Reference links:
Old Testament
Isaiah, in his chat’s with the Lord, decides to write Maher-shalal-hash-baz on a signboard. According to the footnote, that means “swift to plunder and quick to carry away”. For some reason, he seems to think this significant that he got two honest men to witness this event. Isaiah the goes on to name his son Maher-shalal-hash-baz as a sign of the impending doom of Damascus and Samaria.
In any case, Isaiah then predicts that Judah will be overwhelmed with a mighty flood, covering the land chin deep. Except for the flood’s not really a flood. It’s a metaphor for the king of Assyria.
Isaiah has been warned to fear the Lord, but for those of Israel and Judah who do not heed that warning, the Lord
will be a stone that makes people stumble,
a rock that makes them fall.
And for the people of Jerusalem
he will be a trap and a snare.
there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory.
The people who walk in darkness
will see a great light.
For those who live in a land of deep darkness,
a light will shine.
You will enlarge the nation of Israel,
and its people will rejoice.
They will rejoice before you
as people rejoice at the harvest
and like warriors dividing the plunder.
For you will break the yoke of their slavery
and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders.
You will break the oppressor’s rod,
just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian.
The boots of the warrior
and the uniforms bloodstained by war
will all be burned.
They will be fuel for the fire.For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His government and its peace
will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David
for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
will make this happen!
As we probably all know by now, this is considered by Christians to be a prophecy about Jesus. I suppose so, if you take the bit about governing to be metaphorical and ignore the fact that he was not accepted as the Messiah for the Jews. Also, you have to take into account the fact that the authors of the New Testament had reference to the Old Testament and could work their details to fit the specifics of Isaiah’s prophecy. But other than that it’s completely convincing.
Then a bit more about anger and punishment and all that good stuff.
Paul continues his boasting. He shares, with no detail, a vision he had of God where he was taken up to the “third heaven”, whatever that is. Paul then goes on about how God’s grace works better in his weakness than in strength, so Paul is glad to be weak.
Psalms and Proverbs
Wealth is fleeting, don’t wear yourself out trying to get it.