Isaiah 7; Fear, the Sign, Light

1.1 No one likes to feel fear. We often think that feeling afraid means something is wrong. Personally, I struggle with being in small, enclosed rooms because of a childhood trauma. When I was about five years old, my parents had to work at night. Since they couldn't find a babysitter, they had no choice but to leave my sister and me in a room and lock the door from the outside for our safety.

1.2 Back then, our house used a public shared washroom outside. So, once the door was locked, we couldn't even go to the bathroom properly. That situation continued for almost a year, and I remember feeling intense fear and anxiety every night. Even though 40 years have passed, I still carry that trauma. I really don't like small rooms. The moment I enter a small, tight space, my brain just freezes.

1.3 That is actually why I never studied in the library during my seminary days in Toronto. Instead, I always went to the student lounge or a coffee shop—places that were wide and open. The reason I share this personal story is that fear is always connected to our circumstances and situations. Today, we meet a man in the Bible who was also terrified by his situation. In Isaiah 7, we see how God dealt with his fear. On this second Sunday of Advent, let's explore how we can overcome our fear and receive true peace from God.

Isaiah 7:1–3 ESV

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. And the Lord said to Isaiah, “Go out to meet Ahaz, you and Shear-jashub your son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Washer’s Field.

Isaiah 7:10–14 ESV

Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

2.1 Just like I felt trapped in that small room, King Ahaz in the passage we just read felt trapped by his enemies. Let me give you a quick background on Isaiah chapter 7. The year is around 735 BC. Ahaz is the king of Judah, but he is facing a massive crisis. Two powerful neighbors—Syria and Israel—have joined forces to attack Jerusalem.

2.2 Imagine the situation. Enemy armies are marching toward the city. Ahaz feels completely surrounded and helpless. The Bible describes his fear vividly in verse 2. It says his heart 'shook as the trees of the forest shake with the wind.' He was trembling because he couldn't see a way out. But right at that moment of panic, God sends the prophet Isaiah to speak to him.

2.3 Through this story, we are going to look at three key themes: First, The Fear — specifically, the trembling heart of Ahaz. Second, The Sign — God’s promise, Immanuel. And Third, The Light — the ultimate solution, Jesus Christ.

3.1 Let's look at the first one, The Fear. As we see in Ahaz, fear often invades us when we take our eyes off God and fixate on our external circumstances. Ahaz turned his full attention to his uncertain situation.

3.2 In verse 3, God tells Isaiah to meet Ahaz at a specific location: 'at the end of the conduit of the upper pool.' Have you ever wondered why the King was there? Was he taking a walk? No. He was inspecting the city's water supply. He was preparing for a siege. He was calculating. He was checking his resources. He was trying to figure out how to survive on his own. This is what fear does to us. It makes us calculate.When we are afraid, what do we do? We check our bank accounts, we check our connections, we check our own abilities. We look at the visible problems—the 'Syria and Ephraim' in our lives—and we desperately try to find a visible solution.

3.3 And this leads to Isolation (Tunnel Vision).As I mentioned earlier, fear acts like a wall. Ahaz was so focused on the enemy armies—the uncertainty of his situation—that he became blind to God.He felt alone because he had disconnected himself from God.

Matthew 14:30 NLT

But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.

3.4 Do you remember Peter walking on the water? As long as he looked at Jesus, he was fine. But the Bible says, 'When he saw the wind, he was afraid.' (Matthew 14:30). Just like Peter sank when he focused on the storm that is his circumstances, Ahaz is sinking in fear because he is focused on the enemy armies instead of God." His internal monologue was likely: 'I have to fix this. I have to survive. It's all on me.'

3.5 The root cause of his fear wasn't the size of the enemy army. The root cause was his disconnection from God.When we are disconnected from the Source of life, we are left with only our own limited resources. And that... is truly terrifying. Whatever situation you are facing today, if you feel overwhelmed, ask yourself: 'Am I calculating like Ahaz, or am I connecting with God?'

3.6 Honestly, if we fix our eyes only on our situation, we can easily forget God's calling and vision. I have a friend whose story illustrates this perfectly. He had a calling to serve in the Canadian ministry. But he was afraid of moving to Saskatchewan. Maybe he thought it was too cold, or too lonely. Because he focused on that fear, he lost his vision. He gave up on becoming a pastor in Canada and went back to South Korea. But now, he faces another difficult reality: he cannot find a ministry position there because of his age.

