Feigning Piety

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 11:07:27 -0500

"I will not ask and I will not put the Lord to the test." (Isaiah 7:12)

The words sound good. So righteous. So pious. So noble.

They belong to Ahaz, the young king of Judah (8th century B.C.) Ahaz is in the midst of a political storm. Assyria is a threat to the north. The kings of Israel (the northern kingdom) and Aram have approached him to join an alliance against Assyria. If he refuses to join them, they threaten to topple his kingdom and set up a puppet king who will do their bidding.

Isaiah, the prophet, has promised Ahaz that God will shield him from the two "smoking firebrands." He has assured him that the kingdom will stand if he, Ahaz, resists the temptation to take matters into his own hands and puts his faith in God.

Isaiah even offers the guarantee of a sign: "Ask of the Lord anything you want, Ahaz. Ask for a sign in the highest heavens or even in the depths of Sheol. The Lord wants you to know beyond all doubt that He is faithful to you. All he wants is for you to be faithful to Him."

That's when Ahaz replies that he will not test God in that way, that he will not ask for a sign.

So noble. So pious. So righteous.

The truth is that Ahaz does not want assurances from God. Ahaz does not want a demonstration of God's faithfulness. Ahaz does not want to "risk" faith when he has already decided what he will do.

Why place your faith in the unseen God when you can trust your own abilities, your own plans, your own agenda?

Ahaz has already plotted to join the king of Assyria against the kings of Israel and Aram. (II Kings 16) Ahaz already knows what he wants and what he will do.

We might think that Ahaz is a fool. Why any one of us- when given the option of trusting God or trusting ourselves- would trust God...wouldn't we?

Well...wouldn't we?

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For a series of questions for personal reflection/small group discussion on the RCL texts for the week go here.

James 24:7 - Salvation

Feigning Piety