Gentle Giant

Isaiah 8Dr. Joseph Chang

5/18/2014

I. A True Giant Is Here1The LORD said to me, "Take a large scroll and write on it with an ordinary pen: Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz. 2And I will call in Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah as reliable witnesses for me." 3Then I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and gave birth to a son. And the LORD said to me, "Name him Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz. 4Before the boy knows how to say 'My father' or 'My mother,' the wealth of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria will be carried off by the king of Assyria." (Isa 8:1-4)

The Syro-Ephraimite War亞蘭 -以色列戰爭734 B.C.

• A. Two Witnesses• 1. Uriah the Priest• 2. Zechariah son of Jeberrekiah

• B. Isaiah + Virgin Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz

• This child’s name = Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz = zB; vx' ll'v' rhem;

• quick to the plunder, swift to the spoil.

• 734 B.C., Isaiah prophesied• 732 B.C., Damascus destroyed—2 yrs later• 732 B.C., Many from Ephraim deported to Assyria, Pekah killed.• 29In the time of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-Pileser king of

Assyria came and took Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh and Hazor. He took Gilead and Galilee, including all the land of Naphtali, and deported the people to Assyria. 30Then Hoshea son of Elah conspired against Pekah son of Remaliah. He attacked and assassinated him, and then succeeded him as king in the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah. (2King 15:29-30)

II. Enjoy the gentleness of the giant, but never despise Him.

• 5The LORD spoke to me again: 6"Because this people has rejected the gently flowing waters of Shiloah and rejoices over Rezin and the son of Remaliah, 7therefore the Lord is about to bring against them the mighty floodwaters of the River -- the king of Assyria with all his pomp. It will overflow all its channels, run over all its banks 8and sweep on into Judah, swirling over it, passing through it and reaching up to the neck. Its outspread wings will cover the breadth of your land, O Immanuel!”

II. Enjoy the gentleness of the giant, but never despise Him.

• 9Raise the war cry, you nations, and be shattered! Listen, all you distant lands. Prepare for battle, and be shattered! Prepare for battle, and be shattered! 10Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted; propose your plan, but it will not stand, for God is with us. (Isa 8:5-10)

• Gentle flowing waters of Shiloah/西羅亞緩流的水 .• Rezin and Pekah/利汛和比加 .• Mighty floodwaters of the River- the king of

Assyria with all his pomp.大河翻騰的水—就是亞述王和他所有的威勢 .

• When God roars, the nations roll. 當神呼叫的時候 , 列邦顫抖 .

• God is always Immanuel to his people. 神永遠是他子民的以馬內利 .

Heavenly Father’s Love (Luke 15:11-24)

• 11Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. 12The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them. 13"Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.

Heavenly Father’s Love (Luke 15:11-24)

• 15So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. 17"When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’

Heavenly Father’s Love (Luke 15:11-24)

• 20So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' 22"But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. 24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate. (Luke 15:11-24)

Heavenly Father’s Love

• He is a gentle giant, even baby can lean on him.

• He is able to protect us, for He is our father.• He respect us and will not force upon us.• He is waiting to help us, if only we allow Him.

III. Correct Attitude

• A. Don’t be afraid of man (vv. 11-12)• 11The LORD spoke to me with his strong hand

upon me, warning me not to follow the way of this people. He said: 12"Do not call conspiracy everything that these people call conspiracy; do not fear what they fear, and do not dread it. (Isa 8:11-12)

III. Correct Attitude

• B. Be afraid of God (v. 13)• 13The LORD Almighty is the one you are to

regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread, (Isa 8:13)

III. Correct Attitude

• C. We need to share this message of “Stumbling Block” (vv. 14-15, 20).

• 14and he will be a sanctuary; but for both houses of Israel he will be a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall. And for the people of Jerusalem he will be a trap and a snare. 15Many of them will stumble; they will fall and be broken, they will be snared and captured." . . . 20To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn. (Isa 8:14-15, 20)

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