Isaiah - episode 3

We continue reading the Book of Isaiah presenting some verses of messianic inspiration. The Messiah (this word means “Anointed”, “Consecrated”) son of David is the definitive God’s envoy, who has regal and prophetic traits. The Hebrew people awaits him according to the promises that the Lord made to King David: an offspring and a throne that will be stable forever (2Sam 7). «It happened in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it» (Isa 7,1). The kingdom of Judah, where Isaiah operates, refused to take part to the anti-Assyrian coalition with the king of Syria and the king of Israel; they were furious and tried to overthrow King Ahaz. The Lord tells Isaiah to reassure him: the enemies are «two tails of smoking firebrands», therefore they have a threatening appearance but they are not really dangerous. The invasion «shall not stand, neither shall it happen. [...] If you will not believe, surely you shall not be established» (Is 7,7.9).

Ahaz’s faith, however, is weak. «The LORD spoke again to Ahaz, saying, “Ask a sign of the LORD your God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, neither will I tempt the LORD.” He said, “Listen now, house of David: Is it not enough for you to try the patience of men, that you will try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin will conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. He shall eat butter and honey when he knows to refuse the evil, and choose the good. For before the child knows to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land whose two kings you abhor shall be forsaken. The LORD will bring on you, on your people, and on your father’s house, days that have not come, from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah; even the king of Assyria» (Is 7,10-17). The king does not believe (Isaiah calls the Lord «my God», because he seems the only one to have faith), but a sign will be given anyway: Immanuel (“God with us”), a child who is a living warranty that the Lord remains with His people and there will be a future for Judah and David’s offspring. The “young woman” («virgin» is present in the Greek Septuagint, not in the Hebrew Bible) who will give birth to him is maybe the king’s wife. The child will live hard days: «butter and honey» are the only food he will find after the Assyrian devastation. It is always surprising how God is faithful to His Covenant and how He gives freely His blessing, without any merit of the receiver: He announces a child to Ahaz who «made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel» (2Kgs 16,3). 

The king does not believe in the Word of God: he himself will call the Assyrians, submitting to them and paying them a huge tribute to get their protection against his enemies (2Kgs 16,7-8).

The border lands are more vulnerable toincursionsby foreign armies; in Israel they were the northern ones: «the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali; [...] by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations» (Isa 8,23). Theway of the seawas the link between Egypt and Mesopotamia, passing through Palestine. To those lands, after a past of oppression, the prophet delivers a message of hope: «The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Those who lived in the land of the shadow of death, on them the light has shined. You have multiplied the nation. You have increased their joy. They rejoice before you according to the joy in harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. For the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as in the day of Midian. For all the armor of the armed man in the noisy battle, and the garments rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire» (Isa 9,1-4).

 

 

The «day of Midian» is a reference to Gideon the Judge, who was “poor and least in his family” (see Jdg 6,15), but with only three hundred men defeats the Midianite army: the liberation will come by the Lord’s intervention and not by human forces. No enemy will be burnt, but only the war and its supplies (armor and garments). The Lord will give the people a special child, David’s offspring: «For to us a child is born. To us a son is given; and the government will be on his shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, on the throne of David, and on his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from that time on, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this» (Isa 9,5-6). Like God the child will be able to take wonderful decisions, he will fight every battle with the Lord’s power, he will rule over the people with an everlasting authority, he will bring the fullness of welfare that only God can give («Peace»).

At first maybe we have to refer these prophecies to Ahaz’s son, Hezekiah, and to Josiah, one of his farther descendants, who remained faithful to the Lord and listened to the prophets’ words. Christians instead see their definitive fulfillment with Jesus’ birth (son of David by his father Joseph’s family): Isa 9,1-6 is the reading of the Catholic liturgy of Christmas Night.

In the next post we will read the verses about the “shoot of Jesse”.