Sabbath, November 16 – Isaiah 8, Amos 1

1. How should God’s people respond to the suggestion of consulting mediums and spiritists? (Isaiah 8:19-20)

2. Where is God’s voice heard as He pronounces judgments upon the nations? (Amos 1:2)

Commentary and Reflection:

Isaiah 8 records the prophecy of Assyria’s invasion of Judah, which the prophet was instructed to write on a large tablet. This invasion is because Judah preferred to trust in the kings of Syria and Israel rather than God. Judah “refused the waters of Shiloah” in Jerusalem, choosing instead to “rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah’s son” (the king of Syria and the northern kingdom of Israel).

Isaiah, drawing a connection with the gentle waters of Shiloah, prophesies that Assyria would come upon Judah like the flooding of a river: “Now therefore, behold, the Lord brings up over them the waters of the River, strong and mighty—the king of Assyria and all his glory” (Isaiah 8:7). This highlights the contrast between the gentle waters of Shiloah and the fierce floodwaters of Assyria. In biblical prophecy, waters often represent multitudes (Revelation 17:15).

In verses 9 and 10, God’s immediate judgments on Judah and the land at that time are referenced, as well as, in a broader sense, the final judgment, when the Lord will establish His authority over all the earth.

“Be shattered, O you peoples, and be broken in pieces!
Give ear, all you from far countries.
Gird yourselves, but be broken in pieces;
Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing;
Speak the word, but it will not stand,
For God is with us” (Isaiah 8:9-10).

“God is with us”—the meaning of “Emmanuel”—is a recurring theme in Isaiah’s prophecies, offering both assurance and warning.

The Lord calls His people to rely on His power rather than human strength. Isaiah distinguishes the faithful remnant and the rest of Israel and Jerusalem. For God’s faithful children, He is their sanctuary and refuge; for the rest, He becomes “a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense” (Isaiah 8:14).

The Lord commands that the law and testimony be bound and sealed “among my disciples” (Isaiah 8:16). He shows special care for those who trust and wait on Him amidst trials. A distinguishing mark of His disciples is their devotion to His Word and its teachings.

“Here am I and the children whom the Lord has given me!
We are for signs and wonders in Israel
From the Lord of hosts,
Who dwells in Mount Zion” (Isaiah 8:18).

The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary explains:

“As indicated by their names (see on ch. 7:14), Isaiah and his sons were ordained of God to be living signs to the people of Judah. Through them God proclaimed a vital message to His people. The name “Isaiah” means “Jehovah [will] save.” Isaiah’s name is, in fact, the theme of the book that bears his name (see p. 84). In relation to the immediate circumstances, this meant salvation from Israel, Syria, and Assyria. The name of Isaiah’s first son, Shear-jashub, means “[a] remnant [shall] return,” and that child by his very name signified to the people that a remnant would be saved. God would not at this time make a full end of Judah, as He planned to do of Israel. The name of Isaiah’s second son, Maher-shalal-hash-baz, means “Speed the spoil, hasten the prey.” This son was a constant reminder that judgment was hastening on apace and that erelong doom would fall on those who rejected God’s grace. To those who were faithful and true to Him, the child Immanuel was God’s assurance of His continued presence among them.” (SDA Bible Commentary, Isaiah 8:18)

The prophet Isaiah instructs that God’s people should not consult mediums or spiritists, clearly denouncing them as instruments of the enemy.

“And when they say to you, ‘Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,’ should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?” (Isaiah 8:19).

The Word of God is the standard and guide: “To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20). The Bible—the “law” of Moses and the “testimony” of the prophets—is the rule and measure for God’s people. Those who do not follow this counsel will encounter “trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish” (Isaiah 8:22).

Regarding the book of Amos, the Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary notes,

“The ministry of Amos, like that of Hosea, was especially in behalf of Israel, the northern kingdom of the Hebrews, though Amos does not always confine the term Israel to the northern kingdom, but occasionally includes the southern kingdom, Judah.” (SDA Bible Commentary, Amos 1:1).

As for the timing of Amos’s ministry, Zechariah refers to a significant earthquake mentioned in Amos 1:1. The historian Josephus, although not inspired, identifies this earthquake as occurring when King Uzziah boldly entered the temple to burn incense (Antiquities ix. 10. 4; cf. 2 Chronicles 26:16-21) (SDA Bible Commentary, Amos 1:1).

By His grace, may God allow us to be counted among His disciples—those who, amid trial, value and guard the teachings of His Word.