I have more than once heard the adage: " Be careful what you wish for...you might get it" numerous times in my own life.
This chapter in Isaiah kind of reminds me of this adage. Judah had flat out refused to follow the "Ways of the Lord"...she wanted her own "independence"( personally I don't think we can experience personal "independence" which in my understanding simply means "freedom to express", anyway I don't think that is entirely possible until we give our hearts to Christ Jesus and begin to experience the freedom He has for us), so the people of Judah flat rejected the Great God who loves them.
God references His love for them the way the gentle waters of Shiloah bring fresh water into the city of Jerusalem. Jerusalem , unlike other capital cities, did not live close to water, so an aqueduct was built and Shiloah was created as a gentle stream to bring water into Jerusalem....now, their rejection of the God's love for them is about to bring another type "waters" into Jerusalem....and this is far from a gentle stream....
Gleanings from Isaiah 8:1-10
Then, the Lord spoke to me once more: " Get yourself a scroll, in fact I need you to obtain the largest scroll you can find, then I want you to write on this scroll. Now, when you begin to write what I dictate to you, I want you to use large and basic type lettering, so everyone here can read and understand it...make this big and bold...I need this written in the clearest language possible!
Ok, write this: MAHER-SHALAL-HASH-BAZ . (this word means: a swift and quick way to plunder and become rich, and an equally quick way to get it and then carry it away)."
The Lord continued: " According to Law, you will need two honest witnesses to confirm this document. Choose Uriah the priest and Zechariah, the son of Jeberekiah...they are both good men!"
Soon after, I went home and spent time with my wife. She soon conceived, and gave birth to a baby boy!
The Lord spoke to me again: "Name this child what you had written on the large scroll: MAHER-SHALAL-HASH-BAZ (Note: for those of you who might not like the name your parents gave you...well...not so bad after all, right?)...the Lord continues:"Every time my people hear this child's name called, it will remind them of the prophecy on this scroll (this is the 2nd time the Lord has used one of Isaiah's own children to bring a message to Judah).
For I tell you this now, before this child is able to say "Father" or "My Mother"... the riches of Israel's capital city of Samaria as well as the riches of Syria's capital city of Damascus, will both have been carried away by...the king of Assyria."
A little later God had something else to say to me: " My love and care for Judah is much like the gentle streams of Shiloah that flow into Jerusalem...but they have rejected Me. Could you imagine damming up the water of Shiloah and preventing any fresh water from entering Jerusalem?... that would be crazy!...Yet, that is exactly what My people have done to Me!...they have not only refused Me...but they outright reject Me!
At this moment, the people of Judah are excited on hearing the news about king Rezin of Syria and king Pekah of Israel...for both have been wiped out and no longer pose a threat to Judah.
Yet, what the people of Judah don't know is this: Just like the gentle streams of Shiloah bring fresh water to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, I, the Lord have cared for all the people of Judah in the same manner. But, since I have been rejected...almost like they have placed posters all over Judah with My picture on it!...and these words: "Do Not Listen to Him". Or, just like they have dammed up the very waters of Shiloah that give them water to sustain life...they have shut Me off...I am no longer wanted...they will no longer tolerate My love for them!
So, I will enter Jerusalem another way...the gentle streams of Shiloah were not to their liking...how about this?...
From the mighty Euphrates, I will send water...a flood like water...and enter Jerusalem! I am sending the king of Assyria in all his glory...in all his fanfare...to attack Judah...and to attack My beloved Jerusalem!
The waters that come this way will be nothing like the gentle streams of Shiloah...this will be massive! It will come in like a flood...bursting over every bank...there is no stream that can contain this vast amount of water...Judah cannot stop the invasion of the king of Assyria!
O Jerusalem, you are about to witness a "huge wingspan of a raging river"...the very power of the king of Assyria. He will sweep and cut everything before your very eyes...O Immanuel!...it has come even to your land!
As for all you other nations, huddle together and get all excited if you so choose...your excitement won't last long. Go ahead...prepare for battle!...you shall be crushed!
Go ahead and develop war strategies, bring together your "wise warriors" and have your council of war...you won't even get your plans "off the ground"....before you know it there will be only a phrase left to describe the likes of all of you: "We are history...We are "toast"!
For even though Judah has been cut down...I will come to them when they call...something I will not do for any "pagan nations"....
