Old Testament prophecies usually have a historical and future context. The historical context is often a word of judgment based on the failure to obey God\u2019s revealed will, relating to how we treat one another and others. The future context is often a word of hope and restoration.<\/p>\n
This is seen in three passages in Isaiah 7, 9 and 11 that relate to the historical situation of Israel in the general time frame of 740-700 B.C. It is important to remember that the Jews were divided against one another following the united monarchy of David and Solomon, which was between 1000 to 922 B.C.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The southern kingdom, under the direct line of David, was composed of two tribes: Judah and Benjamin. The capital was Jerusalem. This kingdom was destroyed in 587 B.C with the Babylonian Conquest.<\/p>\n The northern kingdom was composed of the 10 remaining tribes, and its capital was in Samaria. The northern kingdom is called Israel in the Old Testament historical and prophetic books; it is also known as Samaria, and sometimes Ephraim. This kingdom was destroyed in the Assyrian Conquest of 721 B.C.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Holy Spirit called His prophets to speak judgment and hope to one or both of these kingdoms. In the north the primary prophets were Elijah, Elisha, Amos and Hosea. In the south the primary prophets were Isaiah, Micah, Jeremiah, Zephaniah, Nahum and Habakkuk.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The three prophecies in Isaiah 7, 9 and 11 concern Judah during a time when Syria (Damascus), Israel (the northern kingdom) and Assyria were threatening the southern kingdom. These messages from the prophet Isaiah were also promises related to the coming Messiah.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Many pastors will preach from these three passages about the virgin birth of Jesus and Him as Immanuel (Is. 7:14). They will preach that \u201cunto us a child is born \u2026\u201d from Isaiah 9:6. They will also preach from Isaiah 11:1, which says: \u201cThere shall come forth a rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.\u201d \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Recently in reading these three passages again, I found myself intrigued by Isaiah 9:1 through 10:4. The prophetic promise of the Messiah, rooted in the historical experience of the 700s B.C., gave great hope for the Jews and for the world. You can hear that hope in \u201cthe people who walked in darkness have seen a great light\u201d (9:2), and \u201cFor unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace\u201d (9:6).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As I continued to read the rest of the chapter, I heard a change in prophetic tone and saw a repeated refrain of judgment: \u201cFor all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still\u201d (9:12, 17, 21; 10:4). Four times this refrain of judgment is announced against the northern kingdom of Samaria, or Israel.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n You can think of the refrain as a conclusion to four verses of a judgment song. It is doubtful many churches today sing songs like this! But we must turn our ears to listen as the body of Christ and as His witnesses in our nations.<\/p>\n The first judgment song of Isaiah 9:8-12 is based on \u201cpride and arrogance of heart\u201d (9:9). The Septuagint (Greek) translation of pride is \u201chubris.\u201d It is a flaw of individuals, and nations, in thinking we are self-sufficient. It is the arrogant idea that we are a law to ourselves, and that we are not bound by God.<\/p>\n The second judgment song of Isaiah 9:12-17 is an indictment of leaders who cause the people to err (9:16). Even though God brings judgment, the people refuse to repent because their leaders fail to repent and rightly discern the judgment upon them. Pride and arrogance have blinded leaders to the true situation. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The third judgment song of Isaiah 9:18-21 reveals that the sins of pride and rebellion have consequences; these sins turn people against one another. The wickedness of the land is like a consuming fire that burns up the land (9:18, 19). Brother turns against brother, people group against people group. The spirit of material and political greed consumes all.<\/p>\n The final judgment song is Isaiah 10:1-4, and it is directed to leaders, politicians and judges \u201cwho decree unrighteous decrees, who write misfortune, which they have prescribed to rob the needy of justice, and to take what is right from the poor of My people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless\u201d (10:1, 2).