ISAIAH
CHAPTER
8
1. Then the LORD said to me, 'Take a large tablet and write on it in common characters, "Belonging to Maher-shalal-hashbaz" 2. and have it attested for me by reliable witnesses, the priest Uriah and Zechariah son of Jebnerchiah.
(Book of Prophets Isaiah Chapter 8 verses 1 to 2)
Oh God my Father as You did in the case of the sign that was given that referred to Your birth in the case that the woman shall bear a son and call him 'Immanuel' , now You are referring to another son who is going to be born and also witnessed by prominent people such as the prophets, however in contrast to Your birth which was to bring unity, this birth was to be a sign of pending doom, marking the invasion of the King of Assyria upon Your people.
Oh God as You showed me many times, we are sign posts for each other. You permitted us to be born in a specific period in the life of the world not by chance, but for a particular reason. For instance, Pope Francesco was made Pope at a critical time in our life, when we really need inspiration and a boost in our faith, especially when considering the pending doom of the forces of evil that are becoming stronger by each passing day. Even in our lives, God created me and you the reader for a special reason, and it is our duty to pray to God, to reveal to us this special reason. Amen.
3. And I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son. Then the LO?RD said to me, Name him Maher-shalal-hash-baz; 4. for before the child knows how to call "My father" or "My mother,"the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away by the king of Assyria.
(Book of Prophets Isaiah Chapter 8 verses 3 to 4)
Oh God, You are faithful in Your ways. In order to give us signs by which to lead our lives, You perform acts such as that of the two prophets, whose lives were dedicated to You, to have intercourse and bear a child that had been based according to the previous prophecy. Although we may show a lack of agreement with such acts, when interpreting them according to Your will they make a lot of sense. When priests abuse children and have unfaithful relations with women, this is a reflection of an unfaithful, society that is also abusive of minors and being unfaithful in marriage and other areas of life. The priests are prophets of our times, reflecting a reality that is happening under our very noses.
5. The LORD spoke to me again: 6. Because this people has refused the waters of Shiloah that flow gently, and melt in fear before Rezin and the son of Remaliah; 7. therefore, the Lord is bringing up against it the mighty flood waters of the River, the king of Assyria and all his glory; it will rise above all its channels and overflow all its banks; 8. it will sweep on into Judah as a flood, and, pouring over, it will reach up to the neck; and its outspread wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel.
(Book of Prophets Isaiah Chapter 8 verses 5 to 8)
Oh God when we refuse You in our lives, we are liable to face the consequences of our actions. When considering that we are part of society, our actions both good and bad may have consequences on more than one person. Even though You love us oh God, others may feel threatened, hurt or angry at us and react against us as in the case of the King of Assyria.
9. Band together, you peoples, and be dismayed; listen, all you far countries; gird yourselves and be dismayed; gird yourselves and be dismayed!
(Book of Prophets Isaiah Chapter 8 verse 9)
Today oh God You are saying the same thing to us. As a universal nation, You are calling us to humble ourselves and repent. There might not be time left. You want to welcome us into Your arms oh God my Father. Please, world do not miss out on this offer turn away, from your ways and seek repentance and reconciliation with God. As a sinner who is also in need of repentance in the name of all people, I raise this prayer oh God. Amen.
10. Take counsel together, but it shall be brought to naught; speak a word, but it will not stand, for God is with us.
(Book of Prophets Isaiah Chapter 8 verse 10)
Oh God when we seek our own counsel or that of our friends or people in the major professions instead or in addition with that of Yours and Your divine message, our counsel will truly stand to nothing, however if we face the world with Your Spirit and attitude, our perception of You and the world will be more positive, Moreover, if by discernment we realise Your will in all situations our life will be more positive and holy.
11. For the LORD spoke thus to me while his hand was strong upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: 12. Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what it fears, or be in dread.
(Book of Prophets Chapter 8 verses 11 to 12)
Oh God my Father today years after You are still asking or ordering us in love not to follow the ways of the world and its values which are totally different from Your values which are more positive and free from delusion and sin. The world promises comfort in riches and fame which often leads its followers to an empty life which may result in depression leading to suicide.
