Isaiah 8:20

Isaiah 8:20

To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

a. NLT: Look to God’s instructions and teachings! People who contradict his word are completely in the dark.

b. NIV: Consult God’s instruction and the testimony of warning. If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.

c. YLT: To the law and to the testimony! If not, let them say after this manner, 'That there is no dawn to it.'

d. Amplified Bible Classic: [Direct such people] to the teaching and to the testimony! If their teachings are not in accord with this word, it is surely because there is no dawn and no morning for them.

e. Septuagint: For he has given the law for a help, that they should not speak according to this word, concerning which there are no gifts to give for it.

f. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: [I swear] by the Torah and the teaching that they will make this statement to you, which has no light of dawn

1. “To the law and to the testimony…”

a. the law [8451 *  towrah; or torah] [Strong: from 3384; a precept or statute, especially the Decalogue or Pentateuch:--law.]

b. the testimony [8584 * t`uwdah] [Strong: from 5749; attestation, i.e. a precept, usage:--testimony.]

1). Both terms mentioned in this verse, the law and the testimony refer to God’s word.

a). Psalm 119:97-99 O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.

119:98 Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.

119:99 I have more understanding than my teachers: for thy testimonies.

2.  “…if they speak not according to this word…”

a. if they speak [559 * 'amar] [Strong: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech), utter, X verily, X yet.]

b. not according to this word [1697 * dabar] [Strong: from 1696; a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause:--act, advice, affair, answer, X any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, + chronicles, commandment, X commune(-ication), + concern(-ing), + confer, counsel, + dearth, decree, deed, X disease, due, duty, effect, + eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-)ness, + glory, + harm, hurt, + iniquity, + judgment, language, + lying, manner, matter, message, (no) thing, oracle, X ought, X parts, + pertaining, + please, portion, + power, promise, provision, purpose, question, rate, reason, report, request, X (as hast) said, sake, saying, sentence, + sign, + so, some (uncleanness), somewhat to say, + song, speech, X spoken, talk, task, + that, X there done, thing (concerning), thought, + thus, tidings, what(-soever), + wherewith, which, word, work.]

1). What word? The law or the testimony, which is of course the word of God. In the book of Psalms we see David’s godly submissive attitude toward the word of God.

a). Psalms 119:128 Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.

b). Put together David is saying this: He considered everything that the Scriptures say about everything to be correct and to veer away from that attitude is a false way and David hated it and this is the attitude we should have also.

2). In Romans the Apostle Paul writing under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost spelled out further a believers godly attitude toward the word of God compared with the word of man.

a). Romans 3:3, 4 For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?

3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightiest be justified in thy sayings, and mightiest overcome when thou art judged.

3). In the book of Numbers we find another good word on the authority of Scripture. God put this word in Balaam’s mouth when he was going to meet Balak and it also is the attitude we should have toward God’s word.

a). Numbers 23:19 God is not a man that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

4). These verses are components of a Bible believer’s attitude toward God’s word. We are to continually guard our heart and mind with them. In the book of Romans the Apostle Paul give us some very practical wisdom about bringing our thought life in line with God’s word.

a). 2 Corinthians 10:4, 5 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

b). Strong holds are thought processes, imaginations that we allow to be higher in our lives than the word of God, they are thoughts and and instructions that throw doubt on the word of God. Statements such as, “Yes, its in the Bible but its not true.” In 2 Corinthians 10:4, 5 the Holy Ghost is saying we are to pull them down and destroy them. Force every thought that we think to be in obedience with God’s word.

3.  “…it is because there is no light in them.”

a. it is because there is no light [7837 * shachar][Strong: dawn (literal, figurative or adverbial):--day(-spring), early, light, morning, whence riseth.]

1). In the previous verse Isaiah had warned them not to listen to those around you if they tell you to do something completely opposite of God’s word.

a). Isaiah 8:19 And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?

b). When folks tell you to listen to demon spirits when God’s word clearly tells you not to do it, those same folks have no light in them.

2). In this context he is speaking of the light of the revelation of the knowledge of God.

a). 2 Peter 1:19-21 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shinneth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation.

1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

b). 2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in out hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

3). Jeremiah says it really well.

a). Jeremiah 8:9 The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them?

b). This is the vital attitude of the Bible believer towards God’s word. If they reject what the Scriptures say, it is because they have no light in them.