Isaiah 8
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 2 And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah. (539 “faithful” [’aman] means assurance, established, verified, make firm, reliable, or lasting.)
DEVOTION: These two men were not picked because of their character but because they would be trusted by the general public to confirm that Isaiah had said what he said at the time. They were to write it down and make sure that after the events happened there would be no question as to the timing of the prophecy.
It is like writing a will before your death and having people witness your signature. Here we have two men who were going to have to say after the events happened that Isaiah had said they were going to happen just the way they did.
We have to be individuals who will be ones that say that the Bible is the truth and needs to be followed or judgment will come and people who are not obedient will suffer the consequents of their actions. This was true in Israel and it is true today in America.
The Bible informs us of what sin is and if we continue in sin as a nation the LORD will have to judge us as HE did Israel. Our nation is moving further and further away from the standards of the LORD that are set forth in the Bible.
God is longsuffering but too much “innocent blood” has been shed for the LORD not to look at us in judgment. Too many of HIS standards are not allowed to be taught in our schools and in our colleges. The time is coming that we will face the wrath of God as a nation and many will wonder what happened. The children of Israel faced the same wondering!!
CHALLENGE: ARE WE GOING TO BE FAITHFUL WITNESSES EVERY DAY FOR THE LORD??
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 10 Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand for God with us. (6565 “come to nought” [parar] means make void, defeat, disannul, disappoint, frustrate, to be broken, to be hindered or prevented (in one’s efforts, plans, or desires)
DEVOTION: No matter how bad it seemed to the people of Judah they needed to realize that the LORD was with them. The circumstances might seem beyond the ability of God to defeat the enemy but HE was always able to protect HIS people.
We need to realize that no matter how bad the circumstances the LORD is with us during all of our trials that HE allows in our lives. Trust in the LORD is a much. HE knows what is best for HIS people to keep them following HIM to the end.
There are enemies that we are fighting even today but the LORD is able to protect us from their evil. Our responsibility is to trust in HIM to delivers us from all the trials HE allows in our lives. HE wants us to be faithful to HIM and this takes work on HIS part because we are prone to wander just like Israel in the Old Testament.
Remember no counsel taken against genuine believers will ever get the final victory. The death of Jesus proved this fact as the Jews thought they had victory over Jesus – HE arose from the dead and gave all believers victory over the world, the flesh and the devil.
CHALLENGE: Genuine believers need to remember these fact and live in the faith this belief has in our daily walk with the LORD.
: 13 Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. (6206 “dread” [‘arats] means to stand in awe, to cause to tremble, fear, prevail, afraid, or shake terrible.)
DEVOTION: The people of Judah thought they could trust the king of Assyria better than the LORD. They put their confidence in him. The LORD was compared to the waters of Shiloah that go softly instead of the strong and many river of the king of Assyria.
HE would deal with them softly but the king of Assyria would treat them roughly. Isaiah is telling the people to set themselves apart unto the LORD. That is what the word “sanctify” means. HE is the one to be feared. HE is the one they are to stand in awe of.
However, because they didn’t want to trust in the LORD, HE was going to be a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to them. They thought they would have it easy following the king of Assyria but HE promised it would be a rough road they have chosen. Isaiah says they are looking to the earth instead of to heaven. In the earth they will find trouble, darkness, anguish and will be driven to greater darkness.
We need to realize that the LORD is separate from all other beings. HE is HOLY. HE is to be feared. This is not a phobia type of fear but a fear that respects the PERSON of the LORD. We are to stand in awe of the LORD. Our God is an awesome God.
We need to let HIM prevail in our lives. HE wants to have a set place in our lives and that is FIRST PLACE. When we face an enemy the first and last one we should turn to is the LORD. We have many giants that we are facing in our world. The LORD has the stones to kill them. Remember David picked up five smooth stones to face Goliath. Why five? It was because Goliath had four brothers. He was prepared to meet them all because he knew the LORD was with him. Is the LORD the one we stand in awe of on a daily basis?
CHALLENGE: The LORD wants us to think of HIM first and foremost when we face trials in our life. HE is the answer.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 19 And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? (1875 “seek” [darash] mean enquire, resort to, consult, petition, make a request, or have a relationship.)
DEVOTION: There are choices that we make each day. The children of Israel were the chosen people of the LORD. They were given the Ten Commandments. They were given the Temple. They knew what the LORD expected of them. The prophets continued to tell them about new visions of the LORD regarding HIS current message regarding their present and future. Some would listen to HIM but most went in their own direction.
Isaiah was dealing with those who wanted to go to other sources regarding their present situation and what was going to happen in the future. There were people that stated that God would never send judgment on HIS chosen people. They thought that they could live as they pleased and face only the blessings of the LORD.
Some were even suggesting that they should consult mediums and wizards. They were warned of God that these were wrong sources of information. Their information was not coming from the LORD, it was coming from the enemy. All those who listened to these individuals were going to be judged.
Can Christians be mediums or wizards? The answer is NO!!! The power behind them is that of the devil and his fallen angels that are called demons many places in the Bible. I recently talked with a Christian mother who said that her daughter has this “gift” and she told her to use it for good. Is this a possibility? NO!!! It causes confusion and the LORD is not the author of confusion. There are many things being done that are strictly forbidden in Scripture starting in Genesis and ending in Book of Revelation.
Christians receive their information from the Word of God through the ministry of the Holy Spirit who indwells them. Once the Holy Spirit indwells an individual there is no room for other spirits. We can be influenced by the enemy and his army but not indwelt with them. Only those outside of Christ can be indwelt by the enemy. We should not give place for their influence in our life. It is asking for trouble.
CHALLENGE: Watch where you look for information regarding the future. Don’t consult the newspaper or people with so-called special gifts to understand the future. They are not from the LORD. Warn others.
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