God Knows Series

"God Knows"

Pastor Glenn Newton

12-04-05

This morning as we continue our wait, as we continue to look for the fulfillment of God’s promise of His return in Glory, we need to be reminded that God has always fulfilled his promises… Amen? We need to know that every prophecy that God has given to us through one of his prophets has been fulfilled or will be fulfilled in His time….

Today, the theme for this Advent Sunday is Prophecy, let me tell you what prophecy means: . Prophecy is a type of literature found not only in the OT books of Isaiah through Malachi but in the NT as well. Biblical prophets proclaimed God’s words and predicted the future. A prophecy may have both an immediate and a long-term reference. A prediction that was fulfilled in a prophet’s lifetime or soon thereafter may also point to a future fulfillment in the life, death, resurrection, and return of Christ. This morning in our Scripture we are going to see how the Prophets prophecy was not only a sign to the King of Judea for his immediate good, but it also was a prediction of Christ coming and bringing salvation to all mankind.

Turn with me to Isaiah 7:1-14

ISA 7:1 When Ahaz son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, King Rezin of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel marched up to fight against Jerusalem, but they could not overpower it.

ISA 7:2 Now the house of David was told, "Aram has allied itself with Ephraim"; so the hearts of Ahaz and his people were shaken, as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind.

ISA 7:3 Then the LORD said to Isaiah, "Go out, you and your son Shear-Jashub, to meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Washerman’s Field. 4 Say to him, `Be careful, keep calm and don’t be afraid. Do not lose heart because of these two smoldering stubs of firewood--because of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and of the son of Remaliah. 5 Aram, Ephraim and Remaliah’s son have plotted your ruin, saying, 6 "Let us invade Judah; let us tear it apart and divide it among ourselves, and make the son of Tabeel king over it." 7 Yet this is what the Sovereign LORD says:

" `It will not take place, it will not happen, ISA 7:8 for the head of Aram is Damascus,

and the head of Damascus is only Rezin. Within sixty-five years Ephraim will be too shattered to be a people. ISA 7:9 The head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is only Remaliah’s son. If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.’ "

ISA 7:10 Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, 11 "Ask the LORD your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights." ISA 7:12 But Ahaz said, "I will not ask; I will not put the LORD to the test."

ISA 7:13 Then Isaiah said, "Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

This morning as you have walked into the church, you may not have foreign kings marching on you as King Ahaz did so many years ago, but the truth is some of the things that your facing, some of the problems in your life, some of the obstacles, maybe some of the people in your life…. They sure seem like marching armies who are out to destroy you, and your faith. This morning as we learn about King Ahaz and what God prophecied to him, you and I need to Hear God’s voice, Hear His Truth…. I want you to know and believe a simple truth this morning….. God Knows. God knows what is going on in your life. God knows whats happened in the past…. God Knows what is going on right now… and God knows what’s going to happen…. He wants you to Know that He is still on the Throne today… He is control even when it might not feel like it or look like it… Do you believe that this morning?

This prophecy that is written down in Isaiah 7, was written down about 735 years before it came to past when Christ was born in Bethlehem. Amazing isn’t it? God Knows… The question is do you really believe that in your heart of hearts?

King Ahaz, son of Jothem, was in a place in his life where he was feeling like things were going the wrong direction. Have you ever felt that way? King Ahaz had two enemy Kings coming his way, ready to attack and destroy Jerusalem, in fact they were already attacking but what does it say at the end of verse 1, “but they could not overpower it.”