And He will be a sanctuary—This phrase indicates a place of refuge and safety. In the context of Isaiah, God Himself is the sanctuary for those who trust in Him. The concept of God as a sanctuary is rooted in the idea of the temple as a holy place where God's presence dwells. This sanctuary is not a physical structure but a spiritual refuge. The imagery of God as a sanctuary is echoed in Psalms, where God is often described as a refuge and fortress (
Psalm 46:1). This also foreshadows the New Testament understanding of Jesus Christ as the ultimate sanctuary for believers, providing spiritual safety and salvation.
but to both houses of Israel a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense,
The "both houses of Israel" refers to the divided kingdoms of Israel (the northern kingdom) and Judah (the southern kingdom). The imagery of a "stone of stumbling" and a "rock of offense" suggests something that causes people to fall or be offended. In the historical context, this refers to the people's rejection of God's message and His prophets. This phrase is prophetic, pointing to the rejection of Jesus Christ by the Jewish leaders and people, as seen in the New Testament (Romans 9:32-33,1 Peter 2:8). Jesus is the cornerstone, but for those who do not believe, He becomes a stumbling block.
to the dwellers of Jerusalem a trap and a snare.
Jerusalem, the capital of Judah, represents the center of religious and political life. The "trap and a snare" imagery indicates judgment and entrapment due to unbelief and disobedience. Historically, Jerusalem faced numerous sieges and destructions due to its leaders' failure to heed God's warnings. This phrase underscores the consequences of rejecting God's provision and protection. In a broader theological sense, it highlights the danger of rejecting Christ, who is both the cornerstone and the stumbling block, leading to spiritual entrapment for those who do not believe.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
IsaiahA major prophet in the Old Testament, Isaiah is the author of the book bearing his name. He prophesied during a time of great turmoil and impending judgment for Israel and Judah.
2.
Houses of IsraelRefers to the divided kingdoms of Israel (the northern kingdom) and Judah (the southern kingdom). Both are recipients of Isaiah's prophecies.
3.
JerusalemThe capital city of Judah, significant in biblical history as the center of Jewish worship and the location of the Temple.
4.
The Lord (He)In this context, the Lord is both a sanctuary and a stumbling block, representing His dual role as a protector and a judge.
5.
Stone of Stumbling/Rock of OffenseMetaphors used to describe how the Lord will be perceived by those who reject Him, leading to their downfall.
Teaching Points
Sanctuary and JudgmentGod is a sanctuary for those who trust in Him, offering protection and peace.
For those who reject Him, He becomes a stumbling block, leading to judgment.
The Dual Nature of ChristJesus is both a cornerstone for believers and a stumbling block for those who reject Him.
Our response to Christ determines whether He is our sanctuary or our stumbling block.
Faith and ObedienceTrue faith in God requires obedience and trust, not just religious rituals.
Evaluate whether your faith is based on a relationship with God or mere tradition.
The Importance of ProphecyProphecies like Isaiah's are fulfilled in Christ, affirming the reliability of Scripture.
Understanding prophecy helps us see God's plan and our place within it.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Isaiah 8:14?
2.How does Isaiah 8:14 describe Jesus as a "sanctuary" for believers today?
3.What does "stone of stumbling" mean, and how can we avoid stumbling?
4.How does Isaiah 8:14 connect with 1 Peter 2:8 about Jesus?
5.How can we ensure Jesus is our "sanctuary" in daily life?
6.What practical steps help us avoid being a "trap" for others spiritually?
7.How does Isaiah 8:14 describe God as both a sanctuary and a stumbling block?
8.Why is Isaiah 8:14 significant in understanding God's dual role in believers' lives?
9.What historical context influenced the message of Isaiah 8:14?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Isaiah 8?
11.What does "stumbling stone" mean in the Bible?
12.What is the meaning of Rock of Offense?
13.1 Peter 2:8: Does applying Isaiah’s prophecy here conflict with the prophet’s original context or meaning?
14.What is the meaning of Rock of Offense?What Does Isaiah 8:14 Mean
He will be a sanctuary“And He will be a sanctuary…” (Isaiah 8:14a)
• God Himself promises to be a refuge for those who trust Him. LikePsalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength,” this line assures the faithful that in times of looming judgment He remains a safe place.
•Ezekiel 11:16 echoes the thought when the Lord says, “Yet I will be to them a sanctuary for a little while,” reminding exiles that His presence, not a building, is the true shelter.
• When fear and uncertainty swirl (Isaiah 8:12–13), believers are invited to run to Him—just asProverbs 18:10 declares, “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.”
A stone of stumbling and rock of offense“…but to both houses of Israel a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense…” (Isaiah 8:14b)
• The same Lord who is a sanctuary to the trusting becomes an obstacle to the unbelieving.Psalm 118:22 foretells, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” pointing ahead to Christ.
•Isaiah 28:16 reinforces the imagery: “See, I lay in Zion a stone, a tested stone… the one who believes will never be shaken.” This stone blesses the believer but trips the scoffer.
