Isaiah 7
From the Journals of Isaiah
At the time Pekah was the king of Israel and Rezin was king of Aram.
The people of Israel are our brothers. Our country has been divided many years, but we still are all one people, a chosen nation of God.
Aram has been evil to us ever since I have lived. The king has attacked Israel and Judah so many times. Some times they win. Sometimes they don't.
This why I don't understand why Pekah, king of Israel chose to join armies with Rezin, king of Aram to attack Judah.
The Lord told me to take my son and go meet Ahaz, king of Judah at the end of the aqueduct of the Upper Pool on the road to the Washerman's Field. God told me to tell him this message:
"Be careful. Keep calm and don't be afraid. Do not lose heart and become discouraged because of these two smoldering stubs of firewood (Pekah from Israel and Rezin from Aram). In his fierce anger, king Rezin and Pekah have plotted to destroy you.
"They have said to each other, 'Let us invade Judah. Let us tear it apart and divide it among ourselves and make the son of Tabeel king over it.'"
Ahaz eyes widened with fear.
"Don't worry," I told him. "The Sovereign Lord says: 'It will not take place. It will not happen. The capital of Aram is in Damascus and the leader of Damascus is only Rezin. Within sixty-five years your brothers who live in Ephraim and are helping Rezin will be too shattered to be a people.
The capital of Ephraim is Samaria, and the leader of Samaria is only Pekah. If you do not stand firm in your faith you will not stand at all."
Ahaz still had wide eyes showing his fear.
I said to him, "The Lord your God wants you to ask for a sign to help you understand his message. You can ask anything in the deepest depths or in the highest heights."
Ahaz cleared his thread and finally spoke. "I will not ask. I will not put the Lord to the test."
This man angered me so. How dare he not do as God asked? "Ahaz, you are from the house of David. Your disrespect for the men of Judah is bad enough, trying the patience of all the citizens. Now you also are trying the patience of my God?"
I huffed. "The Lord himself will give you a sign anyway and this is it: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel. He will eat curds and honey when he know enough to reject the wrong and choose the right. But before this happens the king of Assyria will come and destroy this land."
This man will bring the country of Judah to ruin if he doesn't change from his wicked ways and do what God says.
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1. Two kings decided to attack Judah. ____________ and ____________
2 God sent ___________ to warn Ahaz, king of Judah.
3. God said not to ______________.
4. God asked Ahaz to request a __________ to help him believe the words.
5. Ahaz said, ____________
6. God gave Ahaz a ____________ anyway.
7. Who was angry with Ahaz?
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