1Moreover the LORD said unto me, Take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man's pen concerning Mahershalalhashbaz. 2And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.
Two details in verse 1 give us perspective concerning the significance of this child. First, the LORD told Isaiah to take to himself a great roll. From this detail we understand that what is to be recorded will have significance greater than that of Isaiah’s son. Second, the writing is to be done with a man’s pen. From this detail we understand that Isaiah’s son will be just a man; Isaiah’s son is not Immanuel. As we learn in verse 3, Mahershalalhashbaz is the name that Isaiah will give to his son.
Isaiah refers to Uriah [Urijah] the priest as a faithful witness. This reference is confirmation that Isaiah wrote these words before the Assyrian king Tilgathpileser’s attack on Syria, because at the time of that attack, Urijah followed the instructions of Ahaz to build an altar in Jerusalem like an altar of the gods of Damascus. Urijah also began to offer sacrifices on that altar (II Kings 16:10-16) rather than on the brazen altar as commanded in the Law. It seems very unlikely that Isaiah would afterward have chosen Urijah as a “faithful” witness.
3And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son. Then said the LORD to me, Call his name Mahershalalhashbaz.
Isaiah’s wife conceived and had a son. The name which the LORD gave for this child was “Maher” (swift), “shalal” (spoil), “hash” (making haste), “baz” (plunder). The child’s name meant “swift [for] spoil, making haste [for] plunder.” Urijah and Zechariah were chosen by Isaiah to witness the recording of the birth of this child. It was important that there be a confirmed record of the child’s date of birth because God gave prophecy relative to the age of the child (see verse 4).
4For before the child shall have knowledge to cry, My father, and my mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the king of Assyria.
God said that before Isaiah’s son Mahershalhashbaz got old enough to call out “my father” and “my mother,” God would use the king of Assyria to spoil and plunder Damascus in Syria and Samaria in the northern kingdom of Israel. In other words, within about a year of this child’s birth, the enemies who were threatening Judah in the time of Ahaz would be sacked by Assyria. This sacking did take place:
“...the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it, and carried the people of it captive to Kir, and slew Rezin.” (II Kings 16:9)
“In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abelbethmaachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria.” (II Kings 15:29) This invasion and taking of captives was a first stage in the deportation to Assyria of the northern kingdom of Israel.
The prophecy given by the LORD to Isaiah concerning Mahershalalhashbaz is like the prophecy that Isaiah spoke to Ahaz in 7:15-16: “Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings.” That prophecy also was fulfilled. The king of Assyria killed Rezin (II Kings 16:9), and Pekah died at the hands of Hoshea, one of his own countrymen (II Kings 15:30).
It seems clear that the birth of Isaiah’s son Mahershalhashbaz was the fulfillment of God’s word to Ahaz in 7:15-16. The birth of Isaiah’s son is not, however, the fulfillment of God’s word to the house of David in 7:13-14. The mother of Mahershalalhashbaz was not a virgin, and the child she bore was never called Immanuel.
Yet, the child whom God spoke about to Ahaz in 7:15-16 was to prefigure the child whom God spoke about to the house of David in 7:13-14. How then did Isaiah’s son Mahershalalhashbaz prefigure the One who would be called Immanuel? In both cases, the birth of the child would be a sign from God that He would deliver His people from their enemies. Mahershalalhazhbaz’s name meant that Assyria would be swift for spoil and make haste for plunder in Damascus and in Samaria. Immanuel’s miraculous birth and wonderful name would mean that God Himself was among His people to give them deliverance.
5The LORD spake also unto me again, saying, 6forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah's son; 7now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks: 8and he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.
Two places of flowing “waters” are spoken of in these verses. The first is that of the brook Shiloah, a stream which flowed near the city of Jerusalem. The pool of Shiloah is spoken of in Nehemiah 3:15. The second is that of the river Euphrates, near which was located the governmental center of the Assyrian empire. The waters of Shiloah, which go gently, picture the blessings God gave to His people in His promises to David. The waters of the Euphrates picture the violent torrent of invaders that would come from Assyria to attack the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah.
