We’ll start this study with a quote from John Calvin:
“For, until men feel that they owe everything to God, that they are cherished by his paternal care, and that he is the author of all their blessings, so that nought is to be looked for away from him, they will never submit to him in voluntary obedience; nay, unless they place their entire happiness in him, they will never yield up their whole selves to him in truth and sincerity.”
Calvin reminds us that nothing makes sense until we understand that it all begins with God. As we read this passage, we need to remember that Isaiah isn’t writing about ancient geopolitics but is writing about God who has revealed Himself to him.
(A) God’s promises fulfilled: tablets and testimonies (Isa 8:1-4)
God gives very practical, hands-on instructions to Isaiah at the start of Isa 8. The LORD told Isaiah to “take a large tablet” and “write on it common characters” (Isa 8:1). He was to chisel on the rock “Maher-shalal-has-baz”, which means, “the spoil speeds, the prey hastens”. Not only that, God will get 2 more reliable witnesses — Uriah and Zechariah (Isa 8:2). This follows the pattern of getting witnesses laid out in Deuteronomy and this time, God’s promises are on trial. We know that Uriah was Ahaz’s priest, and instead of following God’s instructions regarding temple worship, listened to Ahaz’s request to follow the design of the Assyrian temple (c.f. 2 Ki 16:10-16). Zechariah is also Ahaz’s father-in-law (c.f. 2 Ki 18:2).
From Isa 7, we’ve been looking at Ahaz’s faith struggle. This is the king of Judah, recipient of the promises of the Davidic covenant and is an ancestor of Jesus. He is a central figure in this book here because he sits in this line of kings. God has been confronting his faith in a time of profound crisis.
But what is God preparing to do? He is preparing to present proof. Why? He doesn’t need to, but He chooses to do so. In the previous chapter, we’ve read of how God had offered to give Ahaz a sign to strengthen his faith, but Ahaz rejected this offer. Regardless, God gave a sign anyway. This Immanuel, before he grows up, will also exist in a time that God will deal with the geopolitical tensions and conflict that Ahaz was worried about.
Then, in Isa 8:3 Isaiah went to the prophetess and she conceived and bore a son (Isa 8:3). This son was to be called Maher-shalal-hash-baz, and God reiterated again that what was prophesied before will really happen. However, as we know, it is not the full fulfilment of the prophecy.
What is God trying to do? He is showing that the promises He makes are not empty. What was mentioned in Isa 7 is further confirmed by the events in Isa 8, in the naming of this boy and also the repetition of the description of the destruction of Damascus and Samaria (Isa 8:3).
We also need to remember that God speaks and He is eternal and He does not dwell in human space and time. The combination of these 2 traits result in strange things. He speaks, therefore, if He makes a promise, He is bound to keep it. Those of us who live within space and time face the challenge of trusting Him. God acts in space-time to boost our trust in Him. Now we have this issue of waiting for what He says to come to pass. God calls us to trust His promise as a response to His promises.
Faith is waiting on the word of an eternal God who speaks.
But God keeps His promises also often in ways we do not understand. We are often tempted to think of God’s promises as little itemised post-it notes that He sticks on the fridge of our heart. But God’s character is broader than that! His promises are the eternal promises, like giant redwood trees, that He has fulfilled in Christ! It is more than the fulfilment of little hopes and dreams that flood our Mondays and Tuesdays. He promises to right every wrong in the world and to wipe away every tear in the universe. What will it take to do that? What kind of a scale is this?
Perhaps sometimes your faith feels weak, or it ebbs and flows? Sometimes we feel like our faith is misplaced. But what does God say, and what has He actually promised? In Isa 41:10, He will strengthen us and uphold us with His right hand. He doesn’t promise to give us our desires and the dreams that the world chase. Rather, He promises strength in crises. When we feel alone, He promises His help. When we are fearful, He tells us not to fear.
(B) God’s zeal seen: neck-height floods for gentle waters (Isa 8:5-8)
Isaiah goes on to make a prophetic message. Isaiah predicts that because the Israelites had refused the waters of Shiloah that flow gently, He will send the torrential waters of the River to engulf Judah and spread into Israel (Isa 8:5-8). The River is most likely the Euphrates River which runs through the territory of Assyria. Because they preferred the King of Syria, Rezin the son of Remaliah (Isa 8:6), God is provoked by their ignorance of Him to send Assyria to flood them. Notice the territorial reach, for it will come from the north and spill out of Israel, and into Judah. The flood waters will also reach the neck, thus it will be a devastating flood. God is laying out a condemnation of the Northern Kingdom of Israel as the Lord brings up the king of Assyria and all his glory (Isa 8:7a).
Isaiah reminds us that God will really wreck us. God doesn’t just utter empty threats of judgment. He has also entreated with the people multiple times, and has sent multiple prophets to call them to repentance and to tell the people that there is nothing in their life to show that they are the people of God. He will wreck us if we have turned from him.
Friends, we need to remember that God is zealous for His own name. When He puts a name on His people, He claims them for Himself. The NT version is “be holy, for I am holy”. How many of us have said that we will be holy, and we will live as one who has been bought back by this God? The prophets have been calling them back to God again and again, and in what they say, they also make mention that God will shake them out of their idolatry. Have we treated God as another Chrome tab and when we are done with Him, we shut Him off? Is He just one of many tabs that’s open in our lives? Does His voice ring in our head when we plan our day? Is He the desire of your heart as you plan your leave and off days? Does your weekly worship of God reflect that you fear Him? What evidence is there in your life to show that you are the holy people of day?
He may send a flood in our day to wash away our comfort and security. If God sent a flood, what would He wash away from me? What would it take for God to make you let go of your lesser loves? In that day, will you turn to Him or will you wonder why you’d follow Him at all. Floods wash uncleanness and impurity away, even up to the neck.
The Lord also addresses Immanuel and this land is his (Isa 8:8). As Isaiah writes, the words that come to him from the Lord doesn’t just describe Ahaz and the house of David. He is also speaking of Israel.
(C) God’s assurance offered: Immanuel’s final victory (Isa 8:9-10)
God turns to address the Assyrians and other far-off nations (Isa 8:9-1). They will be destroyed. The nations can form an alliance or put plans to secure their future but it will be thwarted.
This could confuse us because we like set up dichotomy and classify people as either a “good guy” or a “bad guy”. This assumes that we know what God knows. But we don’t know anything apart from what God reveals. God has shown us that every single human heart bends towards idolatry. Before a holy God, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Isaiah shows us that God deals with Israel, Judah, Syria and Assyria. God judges all. We need to develop a healthy understanding of the doctrine of sin and not be surprised that God has every intention of flooding the nations to cleanse sin.
Yet, Isaiah holds out an assurance. Isa 7:10b ends with this promise and reason — “for God is with us”. God has promised 1 sign to show that the house of David is not done, despite all the calamity and destruction. New life can spring out of this desolate land. It was partially fulfilled in Isaiah’s son, but years later, after Isaiah’s life, when Assyria was destroyed and new empires sprung up, there came another Immanuel. This is the sign and our comfort today. Today, our true hope is not in a promise of a good life here on earth or a return to a “normal”, pre-COVID life. Isa 8 reminds us that the true, lasting promise is that God will be with His people, and He will make it happen. When God washes everything away, when we have nothing else, we will have Him. Is this enough for you?