The Conspiracy

Prophets were often accused of conspiring with enemy forces.  Isaiah was no different.  Isaiah was involved in a conspiracy, but not with the enemy of Israel or Judah.  He was in a conspiracy with the LORD of hosts.  That is “The Conspiracy” I write of in this article.  If preachers are to be the men of God we have been called to be we will be accused at times of conspiring against our church, our people, and sometimes even accused of going against tradition, when we really are not.

The prophet Isaiah is told by God, “not to walk in the way of this people”.  When our people are going astray, when they are living out of the will of the LORD, when they are in feuds with one another, when they are charging the preacher of conspiracy, then is the time for that preacher to stand and preach like he has never preached the Word before.  It is not the time to back down.

Hear the Word of the LORD spoken to Isaiah:

“For the LORD spoke thus to me with His strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying, ‘Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread.  But the LORD of hosts, Him you shall regard as holy.  Let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread.  And He will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.  And many shall stumble on it.  They shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken.”  Isaiah 8:11-15  (ESV).

The prophet is being directed by the LORD to have no walk in the way of his people.  They were actually accusing this man of God of conspiring with the enemy, and they wanted to pronounce judgment upon this man Isaiah. 

As I look as this passage of Scripture I find myself wondering, “What did they fear?”, “What did they dread?”  Were they fearing the dreaded enemy that they had heard was coming?  It seems to me that they were probably fearing the failure of the economy.  The failure of their insurance policies, ie., their walls.  They may have been more fearful of their health failing them as well.  What ever they feared Isaiah is told not to fear the same things, but rather to “Regard as holy” Him who is speaking to the prophet.  He is assured that God will be his sanctuary – a place of protection and solitude. 

The prophet is also told “Let Him (ie., God) be your fear, and let Him be your dread”.  The only hope anyone has is in the LORD.  It does no one any good whatsoever to fear and dread anything that is human, or thing, or thought, or act of another.  We have absolutely no control over other’s lives; but God does.

We can stand assured by God and His Word that those who stand against God, His Word, and His men will find a Rock of offense, they will stumble, they shall fall, and be broken.  If there is a conspiracy among the men of God; let “The Conspiracy” be that we are faithful to God, His Word, and His way.  Let us be faithful in proclaiming the Word, warning the people, encouraging the people who are weary, comforting the afflicted; and afflicting the comfortable.

Faulty Independence

The prophet Isaiah has already warned of dependence upon the Assyrians for the help of Judah.  Yet, Ahaz refuses to relent, and depends on them anyway.  That rebellion on God is really based on a “Faulty Independence”.  Anything but depending on the only one who can truly help us.

Due to the rebellion of Ahaz, the Word of the LORD comes to Isaiah once again, and here is what we read:

“The LORD spoke to me again: ‘Because this people have refused the waters of Shiloah that flow gently, and rejoice over Rezin and the son of Remaliah, therefore, behold, the LORD is bringing up against them the waters of the River, mighty and many, the king of Assyria and all his glory.  And it will rise over all its channels and go over all its banks, and it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass on, reaching even to the neck, and its outspread wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel.’

‘Be broken, you peoples, and be shattered; give ear, all you far countries; strap on your armor and be shattered; strap on your armor and be shattered.  Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing; speak a word, but it will not stand, for God is with us.”  Isaiah 8:5-10 (ESV).

Ahaz was independent, or so he thought.  He was independent of God, the LORD.  He was however, very dependent upon the Assyrians.  He truly had a faulty independence.

Many citizens of the United States of America believe themselves to be independent, yet they are in slavery, and dependence upon things which basically control their lives.  Like debt.  There is the debt on their house they live in.  They are in debt for the cars they drive.  Some are even indebted to their children.  They trust in these things to get them through life.  Too many are not depending on God.

The people of Judah had refused the refreshing water that flowed from Shiloah.  The “Waters of Shiloah ” was the stream which flowed from the Gihon spring outside Jeruslem’s wall which flowed to the  Pool of Siloam which supplied the city’s water.  It was a symbol of the people’s dependence upon the LORD, but they, through king Ahaz were forsaking it for the overflow of Assyria.

