Overview
Pekah reigned over Israel for twenty years (2 Kings 15:27), having seized power through assassination (2 Kings 15:25). During his reign, he formed a military alliance with Rezin, king of Syria, to attack the southern kingdom of Judah under King Ahaz. Though militarily threatening, God sent Isaiah to assure Ahaz that these plans would not succeed, revealing the emptiness of human schemes against God's purposes.
Key Scriptures
"In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria came and captured Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; and he carried the people captive to Assyria" (2 Kings 15:29, ESV).
"And the Lord said to Isaiah, 'Go out to meet Ahaz, you and Shear-jashub your son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Fuller's Field. And say to him, "Take care, and be calm; do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint because of these two smoldering stumps of firebrands"" (Isaiah 7:3-4, ESV).
Application
When facing threats, remember that God's purposes cannot be thwarted by human opposition or political schemes.