Daily Devotions
Isaiah
"And rejoice in Rezin and in Remaliah's son"
Text: Isaiah 8:6
THE THREAT OF SYRIA AND ISRAEL
Ahaz and Judah were fearful of Syria and Israel who combined together to attack Judah. Isaiah had spoken to Ahaz with a message from the LORD to encourage him. Ahaz however did not listen to the word of the LORD.
A NEW THREAT
There came a new threat. Assyria was on the move to conquer the Middle Eastern nations. Syria, Israel and Judah were now threatened by the growing Assyrian empire. Things changed drastically.
“The LORD also spoke to me again, saying:
‘Inasmuch as these people refused
The waters of Shiloah that flow softly,
And rejoice in Rezin and in Remaliah’s son'”.
Isaiah 8:5-6
1. The LORD’s word to Isaiah:
a) The times had changed.
b) The threat from Syria and Israel was removed.
2. Syria was recruiting help to withstand the threat from Assyria.
a) Israel under Pekah the son of Remaliah stood with Syria.
b) Rezin reached out to Judah to join this coalition of nations to fight Assyria.
3. Ahaz and Judah
a) They had been fearful of Syria and Israel.
b) But now they were cheerful to support Syria and Israel to battle Assyria.
4. Ahaz had once again rejected the LORD.
a) “The waters of Shiloah”
i) The water came from a spring in Gihon.
ii) It flowed gently and quietly into Jerusalem.
b) Without a good water supply, Jerusalem could not be sustained for long.
c) The waters of Siloah represented the LORD’s supply of mercy to Jerusalem.
d) Ahaz and Judah rejected God’s offer of help.
5. Judah
a) The nation rejoiced that the threat from Syria and Israel disappeared.
b) The people now trusted in this new alliance that was being formed to resist Assyria.
c) Ahaz and Judah had placed themselves in greater danger when they rejected the waters of Siloah. They had rejected the LORD once again!