And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.
The Lord gives Himself as a safe refuge to those who set Him apart as holy and reverent, but to those who refuse Him He becomes a stumbling stone and a trap, so that many trip and collapse and are shattered and caught and carried away. This was fulfilled in a special way when the builders turned away from Christ at His first coming, the living foundation stone tried and proven able to bear every weight, precious to believers but an offense to the disobedient. To fall on that stone and be broken is to be crushed in guilt and surrendered in repentance, finding rest and strength and renewal, while to stumble over it in unbelief is to be ruined and judged. Therefore no alliance is to be formed with unbelief after the pattern of the world, but safety is found in humbling the heart, praying, uniting in love, and testing every teaching by the law and the testimony. In the last great conflict many will be ensnared and taken, even those who know the Word and teach the truth, because they turn from the light and yield to deception and lying wonders instead of holding fast to the faith studied and lived.
Setting and Meaning
Isaiah 8:15 belongs to a strong divine charge not to walk in the way of this people, not to call confederacy what the people call confederacy, and neither to fear their fear nor be afraid, but to sanctify the Lord of hosts and let Him be fear and dread. Every teaching is to be tested by the law and to the testimony, and failure to speak according to that word proves there is no light in them. This means the world is not to be the criterion in God's work, no confederacy or alliance is to be made with unbelievers who know not the truth after the manner and customs of the world, but the Lord Himself must work and the voice and orders from above must be heard and obeyed. His workers are to bear the clear-cut message of the first, second, and third angels with pen and voice, bind up the testimony and seal the law among disciples, and wait upon the Lord who hides His face from the house of Jacob and look for Him as signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts who dwells in Mount Zion. In the thickening perils of the last days this forbids making the world the criterion for institutions and councils, gathering a chosen company who think alike to carry things by supposed wisdom and worldly custom, or accepting suggestions from those who know not the character of God's work, which weaken His instrumentalities and set Christ's counsel at naught for the counsel of Ekron; instead His workers must pray for the work, keep experienced burden-bearers in counsel, and obey orders from above.
The Lord is for a sanctuary to those who sanctify Him as their fear and dread, but to both houses of Israel He is for a stone of stumbling and rock of offense and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for a gin and snare. Many among them who reject Him as sanctuary and share the people's fears and alliances instead of revering the Lord shall stumble and fall and be broken and be snared and be taken into ruin and capture. This is the consequence of turning from God's truth and opposing Him, and it calls believers to trust the Lord, remain faithful to the light and sacred landmarks He has given, and stand with Christ rather than join fearful alliances amid the gathering conflict of the last days. These things would be worked out before God's people, with some already visible. The stone is a symbol of Christ, and the prophecy had application to His first advent, with the rejected and tested temple stone representing the trials and tests Christ was to bear.
The verse continues the warning that human associating together, girding themselves, taking counsel together, and speaking the word shall be broken in pieces and come to nought because God is with His people. Many among those who associate themselves against God shall in the same way stumble and fall and be broken and snared and taken. This applies when leaders stand in the way of the work and there is disharmony among workers and things contrary to the Spirit of God, calling everyone to stand in his own lot and place.
The verse also warns that practices people may think are right can deceive and ensnare them, and those who follow such deceptive practices instead of the Lord will stumble, fall, be broken, and be caught in a snare. In the same way, people can stumble, fall, become ensnared, and be taken when God's agency is made a rock of offense through lack of spiritual discernment and criticism that distorts a message.
Christ the Sanctuary and Stone
In prophetic vision the chief cornerstone of Solomon's temple was shown to be a symbol of Christ. It was an unusually large and peculiarly shaped stone brought for the foundation, rejected by the workmen as useless, left long exposed to air and sun and storm without developing a crack, then tested by severe pressure and accepted and found an exact fit to bear great weight and to resist sun, frost, and tempest. The rejected and tested temple stone represents the trials and tests Christ was to bear.
The verse had special application at Christ's first advent, when the Jewish builders rejected Him. The stone is a symbol of Christ, and the prophecy applies to His first advent. It has a lesson for all.
