Isa 8:11 | KingComments | STEP | These verses continue to denounce “the way of this people,” that is, the way of relying on Assyria rather than on God. The LORD has forcefully – literally: with strength of the hand – made it clear to Isaiah that he should not go in “the way of this people” ( ). A prophet does not follow the way of the majority. The expression that the hand of the LORD is upon the prophet indicates that the LORD impels the prophet to service and gives him the power to do so (cf. ; ; ; ). Perhaps Isaiah needed Divine insistence for his service because the people always reject his words and thereby he might become despondent. It seems that Isaiah has been inclined to go along with the thinking of Ahaz and Judah who seek their strength in an alliance, here translated as “conspiracy”, with Assyria ( ). The heart of the prophet is by nature no better than the heart of the people. He is not allowed to change or even stop his message. In the future, the remnant will also have to distance themselves from the conspiracy of the antichrist who connects Israel with the beast of the restored Western Roman Empire or Europe. Those who constantly pay attention to the fact that ‘God is with us’ are not afraid of the things that people who do not have a living faith in ‘Immanuel’ are afraid of. God encourages everyone to trust in Him and not to put their trust in the power of human covenants.

‏ Isaiah 8:11

Do Not Walk in the Way of This People

These verses continue to denounce “the way of this people,” that is, the way of relying on Assyria rather than on God. The LORD has forcefully – literally: with strength of the hand – made it clear to Isaiah that he should not go in “the way of this people” (Isa 8:11). A prophet does not follow the way of the majority. The expression that the hand of the LORD is upon the prophet indicates that the LORD impels the prophet to service and gives him the power to do so (cf. 1Kgs 18:46; 2Kgs 3:15; Eze 1:3 ; Eze 3:14; Jer 15:17). Perhaps Isaiah needed Divine insistence for his service because the people always reject his words and thereby he might become despondent.

It seems that Isaiah has been inclined to go along with the thinking of Ahaz and Judah who seek their strength in an alliance, here translated as “conspiracy”, with Assyria (Isa 8:12). The heart of the prophet is by nature no better than the heart of the people. He is not allowed to change or even stop his message. In the future, the remnant will also have to distance themselves from the conspiracy of the antichrist who connects Israel with the beast of the restored Western Roman Empire or Europe.

Those who constantly pay attention to the fact that ‘God is with us’ are not afraid of the things that people who do not have a living faith in ‘Immanuel’ are afraid of. God encourages everyone to trust in Him and not to put their trust in the power of human covenants.