When God spoke of “this people” in verse 5, it seems that he was primarily speaking of those in the northern kingdom, who had willfully separated themselves from Jerusalem and from the Davidic monarchy to form a separate kingdom. In so doing and in also seeking an alliance with the king of Syria, they were rejecting the gentle waters of God’s blessings on His people. But Judah also, though still physically near the brook of Shiloah, was not living in dependence on and obedience to the LORD.
Isaiah prophesied that God would bring on the northern kingdom of Israel “the king of Assyria, and all his glory.” Like a flooded Euphrates, the Assyrian king would “come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks.” Then he would also enter the southern kingdom of Judah. Like an overflowing river, he would “reach even to the neck” and fill the whole land of Judah. The same flood of waters is spoken of in Isaiah 28:2,17.
The prophecy of Isaiah in verses 5-8 begins with the words, “The LORD spake also unto me again...” and is a separate section from the prophecy in verses 1-4. The prophecy in verses 1-4 specifically concerns a spoiling of Damascus and Samaria by the Assyrian king Tilgathpileser that would take place within about 1 year from the birth of Isaiah’s son Mahershalalhashbaz. The prophecy in verses 5-8 looks farther into the future to ongoing attacks by the king of Assyria: first by Shalmaneser, in which he carried away captive most of the rest of the population of the northern kingdom (II Kings 18:9-11) and second by Sennacherib, in which he took possession of “all the fenced cities of Judah.” Sennacherib then also approached and threatened to take the city of Jerusalem (II Kings 18:13,17).
The approach and threat of Sennacherib against Jerusalem was a moment when the flood of the Assyrian army reached “to the neck.” However, God protected the city:
“And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.” (II Kings 19:35)
It is very significant that Isaiah 8:8 closes with the words, “the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.” God did not say, “O Isaiah” or “O Mahershalalhashbaz.” Immanuel is the child who will be born to the virgin as a sign to the house of David that God will deliver His people from their enemies (7:13-14). This word of promise was spoken to king Ahaz in the context of a threatening alliance between Ephraim and Syria, but the deliverance in chapter 8 took place during the reign of Ahaz’s son Hezekiah in the context of an attack by Assyria. Thus, since both passages use the name of Immanuel, the promise in 7:14 looked farther into the future than the time of Ahaz. In chapter 8, God called Judah Immanuel’s land, though Immanuel was not yet born. It was Immanuel’s land that was under threat. Immanuel’s yet future birth would be the sign of yet another deliverance. That deliverance will be both physical and spiritual.
In the future, the land of Israel will again be invaded, and the invasion will reach “to the neck.” Revelation 11:1-2 speaks of a time in the future when Jerusalem itself will be trodden under foot by the Gentiles for 42 months (3½ years). However, as these verses in Revelation 11 reveal, the rebuilt temple and a remnant of the Jews will be protected during that period of time (the invasion will stop at the “neck”). The ultimate deliverance of Jerusalem and of a believing remnant of God’s people will take place at the return of Immanuel. Israel is still His land.
9Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. 10Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.
These verses might refer only to the invasion of Judah by Sennacherib during the reign of Hezekiah, as is spoken of in verse 8. But the Hebrew text of verse 9 says, “O ye peoples” (more than one people group); also, this verse then addresses “all ye of far countries.” Thus, it seems likely that these verses envision a time when other nations prepare to join with Assyria to attack Israel. Three times it is said to them, “ye shall be broken in pieces.” Verse 10 says that their plans will come to nought and that their word will not stand. The single cause that the plans of the nations against Israel will fail is “God is with us” (the word “is” was supplied by the translators). The Hebrew text for these words is “immanu el.” It will be the child born to the virgin, against whose land the invaders have schemed, who will break them to pieces and bring their plans to nought. We would thus expect that the invasion referred to is one that will occur after the birth of Immanuel. The invasion by Sennacherib only pictured a future joining of the nations against Israel and Jerusalem.
The prophet Joel spoke of a day when God would gather all nations to judge them for their treatment of Israel:
“I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.” (Joel 3:2)
In the future, at the end of the 3½ years of the treading underfoot of Jerusalem by the Gentiles under Antichrist, the nations will come to join this future “king of Assyria” in battle. Their conscious aim will probably be to destroy the temple, completely possess Israel, and end all worship of Yahweh. They will fail because they will “be broken in pieces” by Immanuel.
