E t 1,2. The Prophecy.
u 3-. The Son. Birth.
u -3. The Son. Name.
t 4. The Prophecy.631-630 B.C.
Isaiah 8)
1 Moreover (there is no break in the prophecy) the Lord (Yehovah) said to me, “Take you a great tablet, and write in it with the carving tool of the people (the writing was to legible, in the language of the common people [not in the language of the priests or educated classes]. Eastern languages have these two, down to the present day. Cp. Hab.2:2) for Maher-shalal-hash-baz” (= haste, spoil, speed, prey. These words are explained in v.4, and may be connected thus: he hastens to take the spoil, he speeds to seize the prey. this child was as sign, as also the child in 7:14).
2 And I took to me faithful witnesses to record, Urijah the priest (see 2 Kings 16:10), and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah (probably the father-in-law to Ahaz [2 Kings 18:2]).
3 And I went to the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son.
Then said the Lord to me, “Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz.
4 For before (the interval was 21 months from the prophecy, 12 from the birth) the suckling child shall have knowledge to cry, ‘My father, and my mother’, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be carried away before the king of Assyria.” (So it was: in the third year of Ahaz, Damascus was sacked and Rezin was slain)
F v 5,6. The Land. Its waters refused.
w 7-. Waters of Assyria. Approach.
w -7. Waters of Assyria. Arrival.
v 8. The Land. Assyrian waters overflow.
5 the Lord spoke also to me again (see 7:10), saying,
6 “Forasmuch as this people refuses the waters of Shiloah that go softly (i.e. the waters beneath Zion running from Gihon to Siloam. See 2 Sam. 5:6-8), and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah's son (this is not a "wrong reading of the Hebrew text", but it refers to the trust reposed in the king of Syria instead of in Yahaveh [7:9]. They despised God's covenant with Zion [symbolized by its secret stream], and preferred the help of the heathen; therefore the Assyrian floods should overwhelm them. [Cp. the same contrast in Ps. 46:3,4]. This applied specially to Israel: and the judgment overtook Israel first);
7 Now therefore, behold, the Lord brings 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 (see 2 Sam. 22:16. A watercourse, constrained by rocks or pipes or rocky channels), and go over all his banks:
8 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 (probably referring to the wings of his army) shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel (Immanuel is Jesus Christ. The name means "God [El] with us". If you have God with you during the time of deception, you have nothing to fear. This shows that the prophecy in 7:14 was not to be exhausted with Ahaz and his times.).
9 Make friendships, O all you nations, and you all shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all you all of far countries: gird yourselves, and you all shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and you all shall be broken in pieces. (In other words, it's going to happen. One worldism is going to be a reality.)
10 Take counsel together, and it shall come to naught; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.” (= Immanu-El. See v.8. His wall of protection is around you if you are sticking to His Word. You aren't going to believe the word of a friend over the word of God.)
D˛ J x 8:11,12. False dependence. Confederacy
y 8:13-15. True dependence. Yahaveh.
K 8:16,17. The Testimony and the Law.
L 8:18. Messiah and His children.
J x 8:19-. False dependence: spirits.
y 8:-19. True Dependence. God.
K 8:20-22. The Law and the Testimony.
L 9:1-7. Messiah. the Son.
11 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,
12 “Say you all not, ‘A confederacy’ (Heb. kesher. Never used in a good sense), whensoever this People shall say, ‘A confederacy’ (quoted in 1 Pet. 3:14,15); neither fear you all what they fear (or with their fear), nor be afraid. (The confederacy is prophecy of the one world order. Don't walk in the way of the people who will worship the antichrist. God doesn't want us to be afraid. When we are afraid we don't function properly. We make bad decisions. There is no reason to be afraid. God is with us. He is not with them. They should be afraid.)
13 Hollow The Lord of hosts (Yehovah Sabaioth) Himself (regard as Holy = set apart. Cp.29:23. See Ex. 3:5. Num. 20:12; 27:14); and let Him be your fear (better translated love), and let Him inspire you with awe. (quoted in 1 Pet. 3:13-15. You should reverence the Lord and dread not having Him with you.. That would be something to fear alright.)
14 And He shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offense (cp. 1 Pet. 2:7,8. Luke 20:17. Rom. 9:32,33; 11:11) to both the houses of Israel, for a trap and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. (The "He" in this verse is is Messiah. He is our sanctuary, or place of rest. Jesus becomes a stumbling block to Christians that are worshiping antichrist, when the True Messiah returns. Don't be deceived. Be careful who you call friend.)
15 And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.
16 Bind up the testimony, seal the law among My instructed ones.” (No Article either here or in v.20. Note the Structure, above, and the Introversion of these two words in K and K. See 1:10. Disciples are disciplined in God's way. Those that do things His way receive blessings. The sign's leading you to God's way are in the testimony and the Law. If you have the Word of God sealed in your mind, you won't stumble.You won't be deceived by antichrist.)
17 And I will wait upon the Lord (see Gen.49:18), That hides His face from the house of Jacob (see 2:5), and I will look for Him (see Heb.2:13).
18 Behold, I and the young children whom the Lord has given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord (cp. 20:3. Ex. 7:3. Deut. 4:34; 6:22; 7:19; 13:1,2; 26:8; 28:46; 29:3; 34:11. See note on 7:11), which is making His dwelling (or is about to dwell) in mount Zion. (Mount Zion is His favorite place in the universe (Ezek. 16). Take note that God's children themselves are signs. Especially, the children helping God fulfill prophecy are for signs. The blessings God pours out on these children are obvious.. Its going to happen. Stay true to God.)
19 “And should they shall say to you, ‘Seek to them that have familiar spirits (see Lev. 19:31), and to wizards that peep (Heb. zăphaph. Occurs only in Isaiah; and this form, only in 10:14: elsewhere, in 29:4 [whisper]; 38:14 [chatter]. It is used of an unearthly sound), and that mutter (i.e. the indistinct sounds. This refers to the low incantations which, in the Babylonian and Egyptian "mysteries", had to be recited in a whisper [like certain parts of the Roman Missal]. A whole series is called "the ritual of the whispered charm". [See The Religions of Ancient Egypt and Babylonia, pp.465,466]):
should not any People seek unto its God? for [should] the living [seek unto] to the dead? (This is a solemn warning against all ancient and modern spiritists. The spiritually living should not seek unto the dead. Those that do things God's way have the best counsel available, the counsel of our Father.)
20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is shall be no morning them. (All are in darkness who do not speak by and appeal to the revealed Word of God. If they speak not according to Moses and the prophets, there is no truth in them. Those who listen to the word of men can be had. They can be deceived.)
21 And they (i.e. they who live not in the Light of God's Word) shall pass through it (i.e. Immanuel's land. The singular number and same verb referring back to v.8),in hard case and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves (cp. Rev. 16:11,21), and curse their king and their God, and look upward (in vain). (Those that don't look for signs and take counsel from other than the Word will be a hard case. They will be spiritually starved. When the hard times hit, they will curse God. The problem is they should have looked to God in the 1st place.)
22 And they shall look to the land; and behold trouble and darkness, the gloom of anguish; and they shall be thrust out into darkness.