Recalling verse 12 and 13 in chapter 6. “This happened in the days of Ahaz, son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah. Rezin, king of Aram, and Pekah, son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem for warfare against it, but he was not able to fight against it.”  And even if only a tenth part remain, again she will be destroyed like a terebinth or like an oak, which although felled, a tree stump remains in them. The seed of holiness will be her tree stump. Judah was being threatened by Ephraim, one of the Tribes of Israel.

Judah is being threatened by Ephraim, one of Judah’s brother Tribes of Israel. Along with them we find that Aram (Syria) had joined forces with Ephraim. Ephraim was a major leader of the 10 tribes that broke from Israel as a nation when Solomon’s son took the throne of Israel. This put the two kingdoms at odds. 10 Tribes to the north and two with Judah and tiny Benjamin in the south.

This is fascinating when one grasps the historical facts. Many allied Aramean forces remained in Ephraim territory as allies. Within 65 years, Ephraim was conquered by Aram/Syria forces. The people of Ephraim were later dispersed by Assyria not to return as Judah did in their later Babylonian captivity. For additional historical to modern day knowledge click HERE.

Verse 3 Isaiah along with his son  *Shear-Jashub is given almost GPS directions. He, along with his son, are told to meet with King Ahaz of Judah. Ahaz is an abbreviation of Jehoahaz II (of Judah). Ahaz was 20 years old. He was the great-grandson of King David. His evil was beyond tolerable to God. He burned his own children in worship of pagan gods. 2 Kings 16 and 2 Chronicles 28, give additional detail of Ahaz’s reign.

*AHAMOMENT: Shear-Jashub means “A remnant shall return.”

Verse 4 – 7 Even though Ahas was an evil King of Judah, God’s patience was still alive and well. Ahaz was in the early years of his kingship. God delivered Judah from the hands of Ephraim, Rezin, and Aram. Mostly because Ahaz was a descendent in the line of King David. (see verse 7)

Verse 8 is obvious. For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin; and within threescore (60) and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people. Interesting, This is when the Northern Kingdom of Israel became known in history as Samaria. The Ephraimites intermarried with Syrians and other foreigners.

Jumping ahead to verse 13 and 14 is why Isaiah was the book studied by the original New Testament Cristian church.

Isa 7:13  And He said, Hear now, O house of David, is it too little that you weary men, but will you also weary my God? 

Isa 7:14  So, The Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold! The virgin will conceive and will bring forth a son; and she shall call His name Immanuel. 

These two verses are why in the New Testament Church initially studied the Book of Isaiah. This is also why the Ethiopian eunuch was struggling to understand the Book of Isaiah. Philip explained what the eunuch was trying to understand [Acts 8:26-40]. The eunuch was only familiar with Old Testament passages due to an ancient relationship between Ethiopian Queen of Sheba and King Solomon, King of Israel. This is also why Ethiopia as of 2025 is more Christian than Muslim even though surrounded by Muslim States.

In verse 17 of Isaiah, he prophecies the Assyrian conquering of the 10 Northern tribes of Israel in and around 706 B.C. Ephraim is given the primary blame for leading the 10 northern tribes astray. (read the article in ahamoments about Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, Ethiopia of today).

Verse 17 – 20: These verses explain or describe how badly the Assyrians treated the 10 Israelite tribes of the Northern Kingdom. They were much worse but not in this article. Scholars state that Verses 1–17 constitute a self-contained unit of scripture, describing Isaiah’s prophetic mission to King Ahaz at a perilous time for Jerusalem and the House of David. In addition, some Scholars state that 6:18-25 is another separate passage.

God tells King Ahaz of Judah that the scheming of the kings of Israel in the north and Syria that their plotting against Judah will fail. Sadly, Ahaz does not believe the caution from God. He makes a forbidden alliance. In doing so Ahaz basically invites Israel to the north and Syria to attack him and his armies. They fail but only due to the protective hand of God over Judah.

Even more troublesome, Isaiah prophecies that it won’t be Syria and Israel that will strip the land of Judah of it’s product and people. It will be Assyria.

Where have we heard the name Immanuel before? [Read Isaiah 7:14] This names was fiven by God to his only begotten son Jesus at his birth. A young woman in the royal household of Ahaz, a newly married woman, had a son, and unknowingly, so it is said, named him “Immanuel.” People of Judah took this to be the salvation of Judah. How wrong could they be. (Matthew 1:23)

Verses 20 and 21 are unique to this passage. A young cow and two sheep? Both produce milk from which one can produce curds. Since the lands of Judah will eventually be stripped of vegetation, and there are or will be plenty of young cows and sheep, man will survive on the plentiful milk, curds, and a honey chaser. Also, many warriors for Judah will have been killed in battle. Fewer people to feed allows a source of survival by the milk, milk curds and, honey from the woods. Rev. David Guzik states in his commentary …“It will seem to you (Ahaz) like trusting in Assyria is a clever move, because the armies of Syria and Israel will be defeated. But the Assyrians will end up defeating you also” (emphasis mine). Nothing is left in the lands of Judah but briars and thorns. A land fit only for the grazing of cattle and sheep.

Rev. Dr. Jstark – 2025

Context of chapter 7 message

The historical context of Isaiah 7, King Ahaz was in a state of great fear. The northern kingdom of Israel and the kingdom of Aram (Syria), under the leadership of King Pekah and King Rezin, respectively, had formed an alliance and were threatening to invade Judah. Ahaz and his people were “shaken, as the trees of the forest are shaken with the wind” (Isaiah 7:2, ESV).