Putting God to the Test

Passage: Isaiah 7

The Book of Isaiah offers a fine balance between God’s judgment and God’s grace. The predominant theme of the book is that the people of Judah – the remnant of God’s chosen people – will suffer the consequences of generations’ worth of rebellion against God. This judgment is, by all accounts, inevitable. Yet even as Isaiah’s doomsday ministry unfolds it seems as though God keeps changing his mind. There are repeated moments at which God promises to make good his offer of deliverance. From our historical vantage point we recognize the fulfillment of this promise in the person of Jesus Christ (the long awaited “Immanuel”). We know God intended to bring salvation all along - but at a much later time than that of Isaiah.

Yet there are points in the story when God seems also to offer salvation in the immediate. One such point is Isaiah’s conversation with King Ahaz in chapter seven. Ahaz has faced off against his closest competition: the kings of Aram and (remarkably) his sister state, Israel. Ahaz and his people are hard pressed. They are holding their own, but at this point it is anyone’s battle. God sends Isaiah with a message: Don’t worry, Ahaz. God will defeat your enemies for you. You can even ask me for a sign – for confirmation that I am with you.

Ahaz refuses. His excuse is this: “I will not put the LORD my God to the test.” Is this a show of piety? Tragically it is not. Ahaz refrains from putting God to the test because he doesn’t believe God is there. Ahaz intends to seek help not from God, but from a lesser superpower: Assyria. If you read the rest of the story, you’ll see how that works out for him.

Isaiah’s response to Ahaz is harsh: “It’s one thing to test my patience. But don’t test God’s. God will, in fact, send a sign. A child. His name will be Immanuel.” Isaiah’s message for Ahaz is the same as God’s message for his people throughout this book: I will bring the salvation I have always promised. But as a consequence of your lack of faith, you will not see it.

God repeatedly invites his people test his promises. When we refrain it is only because we don’t trust that God will come through. What happens to our faith if we live our lives never really trusting God to come through? Where do we place our trust, if not in God? And how will we see God's salvation if we never really expect to?