Isaiah 7 and 8 form a unit on the judgment against Judah (including Aram and Israel). The last section of Isaiah 7 (17–23) deals with the enemies of the nation of Judah. Herein we view the tiny living things, the fly and the bee, which are symbols of the foreign nations and also divinely appointed instruments in the future devastation of God’s people. These chapters also testify that God sent many signals to Judah about its imminent judgment; for example, the name of Isaiah’s son. God asks Isaiah to write a name under Maher–Shalal–Hash–Baz, Isaiah’s child’s name, as a clear pronouncement of the coming events. The first part of chapter 8 shows that Aram, Israel, and Judah are going to suffer because of the king of Assyria. Specifically, Judah trusts in the great power of Assyria at that time, instead of God, so the dark ages, likewise, will come to them. This study is divided into three sections, entitled: (1) the enemies are coming, (2) the friend nation comes for Judah, and (3) trust in the holy one.
Part II: Commentary
The Enemies Are Coming.
Isaiah 7:17-25 introduces a prophecy against Jerusalem. This scene of judgment is given because of the reluctance of the king of Judah to trust in the liberation coming from the Lord, as the country faces an attack from the Aramean and Israelite armies. God has been speaking through the prophet Isaiah, exhorting the king not to feel afraid of Rezin and Pekah for many reasons. Their plans are not going to come to fruition (Isa. 7:5-7). Rather, their realms are going to be forsaken (Isa. 7:16). However, it seems that the king of Judah is not willing to entrust to the Lord the great challenges that he is facing. It is recorded in 2 Kings 16:7 that “Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, saying, ‘I am thy servant and thy son: come up, and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which rise up against me.” Thus, the Lord brings judgment upon the kingdom of Judah. The Lord allows Judah to experience a moment that has not happened in years: “The LORD will bring on you, on your people, and on your father’s house such days as have never come since the day that Ephraim separated from Judah” (Isa. 7:17, NASB).
Some nations stalk Judah during this time, among them Aram, Israel (Isa. 7:1), Egypt, and predominately Assyria (Isa. 7:18). The Edomites and the Philistines (2 Chron. 28:17, 18) also converge against Judah. Unlike Daniel, the prophet Isaiah does not use dreadful beasts to represent the powers that will attack Judah; rather, they are symbolized by the fly and the bee (Isa. 7:18). Those elements are used by other Bible writers for representing the enemies of God’s people (Deut. 1:44, Ps. 118:12). Another vivid description is offered in Isaiah 7:20: “In that day the Lord will shave with a razor, hired from regions beyond the Euphrates [that is, the king of Assyria], the head and the hair of the legs; and it will also remove the beard” (NASB). Oppressors humiliate their prisoners of war by shaving off the hair. The reference to the hair of the head and of the legs may express the totality of the devastation (Willem A. VanGemeren, ed., New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1997), vol. 1, p. 866. The previous description is amplified to portray complete desolation on the earth: “And it shall come to pass in that day, that every place shall be, where there were a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings, it shall even be for briers and thorns. With arrows and with bows shall men come thither; because all the land shall become briers and thorns” (Isa. 7:23, 24).
The Friend Nation Comes for Judah.
Isaiah 8 is an extension of the Isaiah 7 prophecy. The judgment against Judah is referred to here, along with other elements. The announcement starts with the singular Hebrew name mahēr šālāl ḥāš baz that Isaiah’s son receives. Commonly, it has been translated as “swift is the booty, speedy is the prey” (Isa. 8:1, NASB). The child would stand as a warning to the nation (compare with Isa. 8:18) of God’s predictions both for Judah’s enemies at the gate and for Judah herself, Assyria’s next victim (Isa. 8:4, 8; compare with Isa. 7:17).
In relation to Aram and Israel, it is prophesied once again, “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” (Isa. 8:4). The following verses give other details concerning those events: “Behold, the Lord is about to bring on them the strong and abundant waters of the Euphrates, even the king of Assyria and all his glory; and it will rise up over all its channels and go over all its banks” (Isa. 8:7, NASB). Following this verse, the prophet points out the next victim of the Assyrian forces: “then it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass through, it will reach even to the neck; and the spread of its wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel” (Isa. 8:8).
Even after those pronouncements, 2 Kings 16 says that the king of Judah still prefers to trust in the Assyrian sovereignty: “So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria, saying, ‘I am your servant and your son; come up and deliver me from the hand of the king of Aram and from the hand of the king of Israel, who are rising up against me’” (2 Kings 16:7, NASB). In order to get Assyria’s support, Ahaz sends a part of the treasuries of his reign (2 Kings 16:8). Thereafter the prophecy is fulfilled. Aram is defeated by the Assyrians (2 Kings 16:9). The fulfillment of the prophecy in relation to Judah is stated in 2 Chronicles 28:20, 21: “So Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came against him and afflicted him instead of strengthening him. Although Ahaz took a portion out of the house of the LORD and out of the palace of the king and of the princes, and gave it to the king of Assyria, it did not help him”(NASB).
Trust in the Holy One.
