Isaiah 31-35

Paul Bukauskas

Isaiah • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago

Isaiah (Prophet)

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Chapter Review 31-35

Chapter 31

Just nine verses, but Isaiah repeats that Judah is trusting in the Egyptians and not the Lord for deliverance. Assyria will fall and it will be by God’s hand, not man’s.

Chapter 32

A pause between the 5th and 6th woe. A ray of light. A vision of the millennial rule of Christ. As is Isaiah’s habit, he uses a vision of the millennial kingdom to lighten up the intermediate dark days. Both judgment and glory lie ahead and now is the time to choose.

Chapter 33

The sixth (6th) and final woe. The generals and the politicians have failed to thwart the Assyrians. They trusted in their own strength. The Assyrians destroy places of beauty but in the end the plunderer is himself plundered.

Chapter 34

The day of Jacob’s trouble which the NT calls Armageddon. The land of Edom represents the nations of the world. Similar passages in Revelation 6 and 18 mirror Chapter 34

Chapter 35

After a prediction of judgment on the Nations of the world (34) comes a vision of God’s great mercy for His church. Another vision of the coming kingdom. We saw it earlier in Chapter 11. Some of the same imagery, a highway of holiness. But here we see that all illness is eradicated. The world and mankind is transformed.

Chapter 31

Overview

Just nine verses, but Isaiah repeats that Judah is trusting in the Egyptians and not the Lord for deliverance. Assyria will fall and it will be by God’s hand, not man’s.

Worth Repeating (31:1-2)

( 31:1-2 ) Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, And rely on horses, Who trust in chariots because they are many, And in horsemen because they are very strong, But who do not look to the Holy One of Israel, Nor seek the Lord! 2 Yet He also is wise and will bring disaster, And will not call back His words, But will arise against the house of evildoers, And against the help of those who work iniquity.

— Judah’s dependence on the Lord and not on the Egyptians is so important, that it’s worth repeating

— Just 9 verses, but to drive the point home in case you missed it.

Woe The fifth ( 5th ) of six ( 6th ) woes

Q: Who is it directed towards? vv1-2?

Ambassadors

— The Egyptian emissaries who went to Egypt

Horses

— Egypt was flat, really well suited for chariots

— They were the nation’s strength

Nor seek the Lord

— What made their sin most offensive was turn from the Lord and turn to Egypt

Sarcastic

( 31:2 ) Yet He also is wise and will bring disaster, And will not call back His words

— God also knows a thing or two

— God is wise

— You think your ambassadors and politicians are wise?

— God is wiser

His Word

( 31:2 ) And will not call back His words

— “Oops” and “Didn’t see that one coming” are not in his vocabulary

— His Word never returns void And will not call back His words (cf. 55:11)

— Does not take back (NIV)

— He doesn’t change or revise what He said

— His promises or standards are not changing based on circumstances of the moment

— No situational ethics here

Egypt

( 31:2b ) But will arise against the house of evildoers, And against the help of those who work iniquity

— Egypt and everyone who works against the purpose of God

A Promise 31:2 His word will not return void

Q: Why could Egypt not be trusted? v3?

Worth Repeating > Men not God (31:3-5)

( 31:3-5 ) Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; And their horses are flesh, and not spirit. When the Lord stretches out His hand, Both he who helps will fall, And he who is helped will fall down; They all will perish together. 4 For thus the Lord has spoken to me: “As a lion roars, And a young lion over his prey (When a multitude of shepherds is summoned against him, He will not be afraid of their voice Nor be disturbed by their noise), So the Lord of hosts will come down To fight for Mount Zion and for its hill. 5 Like birds flying about, So will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem. Defending, He will also deliver it; Passing over, He will preserve it.”

Men not God ( 31:3 ) Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; And their horses are flesh, and not spirit

— They were flesh, not God

— How stupid not to treat Yahweh as its proper and instead trust the Egyptians!

Q: Who will fight for Zion (vv4,5)?

( 31:4-5 ) For thus the Lord has spoken to me: “As a lion roars, And a young lion over his prey (When a multitude of shepherds is summoned against him, He will not be afraid of their voice Nor be disturbed by their noise), So the Lord of hosts will come down To fight for Mount Zion and for its hill. 5 Like birds flying about, So will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem. Defending, He will also deliver it; Passing over, He will preserve it.”

Lion

( 31:4 ) Like a lion unafraid of the shepherds who were summoned against him

— He is a determined Lion, strong shepherds called to do battle with the lion

— They are the ineffectual aid which Egypt brings

Birds

— ( 31:5 ) The birds will shield His people, Passover, rescue

— The Lord is like a hovering mother bird over her nest willing to do whatever is necessary

— God’s sparrow - weakness is stronger than men

— Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than me” (cf. 1 Cor 1:25)

Worth Repeating > Men not God > A Call to Repent (31:6-9)

( 31:6-9 ) Return to Him against whom the children of Israel have deeply revolted. 7 For in that day every man shall throw away his idols of silver and his idols of gold—sin, which your own hands have made for yourselves. 8 “Then Assyria shall fall by a sword not of man, And a sword not of mankind shall devour him. But he shall flee from the sword, And his young men shall become forced labor. 9 He shall cross over to his stronghold for fear, And his princes shall be afraid of the banner,” Says the Lord, Whose fire is in Zion And whose furnace is in Jerusalem.