Christ is a sanctuary to those who trust in Him, but to both houses of Israel a stone of stumbling and rock of offense and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem a gin and snare, so that many among them stumble and fall and are broken and snared and taken. He is the tried foundation stone, able to bear every test and every burden laid upon Him. To those who believe He is precious and a foundation-stone, but to the disobedient who stumble at the word He is a stone of stumbling and rock of offense, bringing falling and breaking.
Falling upon the Rock and being broken means being broken of guilt in repentance and surrender of self. Those who fall upon Him in repentance find relief, those who make Him their foundation rest securely, those who return to God receive spiritual strength and clearer discernment of truth, and surrender allows God to restore His image in the person. Stumbling over and rejecting the Rock brings ruin and judgment, being broken, trapped, and taken, caught in the consequences of rejection.
The failings of other believers do not excuse disloyalty to God or protect anyone from the ruin and judgment that come from refusing Him and stumbling over Christ.
Warning for the Last Days
For the sacred work the world is not to be the criterion, and no confederacy or alliance is to be made with unbelievers who know not the truth after the manner and customs of the world. Workers must not gather a chosen company who think alike to carry things by supposed wisdom and worldly custom, accept suggestions from those who know not the character of God's work, or set Christ's counsel at naught for the counsel of Ekron. Instead the Lord Himself must work, and voice and orders from above must be heard and obeyed, with prayer for the work and experienced burden-bearers kept in counsel. The charge is to bear a clear-cut message of the first, second, and third angels with pen and voice, to bind up the testimony and seal the law among disciples, to test every teaching by the law and to the testimony since failure to speak according to that word proves there is no light, and to wait upon the Lord who hides His face from the house of Jacob and look for Him who dwells in Mount Zion. Those who follow the people's way rather than sanctifying the Lord will stumble, be caught, and suffer ruin.
Safety is found in refusing to say a confederacy and refusing to fear their fear, and in sanctifying the Lord of hosts as fear and dread so that He is a sanctuary through binding up with Christ and pressing together in kindness and love. That safety comes by heart humiliation, prayer, unity, and ceasing criticism and variance. Ruin falls on the great masses who have no unity except to confederate to accomplish selfish purposes, yielding to the passion for confederation and binding themselves together in secret societies and working out the plans of the enemy, with cause followed by effect. The verse applies to the last great drama when the powers of the enemy muster for battle and stern conflicts are before us. The world as a theater prepares its part with God lost sight of, confusion and disorder are permitted for a season while God's purposes toward rebellious subjects are fulfilled, a power from beneath works with Satan coming as Christ with all deceitfulness of unrighteousness, transgression is almost at its limit, confusion fills the world, thousands of cities given to idolatry face impending destruction, great terror is soon to come, and the end is very near to break as an overwhelming surprise. These things would be worked out before God's people, with some already visible.
Amid that gathering conflict believers are called to trust the Lord and remain faithful to the light and sacred landmarks He has given. They are to stand with Christ rather than join fearful alliances. When leaders stand in the way of the work and there is disharmony among workers and things contrary to the Spirit of God, everyone is to stand in his own lot and place, for human associating, girding, counseling together, and speaking the word shall be broken in pieces and come to nought because God is with His people, while many among those who associate themselves against God shall stumble and fall and be broken and snared and taken. Satan tempts every professed believer in Christ, and many will stumble, fall, be broken, ensnared, and taken. This includes people who know God's Word, have received much light, and serve as expositors and teachers of Bible truth, and even such knowledge, light, and position will not protect those who resist God's will and the warnings of the Spirit and leave the side of the loyal and true, and their ruin is certain.
Those who reject the light and instruction given by God will stumble, fall, be broken, ensnared, and taken, for turning from God's truth and rejecting divine guidance brings these consequences. Holding fast to every principle of truth in the closing days is essential to avoid these snares. Many will be ensnared and taken in the coming trial when Satan more fully exhibits his lying wonders, with the sick healed before men and miracles performed in sight so that some are tempted to receive them as from God. Departing from the plain precepts and commandments of God and giving heed to fables prepares minds to receive these lying wonders. All must now arm themselves for the contest soon to be engaged, with faith in God's word prayerfully studied and practically applied as the shield from Satan's power that will bring off conquerors through the blood of Christ.
