More Conquesences of Unfaithfulness

Comforting though his latest words are, Isaiah's next statement brings terror to his hearers: "Jehovah will bring against you and against your people and against the house of your father days such as have not come since the day of Ephraim's  turning away from alongside Judah, namely, the king of Assyria."  (Isaiah 7:17)  Yes, disaster is coming, and at the hand of the king of Assyria.  The prospect of domination by the notoriously cruel Assyrians must be the cause of many sleepless nights for Ahaz and his people. Ahaz has reasoned that befriending Assyria would relieve him of Israel and Syria.  Indeed, Assyria's king will respond to Ahaz's plea by eventually attacking Israel and Syria.  (2 Kings 16:9)  This is likely why Pekah and Rezin will be forced to lift their siege of Jerusalem.  Thus,  the Syro-Israelite league will have proved unable to take Jerusalem.  (Isaiah 7:1)  Now, though, Isaiah tells his shocked audience that Assyria, their hoped for protector, will become their oppressor! -Compare Proverbs 29:25.

For Christians today, this true historical account contains a warning.  When under pressure we may be tempted to compromise Christian principles, thereby rejecting Jehovah's protection.  This is shortsighted, even suicidal, as becomes evident from Isaiah's further words.  The prophet goes on to describe what the Assyrian invasion will do to the land and its people.

Isaiah divides pronouncements into four parts, each foretelling what will happen "in that day"-that is the day when Assyria attacks Judah.  "It must occur in that day that Jehovah will whistle for the flies that are at the extremity of the Nile canals of Egypt and for the bees that are in the land of Assyria, and they will certainly come in and settle down, all of them, upon the precipitous torrent valleys and upon the clefts of the crags and upon all the  thorn thickets and upon all the watering places."  (Isaiah 7:18, 19)  The armies of Egypt and Assyria, like swarms of flies and bees, will have their attention directed to the Promised Land.  This will not be passing invasion.  "The flies" and "the bees"  will settle down, infesting every nook and cranny of the land.

Isaiah continues:  "In that day, by means of a hired razor in the region of the River, even by means of the king of Assyria,  Jehovah will shave the head and the hair of the feet, and it will sweep away even the beard itself."  (Isaiah 7:20) Now only Assyria, the chief threat, is mentioned. Ahaz hires the Assyrian king to "shave" Syria and Israel.  However, this "hired razor" from the Euphrates region will move against Judah's "head" and shave it clean, even removing the beard! 

What will be the result?  "It will occur in that day that an individual will preserve alive a young cow of the heard and two sheep.  And it must occur that, due to the abundance of the producing of the milk, he will eat butter; because butter and honey are what everyone left remaining in the midst of the land will eat." (Isaiah 7:21, 22) By the time the Assyrians have 'shaved' the land, so few people will be left that only a small number of animals will be needed to provide food.  "Butter and honey" will be eaten-nothing else, no wine, no bread, no other staples. As if to stress the degree of desolation, Isaiah three times says that where there use to be   valuable, productive land, there will now be thorn bushes and weeds.  Those venturing into the countryside will need "arrows and the bow" for protection against wild animals lurking in the thickets.  Cleared fields will become trampling grounds for oxen and sheep.  (Isaiah 7:23-25) This prophecy begins to be fulfilled in Ahaz' own day. - 2Chronicles 28:20.

Next time: Precise Predictions

From the Book Isaiah's Prophecy Light for all Mankind, 2000