Repent

( 31:6 ) Return to Him against whom the children of Israel have deeply revolted

— Return to Him

— Faith is not just to surmount this problem today but to stand before God

Q: What would happen to Assyria and what would the people learn (vv7-9)?

Too Late

( 31:7 ) For in that day every man shall throw away his idols of silver and his idols of gold—sin, which your own hands have made for yourselves

— You’ll reject all your idols

— We celebrate idols

— We even have a TV show, American Idol, 18 Seasons and counting

— Be decisive today

— It will be too late in the tribulation

— Believers will not experience The Day of the Lord (1 Thess 5:9-11)

— We are not destined for wrath

APPLICATION

Someday these people would throw their idols away, recognizing that they are nothing but man-made objects. Idols such as money, fame, or success are seductive. Instead of contributing to our spiritual development, they rob us of our time, energy, and devotion that ought to be directed toward God. At first our idols seem exciting and promise to take us places, but in the end we will find that we have become their slaves. We need to recognize their worthlessness now, before they rob us of our freedom (Application bible)

Assyrian’s fall

( 31:8 ) “Then Assyria shall fall by a sword not of man, And a sword not of mankind shall devour him. But he shall flee from the sword, And his young men shall become forced labor

— Assyrians shall fall

— They will fall by God’s hand not by man

Their Rock

( 31:9 ) He shall cross over to his stronghold for fear, And his princes shall be afraid of the banner,” Says the Lord, Whose fire is in Zion And whose furnace is in Jerusalem

— Their rock was the King of Assyria

— Their stronghold will fall (NIV)

— Their princes, king will collapse when the Lord raises His banner

Fire

( 31:9 ) Whose fire is in Zion And whose furnace is in Jerusalem

— God’s headquarters for judgment

Chapter 32

Overview

New Rulers and New People (32:1-5)

( 32:1-5 ) Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, And princes will rule with justice. 2 A man will be as a hiding place from the wind, And a cover from the tempest, As rivers of water in a dry place, As the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. 3 The eyes of those who see will not be dim, And the ears of those who hear will listen. 4 Also the heart of the rash will understand knowledge, And the tongue of the stammerers will be ready to speak plainly. 5 The foolish person will no longer be called generous, Nor the miser said to be bountiful;

Q: What kind of rulers are described in 32:1?

Kings

( 32:1 ) Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, And princes will rule with justice

— A king will reign and princes

— who are these princes?

— They will use their power according to the law and not against it

Protect

— They will protect the good and punish the bad

— These princes will be the apostles (cf. Matt 19:28, Luke 22:30) and the saints (cf. 1 Cor 6:2; 2 Tim 2:12; Rev 2:26,27, 3:21)

— “Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters” ( 1 Cor 6:2 )

— “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” ( Rev 3:21 )

Hiding place

( 32:2 ) A man will be as a hiding place from the wind, And a cover from the tempest, As rivers of water in a dry place, As the shadow of a great rock in a weary land

— That king that reigns in righteousness will be like a hiding place

— They cannot be made the pry of the mighty

— like water in a dry place - cooling, life saving

— shadow of a great rock - shelter for a traveler from the harsher sun

Q: What will various parts of the body be able to do (vv3,4)?

A transformation

( 32:3 ) The eyes of those who see will not be dim, And the ears of those who hear will listen. 4 Also the heart of the rash will understand knowledge, And the tongue of the stammerers will be ready to speak plainly

— Four (4) areas of transformation of truth

— perception (eyes)

— reception (ears)

— grasping (mind)

— communication (tongue)

— A complete reversal of receptivity and now they are able to understand the truth

Willfully ignorant

— Keep on hearing, but do not understand ( 6:9,10 )

— Keep on seeing, but do not perceive

— Earlier said the same thing ( 29:18, 24; 30:20 )

Stammers

— ( 32:4 ) The stammers were former drunkards (cf. 28:7,8; 29:9 )

Q: Will we be able to discern foolishness in the millennium according to v5?

Fools

— In our corrupt world, we say that fools are wise

— We give them honors! In the millennium it will be impossible to falsely praise leaders who are fools because everyone will be discerning

New Rulers and New People > New Values (32:6-8)

( 32:6-8 ) For the foolish person will speak foolishness, And his heart will work iniquity: To practice ungodliness, To utter error against the Lord, To keep the hungry unsatisfied, And he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail. 7 Also the schemes of the schemer are evil; He devises wicked plans To destroy the poor with lying words, Even when the needy speaks justice. 8 But a generous man devises generous things, And by generosity he shall stand.

Q: How else is a foolish person described in v6?

( 32:6 ) For the foolish person will speak foolishness, And his heart will work iniquity: To practice ungodliness, To utter error against the Lord, To keep the hungry unsatisfied, And he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail

The Fool

— Sins of speech, mind is “heart”

— Not generous, just the opposite

— leaves the hungry, hungry

— leaves the thirsty, thirsty

— Evil is trouble, mischief: person lives a loose life. The first two deal with opposition to the people (speak, think)

— The second two opposition to the Lord (ungodliness, utter error)

Compare to the Generous

( 32:8 ) But a generous man devises generous things, And by generosity he shall stand

— The generous person cares for the poor

Depends on God

— The generous person depends on God and provides for the poor

— He shall stand - he will come through life’s pressures

— “He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, And He will pay back what he has given.” ( Prov 19:17 )

Q: How is the scoundrel described in 32:7?

