NOTES for Isa 8:2-13

People are always afraid of both visible dangers and, especially, invisible ones. Panic fear is an attempt by the psyche to escape from real unresolved problems, and here there is always some conspiracy theory “at hand”: communist, imperialist, Judeo-Masonic, Wahhabi, or any other. On the one hand, a person stops looking for the causes of his troubles in himself, which is psychologically very comfortable; on the other hand, this is very profitable for real rulers, without any “conspiracies,” because a frightened person is very easy to govern.

God offers the perfect “medicine for fear.” There is one most real Ruler, Almighty and All-seeing, and at the same time Invisible and Incomprehensible. Whom can one fear if not Him? Whom else should one obey? But He is precisely the One who says: “Do not fear and do not be afraid.”

People are always afraid of the visible dangers, and particularly - of theinvisible. The panic fear is a result of the aspiration of the psyche to avoidreal unsolved problems, and here always appears "at hand" some kindof confederacy - a communist, an imperialist, masonic, wahhabit etc. On onehand, man stops looking for the reasons of his troubles in himself, what ispsychologically very comfortable; on the other hand, such a situation is very advantageous(without any "confederacy") to the real potentate, because a frightenedman is very easy to manipulate.

Godproposes a perfect "medicine against the fear ". There is only onereal Master, Almighty and All-seeing, - and, at the same time invisible andinconceivable. Whom can we then be afraid of, if not Him? Who else again tolisten to? But He just says: "neither fear,nor be afraid".

The prophet and the prophetess come together, and their child becomes a living witness to the prophetic word. What is written on a scroll can be ignored if one wishes, but it is hard to resist a prophecy fixed in the name of a child living nearby.

As a rebuke to the people, the Lord set their disregard for the quiet waters of Siloam, the pool where washing was performed. Several centuries later, Jesus would send the man born blind whom He had healed to wash there. But people too often stop not only valuing but even noticing what is constantly near them. Old familiar truths begin to seem banal; people want something sharper. And so the inhabitants of the Promised Land were drawn to exotic carrion that looked fresh, to pagan ideas and morals. Very well, soon all the fruits of paganism, like the quail in the Sinai wilderness long before, together with the Assyrian hordes, will fall upon those who waited for them and called them down, and will force them to swallow more than they can bear.

But the prophet emphasizes that those who turn away from the Lord are turning away from the source of life. The words saying that one does not ask the dead about the living are severe, and they make us remember the words heard several centuries later: let the dead bury their dead. But precisely because the Lord offers life and intends to scatter the thickening darkness, He warns of the dangers of false roads, roads that seem attractive but lead to death.

Faced with a military threat, Judah found itself before a political choice: either to make an alliance with Syria and Samaria against Assyria, or the reverse. Having sided with the Assyrians, King Ahaz awaits an attack from the north. But the prophet reminds him that the Lord is the true ruler of history, and that it is with Him that an alliance must be made.

And we too, when we find ourselves in a difficult situation, often do not know whom to turn to for help. But if we have already made a covenant with God, should we not turn to Him first of all?