Isaiah Chapter 8 Verses 1-4 - Concerning Mahershalalhashbaz The Lord delivers something to Isaiah that he is to record in a scroll. Isaiah takes with him two witnesses of unquestionable character (Deuteronomy 19:15) - no one was going to be able to doubt that this was recorded by Isaiah and when it was written. In the future Israel was going to be able to look back and know without any doubt that whatever The LORD says will happen shall come to pass (seen 29 times in Isaiah) and because this prophesy came to pass they shall know you can expect everything God says is true. Isaiah goes into his wife and she conceives and delivers a son and he is call Mahershalalhashbaz (hasting (is (the enemy) to the) booty, swift (to the) prey; Why this name is chosen by the Lord - because before this child can speak Assyria will come and spoil Syria and the northern kingdom of Israel. (What words does a child usually speak?) Verse 5-8 The LORD gave him more to record - “A Flash Flood Warning” Because Israel (this people) has refused the pool of Shiloah in Jerusalem (Ne 3:15) The northern tribes refused God’s holy city and kings from the seed of David’s; they also chose to stay upon Syria instead of The Lord (John 9:7) could it be that Israel refused to see what The Lord had offered them in His Holy City [rivers of flowing water, great wall of protection, the place where their sins could be covered, and the seed of David upon the throne] Because they refused The Holy One Of Israel, Assyria as a raging flood will pour through Judah and spoil Syria and Israel When ever The Holy One Of Israel is rejected the enemy of God will move in. O Immanuel - God is with His City and the seed of David This was going to happen before the son of Isaiah was old enough to speak his first words. Verse 9-10 The wrong association brings destruction When they associated (Israel with Syria ) themselves with other than The Lord, when they take counsel from the world, they will not stand - before the Lord. Will not be established - Ahaz was also willing to join with the world he wasn’t established Speak words of friendship with God‘s enemy and you will not stand, God is with His City Verse 11-15 God’s command to His prophet Could the LORD have been pointing and shaking his finger at Isaiah and telling him not to go the way of of Israel and Judah and trust upon anyone other The LORD. Don’t fear as they do - don’t fear the unholy confederacies - you fear me! You dread what I can do! you set apart your fear and dread to me. You do this and I (The LORD) will be your sanctuary, but the Judah and Israel I will be a stumbling block (cause them to fall) {Lu 2:34; Ro 9:33; 1Pe 2:8} Many of both houses will fall - (not all - Isaiah’s first son in 7:3, Shearjashub {a remnant shall return} Verses 16- Isaiah orders the scrolls he had written to be sealed - for those who follow him and believe Verse 17 - He will wait -stay upon the Lord. He will look to the one who Judah has refused and has now hid himself from them Verse 18- The signs for the LORD Isaiah, by his fear of the Lord, by his not joining with the houses of Judah and Israel in unholy alliances, and by his waiting upon the Lord (his testimony for the Lord, his lifestyle) will be a sigh in Israel that the Lord will be your sanctuary if you believe and obey Him, you will be established. His children Shearjashub - (a remnant shall return) & Mahershalalhashbaz - (the enemy comes quickly to the spoil) by their names - foretelling what would happen Verses 19-22- Judah will try to get Isaiah to forsake the LORD and join them in their unholy alliances because there is no light in them and they will be pass through what Isaiah has written in the scroll. They will fail to see the signs God had set before them (V18). Can you turn on darkness? Does darkness overcome light? What has to happen for darkness to prevail? Judah wanted Isaiah to turn off the light and be as they were. Do we Christians choose to sometimes turn off the light to be able to enjoy something this world want us to partake in?