Through the Bible | Isaiah 7:1-14

[Music] the year is 734 BC 734 4 years before Jesus the Messiah would come and that's important because Isaiah the book is one book that is very messianic that is it tells us a lot about the coming Messiah Jesus Christ and we really get to see that in its full glory tonight in chapter 7 we're gonna see Isaiah start to talk to the people of those local times prophesy to the people of local times but there's time for Isaiah's gaze goes past you know 7 you know 734 BC and goes all the way to the Messiah when Jesus the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem of a virgin and grow up and eventually be despised rejected and beaten and crucified on a cross and led like a lamb to the slaughter these are all themes that Isaiah will prophesy concerning the Messiah for the world not just for the Jews so we will see a bit of that tonight it's kind of exciting to get into this chapter for that reason but we we have to understand there's a local application of this and then Isaiah tends to look past that so it's a little tricky sometimes to know when Isaiah is talking about you know the times that he's alive in vs. the times where he's moving forward but you'll get a sense you'll get a sense for this well Brett how are we sure how can we just go with a sense other scriptures the best commentary on the Bible is the Bible and I'll show you how that works tonight as well when you have questions about what's being said or the truth of something or or how it fits I love how the Bible speaks of itself and clears up any questions or even the controversies are cleared up if you let the Bible be its own commentary and I think that's gonna be evident tonight as well so in 734 what was the deal well this would be quite a bit after Uzziah died in chapter 6 remembering the year King Uzziah died I saw the Lord High and lifted up on his throne and his train filled the temple you remember that whole that whole thing and then Isaiah you know how to slip spurred in Chapter six so that he could go and remember the Lord said who will go for us who shall I send and I said send me here Am I and so he's going as the prophet to be sent to the kings and the leaders of Israel and and so Isaiah hears this this kind of ominous message we ended last week in chapter 6 where the Lord says you're gonna go and tell them they're basically done for well what if they are gonna be saved nope the Lord says they're not going to be saved they're gonna continue in their rebellion and I want you just to basically go and preach that it's over eventually you guys are going to be taken into captivity both sides of Israel and when I say both sides remember in Isaiah's time there was the north and the south the North was you know sometimes referred to as Ephraim which was the biggest tribe in the north and that's why they tend to call it a Ephraim and it was it was the northern 10 tribes really that split off from the southern two tribes and they're in the southern area they called Judah or you know the main city they're Jerusalem and that's where Isaiah was with this new king ahaz that we're gonna meet tonight we met him of course back in first and second Kings forces i chronicles we met a as we'll talk about a little more about him but um but let's pick it up what's going on we've got this king who's pretty much a loser he's the guy that doesn't have a clue and he does really stupid things unfortunately let's pick it up in chapter 7 verse 1 it came to pass in the days of a has the son of Joseph the son of Uzziah the king of Judah that raising the son of Syria and Piku the son of Rome alia the king of Israel went up toward Jerusalem to war against it but could not prevail against it and it was told the house of David the house of David is an idiom for a Oz and his side because remember the kings of the south Judah Jerusalem would be descendants of David that line of King would continue through to this time so you know Uzziah Jotham Ahaz all relatives of david and so he's called the house of david he has it was told the house of David saying verse two Syria is Confederate with Ephraim and his heart was moved and the heart of his people as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind what's going on it's kind of setting the stage here basically was told a has man Ephraim the the ten northern tribes Israel as it would be called they're they're gonna come and go against you and and says that you know the king along with the king of Syria would go up against toward Jerusalem but they they weren't able to prevail against Jerusalem we did see this by the way in 2nd Kings chapter 16 an hour through the Bible study a few years back when we were in second Kings we saw this very story happened Isaiah was alive at that time and he's writing about this and and then it was told you know a has hey Syria is gonna align themselves with the frame and they're gonna they're gonna come against you together and and when it says here in verse seven and his heart was moved it doesn't mean oh I'm just so in love it's just moved my heart no it's he was moved with fear and horror it says here interesting as I was just showing you pictures of a cyclone blowing trees it says here that the heart of the people as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind the ideas they were horrified they were horrified that they were about to be trouts they just got through being besieged by those armies in Jerusalem but they failed and a has very barely hanging by a thread prevailed against that besieging of Jerusalem and they all went home but the Lord is telling Isaiah it's gonna happen again and things are not going to go so well so so they're all totally freaked out interesting because the question is what do you do when you are told something about what could happen or what is happening or what might happen you know we live in a day of real fear and you know when people talk about the coronavirus and the sickness man you can tell people are kind of fear that they're fearful of two main things they're afraid for you know loss of their jobs and and their their