Rachel Workman: 5 Then the Lord spoke to me again
and said, 6 “My care for the people of Judah is like the gently flowing waters
of Shiloah, but they have rejected it. They are rejoicing over what will happen
to[b] King Rezin and King Pekah.[c] 7 Therefore, the Lord will overwhelm them
with a mighty flood from the Euphrates River[d]—the king of Assyria and all his
glory. This flood will overflow all its channels 8 and sweep into Judah until
it is chin deep. It will spread its wings, submerging your land from one end to
the other, O Immanuel.
9 “Huddle together, you nations, and be terrified.
Listen, all you distant lands.
Prepare for battle, but you will be crushed!
Yes, prepare for battle, but you will be crushed!
10 Call your councils of war, but they will be worthless.
Develop your strategies, but they will not succeed.
For God is with us![e]”
The pro-Assyrian faction in Judah rejoiced when Assyria defeated Syria and when both Pekah and Rezin died. These victories seemed to prove that an alliance with Assyria was the safest course to follow. Instead of trusting the Lord (“the waters of Shiloah, that go softly” in v. 6), they trusted the great river of Assyria. What they did not realize was that this river would become a flood when Assyria would come and destroy Israel and devastate Judah. God offered His people peace, but in unbelief they opted for war. They were walking by sight and not by faith.
9 “Huddle together, you nations, and be terrified.
Listen, all you distant lands.
Prepare for battle, but you will be crushed!
Yes, prepare for battle, but you will be crushed!
10 Call your councils of war, but they will be worthless.
Develop your strategies, but they will not succeed.
For God is with us![e]”
The pro-Assyrian faction in Judah rejoiced when Assyria defeated Syria and when both Pekah and Rezin died. These victories seemed to prove that an alliance with Assyria was the safest course to follow. Instead of trusting the Lord (“the waters of Shiloah, that go softly” in v. 6), they trusted the great river of Assyria. What they did not realize was that this river would become a flood when Assyria would come and destroy Israel and devastate Judah. God offered His people peace, but in unbelief they opted for war. They were walking by sight and not by faith.
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John Burnett: 5 The Lord spoke to me again: 6 “Because
this people has refused the waters of Shiloah that flow gently, and
rejoice over Rezin and the son of Remaliah, 7 therefore,
behold, the Lord is bringing up against them the waters of the River,[a] mighty and many, the king of
Assyria and all his glory. And it will rise over all its channels and go
over all its banks, 8 and it will sweep on into
Judah, it will overflow and pass on, reaching even to the neck, and
its outspread wings will fill the breadth of your land, O
Immanuel.” Judah
was not content with what God had given them (gently flowing waters of
Shiloah), they were envious of what others had and God was going to punish
them. Not only was he going to send a flood to Judah but they were also
going to be taken over by the king of Assyria (modern day Iraq).
9 Be broken,[b] you peoples, and be
shattered;[c]
give ear, all you far countries;
strap on your armor and be shattered;
strap on your armor and be shattered.
10 Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing;
speak a word, but it will not stand,
for God is with us.[d]
give ear, all you far countries;
strap on your armor and be shattered;
strap on your armor and be shattered.
10 Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing;
speak a word, but it will not stand,
for God is with us.[d]
Verses 9 and 10 switch to
another scene where the prophet is speaking about the distress of Ahaz and his
kingdom due to the threats of the ten other tribes and the Syrians coming
together against them. These verses command them to be broken and
repent. It also warns these countries that God is with Judah and that
they will be shattered if the come against Judah.
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Tomorrow’s reading for Isaiah
8:11-17
11 The Lord
has given me a strong warning not to think like everyone else does. He said,
12 “Don’t call everything a conspiracy,
like they do,
and don’t live in dread of what frightens them.
13 Make the Lord of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life.
He is the one you should fear.
He is the one who should make you tremble.
14 He will keep you safe.
But to Israel and Judah
he will be a stone that makes people stumble,
a rock that makes them fall.
And for the people of Jerusalem
he will be a trap and a snare.
15 Many will stumble and fall,
never to rise again.
They will be snared and captured.”
and don’t live in dread of what frightens them.
13 Make the Lord of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life.
He is the one you should fear.
He is the one who should make you tremble.
14 He will keep you safe.
But to Israel and Judah
he will be a stone that makes people stumble,
a rock that makes them fall.
And for the people of Jerusalem
he will be a trap and a snare.
15 Many will stumble and fall,
never to rise again.
They will be snared and captured.”
16 Preserve the teaching of God;
entrust his instructions to those who follow me.
17 I will wait for the Lord,
who has turned away from the descendants of Jacob.
I will put my hope in him.
entrust his instructions to those who follow me.
17 I will wait for the Lord,
who has turned away from the descendants of Jacob.
I will put my hope in him.
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