Friday, March 5, 2004
Lenten Fast
The New Martyr John the Bulgarian
6th Hour: Isaiah 7:1-15 1st Vespers: Genesis 5:32-6:8 2nd Vespers: Proverbs 6:20-7:1
Isaiah 7:1-15 RSV, especially vss. 10-12: "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."
Who has not seen otherwise intelligent people 'fly in the face' of wise counsel and wreak havoc on themselves and others?
Take a man dominated by alcohol: he refuses the pleas of his wife and children, scoffs at the warnings of his employer,
argues with his Pastor and friends, and ignores the counsel of his physician. Then he gets his paycheck and heads off to the
bar, opposing all the loving warnings he has been given.
Do not think that opposition to loving advice is a problem solely of alcoholics. Almost all of us, at one time or another,
have 'flown in the face' of a 'mountain' of truly good advice. Only because of the lovingkindness of God, (usually) we
have survived the results of our foolish choices, and often only 'a little the worse for the wear.' Later, we think back with
regret at our obstinacy - a little older, sadder, and hopefully, wiser than before.
The worst type of refusing wisdom given in love is to reject the counsel of God and His Church. Today's reading is about
such resistance, about opposition to God in the ranks of His ancient People. However, God provided a surprise ending in
the example shared here by Isaiah.
Isaiah cautions us to beware whenever we feel pressure to hurry into a decision. Sales promotions rely on 'now or never'
devices: 'You have just five days to respond to this amazing offer!' 'I can't guarantee you this price another time!' 'We
have just two of these left!'
Observe how king Ahaz of Judah and his people were thunderstruck when they learned of the military coalition attacking
them: "his heart and the heart of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind" (vs. 2). In panic, under
pressure to decide, let us embrace the counsel of the Lord: "Take heed, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be
faint" (vs. 4). May the Lord Who governs all things well, give us the grace to be attentive to this word.
Also in this passage, the Lord teaches us to be wary of easy, obvious, nice, and 'workable' solutions. Examine each
element in an answer that immediately presents itself. Ask, 'Does it brush past the wisdom of Orthodox Tradition?'
Consider, 'In what ways does the easy answer not square with the teachings of the Holy Fathers?' Isaiah warned the King
against the plans of his opponents - the king of Syria and the king of Ephraim: they have "devised evil against you" (vs. 5),
but far more important, "it shall not come to pass" (vs. 7). We know from the Second book of Kings that King Ahaz went
against the godly counsel of Isaiah. He invited the king of the Assyrian Empire to come to his aid - a choice with terrible
consequences both for the king and for his nation, Judah (2 Kngs. 16). Let us pray and listen carefully to the Lord.
Just before King Ahaz made his bitter choice, God sent Isaiah to him a second time (vss. 10-17). The Lord gave the king a
fair opportunity to bolster his confidence in God's power to 'solve' his impossible problem: "Ask a sign of the Lord your
God" (vs.11). Note well that the King refused. It is true that he couched his refusal in pious language, but he opposed God
(vs. 12). Beware never to reject a clear commandment or offering of help from God. The outcome of King Ahaz' decision
allowed the Assyrians to weaken the kingdom of Judah which set the stage for conquest by the Babylonians a little over a
hundred years later.
Still, God loves His People. He had His surprise, a miracle for all nations: "a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and
shall call His name Immanuel." (vs. 14). O Son of God, save us!
Holding steadfastly the foresayings of the Prophet, let us shout with a loud voice with Isaiah, saying: Behold the Virgin
shall conceive in the womb and give birth to a Son, Immanuel.