money and also people are afraid that they might get the corona virus and die people are afraid right now this is a fearful time for a lot of people I do believe however the Lord gives us as Christians a quiet confidence not in ourselves knotting it not even in our ability to socially distance and be safe and wash and and all that stuff we don't put our trust in man's devices we do what we need to to be wise and to you know go with the flow of whatever he's doing but at the same time our trust is not in the way of man our trust to the Lord I love being a Christian just because of that we can trust the Lord's will be done and we asked the Lord to do what he would and we can just trust him and that's why and you know 2nd Timothy 1:7 it says we're not to be given over to a spirit of fear but of power and love and a sound mind that's kind of a theme for a lot of people during this coronavirus scare trouble trial difficulty and so what we see here is kind of a similar deal as potentially here is that they're going to come down again with greater alliances that the ìiî of mites the northern ten tribes are going to come down with Syria and they're gonna come and and attack them and they're already hanging by a thread so this causes the people of Jerusalem and a oz and his kingdom to be afraid blowing in the wind like the trees that's that's the scenario that we see right here in Chapter seven so verse three goes on and says then said the Lord unto Isiah go forth now to meet a as thou and she our Yahshua the son thy son so and it says at the end of it at the end of the conduit at the upper pool in the highway of the Fuller's field so God's gonna meet with a has the Lord's speaks this to Isaiah and and so they go to meet him and here's what you're supposed to say Isaiah it says right here in verse 4 and saying to him take heed and be quiet fear not neither be faint-hearted for the two tales of these smoking firebrands for the fierce anger of reason with syria and the son of rome alia because of syria ephraim and the son of rome alia have taken evil ax counsel against thee saying let us go up against judah and vex it and let us make a breach therein for us and set a king in the midst of it even the son of Tobi all now interesting word given here to ayahs by Isaiah the prophet in fact it's kind of a three-part message a little sermon his three points number one take heed man listen up one of the hardest things to do when you're in trouble or in fear is to stop pause and listen just to listen have you taken time in this coronavirus season of fear and trepidation of our nation and the world have you taken time just to listen to hear God what is the Lord trying to tell you I love it it starts with take heed when you're freaked out when there's threat and trouble and trial some people man they just panic and they can't stop talking they don't even come up for air I sort of feel that way about a lot of the Talking Heads have you have you seen how much misinformation has been out there concerning this coronavirus and some of the stuff around it you know what's that medicine that Donald Trump said something about chloroquine or something like that and he said you know he's hopeful that that can help people on and man the media just went crazy said how is it that Donald Trump's prescribing tested drug I've taken that drug going to other countries they give it to you for malaria that's been tried true and tested for years so I remember thinking wow it's funny I've had that now then they pointed to the guy that took some chloroquine and died and that was Donald Trump's fault that was kind of interesting I thought there was the news freaking out again talk talk talk talk and and they were saying he died because he took it but they didn't mention a lot of them that it was actually a guy that heard that that might help and he looked on his fish tank cleaner bottle and saw there was some of that in that fish tank leader so he drinks some of his fish tank cleaner and dies that's not super brilliant I feel sorry for the guy but that's just dumb and so the news said Oh Donald Trump killed that guy I don't know if you've heard but it's just crazy now now what's happening around the world the top doctors in Spain and Italy and other places were Coronas it really badly they're actually finding that this chloroquine is actually helpful and in fact is a good helpful drug and it seems to minimize some of the side effects of the corona virus and it's helping people I saw an interview of a doctor last night who was talking about a patient who was convinced he was dying he it was over and he prescribed the chloroquine and the guy suddenly a few days later is up and about and doing well and then the doctor said by the way that was my father and it's kind of like BAM thankfully there seems that somehow this medicine is helping but what my point is you hear all kinds of information all over the boards about all different kinds of things and you don't know what to believe what's true what's false what are lies what are great truths I mean that's the way it is right now and and I think instead of buzzing and chatting and freaking and talking maybe we should just take heed be still and know that I am the Lord the Scriptures declare as Christians man we need to shut off some of that chatter and you know some of the social media take a break and some of the things that people are chatting up about and all freaked out about you know I think that one of the quiet confidence you know modes that Christians can be in is once they and listen to the Lord they can step out of that mayhem and sort of calm and cool themselves and that's what happens to the believer this is the problem you know the word is listen take heed stop chatting stop doing see we know a little bit about what a house is doing and I'll tell you what that is in a minute because it's not here in Isaiah really that tells us about that it's actually in second Kings that we read about that what he was actually doing he was busy not listening but manipulating and doing stuff to try to figure out his problem but he didn't take