(August 2, 2013)
Chapter 17 has possibly the most famous of Isaiah’s prophecies. I have, in the past, been impressed by how clearly the language of the Lord’s sign stands out from the remainder of the text. It practically leaps from the page and demands attention whenever I reach that point. It is clear that this prophecy of Isaiah carries with it a magnificent and potent Spirit.
This time, however, when I read it I tried to look beyond the Spirit of the message to read the actual text (in order to prove a point to myself). Reading the text without the benefit of the Spirit, it leads to a remarkably different interpretation. It would appear to a listener or reader without the Spirit that Isaiah was prophesying that this Child would be born (or, at least, conceived) almost immediately and in only a few short years both Israel and Judah would be bereft of their kings.
Obviously this prophecy was not meant to be read that way, but I went through this exercise to remind myself how important the Spirit is when I am reading and interpreting the scriptures. What I read (and, consequently, what I write) is only as valuable as I am in tune with the Spirit – no clever interpretations will draw me closer to the Lord. I read and apply my God-given intelligence to the best of my abilities, but it is no substitute for Divine instruction.
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