.8:11-22.

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Judah rejects Isaiah’s preaching (Isa 8:11-22)

Once again God reminds Isaiah to trust in him alone. Isaiah is not to follow Ahaz and the people, whether in fearing the Israelite-Syrian alliance or in trusting in Judah’s alliance with Assyria (Isa 8:11-12).

God should be the means of Judah’s safety; but if the people do not trust in him they will find that he is the means of their destruction (Isa 8:13-15).

When neither the king nor the people heed the messages he brings them from God, Isaiah ceases his public preaching for a time. He concentrates instead on building up the faith of the few who believe God and who will be preserved through the coming judgment. They will guard and preserve the teaching that God has delivered to his people through Isaiah (Isa 8:16-17; cf. Isa 6:13).

This reminds Isaiah of the truth of the signs that God gave to Judah through him and his sons. The elder son, Shearjashub (meaning ‘a remnant shall return’), speaks of judgment on Judah from which only the faithful few will be saved.

The younger son, Maher-shalal-hash-baz (meaning ‘the spoil hastens, the plunder comes quickly’), suggests that Assyria will invade and plunder not only Israel and Syria, but also Judah (Isa 8:18; cf. Isa 7:3; 8:1-4).

Nothing but terrifying judgment awaits a people who have turned from God and his teaching to practise witchcraft and spiritism (Isa 8:19-22).