Hope for the Future / Peace for Today
Isaiah 9:6-7
Pastor Adam Parmenter

…Prince of peace.

· English word Peace is the Hebrew word Shalom. It can be defined as quietness, safety, health, contentment.

Hope for the Future
Peace for Today

Biblical Hope
· A strong and confident expectation.

Biblical Peace
· A sense of safety and calm which is grounded in the hope we have through Jesus Christ.

AHAZ

Allowed Expectations to steal his peace.

Chose popular success instead of God when trying to regain peace.

For 137 years prior to Ahaz’s reign, the kings of Judah were described as men who “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. II Kings 16 simply states Ahaz did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord.
II Kings 12:1-2, Jehoash (Joash) – Reigned 40 years
II Kings 14:1-3, Amaziah – Reigned 29 years
II King 15:1-3, Uzziah (Azariah) – Reigned 52 years
II Kings 15:32-34, Jotham – Reigned 16 years
II Kings 16:1-2, Ahaz – Reigned 16 years

In “Antiquities of the Jews”, Josephus described Ahaz’s father (Jotaham) as pious toward God and just toward men, working for the public good. He did not have positive things to say about Ahaz stating that Ahaz followed the cult which was widespread in Israwl and Syria at the time and later imitated the cults from Assyria.

Expectations:
With a history of father, grand father, and more doing what was right, what could be some reasons Ahaz, turned away from God?

Pressure from the surrounding culture: The tyranny of what’s normal.
• It was normal to offer one’s children to Molech.
•It was normal to have shrines at high places and under spreading trees.

Years later, Sennacharib, a king of Assyria, assumed Hezekiah, king of Judah had weekend the nation’s relation to God, by removing the high places and worship of the bronze serpent. II Kings 18:22

In the ten commandments God demands we only worship Him, and that we not worship an image in His place. God also demanded the people worship him at the altar in Jerusalem in the way He had prescribed.

An invisible, exclusive God was not normal to the people of Ahaz’s day.

In what ways are my attitudes and expectations shaped by the culture around me instead of God?

Popular success (i.e. “Just do what works!”):

Living up to the expectations of the culture around us does not lead to peace.

It led Ahaz to fear.

Isaiah 7:1-2 In the days of Ahaz, the son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah, Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah the king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to wage war against it, but could not yet mount an attack against it. When the house of David was told, "Syria is in league with Ephraim," the heart of Ahaz and the heart of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind.

God, through Isaiah told them not to fear, but they were shaking like a leaf.

Popular success (i.e. “Just do what works!”):

Living up to the expectations of the culture around us does not lead to peace.

It led Ahaz to fear.

Isaiah 7:1-2 In the days of Ahaz, the son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah, Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah the king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to wage war against it, but could not yet mount an attack against it. When the house of David was told, "Syria is in league with Ephraim," the heart of Ahaz and the heart of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind.

In other words they were shaking like a leaf.

If I let the Word of God shape and nurture my expectations, instead of the world around me, it leads to confidence: hope and peace.

Ahaz should have been immersed in God’s word, and well aware of what God expects and what God can do. God had already given instructions for how Kings should conduct themselves:

Deuteronomy 17:18-19: And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them.

I don’t think Ahaz had followed that command. I wonder how well Ahaz even knew God’s word. The Law of God (first five books of Bible) are filled with God’s miracles on behalf of Israel and his promises to them.

God directly offered Ahaz a sign that he need not fear:

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

Immanuel means, “God with us.”

What is important to note is two things:
• God declares something which is impossible will come to pass
• God is assuring them of His presence

If Ahaz had immersed himself in God’s Word this assurance would’ve had the familiar ring of God’s rich history of doing the impossible.

Instead, Ahaz chose to run to Assyria for protection and copy what they did. He wanted the power he thought they had. Power he could control.

That is a false peace.

Psalm 20:7: Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

Question: In what ways have I allowed my confidence in God and His word slip. Have a shifted my hope to what works instead?

The Promise of Peace

The baby in the manger, is a promise.

Hope that will be fulfilled.

· ​Joe Collins (Kim Collins' father-in-law) has been released from the hospital and is doing much better following a COPD/emphysema flareup.
· Roberta Newton is doing much better and is recovering from a mild case of shingles and a severe illness at home.
· Judi Beckwith (Kim Collins' mom, Alice Avery’s sister) has been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease Bullous Pemphigoid, which causes skin to severely blister. Pray that: the steroid treatment will prevent new blisters from forming; wounds from current blisters heal properly and don’t get infected; her mood continues to stay manageable despite side effects from the steroids; and there will not be any other side effects from the steroids that cause her organs to weaken.
· ​Patrick Low had a successful procedure to break large kidney stones into smaller pieces; continued prayers are appreciated as he deals with this ongoing issue.
· Linda Newell · is recovering from surgery for a herniated disc in her lower back.
· Hannah Clouse (niece of Chet & Renee Goff) who lost her husband, Daren, in a car accident on 11/11. They have a 1-year-old son together and she has twins from a previous relationship.
· ​Dean & Linda Newell and their family upon the loss of Dean's mother, Marilyn Newell, on 11/8.
· Judy Jones (wife of Pastor Grady Jones/friend of Pastor Jerry) is recovering from a successful surgery and doctors believe they removed all of the cancer. She is waiting for biopsy results to decide how to proceed with treatment.
· John Randell (friend of Bruce Ferguson) has been diagnosed with stomach cancer.
· Bruce and Vasha Ferguson and their family who are mourning the loss of their 17 year-old great-grandson, Dontrell, following a car accident on 10/27. Dontrell was the son of Felicia who unexpectedly passed away in May.
· Bob & Camille Tate and their family, especially Bob's mother, Paula, as Bob's father passed away on 10/23.
· Tim Hendrix is recovering from successful shoulder replacement surgery.
· Mary Buchert broke her wrist after a fall and continues to heal.
· Lennon McKamey (son of Kyle & Sarah) needs surgery on his shoulder. Please pray that preparing for surgery goes smoothly.
· Check out our monthly prayer card on-line at southhavenfbc.com under “Weekly Bulletins” for a list of those with on-going needs.

First Baptist Church
1635 76th Street
South Haven, MI 49090
269-637-1291
southhavenfbc@gmail.com