15 Feb Stand Firm

Isaiah chapter 7 sets up our theme for this season with the Life on Life podcast. In this chapter, Isaiah brings a word from the Lord to King Ahaz. He was afraid – King Ahaz, that is. He was *terrified* because the northern army of Israel had colluded to join forces with enemy armies to attack Jerusalem. Isaiah 7:2 tells us, “the heart of Ahaz and the heart of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind.” Needless to say, King Ahaz was freaked out.

King Ahaz did not believe God. More so, “he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord” (2 Kings 17, 2 Chronicles 28). The Lord knew that Ahaz was afraid and so, in His great mercy, He sent Isaiah with a word to Ahaz and said, “Look, Ahaz calm down. Don’t panic; it’s going to be alright. They’re not going to attack you; their plans will not succeed” (Punky Tolson paraphrase). And the Lord warned Ahaz with this: “But, if you do not stand firm in your faith you will not stand at all” (Isaiah 7:10).

Why would the Lord do that? He was challenging King Ahaz’s faith. Horribly, King Ahaz doesn’t accept this challenge and instead turns his back on God, continuing to sin and to lead the people of Judah in sin; and eventually he got what was coming to him.

What’s the point? This is a powerful message for you and me today – just as God was challenging Ahaz, we are facing a challenging time in our faith. I’ll unpack this tomorrow in the next episode of #lifeonlifepodcast. For now, let me leave you with this thought:

Is your faith strong enough to keep you standing firm when everything around you is shaking?

Do you know the God you believe in?

Do you, in fact, believe him?

I love y’all!
xo – P♥️