The Lord gives Himself as a safe refuge to those who set Him apart as holy and reverent, but to those who refuse Him He becomes a stumbling stone and a trap, so that many trip and collapse and are shattered and caught and carried away. This was fulfilled in a special way when the builders turned away from Christ at His first coming, the living foundation stone tried and proven able to bear every weight, precious to believers but an offense to the disobedient. To fall on that stone and be broken is to be crushed in guilt and surrendered in repentance, finding rest and strength and renewal, while to stumble over it in unbelief is to be ruined and judged. Therefore no alliance is to be formed with unbelief after the pattern of the world, but safety is found in humbling the heart, praying, uniting in love, and testing every teaching by the law and the testimony. In the last great conflict many will be ensnared and taken, even those who know the Word and teach the truth, because they turn from the light and yield to deception and lying wonders instead of holding fast to the faith studied and lived.
Setting and Meaning
Isaiah 8:15 belongs to a strong divine charge not to walk in the way of this people, not to call confederacy what the people call confederacy, and neither to fear their fear nor be afraid, but to sanctify the Lord of hosts and let Him be fear and dread. Every teaching is to be tested by the law and to the testimony, and failure to speak according to that word proves there is no light in them. This means the world is not to be the criterion in God's work, no confederacy or alliance is to be made with unbelievers who know not the truth after the manner and customs of the world, but the Lord Himself must work and the voice and orders from above must be heard and obeyed. His workers are to bear the clear-cut message of the first, second, and third angels with pen and voice, bind up the testimony and seal the law among disciples, and wait upon the Lord who hides His face from the house of Jacob and look for Him as signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts who dwells in Mount Zion. In the thickening perils of the last days this forbids making the world the criterion for institutions and councils, gathering a chosen company who think alike to carry things by supposed wisdom and worldly custom, or accepting suggestions from those who know not the character of God's work, which weaken His instrumentalities and set Christ's counsel at naught for the counsel of Ekron; instead His workers must pray for the work, keep experienced burden-bearers in counsel, and obey orders from above.
The Lord is for a sanctuary to those who sanctify Him as their fear and dread, but to both houses of Israel He is for a stone of stumbling and rock of offense and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for a gin and snare. Many among them who reject Him as sanctuary and share the people's fears and alliances instead of revering the Lord shall stumble and fall and be broken and be snared and be taken into ruin and capture. This is the consequence of turning from God's truth and opposing Him, and it calls believers to trust the Lord, remain faithful to the light and sacred landmarks He has given, and stand with Christ rather than join fearful alliances amid the gathering conflict of the last days. These things would be worked out before God's people, with some already visible. The stone is a symbol of Christ, and the prophecy had application to His first advent, with the rejected and tested temple stone representing the trials and tests Christ was to bear.
The verse continues the warning that human associating together, girding themselves, taking counsel together, and speaking the word shall be broken in pieces and come to nought because God is with His people. Many among those who associate themselves against God shall in the same way stumble and fall and be broken and snared and taken. This applies when leaders stand in the way of the work and there is disharmony among workers and things contrary to the Spirit of God, calling everyone to stand in his own lot and place.
The verse also warns that practices people may think are right can deceive and ensnare them, and those who follow such deceptive practices instead of the Lord will stumble, fall, be broken, and be caught in a snare. In the same way, people can stumble, fall, become ensnared, and be taken when God's agency is made a rock of offense through lack of spiritual discernment and criticism that distorts a message.
Christ the Sanctuary and Stone
In prophetic vision the chief cornerstone of Solomon's temple was shown to be a symbol of Christ. It was an unusually large and peculiarly shaped stone brought for the foundation, rejected by the workmen as useless, left long exposed to air and sun and storm without developing a crack, then tested by severe pressure and accepted and found an exact fit to bear great weight and to resist sun, frost, and tempest. The rejected and tested temple stone represents the trials and tests Christ was to bear.
The verse had special application at Christ's first advent, when the Jewish builders rejected Him. The stone is a symbol of Christ, and the prophecy applies to His first advent. It has a lesson for all.
