jumping back

Week 23 Isaiah

Isaiah prophesied during the reigns of four kings: Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah.
In chapter seven King #3 – Ahaz – was under attack.
Isaiah went to him with a not-to-worry promise from the Lord.
Since anyone can make a promise Ahaz was offered a follow-up reassurance: ask me for a sign, Ahaz, to prove that I will crush your enemies…Ask for anything you like, and make it as difficult as you want.
So the idea was that if he asked for something impossible and the impossible thing happened then he’d be confident that the victory-promise was solid.
But Ahaz refused to ask for a sign: no, he said, I wouldn’t test the Lord like that.
At first I was thinking how nice is that? Bravo Ahaz! You’re not putting God to the test. What a good guy you are.
But I remember that Ahaz wasn’t a good guy. I read about him a month ago in II Chronicles 28. I went back and looked at his story. He was a terrible king.
What Ahaz said was: oh no, I wouldn’t test the Lord like that.
What Ahaz meant was: what do I care about the Lord and his stupid tests? (and instead he hired a mercenary army).
So anyway this was a bible-reader’s alert to me about jumping to quick conclusions.
I quick-jumped this morning by congratulating Ahaz. Then I had to jump back.

Note: quotes from Isaiah 7:11, 12 (NLT version)