3.7 It is natural for humans to feel fear when we start focusing on our circumstances. We look at the hurdles, we calculate the risks, and we lose sight of God. That is why the Bible clearly shows us where we should look to keep our perspective and faith. Listen to what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:18:

2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

4.1 Fixing our eyes on the unseen God—this is the only answer to overcome the fear in our lives. When we fix our eyes on Jesus in faith, we can stand firm because He is stable and unshakeable. But, let’s be honest.It is impossible for us to keep our eyes on Jesus every single day, every single moment. We are human. Like Ahaz, we get distracted by our problems. We get scared. We look at the waves instead of the Lord.

4.2 So, what should we do when our focus fails? This leads us to our second point.Here, we see how God helps us fix our eyes on Him, and what that brings to our lives. Let’s look at The Sign.

Isaiah 7:10–14 NKJV

Moreover the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying, “Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I test the Lord!” Then he said, “Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

5.1 Now, look at verse 10. God invites Ahaz to ask for a sign. He says, 'Ask anything. Deep as Sheol or high as heaven.' God is offering a blank check to assure the King. But look at Ahaz’s response in verse 12: 'I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.' Doesn't that sound religious? It sounds like he is a man of great faith who doesn't need miracles. But honestly, this is false humility.Why did he refuse? Because he had already made up his mind. He had already finished his 'calculations.' He planned to make an alliance with the powerful empire of Assyria to defeat his enemies. He didn't want a sign from God because he didn't want to trust God. He wanted to trust his own plan."

5.2 But here is the amazing part. Even though Ahaz refused to ask, God gave him a sign anyway. Verse 14 says: 'Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign.' This is the nature of God’s grace. Ahaz gave up on God, but God did not give up on Ahaz. Ahaz wanted to handle it alone, but God said, 'No, I will be with you.'

5.3 And what is the sign? It wasn't a thunderbolt or an earthquake. It was a baby. 'Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.' We all know what Immanuel means. It means 'God with us.'Think about it. Why is this the antidote to fear? Remember my story about the small room? My fear came from being alone. Remember Ahaz’s fear? It came from feeling isolated. God’s answer to our fear is not necessarily removing the problem instantly. The armies were still there. The threat was still real. But God changed the equation. It was no longer 'Ahaz vs. Two Armies.' It became 'Ahaz + God vs. Two Armies.'

Romans 8:31 ESV

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

5.4 The sign of Immanuel tells us this: You are not alone in your small room.You are not alone in your financial crisis. You are not alone in your uncertainty. God is not just watching you from a distance; He is with you. And His presence is the only thing that can silence our calculation and calm our fears.

Psalm 23:4 ESV

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

5.5 Being isolated brings fear, and we all experienced this vividly just five years ago. Wow, can you believe it has already been five years since the Pandemic started? During that time, we couldn't have regular worship services or social gatherings for quite a long while. A lot of people felt a deep sense of isolation. Even though we tried to keep meeting via Zoom, let's be honest—it wasn't enough. Why? Because true relationship is more than just having a conversation.It is about sharing the same atmosphere in the same place. It is about presence.

5.6 Because of that prolonged isolation, many people struggled with deep fear and anxiety, and even after the Pandemic, counseling centers were full of people seeking help. This is why God's sign is more powerful than any other spectacular sign, like thunderstorms or mighty armies. God didn't just send a message from the sky. He came to be with us.Immanuel!This is the essence of the life of God's people. God is with us! And when God is with us, the darkness of fear disappears, and we step into the Light. This brings us to the third and final point of today's sermon: The Light.

6.1 So, where does this sign of Immanuel lead us? It leads us out of the shadow and into the Light. The story of Ahaz doesn't end in chapter 7. The prophecy continues into chapter 9. Isaiah looks forward to the coming Messiah and declares this in Isaiah 9:2:

Isaiah 9:2 MSG

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. For those who lived in a land of deep shadows— light! sunbursts of light!

6.2 Who is this Light? It is Jesus Christ. In John 8:12, Jesus declared, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'

Think back to my story about the small, dark room. When we are in a dark room, fear feels overwhelming. We can't see anything, so we imagine the worst. We try to calculate where the door is, or where the danger might be. But how do we defeat darkness?Do we fight it with a sword? Do we try to push it out with a shovel? No. We simply turn on the light.Once the light is on, the darkness disappears instantly. The room is the same, but our fear is gone because we can see.

