Free group study handout
Isaiah 8: Group Study Handout
How to use: read Isaiah 8 aloud together, then take the questions in order. One page is enough for an evening.
Overview
Yahweh commands Isaiah to write 'For Maher Shalal Hash Baz' on a large tablet (vv. 1-2). Isaiah's son is born, and Yahweh reveals that before the child can speak, the riches of Damascus and Samaria will be taken by Assyria (vv.
Key verse
“Wrap up the testimony. Seal the law among my disciples.”
Isaiah 8:16 (WEB)
Outline
- Isaiah 8:1–4 The Birth of Maher Shalal Hash Baz
- Isaiah 8:5–10 The Coming Invasion
- Isaiah 8:11–15 Fear and Respect
- Isaiah 8:16–18 Sealing the Testimony
- Isaiah 8:19–22 Consulting the Dead
Discussion questions
- In v1, why does Yahweh instruct Isaiah to write 'For Maher Shalal Hash Baz' on a large tablet?
- What does Isaiah do in v3 after receiving the name for his son?
- The phrase 'the stretching out of its wings' in v8: what imagery is used to describe the Assyrian threat?
- In v14, why is Yahweh described as a 'sanctuary' and also a 'trap' for the inhabitants of Jerusalem?
- When have you turned to sources other than God for guidance, as mentioned in v19?
Go deeper
Passages that echo Isaiah 8: Psalm 33, Isaiah 7, Psalm 46.
Before next time: read Isaiah 9.