Be Still and Know That I Am God

 

Isa 7:1 Now it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to make war against it, but could not prevail against it. 2 And it was told to the house of David, saying, "Syria's forces are deployed in Ephraim." So his heart and the heart of his people were moved as the trees of the woods are moved with the wind. 3 Then the LORD said to Isaiah, "Go out now to meet Ahaz, you and Shear-Jashub your son, at the end of the aqueduct from the upper pool, on the highway to the Fuller's Field, 4 "and say to him: 'Take heed, and be quiet; do not fear or be fainthearted for these two stubs of smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria, and the son of Remaliah.

For some reason, no account given here of Isaiah’s activity during the reign of Jotham. The account moves from the year that Uzziah dies to sometime during the reign of Ahaz.

 

Rezin, the king of Syria and Pekah, the king of Israel had joined forces before in a successful attack against Ahaz. We read about it in 2Ch 28:5 Therefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria. They defeated him, and carried away a great multitude of them as captives, and brought them to Damascus. Then he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who defeated him with a great slaughter. 6 For Pekah the son of Remaliah killed one hundred and twenty thousand in Judah in one day, all valiant men, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.

 

This initial war against Judah under the reign of Ahaz took place about 740 B.C. Rezin had conquered the harbor city of Elath and Pekah soundly defeated a large army under Ahaz., killing 120,000 men!  Nevertheless, Jerusalem stood and was not taken.

 

But now, the combined forces of Rezin and Pekah amassed in Ephraim and prepared for a siege against Jerusalem.

 

The threat of these armies caused a great deal of consternation to Ahaz and the inhabitants of Judah and the hearts were moved like trees in a strong wind.

How would you feel if you were in their shoes, knowing that Peka’s armies alone had killed 120,000 fighting men of Judah?

 

Would not your heart be trembling as well? Maybe you’ve been given some news lately that has caused your heart to flutter in fear.  If so, listen to the words found in verse 4: “be quiet; do not fear or be fainthearted,”

I know that’s hard to do, but it boils down to trust in God. Whatever your situation may be, do not fear or become fainthearted, rather be quiet, (be still) and know that God is aware of your situation and He will work it out in accordance with His perfect will.