Isaiah 8:11

‘With his strong hand upon me’ means that the *Lord gave Isaiah the inner strength to obey him. That is, Isaiah had a calm and content attitude, although other people were extremely afraid (see Isaiah 7:2).

God forbids communication with dead people

v16 You, my disciples (pupils), are to guard and to preserve the messages that God has given to me. v17 I shall wait for the *Lord, who intends to hide himself from his people. I shall wait for him with patience and with hope. v18 I and the children that the *Lord (commander of heaven’s armies) has given me have special names. The names are signs to warn his people about the future. The *Lord (commander of heaven’s armies) governs the affairs of the world from *Jerusalem, where his *Temple is.

v19 Somebody may tell you to get messages from people who make strange noises. Such people claim to be able to see future events. Or they claim to get messages from persons who have died. No! Ask God! You are not to ask dead people on behalf of people who are still alive. v20 You are to tell people who want messages that they must turn to God. Listen to what the *Lord is teaching you. Do not listen to these people. They imagine that they have secret knowledge. Such people will bring no benefit whatever to you.