time to listen he didn't do what Isaiah says so number one point he says in verse four say to him take heed that's number one number two be quiet so not only to listen but to be quiet and if you're not quiet you're not listening have you ever had a conversation with someone that basically you know you know you're talking to them but while you're talking they're thinking about what they're gonna say next to you about what you're talking about they're not listening to what you're saying they're formulating their next comeback to what they're saying and it's it's a real waste of time to talk to someone who doesn't listen and have quiet moments and the Bible talks about being you know swift to hear slow to speak that's the biblical model but anyway so he's told two things so far take heed be quiet and then thirdly fear not don't be afraid and neither be faint-hearted and don't let your heart grow faint don't be afraid now this is amazing on so many levels to me the fact that God is telling him to calm down listen be quiet and don't be afraid is amazing especially when you know who this guy is a house goes down as one of the biggest loser kings of Israel's history in fact in first Kings we read about him and and some of the evils that he did you can jot it down in your notes part of me second Kings second Kings 16 let me read to you it says in the 17th year of pika the son of Rimowa Mallya a has the son of Joseph M king of Judah began to rain 20 years old was a Oz when he began to rain and rain sixteen years in Jerusalem and did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord like David his father so he didn't do the right things and he walked in the way of the kings of Israel that's the Norton the northern ten drives he walked in their wicked ways and it says yeah he made his son to pass through the fire according to the abominations of the heathen what's that all about this King took his son and sacrificed his son on an altar to Moloch this god of pagan deities of the Canaanites ki mosh and Moloch this king of Israel was worshiping Moloch the worst of all the worse and sacrificed his own child on the arms of this overheated incandescent red arms of Moloch they had this iron God with a belly that they'd stoke a fire in the belly and the arms would start to glow and then they'd sit their children on the arms of Moloch that's what this evil wicked King did and so we see that that was his demeanor but what was he doing was he being still and listening to God and taking heed not to be afraid no he was so afraid about you know reason and mallya you know Syrians and all this stuff that he decides to make stuff happen himself he goes after it in fact let me read you what he does here in 2nd Kings 16 - and some of this will be familiar if you went through the Bible with us before it says so a has sent messengers to TIG last placer the king of Assyria now don't get confused in the Bible Syria and Assyria are two different people two different locations us the Assyrians and Syria was bad and they're the ones attacking you know King Ahaz here but the Assyrians make the Syrians look like mr. Rogers the Assyrians were a horribly vicious brutal horrifying scary people they're the ones that that took their enemies and skinned them alive and use their skins to make furniture in their house the Assyrians were the people that piled up skulls outside their city gates of all their dead enemies so that when you came to one of their towns you would see piles of skulls ago man don't mess with the Assyrians that just might be my head on that pile some day it was a horrifying thing the Assyrians were a brutal brutal people and so what does he do he goes to the Assyrians and visits old Tiggy Tiggy a placer and what does he say listen this is this a second King 16 verse 7 he goes to tickle a sir and says I am thy servant and thy son man I'm subservient to you you're the master you're the man this is a Israeli Jerusalem King saying you're over me Masek I'm submitted to you and and come up and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria out of the hand of the king of Israel that rise against me and Ahaz how did he pay him off how did he get him to do this he has took the silver and the gold that was found in the house of Lord the temple and in the treasures of the King's house and sent it for a present to the king of Assyria and the king of Assyria hearkened to him for the king of Assyria went up against Damascus the Syrians and took it and carried the people captive to cure and slew reason so you say well Brett that sounds like it worked yeah it worked for a minute the problem is once you become a servant to the Assyrians you're always a servant to the Assyrians it would be the Assyrians who would ultimately come down and wipe out the ten tribes of Israel and drag them off into captivity it was a horrible relationship they were aligning themselves the Jews in Jerusalem under the leadership of Ahaz was aligning themselves up with the worst people you could it'd be like us aligning ourselves with you no I can't think of a great example but you know kim jongmin from north korea this horrible dictator and saying we're your humble servants and and hoping that he'd protect us only picture of North Korea being legitimately a world power that be sort of the kind of the idea this crazy kid glass bowl a sir and he gives him all the gold and silver the stuff that was used to worship God yeah says yeah whatever we don't care about that we're just gonna use this to pay off this Assyrian King for our protection so what what is he doing instead of listening to God listening to Isaiah the prophet giving him the word be quiet listen to God don't be afraid instead of doing that what does he do he runs off and aligns himself with two glass blasts or the Assyrian stupid you know there's a lot of people at the Bible that were told to do certain things but as it turns out it always worked out bad when people tried to manipulate make things happen remember Abraham and Sarah God says I'm gonna give to you the two of you a son and he's gonna be the father of a mighty