January 14 - Isaiah 8

Notes
Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz - if you look at the footnote in your Bible, this means "quick to the plunder, swift to the spoil" -- plunder or spoil is the stuff you take from the people you just conquered
This is to be the name of Isaiah's son (second son?)

Damascus and Samaria point to the Northern Kingdom of Israel - The capital of the northern kingdom is Samaria

Immanuel means "God with Us" -- When you have "el" in a Hebrew name usually refers to God.

v.9 ironic sentence - you raise a war cry only to be shattered? you prepare for battle only to be shattered?
v.10 doesn't use Immanuel - spells it out "God is with us"

God is With Us - Immanuel
At first glance, the prophetic tone of this chapter seems difficult to understand but the main message here is that God is with Us - Immanuel. God is with us whether you want Him to be with us or not. He's here with us - those unbelieving and for those believing. It's really a matter of which side do you want to be on - With God or against God.

v. 12 People try to understand this world. Many people call major events conspiracies. There are many unsolved mysteries, unexplained phenomenons. And they stand in fear.. Area 51, 9-11 conspiracies, JFK conspiracies, the government... and they live in fear of the unknown. Well, face it. We don't know much and even if we brought the brightest minds together to think it through, we'll only have just those brightest mind perspectives and still we won't have the big picture. Don't get yourself caught up in all the talk of the day, about what is and what isn't. JUST FEAR GOD.
because He is almighty...
v. 14 -- because he will either be a SANCTUARY - a safe place or a stone that causes men to stumble (the one that makes you face your judgment)

It is interesting how people do consult the dead for advice on the living (v. 19). It's amazing how common this is. Why do we do it? Because we ignore this very important fact - God is with us, among us. He's everywhere. In chapter 7 we saw Ahaz trusting in superpowers like Assyria. In chapter 8, we have an example of people trusting in dead spirits.

Why is it so hard to trust in God?

Because sometimes we can't get our eyes off ourselves. We think that we are so good. We think that humans are amazing beings. And, yes we are. But we think that we're awesome apart from our Creator. We keep looking at ourselves, trusting ourselves and then trusting those around us.. and like it says in v. 21 - when we're distressed we look up at God and scream at him. We set up leaders like presidents and when something goes wrong - we blame them. Sometimes it seems as if we set up kings and presidents and leaders because we need someone to trust or blame other than God. But really, they're mere human beings.

God is With Us..