Second Chronicles furnishes us with certain details that could provide further insights into our study. Isaiah 8 provides a clear prophetic pronouncement in relation to the enemies of Judah at that time. It is a vivid message in the name of Isaiah’s son. Probably, the king (as do many in Judah) thinks that the prophetic pronouncement of the future destruction of Judah would be a part of the “fake news” of the day. It is referred to in Isaiah 8:12: “You are not to say, ‘It is a conspiracy!’ In regard to all that this people call a conspiracy” (NASB). The Bible tells us that the king does not turn back to the Lord: “Now in the time of his distress this same King Ahaz became yet more unfaithful to the LORD” (2 Chron. 28:22, NASB).
The biblical record describes some of his actions: “He sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had defeated him, and said, ‘Because the gods of the kings of Aram helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me.’ But they became the downfall of him and all Israel. Moreover, when Ahaz gathered together the utensils of the house of God, he cut the utensils of the house of God in pieces; and he closed the doors of the house of the LORD and made altars for himself in every corner of Jerusalem. In every city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked the LORD, the God of his fathers, to anger” (2 Chron. 28:23-25, NASB).
In the last part of this section, the Lord exhorts His faithful believers at that time: “You are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it. It is the LORD of hosts whom you should regard as holy. And He shall be your fear, And He shall be your dread. Then He shall become a sanctuary” (Isa. 8:12-14, NASB). During the time of Ahaz, the sanctuary is profaned, and among other acts, “he closed the doors of the house of the LORD” (2 Chron. 28:23, 24, NASB). So, in this critical moment, the Lord “shall be for a sanctuary,” the center of holiness for some, “but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence” for others (Isa. 8:14).
In this regard, Ellen G. White comments, “But in Judah there dwelt some who maintained their allegiance to Jehovah, steadfastly refusing to be led into idolatry. It was to these that Isaiah and Micah and their associates looked in hope as they surveyed the ruin wrought during the last years of Ahaz. Their sanctuary was closed, but the faithful ones were assured: ‘God is with us.’ ‘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.’ Isaiah 8:10, 13, 14.”—Prophets and Kings, p. 330.
Part III: Life Application
We learn that King Ahaz prefers to trust in an Assyrian alliance instead of resting on God’s promises. It is easy for human beings to rely on human intervention instead of God’s performance. Why is it sometimes hard for believers to believe in God’s promises in times of crisis? Meditate, as part of your answer, on 2 Chronicles 28:22: “And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD.”
In Isaiah 8, the prophet announces Judah’s destruction. This anticipated news could have been given to the people in order to move them to seek God’s help; the enemy would not have been able to destroy them had they sought God’s protection. They needed to fear the Lord their God more than they feared the king of Assyria. What do you feel when you receive some admonition in life? Discuss the ways in which it has helped you.
Second Chronicles 28:19 states, “For the LORD humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had brought about a lack of restraint in Judah and was very unfaithful to the LORD” (NASB). In what ways can the behavior of one person have the potential to bring devastation to others? What lesson can we learn from Isaiah 8:18: “Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts”?
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Study Focus: Isaiah 7 and 8
Part I: Overview
Isaiah 7 and 8 form a unit on the judgment against Judah (including Aram and Israel). The last section of Isaiah 7 (17–23) deals with the enemies of the nation of Judah. Herein we view the tiny living things, the fly and the bee, which are symbols of the foreign nations and also divinely appointed instruments in the future devastation of God’s people. These chapters also testify that God sent many signals to Judah about its imminent judgment; for example, the name of Isaiah’s son. God asks Isaiah to write a name under Maher–Shalal–Hash–Baz, Isaiah’s child’s name, as a clear pronouncement of the coming events. The first part of chapter 8 shows that Aram, Israel, and Judah are going to suffer because of the king of Assyria. Specifically, Judah trusts in the great power of Assyria at that time, instead of God, so the dark ages, likewise, will come to them. This study is divided into three sections, entitled: (1) the enemies are coming, (2) the friend nation comes for Judah, and (3) trust in the holy one.
Part II: Commentary
The Enemies Are Coming.
Isaiah 7:17-25 introduces a prophecy against Jerusalem. This scene of judgment is given because of the reluctance of the king of Judah to trust in the liberation coming from the Lord, as the country faces an attack from the Aramean and Israelite armies. God has been speaking through the prophet Isaiah, exhorting the king not to feel afraid of Rezin and Pekah for many reasons. Their plans are not going to come to fruition (Isa. 7:5-7). Rather, their realms are going to be forsaken (Isa. 7:16). However, it seems that the king of Judah is not willing to entrust to the Lord the great challenges that he is facing. It is recorded in 2 Kings 16:7 that “Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, saying, ‘I am thy servant and thy son: come up, and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which rise up against me.” Thus, the Lord brings judgment upon the kingdom of Judah. The Lord allows Judah to experience a moment that has not happened in years: “The LORD will bring on you, on your people, and on your father’s house such days as have never come since the day that Ephraim separated from Judah” (Isa. 7:17, NASB).