( 32:7 ) Also the schemes of the schemer are evil; He devises wicked plans To destroy the poor with lying words, Even when the needy speaks justice

Scoundrel

— The opposite of a fool, social climber

His schemes

— Schemes (to mediate, plan)

— Used 19 times of sexual misconduct (Lv 18:17)

— Planning to get one’s way at all cost

Manipulates the law

— Will destroy the poor, use the legal system to get what he wants

— lying words

Q: What is his message to the women in vv9-14? Why direct this message to the women?

New Rulers and New People > New Values > A New Call to Hear (32:9-14)

( 32:9-14 ) Rise up, you women who are at ease, Hear my voice; You complacent daughters, Give ear to my speech. 10 In a year and some days You will be troubled, you complacent women; For the vintage will fail, The gathering will not come. 11 Tremble, you women who are at ease; Be troubled, you complacent ones; Strip yourselves, make yourselves bare, And gird sackcloth on your waists. 12 People shall mourn upon their breasts For the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine. 13 On the land of my people will come up thorns and briers, Yes, on all the happy homes in the joyous city; 14 Because the palaces will be forsaken, The bustling city will be deserted. The forts and towers will become lairs forever, A joy of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks—

Complacency

( 32:9-11 ) Rise up, you women who are at ease, Hear my voice; You complacent daughters, Give ear to my speech. 10 In a year and some days You will be troubled, you complacent women; For the vintage will fail, The gathering will not come. 11 Tremble, you women who are at ease; Be troubled, you complacent ones;

— Isaiah warns Judah of carelessness and complacency

— Just because God would eventually bless Judah gave them no reason to as business as usual

— THE ASSYRIANS WILL COME

— ( 32:9) Rise up, you women who are at ease

— ( 32:10 ) You will be troubled, you complacent women

— ( 32:11 ) Be troubled, you complacent ones

Harvest lost

— The Assyrian invasion will devastate their harvest

— The Babylonian invasion will devastate the nation

— It would last 25 years ( 37:30 )

— ( 32:10 ) For the vintage will fail, The gathering will not come

Homes, lands

— ( 32:13 ) The land that was once cultivated will return to thorns and briers

— Not only the fields but also the homes overrun with thrones and briers

— Homes, land, palaces will be destroyed

( 32:14 ) Because the palaces will be forsaken, The bustling city will be deserted. The forts and towers will become lairs forever, A joy of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks—

— Jerusalem will become desolate

( 32:11 ) Strip yourselves, make yourselves bare, And gird sackcloth on your waists

— Speaking of their deportation into Babylon; enslavement

Happy Now

— You might be happy now with the status quo, but soon you will tremble, mourn, beat your breast

— ( 32:11 ) tremble, you women who are at ease; Be troubled, you complacent ones

— (32:12) People shall mourn upon their breasts

New Rulers and New People > New Values > A New Call to Hear > The Spirit and the new society (32:15-18)

( 32:15-18 ) Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, And the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, And the fruitful field is counted as a forest. 16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, And righteousness remain in the fruitful field. 17 The work of righteousness will be peace, And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. 18 My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, In secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places,

Q: What will happen when the Spirit is poured out (vv15-17)?

Fruitfulness

— God’s spirit will transform the land into productive fruitfulness ( 32:15 )

The Spirit of God is a life-giver

— “You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You renew the face of the earth” ( Ps 104:30 )

— With respect to sinners, David said about the life-giving Spirit

— “Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me” ( Ps 51:11 )

( 32:15 ) Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, And the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, And the fruitful field is counted as a forest

— With respect to the Land - it will become fruitful again

The Millennium

— The spirit will be poured out (Joel 2:28-3:1) during the millennium

— It didn’t happen at Pentecost

— It will be a great time of spiritual blessing

Cover the earth

( 32:16 ) Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, And righteousness remain in the fruitful field

— Justice and Righteousness will cover the whole earth, from wilderness to fruitful field

( 32:17 ) The work of righteousness will be peace, And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever

— Earlier the Lord offered blessings if they would trust and rest in Him (30:15)

— Here not talking about moral integrity

— Talking about being right with God that results in Peace, Rest, Security

( 32: 18 ) My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, In secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places,

Enjoy Peace

— My people…peaceful…secure…quiet

— They will enjoy lasting security

— The Messiah personally present to ensure peace

— Replace their complacency with real security

New Rulers and New People > New Values > A New Call to Hear > The Spirit and the new society > The Epilogue (32:19-20)

( 32:19-20 ) Though hail comes down on the forest, And the city is brought low in humiliation. 20 Blessed are you who sow beside all waters, Who send out freely the feet of the ox and the donkey

A choice

— ( 32:20 ) There is a glory coming

— ( 32:19 ) but there is also the opposite

— We can’t be complacent. Both judgement and glory lie ahead

— Now is the time to choose

Chapter 33

Overview

The sixth (6th) and final woe. The generals and the politicians have failed to thwart the Assyrians. They trusted in their own strengthThe Assyrians destroy places of beauty but in the end the plunderer is himself plundered.

