Isaiah 8:17
I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Isaiah doesn't just state he'll wait for God; he emphasizes his hope despite God hiding His face. This highlights a profound trust, choosing to look for God even when His presence is intentionally withdrawn due to sin. It's a deliberate act of faith in the unseen, holding onto hope when God seems absent.
The prophet Isaiah has just received instruction from the LORD, including a command to name his son Maher-shalal-hash-baz, which signifies impending judgment. Despite this divine message and the looming threat, Isaiah declares his personal commitment to wait for and hope in the LORD, even though God has seemingly withdrawn His favor ("hiding His face") from the nation of Jacob. Isaiah's statement here sets up his own steadfast faith as a counterpoint to the people's likely fear and reliance on other, worldly powers.
Have you ever felt like God is distant, His face hidden from you? Isaiah faced this too, yet he chose to hope.
Isaiah's declaration, 'I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him,' is a profound act of faith.
The Hidden Face
The phrase 'hiding his face' signifies God withdrawing His presence, favor, and protection. This doesn't mean God is gone, but that His people, for their sins, are experiencing a period of divine silence and apparent abandonment. This can feel disorienting and frightening, leaving individuals and communities in spiritual darkness.
The Choice to Wait and Hope
Despite this apparent absence, Isaiah doesn't despair. Instead, he commits to 'wait' and 'hope.'
This is not passive resignation but an active trust in God's faithfulness, even when it's not immediately evident.
In a time of national crisis and spiritual confusion, Isaiah sets a personal example of unwavering trust. What can we learn from his resolve?
Isaiah's declaration in verse 17 isn't just a theological statement; it's a personal commitment that sets him and his children apart.
Standing Apart
The context reveals that many in Israel were seeking answers from forbidden sources (like diviners and sorcerers) or relying on faulty alliances. In contrast, Isaiah declares his own path:
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Noun
The covenant God of Israel, the I AM, who reveals His character, presence, and redemptive purposes throughout salvation history.
satar / panim · Hebrew Verb / Noun
A metaphorical expression describing God’s withholding of favor, blessing, or immediate presence, often as a consequence of His people's rebellion or sin.
qavah · Hebrew Verb
A confident, patient expectation based on the character and promises of God, grounded in the certainty of His faithfulness.
Isaiah's words here are a powerful declaration of personal faith amidst national disaster. The 'hiding of God's face' points to a period of judgment and divine withdrawal due to Israel's sins, but the prophet's steadfast hope anticipates a future restoration.
Late 8th Century BC
Syro-Ephraimite War
The Northern Kingdom of Israel (Ephraim) and Syria (Aram) form an alliance to attack Judah. King Ahaz of Judah faces immense pressure from this invasion.
c. 734-732 BC
Assyrian Intervention
Facing the overwhelming might of the Neo-Assyrian Empire under Tiglath-Pileser III, both Syria and Israel fall. Judah becomes a vassal state.
c. 730 BC— this verse
Prophetic Warnings and Signs
Isaiah, following God's command, names his son Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz as a sign of impending judgment on Syria and Israel. He and his children are to be 'signs and omens'.
c. 730 BC
Prophet's Personal Resolve
In the face of national apostasy and impending doom, Isaiah declares his personal commitment to wait for and hope in the LORD, even though God's face seems hidden from Jacob.
This verse directly echoes Isaiah's lament, asking why God hides His face and doesn't intervene, highlighting the deep pain of feeling abandoned by God during times of trouble.
Isaiah 50:10This passage offers a counterpoint to waiting in darkness, encouraging trust in the LORD and walking in the light of His word, even when one's own path is unclear.
Habakkuk 2:3This verse speaks to the patience required when God's promises seem delayed, urging the wait for an appointed time, much like Isaiah's stance of hope despite God's hidden face.
Lamentations 3:25-26These verses beautifully articulate the concept of waiting for the LORD and finding hope in His goodness, even when surrounded by distress, mirroring Isaiah's steadfast attitude.
Micah 7:7This verse expresses a similar posture of hopeful waiting and looking to God for salvation, even in times when the land is filled with enemies and opposition, resonating with Isaiah's core message.
pulpitIsaiah 8:17: "And I will wait upon the LORD, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him."
Verses 17, 18. - ISAIAH DEFINES HIS OWN ATTITUDE AND THAT OF HIS CHILDREN. It is questioned whether something has not fallen out between vers. 16 and 17. The transition is exceedingly abrupt, undoubtedly; but perhaps not more abrupt than elsewhere in Isaiah and the prophets contemporary with him. The Divine "instruction" comes to an end in ver. 16; and Isaiah might have been expe…
barnesIsaiah 8:17: "And I will wait upon the LORD, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him."
And I will wait upon the Lord - This is the commencement of a new subject. The prophet had closed his former message; but had seen that in regard to the great mass of the nation, his exhortation had been in vain. He now says, that having delivered his message, he would patiently look to God alone. His hope was in him, though the nation looked elsewhere; and though calamities were…
Isaiah doesn't just state he'll wait for God; he emphasizes his hope despite God hiding His face. This highlights a profound trust, choosing to look for God even when His presence is intentionally withdrawn due to sin. It's a deliberate act of faith in the unseen, holding onto hope when God seems absent.
The prophet Isaiah has just received instruction from the LORD, including a command to name his son Maher-shalal-hash-baz, which signifies impending judgment. Despite this divine message and the looming threat, Isaiah declares his personal commitment to wait for and hope in the LORD, even though God has seemingly withdrawn His favor ("hiding His face") from the nation of Jacob. Isaiah's statement here sets up his own steadfast faith as a counterpoint to the people's likely fear and reliance on other, worldly powers.
The prophet Isaiah has just received instruction from the LORD, including a command to name his son Maher-shalal-hash-baz, which signifies impending judgment. Despite this divine message and the looming threat, Isaiah declares his personal commitment to wait for and hope in the LORD, even though God has seemingly withdrawn His favor ("hiding His face") from the nation of Jacob. Isaiah's statement here sets up his own steadfast faith as a counterpoint to the people's likely fear and reliance on other, worldly powers.
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A Sign for Others
Isaiah and his children are presented as 'signs and wonders' (v. 18). Their life of persistent hope in a hidden God becomes a testament, a visual sermon to a nation in spiritual distress, pointing them back to the faithfulness of the LORD, even when His face is hidden.
Late 8th Century BC onwards
Continued Assyrian Dominance
The Neo-Assyrian Empire remains a dominant force in the region, a constant threat and reminder of God's judgment on disobedience.
"I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him." — Isaiah doesn't just state he'll wait for God; he emphasizes his hope despite God hiding His face. This highlights a profound trust, choosing to look for God even when His presence is intentionally…
