Much of Isaiah’s prophecy is a contrast of two of Judah’s kings, Ahaz and his son Hezekiah. Both faced external threats, Ahaz from Aram and Israel, and Assyria (2 Kings 16; 2 Chronicles 28), and Hezekiah from Assyria. The LORD, through Isaiah, invited both leaders to trust Him for their deliverance but Ahaz sought security in his enemy, who “attacked him and took many captives to Damascus” (2 Chronicles 28:5). Isaiah predicted that Assyria would in fact invade Judah, with only a remnant surviving in the land. But his prophecies extend beyond his own day, looking to the final deliverance the LORD would offer His people in the day of the Messiah. It may be that nowhere else in the Old Testament does one find such a dense compilation of material that New Testament authors applied directly to the person and work of Christ.
Tonight we continue our study on Isaiah focusing on Isaiah 7:1-9:7. An audio of the lesson will be available by 6:00 PM on our Wednesday Bible Study tab.