The Final Woe

The sixth (6th) and final woe

— A woe on all those who oppose Israel

— Like the previous chapters, a woe (vv1-12) followed by a view of the future glory

— Isaiah pivots from the “future glory” end of Chapter 23 to the present. he will pivot again

34 and 35

Chapter 34 - the great battle of Armageddon

Chapter 35 - the coming kingdom

The Salvation of Zion (33:1-6)

( 33:1-6 ) Woe to you who plunder, though you have not been plundered; And you who deal treacherously, though they have not dealt treacherously with you! When you cease plundering, You will be plundered; When you make an end of dealing treacherously, They will deal treacherously with you. 2 O Lord, be gracious to us; We have waited for You. Be their arm every morning, Our salvation also in the time of trouble. 3 At the noise of the tumult the people shall flee; When You lift Yourself up, the nations shall be scattered; 4 And Your plunder shall be gathered Like the gathering of the caterpillar; As the running to and fro of locusts, He shall run upon them. 5 The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high; He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness. 6 Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times, And the strength of salvation; The fear of the Lord is His treasure.

Q: What will happen to those who plunder (33:1)?

( 33:1 ) Woe to you who plunder, though you have not been plundered; And you who deal treacherously, though they have not dealt treacherously with you! When you cease plundering, You will be plundered; When you make an end of dealing treacherously, They will deal treacherously with you.

They will be plundered

— You will be plundered

Treacherous

— When you end your treacherous ways, they will deal treacherously with you

Assyria

— The immediate prophecy looks at Assyria but it could mean anyone who opposes Israel

Bride

— Hezekiah tried to buy himself out of trouble (2 ki 18:13-18)

— The king of Assyria, Sennacherib, was threatening Judah

— Hezekiah paid him 11 tons of Silver, 1 ton of Gold

— He emptied the temple and stripped the door posts

— Sennacherib turned around and attacked Jerusalem as if nothing had happened

— That is treachery

— Hey! I’ve heard this before!

— Third (3rd) time that Isaiah has mentioned this (21:2; 24:16; 33:1 )

— He will again in chapter 36

Might is Right

— Sennacherib was acting on the principle of “might is right”

— Do whatever necessary to achieve your goals

Lord will repay

— When you stop plundering, there will come a one who will plunder you

—God’s perfect justice insures that for a trickster there is a trickster to out due him

Let God repay

— Let the Lord punish the wicked

— Let the Lord have his revenge

— “He does a much better job at it” (J Vernon McGee)

A Promise 33:1 Your enemy Assyria who plundered will be plundered

( 32:2 ) O Lord, be gracious to us; We have waited for You. Be their arm every morning, Our salvation also in the time of trouble

Wait on Him

— The people reaffirm that they wait on the Lord

— The NIV inserts another woe

Arm

— God’s personal strength, involvement

Every morning

— Daily strength for daily needs

— Earlier Judah refused to wait ( 30:15 ) but repented ( 25:9; 26:8; 33:2 )

A Promise 33:2 The Lord will be our salvation in time of trouble

Q: What will happen to the Assyrians and their plunder, vv3-4?

Flee

The Assyrians will flee suddenly (2 Chr 32:21)

( 33:3 ) At the noise of the tumult the people shall flee; When You lift Yourself up, the nations shall be scattered

— Sennacherib did just that and when he got home his own children killed him (2 Chr 32:21 )

2 Chronicles 32:21 NKJV

21 Then the Lord sent an angel who cut down every mighty man of valor, leader, and captain in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned shamefaced to his own land. And when he had gone into the temple of his god, some of his own offspring struck him down with the sword there.

Other Nations

— Not just the Assyrians (near) but other nations (afar) will also flee

You

— “You” is God

— When God lifts Himself up - all the nations that oppose Israel will scatter

Plunder

( 33:4 ) And Your plunder shall be gathered Like the gathering of the caterpillar; As the running to and fro of locusts, He shall run upon them

— They will leave their plunder and run

Q: What blessings will fill Zion? These should be familiar, vv5-6

Justice/Righteousness

( 33:5 ) He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness

Wisdom/Knowledge

( 33:6 ) Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times

Compare this with ( 11:2 )

— The same qualifications that are imparted on the Messiah by the Spirit

— Wisdom

— Understanding

— Knowledge

— Fear of the Lord

Fear

— Fear of the Lord is the key to the treasury

The Salvation of Zion > The judgment of the peoples (33:7-12)

( 33:7-12 ) Surely their valiant ones shall cry outside, The ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly. 8 The highways lie waste, The traveling man ceases. He has broken the covenant, He has despised the cities, He regards no man. 9 The earth mourns and languishes, Lebanon is shamed and shriveled; Sharon is like a wilderness, And Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits. 10 “Now I will rise,” says the Lord; “Now I will be exalted, Now I will lift Myself up. 11 You shall conceive chaff, You shall bring forth stubble; Your breath, as fire, shall devour you. 12 And the people shall be like the burnings of lime; Like thorns cut up they shall be burned in the fire

Q: What is the reaction of Hezekiah’s ambassadors and generals, vv 7-9?

Generals

( 33:7 ) Surely their valiant ones shall cry outside, The ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly

Ambassadors

— Both men of war and diplomats have failed to thwart the Assyrians

— They trusted their own fire-power

— Both hawks and doves are at wits end

Outside

— Publicly, openly, in the streets

— No cover-up

Highways ruined

( 33:8 ) The highways lie waste, The traveling man ceases

Consequence

— When you choose to live without God, by your own choices, it is not only the great issues of life that become unmanageable, but the every day things we take for granted, like travel on the road. it all grinds to a halt

Mind of power

— The mind of power - hungry politician

( 33:8b ) He has broken the covenant, He has despised the cities, He regards no man

— no value on people, no moral concern

— no value of human life

— treatises, contracts, mean nothing to him

— Isaiah provides a brilliant analysis of the mind of the power hungry politician

They weep

( 33:9 ) The earth mourns and languishes, Lebanon is shamed and shriveled;

— They weep because the Assyrian army has spoiled places known for their beauty

— Sharon (the beautiful) is like a wilderness

— Bashan and Carmel (fruitful) shake off their fruit

Q: What happens to the Assyrians when God decides to act (vv10-12)?

