‏ Isaiah 7

Summary for Isa 7:3-9: 7:1–39:8  ^a In this long section of the book, the nation of Israel was confronted with a vision of God, similar to how Isaiah was confronted in ch 6  ^b.
Summary for Isa 7:1-12:6: 7:1–12:6  ^c The historical context of these prophecies involved Assyria’s rise to power and the alliance between Syria and Israel as enemies of Judah (7:1-2  ^d; see 2 Kgs 16:5  ^e). Assyria became God’s rod to punish Syria, Israel, and Judah (Isa 7–10  ^f).
Summary for Isa 7:1-25: 7:1-25  ^g At one point in his reign, Ahaz found himself in a crisis. The leaders of Syria and Israel attacked Judah. They planned to replace Ahaz and force Judah to join them in their resistance against Assyria. Ahaz responded by calling Assyria in to help him (2 Kgs 16:7-10  ^h), thus refusing Isaiah’s challenge to trust the Lord instead (Isa 7:12  ⁱ). Although the Assyrians squelched the alliance of Syria and Israel, leading to the eventual downfall of both those nations, they also soon set their sights on total domination of Judah. 7:1  ^j Rezin was king of Syria. Damascus was Syria’s capital city.

• Pekah was king of Israel 740–732 BC. He was a renowned warrior (2 Chr 28:5-8  ^k).

• Pekah and Rezin began to attack Jerusalem while Jotham was king (750–732 BC), and they intensified their efforts during the early years of young King Ahaz (2 Kgs 15:37  ^l; 16:5  ^m).
7:2  ⁿ hearts ... trembled with fear: In contrast, Ahaz’s son King Hezekiah faced the Assyrians some thirty years later with great faith (701 BC; see 37:6-7  ^o, 14-20  ^p).
7:3  ^q The aqueduct was a place where political negotiations took place later during Hezekiah’s reign (see 36:2  ^r).
7:4  ^s he doesn’t need to fear: This was a “fear not” prophecy (common in Isaiah) in which the Lord assured his people of his presence and purpose.

• two burned-out embers: If Ahaz had God’s perspective, he would have seen that Rezin and Pekah were minor threats who were about to be extinguished.
7:6  ^t The son of Tabeel, otherwise unknown, was obviously sympathetic to Israel’s and Syria’s resistance against Assyria.
7:8  ^u The Assyrian kings Esarhaddon and Ashurbanipal had Israel resettled with people from other places within sixty-five years (by 670 BC; see 2 Kgs 17:24-34  ^v).

• Damascus was crushed and completely destroyed by 732 BC, and Samaria was crushed by 722 BC.
7:9  ^w The last sentence is a play on two Hebrew words: If you do not have faith (ta’aminu), you will not stand firm (te’amenu). Firm trust in the Lord is utterly essential, especially for a leader of God’s people (see also 2 Chr 20:20  ^x), and it must be firmly acted upon in order to demonstrate that it exists. Ahaz and his contemporaries trusted their enemy (Assyria) rather than God. By contrast, Hezekiah later demonstrated his faith in the Lord in a similar context (see Isa 36–38  ^y).
7:11  ^z A sign of confirmation would be performed before Ahaz’s eyes as a token of God’s truthfulness. His son Hezekiah would also receive such a sign (see 37:30  ^aa).
7:12  ^ab I will not test the Lord like that: Despite this seemingly pious response (based on Deut 6:16  ^ac), Ahaz was most likely already in negotiations with the Assyrians and had already decided whom he would trust for rescue in this war.
7:14  ^ad This prophecy received its ultimate fulfillment in the birth of Jesus Christ (Matt 1:18-24  ^ae). Yet it is likely that it also had a partial fulfillment in Isaiah’s day, either with the birth of godly king Hezekiah, Ahaz’s son, or with the birth of one of Isaiah’s children. The similar sequence of the verbs in Isa 7:14  ^af and 8:3  ^ag (conceive ... give birth ... call) and the link between Immanuel and Maher-shalal-hash-baz in 8:5-10  ^ah suggest that Immanuel and Maher-shalal-hash-baz were the same person.

• The name Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’) symbolized God’s presence and protection. God was with Judah during the attack by the alliance of Syria and Israel (734 BC), in the Assyrian crisis (701 BC), and throughout their prolonged existence until their fall in 586 BC. The kingdom of Israel fell during the time of Isaiah (722 BC). The assurance “I am with you” remained significant even in the exilic and postexilic periods (41:10  ^ai; 43:2  ^aj, 5  ^ak). The greatest assurance ultimately came in Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God (Matt 1:23  ^al; see also Rev 12:5  ^am).
Summary for Isa 7:15-16: 7:15-16  ^an By the time this child is old enough: The crisis involving the alliance of Syria and Israel against Judah was in 734 BC; by 732 BC Damascus, capital of Syria, was destroyed, and the northern kingdom, Israel, was defeated.