13. But the LORD of hosts, him you shall regard as holy; let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. 14. He will become a sanctuary, a stone one strikes against; for both houses of Israel he will become a rock one stumbles over-a trap and a snare for the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 15. And many among them shall stumble; they shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken.
(Book of Prophets Chapter 8 verses 13 to 15)
Oh God my Fathe, for those who seek You in faith and humility, You are their security and refuge, however for those who are against You, they will find You as a stumbling block in their sinful ways on which they will fall and be harmed.
16. Bind up the testimony, seal the teaching among my disciples. 17. I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him.
(Book of Prophets Chapter 8 verses 16 to 17)
Oh God my Father ever since the time of the Prophet Isaiah through these people You ordered that Your verbal messages be written and documented. This alone is enough evidence to show that Your message is inspired by You, Holy and Divine and is not the fruit of intelligence. However oh God, Your message as found in the Bible is a living message that is to be sealed and applied among us believers and not only sealed as in book- binding. The glue that keeps the pages together is Your love and power of Your Holy Spirit. Amen.
18. See, I and the children whom the LORD of hosts has given me are signs and portents in Israel from the LORD of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion. 19. Now if people say to you, "Consult the ghosts and the familiar spirits that chirp and mutter; should not a people consult their gods, the dead on behalf of the living, 20. for teaching and for instruction?" surely those who speak like this will have no dawn!
(Book of Prophets Chapter 8 verses 18 to 20)
Oh God on the same line of thought as the prophet, the reasoning holds, that if those of us communicate with spirits who are themselves in need of help as in prayers of intercession for the salvation of their souls from the fires of hell, as Christians it is proper for us to worship the one and only living God, who loves and cares for us, and who can help us in all areas of our lives!
21. They will pass through the land, greatly distressed and hungry; when they are hungry, they will be enraged and will curse their king and their gods. They will turn their faces upward, 22. or they will look to the earth, but will see only distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish; and they will be thrust into thick darkness.
(Book of Prophets Chapter 8 verses 21 to 22)
Oh God, when we have neglected You and Your ways we end up deeply distressed and maybe even deeply depressed, for neither the world or our idols can bring us the much-needed peace love and care that You can give us. When being in such situations we are already experiencing the feelings of being in hell even though we may be still living or existing on earth.
Oh God my Father I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer:
Oh God, I pray for those of us who are feeling lonely and depressed. I also pray for those who have willfully decided to be the Gods of their own life. They experience no fulfillment, for it is only from You that we can find our fulfillment love and care. I also wish to include in my prayers those who have felt so on the edge of their lives, that they sought the help of Satan either directly or by means of mediums, uiga boards, fortune tellers and other negative means. I pray for their healing from the bondage of evil. Have mercy oh God and lead them with their heads raised high over their situations of bondage and depression Amen.
3. And I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son. Then the LO?RD said to me, Name him Maher-shalal-hash-baz; 4. for before the child knows how to call "My father" or "My mother,"the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away by the king of Assyria.
(Book of Prophets Isaiah Chapter 8 verses 3 to 4)
Oh God, You are faithful in Your ways. In order to give us signs by which to lead our lives, You perform acts such as that of the two prophets, whose lives were dedicated to You, to have intercourse and bear a child that had been based according to the previous prophecy. Although we may show a lack of agreement with such acts, when interpreting them according to Your will they make a lot of sense. When priests abuse children and have unfaithful relations with women, this is a reflection of an unfaithful, society that is also abusive of minors and being unfaithful in marriage and other areas of life. The priests are prophets of our times, reflecting a reality that is happening under our very noses.
5. The LORD spoke to me again: 6. Because this people has refused the waters of Shiloah that flow gently, and melt in fear before Rezin and the son of Remaliah; 7. therefore, the Lord is bringing up against it the mighty flood waters of the River, the king of Assyria and all his glory; it will rise above all its channels and overflow all its banks; 8. it will sweep on into Judah as a flood, and, pouring over, it will reach up to the neck; and its outspread wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel.
(Book of Prophets Isaiah Chapter 8 verses 5 to 8)
Oh God when we refuse You in our lives, we are liable to face the consequences of our actions. When considering that we are part of society, our actions both good and bad may have consequences on more than one person. Even though You love us oh God, others may feel threatened, hurt or angry at us and react against us as in the case of the King of Assyria.
