to the test.  God was telling him to ask for a sign.  He wasn’t seeing how far he could push God or demanding something from God.

   2 Why did Ahaz refuse to ask for a sign? {2 Kings 16:7}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 Aram and of the king of Israel, who are attacking me." {8}And 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. {9}The king of Assyria complied by attacking Damascus and capturing it. He deported its inhabitants to Kir and put Rezin to death.  Ahaz didn’t ask for a sign because he thought he had taken care of things.  Having enlisted the help of Assyria he didn’t need help from the Lord.  And remember Ahaz really didn’t want anything to do with the Lord anyway, including getting any help from Him. 

  3 Why did Ahaz refuse to ask for a sign?  He was an unbeliever.  He believed Assyria could help him.  He didn’t believe the Lord of heaven and earth could.  God told him to ask for a sign.  Disobeying that command indicated that he didn’t believe the Lord had any power to do anything about the situation in which he and Judah found themselves.   Isaiah acknowledged what Ahaz had done when he said, “13}Then Isaiah said, "Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also?”

   B1 Was Ahaz unique in his response to God’s offer?  I 

don’t think so.  How do humans respond to God’s offer to talk to us?  Most humans refuse the offer.  Life is too hectic to read a devotion based on the Bible every day.   There are too many things to do that are much more enjoyable than listening to God’s Word in a public worship setting.  There are too many tasks to do at home and not enough nights to do them so a formal Bible study time with fellow Christians is out of the question.  NO.  I don’t use the audio and video taped Scripture resources that are sitting in the cabinet.

   2 How do humans respond to God’s offer to come to us in some very special ways - Luther called them visible Gospel - so I think we can call them signs?  Most humans refuse the offer.  Baptism?  That seems so foolish - washing with water supposedly having some spiritual benefit.  Let’s redefine it as our public proclamation that we are Christians. Lord’s Supper.  Seems like a funny way to bring forgiveness of sins into someone’s life.  Let’s just emphasize that it is one of the ways that we remember Jesus. 

   3 How do humans respond to God’s offer to give them forgiveness, righteousness, and eternal life? Most humans reject the offer.  Forgiveness of sins because Jesus died on the cross?  I don’t need that.  I am not a bad person, you know.  Righteousness because Jesus lived in my place and gives it to me?  I don’t need that.  I work hard at being acceptable to others.  Eternal life because Jesus rose from the dead?  I don’t think there is anything after this life.  Life after all is about focusing on the here and now.

  4 How do humans respond to God’s offer to give them absolute truth?  Most humans reject the offer.  Absolute truth 

about right and wrong?  Everything is relative.  I have to figure that out for myself.  Absolute truth about the origin of all things?  Everyone has the right to have his own opinion about those matters.  I like to pick and choose from the options.  Absolute truth about God?  Everyone has his own ideas about the kind of God he or she needs.  I think I don’t want to get too dogmatic about that.   God offered.  Ahaz refused.  God still offers.  All the Ahazes called humans continue to refuse.   


IIIA1 God offered.  Ahaz refused.  What did God do then?  He acted anyway.  {14} “Therefore 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.”  God gave a sign to confirm the trust of the believers in Judah.  He gave a sign so that after Judah was delivered people would recognize that it had been God’s doing.  He gave the sign to show Ahaz that he shouldn’t have relied on himself and his own plan but rather on the Lord.

   2 The sign is: “the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son.”  Who is this virgin?  The Gospel lesson for today answers that question.  (Mat 1:18-25)  This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. {22}All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: {23}"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" --which means, "God with us." 

   3 That is the other part of the sign.  His name.  Immanuel.  God with us.  The name reminds us that God is with us.  He helps.  He protects.  He provides.  The name indicates also what was happening here.  God the Son in order to be the Messiah took on himself humanity while remaining God.  We might paraphrase the promise in this way, “She will call his name “God with us” because He will be fully entitled to this name.  In Him and through Him God will truly be with us.”

   B1 How did God respond to a world of Ahazes all of whom on their own refuse His offers?  He acted in accordance with His plan anyway.  His plan was to have God the Son come into our world to become a human.  He acted.  He caused a virgin to be pregnant.  Never happens except when God acts. 

    2 Now there was someone in the position of being qualified to be the Savior.  Someone who could take the place of all.  Someone who could provide humans with what they needed.  So what did God do? He acted.  God the Son acted in complete accord with every one of God’s commands.  He loved God perfectly.  He loved people perfectly.  He did this so that He could give to humans His holiness.  That is what makes us acceptable to God.  How does that holiness get to us?  God acts.  He brings the Gospel into our lives.  God gets the holiness to us.   Humans who are holy.  Never happens except when God acts.

    3 God the Son came into our world.  Now there was someone in the position of being qualified to be the Savior.  Someone who could provide humans with what they needed.  So what did God do?  He acted.  God the Son died because we deserve to die for our sins.  God the Son suffered hell because we deserve to suffer hell for our sins.  God the Son took our guilt on Himself and removed it from us.  How does that forgiveness and rescue from punishment get to us?  God acts.  He brings the Gospel into our lives.  God gets these gift to us.  Humans who don’t deserve to be punished and have no guilt.  Never happens except when God acts.

   C1 What is Christmas all about?  It is about giving.  Is it about giving presents to our children?  Is it about giving to the needy?  No.  Those things are connected.  But that is not what Christmas is about.  Christmas is about God’s giving His Son to become a human so that we can have a Savior.  Christmas is about God’s act of giving.

   2 What is Christmas about?  It is about enjoyment.  It is about doing things that make us happy.  It is about skiing.  It is about singing.  It is about decorating.  It is about worshiping.  No.  Those things are connected.  But that is not what Christmas is about.  Christmas is about a miracle.  Christmas is about a virgin who was pregnant.  Christmas is about the birth of a baby from that virgin.  Christmas is about God’s action of causing all that to happen.

   3 What is Christmas about?   It is about relationships.  It is about spending time with people you love.  It is about getting together with people to renew and rebuild relationships.  It is about the unity of our family.  No.  Those things are connected.  But that is not what Christmas is about.  Christmas is about a miracle.  Christmas is about a unique relationship in one individual .  Christmas is about a person who was God and man at the same time.  Christmas is about a miracle.  The miracle God/man Jesus of Nazareth our Savior.  Christmas is about God’s action of making that possible.         

Conc: God offers.  Humans refuse.  God acts. And what’s left.  We behold.  We sit in quietness and ponder.  May our Christmas be filled with behold.