Plunderer is Plundered

( 33:11 ) You shall conceive chaff, You shall bring forth stubble; Your breath, as fire, shall devour you

— You got pregnant, you “conceived” but all you will bring forth ins “chaff, stubble” worthlessness, your achievements are straw

Sin Boomerangs

— Your breath, as fire, shall devour you

— Your own breadth ignites the fire

— the sinner both conceives the sin and the immediate cause of their own ruin

The Salvation of Zion > The judgment of the peoples > The King and “I” (33:13-24)

( 33:13-24 ) Hear, you who are afar off, what I have done; And you who are near, acknowledge My might.” 14 The sinners in Zion are afraid; Fearfulness has seized the hypocrites: “Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?” 15 He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, He who despises the gain of oppressions, Who gestures with his hands, refusing bribes, Who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed, And shuts his eyes from seeing evil: 16 He will dwell on high; His place of defense will be the fortress of rocks; Bread will be given him, His water will be sure. 17 Your eyes will see the King in His beauty; They will see the land that is very far off. 18 Your heart will meditate on terror: “Where is the scribe? Where is he who weighs? Where is he who counts the towers?” 19 You will not see a fierce people, A people of obscure speech, beyond perception, Of a stammering tongue that you cannot understand. 20 Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feasts; Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a quiet home, A tabernacle that will not be taken down; Not one of its stakes will ever be removed, Nor will any of its cords be broken. 21 But there the majestic Lord will be for us A place of broad rivers and streams, In which no galley with oars will sail, Nor majestic ships pass by 22 (For the Lord is our Judge, The Lord is our Lawgiver, The Lord is our King; He will save us); 23 Your tackle is loosed, They could not strengthen their mast, They could not spread the sail. Then the prey of great plunder is divided; The lame take the prey. 24 And the inhabitant will not say, “I am sick”; The people who dwell in it will be forgiven their iniquity

A deeper Dive

Back in 33:5,6 we saw that Christ would bring justice / righteousness / wisdom and knowledge to Zion in the millennium

— Now we look at the King and His people

The King’s Announcement

( 33:13 ) Hear, you who are afar off, what I have done; And you who are near, acknowledge My might

— Telling the world that the enemies of Israel have been defeated

— All the world will acknowledge his might

— They will see (Acts 2:11) “the wonderful works of God”

Q: How does the sinner, hypocrite react to God in v 14?

Afraid

( 33:14 ) The sinners in Zion are afraid; Fearfulness has seized the hypocrites: “Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?”

— They are afraid, Godless Israelites like Godless Gentiles

— The sinners in Zion are afraid; Fearfulness has seized the hypocrites:

Hypocrites

— Like hypocrites in the church, they see God’s judgment and are afraid

— Gripped in fear (cf Acts 5:11, Heb 12:29)

Fire

Fire is the symbol of judgment

— Like the reference to Ariel (29:1), The Lord’s fire is on the altar, His holy presence in their midst

— God is physically in their midst and the hypocrite trembles

Dwell

— Lit. “to reside as an alien”

— They have no natural right to be there

— The fire of holiness is a threat to sinners

Godly

— “Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire?

— Isaiah answers the question in the next two verses - who can dwell among God’s judgment

Q: In contrast to the hypocrites in v14, who should walk uprightly? Do they fear God’s judgment ? vv 15,16?

Walks / Speaks

( 33:15 ) He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, He who despises the gain of oppressions, Who gestures with his hands, refusing bribes, Who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed, And shuts his eyes from seeing evil

— Walks righteously…speaks uprightly

— The demand that you walk your daily walk following the lord, purity of speech follows

Love of Money

— He who despises the gain of oppressions

— reject, freedom from the love of money

— Who gestures with his hands, refusing bribes

— His hand would shake so much he couldn’t even hold the money

— stop his ears

— wouldn’t listen to bad things

— shuts his eyes

— wouldn’t look at evil, anything bad

He will enjoy Security

( 33:16 ) He will dwell on high; His place of defense will be the fortress of rocks; Bread will be given him, His water will be sure

— Refuge, secure, at the top of the inaccessible cliff faces

— Fellowship with the Lord, security and provision

Q: What will we see v 17?

( 33:17 ) Your eyes will see the King in His beauty; They will see the land that is very far off

The king

— Our eyes will see the King

— Seeing Christ in His glory is another reward of the righteous

You’ll look back

— ( 33:18 ) Your heart will meditate on terror

Talk about the enemy

— You will talk about the enemy

— They wrote down things: the scribe

— They weighed things: he who counts the towers

Only memories

— But they are only memories

( 33:19 ) You will not see a fierce people, A people of obscure speech, beyond perception, Of a stammering tongue that you cannot understand

Now Safe

— Now safe in His presence

— From a foreign enemy

— You are with the Lord in His presence

— Those are all memories of the past

Q: Instead of seeing the enemy, what would they see (v20)?

Jerusalem

( 33:20 ) Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feasts; Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a quiet home, A tabernacle that will not be taken down; Not one of its stakes will ever be removed, Nor will any of its cords be broken.

