Isaiah — Chapter 8

Take thee a great book, and write in it with a man's pen: Take away the spoils with speed, make haste to take the prey. God commands Isaiah to write the prophetic name 'Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz' in large public letters ('with a man's pen' = in ordinary script, clearly legible to all) as a public and lasting testimony that can be checked against the future; the large scroll to be sealed and kept as a prophetic record.

And I went to the prophetess, and she conceived, and bore a son. Lapide argues at length against the view (held by Jewish commentators, R. Victor, Thomas, Chrysostom, Vatablus, Forerius) that this is Isaiah's wife. He follows Jerome, Cyril, Basil, Augustine, Ambrose, and others who identify the 'prophetissa' as the Blessed Virgin, seen in prophetic vision. Five arguments: (1) the child in chs.7-8 is the same Emmanuel; (2) v.8 directly calls him Emmanuel; (3) the Septuagint says the child will 'take' the strength of Damascus (proper to Christ alone); (4) the timeline doesn't fit Isaiah's biological son; (5) the mother must be a virgo-prophetissa as in ch.7. The vision was imaginative: Isaiah did not physically approach a woman but saw this in prophetic vision.

For before the child know to call his father and his mother, the strength of Damascus shall be taken away. The Assyrian devastation of Syria and Samaria will occur before the child reaches the age of speaking (infancy). Fulfilled 3-4 years after the prophecy when Tiglath-Pileser destroyed Damascus and began ravaging Samaria.

Because this people hath cast away the waters of Siloe, that go with silence. Siloam's gentle waters = the Davidic dynasty's rule under God's gentle governance; also, the gentle waters of faith and divine instruction. The people's rejection of this quiet gift (preferring the noise of Rasin and Pekah) is the cause of God sending the Euphrates's floods.

Therefore behold the Lord will bring upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, the king of the Assyrians, and all his glory. The Euphrates = the Assyrian king with his vast army, who will flood over his banks and inundate Judah up to the neck. The neck = Jerusalem (the capital), which will be nearly submerged but not fully destroyed (unlike Syria and Samaria).

And it shall pass through Judah, overflowing, and going over shall reach even to the neck. And the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Emmanuel. The direct address to 'Emmanuel' (= Christ) — the flood can only reach the neck because Emmanuel dwells in this land; its ultimate protection rests not on military strength but on the Messianic promises. Lapide: this is one of the strongest proofs that the Emmanuel of ch.7-8 is Christ, not Isaiah's son.

Gather yourselves together, O ye people, and be overcome; and give ear, all ye far countries; strengthen yourselves, and be overcome; gird yourselves, and be overcome. Lapide reads this ironically as a challenge to all the nations that conspire against God's people: conspire, confederate — you will be shattered. \"Inite consilium et dissipabitur\" — every counsel against God's Church is dissolved. \"Nobiscum Deus\" (v.10) = the Name Emmanuel restated.

For the Lord spoke thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me not to walk in the way of this people. God grips Isaiah's hand forcefully in vision, urging him not to follow 'the way of this people' = their fear of Rasin/Pekah rather than God. Applied secondarily to Christians called not to follow worldly reasoning, political calculation, or craven fear.

The Lord of hosts himself, sanctify him: and he shall be your fear, and he shall be your dread. 'Sanctify' = treat as holy, regard with reverence. God Himself (the Lord of hosts) is to be feared and dreaded — not human enemies. He alone is the source of true security and true terror.

And he shall be a sanctification to you. But for a stone of stumbling, and for a rock of offence to the two houses of Israel. Christ will be simultaneously: (1) a sanctification to those who fear God; and (2) a stone of stumbling and scandal to the two houses of Israel (Judah and the Northern Kingdom). Peter quotes this in 1 Pet.2:8; Paul in Rom.9:33. Both 'houses' stumble: the northern kingdom over Jeroboam's schism; Judah over its rejection of Christ.

Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples. Isaiah seals his prophetic testimony among his disciples, to be preserved for later verification. This prefigures Christ sealing His words with His disciples who would transmit them to the Church.

Behold I and my children, whom the Lord hath given me for a sign and for a wonder in Israel. Isaiah and his symbolically-named sons (Shear-Jasub = 'remnant shall return'; Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz = 'quick to plunder') are walking prophecies for Israel. Paul applies this verse in Heb.2:13 to Christ and His spiritual children (the faithful).

And when they shall say to you: Seek of pythons, and of diviners, who mutter in their enchantments. The people seek oracles from the dead through pythons/necromancers rather than from God. Lapide's long treatment of divination and consultation of the dead: absolutely forbidden by Scripture and natural reason (the devil may simulate the voices of the dead but cannot truly animate them); those who turn to pythons rather than God are denying their own divine sonship.

To the law rather, and to the testimony. And if they speak not according to this word, they shall not have the morning light. The law and testimony = Scripture as the only reliable guide. 'Morning light' = the light of eternal life; those who consult demons rather than Scripture are walking in darkness. Applied against all heretics who depart from the rule of Scripture and Tradition.