Immanuel, God Judges Us (8:1-22)

(Temple 12/16/2018) Chapter 7 is familiar, particularly during the Christmas season, because of the prophecy of Immanuel that is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ. However, did you know that Immanuel is also mentioned in chapter 8? In chapter 7 Immanuel is a sign of deliverance and hope. In chapter 8 Immanuel is a sign of judgment and disaster. God is with Judah and stands ready to deliver them if they will repent, forsake their idolatry, and worship Him alone. God is also with Judah in righteousness to judge them for their worldliness and apostasy. They serve as a reminder that we as Christians must be a people who serve and love the Lord.

Fame and Fortune are Fleeting! (8:1-4)

Isaiah 8:1–4 AV

Moreover the LORD said unto me, Take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man’s pen concerning Mahershalalhashbaz. And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah. And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son. Then said the LORD to me, Call his name Mahershalalhashbaz. For before the child shall have knowledge to cry, My father, and my mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the king of Assyria.

Moreover the Lord said unto me, Take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man’s pen concerning Maher-shalal-hash-baz. 2And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah. 3And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son. Then said the Lord to me, Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz. 4For before the child shall have knowledge to cry, My father, and my mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the king of Assyria.

Judah admired the wealth and power of Syria and the northern kingdom of Israel. They also feared their power as they sought to conquer Judah and replace the king with one of their choosing.

Judah admired the wealth and power of Syria and the northern kingdom of Israel. They also feared their power as they sought to conquer Judah and replace the king with one of their choosing.

But fame and fortune are fleeting. It can vanish overnight. The Lord told Isaiah to prophesy that before the child, whose name means “swift is the plunder, swift is the prey,” is old enough to say “Mommy! Daddy!” the nations of Syria and Israel will be plundered and the people will be the prey.

The Flash Flood Warning! (8:5-8)

Isaiah 8:5–8 AV

The LORD spake also unto me again, saying, Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah’s son; Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks: And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.

Isaiah 8:5 AV

The LORD spake also unto me again, saying,

God promises Noah that He would never again destroy the earth by flood. However, disastrous floods would still happen. The flood prophesied here in was not the water type of flood; it was the war type of flood. It would be a desperate time for the land of God’s people (Immanuel).

6Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly,

And rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah’s son;

7Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them

The waters of the river, strong and many,

Even the king of Assyria, and all his glory:

And he shall come up over all his channels,

And go over all his banks:

8And he shall pass through Judah;

He shall overflow and go over,

He shall reach even to the neck;

And the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.

God promises Noah that He would never again destroy the earth by flood. However, disastrous floods would still happen. The flood prophesied here in was not the water type of flood; it was the war type of flood. It would be a desperate time for the land of God’s people (Immanuel).

We sing at Christmas, “Joy to the World! The Lord Is Come!” We rejoice that a Saviour has come to the world and we rejoice in the hope that He is coming again and will subdue the earth. Our joy is not in the world. We do not rejoice for worldly security or in worldly politics, such as Judah did in the time of Isaiah. We rejoice that the governments of this world will be upon the shoulders of the only One to whom such glory and honor is due—the Lord Jesus Christ!

United You Fall! (8:9-17)

Isaiah 8:9–17 AV

Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us. For the LORD spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying, Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken. Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples. And I will wait upon the LORD, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.

Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces;

We usually think that united we stand and divided we fall, but such was not the case for Judah. If they trusted their alliances with other nations instead of trusting the Lord, they would fall.

And give ear, all ye of far countries:

Gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces;

Gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces.

10Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought;

Speak the word, and it shall not stand:

For God is with us.

11For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand,

And instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying,

12Say ye not, A confederacy,

To all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy;

Neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.

13Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself;

And let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.

14And he shall be for a sanctuary;

But for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel,

For a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

15And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken,

And be snared, and be taken.

16Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.

17And I will wait upon the Lord,

That hideth his face from the house of Jacob,

And I will look for him.

We usually think that united we stand and divided we fall, but such was not the case for Judah. If they trusted their alliances with other nations instead of trusting the Lord, they would fall.

The future of mankind is not dependent on the United Nations (praise the Lord!). Mankind’s future is not secured in NATO or trade agreements or any alliances with other nations. Our future is in the hands of the King of kings and Lord of lords. The Lord told Judah to avoid trust in alliances with other nations and learn to trust in God.

Living, Seek the Living! (8:18-22)

Isaiah 8:18–22 AV

Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion. And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward. And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness.

Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me

Seek the living God! I think David Jeremiah was quoting a spiritual song when he said that “there ain’t no living in the land of the living like living for the living God.” Whoever came up with that is right. Living for the living God is real living, abundant living!

Are for signs and for wonders in Israel

From the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.

19And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits,

And unto wizards that peep, and that mutter:

Should not a people seek unto their God?

For the living to the dead?

20To the law and to the testimony:

If they speak not according to this word,

It is because there is no light in them.

21And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry:

And it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves,

And curse their king and their God, and look upward.

22And they shall look unto the earth;

And behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish;

And they shall be driven to darkness.

Seek the living God! I think David Jeremiah was quoting a spiritual song when he said that “there ain’t no living in the land of the living like living for the living God.” Whoever came up with that is right. Living for the living God is real living, abundant living!

Some people turn to all the wrong places for answers. They turn to palm readers, to fortune tellers, to seances, to Ouija boards, to horoscopes, to mediums and wizards who peep and mutter. They turn to anyone but the Lord who knows the future as clear as the past and present. Why?

Seek the ways of God!

Seek the light of truth, righteousness, and peace!

Seek the Lord before the disaster because when it happens, they will blame the Lord rather than repent.

Just as Jesus walked upon the water and even lifted sinking Simon Peter, Immanuel can lift us above the waters and darkness that rise against us.