Neville Goddard on Isaiah 8:1-18 - Mystical Bible Interpretation

Read Isaiah 8 in context

Scripture Focus

1Moreover the LORD said unto me, Take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man's pen concerning Mahershalalhashbaz.

2And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.

3And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son. Then said the LORD to me, Call his name Mahershalalhashbaz.

4For before the child shall have knowledge to cry, My father, and my mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the king of Assyria.

5The LORD spake also unto me again, saying,

6Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah's son;

7Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks:

8And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.

9Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces.

10Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.

11For the LORD spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying,

12Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.

13Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.

14And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

15And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.

16Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.

17And I will wait upon the LORD, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.

18Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.

Isaiah 8:1-18

Biblical Context

The LORD tells the prophet to write a symbolic name and summon faithful witnesses. He then describes looming upheaval near Judah and calls the people to sanctify the LORD, promising Immanuel as sanctuary amid the storm.

Neville's Inner Vision

To the ear that hears as consciousness, this chapter is not history but your own mind awakening. The great roll and the man's pen are the canvas upon which you inscribe your present state. Mahershalalhashbaz, a name that shakes with meaning, stands for conditions that seem outwardly unstoppable, yet they are but the outer weather of your inner climate. The witnesses Uriah and Zechariah are your inner discerners, recording movements of belief. The child born of the prophetess voices a new phase of awareness; before it can cry, the riches of Damascus and spoil of Samaria are taken away—your old riches and old boasts lose their pull as you yield to a deeper reality. The waters of Shiloah that go softly symbolize truth flowing gently when you stop insisting on struggle. The coming flood, the king of Assyria, is your imagined fear; yet 'God is with us' is the constant anchor. Sanctify the LORD of hosts within; let him be your fear and your sanctuary. You are the sign and wonder in your own life, waiting for the Lord to reveal himself again.

Practice This Now

Practice: Close your eyes and assume the role of the inner witness who writes the roll; declare, 'I am Immanuel within me now,' and feel that steady safety as outer storms fade. Then, in imagination, inscribe a personal symbol of a transforming belief and let the feeling 'God is with me' govern your next moment.