Who's approval are you seeking?

Isaiah 8:1-8

Then the LORD said to me, “Take a large tablet and write on it in common characters, ‘Belonging to Maher-shalal-hash-baz.’  If you are wondering what is the meaning of these words, Maher-shalal-hash-baz, you are not alone, this is the meaning; “Speeding to the Plunder, Hurrying to the Spoil,” and it signifies the rapid future advance of Assyria invasion. 

In verse two, we have Isaiah stating the following, “And I will get reliable witnesses, Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah, to attest for me.” (Isaiah 8:2 ESV)  Again one may ask what is taking place, this is what the Holman Study Bible states on page1141, “The presence of witnesses indicates that the writing of this prophecy had the force of a legal document.  If the prophecy did not come true, then these two witnesses could attest to its falsity.  If it did come true, they could proclaim that it was written before, and not after, the fact.”

Isaiah’s wife was a prophetess and she conceived and bore a son, and the LORD told them to call his name Maher-shalal-hashbaz; for before the boy knows how to cry ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away before the king of Assyria.

This was good news to the people of Judah, because they were being freed from the attacks of Syria and Israel, but their rejoicing was premature in that Assyrian threats would come later to their doorstep as well.  I once more looked for meaning from the Holman Study Bible, and it states: the water of Shiloah refered to the small water channel that carried water from pools outside of Jerusalem into the city.  Here it stands for God Himself contrasting with the raging river mentioned in the next verse.  Thus, Judah’s rejection of Shiloah signifies their rejection of God.

In verse 8, “The mighty rushing waters of the Euphrates represent the Assyrian king.  Judah king Ahaz, chose a foreign nation for protection and not God, it was one big mistake.  The main story it seems that the chosen people of God were a rebellious people, is this not the story of many who call themselves Christian?  Is it your story, have you set your mind on getting your needs met outside the will of the Father?  Now I’m not asking are you part of a Bible Study, or even if you’re a regular church attendee, you may teach, or preach, but do you seek God’s approval or man’s?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice