Sermon Tone Analysis

Tonight we have a continuation of the message of Chapter 7. We remember we had a wicked King of Judah named?

Ahaz… and he was confronted with a huge problem, at least from his perspective.

What was the problem?

Israel and Syria were banding together to take Judah and install a new King.

So we learned that Ahaz conscripted the Assyrians to fight for him and in essence make a deal with the devil.

Now in Chapter 8 we will some other similarities in that a baby boy,in this case the son of Isaiah will be given a prophetic name.

So lets get into it:

- 4

Last week we had another unusual named child.

the son of Ahaz, named Shear-Jashub, meaning?

A remnant shall return, and for told that Israel and Judah, though Judged harshly would return to the land.

But a second child was spoken of and named in a very interesting prophecy.

Do you remember what the prophecy was and what name would be given?

The sign of the virgin giving birth and calling His name Immanuel.

We talked about the near and far fulfillments, the far being the virgin birth of Christ, but the near fulfillment was a time frame when the King of Syrian, Rezin, and the King of Israel, Pekah would be dead.

Now here in Chapter 8 is another prophecy against Israel and Syria that involves the name God told Isaiah to call his own son.

Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz, which means “Speed the spoil, hasten the booty”.

In verse 1 Isaiah in God instructs Isaiah to write on a large parchment.

(a animal skin used like paper) verses 3 and 4.

“Call his name Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz; 4 for before the child shall have knowledge to cry ‘My father’ and ‘My mother,’ the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be taken away before the king of Assyria.”

Isaiah even brings “faithful witnesses” to watch.

Why do think?

No one would be able to question when the prophecy was made.

He

As an aside probably the greatest evidence of validity of the Word of God is fulfilled prophecy.

- “You have heard;

See all this.

And will you not declare it?

I have made you hear new things from this time,

Even hidden things, and you did not know them

Hand out -

Now like Chapter 7, this child is used as a timer or time span in which the prophecy would be fulfilled.

Verse 3, 4

Note Isaiah’s wife is a prophet as well.

The time piece here is: “before the child shall have knowledge to cry ‘My father’ and ‘My mother,’” so in other word’s very soon, in like 1 or 2 years, Assyria would overtake both Syria and Israel.

Isaiah continues with a vision of Assyria’s effect on Judah:

Is

Here God uses the imagery of a river.

These people refused the waters of Shiloah that flow softly: The people of northern kingdom of Israel did not appreciate their humble streams (the waters of Shiloah).

Instead, they rejoiced in wicked leaders (in Rezin and Remaliah's son).

So, God will give them a different kind of river - the waters of the River, strong and mighty.

i. "The little stream of Shiloah sprung from Mount Zion on the southwesterly side of Jerusalem.

It flowed as softly as oil without any murmur.

Jerusalem's existence and continuation depended on it."

(Bultema)

ii.

The capital of the Assyrian Empire was Nineveh, and the city of Nineveh was founded on a great river: the Tigris.

The Assyrian Empire was also centered across another mighty river: the Euphrates.

The whole land of Israel simply did not have a river like the Euphrates or the Tigris.

God is using the difference between the small, humble, yet adequate waters of Israel and the mighty, yet uncontrolled rivers of Assyria to make a point.

It is as if God is saying, "You don't like what I have given you?

You persist in rejecting what I give you?

Then I will give you something different, but you won't like it either."

It’s a lesson in be careful what you ask for.

There is a verse that says you sow the wind and reap the whirlwind.

“Assyria”....he will go up over all his channels and go over all his banks.

He will pass through Judah, he will overflow and pass over, he will reach up to the neck;

The picture is one of a mighty river overflowing and uncontrollable.

We see pictures of these big floods in the mid-west and what can you do.

Notice the description, he will overflow and pass over, he will reach up to the neck;

The picture is one of being barely alive having lost everything!

The historical record of Assyria’s invasion of Judah is recorded in and 19,

The 2 chapters are a great story of God’s protection of Judah and ultimately God’s angel wipes 185,000 Assyrians in one night.

Note in Verse 8 Will fill the breadth of Your land, O Immanuel.

Whose land is it?

God’s..

Verse 9 “Be shattered, O you peoples, and be broken in pieces!

Give ear, all you from far countries.

Gird yourselves, but be broken in pieces;

Gird yourselves, but be broken in pieces.

He is saying you can make a plan and try to prepare but you will be broken in pieces.

We saw the rich and elite a few weeks ago building expensive shelters under ground and in mountains, It doesn't matter when that day comes.

Verse 10 Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing;

Speak the word, but it will not stand,

For God is with us.” (Immanuel)

This verse should remind you of a Psalm?

Psalm 2

() Prepare by fearing God, not Assyria.

For the LORD spoke thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying: "Do not say, 'A conspiracy,' concerning all that this people call a conspiracy, nor be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.

The LORD of hosts, Him you shall hallow; let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread.

He will be as a sanctuary, but a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, as a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

And many among them shall stumble; they shall fall and be broken, be snared and taken."

The idea is here that in times of trouble conspiracies run rampant.

In our day with social media and fake news there are all kinds of conspiracies that can frighten you make you lose hope.

So God reminds them, The LORD of hosts, Him you shall hallow; let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread.

He will be as a sanctuary

Jesus told us to not fear the one who could take your life, but rather the One Who could send you to hell.

But a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense: For those who trust Him, the LORD will be as a sanctuary.

But for those who don't, He will be a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.

Instead of finding protection from the LORD, they will "trip" over Him, falling to destruction.

Indeed, many among them shall stumble; they shall fall and be broken.

We know that Jesus is this stone of stumbling and a rock of offense ().

This is a strong statement of the deity of Jesus, because clearly in , the LORD of hosts is the stone, and clearly in , Jesus Christ is the stone

() Prepare by waiting on the LORD.

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

And I will wait on the LORD, who hides His face from the house of Jacob; and I will hope in Him.

Here am I and the children whom the LORD has given me!

We are for signs and wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, who dwells in Mount Zion.

And I will wait on the LORD, What dose it mean to wait on the Lord?

Often it means stop and believe in full trust that He will answer our need.

The idea is we are not going to move until we get direction.