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The indictment in this passage is clear: The powerful have oppressed the powerless in order to satisfy the greed of their prideful hearts. The refrain sounds clear after each song: \u201cFor all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still.\u201d<\/p>\n In this year as the IPHC has focused on the important issue of justice, I cannot help but be humbled by what Isaiah wrote about Samaria. The prophets were students of God\u2019s Word (especially Deuteronomy), and they were astute observers of their own people. They were also knowledgeable of the national and international politics of their day.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n All of this is brought together in these songs and the divine refrain. There comes a time in the life of a nation when divine judgment cannot be avoided. The evil is too great, too deeply embedded and too pervasive in spirit. Judgment is the only solution.<\/p>\n Our task as God\u2019s people in such an environment is to live righteously, speak courageously, intercede for divine mercy and remember the hope that is in the gospel. That hope speaks to our individual sin and to the sins of the nation to which we are assigned to live as witnesses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Originally published in Encourage<\/a> magazine.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"excerpt","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":4264,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","filesize_raw":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,1,610],"tags":[618,46,149,58,572,184],"class_list":{"0":"post-4263","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-bishops-blog","8":"category-general","9":"category-justice","10":"tag-618","11":"tag-doug-beacham","12":"tag-encourage-magazine","13":"tag-iphc","14":"tag-justice","15":"tag-october","16":"entry"},"title_es":"Debemos ser sus testigos en tiempos de oscuridad","content_es":"Las profec\u00edas del Antiguo Testamento generalmente tienen un contexto hist\u00f3rico y futuro. El contexto hist\u00f3rico es a menudo una palabra de juicio basada en el incumplimiento de la voluntad revelada de Dios, en relaci\u00f3n con la forma en que nos tratamos unos a otros y a los dem\u00e1s. El contexto futuro es a menudo una palabra de esperanza y restauraci\u00f3n. Esto se ve en tres pasajes en Isa\u00edas 7, 9 y 11 que se relacionan con la situaci\u00f3n hist\u00f3rica de Israel en el marco general de tiempo del 740-700 a. C. Es importante recordar que los jud\u00edos se dividieron entre s\u00ed despu\u00e9s de la monarqu\u00eda unida de David. y Salom\u00f3n, que fue entre 1000 y 922 aC \u00a0<\/span> El reino del sur, bajo la l\u00ednea directa de David, estaba compuesto por dos tribus: Jud\u00e1 y Benjam\u00edn. La capital era Jerusal\u00e9n. Este reino fue destruido en 587 a. C. con la conquista de Babilonia. El reino del norte estaba compuesto por las 10 tribus restantes, y su capital estaba en Samaria. El reino del norte se llama Israel en los libros hist\u00f3ricos y prof\u00e9ticos del Antiguo Testamento; Tambi\u00e9n se conoce como Samaria, y a veces Efra\u00edn. Este reino fue destruido en la conquista asiria de 721 a. C. \u00a0<\/span> El Esp\u00edritu Santo llam\u00f3 a sus profetas para hablar juicio y esperanza a uno o ambos de estos reinos. En el norte, los profetas principales fueron El\u00edas, Eliseo, Am\u00f3s y Oseas. En el sur, los profetas principales fueron Isa\u00edas, Miqueas, Jerem\u00edas, Sofon\u00edas, Nah\u00fam y Habacuc. \u00a0<\/span> Las tres profec\u00edas en Isa\u00edas 7, 9 y 11 se refieren a Jud\u00e1 durante un tiempo en que Siria (Damasco), Israel (el reino del norte) y Asiria amenazaban al reino del sur. Estos mensajes del profeta Isa\u00edas tambi\u00e9n fueron promesas relacionadas con el pr\u00f3ximo Mes\u00edas. \u00a0<\/span> Muchos pastores predicar\u00e1n de estos tres pasajes sobre el nacimiento virginal de Jes\u00fas y \u00c9l como Emanuel (Is. 7:14). Ellos predicar\u00e1n que "para nosotros nace un ni\u00f1o ..." de Isa\u00edas 9: 6. Tambi\u00e9n predicar\u00e1n de Isa\u00edas 11: 1, que dice: "Saldr\u00e1 una vara del tallo de Isa\u00ed, y una rama crecer\u00e1 de sus ra\u00edces". \u00a0<\/span> Recientemente al leer estos tres pasajes nuevamente, me encontr\u00e9 intrigado por Isa\u00edas 9: 1 a 10: 4. La promesa prof\u00e9tica del Mes\u00edas, arraigada en la experiencia hist\u00f3rica de los a\u00f1os 700 a. C., dio una gran esperanza para los jud\u00edos y para el mundo. Puedes