ReadBibleAlive.com Daily Bible Studies |
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| Series Theme: Isaiah Studies (Series 3 of 9 - chapters 22 to 35) | |
| Page Contents:
Chs. 28 - 33
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Chapter: Isaiah 28
Passage: Isa 28:1-8 A. Find Out
1.
Whose pride is described how? v.1
2.
Who or what will the Lord bring against them? v.2
3.
What will happen? v.3,4
4.
How will the Lord appear on that day? v.5,6
5. What is life like in the land? v.7,8
B. Think:1. What does wearing a ‘wreath' convey? 2. What is the main complaint against this people here? 3. What will the Lord do with them?
C. Comment:Ephraim (v.1) was the tribe whose allocated land was in the centre of Israel and thus formed the hill country of Samaria that tended to have terraced vineyards. Perhaps it is because of the vineyards that wine was plentiful and the occupants of the land tended to over-drink and be labelled drunkards. They were proud of who they were and what they did and almost wore this pride as a wreath or garland. In olden times a garland of leaves was worn by victors or important celebrities, marking them out. This part of Israel wear their pride in the same way and pride is synonymous with self-centredness and self-centredness is synonymous with godlessness. Thus they become an object of the Lord's discipline which will come in the form of an invading army (v.2-4) who will come in and ‘harvest' them and take them, in the same way as an owner harvests his figs from the fig tree. In that day their pride will be replaced by a reverence for the Lord (v.5) and judges will then bring justice from the Lord (v.6a) and warriors will receive the Lord's strength to defend their land (v.6b) But the truth is that at the present even those at the heart of religion – the priests and the prophets – are all involved and all drink too much (v.7) and the picture is of drunken sickness (v.8) which is very far from what the representatives of the Lord should be. Priests should present the people to the Lord and the prophets should present the Lord to the people, but both were failing in their roles.
D. Application:1. In a day of affluence, beware over drinking (and over eating)! 2. Respect and honour the role the Lord has given to you.
Chapter: Isaiah 28 Passage: Isa 28:9-13
A. Find Out
1.
Who, by implication has the Lord been teaching? v.9
2.
How has He been doing it? v.10
3.
Through whom will He speak? v.11
4.
What had He intended for Israel ? v.12
5.
How again had His word come? v.13a
6. But what will the end result be? v.13b
B. Think:1. What point is he making in verse 9? 2. What do you think he's saying in verses 10 & 13 3. Who is the Lord going to have to use to teach Israel ? C. Comment:This is all about the way the Lord sought and is seeking to teach and train Israel (v.9a). He has a message to be conveyed to them (v.9b) but he's not explaining it to babes or infants, but (implied) to mature adults (v.9c). The whole of verse 10 could be summarised as ‘little bit by little bit', i.e. gradually. The Lord has been taking His time with this nation and over the centuries (not merely at the beginning with the Law) He has been teaching them and it's been a gradual process. His objective has been to bring Israel into a place of rest and peace (v.v.12a,b) with Him, but tragically they would not listen to Him (v.12c) The history of Israel reveals the awfulness of sin in the human race, evident even when God is working with them doing all He can to help them. But they are a stubborn people and so the Lord will end up using foreigners (v.11) to come against them and chastise them. As a result of this process (and we see this most clearly in the book of Jeremiah) the Lord is going to have to continue speaking to them little bit by little bit (v.13a) so they will have no excuse but, tragically, they will still not heed and so as a nation they will fall, be snared and captured and taken away. This happened to the Northern kingdom in 722BC with the fall of Samaria and then to the Southern kingdom in 587BC with the fall of Jerusalem . In both cases the word of the Lord kept coming to them little by little, bit by bit, but they did not listen.
D. Application:1. When the Lord speaks to you, listen and obey! 2. Don't despise the simplicity of God's word that you may hear.
Chapter: Isaiah 28 Passage: Isaiah 28:14-22 A. Find Out
1.
How are leaders of Jerusalem described and why? v.14,15
2.
What does the Lord say He is doing? v.16
3.
What will then happen? v.17-19
4.
What effect will this message have? v.19c,20
5.
How will the Lord come? v.21
6.