6.3 (Conclusion: The Antidote to Fear)

This is the message of the Second Sunday of Advent. We are living in a world full of fear. Like Ahaz, we are tempted to calculate, to worry, and to rely on our own resources. We feel isolated in our own small rooms. But the Good News is that we don't have to stay in the dark. God gave us the Sign: Immanuel, God with us.And God gave us the Light: Jesus Christ. The antidote to fear is not 'more calculation.' It is 'more Jesus.'It is trusting that He is with us in the room.

6.4 (Closing)

Today, if you are holding onto any fear or anxiety, I invite you to stop calculating. Stop looking at the 'Syria and Ephraim' in your life. Instead, turn your eyes to Immanuel. Accept the Light of Jesus into your situation. When you do that, the fear will fade, and the true Peace of God—which surpasses all understanding—will guard your hearts and minds.

Podcast: https://notebooklm.google.com/notebook/d24f411c-1d5c-4ad3-892a-8990b03cf816?artifactId=5a82a8b0-1f40-4a5d-ba0f-45a904fd659f

Short-Answer Quiz

Instructions: Answer the following questions in 2-3 complete sentences, drawing your information directly from the source material.

1. What personal story does the speaker share, and how does it illustrate the sermon's main point about the nature of fear?

2. Describe the geopolitical crisis King Ahaz faced and the emotional effect it had on him and his people as described in Isaiah 7:2.

3. What are the three primary themes the sermon uses to analyze the story of King Ahaz in Isaiah 7?

4. According to the sermon, why was King Ahaz at the "conduit of the upper pool," and what does this action signify about how humans often respond to fear?

5. How is the biblical story of Peter walking on water (Matthew 14:30) used to explain the root cause of Ahaz's fear?

6. Explain why King Ahaz refused God's offer of a sign. What was his alternative solution to the military threat?

7. What specific sign did God provide despite Ahaz's refusal, and why was this sign the perfect antidote to the fear caused by isolation?

8. How does the sermon use the recent experience of the COVID-19 pandemic to explain the power and importance of "presence"?

9. The sermon uses the metaphor of light and darkness. How does it suggest one should combat the "darkness" of fear?

10. What is the sermon's ultimate conclusion about the true antidote to fear, moving beyond simple problem-solving?

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Answer Key

1. The speaker shares a story of childhood trauma, where he and his sister were locked in a small room at night for nearly a year. This experience created a lifelong fear of enclosed spaces, illustrating the central point that fear is always connected to our specific circumstances and situations.

2. King Ahaz of Judah faced a massive crisis when two powerful neighbors, Syria (led by King Rezin) and Israel (led by King Pekah), formed an alliance to attack Jerusalem. The emotional effect was profound; the Bible states that the hearts of Ahaz and his people "shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind."

3. The sermon analyzes the story through three key themes. The first is The Fear, focusing on the trembling heart of Ahaz. The second is The Sign, which is God’s promise of Immanuel. The third is The Light, identified as the ultimate solution, Jesus Christ.

4. King Ahaz was at the conduit of the upper pool to inspect the city's water supply in preparation for a siege. This act signifies the human response to fear, which is to "calculate"—to check one's resources and try to figure out how to survive using one's own strength and planning.

5. The story of Peter is used to show that fear intensifies when focus shifts from God to external circumstances. Just as Peter was fine while looking at Jesus but began to sink when he saw the strong wind and waves, Ahaz was sinking in fear because he was focused on the enemy armies instead of God.

6. Ahaz refused God's offer under the guise of "false humility," saying he would not put the Lord to the test. The real reason was that he had already made up his mind and finished his "calculations," planning to form a political alliance with the powerful empire of Assyria for protection.

7. God provided the sign of a baby, declaring, "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." This sign, meaning "God with us," was the perfect antidote because it directly addressed the isolation that fuels fear. It changed the equation from "Ahaz vs. Two Armies" to "Ahaz + God vs. Two Armies."

8. The sermon notes that during the pandemic, Zoom meetings were not enough to combat the deep sense of isolation people felt. This illustrates that true relationship and the antidote to isolation-based fear require "presence"—sharing the same atmosphere in the same place—which is why God's sign was not a message from the sky but His actual presence with humanity.

9. The sermon suggests that one does not fight darkness with a sword or try to shovel it out. Instead, the only way to defeat the darkness of fear is to "turn on the light." This means inviting the Light, who is Jesus Christ, into the situation, causing the darkness to disappear instantly.

10. The sermon's ultimate conclusion is that the antidote to fear is not more human effort or "more calculation." The true antidote is "more Jesus." It involves trusting that Immanuel ("God with us") is present in the situation and accepting the Light of Christ, which brings the peace of God.