ISAIAH

Isaiah 8:16-22

quote:

"Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples. 17 And I will wait for the Lord who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob; I will even look eagerly for Him. 18 Behold, I and the children whom the Lord has given me are for signs and wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion. 19 When they say to you, "Consult the mediums and the spiritists who whisper and mutter," should not a people consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living? 20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn. 21 They will pass through the land hard-pressed and famished, and it will turn out that when they are hungry, they will be enraged and curse their king and their God as they face upward. 22 Then they will look to the earth, and behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish; and they will be driven away into darkness."

Isaiah had briefly inscribed the name "Maher-shalal-hash-baz" on a tablet, placing it in a public place. Later he wrote more detail on a parchment scroll (Isaiah 30:8). He was now to seal it up implying that it related to the future. It is to be sealed, not to be understood, except by God's "disciples", those who "sanctify the Lord" by obedient trust. God's truth is to be placed in the hearts of His people. Isaiah would seal the teaching by way of faithfully proclaiming it and explaining it. This truth of God's Word hidden in their hearts was so they might benefit from it.

Isaiah himself, as well as the children, were to be as signs and wonders in Israel – Isaiah's name meaning "salvation of the Lord". "Behold, I and the children whom the Lord has given me" is quoted in Hebrews 2:13 to prove the manhood of Jesus, the Messiah. This is the ultimate fulfilment of the prophecy with its temporary meaning applied to Judah during Ahaz' time.

Hebrews 2:3-4
"how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, 4 God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will."

Hebrews 2:9-13
"But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. 10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. 11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying, "I WILL PROCLAIM YOUR NAME TO MY BRETHREN, IN THE MIDST OF THE CONGREGATION I WILL SING YOUR PRAISE." 13 And again, "I WILL PUT MY TRUST IN HIM." And again, "BEHOLD, I AND THE CHILDREN WHOM GOD HAS GIVEN ME."

There was an ever present temptation of idolatry in Israel. Isaiah's message is continually – you should seek the true God, who is the Lord. The practice of seeking other spirits is a forgetting of God. Forgetting God in a time of crisis or personal sorrow may be a temptation for us as well. God has not only given us His Spirit, but His Word to turn to in order to receive the very words of God Himself. Let us not be so foolish as to seek wisdom from any other source!

Whatever seeking to be done should be "to the law and to the testimony". The law is God's revelation expressing His will for our obedience and the testimony is God's revelation expressing His will as a body of truth to be believed. There is no dawn in the one who does not uphold God's standard of behavior. If we live in the darkness of sin and unbelief, we have no light to give. Only light can dispel the deception of sin and that light is found in God's revelation. The way that we think and live needs to be based upon and be in conformity to His Holy Word.

As this chapter ends with darkness and gloom for Israel, let us await the next one with eager expectation as it bursts forth with a glorious hope!