Some nations stalk Judah during this time, among them Aram, Israel (Isa. 7:1), Egypt, and predominately Assyria (Isa. 7:18). The Edomites and the Philistines (2 Chron. 28:17, 18) also converge against Judah. Unlike Daniel, the prophet Isaiah does not use dreadful beasts to represent the powers that will attack Judah; rather, they are symbolized by the fly and the bee (Isa. 7:18). Those elements are used by other Bible writers for representing the enemies of God’s people (Deut. 1:44, Ps. 118:12). Another vivid description is offered in Isaiah 7:20: “In that day the Lord will shave with a razor, hired from regions beyond the Euphrates [that is, the king of Assyria], the head and the hair of the legs; and it will also remove the beard” (NASB). Oppressors humiliate their prisoners of war by shaving off the hair. The reference to the hair of the head and of the legs may express the totality of the devastation (Willem A. VanGemeren, ed., New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1997), vol. 1, p. 866. The previous description is amplified to portray complete desolation on the earth: “And it shall come to pass in that day, that every place shall be, where there were a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings, it shall even be for briers and thorns. With arrows and with bows shall men come thither; because all the land shall become briers and thorns” (Isa. 7:23, 24).
The Friend Nation Comes for Judah.
Isaiah 8 is an extension of the Isaiah 7 prophecy. The judgment against Judah is referred to here, along with other elements. The announcement starts with the singular Hebrew name mahēr šālāl ḥāš baz that Isaiah’s son receives. Commonly, it has been translated as “swift is the booty, speedy is the prey” (Isa. 8:1, NASB). The child would stand as a warning to the nation (compare with Isa. 8:18) of God’s predictions both for Judah’s enemies at the gate and for Judah herself, Assyria’s next victim (Isa. 8:4, 8; compare with Isa. 7:17).
In relation to Aram and Israel, it is prophesied once again, “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” (Isa. 8:4). The following verses give other details concerning those events: “Behold, the Lord is about to bring on them the strong and abundant waters of the Euphrates, even the king of Assyria and all his glory; and it will rise up over all its channels and go over all its banks” (Isa. 8:7, NASB). Following this verse, the prophet points out the next victim of the Assyrian forces: “then it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass through, it will reach even to the neck; and the spread of its wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel” (Isa. 8:8).
Even after those pronouncements, 2 Kings 16 says that the king of Judah still prefers to trust in the Assyrian sovereignty: “So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria, saying, ‘I am your servant and your son; come up and deliver me from the hand of the king of Aram and from the hand of the king of Israel, who are rising up against me’” (2 Kings 16:7, NASB). In order to get Assyria’s support, Ahaz sends a part of the treasuries of his reign (2 Kings 16:8). Thereafter the prophecy is fulfilled. Aram is defeated by the Assyrians (2 Kings 16:9). The fulfillment of the prophecy in relation to Judah is stated in 2 Chronicles 28:20, 21: “So Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came against him and afflicted him instead of strengthening him. Although Ahaz took a portion out of the house of the LORD and out of the palace of the king and of the princes, and gave it to the king of Assyria, it did not help him”(NASB).
Trust in the Holy One.
Second Chronicles furnishes us with certain details that could provide further insights into our study. Isaiah 8 provides a clear prophetic pronouncement in relation to the enemies of Judah at that time. It is a vivid message in the name of Isaiah’s son. Probably, the king (as do many in Judah) thinks that the prophetic pronouncement of the future destruction of Judah would be a part of the “fake news” of the day. It is referred to in Isaiah 8:12: “You are not to say, ‘It is a conspiracy!’ In regard to all that this people call a conspiracy” (NASB). The Bible tells us that the king does not turn back to the Lord: “Now in the time of his distress this same King Ahaz became yet more unfaithful to the LORD” (2 Chron. 28:22, NASB).
The biblical record describes some of his actions: “He sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had defeated him, and said, ‘Because the gods of the kings of Aram helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me.’ But they became the downfall of him and all Israel. Moreover, when Ahaz gathered together the utensils of the house of God, he cut the utensils of the house of God in pieces; and he closed the doors of the house of the LORD and made altars for himself in every corner of Jerusalem. In every city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked the LORD, the God of his fathers, to anger” (2 Chron. 28:23-25, NASB).
In the last part of this section, the Lord exhorts His faithful believers at that time: “You are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it. It is the LORD of hosts whom you should regard as holy. And He shall be your fear, And He shall be your dread. Then He shall become a sanctuary” (Isa. 8:12-14, NASB). During the time of Ahaz, the sanctuary is profaned, and among other acts, “he closed the doors of the house of the LORD” (2 Chron. 28:23, 24, NASB). So, in this critical moment, the Lord “shall be for a sanctuary,” the center of holiness for some, “but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence” for others (Isa. 8:14).
In this regard, Ellen G. White comments, “But in Judah there dwelt some who maintained their allegiance to Jehovah, steadfastly refusing to be led into idolatry. It was to these that Isaiah and Micah and their associates looked in hope as they surveyed the ruin wrought during the last years of Ahaz. Their sanctuary was closed, but the faithful ones were assured: ‘God is with us.’ ‘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.’ Isaiah 8:10, 13, 14.”—Prophets and Kings, p. 330.
Part III: Life Application