escuchar esa esperanza en "las personas que caminaron en la oscuridad han visto una gran luz" (9: 2), y "Porque para nosotros nace un Ni\u00f1o, para nosotros se nos da un Hijo; y el gobierno estar\u00e1 sobre su hombro. Y Su nombre se llamar\u00e1 Maravilloso, Consejero, Dios Poderoso, Padre Eterno, Pr\u00edncipe de Paz \u201d(9: 6). \u00a0<\/span> Mientras continuaba leyendo el resto del cap\u00edtulo, escuch\u00e9 un cambio en el tono prof\u00e9tico y vi un refr\u00e1n repetido de juicio: "Por todo esto su ira no se rechaza, sino que su mano se extiende a\u00fan" (9:12, 17, 21; 10: 4). Cuatro veces este refr\u00e1n de juicio se anuncia contra el reino del norte de Samaria, o Israel. \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span> Puedes pensar en el estribillo como una conclusi\u00f3n de cuatro versos de una canci\u00f3n de juicio. \u00a1Es dudoso que muchas iglesias hoy canten canciones como esta! Pero debemos volver nuestros o\u00eddos para escuchar como el cuerpo de Cristo y como sus testigos en nuestras naciones. La primera canci\u00f3n de juicio de Isa\u00edas 9: 8-12 se basa en "orgullo y arrogancia de coraz\u00f3n" (9: 9). La traducci\u00f3n del orgullo de la Septuaginta (griego) es "arrogancia". Es una falla de individuos y naciones al pensar que somos autosuficientes. Es la idea arrogante de que somos una ley para nosotros mismos, y que no estamos obligados por Dios. La segunda canci\u00f3n de juicio de Isa\u00edas 9: 12-17 es una acusaci\u00f3n de l\u00edderes que hacen que la gente se equivoque (9:16). A pesar de que Dios trae juicio, la gente se niega a arrepentirse porque sus l\u00edderes no se arrepienten y disciernen correctamente el juicio sobre ellos. El orgullo y la arrogancia han cegado a los l\u00edderes a la verdadera situaci\u00f3n. \u00a0<\/span> La canci\u00f3n del tercer juicio de Isa\u00edas 9: 18-21 revela que los pecados de orgullo y rebeli\u00f3n tienen consecuencias; Estos pecados vuelven a las personas unas contra otras. La maldad de la tierra es como un fuego consumidor que quema la tierra (9:18, 19). Hermano se vuelve contra hermano, grupo de personas contra grupo de personas. El esp\u00edritu de la avaricia material y pol\u00edtica lo consume todo. La canci\u00f3n del juicio final es Isa\u00edas 10: 1-4, y est\u00e1 dirigida a l\u00edderes, pol\u00edticos y jueces "que decretan decretos injustos, que escriben desgracias, que han prescrito para robar a los necesitados de justicia, y tomar lo que es correcto de los pobres de mi pueblo, para que las viudas sean sus presas, y para que roben a los hu\u00e9rfanos \u201d(10: 1, 2). \u00a0<\/span> La acusaci\u00f3n en este pasaje es clara: los poderosos han oprimido a los impotentes para satisfacer la codicia de sus orgullosos corazones. El estribillo suena claro despu\u00e9s de cada canci\u00f3n: "A pesar de todo, su ira no se aparta, pero su mano se extiende todav\u00eda". En este a\u00f1o, cuando el IPHC se ha centrado en el importante tema de la justicia, no puedo evitar sentirme humillado por lo que Isa\u00edas escribi\u00f3 sobre Samaria. Los profetas eran estudiantes de la Palabra de Dios (especialmente Deuteronomio), y eran observadores astutos de su propio pueblo. Tambi\u00e9n ten\u00edan conocimiento de la pol\u00edtica nacional e internacional de su \u00e9poca. \u00a0<\/span> Todo esto se une en estas canciones y el estribillo divino. Llega un momento en la vida de una naci\u00f3n cuando el juicio divino no se puede evitar. El mal es demasiado grande, demasiado profundamente incrustado y demasiado penetrante en esp\u00edritu. El juicio es la \u00fanica soluci\u00f3n. Nuestra tarea como pueblo de Dios en ese entorno es vivir con rectitud, hablar con valent\u00eda, interceder por la misericordia divina y recordar la esperanza que hay en el evangelio. Esa esperanza habla de nuestro pecado individual y de los pecados de la naci\u00f3n a la que estamos asignados a vivir como testigos. \u00a0<\/span>
\n
Publicado originalmente en la revista Encourage<\/a> .","author_name":"Doug Beacham","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/10\/Beacham-October-Encourage.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pb62Bx-16L","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4263","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4263"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4263\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4264"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4263"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4263"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4263"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}