• choose what is right and reject what is wrong: This was to happen by the age of 12, when a child was held responsible as an adult. In 722 BC, Israel went into exile.

• he will be eating yogurt and honey: The land would be so depopulated that these delicacies would be available to all.
7:17  ^ao Israel broke away from Judah in 931 BC (see 1 Kgs 12:19-20  ^ap).

• will bring the king of Assyria upon you: Ahaz called Assyria in to help (2 Kgs 16:8-9  ^aq), but Assyria turned against him and made Judah a vassal state.
Summary for Isa 7:18-25: 7:18-25  ^ar The repetition of in that day referred to the yet future day of the Lord. Judah would experience the judgment already announced by Isaiah as a foretaste of an even greater judgment to come: exile in Babylon (586–538 BC).
7:19  ^as Locations such as desolate valleys, caves, and thorny places were places of refuge for the desperate (see 2:10  ^at). However, Judah’s enemies would find them there.
7:20  ^au shave off everything: your land, your crops, and your people: In the ancient Near East, forced shaving was an act of disgrace (see 2 Sam 10:4-5  ^av). Here it was a metaphor for the despoiling of the country.
Summary for Isa 7:23-25: 7:23-25  ^aw Farmers faced near total disaster. Fertile agricultural fields (lush vineyards) would revert to wild grazing lands dominated by worthless plants (briers and thorns; see 5:6  ^ax).

‏ Isaiah 8

8:1  ^ay The meaning of the name Maher-shalal-hash-baz (“Swift to plunder and quick to carry away”) applies both to Judah’s enemies (8:4  ^az) and to Judah itself (8:7-8  ^ba). They had trusted Assyria in place of God, and now Assyria would turn on them and all but destroy them. God was with them (Immanuel; see 7:14  ^bb), but his presence would be destructive if they refused to trust in him (see 8:14  ^bc).
8:3  ^bd my wife: Literally the prophetess.

• Like the name Immanuel (7:14  ^be), Maher-shalal-hash-baz is symbolic. It is possible that this child was the partial fulfillment of the Immanuel prophecy as well (see study note on 7:14). The ultimate fulfillment of the Immanuel prophecy occurred with the birth of Jesus (Matt 1:22-23  ^bf).
8:4  ^bg before this child is old enough: See also 7:16  ^bh.

• Damascus and Samaria were ruined and destroyed in 732 BC, fulfilling this verse along with 7:8  ^bi, 19-20  ^bj.
Summary for Isa 8:5-10: 8:5-10  ^bk This prophecy connects the sign of Maher-shalal-hash-baz with the sign of Immanuel (8:8  ^bl, 10  ^bm).
8:6  ^bn The gently flowing waters of Shiloah supplied Jerusalem with water. Here they represent God’s loving presence and provision (see Ps 46:4  ^bo).

• Ahaz rejected the sign and the promise of God’s protection. He was not a man of faith (Isa 7:9  ^bp), and now the people were following in his footsteps by placing their hope in Assyria to save them from King Rezin and King Pekah (cp. 7:7-9  ^bq, 16  ^br).
8:7  ^bs The mighty flood from the Euphrates River represents the invading Assyrian army (see Jer 47:2  ^bt). The river would overflow all its channels when the Assyrians marched deep into Judah. This stood as a frightening contrast with the gently flowing waters of Shiloah (Isa 8:6  ^bu).
8:8  ^bv chin deep: Judah barely survived the Assyrian assaults in 701 BC (see chs 36–37  ^bw).

• submerging your land from one end to the other: From north to south, Judah was nearly devastated, except for the city of Jerusalem (see 1:8-9  ^bx; chs 36–37  ^by).

• Immanuel: Despite their failure to trust him and the disaster it brought, God was still with his people (see 7:14  ^bz).
Summary for Isa 8:9-10: 8:9-10  ^ca God’s plan to rescue his stubborn people would ultimately be fulfilled. God planned to destroy Assyria, just as he does every other proud nation that rejects him or boasts in its own power.
8:10  ^cb God is with us: See 7:14  ^cc; 8:8  ^cd.
Summary for Isa 8:11-15: 8:11-15  ^ce This text reveals the heart of Isaiah’s message. The issue was fear of the Lord versus fear of people (see 7:9  ^cf; 8:6  ^cg). When an individual fears people, the Lord becomes a trap and destruction is certain (cp. Prov 29:25  ^ch; see thematic note for Fearing People at end of chapter). For those who fear the Lord, he becomes a sanctuary; their salvation is assured.
8:12  ^ci People regarded Isaiah’s message of non-involvement with Assyria as treasonous, part of a conspiracy. But Isaiah was not trying to play political games; rather, he proclaimed God’s message.

