SCRIPTURE: ISAIAH 8
MEMORY VERSE:
“The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy. He is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread, and he will be a sanctuary.” (Isaiah 8:13)
“I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob. I will put my trust in him.” (Isiah 8:17)
ASSYRIA, THE LORD’S INSTRUMENT (vs. 1-10)
Assyrian empire was located between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Isaiah used the flood to describe the forceful invasion of the Assyrian army. Because the people had rejected the Lord and sought alliance with Assyrians, the Lord will “send flood waters of the Euphrates to overflow all its channels, run over all its banks, sweep on into Judah, swirling over it passing through it and reaching up to the neck. Its outspread wings will cover the breadth of their land.” (vs. 7-8)
FEAR GOD (vs. 11-22)
Choose between fear of God or fear of man. If you fear God, you need not fear the threats of men. If you make Jesus Christ your head in your life, He will take care of all your fears. He is the stone of refuge for His people but a snare to those who reject Him.
In Isaiah days, the leaders were consulting mediums and psychics, seeking answers from dead people instead of consulting God. As a result, they had no light of dawn. Distressed and hungry, they curse their king and their God. They could only see darkness and fearful gloom.
THOUGHTS:
The attributes of God consist of His love and His wrath. To ignore His love and guidance results in sin and invites His wrath. God gives us the freedom to choose. While choosing, we should know the consequences of our choice.
Since Isaiah did not support the national policies of Judah, he was viewed as a traitor. He called the people to commit to God first then to the king and predicted the overthrow of the government.
It is only God who is eternal and knows the future. So it is useless to consult mediums and divinations in seeking answer from dead people.
Instead of blaming themselves for their wrong choice, people blame God for their trials and self-induced problems. This serves as a warning to us that before making any choices, seek God’s guidance.