Isaiah 8:1-22.  In chapter 8 we continue the description about the destruction of Judah that is going to come, not from Syria and the northern kingdom but from Assyria.  The destruction will ultimately not be complete, Jerusalem will stand but only due to repentance and only for a time.  That brief time of peace will not come to Ahaz and the people of his day though.  Ahaz and the people of Judah in his day would constantly live in the shadow of Assyria.  One thing you need to know about wars in those days is that they did not involve constant occupation.  Invading armies would come and do battle and then leave and go home.  It the conquest was not finished they would come back the next year and the next.  Wars could go on for years but in waves (See 2 Samuel 11:1).  Remember too that the focus of the structure of this part of Isaiah is chapter 6.  In that chapter we saw two things:  Heaven and Earth.  In Heaven we got a glimpse of God.  We saw God as completely special, pure and powerful.  On Earth we saw that people close their eyes, ignore the reality of God, and suffer destruction as a result.  All of this section is really a reflection focusing on God and our broken relationship with Him.

So Judah was in peril and Ahaz was encouraged by Isaiah to trust God to save Jerusalem and Judah.  But Ahaz decided to make a treaty with Assyria instead.  Isaiah told Ahaz that the land would be destroyed because of his rejection of God.  But Isaiah is not done speaking for God yet.  Unlike Jonah he is not going to give a warning and then set back and wait for destruction.  He hs warned the king in chapter 7 now in chapter 8 he is going to warn the people and also establish evidence for his message.  First he writes on a large stone for everyone to see, “Swift the booty, Speedy the prey”, an indication that an invading army will destroy quickly.    He has the writing witnessed by two men sympathetic to Ahaz Uriah a Priest and Zechariah, Ahaz’ father-in-law.  Then Isaiah and his wife had a child whom they named Maher-shalal-hash-baz.  His name means “Swift tht booty, speedy the prey”.  This child would be a timeline for the destruction.  Before he could say “daddy” or “mommy” the destruction would come.  This child was not the same one called Immanuel in chapter 7.  The destruction was coming because they had rejected God and were rejoicing over the Assyrian conquest of the Syrian/Northern Kingdom Alliance.  They thought their disobedient treaty was working.  Instead they had invited the very army that would attack them into their own backyard.

After setting up the reminder of their disobedience Isaiah then affirms that God will be faithful to his overall plan (vv. 9-10). His plan was for all the nations of the earth to be blessed by the Israelite nation.  Israel (the nation not the northern kingdom) was to be an example to the world so the world could see their God was the true God (See “The Old Testament Connection”).  In verses 9-10 Isaiah challenges the nations to “take their best shot” at Israel and be shattered in the process.  Like the wars of old though God’s plan is a process in progress.  The Law of Moses didn’t make the Israelites right with God it revealed all of our weaknesses (Romans 3:19-23).  The prophets who called the Israelites (and others) to be faithful to Yahweh were writing not just for their immediate audience but for us (Hebrews 11:39-40).  But God is not slow about His promises; He is allowing us to return to Him (2 Peter 3:9).

Isaiah is warned in verses 11-15 to be careful not to fall into the same traps that the rest of Judah was; he was not to follow all of the political drama, not to fear what they were afraid of, but to rather fear God and trust Him.  Then God would be a safe place for him.  To those who were not trusting God though, they would trip and fall over Him.  Isaiah was to be careful and was to encourage the other followers of God to stay close to God’s word.  Again they were not to follow the ways of the society around them; they were not to talk to spirits or mediums.  If they trusted in God they would be an example to those around them.  But they needed to hold onto God’s word.  As for the rest life would be gloomy, dark, and painful.

We need to be careful to put our trust in God not in other things.  We need to be very familiar with God’s word.  If the advise we are given does not line up with the Bible we need to reject it.  Remember though that Isaiah and his followers went through the siege just like the rest.  In Hebrews 11 it talks about all of the great victories that people of faith had but it also talks about the trials.  In Hebrews 11:37 it talks about one of these people being sawn in two.  Tradition says that Isaiah was killed this way.  Following God is not easy.  Some times it seems easier not to follow Him.  Often though God will call his people (in fact all people) into account.  Twice in the book of Revelation  (Revelation 9:20-21; 16:9-11) we see a sadness over the fact that people will not turn back to God (repent) in the face of sever suffering.  It is clear that God is using the troubles in that book to make people thing seriously about Him and their eternity.  Sin seems easy sometimes but in the end it is the way of death (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25).  We need to choose life and follow God’s word.  Lord be the lord of my life.  Help me understand your word and how it applies to my life today and every day.  Help me make good choices.  Help me check the advise of others against your truth.  Give me wisdom.  Help me look out for others too.  Help us Lord, help me.