O Immanuel....God is with us...."
This chapter in Isaiah kind of reminds me of this adage. Judah had flat out refused to follow the "Ways of the Lord"...she wanted her own "independence"( personally I don't think we can experience personal "independence" which in my understanding simply means "freedom to express", anyway I don't think that is entirely possible until we give our hearts to Christ Jesus and begin to experience the freedom He has for us), so the people of Judah flat rejected the Great God who loves them.
God references His love for them the way the gentle waters of Shiloah bring fresh water into the city of Jerusalem. Jerusalem , unlike other capital cities, did not live close to water, so an aqueduct was built and Shiloah was created as a gentle stream to bring water into Jerusalem....now, their rejection of the God's love for them is about to bring another type "waters" into Jerusalem....and this is far from a gentle stream....
Gleanings from Isaiah 8:1-10
Then, the Lord spoke to me once more: " Get yourself a scroll, in fact I need you to obtain the largest scroll you can find, then I want you to write on this scroll. Now, when you begin to write what I dictate to you, I want you to use large and basic type lettering, so everyone here can read and understand it...make this big and bold...I need this written in the clearest language possible!
Ok, write this: MAHER-SHALAL-HASH-BAZ . (this word means: a swift and quick way to plunder and become rich, and an equally quick way to get it and then carry it away)."
The Lord continued: " According to Law, you will need two honest witnesses to confirm this document. Choose Uriah the priest and Zechariah, the son of Jeberekiah...they are both good men!"
Soon after, I went home and spent time with my wife. She soon conceived, and gave birth to a baby boy!
The Lord spoke to me again: "Name this child what you had written on the large scroll: MAHER-SHALAL-HASH-BAZ (Note: for those of you who might not like the name your parents gave you...well...not so bad after all, right?)...the Lord continues:"Every time my people hear this child's name called, it will remind them of the prophecy on this scroll (this is the 2nd time the Lord has used one of Isaiah's own children to bring a message to Judah).
For I tell you this now, before this child is able to say "Father" or "My Mother"... the riches of Israel's capital city of Samaria as well as the riches of Syria's capital city of Damascus, will both have been carried away by...the king of Assyria."
A little later God had something else to say to me: " My love and care for Judah is much like the gentle streams of Shiloah that flow into Jerusalem...but they have rejected Me. Could you imagine damming up the water of Shiloah and preventing any fresh water from entering Jerusalem?... that would be crazy!...Yet, that is exactly what My people have done to Me!...they have not only refused Me...but they outright reject Me!
At this moment, the people of Judah are excited on hearing the news about king Rezin of Syria and king Pekah of Israel...for both have been wiped out and no longer pose a threat to Judah.
Yet, what the people of Judah don't know is this: Just like the gentle streams of Shiloah bring fresh water to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, I, the Lord have cared for all the people of Judah in the same manner. But, since I have been rejected...almost like they have placed posters all over Judah with My picture on it!...and these words: "Do Not Listen to Him". Or, just like they have dammed up the very waters of Shiloah that give them water to sustain life...they have shut Me off...I am no longer wanted...they will no longer tolerate My love for them!
So, I will enter Jerusalem another way...the gentle streams of Shiloah were not to their liking...how about this?...
From the mighty Euphrates, I will send water...a flood like water...and enter Jerusalem! I am sending the king of Assyria in all his glory...in all his fanfare...to attack Judah...and to attack My beloved Jerusalem!
The waters that come this way will be nothing like the gentle streams of Shiloah...this will be massive! It will come in like a flood...bursting over every bank...there is no stream that can contain this vast amount of water...Judah cannot stop the invasion of the king of Assyria!
O Jerusalem, you are about to witness a "huge wingspan of a raging river"...the very power of the king of Assyria. He will sweep and cut everything before your very eyes...O Immanuel!...it has come even to your land!
As for all you other nations, huddle together and get all excited if you so choose...your excitement won't last long. Go ahead...prepare for battle!...you shall be crushed!
Go ahead and develop war strategies, bring together your "wise warriors" and have your council of war...you won't even get your plans "off the ground"....before you know it there will be only a phrase left to describe the likes of all of you: "We are history...We are "toast"!
For even though Judah has been cut down...I will come to them when they call...something I will not do for any "pagan nations"....
O Immanuel....God is with us...."
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