9. Band together, you peoples, and be dismayed; listen, all you far countries; gird yourselves and be dismayed; gird yourselves and be dismayed!
(Book of Prophets Isaiah Chapter 8 verse 9)
Today oh God You are saying the same thing to us. As a universal nation, You are calling us to humble ourselves and repent. There might not be time left. You want to welcome us into Your arms oh God my Father. Please, world do not miss out on this offer turn away, from your ways and seek repentance and reconciliation with God. As a sinner who is also in need of repentance in the name of all people, I raise this prayer oh God. Amen.
10. Take counsel together, but it shall be brought to naught; speak a word, but it will not stand, for God is with us.
(Book of Prophets Isaiah Chapter 8 verse 10)
Oh God when we seek our own counsel or that of our friends or people in the major professions instead or in addition with that of Yours and Your divine message, our counsel will truly stand to nothing, however if we face the world with Your Spirit and attitude, our perception of You and the world will be more positive, Moreover, if by discernment we realise Your will in all situations our life will be more positive and holy.
11. For the LORD spoke thus to me while his hand was strong upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: 12. Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what it fears, or be in dread.
(Book of Prophets Chapter 8 verses 11 to 12)
Oh God my Father today years after You are still asking or ordering us in love not to follow the ways of the world and its values which are totally different from Your values which are more positive and free from delusion and sin. The world promises comfort in riches and fame which often leads its followers to an empty life which may result in depression leading to suicide.
13. But the LORD of hosts, him you shall regard as holy; let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. 14. He will become a sanctuary, a stone one strikes against; for both houses of Israel he will become a rock one stumbles over-a trap and a snare for the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 15. And many among them shall stumble; they shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken.
(Book of Prophets Chapter 8 verses 13 to 15)
Oh God my Fathe, for those who seek You in faith and humility, You are their security and refuge, however for those who are against You, they will find You as a stumbling block in their sinful ways on which they will fall and be harmed.
16. Bind up the testimony, seal the teaching among my disciples. 17. I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him.
(Book of Prophets Chapter 8 verses 16 to 17)
Oh God my Father ever since the time of the Prophet Isaiah through these people You ordered that Your verbal messages be written and documented. This alone is enough evidence to show that Your message is inspired by You, Holy and Divine and is not the fruit of intelligence. However oh God, Your message as found in the Bible is a living message that is to be sealed and applied among us believers and not only sealed as in book- binding. The glue that keeps the pages together is Your love and power of Your Holy Spirit. Amen.
18. See, I and the children whom the LORD of hosts has given me are signs and portents in Israel from the LORD of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion. 19. Now if people say to you, "Consult the ghosts and the familiar spirits that chirp and mutter; should not a people consult their gods, the dead on behalf of the living, 20. for teaching and for instruction?" surely those who speak like this will have no dawn!
(Book of Prophets Chapter 8 verses 18 to 20)
Oh God on the same line of thought as the prophet, the reasoning holds, that if those of us communicate with spirits who are themselves in need of help as in prayers of intercession for the salvation of their souls from the fires of hell, as Christians it is proper for us to worship the one and only living God, who loves and cares for us, and who can help us in all areas of our lives!
21. They will pass through the land, greatly distressed and hungry; when they are hungry, they will be enraged and will curse their king and their gods. They will turn their faces upward, 22. or they will look to the earth, but will see only distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish; and they will be thrust into thick darkness.
(Book of Prophets Chapter 8 verses 21 to 22)
Oh God, when we have neglected You and Your ways we end up deeply distressed and maybe even deeply depressed, for neither the world or our idols can bring us the much-needed peace love and care that You can give us. When being in such situations we are already experiencing the feelings of being in hell even though we may be still living or existing on earth.
Oh God my Father I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer:
Oh God, I pray for those of us who are feeling lonely and depressed. I also pray for those who have willfully decided to be the Gods of their own life. They experience no fulfillment, for it is only from You that we can find our fulfillment love and care. I also wish to include in my prayers those who have felt so on the edge of their lives, that they sought the help of Satan either directly or by means of mediums, uiga boards, fortune tellers and other negative means. I pray for their healing from the bondage of evil. Have mercy oh God and lead them with their heads raised high over their situations of bondage and depression Amen.
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