• InRomans 9:32–33 and1 Peter 2:6–8, Paul and Peter apply Isaiah’s words directly to Jesus. Many in Israel stumbled because they pursued righteousness by works rather than faith, so the Messiah became “a rock that makes them fall.”
• The gospel still divides: to those who receive Jesus, He is life; to those who reject Him, He is an offense (1 Corinthians 1:23).
A trap and a snare“…to the dwellers of Jerusalem a trap and a snare.” (Isaiah 8:14c)
• Rejection hardens hearts. What could have been safety turns into judgment.Isaiah 28:13 warns that those who mock God’s word “will fall backward, be injured and ensnared.”
• Jesus alludes to this reality inLuke 20:18: “Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”
• Unbelief doesn’t merely miss blessing; it actively entangles.Hosea 14:9 describes how “the rebellious stumble” on God’s ways, highlighting the moral danger of resisting the Lord.
summaryIsaiah 8:14 paints one vivid truth: the Lord is unchanging, yet our response to Him determines whether He is our sanctuary or our stumbling stone. Trust turns Him into a refuge; unbelief turns Him into a snare. The passage finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the cornerstone who saves all who believe and overthrows all who refuse.
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And he shall be for a sanctuary. . .--Literally,
he shall become a hallowed thing,with the implied thought as in
Ezekiel 11:16, that the sanctuary is also an asylum (
1Kings 1:50;
1Kings 2:28). In that sanctuary, in the presence of Jehovah, there was a refuge from all terror, the answer to all misgivings (
Psalm 73:17).
But for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence . . .
--The words have become so familiar to us through their Christian application (
Matthew 21:44;
Romans 9:33;
1Peter 2:8) that we find it hard to measure their force and meaning as they came from Isaiah's lips. Are the contrasted clauses connected by any common link of imagery? To enter into fellowship with Jehovah, is to enter into the sanctuary. He who stands on the stone which forms the threshold of that sanctuary, has gained an asylum. But to do that requires the clear vision of faith. He who walks blindly (
Isaiah 6:10;
John 11:10), without faith, may stumble on that very stone of the threshold, and what was safety and life for others, might for him bring pain and shame. He might be there sorely bruised (
Matthew 21:44) like the wild animals taken in a trap (synonyms are heaped one upon another to increase the force of the imagery), till a helper came to release him. So, Isaiah says, was Jehovah "to both the houses of Israel" (the phrase is peculiar, and implies a hope of the restored unity of the nation's life) in their self-chosen blindness. So St. Peter says, even the head corner-stone is to those who "stumble at the word, being disobedient" a "stone of stumbling and a rock of offence" (
1Peter 2:8). It lies in the nature of the case that the fall is not necessarily final and irretrievable. Men may be braised, but not "ground to powder;" may "stumble
"so that they may rise again (
Matthew 21:44;
Luke 2:34;
Romans 11:11). . . .
Verse 14. -
He shall be for a Sanctuary (comp.
Ezekiel 11:16, "Yet will I be to them as a little Sanctuary"). A sanctuary is "a refuge" (
Psalm 90:1;
Psalm 91:9), and something more. It is a holy refuge, a place which is a refuge because of its holiness. Its material counterpart in the Mosaic system is, not "the city of refuge," but the altar (
1 Kings 1:50;
1 Kings 2:28).
Both the houses of Israel;
i.e. "the two reigning houses of Samaria and Judaea," both of which were Israelite. Both the "houses" would ultimately forsake Jehovah, and find in him a "Snare" and a "Rock of offense."
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
and He will beוְהָיָ֖ה(wə·hā·yāh)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961:To fall out, come to pass, become, bea sanctuary.לְמִקְדָּ֑שׁ(lə·miq·dāš)Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4720:A consecrated thing, place, a palace, sanctuary, asylumBut to bothלִשְׁנֵ֨י(liš·nê)Preposition-l | Number - mdc
Strong's 8147:Two (a cardinal number)housesבָתֵּ֤י(ḇāt·tê)Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1004:A houseof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵל֙(yiś·rā·’êl)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478:Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his descHe will be a stoneוּלְאֶ֣בֶן(ū·lə·’e·ḇen)Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 68:A stoneof stumblingנֶ֠גֶף(ne·ḡep̄)Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5063:A trip, an inflictionand a rockוּלְצ֨וּר(ū·lə·ṣūr)Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6697:A cliff, a rock, boulder, a refuge, an edgeof offense,מִכְשׁ֜וֹל(miḵ·šō·wl)Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4383:A stumbling, means or occasion of stumbling, a stumbling blocka trapלְפַ֣ח(lə·p̄aḥ)Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6341:A, sheet, a spring netand a snareוּלְמוֹקֵ֔שׁ(ū·lə·mō·w·qêš)Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4170:A bait or lure, a snareto the dwellersלְיוֹשֵׁ֖ב(lə·yō·wō·šêḇ)Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3427:To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marryof Jerusalem.”יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃(yə·rū·šā·lim)Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3389:Jerusalem -- probably 'foundation of peace', capital city of all Israel
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OT Prophets: Isaiah 8:14 He will be a sanctuary (Isa Isi Is) 
