Isaiah 8-9
Today we have another prophesy concerning Jesus, delivered during desperate times.
Isaiah 8
Vs. 1-3 Although one child had already been foretold as a sign that God would stop the attack coming from Israel and Syria, now another child is foretold. The child Immanuel would be born in this distress, but would live and thrive, being a symbol of God’s presence and peace. But when would there be a breaking of the enemy? That time would be signified by this child, a son of Isaiah and his wife, the prophetess.
So, if you follow the math it would be 9 months of pregnancy and then the birth and then before the child can say “dada” or “mama,” (another year?) Assyria could take captive Israel and Syria. The people of Judah would have to wait patiently for maybe 18 months.
By the way, Maher-shalal-hash-baz is the longest name in the Bible. Surprisingly, it’s not in my spellchecker.
Vs. 5-10 Because the northern kingdom didn’t listen to God they will be smashed by the coming of Assyria and the destruction will rise up to “Immanuel,” but Assyria will be shattered, proving that God is with them. This will happen in the years of Hezekiah.
You notice that verse 10 also has the name Immanuel (God with us) in it. My German Bible has both as Immanuel.
Vs. 11-22 This is a warning to Isaiah to stand firm. Judah will prove to be utterly faithless and ungrateful to God and King Ahaz, rather than honoring God for this deliverance, will honor and revere the king of Assyria. In spite of the promises that God has made, the people, led by the king, will see deliverance as coming from Assyria. Isaiah is not to lose heart or stop following God during these years of sin and arrogance. This is where you understand those words from Isaiah, “having eyes, they do not see. And having ears they do not hear, nor do they understand with their hearts.”
Isaiah 9
Vs. 1-7 You will recognize these prophesies as having to do with Jesus. This is holy ground. The connection here is that destruction and threat always came upon Israel from the north. The two tribes mentioned here were northern, so they are the peoples who would feel the fear the greatest because they would be hit first.
Everlasting Father, could be referring to the king being called a father to the people.
Just as God gave Isaiah two prophesies dealing with children who would symbolize God’s presence and His deliverance, now God is giving Isaiah a view of a coming child who would be the ultimate Savior of Israel. The darkness of the tribulation would be the ultimate threat against Israel, but then, their ultimate Savior would come.
In much of Isaiah, he did not see the gap between the first and second comings of Jesus, and so went from the birth and coming of the Messiah to His physical reign on earth. This was obviously confusing during Jesus’ time, but then, all they really needed to do was ask Him.
Vs. 8-21 The cause of this distress from the north, at that moment, was the northern tribes of Israel being joined to the kingdom and armies of Syria.
The description of the Messiah in Isaiah 9:6 has given us many songs and sermons. There is a very simple song that I first heard in German, “Friedefuerst,” which in English is called, “I Extol You.” Wouldn’t you know that I couldn’t find a version of this I really liked? As close as I could come, is the classical guitar version below. It has both English and German, and if you listen carefully, you can figure out where to insert the English words. I can insert the German words too, but then, I really love this song in German.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5sAeHLnPi8
Once Jesus was giving the disciples an object lesson and asked them what those thing were on the side of a vase that made it easier to carry. Peter immediately blurted out, “Those are handles, Messiah.” Speaking of Handel’s Messiah, how could we pass this up on a Sunday morning?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS3vpAWW2Zc
2 Corinthians 12:1-10
You’ll have a great time discussing this in a group. After having read Job and so much of the OT, this is an amazing passage on being a disciple and having the Lord own your life. I guess I’d be tempted to say what a great man Paul was, but the point here is what a great God we serve. Jesus talked about pruning the vines for fruitfulness. As if all the disasters Paul mentioned weren’t enough, God allowed Satan to humble Paul.
One note here is that if you go back 14 year before this letter, you go back before Barnabas brought Paul into the work in Antioch in Acts 11. It is also possible that many of Paul’s sufferings, beatings, shipwrecks, date back to that time before Acts 11. Paul was loved by the Lord and was a very devoted disciple, but God used Paul. We hear of this great vision, similar in some respects to Daniel, but what came before and after was lots of work and lots of suffering and lots of blessing. I think Paul’s model for a disciple was Jesus as described in Isaiah 53.
I remember being a very little kid and my mother asking me what position I wanted to play if I was a baseball player. I said I wanted to be the batter. I understood much later that you had to work in the field before you earned the right to come up to the plate.
It’s been a while since we’ve heard this song. With all we’ve read together, the message is even truer now. In so many ways, Paul the disciple of Jesus lived this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgeMHHbFslk
Psalm 55
The sense of betrayal in this psalm is very strong. It is hard to say when David experienced this but I would guess it was early in his years running from Saul. It would have been convenient for some of his friends to have turned their backs on David, not only to gain the position that David left vacant in the army, but also in feeding Saul information to gain status and show their allegiance to Saul.
V. 13 This looks like something Jesus could have experienced.
V. 22 This looks like the lines for a very sweet song, yet behind this thought there is emotional and relational bitterness woven into the verse. Few things we endure are harder than relational things. Even in Job, the most dangerous threat came through the accusations and pressure from his friends.
Proverbs 23:4-5
Amen. The image of the eagle here adds a sense of certainty to what the writer is saying. The eagle was very strong and fast and, in this context, almost unstoppable.
If you’re reading along and don’t have a One Year Bible, click on this link Every Day in the Word. If that doesn't work, go to http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/devotions/ and click on “Every Day in the Word.”
I'm writing these comments to and for those who are following a One Year Bible and interested in growing deeper as a disciple, following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the growth of a discipleship culture in the church. Groups of 3-4 disciples, meeting weekly, encouraging each other to follow Christ and work to reach out and make disciples who make disciples. The Bible itself is the most universal manual we have and key to our growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused on why we are here or what we are to be doing. My comments are only meant to provide some explanation of the events or to show the flow of God's plan of redemption. My comments are in no way exhaustive, but are designed to keep us focused on Christ and our role in His harvest. My hope is that the people in these groups will grow in Christ and be willing, after a year, to find 3 others to meet with and encourage in their growth as disciples, disciples making disciples in the harvest.
If you would like a more descriptive commentary that is still readable and concise, I'd recommend the Bible Knowledge Commentary. It's keyed to the NIV, so the result is, the commentators are constantly telling you what the Greek or Hebrew is. That never hurts.
I am not endorsing any particular One Year Bible; in fact, I read something you don't, die revidierte Lutherbibel 1984.
Anyone reading along with us is welcome to do so and is encouraged to take their own notes and make their own observations. If the comments made do not agree with your particular tradition or understanding, that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to criticize any point of view, but only to express the truth of what God has written to us, as I understand it.
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