nation well Abraham and Sarah got a little older than you'd normally expect to have children they were in their 80s when they started really talking about this so my god there's no way we're gonna have children but God says nope you guys are having children but Sarah came to Abraham said you were too old Abraham sleep with my handmaid Hagar and have a child with him and that will help God along will manipulate the situation and it'll be that which the Lord blesses and you know the rest of the story Abraham sleeps with Hagar and she has a child and names him Ishmael and then the Lord says what in the world are you doing Abraham I was gonna use you and Sarah to make a mighty nation so they finally the Lord actually does keep his promise as he always does and they have a child named Isaac Abraham Isaac then jacob and that became the jews ishmael became the the mighty nation of arab people throughout the world and there's an arab-israeli conflict even to this day because of Abraham and Sarah trying to help the Lord along in becoming pregnant big goof I hope you're not trying to help the Lord along in your life I see this all the time I see people that should be being still being silent being trusting in the Lord but instead they're out running around looking for ways to manipulate and fix hookup I see that sometimes in single people who are trying to make relationships happen so Lord I'm not married yet so I'm gonna make something happen I see people doing that and it becomes sometimes a problem I see people do that with their occupation and with their finances and they try to make stuff happen when the Lord saying be still don't manipulate don't finagle just be still big mistake that Abraham made and it's also a huge mistake that a has makes here in 2nd Kings chapter 16 so that's kind of what's going on while the Lord says in verse 4 take heed be quiet if you're not don't be faint-hearted because those two nations he calls them smoking firebrands and vs. 4 don't don't worry about them he says there because verse 5 they're taking counsel against you and what they're saying verse 6 is to go up against Judah that's a has Jerusalem the men of Judah go up against them and what we'll do is put in a king in his place sort of a puppet King in the place of a house and he's named there in verse 6 top be all now is the name of the guy that they're gonna put in his place that was their plan and they're gonna come from Damascus verse 8 for the head of Syria is Damascus and the head of Damascus is red zien and with within threescore and five years or 65 years verse verse eight says shall be free and be broken that it be not a people Ephraim the Lord says is going down and that's what happened eventually this prophecy 65 years after Isaiah prophesized it comes to pass where the Assyrians wiped out the northern 10 tribes dragged them with hooks in their noses up to Assyria and assimilated them into their culture by the way did you know that that problem of the Assyrians they attacked Jews there was a group that kind of stayed and intermixed with the Assyrians they were Jews and Assyrians that sort of intermix and they became a people known much much later as the Samaritans that ring a bell the Samaritans were half the Jews the reason the Jews hated the Samaritans is because they were considered half breeds half Assyrian half Jewish and so the Jews hated them because of this this story that happened hundreds of years remember when Jesus said we need to go through Samaria and the design was like what are you talking about no no good Jew would go through Samaria but Jesus did and remember the whole story the woman at the well and all the stuff there's great stories about the Good Samaritan because they all fought Samaritans were just bad so that's all part of this story of the Jews and the nations around there but it was a has who was freaking out and by the way that that would be his downfall really his using the temple gold and silver to bribe TIG laughs to last through the Assyrian to be his helper but it would be the Assyrians who tulta mentally wipe out Israel but it would be the Babylonians that would wipe out Judah in 586 quite a few years after the Assyrians would come so hopefully we're getting a little bit of a historical perspective on what was happening during this time so basically he say man you got to do this now check this out verse 9 and the head of Ephraim is Samaria and the head of Samaria is Ramallah his son if he will not believe surely he shall not be established Isaiah says to a as if you will not believe surely you will not be established I like the way that New International Version puts it if you do not stand firm in your faith you will not stand at all what a good word standing firm in your faith is what he needed to do a oz would fail to do that because that it would cost him greatly it would cost the people of Judah greatly all that to say how are you doing with that are you standing firm in your faith are you hanging by a thread a as was manipulating finagling freaking but he was hanging by a thread the whole time but the person that listens to God and has faith if you don't put if you don't stand firm in your faith you will not stand a tall boy that's the truth and I've I've noticed how this coronavirus is sort of shaking out the people of real faith versus the people that are lacking in faith and you can see it it just got it comes out in different ways but I hope you're a person of faith some of you might say Brett I wished I was more a person of faith I see a lot of you Christians happy and not freaking out and not hoarding toilet paper and not you know worried about you know dying even what's the deal with you guys are gonna just whack out well the answer I think the Christians that are standing firm in their faith man they just have a real vibrant faith that overcomes fear and and and how do you get faith by the way the Bible tells us that how you get faith doing exactly what you're doing right now as we go through the Bible together as we study the Scriptures have you ever noticed your faith meter kind of goes up every time