By Rev. J. Loren Russell
“If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.”
Isaiah 7:9b NIV
The circumstances were intriguing; the encouragement profound. King Rezin of Aram and King Pekah, the son of Remaliah of Israel attacked Jerusalem. This alliance and attack shook King Ahaz and the people of Jerusalem. The Bible says that they were shaken like trees in the wind.
Intriguing circumstances for sure. The plot had been hatched, the plan was taking shape. The King James Bible says Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel against King Ahaz; “Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tabeal.” In other words, they planned to put the son of Tabeel on the throne as a puppet king over Jerusalem.
Ahaz was a man of faith, but he was shaken by the news that his city was going to be under attack. So while Rezin and Pekah were plotting and planning, the Lord was strategizing with his servant Isaiah to make his way to meet with King Ahaz at a very specific location to encourage his heart. The Message Bible records the words that Lord tells Isaiah to tell King Ahaz, “Listen, calm down. Don’t be afraid. And don’t panic over these two burnt-out cases, Rezin of Aram and the son of Remaliah” (v. 4).
The essence of the message that Isaiah was to deliver to Ahaz was to stand firm on his faith in the Lord. Not his faith in his role as king, not faith in his army, nor faith in the people of Jerusalem. His faith had to be in the Lord. Of the two kings who were conspiring against him, God says, “the king of Damascus is a mere man, Rezin,” and “the king of Samaria is the mere son of Remaliah” (vv. 8-9).
It was Ahaz’s faith that would save him. Isaiah tells him, “If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all. The Message Bible translate that same verse; “If you don’t take your stand in faith, you won’t have a leg to stand on.”
Regrettably, Ahaz rejected the message of faith from Isaiah and died in the sixteenth year of his unfortunate rule.
When people are plotting and planning against you, hold fast to your faith in the Lord. The same God who could have delivered King Ahaz from his two enemy kings is the same God who can deliver you from those who plot and plan against you, if you stand on your faith. When you stand on your faith, you’re standing on something bigger than yourself.
Be blessed and stand firm on your faith!
Rev. J. Loren Russell is President/CEO of The JLR Company for Church Financial Strategy & Consulting; an associate minister at both Goodwill and The Greater Universal Baptist Churches in the Bronx; creator/host of “Matters of Faith – The Radio Show” on Soul 1 Radio, Monday’s 8:00 – 10:00 PM (626-226-1448) and author of Matters of Faith: The Book, an eBook available at Smashwords.com.
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