Isaiah Chapter 8 page 1 of 7 M.K. Scanlan Chapter 8 V: 1 Make a large poster, a billboard, or picket sign.

• The message: “Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz” translated “Haste ye, haste ye to the spoil.”

V: 2 The Lord is still speaking, He’s saying He will take for Himself faithful witnesses. Uriah the priest and Zechariah are chosen as faithful witnesses in God’s eyes.

Deuteronomy 19:15 “… at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.”

• In the midst of general apostasy God seems to always preserve a faithful remnant.

V: 3 Isaiah went into his wife, the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son and the Lord picked - his name.

• Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz: “Haste ye, haste ye to the spoil.” • Big brother: “Shear-Jashub” - “A remnant shall return.”

• Isaiah’s wife is a prophetess, and each of his sons is in the ministry from before their births, each being given prophetic names packed full of meaning.

V: 4 Before “Baz” can learn to say “Abba” / father or “Ema” Mother - the Assyrians are going to conquer Damascus / Syria and (Samaritans).

• This puts a time stamp or limit on these events, that they will happen within 2-3 years or so.

V: 5 You gotta love it when you know the Lord is speaking to you.

Isaiah 30:21 “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.”

V: 6 These people have refused God, the waters of Shiloah / Siloam. And they have gone after, put their hope in & , who cannot help them.

Jeremiah 2:13 “For My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns broken cisterns that can hold no water.” (Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. Ps. 20:7) • : During the time of King he knew that and the Assyrian army were invading , they were also coming against to attack . Isaiah Chapter 8 page 2 of 7 M.K. Scanlan

• The main water supply for Jerusalem was the spring of Gihon, which is in the Kidron Valley just outside the city walls. Any enemy that laid siege against the city could easily cut off the water supply to the city. King Hezekiah ordered men to start digging through the rock that would lead under the city walls.

Tunnel map / pictures:

• One group started in the rock at what became the pool of Siloam, the others started at the spring of Gihon. They began digging through solid rock in an attempt to connect the tunnels. As they got close they could hear each other and altered course slightly. After digging through 1,749 feet of solid rock the two teams met up. When they broke through, it “sent” the water into the pool of Siloam. Thus it is call “Siloam” or “Sent”.

• But sadly they refused the cleansing and life giving waters of the “sent one”.

• They would make this mistake in Isaiah’s day, and again in ’ day.

Matthew 23:37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!”

“These people refused the waters of Shiloah that flow softly…”

“Soft” gentle waters: Psalm 23:1-2 “1The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.” (Waters that flow gently.)

• The pool of Siloam is significant in the New Testament:

John 7:37-38 “37On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, if anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

• The back drop on this scene is the Pool of Siloam:

• The last day, the great day of the feast is speaking of the feast of Tabernacles: During this feast they had what was known as the “water libation.” This is one of the Talmudic traditions that was added to the celebration of Succoth or Tabernacles.

• Each of the 7 days one of the priests would carry a golden pitcher from the Temple down to the Pool of Siloam and retrieve a pitcher of water - accompanied by others priests playing various instruments, all in joyful procession. Isaiah Chapter 8 page 3 of 7 M.K. Scanlan

• They were commemorating God’s provision during the wilderness times and they were using the water for the ceremonial cleansing of the altar of sacrifice. Each day the priest would return to the Temple, to the courtyard where the altar was, and he’d pour the water onto the altar.

• They had two silver bowels that were actually more like funnels. One for wine and the other for the water. As He poured the pitcher of water into the silver bowl he lifted the pitcher high so the people could see what he was doing, and the water ran down to the bottom of the altar.

• On the 7th day, that great, and last day, the priest in procession circled the altar 7 times re-enacting the conquest of Jericho when they circled the city 7 times. As the priest emptied the pitcher for the last time, holding it up upside down to demonstrate that it was empty - a lone voice broke the hushed silence and said:

John 7:37b-38 “37b… if anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

• Living water, the kind that flows, that you can drink is also representative of the Holy Spirit - Jesus was declaring that He was the One who was the giver of the Holy Spirit, meaning He was God.

John 7:40-41 describes that some believed declaring that “Truly this the ” others said “this is the Christ” meaning they believed - others didn’t and wanted Him arrested.

John 9 Jesus encounters a man who was blind from birth. Jesus spits on the ground and makes a little bit of clay with the saliva and puts it in the man’s eyes, then tells him to go to Pool of Siloam and wash his eyes. He comes back seeing and sets off a little firestorm on the Sabbath.

• Jesus tells him “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam.”

• He goes to the “sent one” and gets washed, then he can see, his eyes are opened.

John 15:3 “Now you are clean / washed through the word which I have spoken to you.”

• He is washed in the Word by the Word - sadly all of this was rejected by the nation both in Jesus’ day, and previously in Isaiah’s day.

• Last little observation here in V:6 before we move on. As he describes their choosing Rezin king of Syria and “Ramaliah’s son - king of the Northern kingdom, he’s still just “Ramaliah’s son” He still won’t say his given name “Pekah.” Isaiah Chapter 8 page 4 of 7 M.K. Scanlan

V: 7-8 Judah rejected the gentle stream, so now they get the violent flood, summoned by the Lord.