The prophet likens the Assyria as the banks of the Euphrates River overflowing and coming and conquering the land of Judah, and Israel.  “O Immanuel” is a sadness because the land of Immanuel was about to be stripped of her glory.  “What a pity that He who owns and will someday possess the land must see it in such a devastated condition!”  MACARTHUR STUDY BIBLE p.967.

“Be broken you peoples” God says to the Assyrians who are full of pride because of their conquest of the land.  “Your time is coming” seems to be God’s warning to them in their arrogance.  Your armor, your vast army will be shattered.  And, God states this twice as though to give them double damage.  The plotting and scheming of the counsel of men cannot stand against the Almighty God.  Their words, their plans will fall to nothing, and so will those of the world leaders today.  They will come to naught.  God is with us.

God is with us, or “Immanuel”.  He is still with Israel, and will fulfill all His promises to them.  He will never fail to fulfill His Word.  His promise is “God is with us”.  That is not “Faulty Independence”; that is Godly dependence.

A Picture is Worth…

There were a few times when I was a boy, growing up in the home of my parents, that my Dad would try to explain something to me.  When it seemed as though he was not making it clear, Dad would ask, or make a statement;  I am not sure if it was a question or a statement; “Do I have to draw you a picture”(?.)  Maybe you can answer that for me.

Any way to finish the title of this article “…a Thousand Words”.  Pictures explain a lot.  If you have seen the Grand Canyon you can tell people about it, but that does not begin to explain it the way a picture can.  Think of the Rockies in Colorado, or wherever you have seen them; can you describe them the way that photo you took of them can?  There is not enough words in the English vocabulary to explain their grandeur; and a picture can only get close.

Pictures are an important part of life.  Sometimes we receive word pictures.  Somtimes we give word pictures.  A lot of the Bible is word pictures.  The prophet Isaiah was pretty good with word pictures.

If you were to look back to the seventh chapter Isaiah had gone to Ahaz the king with a message from God, and had asked the king to ask God for a sign.  The king had refused to ask, and had even said, “I will not put the LORD to the test” (7:11-12), feigning humility, but exhibiting pride instead; because God had asked him to ask a sign.  So Ahaz received a sign anyway.

It was the prophecy of a baby who would be born.  One would be born to prove the truth of this prophecy – a son of the prophet – and the other; who would be the fulfillment of all Bible prophecy;  was to be Immanuel [God with us] (7:14).

Now we come to the near fulfillment where the king [Ahaz] is shown that what the prophet has said will come to pass:

“And I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son.  Then the LORD said to me, ‘Call his name Maher-shalal-hashbaz; for before the boy knows how to cry ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away before the king of Assyria.”  Isaiah 8:3-4 (ESV).

This boy Mahershalalhashbaz was the picture which the prophet painted for the king to view and to see, and to know, that the invasion of Assyria was going to come on the land of Judah.  The close fulfillment would happen just a few short months following the birth of this boy.  He would not even be speaking the words, “Daddy” or “Momma”.  The picture (given in 7:14) was also with a distant prophecy.  A promise picture of a Great Hope for the people and the land of promise.

His name would be Immanuel [God with us].  He did come, and we know Him as Jesus.  There was much judgment upon the land, before Jesus came.  There was much more after Jesus died, was buried, rose again and ascended into Heaven.  There is much more to come.  Immanuel will come again, and He will make all things new.

There is a great thing about this too.  Being Immanuel we do not have to wait for His physical appearing.  He is present with us now.  He is making lives brandnew.  He is changing old, cold, dead, and heartless lives new, warm, quick, and full of passion for things that are good, and holy, and right.  Hear Him as He speaks through His Word and through His Spirit.  God will fulfill all His promises.  Not one will go undone.

Do you see the picture?  If not let the LORD open your eyes that you may see.