we get into scripture I find you know even just teaching the Bible here on a Wednesday night my faith just kind of goes and I feel like man the Lord is right His Word is true we don't have anything to worry about man your faith bucket gets filled as we get into the word and that's what the book of Romans says faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God that's how your faith is built up if you want faith do what you're doing right now be a man be a woman of the scriptures read the scriptures daily devote time to reading the Bible study Scripture with us here at Athey or anywhere there's we're so spoiled today we got so many good Bible teaching churches and pastors and ministries and commentaries and you know software we are inundated really with amazing resources to be students of Scripture we have no excuse and and that's how your faith is built up managed to get into the scriptures I hope we're all doing that I'm glad you're with us tonight because this should help fill that you know that faith bucket and that's something you should be aware of well I love that that word now what's gonna happen here so we know that behind the scenes because of second Kings that a houses are gonna listen with us and he's off manipulating finagling we know that right but what's the Lord gonna say to him now this is where it gets really interesting to me verse verse 10 it says moreover the the Lord spake again to a as saying ask me a sign of the LORD thy God ask it either in the depth or in the height above but a has said I will not ask neither will I tempt the Lord now now what's that we know that a has is freaked out he's afraid and he's manipulating and he and he's trying to make things happen and he's made an alliance with the Assyrians and paid him off with the gold of the temple and here's the Lord speaking through Isaiah said okay as I want to show you a sign you name it I'll do it to ask for a sign and I will do it but hey I says something that's just curious to me says man no thanks what's up with a has not wanting to have a sign when the Lord says I'll give you sign I'll tell you what's happening dad's could care less about a sign because he thinks he's got it all figured out he thinks that I don't need a sign from you Isaiah he's stupid prophet because I've already fixed the problem the Assyrians on our side we paid him off with gold from the temple I've manipulated the situation I've finagled it and I am resting on my laurels now because I've made the deal of a century and so he's not interested in the sign from the Lord about what God was gonna do but here's the funny thing God wants to reveal to a as the sinful wicked King something that's more glorious than you can I even imagine you were I can even comprehend God's gonna show him a sign that is second to none in some ways and God wants to do it but Ahaz is indifferent about it now before I tell you what that sign is that God wants to show he has about God's plan for the Jews and not only for the Jews only but for the whole world God's gonna reveal something huge to a house with a massive sign but I ask could care less I take away a little lesson from that I believe there are people today and and maybe even good Christian people who love Jesus following the Lord but they could kind of care less about the signs God wants to show them there's an a has attitude out there of being indifferent toward signs of the times that we're living signs of what God's plan is for Humanity and the Bible tells us that we're not supposed to be ignorant about some of those signs of those times jesus said watch be ready watch the signs of the times he told us in Matthew 24 and and Paul talked about that in 1st Thessalonians chapter 4 and 5 that man we can comfort one another watching the signs that the signs of the times we won't be overtaken like a thief in the night because he wants to give us signs of the times and man we've got so many signs right now prophetically that the Bible says in the last days here's what its gonna look like and then there's a long list of things and we talk about those things in our prophecy updates and some people in the church today like yeah whatever it's to diverses to divisive to to controversial the idea of Bible prophecy and there's so much disagreement we're just not gonna talk about Bible prophecy I think that that indifference toward Bible prophecy is actually a and they has attitude yeah whatever I don't want to see a sign Thor saying I'm gonna show you signs of the days that we're living in and a lot of the church today is saying yeah whatever we don't care don't be an a has you know that's a big goof there's so much happening today if you missed last Sunday's teaching we did a on Palm Sunday we did a prophecy update on just a few items that are happening even right now in our world and man we could talk about all kinds of other things that are signs of the times that we should be watching so don't don't do that and he says yeah I'm not gonna ask the Lord I'm not gonna tempt the Lord out show me a sign he could care less but that was a carnal godless sort of mentality God said I want to show you a sign so check this out here's where the sign starts to be revealed to a house through Isaiah the prophet it's verse thirteen and he said hear ye now o house of David they as the king is it a small thing for you two weary men but will you weary my god God also as your attitude about this as wearying I kind of feel that way I can almost say that about some of the Christians like yeah I just believe in you know you Brett you're a pre Trevor there's post-trib pre-trib imap and Trevor what's a pram Trevor oh it's just gonna pan out in the end that's an a has that I could care less whatever Lord's just gonna work it out how he's gonna work it out that's what he has is saying don't be a pan Trevor I know that people think it's funny and it's a joke and all that I think it's actually indicative of an a has kind of attitude it says yeah I don't care about one-fourth of the Bible that deals with Bible prophecy and future events don't don't be an a has in in the story