• What frightens them was the alliance of Syria and Israel attacking Judah (see 7:1  ^cj, 4  ^ck).
8:13  ^cl To make the Lord ... holy meant giving him first place in life and acknowledging that nothing is greater than he is.

• Fear of God means reverencing him as God (Prov 1:7  ^cm). The people of Judah were not to fear Israel and Syria or the Assyrians (Isa 7:9  ^cn; 10:24  ^co).
8:14  ^cp He will keep you safe (literally he will be a sanctuary): God is a place of refuge.

• stone ... stumble ... rock ... fall: By trusting Assyria rather than God, the people of Jerusalem would find themselves in a trap and a snare as the Assyrians turned against them. For those who trust in the Lord, however, he is faithful and strong (28:16  ^cq; see Ps 118:22-23  ^cr; Luke 2:34  ^cs; Rom 9:32-33  ^ct; 1 Pet 2:6-8  ^cu).
Summary for Isa 8:16-17: 8:16-17  ^cv The command to preserve Isaiah’s teaching suggests that it was harshly received by his contemporaries, who might have wanted to snuff it out. Faithful disciples safely preserved the prophet’s messages. 8:16  ^cw instructions (Hebrew torah): The Torah defined Israel’s covenant relationship with God, but the people were quick to forget (see also 1:10  ^cx).
8:17  ^cy I will wait for the Lord ... I will put my hope in him: Isaiah’s message against Syria, Israel, and Assyria would be proven true in the historical events that followed. The fulfillment would further encourage the godly to await the final downfall of all ungodly power structures (see 8:9-10  ^cz). Waiting for the Lord requires submission, prayer, hope, and faith (see 25:9  ^da; 26:8  ^db; 33:2  ^dc), resulting in a quiet spirit and a renewal of inner strength (40:31  ^dd). The book of Hebrews applies these words to Jesus Christ (Heb 2:13  ^de).

• God had turned away; the people of Israel and Judah were alienated from the Lord because of their sin.
8:18  ^df I and the children the Lord has given me (see the application to Jesus Christ in Heb 2:13  ^dg): The names of the prophet Isaiah and his children carried significance as signs and warnings. Shear-jashub (a remnant will return; 7:3  ^dh) was a sign of God’s faithfulness to Judah. Maher-shalal-hash-baz (swift to plunder and quick to carry away) signified the destruction of Damascus and Samaria (8:1-4  ^di) and the desolation of faithless Judah (8:5-8  ^dj). The name of Isaiah (Yahweh is salvation) itself signifies that salvation is from the Lord alone. These three names also represent major themes in the book: the remnant, the desolation of Judah, and salvation. Immanuel (God is with us) embodies all of these themes, along with the idea that Judah would be protected if only it would trust in the Lord.
Summary for Isa 8:19-22: 8:19-22  ^dk 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  ^dl). God had banned these useless activities (47:9  ^dm; Deut 18:9-11  ^dn).
8:20  ^do God gave instructions and teachings through the law and through his prophets, such as Isaiah (see 8:16  ^dp).

Thematic note: Fearing People
God had promised to be with his people in the face of opposition (see, e.g., Deut 20:1-4  ^dq; Josh 1:9  ^dr); 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  ^ds; Josh 10:9-14  ^dt). 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  ^du).
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  ^dv). The Lord encouraged him to be a man of faith, because without faith he could not expect the Lord’s protection (7:9  ^dw). 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  ^dx).
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  ^dy). Isaiah himself provides a better example of faith (ch 8  ^dz). Finally, God’s servant stands as the ideal example of faith (42:1-7  ^ea; 50:4-7  ^eb).
Jesus instructed his followers not to fear those who threaten them—even those who wish to kill them (Matt 10:26-31  ^ec). 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  ^ed).
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  ^ee; 21:34-35  ^ef; Josh 1:9  ^eg; 2 Kgs 16:5-18  ^eh; 2 Chr 28:16-23  ^ei; Ps 23:4  ^ej; Prov 29:25  ^ek; Isa 7:1-25  ^el; 41:10  ^em; 51:7-8  ^en, 12-13  ^eo; 54:4  ^ep; 57:11  ^eq; Jer 10:5  ^er; 30:10  ^es; 46:27-28  ^et

