Page 22 - Isaiah Student Worktext

V. 23-25 indicates that what used to be productive ground will be covered with briers and thorns, which
is repeated 3 times. The point is clear: this land won’t be productive for generations.

Chapter 8 Main Idea: People travel to their eternal destiny by two paths:
one of light and one of darkness.

A famous poet American poet, Robert Frost wrote probably his most famous poem
a little over 100 years ago. It was entitled ‘The Road Not Taken’, which is about a
walk he took in the woods, enjoying himself until he came to a fork in the road. After some indecision,
he chose to take the road ‘less traveled’.

We are often faced with difficult choices. Should I stay or should I go? Should I accept or should I
reject? Blue or green? Steak or chicken?

Jesus of course described the most important choice of all in Matthew 7: 13-14 Enter through the
narrow gate…the broad gate…leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it.

In Chapter 8 there are two ways to live our lives, woven side by side. That there is only one way is true
in the New Testament, but it was equally true in the Old Testament and today.

From Chapter 7, Ahaz chose not to accept God’s direction and made an alliance with Assyria. That’s like
a mouse, threatened by a rat, turning to a cat for assistance.

Remember that Isaiah had a son named, essentially, ‘A Remnant Shall Return’ (Shear-jashub). In the
first 4 verses we see what God instructs Isaiah to name his next son.

V. 1-4 The large scroll was so that all could see. The name is literally translated ‘Speed the Spoil, Hasten
the Booty’. Spoil and booty are riches taken after a victory…to the victor belong the spoils.

Isaiah goes to the ‘prophetess’, his wife. His wife was a prophet just as he was.

She conceived, she bore a son and was told to name him ‘Speed the Spoil, Hasten the Booty’. Then
came the prophecy: before the child knows to say mama and dada, Assyria will indeed take the spoil
and the booty.

Ahaz knew before he ever approached the alliance with Assyria that he was dealing with an evil nation,
but he chose that path anyway.

V. 5-6 Here are the two choices, the fork in the road. God offered them the waters of Shiloah, which
may have been one of the streams that fed the aqueduct we talked about last week. In any case, its
waters flow ‘softly’.

The peaceful waters were offered, but the people refused. Instead, they chose Rezin and Remaliah’s
son, the ones who started this whole mess.

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