Isaiah 8
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Isaiah 8:12-13:
Do not call conspiracy everything this people calls a conspiracy; do not fear what they fear, and do not dread it. 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. |
How we fear and what we fear reveals whose we are.
But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be shaken.” --1 Peter 3:14
Rumors and conspiracy theories abound world wide about everything and anything. In a lot of these theories people are full of fear. Things that are small are made to be out to be large. False statements are made out to be true and people believe them
In today’s society the speed at which a thought can spread around the world is lightning quick with the internet. Within minutes, millions of people can hear about some false report, conspiracy theory or fake news and buy into it with fear. During the time of Isaiah, this was also a problem. People would spread conspiracy theories and spread great fear. God tells the people not to believe those theories, but only to fear Him. Events will occur in this world, but that does not mean a believer should fear them. Theories will abound, some will be true, some will be false, but the believer as no reason to fear them, God is the One who is in control. --Insights from Tom |
Verse 12. - Say ye not. The transition from the singular to the plural is noticeable. It implies that Isaiah did not stand alone, but had followers - a "little flock," it may be - but still enough to give him the support of sympathy (comp. ver. 16). A confederacy; rather, treason, or conspiracy (see 2 Samuel 15:12; 1 Kings 16:20; 2 Kings 11:12; 2 Kings 12:20; Jeremiah 11:9; Ezekiel 22:25, etc.). The command is, not to call a course of conduct treasonable simply because the people generally so call it. Jeremiah was charged with treason for preaching the hopelessness of offering resistance to Nebuchadnezzar (Jeremiah 20:1; Jeremiah 26:8-11). Those who opposed an Assyrian alliance were probably now taxed with treason. To all them to whom; rather, everything which. Translate the entire clause thus: Call ye not conspiracy everything which this people shall call conspiracy. Neither fear ye their fear. They feared man (Isaiah 7:2). Isaiah and his disciples are commanded to fear no one but God. --Pulpit Commentary
Joe Kappel
2020 could safely be called the year of conspiracies. For example: who started Covid19? Did the presidential election get stolen? Are socialists threatening to overturn our country? Is the New World Order about to overturn our world?
How much time have you invested in the news or alternate news, worrying about conspiracies or speaking about them with family members, neighbors and friends?
Conspiracies are nothing new. Back in the early ministry of Isaiah the prophet, conspiracies about foreign powers aligning together against Judah caused the hearts of the people to melt with fear. God spoke to Isaiah and said, “Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy” (12). It was central to God’s way that His people not waste their energy on conspiracy theories. Instead they are to live their lives in the fear of the LORD, or, as God said, “Let [the LORD of Hosts] be your dread” (13).
We don’t typically think of responding to the Lord God with dread. That seems inappropriate somehow. But for some reason we think that dread of foreign powers invading or foreign powers sending a virus our way is somehow a responsible action. No, the only thing that makes sense is to put those conspiracies on the scale with the LORD of Hosts and responding to the Lord as the Sovereign King and Master of our lives. To dread Him is to live in awe of Him and respond to His way in this world. He says He will be a sanctuary to all who fear Him.
For those who do not respond by fearing the LORD, God says He will be a rock of offense, a stone of stumbling, a trap and a snare to them. If any of us disregard God, thinking we can ignore Him, we’ll find ourselves tripping over Him to our own destruction.
When Paul refers to Isaiah 8:11-15 in Romans 9:32-33, or when Peter refers to the “rock of offense” in 1 Peter 2:8, both men are referring to Christ. And here’s how all this relates to Advent: Christ did not go from the cradle to Paradise. No, He went from the cradle to the cross. Most of the world finds celebration of the baby Jesus just fine. Sentimental, culturally acceptable, traditional. But the cross is offensive. It deals with the scandalous, unacceptable news that our sin cannot be ignored. It must be punished. Advent reminds us of the hard truth that Jesus came to die for our sin. If you run to that stone of solid ground, you’ll be safe. If you try to ignore the Christ on the cross, you’ll trip over it eventually and be crushed.
These things may be hard to understand, so we’ll look at them again over the next two days of devotions. But what is clear is this: Christ came to die for sinners. This is God’s way. Do you know that you are a sinner?
Do you trust in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ alone for your salvation? --Joe Kappel; West Park Baptist Church; 12.10.20
How much time have you invested in the news or alternate news, worrying about conspiracies or speaking about them with family members, neighbors and friends?
Conspiracies are nothing new. Back in the early ministry of Isaiah the prophet, conspiracies about foreign powers aligning together against Judah caused the hearts of the people to melt with fear. God spoke to Isaiah and said, “Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy” (12). It was central to God’s way that His people not waste their energy on conspiracy theories. Instead they are to live their lives in the fear of the LORD, or, as God said, “Let [the LORD of Hosts] be your dread” (13).
We don’t typically think of responding to the Lord God with dread. That seems inappropriate somehow. But for some reason we think that dread of foreign powers invading or foreign powers sending a virus our way is somehow a responsible action. No, the only thing that makes sense is to put those conspiracies on the scale with the LORD of Hosts and responding to the Lord as the Sovereign King and Master of our lives. To dread Him is to live in awe of Him and respond to His way in this world. He says He will be a sanctuary to all who fear Him.
For those who do not respond by fearing the LORD, God says He will be a rock of offense, a stone of stumbling, a trap and a snare to them. If any of us disregard God, thinking we can ignore Him, we’ll find ourselves tripping over Him to our own destruction.
When Paul refers to Isaiah 8:11-15 in Romans 9:32-33, or when Peter refers to the “rock of offense” in 1 Peter 2:8, both men are referring to Christ. And here’s how all this relates to Advent: Christ did not go from the cradle to Paradise. No, He went from the cradle to the cross. Most of the world finds celebration of the baby Jesus just fine. Sentimental, culturally acceptable, traditional. But the cross is offensive. It deals with the scandalous, unacceptable news that our sin cannot be ignored. It must be punished. Advent reminds us of the hard truth that Jesus came to die for our sin. If you run to that stone of solid ground, you’ll be safe. If you try to ignore the Christ on the cross, you’ll trip over it eventually and be crushed.
These things may be hard to understand, so we’ll look at them again over the next two days of devotions. But what is clear is this: Christ came to die for sinners. This is God’s way. Do you know that you are a sinner?
Do you trust in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ alone for your salvation? --Joe Kappel; West Park Baptist Church; 12.10.20
Fear works by threatening some horrible future…but what Fear always neglects to mention, is that—whatever horrible future may be in store—God Himself has already been there in our place in Christ on the cross, and so God Himself—whose presence is heaven—will meet us in whatever darkness He may ordain. Because Christ bore all darkness on the cross in love, Fear cannot threaten a future darkness in which Christ will not meet us in love…and because the resurrection transfigures the darkness of the cross into the beauty of God, Fear cannot threaten a future that will not—ultimately—sing the Glory of God and serve the relieved and weeping joy of His people’s souls. --Full Of Eyes
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Isaiah 8:20:
"To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." |
Those who want to base public policy on something other than the Bible, show that scripture does not support their point of view. The bible is the test of all doctrine. Whatsoever does not harmonize and square with this, is not to be received. There is but one standard of the everlasting right and the everlasting wrong and that is the Bible.
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