— A city of religious privilege and fellowship

— A city of festivals, peace and security

Tent

— No one will move the tent

— The steaks will not be taken out

— The pilgrimage is over

— God’s presence will reside permanently in Jerusalem during the Millennium

A Fortified City

( 33:21 ) The Lord will dwell there

— The Lord will surround the city with water to protect it. Strength

( 33:22 ) The Lord will save us

Helpless without Him

( 33:23 ) In her own strength, Jerusalem is helpless to defend herself

— Like a ship without ropes and sail

A Promise 33:21 The Lord will dwell with His people in Jerusalem and save them

Q: Do you see the gospel in v24?

( 33:24 ) And the inhabitant will not say, “I am sick”; The people who dwell in it will be forgiven their iniquity

No Sickness or Sin

— And the inhabitant will not say, “I am sick”

— Free of physical and spiritual problems

Forgiven of Sin

— The people who dwell in it will be forgiven their iniquity

Chapter 34

Overview

The day of Jacob’s trouble which the NT calls Armageddon. The land of Edom represents the nations of the world. Similar passages in Revelation 6 and 18 mirror Chapter 34

Armageddon

— This is the “Day of Jacob’s Trouble” (Jer 30:7)

— Armageddon (Rev 16:14-16)

The final overthrow of the nations (34:1-17)

( 34:1-17 ) Come near, you nations, to hear; And heed, you people! Let the earth hear, and all that is in it, The world and all things that come forth from it. 2 For the indignation of the Lord is against all nations, And His fury against all their armies; He has utterly destroyed them, He has given them over to the slaughter. 3 Also their slain shall be thrown out; Their stench shall rise from their corpses, And the mountains shall be melted with their blood. 4 All the host of heaven shall be dissolved, And the heavens shall be rolled up like a scroll; All their host shall fall down As the leaf falls from the vine, And as fruit falling from a fig tree. 5 “For My sword shall be bathed in heaven; Indeed it shall come down on Edom, And on the people of My curse, for judgment. 6 The sword of the Lord is filled with blood, It is made overflowing with fatness, With the blood of lambs and goats, With the fat of the kidneys of rams. For the Lord has a sacrifice in Bozrah, And a great slaughter in the land of Edom. 7 The wild oxen shall come down with them, And the young bulls with the mighty bulls; Their land shall be soaked with blood, And their dust saturated with fatness.” 8 For it is the day of the Lord’s vengeance, The year of recompense for the cause of Zion. 9 Its streams shall be turned into pitch, And its dust into brimstone; Its land shall become burning pitch. 10 It shall not be quenched night or day; Its smoke shall ascend forever. From generation to generation it shall lie waste; No one shall pass through it forever and ever. 11 But the pelican and the porcupine shall possess it, Also the owl and the raven shall dwell in it. And He shall stretch out over it The line of confusion and the stones of emptiness. 12 They shall call its nobles to the kingdom, But none shall be there, and all its princes shall be nothing. 13 And thorns shall come up in its palaces, Nettles and brambles in its fortresses; It shall be a habitation of jackals, A courtyard for ostriches. 14 The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the jackals, And the wild goat shall bleat to its companion; Also the night creature shall rest there, And find for herself a place of rest. 15 There the arrow snake shall make her nest and lay eggs And hatch, and gather them under her shadow; There also shall the hawks be gathered, Every one with her mate. 16 “Search from the book of the Lord, and read: Not one of these shall fail; Not one shall lack her mate. For My mouth has commanded it, and His Spirit has gathered them. 17 He has cast the lot for them, And His hand has divided it among them with a measuring line. They shall possess it forever; From generation to generation they shall dwell in it.”

Let the whole earth hear

( 34:1 ) Come near, you nations, hear

— Nations

— People

— Earth

— World

— All that comes out (NIV)

Q: What message does God call upon the nations to hear (1-4)?

( 34:2 ) For the indignation of the Lord is against all nations, And His fury against all their armies; He has utterly destroyed them, He has given them over to the slaughter

The Lord is Angry

— For the indignation of the Lord is against all nations

Destroy

— He has utterly destroyed them, He has given them over to the slaughter

( 34:3 ) Also their slain shall be thrown out; Their stench shall rise from their corpses, And the mountains shall be melted with their blood.

Stench

— Their stench

— Prolonged exposure of dead corpses was repulsive and disgraceful

J. Alec Motyer

“The reference to bodies and their corruption shows that sinners are finally implicated in the judgment due to their. Ultimately, the adage about hating sin and loving the sinner breaks down. Sinners pay the price of their sin: The Lord exacts it”

Imprecatory Psalms

Psalms that cry out to God for judgment (Ps 64:7-9; 79:10; and also 5, 6, 11, 12, 17, 35, 37, 40, 52, 54, 56, 57, 58, 59, 79, 83, 94, 137, 139, and 143)

Q: How is heaven described in v4? How does this relate to Revelation?

( 34:4 )All the host of heaven shall be dissolved, And the heavens shall be rolled up like a scroll; All their host shall fall down As the leaf falls from the vine, And as fruit falling from a fig tree

Heaven Dissolved

— The whole universe is tainted by man’s sin and human corruption and will be subject to judgment.

infected by Sin

— The universe is not eternal. Human sin has infected it with built-in obsolescence

— Its pre-written history has an end

— It’s span of life is only as long as the Lord’s purpose for it

— Heaven cannot escape God’s wrath

Q: How will it be “dissolved?”