here so Isaiah saying man you know your wearying men but you're all wearying God by having this indifferent attitude therefore verse 14 here it is therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Immanuel is this a big prophecy is this something that is huge that God is going to reveal to this wicked King yep its massive and it goes wave this is again where Isaiah's gaze goes past the current situation of that story and saying you know Jerusalem and Judah I'm gonna protect you guys and I'm not gonna completely forsake you and let all of the Jews die and be assimilated by other cultures as so many others but there's something that's gonna happen to you guys long-term where the Jews are gonna be saved and man God reveals not just the time of a as in 734 BC but now he's revealing to him a sign that would be so radical it would change the whole world forever this the sign of a virgin giving birth and his name shall be called Immanuel now I have a buddy who's extremely intellectual guy who knows Hebrew and Greek and all kinds of ancient languages and really good dude I love this dude and we have interesting conversations but he was making the argument that this is probably just some young girl and and his argument is this and you'll hear people argue this this this isn't a prophecy about Jesus this is just a sign to a has on this time about some virgin and and you'll see even in your newer translations if you have a nearly inspired version NIV or and I'm just kidding that's a joke not funny I'm if you have a newer translation the the word might be young woman behold you know I give me a sign behold a young woman will conceive and bear a son and cause name Emmanuel and so the Hebrew word for that is young woman and would I make that argument well I would but I'm not going to tonight do we really know you know what that word is I've noticed that ancient Hebrew is something that we're not I'm not sure we can say that we know all those things for sure but here's what I do know the Septuagint which is the Greek translation of the Old Testament the Hebrew Bible uses a different word the Greek word here that is also employed by Matthew in Matthew's Gospel would you keep your finger here in Isaiah 7 and go with me to Matthew Matthew chapter 1 in Matthew chapter 1 we have this great and glorious description where Joseph is you know appearing the Lord is appearing to Joseph in a dream in verse 20 remember this whole story the Mary's pregnant and just like what in the world is going on how did she get pregnant who did she sleep with and it says verse 20 of Matthew 1 but while he thought on these things behold an angel of the Lord appeared unto Him in a dream saying Joseph thou son of David fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost and she shall bring forth the son and shall call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins now this was all done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet which prophet might that be Isaiah saying verse 23 of Matthew 1 behold a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son and they shall call his name Emmanuel which is being interpreted God with us God with us that is the author Matthew quoting from Isaiah and and Matthew says the word for virgin well it's alma in the hebrew which could be translated as young woman but in the in this greek it's Parthenos and Parthenos it is used in the Septuagint the Greek translation of the old old testament and matthew you the word Parthenos which means virgin ear irrefutable undeniable where in Matthew 1:23 he's quoting isaiah using that greek word which unequivocally means virgin and and one thing you need to know this is why this is important is you know the concept of the virgin birth is a cornerstone of Christianity you know only if Jesus was truly the Son of God could he have ever lived a sinless life died on the cross our substitute and be the sufficient sacrifice for man's sins yeah bro what's the deal with this virgin birth why was there the necessity for a virgin birth why are you Christians that are within the pail of Orthodoxy why do you always say that in your Creed's and what's that born of a virgin why does that have to be well that's that's important because of the protoevangelium the peanut-butter-and-jelly um what are you talking about no the protoevangelium is in Genesis where there's this first it means first gospel or the first mention of the gospel and it's in Genesis chapter 3 verse 15 man fell and sanam was just was headed for total death and destruction because of that and then God gives a promise listen to this this is the protoevangelium where it says and I will put empathy between thee and the woman the snake the Serpent and the woman and between thy seed and her seed and it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel breath that's kind of a weird verse to talk about what's the deal with that well just just as it turns out this is the mention of what's gonna happen when Christ would crush the head of the serpent on the cross it would bruise his heel in the sense that Jesus would die on the cross for the sins of the world but the seed of the woman the word seed is we think of our garden but the word seed in the Hebrew is where the word really it's the word sperm you say well the woman doesn't have the sperm she's got the eggs how is it that the seed of woman will be the one that brings forth this person who's going to destroy Satan ultimate and save humanity that's the mystery of the gospel that that Christ would come born of a virgin now some of you might say Brad okay I still don't understand what the point is of being born of a virgin well if you're taking down notes jot down a few things about why the virgin birth number one it makes Jesus a unique person nobody else was born of a virgin in all of the world's history Jesus's is is the only one who was born of a virgin he's unique that's important the druze that live in a near Mount Carmel they're in Israel they believe the Messiah is still going to be born of a virgin man that's that's a stretch for the for the man to give birth as a virgin