‏ Isaiah 9

Summary for Isa 9:1-7: 9:1-7  ^eu Beyond destruction there is hope. In the Messiah’s kingdom, the darkness would give way to great light, which was to dawn in Galilee and reach the whole nation, and then the whole world. The Messiah’s rule would be marked by the vindication of the oppressed and the end of all oppression. He would bring justice and righteousness forever in a kingdom of peace. 9:1  ^ev Zebulun and Naphtali were northern tribes in Israel (Judg 6:35  ^ew). They were humbled by the Assyrian invaders under Tiglath-pileser III in 734 and 732 BC. In Jesus’ lifetime, this prophecy was connected with his coming out of Galilee (Matt 4:14-16  ^ex).

• Galilee of the Gentiles was the region of Israel between the Sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean Sea. It was heavily influenced—culturally, religiously, and politically—by the surrounding Gentile nations.
9:4  ^ey The people experienced the rule of other nations as a yoke of ... slavery and a heavy burden (Jer 30:8  ^ez).

• oppressor’s rod: In Isa 10:5  ^fa, the Assyrians are called “the rod of [the Lord’s] anger.” Just as God’s anger will cease, so will Assyria’s oppression of Judah (14:5  ^fb).

• The Lord had destroyed the army of Midian through Gideon (see Judg 6:35  ^fc; 7:22-25  ^fd).
9:5  ^fe Burning the boots and uniforms marked the end of the need for instruments of war.
9:6  ^ff a child is born to us, a son is given to us: This child, the Messiah, would be David’s descendant (11:1  ^fg).

• he will be called: These names can be read as four throne names, signifying the nature of the child’s rule: (1) The Wonderful Counselor conforms to God’s wisdom (11:1  ^fh; 25:1  ^fi; 28:29  ^fj; 40:13  ^fk), unlike the counselors of Judah (1:26  ^fl; 3:3  ^fm). (2) Mighty God is an affirmation of the Messiah’s divine nature. (3) He cares for his children as the Everlasting Father, the father whose care continues forever (cp. 22:21  ^fn; 63:16  ^fo). (4) The Prince of Peace is a leader who brings peace.

• Alternatively, the four names could be collapsed into two: (1) “A Wonderful Counselor [is] the Mighty God”; and (2) “the Everlasting Father [is] a Prince of Peace” (on his nature, see 11:1-9  ^fp).

• Jesus Christ, the Son of David (Matt 1:1  ^fq; Luke 1:32  ^fr; see also Isa 7:14  ^fs; 8:3  ^ft, 18  ^fu), will bring in the kingdom of his peace (Rev 19  ^fv).
9:7  ^fw Like Ahaz, this ruler will be a descendant of David. Unlike Ahaz and the rulers of Jerusalem (1:21-23  ^fx), he would trust God and rule with justice and righteousness (11:1-3  ^fy). Jesus the Messiah reigns for all eternity (Luke 1:32-33  ^fz).
Summary for Isa 9:8-12: 9:8-12  ^ga This prophecy of judgment was against the northern kingdom of Israel. Despite God’s message that the Assyrians would crush them (chs 7–8  ^gb), the people of Samaria were foolishly confident that they could withstand the siege.
9:10  ^gc In their proud confidence, Israel thought it would replace whatever was lost with more expensive items (see 2:13-16  ^gd; Amos 5:11  ^ge).
9:11  ^gf Rezin’s enemies were the Assyrians (7:4  ^gg, 17  ^gh; 8:4  ^gi). Rezin was king of Syria (see ch 7  ^gj).
Summary for Isa 9:13-17: 9:13-17  ^gk God’s punishment was intended to bring repentance, not destruction; but Israel was apostate and refused to repent or seek the Lord.
9:17  ^gl Even widows and orphans, ordinarily objects of God’s compassion (1:17  ^gm, 23  ^gn; 10:2  ^go), became objects of his wrath when they were unrepentant.
Summary for Isa 9:18-21: 9:18-21  ^gp Following the decimation of leadership, civil war would destroy the nation like an out-of-control brushfire.
9:21  ^gq Manasseh and Ephraim represent the northern kingdom as its largest tribes. The two largest tribes of Israel and Judah fought amongst themselves. This is probably a reference to the war between Judah and the alliance of Syria and Israel, which is commonly called the Syro-Ephraimite War (7:1-12  ^gr). In that conflict, brothers savagely fought against brothers (2 Chr 28  ^gs).