About 733 BC, Ahaz, king of Judah, heard the news that the Arameans (a nation north of Israel
also called Syria) had made a treaty with the Ephraim (or, the nation of Israel, north of Judah).
The citizens of Judah along with King Ahaz and his governmental administration were shaken (Hebrew nua, same as 6:4).

The Lord sent his prophet Isaiah to the fearful King Ahaz with words of encouragement and prophecies of events to give the king confidence to stand firm in faith.

Isaiah is a young father at this time and is in about his seventh year of ministry (assuming Isaiah began in 740 BC the year Uzziah died.) Isaiah is told to go meet Ahaz in Jerusalem where the aqueduct feeds water into the Upper Pool. This is a reference to the water system of Jerusalem before the digging of Hezekiah’s Tunnel. Likely, this is water being fed into the city from the Gihon Springs and the reference to the Upper Pool could indicate there was a lower pool by the springs. (Another alternative is to locate this Upper Pool to the northwest of the city where the ancient water pool called Hezekiah’s Pool is located (See HERE and HERE). King Ahaz is apparently out inspecting the water supply for the city as he faces an attack from the two nations united against him, Aram and Israel.

The Lord tells Isaiah to take one of his young sons, whose name is important for this encounter with the king and the message of hope Isaiah is to give King Ahaz. The boy’s name is Shear-Jashub which means “a remnant will return.” The meaning of the name of Isaiah’s first son, Shear-Jashub, is clear, but the Lord’s intention for the name is difficult to unravel, which is in keeping with Isaiah’s ministry. Is it good news saying, “Be of good cheer, a remnant will return!” Or, is it bad news saying, “You will be defeated with a mere remnant returning from the battle!” The meaning is clear, but what is the intent?

The words that the prophet give King Ahaz seem to be clear. While holding his young son, Isaiah gives instructions to the king of Judah while the king is preparing for and invasion. The message is this:

• Don’t be afraid.
• Two smoldering stubs of firewood are King Rezin of Aram and Remaliah’s son
  (King Pekah) of Israel
• This is their plan is to overthrow King Ahaz of Judah, divide his land between Aram and Israel and make Tabeel’s son, a man from Jerusalem, the new king of Judah.

After revealing the planned coup d'état to King Ahaz, the Lord tells Ahaz that this plan will not happen because behind these nations and plans are mere men. Instead, the Lord tells Ahaz what the Lord is planning over the next 65 years (733-668 BC). The Lord says Ephriam (northern Israel) will no longer be a nation 65 years from 733 BC!.

Historically, the Assyrians rose to power to defeat the Arameans (Syria). By 721 BC Assyria destroyed the northern nation of Israel. 65 years later in 669 BC the Assyrian Kings Esarhaddon and Ashurbanipal would be making their final deportation of Israelites out of northern Israel (Ezra 4:2 and 4:10).

King Ahaz has a choice to make. He can trust YHWH, the sovereign Lord, who is controlling history or Ahaz can abandon his faith and live a shaky, unstable life while he tries to manipulate international affairs with dangerous covenants that are devised to undermine his independence.