they some of the Druze walk around with these big MC Hammer pants to have this pouch and front in case they're they give birth to the Messiah the pants will sort of catch the baby you think I'm making it up look it up it's it's there you'll see pictures of their maternity pants that they're wearing these men that are the Druze but they're not going to do that the Messiah came when Jesus came born of a virgin woman and so it makes Jesus a unique person number two it gives Jesus unique parents the virgin birth is really fascinating because was Jesus man or was he God the answer is yes 100% man but 100% God 1% man in that he was born of Mary Hebrews chapter 4 tells us a little bit about that in verse 15 it says for we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin Jesus felt every single pain suffering hurt that you've ever felt he's been through every detail of your pain and suffering and he relates because he was a hundred percent man he grew up in a tough situation was betrayed by his friends was ultimately crucified on a cross none of us can even hold a candle to the suffering Jesus went through but he can relate to everyone suffering I'm all planet so so that's percent man but he was also born of God 100% God Romans chapter one verse three and four listen to this this kind of defines both it says in Romans chapter 1 verse 3 and 4 says now concerning his son Jesus Christ our Lord which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh in other words in the physical biological flesh he was a descendant of David but verse 4 says and he was declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead he was born of the flesh but he was also born of the spirit by the Holy Spirit which the Bible told us to josephus she was pregnant and it was a work of the Holy Spirit not that she had romance and sexual relationships with a man she was a virgin and the Holy Spirit made her pregnant that makes Jesus unique in not only as a person but he had unique parents I'm Galatians chapter 4 verse 4 says but when the fullness of the time was come God sent forth his son made of a woman made under the law to redeem them that were under the law that we might receive the adoption of sons Jesus was born of a woman which is there was no man involved which makes him unique as able to save the world from its sins so he was a unique person he had unique parents which gave him number three unique power unique power we sin because we are born in sin we don't give our children sin lessons at least I didn't have you ever given your children sinned lessons okay kids here's how you lie when you lie make sure and don't let them know what you're thinking speak it out with confidence when you tell a lie don't blink don't look elsewhere look them in the eye and you just tell that big ol whopper did you train your kids out a lie or did they did they learn that quite naturally see that's the problem humanity as a real natural proclivity to sin we were born and said and and that that's the problem we sin because we're just we were born and said but but our children prove it they very naturally move in the sinful direction that's just humanity but David even declared by the way in psalm 51:5 he says in sin did my mother conceive me another weird is born in sin is the idea but Jesus has never sinned Jesus has never sinned in Galatians 2 verse 20 it says I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not i but Christ that lives within me and the life which I now live is the flesh I live by faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Jesus was the sinless sacrifice because he was not a sinner he was the one who could die on the cross for our sins without that we wouldn't have a suitable lamb if you would to be the sacrifice for the sins of the world so it gave him unique power being born of a virgin to be the one who'd saved the world from its sins so it makes Jesus a unique person he has unique parents unique power but also unique purity our blood has been tainted by sin but Jesus's pure blood washes us from sin man we could camp out on that we've done whole teachers on the blood of Christ and that's important part of our faith but not only unique person unique parents unique power unique purity but number five unique prophecy it's a unique prophecy and that's where genesis 3:15 the protoevangelium is a prophecy and it was meant to be a sigh it was meant to be a sign for all of humanity know that Jesus is different now there's a bunch of signs we've been talking about lately that Jesus would show that would prove who he really was the Messiah we even talked about that on Sunday remember two of them he wrote in Jerusalem on a donkey that was a sign he rode into Jerusalem on a donkey on April 6 ad 32 that was another sign Daniel chapter 9 hundreds of years earlier predicted the very day when Jesus would ride into Jerusalem he was born in Bethlehem that was sign the Old Testament spoke of of Jesus sign after signed and then Jesus would say you want the ultimate sign well we're gonna talk about that on Sunday as it's Easter Sunday Resurrection Sunday the resurrection is perhaps the greatest of all the signs Jesus did or gave us to prove his claim of Messiahship so all that to say the virgin birth is essential essential to our Christian faith by the way it is some the the gospel you know that protoevangelium there in the genesis 3:15 some say that's the first time the gospel was preached on the earth when that sentence was uttered the the you know at the head of the serpent I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring and hers and he will crush your head and you will strike his heel that's the first gospel story everything else in Scripture flows from this verse when you think about it the plan of God to save humanity from their sins it's a huge thing talking about the virgin birth the great English preacher Charles Simeon called this verse the sum and summary of the whole Bible genesis 3:15 the protoevangelium and you know although we may not see it at first glance Christ is in that verse speaking of the one who Jesus would defeat when