“Then I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son. Then the LORD said to me, “Call his name Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz; “for before the child shall have knowledge to cry ‘My father’ and ‘My mother,’ the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be taken away before the king of Assyria.” ” Isaiah 8:3-4 (NKJV)
Isaiah was in a strange position. The beginning of chapter 8 is the Lord telling Isaiah to take a pen and write a name (the name he later gives to the son born to him by the prophetess). Then he calls the priest and Zachariah as reliable witnesses. Next, we have the two verses above. I know the Bible has some timeline “gaps” according to my way of thinking, but this is very strange.
The Bible doesn’t tell us the prophetess’ name although it is clear that she was the wife of Isaiah. The name of the child means destruction is imminent. God was using this child as a sign to his people that their destruction was to be very soon.
Isaiah called his wife a prophetess. This could refer to the fact that he was a prophet and she gained the title of prophetess by virtue of being his wife. Or it could be that she was used by God as a prophetess. It is clear that the Lord was using the child of their union as a clear warning to the people of God that judgment was upon them.
What can I learn from the prophetess? No matter how bleak the circumstances seem to be, I can trust that God will be with us. She was giving a living testimony that God’s judgment was soon to come to the children of Israel, yet she was able to carry a child for 9 months and then tenderly care for the child, as only a mother can. She watched the child grow up, teaching him to keep his eyes focused upon God and not mankind.
Listen to Rosemary Seimens as she sings “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.”
Published on MyBibleRoom.com 3/18/25, 6:00 am