And then it happened! I received a “rhema” word! And what exactly is a “rhema” word? Got Questions provides a good answer along with some Biblical references:
There are two primary Greek words that describe Scripture which are translated “word” in the New Testament. The first, logos, refers principally to the total inspired Word of God and to Jesus, who is the living Word. Logos is found in John 1:1; Luke 8:11; Philippians 2:16; Hebrews 4:12; and other verses. The second Greek word translated “word” is rhema, which refers to the spoken word. Rhema literally means a an utterance (individually, collectively or specifically). Examples are found in Luke 1:38; 3:2; 5:5; and Acts 11:16.
I don’t know about you, but I have a few different devotional books and guides that I use during my personal time with the Lord. On this particular day, I was reading Today in the Word, The Book of Isaiah: Seeing the Glory of God, published by Moody Global Ministries. Now remember, I had said to God, “I know what your Word says. I have been praying and I just can’t seem to get relief from this unprecedented worry. Lord, I need to hear something directly from your lips to my spirit that is going to break through my current disposition.” This is what I read in Isaiah 7:1-9 NLT:
A Message for Ahaz
1 When Ahaz, son of Jotham and grandson of Uzziah, was king of Judah, King Rezin of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah, the king of Israel, set out to attack Jerusalem. However, they were unable to carry out their plan. 2 The news had come to the royal court of Judah: “Syria is allied with Israel against us!” So the hearts of the king and his people trembled with fear, like trees shaking in a storm.
3 Then the Lord said to Isaiah, “Take your son Shear-jashub and go out to meet King Ahaz. You will find him at the end of the aqueduct that feeds water into the upper pool, near the road leading to the field where cloth is washed. 4 Tell him to stop worrying. Tell him he doesn’t need to fear the fierce anger of those two burned-out embers, King Rezin of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah. 5 Yes, the kings of Syria and Israel are plotting against him, saying, 6 ‘We will attack Judah and capture it for ourselves. Then we will install the son of Tabeel as Judah’s king.’7 But this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“This invasion will never happen;
it will never take place;
8 for Syria is no stronger than its capital, Damascus,
and Damascus is no stronger than its king, Rezin.
As for Israel, within sixty-five years
it will be crushed and completely destroyed.
9 Israel is no stronger than its capital, Samaria,
and Samaria is no stronger than its king, Pekah son of Remaliah.
Unless your faith is firm,
I cannot make you stand firm.”
I was stopped in my tracks…what?! The Lord said, “Tell him to stop worrying!!!” I could sense that the Holy Spirit was trying to get my attention. As I read through this passage He began to unfold truth to me. I am going to give you the abbreviated version. It nicely fell into 5 categories: fickle, fear, flesh, facts, and faith!
2 Kings 16:2 tells us that “Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. He did not do what was pleasing in the sight of the Lord his God, as his ancestor David had done.”
Here was a fickle young man who had not cultivated a relationship with God, so when threatened or challenged he wavered and was unable to stand firm in his faith. When the news of an impending attack against Judah surfaced, we are told that the hearts of King Ahaz and his people “trembled with fear, like trees shaking in a storm.” What a simile! His response was not to turn to God, but to begin looking for a solution in his flesh. God, in His mercy, sees all that is happening and directs the prophet Isaiah to go and meet Ahaz. God knows exactly where he is.
“Then the Lord said to Isaiah, ‘Take your son Shear-jashub and go out to meet King Ahaz. You will find him at the end of the aqueduct that feeds water into the upper pool, near the road leading to the field where cloth is washed.'” Isaiah 7:3 NLT
Ahaz was concerned about the water supply! He understood the necessity of water in times of war and was looking for ways to protect his territory and perhaps make himself impervious to the announced attack. Is this where his mind should have been? This is not to say that one shouldn’t exercise wisdom in warfare, but it appears that seeking God in the matter was not even a thought. He was operating from a position of fear, not faith!
“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” Matthew 6:33 NLT
Did he not understand that our God is the “Extraordinary Strategist!” Isaiah 9:6 NET
Now Isaiah is directed to give Ahaz the facts from the Sovereign Lord, “Tell him to stop worrying. Tell him he doesn’t need to fear the fierce anger of those two burned-out embers, King Rezin of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah.”
What seemed like a raging fire of fear in the heart of Ahaz, was in reality just “two burned-out embers” in the eyes of God! The Lord proceeds to say, “This invasion will never happen; it will never take place.”
This is incredible! Here is a pagan King, a rebel of God, and yet God speaks to him in the time of struggle. What a news flash for those of us who claim to walk with God! He is our ever present help in time of need! Hallelujah!
“Ahaz, instead of running to the aqueduct, come to the altar!”
The clincher to all of this is what the Lord says in verse 9, “Unless your faith is firm, I cannot make you stand firm.” My favorite version of this is the Living Bible translation:
“You don’t believe me? If you want me to protect you, you must learn to believe what I say.”
It became clear to me that the Lord was overriding whatever thoughts and emotions had overtaken me. God demonstrated His faithfulness towards me, that in the midst of all of the transitions taking place in my life triggering the onset of worry, that He too was in the midst of all of it. And that even though I knew His Word on the issue, He responded to my plea and entered into my personal time, as He is a personal God, with a rhema word. The Holy Spirit spoke ever so clearly to my heart, “Stop worrying Barbara!”
Isaiah 7:6 in The Living Bible says, “We will invade Judah and throw her people into panic” and in the King James it says, “Let us go up against Judah, and vex it.”
It is the ploy of the enemy to distract and frustrate us with matters that are trivial in the sight of God. The Lord said, “This invasion will never happen; it will never take place.”
“Yes Lord! Help us to learn to believe what YOU say.”
Clarion Call by Barbara Karpouzian 