There’s a lot in this chapter. I will live the parts about Isaiah and his children as this was discussed in the previous post. But let’s look at this one enigma at a time.
1) “With the Pen of a Man” (Is 8:1-4)
Isaiah is told to take a large parchment and write on it: Maher-shalal-hash-baz which means “With the pen of a man.” And when Isaiah has another son, the LORD said to tell him to name him this very name. Why?
The Scripture say “for before the boy knows how to call out father or mother, the wealth of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria will be carried off to the king of Assyria” (v. 4).
I try to reconcile what “with the pen of a man” has to do with Syria and Israel being carried off. It’s important to note that Isaiah was specifically told to use an “ordinary” pen and not any special pen of authority. Perhaps this was to signify that the message was for everyone, even ordinary people, that God was going to bring judgment because of Ahaz rejection of the Lord.
Then the Lord speaks about the judgment. Remember again that this was the time after the civil war where Israel was split into two. The upper 3/4 region was called “Israel” and the lower 1/4 region was called “judah” with Jerusalem as its capitol.
The LORD had told Ahaz that he was going to bring judgment to Israel but protect Judah. But Judah refused to believe God against a very visible and terrifying army of Assyria, so instead he became a vassal of Assyria. That meant that in exchange for military protection, Judah would pay regular “taxes” to Assyria. But as always sezerein states (the big nations they serve) are typically oppressive, deceptive and controlling.
Because Ahaz rejected the LORD, the LORD honored that wish and Assyria would now sweep over Judah and its capitol Jerusalem.
“Because these people rejected the slowly flowing waters of Shiloah” — This was a pool that was in Jerusalem.
“and rejoiced with Rezin and the son of Remaliah” – Rezin was the king of Damascus; Remaliah was the father of Pekah (2 Kings 15:25) and Pekah was a king in Israel who reigned in Samaria, the false capitol and did much evil. The problem was that the people of Judah had rejoiced with both of these evil kings.
Because of that the Lord bring agains them
“the mighty rushing waters of the Euphrates River–the King of Assyria and all his glory” – The water he makes clear is that he is going to flood them with the Assyrians.
2) What is meant here? (Is 8:9-10):
Raise the war cry, you nations, and be shattered!
Listen, all you distant lands.
Prepare for battle, and be shattered!
Prepare for battle, and be shattered!
Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted;
propose your plan, but it will not stand,
for God is with us.
Battle was imminent. Already God had decreed judgment on Syria and northern Israel. But because of the wickedness of King Ahaz, judgment was now going to be proclaimed also on Judah. And because of it, no one would stand. They could devise their strategies but those strategies would come to nothing. For the north that would mean utter desertion. For southern Judah, it would mean devastation but not total devastation for God was still with them, for now.
3) The Key
Oh, this struck me here (Is 8:11-13, so much so that I am going to make a different post about it. So for now it says
Fear God. He will be a
a stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall. (v. 14)
This was also used of Jesus. (Rom 9:33; 1 Pet 2:8)
And it’s true. The ways of God can either be a secure foundation on which to stand, or a rock in which to stumble. For the rebellious, He is the rock upon which to stumble.
4) A mixed up people (v. 18-22)
Then Isaiah says he is there with his children. And when told to consult the dead, he asks why would anyone do that? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? One should consult the law and the testimony. Otherwise there will be no “dawn” or way out of the darkness for them. Instead…
21 Distressed and hungry, they will roam through the land; when they are famished, they will become enraged and, looking upward, will curse their king and their God. 22 Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom, and they will be thrust into utter darkness.