Christ is a sanctuary to those who trust in Him, but to both houses of Israel a stone of stumbling and rock of offense and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem a gin and snare, so that many among them stumble and fall and are broken and snared and taken. He is the tried foundation stone, able to bear every test and every burden laid upon Him. To those who believe He is precious and a foundation-stone, but to the disobedient who stumble at the word He is a stone of stumbling and rock of offense, bringing falling and breaking.
Falling upon the Rock and being broken means being broken of guilt in repentance and surrender of self. Those who fall upon Him in repentance find relief, those who make Him their foundation rest securely, those who return to God receive spiritual strength and clearer discernment of truth, and surrender allows God to restore His image in the person. Stumbling over and rejecting the Rock brings ruin and judgment, being broken, trapped, and taken, caught in the consequences of rejection.
The failings of other believers do not excuse disloyalty to God or protect anyone from the ruin and judgment that come from refusing Him and stumbling over Christ.
Warning for the Last Days
For the sacred work the world is not to be the criterion, and no confederacy or alliance is to be made with unbelievers who know not the truth after the manner and customs of the world. Workers must not gather a chosen company who think alike to carry things by supposed wisdom and worldly custom, accept suggestions from those who know not the character of God's work, or set Christ's counsel at naught for the counsel of Ekron. Instead the Lord Himself must work, and voice and orders from above must be heard and obeyed, with prayer for the work and experienced burden-bearers kept in counsel. The charge is to bear a clear-cut message of the first, second, and third angels with pen and voice, to bind up the testimony and seal the law among disciples, to test every teaching by the law and to the testimony since failure to speak according to that word proves there is no light, and to wait upon the Lord who hides His face from the house of Jacob and look for Him who dwells in Mount Zion. Those who follow the people's way rather than sanctifying the Lord will stumble, be caught, and suffer ruin.
Safety is found in refusing to say a confederacy and refusing to fear their fear, and in sanctifying the Lord of hosts as fear and dread so that He is a sanctuary through binding up with Christ and pressing together in kindness and love. That safety comes by heart humiliation, prayer, unity, and ceasing criticism and variance. Ruin falls on the great masses who have no unity except to confederate to accomplish selfish purposes, yielding to the passion for confederation and binding themselves together in secret societies and working out the plans of the enemy, with cause followed by effect. The verse applies to the last great drama when the powers of the enemy muster for battle and stern conflicts are before us. The world as a theater prepares its part with God lost sight of, confusion and disorder are permitted for a season while God's purposes toward rebellious subjects are fulfilled, a power from beneath works with Satan coming as Christ with all deceitfulness of unrighteousness, transgression is almost at its limit, confusion fills the world, thousands of cities given to idolatry face impending destruction, great terror is soon to come, and the end is very near to break as an overwhelming surprise. These things would be worked out before God's people, with some already visible.
Amid that gathering conflict believers are called to trust the Lord and remain faithful to the light and sacred landmarks He has given. They are to stand with Christ rather than join fearful alliances. When leaders stand in the way of the work and there is disharmony among workers and things contrary to the Spirit of God, everyone is to stand in his own lot and place, for human associating, girding, counseling together, and speaking the word shall be broken in pieces and come to nought because God is with His people, while many among those who associate themselves against God shall stumble and fall and be broken and snared and taken. Satan tempts every professed believer in Christ, and many will stumble, fall, be broken, ensnared, and taken. This includes people who know God's Word, have received much light, and serve as expositors and teachers of Bible truth, and even such knowledge, light, and position will not protect those who resist God's will and the warnings of the Spirit and leave the side of the loyal and true, and their ruin is certain.
Those who reject the light and instruction given by God will stumble, fall, be broken, ensnared, and taken, for turning from God's truth and rejecting divine guidance brings these consequences. Holding fast to every principle of truth in the closing days is essential to avoid these snares. Many will be ensnared and taken in the coming trial when Satan more fully exhibits his lying wonders, with the sick healed before men and miracles performed in sight so that some are tempted to receive them as from God. Departing from the plain precepts and commandments of God and giving heed to fables prepares minds to receive these lying wonders. All must now arm themselves for the contest soon to be engaged, with faith in God's word prayerfully studied and practically applied as the shield from Satan's power that will bring off conquerors through the blood of Christ.