Isaiah 8:5

Isaiah 8:5 says, The Lord spake also unto me again, saying,  As He did with Isaiah, God doesn’t just talk with us once, but He continues to talk with us if we listen.   

Verse six adds, Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah's son;  This refers to the fact that the people of Judah were not satisfied with what God had provided for them but wanted something greater, comparing the river through Jerusalem which was small and peaceful to the Euphrates River, which was big and somewhat dangerous.  We as followers of Christ should be satisfied with what God provides for us and it should bring us peace, but often we want more, even if it is dangerous to our faith in God.   

Verse seven continues, Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks:  Since the people were not satisfied with what God had provided and the peace He brought to them, He was going to remove His protection from them.  Then, He was going to allow the nation of Assyria to defeat them, comparing them to a mighty river that would wash over them.  If we stop putting our faith in God, for whatever reason, we place ourselves in danger of having our spiritual life defeated by the world, even though as Christians we are still a part of God’s family.   

Verse eight concludes, And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.  Isaiah said that God had warned that the nation of Assyria would completely overflow Judah, to the neck, or Jerusalem, but it would not fall, since it was God’s holy city and He would protect it.  There would be no safe place for them.  If we stop relying on the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we as followers of Christ may have our spiritual lives totally subjected to the views of the world, but if we are truly a believer in Christ, we will never be totally defeated spiritually.    

Verse nine states, Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces.  Now, Isaiah returns to the present distress that Ahaz was in.  The people were called on to unite in going against the enemy and to be prepared for the fight by girding themselves in their armor.  We as Christians today must be united in serving God and prepared for the spiritual battles we will face by putting on the whole armor of God.   Still, Isaiah said that even if the people of Judah professed to be following God but didn’t really put their faith in Him, even if they seemed ready for battle, they were going to fall.  If we are only giving lip service to God, we are likewise going to be subject to fall in our spiritual life.   

Verse ten adds, Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.  The people were called on to counsel together, and this defeat would not last forever, because God was with those who believed in Him.  Matthew Henry points out that ‘God is with us' is the meaning of Immanuel, which refers to Jesus Christ.  Even if the people of Judah were overrun physically, as long as they remained faithful to God, their victory was assured when Jesus Christ would come to redeem all who had put their faith in God and the coming Messiah.  No matter what happens to us as Christians today in this world, we are forever saved by our faith in Jesus Christ.