Isa 8:19-22 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Isa 8:19-22: 8:19-22 Isaiah contrasts his counsel with that of his ungodly contemporaries. Isaiah’s message gives light, whereas the message of the spiritists led to darkness and death. • Mediums used various means of divination, including summoning the dead, in the attempt to determine the future (see 19:3 ). God had banned these useless activities (47:9 ; Deut 18:9-11 ).

Summary for Isa 8:19-22: 8:19-22 ^a Isaiah contrasts his counsel with that of his ungodly contemporaries. Isaiah’s message gives light, whereas the message of the spiritists led to darkness and death.

• Mediums used various means of divination, including summoning the dead, in the attempt to determine the future (see 19:3 ^b). God had banned these useless activities (47:9 ^c; Deut 18:9-11 ^d).
8:20 ^e God gave instructions and teachings through the law and through his prophets, such as Isaiah (see 8:16 ^f).

Thematic note: Fearing People
God had promised to be with his people in the face of opposition (see, e.g., Deut 20:1-4 ^g; Josh 1:9 ^h); as long as they remained committed to him, they had no reason to fear others. Israel’s history demonstrated this reality (see Exod 14:10-31 ⁱ; Josh 10:9-14 ^j). But for those who look elsewhere for peace and security, God can be a stumbling stone rather than a source of safety (Isa 8:14 ^k).
During the reign of King Ahaz of Judah, when the king heard that Syria and Israel had allied against him, he trembled in fear (Isa 7:2 ^l). The Lord encouraged him to be a man of faith, because without faith he could not expect the Lord’s protection (7:9 ^m). However, Ahaz refused to trust the Lord. Rather, he turned to the Assyrians for help. As a result, the Lord became a trap for him, as well as for all Israel and Judah (8:11-15 ⁿ).
One of the purposes of Isaiah’s message was to highlight the contrast between faith and fear. We see Ahaz as an example of fear. We then see Hezekiah as an imperfect example of faith (see ch 37 ^o). Isaiah himself provides a better example of faith (ch 8 ^p). Finally, God’s servant stands as the ideal example of faith (42:1-7 ^q; 50:4-7 ^r).
Jesus instructed his followers not to fear those who threaten them—even those who wish to kill them (Matt 10:26-31 ^s). The same God who is aware of the happenings of each individual sparrow and who knows the number of hairs on a person’s head will be with those who trust in him. Such trust has been demonstrated by believers throughout history who have rejected the fear of what others can do to them—even to the point of martyrdom (see Acts 6:8–7:60 ^t).
Those who do not commit themselves wholly to God will live in fear of others. But those who rely on the Lord will be able to overcome such fear, recognizing the temporality of human foes and the enduring sovereignty of God.

Passages for Further Study
Num 14:1-12 ^u; 21:34-35 ^v; Josh 1:9 ^w; 2 Kgs 16:5-18 ^x; 2 Chr 28:16-23 ^y; Ps 23:4 ^z; Prov 29:25 ^aa; Isa 7:1-25 ^ab; 41:10 ^ac; 51:7-8 ^ad, 12-13 ^ae; 54:4 ^af; 57:11 ^ag; Jer 10:5 ^ah; 30:10 ^ai; 46:27-28 ^aj