Earthquake

— A great earthquake during the tribulation will rearrange the landscape in preparation to the coming of Christ

— Isa 13:13, 24:4, 65:17,22; Hag 2:6; 2 Pet 3:10-13; Rev 6:12-14, 20:11, 21:1

— The 7th Bowl judgment describes this event ( Rev 16:18 )

Revelation 16:18 NKJV

18 And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth.

Like a scroll

— And the heavens shall be rolled up like a scroll

— Similar to Revelation but the order is reversed

— “And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind.” ( Rev 6:13,14 )

Like Fruit falling

— All their host shall fall down As the leaf falls from the vine, And as fruit falling from a fig tree.

Q: Who is Edom and describe God’s punishment on her 5-7?

Edom

— All the nations

— Edom descended from Esau and there was animosity between Jacob and Esau

Not one to hold a grudge

— Esau wasn’t one to hold a grudge

— He was happy to see Jacob again (Gen 33:13-24)

— Animosity started and became the pattern beginning in Numbers 20:14-21

— Moses wanted to pass through the land of Edom. The king of Edom said no, and if you do, I’ll attack you with the sword

Saul goes to war

— Eventually Israel goes to war against Edom (1 Sam 14:47)

— Saul treats them just like his other enemies: the Philistines, people of Ammon, Moab and Zobah

— Edom is included in the list of Saul’s battles

( 34:5-6 ) “For My sword shall be bathed in heaven; Indeed it shall come down on Edom, And on the people of My curse, for judgment. 6 The sword of the Lord is filled with blood, It is made overflowing with fatness, With the blood of lambs and goats, With the fat of the kidneys of rams. For the Lord has a sacrifice in Bozrah, And a great slaughter in the land of Edom

The punishment

— ( 34:5 ) A sword comes down from heaven

— ( 34:6 ) bathed in blood, a great slaughter is planned

( 34:6,7 ) Lambs and goats…rams…wild oxen…bulls

— Since the nations had not repented and obeyed God’s way of sacrifice for sins, they became the sacrifice for their own sins

Bulls

Only lambs and bulls were used in sacrifices

— The reference to these other animals means nothing will be spared

Blood and Fat

— The Blood and Fat belong to the Lord ( Lev 3:16, 17, Lev 7:23-27)

Q: What does it mean that the Lord’s sword is dipped and overflowing in blood and fat, v6?

What is His

— The blood and Fat belong to the Lord

— The Lord seeks what is His alone

— He has the right

Q: How does Isaiah describe the destruction of the nations vv8-12?

TRIBULATION

( 34:8 )For it is the day of the Lord’s vengeance, The year of recompense for the cause of Zion

— The Tribulation

— The Time of Jacob’s trouble (Jer 30:7)

— Isa 13:11-13; 24:1,5,21-34

— Isa 63:1-6 mirrors Rev 14 and trampling grapes in the wine press of wrath

Pitch

( 34:9 )Its streams shall be turned into pitch, And its dust into brimstone; Its land shall become burning pitch

Brimstone

( 34:9c ) And it’s dust into brimstone

Q: What is brimstone?

Sulfur

— Burning rock

— God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with a hail of fire and brimstone (burning rock) (Gen 19)

— Acrid odor of Sulfur Dioxide. Horrible!

Land

— The land will be burning pitch (burning tar)

Burn and burn

( 34:10 ) It shall not be quenched night or day; Its smoke shall ascend forever. From generation to generation it shall lie waste; No one shall pass through it forever and ever

— Like a giant volcanic eruption over all the land

— Like Mt St Helens or Yellowstone exploding

Q: Again, why is this happening ? v8

Vengeance

( 34:8 ) For it is the day of the Lord’s vengeance

— Just before God unleashed his vengeance back in verse 4 with the heavens being dissolved, the saints cry out for vengeance (Rev 6:9-10)

— Now that day of vengeance has finally come

Revelation 6:9–10 NKJV

9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”

Paid in Full

— The Lord is acting on behalf of His people

— They have a cause, a lawful claim against Edom and the Lord will see to a full settlement

Q: What will take the place of Edom (vv11-15)?

( 34:11-15 ) But the pelican and the porcupine shall possess it, Also the owl and the raven shall dwell in it. And He shall stretch out over it The line of confusion and the stones of emptiness. 12 They shall call its nobles to the kingdom, But none shall be there, and all its princes shall be nothing. 13 And thorns shall come up in its palaces, Nettles and brambles in its fortresses; It shall be a habitation of jackals, A courtyard for ostriches. 14 The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the jackals, And the wild goat shall bleat to its companion; Also the night creature shall rest there, And find for herself a place of rest. 15 There the arrow snake shall make her nest and lay eggs And hatch, and gather them under her shadow; There also shall the hawks be gathered, Every one with her mate.

Unclean animals

( 34:11 ) Pelican…porcupine…owl

— Unclean animals populate the Land

— Desolation and wilderness similar picture of Babylon ( Rev 18:2 )

Revelation 18:2 NKJV

2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!

Wilderness

— ( 34:13 ) Thorns…nettles…brambles

Wild Beasts

— ( 34:14 ) Wild beasts…jackals…goats

Snakes, Hawks

— ( 34:15 ) Arrow snakes..hawks

Q: How certain can we be that this will actually happen vv16-17?

