HE SHALL BE CALLED COUNSELOR | Comfort Ye My People | Advent Series #2,

Chapters 8 and 9 of Isaiah describe for us the descending darkness covering the land of Israel during the reign of the southern king Ahaz. The nation had divided many years earlier after the death of King Solomon. At this time the northern nation, known by several names such as Israel, Ephraim, and later Samaria, had already suffered a devastating invasion from the Assyrian army. Since then, they had joined forces with the kingdom of Syria to fight back against the Assyrians. These two were pressuring the king of the southern kingdom of Judah to join them. But God sends Isaiah the Prophet with his third and only real, option: to believe the promise of God in patience waiting for the Messiah to come. This was offered to Ahaz in chapter 7 but was rejected. Now in chapters 8 and 9, we see that the covenant of God will march forward with or without the aid of the kings of Judah and Israel. But what of the people? What of the little band of people who had received Isaiah’s warnings and believed his report? What of the emerging remnant of God’s chosen who will witness and suffer these terrible events?