he went on the cross Wow so therefore the Lord verse 14 of chapter 7 of Isaiah ban I'm running out of time it says therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Emmanuel the word Emmanuel is powerful and important it means God with us and those that don't believe Jesus is God they don't even read this this verse they don't see Matthew 1:23 where Matthew here's our primary Joseph hears from God that man the son that you're gonna have is gonna be called Jesus and he's also be called Emmanuel which means God with us God in the flesh so when I tell people Jesus is God that means that we are seeing God with us when we see Jesus that's why Jesus would tell the Jews when you've seen me you've seen the father I and my father are one Jesus would say and the Jews knew what he was saying they knew he was claiming to be God in the flesh so they picked up rocks and wanted to stone him to death but that wasn't his hour to be stoned to death so didn't work out for them but Jesus never denied being God when they worshiped him as God he received that worship when Thomas said my lord you know he didn't say Thomas I'm not your Lord don't bow down and worship me know when doubting Thomas was there he worshiped Jesus as God and Jesus received that worship so that's the thing we need to understand is if you've seen Jesus you've seen the father he is God incarnate God in the flesh John chapter 1 verse 1 says in the beginning the word was in the beginning was the word the Word was with God and the Word was God and then in verse 14 of that same chapter and the word became flesh and dwelt among us God became flesh and dwelt among us that's Jesus Jesus is God Emmanuel huge essential part of the Christian faith born of a virgin God Jesus is God those are two big ones and people that deny those two things any one of those two they're not part of the true Christian faith that's within the pail of Orthodoxy it's essential doctrine of the Christian faith that it be Jesus who is God and that Jesus was born of a virgin those are two of several essential doctrines I hope you understand that and and this is a passage in Isaiah is what you know Isaiah was trying to share with old day has this evil wicked king but the King had no ear to hear what was being said interesting you know I'll close tonight with this that's a good verse to land on I don't want to try to race through the rest of this but um I only got through 14 verses tonight sorry about that but but I just have to say that's a huge verse there and Isaiah a massive prophecy and yet a house was indifferent toward that prophecy isn't that sad that this king was so busy doing his little thing with TIG laughs placer and stealing money from the temple and doing his own little thing by you know manipulating the Assyrians and all this stuff he missed one of the most glorious things he could have been the recipient of one of the greatest Old Testament prophecies but he's gone yeah whatever are you that person don't miss the days that we're living and I believe the second coming of Christ that was the first coming when he was born of a virgin born in Bethlehem they missed it like we learned on Palm Sunday last but we live in a unique time where we can be seeing these signs of the times that Jesus told us to watch be ready be vigilant be sober over and over and over and over again jesus said watch wait don't be Matthew 24 says like like the wicked serve the Lord delays is coming and you go around partying down and doing your own thing he says you're gonna go to that place where there's weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth but he said be like the wise servant that's watching and ready and waiting I'm read Matthew 24 you can't deny what the Lord is warning us about don't be an a has that's a good theme for us tonight especially because I really do believe we you and I could be living in these last days where the signs of the times are prolific we got all kinds of stuff I think I've got a prophecy update another big one coming up I did one last Sunday I'll do another one here in a few weeks that I've been excited to share with you some more stuff that's coming but until then man may the word of God dwell in your hearts richly maybe you just meditate on these truths and the truth of God's Word about God becoming a man living among us truths like be still and listen to the Lord during these difficult times put your trust in the Lord let your faith be built by hearing the Word of God and and let the Lord show you the signs of the times that we're living and you'll be enriched you'll be blessed you'll be the one that's standing and not falling because of a weak faith I'm a house was a weak failure as a king because he was not a man of real faith good lessons good things to learn in Jesus name let's and Lord we are thankful to be reminded of these truths from the book of Isaiah and how powerful it is Lord that Isaiah was able to give this powerful prophecy that even to this day is so amazing that hundreds of years over 700 years before Jesus would be born in Bethlehem and come onto the scene Isaiah was foretelling that amazing glorious event the first Advent and as we celebrate this week where Friday we get to eat and drink of communion and remember you on the cross and then Sunday we get to celebrate the resurrected Savior your son Jesus Christ Lord what a what a glorious time for us to do that and and in the midst of all the fear of the Kovan 19 and the coronavirus and the economy tanking and all the stuff that's going on around the world Lord I pray the midst of that your church would be immovable unshakable and that Lord we'd have our faith in you and then we put our eyes upon you so bless your people tonight as we have taken this time in Jesus name a men you

Channel: Athey Creek

Views: 7,536

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Keywords: Brett Meador, Bible, Church, Teaching, Study, Christian, Jesus, Micah DePaoli, Oregon, Through the Bible, m2-296, Fear, Virgin Birth, Immanuel, Signs and Wonders

Id: W4Zu04gXEOQ

Length: 55min 58sec (3358 seconds)

Published: Wed May 20 2020