( 34:16-17 ) Search from the book of the Lord, and read: Not one of these shall fail; Not one shall lack her mate. For My mouth has commanded it, and His Spirit has gathered them. 17 He has cast the lot for them, And His hand has divided it among them with a measuring line. They shall possess it forever; From generation to generation they shall dwell in it.”

100% Certain

— ( 34:16 ) Search from the book of the Lord, and read:

— you can read it from Isaiah’s prophecy as if it has happened

Certain

— ( 34:16 ) not one shall fail

Pre-determined

— God has pre-determined what to do with Edom (the nations) like a city planner takes and surveys that land

— ( 34:17 ) He has allocated Edom to destruction

Chapter 35

Overview

A Vision of the Coming Kingdom (35:1-7)

( 35:1-7 ) The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, And the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose; 2 It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice, Even with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, The excellence of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, The excellency of our God. 3 Strengthen the weak hands, And make firm the feeble knees. 4 Say to those who are fearful-hearted, “Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, With the recompense of God; He will come and save you.” 5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. 6 Then the lame shall leap like a deer, And the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, And streams in the desert. 7 The parched ground shall become a pool, And the thirsty land springs of water; In the habitation of jackals, where each lay, There shall be grass with reeds and rushes.

Q: In contrast to Chapter 34, what will happen to the wilderness and wastelands (1-2)?

Desert will bloom

( 35:1 ) The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, And the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose;

Blossom

( 35:2 ) it will blossom abundantly

— Dramatic changes are coming during the Messianic age

— The people of God are going to be in pilgrimage mode to make their way to the city of God

— But unlike their first exodus across the desert, it will be transformed and will bloom like a rose

How will this happen?

Changes

— God will change Jersualem

— Great earthquake will split the city into 3 parts ( Rev 16:19 )

— Mount Zion will spit into two ( Zech 14:4 )

— A spring of water will flow from Jerusalem to the Mediterranean and Dead Seas ( Zech 14:8 )

Q: What will happen to the weak and fearful (vv3,4)?

Strength

( 35:3 ) Strengthen the weak hands, And make firm the feeble knees

Strong

( 35:4 ) Say to those who are fearful-hearted, “Be strong, do not fear!

Encourage

Israel will serve to encourage the discouraged. Isaiah 35:3 is quoted in Heb 12:12

— The writer of Hebrews gives an additional implication: strengthen Christians who are suffering persecution for their faith

Q: What will happen to those with disabilities in vv 5,6?

Blind will see

( 35:5 ) Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened

Deaf will hear

( 35:5b ) And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped

Lame will walk

( 35:6 ) Then the lame shall leap like a deer

Dumb shall speak

( 35:6b ) And the tongue of the dumb sing

Eyes and Ears

— This is the reverse of the immediate spiritual condition

— Now they are blind and cannot see ( 29:18, 32:3 )

Sneak Peek

— Jesus gave us a sneak peek of the Millennium when He healed the blind, deaf, dumb and lame (Matt 11:5, 12:22, Mark 7:37, Luke 7:21, Acts 3:8)

Transformation

— The holy spirit is poured out and the land is transformed

( 35:7 ) the thirsty land springs of water...There shall be grass with reeds

Men’s bodies too

— And men’s bodies are also transformed: Blind, Deaf, Dumb, Lame are all transformed / restored

— No more Labor Day Muscular Dystrophy Marathons

— No more Children’s St. Jude Hospital

— No more chemotherapy - all manners of illness eradicated

John the Baptist

— Had doubt

— He wondered if Christ was the Messiah

— John the Baptist of all people questioned his faith

— From prison (Matt 11:2) he asked if Jesus was the promised Messiah

— Jesus quotes Isaiah ( 33:4-6 )

A Vision of the Coming Kingdom > The Lord’s highway (35:8-10)

( 35:8-10 ) A highway shall be there, and a road, And it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, But it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road, although a fool, Shall not go astray. 9 No lion shall be there, Nor shall any ravenous beast go up on it; It shall not be found there. But the redeemed shall walk there, 10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, And come to Zion with singing, With everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, And sorrow and sighing shall flee away

Q: What is the highway described in v8?

Leads to Jerusalem

— Doesn’t say where it leads but possibly Jerusalem

— Called the highway of holiness

— ( 35:8 ) The unclean shall not pass over it

— The Lord is the leader on this highway (cf. Isa 40:3)

— We saw mention of this earlier in Isaiah (11:16) when he described the Millennium in which the lion will wolf and the lamb will dwell together (11:6)

Q: What else do we read about this highway (vv9-10)?

No Danger

( 35:9 ) No lion shall be there

— Safe to travel

— The redeemed will be there; the redeemed will walk there

Joy

( 35:10 ) They will come to Zion singing, sadness will flee

APPLICATION

This highway, the “Way of Holiness,” is the way that righteous pilgrim will take from the desert of suffering to Zion. It is found only by following God. Only the redeemed will travel God’s highway; they will be protected from wicked travelers and harmful animals . God is preparing a way for His people (those who walk in His ways) to travel home, and He will walk us. God never stops at simply pointing the way, He is always beside us as we go (Application bible)

Additional Resources

J Vernon McGee Isaiah 32-33: https://www.oneplace.com/ministries/thru-the-bible-with-j-vernon-mcgee/listen/isaiah-32-33-754469.html

McGee Isaiah 34-35: https://www.oneplace.com/ministries/thru-the-bible-with-j-vernon-mcgee/listen/isaiah-34-35-754470.html