• Describing the conquering of Syria and the Northern kingdom and the threat to Judah, and Jerusalem.

• The Assyrians conquered most of Judah, and laid siege to Jerusalem, the flood waters went right up to the neck - then receded.

Psalm 61:1-2 “1Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. 2From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. 3For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy.”

• It’s thought that this Psalm, written by , was reminiscent of a time when perhaps he had his flock down in one of the wadis, or gorges there in Judea when there was a flash flood, and all their lives were in great danger. The flood waters rising, David trying to get his sheep to higher ground, to safety, and getting up on the rock that was higher than he was and being delivered from the flood waters that would destroy him.

• During Hezekiah’s reign, Senecharib, king of placed a siege against Jerusalem, the last hold out in Judea, the Assyrians were at the neck of the nation. It was terrible, they were so desperate that they resorted to cannibalizing their own children.

• Then an angel of God intervened and killed 185,000 Assyrians in one night and Senecharib returned to Assyria in defeat where he was killed by his own sons.

• “O ”, “God with us”, simply a reference to “Immanuel’s land.

V: 9 Gird yourselves, get ready. Prepare yourself, get ready - but you’re doomed. (X2)

V: 10 Speaking of the alliance of King with Tiglathpilezer and the subsequent betrayal. This deal, this counsel will not stand. Why? Why won’t it stand?

• “For God is with us” – Immanuel!

Romans 8:31 “For if God is for us, who can be against us?”

Proverbs 21:30 “There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the LORD.”

V: 11 God is giving Isaiah very specific instruction. In context this verse is connected to the next one - but there is application all by itself. Isaiah Chapter 8 page 5 of 7 M.K. Scanlan

• The Lord has spoken to each of us directly that we’re not to walk in the way of the world!

Galatians 5:24 “And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

Ephesians 4:17 “This I say, therefore and testify in the Lord, that henceforth you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk in the futility of their mind.”

• It’s just the idea that after we’re born again we’re not to live like non-believers.

V: 12 The things Isaiah was saying, speaking for God against the alliance between Judah and Assyria, was considered treason, and he’s saying don’t call it treason!

• Isaiah began receiving threats, but the Lord has told him not to worry about it.

Proverbs 29:25 “The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.”

• We’re to fear the Lord and Him only!

Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

V: 13 Worship God, honor God, and fear God. When we fear God, we needn’t fear anything else.

Matthew 10:28 “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

V: 14-15 To us, those who believe, He is our Sanctuary, our Strong Tower, our Sabbath, our rest.

• To those who don’t believe, He is a stone of offense, a stumbling stone.

2 Corinthians 2:15-16 “15For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 16To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?”

• Jesus is always the sticking point with non-believers, antagonists, and cults.

V: 16 Bind up the testimony, seal the law among those who would receive it. He was probably outnumbered, but not alone. There is a time to cut and move on. Isaiah Chapter 8 page 6 of 7 M.K. Scanlan

Matthew 7:9 “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.”

V: 17 “I will wait on the Lord.”

Isaiah 49:23 “For they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me.” Those who wait on the Lord will not be ashamed!

“… who hides His face from the house of .” (Romans 11)

• “The hidden face of God.” God is hiding His face from Jacob

Deuteronomy 31:17-18 “17Then My anger shall be aroused against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide My face from them, and they shall be devoured. And many evils and troubles shall befall them, so that they will say in that day, “have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?” 18And I will surely hide My face in that day because of all the evil which they have done, in that they have turned to other gods.”

Isaiah 59:1-2 “1Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. 2But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.”

Isaiah 54:7-8 “7For a mere moment I have forsaken you, but with great mercies I will gather you. 8With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment; but with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you, says the LORD, your Redeemer.”

Ezekiel 39:29 “And I will not hide My face from them anymore: for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel, says the Lord God.”

• Jacob / heal catcher, not “Israel” governed by God.

• There is a general rejection by the nation of Israel, but there is also a faithful remnant of disciples, like Isaiah that say: “I will hope in Him.”

• Lord, help us to be that faithful remnant in our generation!

V: 18 We are God’s witness, reflecting His light in the midst of darkness!

Beatitudes:Light & salt! Matthew 5:13-16 “13You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. 14You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16Let your light so Isaiah Chapter 8 page 7 of 7 M.K. Scanlan

shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

V: 19 Fortunetellers, palm readers, witchcraft, sorcery: forbidden then, forbidden today. Whatever we would desire of them, we should ask of God.

• questions / difficulties: picked up the phone to call Pastor Chuck and the Lord spoke to me very clearly - why are you calling him, I’m right here!

V: 20 “To the Law” – to God’s word, that is where we should be looking!

2 Peter 1:2-3 “ 2Grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and Godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,”

Psalm 19:7-9 “7The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; 8the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandments of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; 9the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.”

• If they do not speak according to this word, there is no light in them, they are living in darkness.

1 John 1:6-7 “ 6If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

V: 21 Hard times are ahead. They are going to curse their king, and they are going to curse their God.

V: 22 Darkness, pain, hell - not much to look forward to, not much hope there.

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus, our Lord.”

2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Ref.Isaiah.08