11For the LORD spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying, 12say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. 13Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. 14And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 15And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.
Verse 11 begins with the word “for.” Probably it looks back to and parallels the statement in the previous verse, “for God is with us.” The previous verses said that those who join forces against Israel in the future will fail because God is with His people. That confidence also stood true for the believing remnant in the time of Isaiah. In the face of a threatened attack on Judah by the combined forces of Ephraim and Syria, the general populace of Judah wanted to form an opposing alliance with Assyria. That is what Ahaz sought to do. God strongly instructed Isaiah not to fear like the general populace and not to look to Assyria for help as they were doing. God said, “Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.” It is still true today that if we stand in awe of the LORD, we don’t have to stand in awe of those who threaten us. God told Isaiah that He would be a holy refuge for those who put their trust in Him, but that those who did not put their trust in Him would fall because of their unbelief. God would give both Israel and Judah over into the hands of their enemies. The northern kingdom of Israel would fall to and be taken by the Assyrians. The southern kingdom of Judah would be attacked by the Assyrians, with whom they’d wanted to form a confederacy. Later, Judah, including Jerusalem itself, would fall to and be taken by the Babylonians.
Similarly, in the future, Israel will trust in and make a covenant with the false Messiah, who will betray them (Daniel 9:27). They will again “fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.” But God will always be a sanctuary to the believing remnant:
“Thus saith the Lord GOD; Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come.” (Ezekiel 11:16)
16Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples. 17And I will wait upon the LORD, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him. 18Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.
In these verses, Isaiah responds in obedience to the LORD’s instruction in verses 11-15. In verses 13-14, God said, “Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And he shall be for a sanctuary....” In verses 16-18, Isaiah declares his determination to be faithful to God. Instead of listening to and going along with the thoughts and mood of the general populace of Judah in their desire to trust in Assyria for help, Isaiah said, “Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.” That is, “As for me and my disciples, we choose to bind to ourselves and recognize as our standard the word of God.” Isaiah said that he would wait in faith for God to be the deliverer of His people. He pointed to his children, Shearjashub (“a remnant will return”) and Mahershalalhashbaz (“swift [for] spoil, making haste [for] plunder”) , whom God had given to him for signs to Israel. Isaiah’s two sons stood with Isaiah to declare that Judah should look for deliverance, not in a confederacy with Assyria, but in the power and promises of “the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.”
Part of verse 18 is quoted in Hebrews 2:13 and is attributed to the Lord Jesus: “Behold I and the children which God hath given me.” Thus, Isaiah and his children, as they stood in firm dependence on the word of God, pictured the Lord Jesus and those who belong to Him. Those who believe in Him would stand separate from the thoughts and ways of the general populace in Israel and in the world.
19And 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? 20To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
Isaiah now turns his attention away from his children and his disciples and speaks to the unbelieving community in Judah. Verse 19 begins with the words, “And when they shall say unto you....” These words are similar to the LORD’s words in verse 12: “this people shall say, A confederacy.” As people in Judah wanted to form an alliance with Assyria, so some of them wanted to seek counsel from conjurers of spirits of the dead and from wizards. Isaiah asks these people, “should not a people seek unto their God?” He questions them, “Should you look to the dead to find help for the living?” Isaiah then admonishes them with his own commitment in verse 16 to take the word of God as his standard. He says concerning those who wish to listen to other voices, “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”
21And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward. 22And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness.
In these verses, Isaiah describes the judgment that will come to those who refuse the light of God’s word. His words parallel those in verses 14-15, where God said that He would be for a sanctuary to those who rightly come to Him, but that He would be “for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.” God said, “And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.” In verses 21 and 22, Isaiah describes the arduous journey of those going to captivity. They will be oppressed and hungry. In their hunger they will be in a rage and curse by the king and by God. They will turn upward and look downward to the earth but will find no help, only trouble and darkness. The Hebrew text of verse 22 uses three different words for “darkness.” For those who refuse the light of God’s word, the darkness is very, very dark.
Note: All Scriptures are quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.