Isaiah 8 - Odd ducks and Familar spirits

I’d like to start off with an amusing observation:

I think it is extremely cool that each of Isaiah’s sons have names that are prophecies.  One thing that I am gleaning from the chapters I have read so far is that Isaiah was probably an odd duck.  I could just imagine Isaiah going to see King Ahaz as mentioned in last week’s chapter:

 

Servant:  Highness, you have a visitor.
Ahaz:  Who is it?
Servant:  (pause)  Isaiah.
Ahaz:  *Sigh*  Send him in.

 

Like Isaiah, let us not be ashamed of the gospel and let us live it in every way that we can, throwing ourselves into the service of the Lord.

 

Now, a comment about this passage (quoted from 2 Nephi):

 

19 And when they shall say unto you: Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep and mutter—should not a people seek unto their God for the living to hear from the dead?
20 To the law and to the testimony; and if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

 

There is a lot I could say about this passage, but I think I will narrow it down to this thought:   At heart we are spiritual beings and we are surrounded by a world of spirits.  Some are good, some are evil, and all of them are interested in and associated with this world.  As we go through life we will have much contact with those on the other side of the veil whether we realize or not.  Most of us, I think, understand the importance of communication with those in the spirit realm.  Many of us seek after these communications in an improper way- through mediums and such.   Isaiah’s criticism of spiritualists of this sort is not that spiritual communication itself is sham, it is just that spiritual communication of this sort should be had by seeking unto God. 

If we are to fulfill our destiny in Zion, we need to be a spiritual people.  We should be open to and actually seek for any and all communication that the Lord will be willing to give us.  For otherwise, how can we believe that God will “yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the kingdom of God?” 

May we all seek for greater things, and point our minds heavenward, that we may, as the prophets have promised, be privy to the majesty and the glory of God’s Kingdom.