So what are they challenged to do? v.22
B. Think:1. What is at the beginning and end of this message? 2. What might be the stone he refers to? 3. What is going to happen? C. Comment:Back in verse 12 the prophet had spoken of the Lord providing a dwelling place of rest that had been rejected by this people. Now he confronts the rulers of Jerusalem (v.14) who were proud and arrogant and who boasted that they would be secure when an enemy came (v.15). They mocked the thought that they would be brought down, so the Lord speaks a fresh word into their midst. He was going to bring something new into Jerusalem (v.16) something that was like an initial foundation stone from which all else is laid out and measured. Whatever or whoever this ‘stone' is, is unclear but it will be a source of trust and security for the people. It could read, ‘a stone that is Zion ' so it could be that He was going to make Jerusalem the place of security. It could be that the stone would be a new ruler from the house of David and, of course, with later references to such a stone being rejected we find that applied to Jesus in the New Testament. Whatever or whoever it is, the end result will be that justice and righteousness will be seen to prevail (v.17a) and their refuge of lies will be swept away (v.17b). They will be carried away (v.19) and all that they trusted in will prove inadequate (v.18). When they realise the reality of this message they will be terrified (v.19c) and their places of security will prove uncomfortable and inadequate (v.20). God will come (v.21) as He did for David (see 2 Sam 5:17-25), so stop mocking or it will get worse! (v.22)
D. Application:
1. Self-confidence is like sailing in a paper boat!
Chapter: Isaiah 28 Passage: Isaiah 28:23-29
A. Find Out
1.
What does he call them to do? v.23
2.
What does he ask about a farmer? v.24
3.
What does he go on to do and with whose guidance? v.25,26
4.
What does he go on to speak about? v.27
5.
And then what? v.28
6.
What final point does he make? v.29
B. Think:1. What practical points does he make about the farmer? 2. What bigger point does he make about him? 3. How does this follow on from say verses 16 to 22? C. Comment:Observers of what we call the Middle East, might have wondered as history rolled out whether Jerusalem would go the same way as Samaria and be similarly destroyed. Theses verses essentially say that God deals with different peoples in different ways. There is a call, first of all, to note of what follows and (implied) understand it (v.23). The pictures come in two parts: part 1 is about preparing ground (v.24-26) and the second part is about harvesting and using it (v.27-29). Does a farmer keep on ploughing? (v.24) No, the ploughing is only part of the longer process of producing a crop. Once the ground is prepared he then sows different seeds on different plots (v.25) and a farmer does it as he senses what is right – and this comes from God who teaches him. (v.26) But then there is the reaping and different crops are harvested in different ways (v.27) but, again, harvesting is only part of the process and so you move on to grind the corn etc. in the appropriate way to produce the end product, bread (v.28). This again comes from the Lord who has designed all things and therefore knows how to do all things well (v.29). The lesson? First of all God knows all thing about the world He has created and knows best how to deal with every situation and people and therefore, second, will act appropriately to achieve the best end.
D. Application:1. Do we believe God knows best about every aspect of our lives?
Chapter: Isaiah 29 Passage: Isaiah 29:1-12
A. Find Out
1.
Why does the Lord call Jerusalem Ariel (v.1,2 +footnote)
2.
What will happen to it? v.3,4
3.
But what will happen to its enemies? v.5,6
4.
How will it be for them? v.7,8
5.
What is the Lord bringing over the people? v.9,10
6.
With what outcome? v.11,12
B. Think:
1. What physically is going to happen to Jerusalem ? 2. How is the Lord going to use her? 3. But what will He do to those who bring it about?
C. Comment:
Here the Lord calls Jerusalem Ariel (v.1a) for it is clearly the city referred to “where David settled”. But, the footnote tells us ‘Ariel' sounds in Hebrew like the words ‘altar hearth' and that is what Jerusalem will become as it is besieged by enemies (v.2). When those enemies encamp around the city it will be as if it is the Lord Himself coming against them (v.3) and out of the devastation it will be as if their voices whisper into history (v.4) the truth of what this is all about.
Yet although the Lord will use foreign hordes to bring this chastisement on Jerusalem yet they will not get away with it (v.5), for the Lord will come against them (v.6) so that the hopes of the enemy for greatness will simply become like a dream that passes in the night (v.7). The prophet emphasises it by thinking of a hungry man dreaming of food or a thirsty man dreaming of drink. When they awake they are still hungry and thirsty (v.8) and so this is how it will be by those the Lord uses for this task. They may dream of greatness in their sinful desires to destroy the people of God but they will never achieve it.
The verses that follow about blindness are not directed at any specific people and so apply to all whose hearts are hardened by sin: they will be blind (v.9) and it is as if the way the Lord speaks He has brought this on them (v.10) and so although this word is written down readers will make excuses and be unable to take it in (v.11,12).
D. Application:
1. Sin has a hardening, blinding effect so we cannot ‘see' the truth. 2. The only remedy is to cry out to the Lord in humility.
Chapter: Isaiah 29
Passage: Isaiah 29:13-16 A. Find Out
1.
What did this people do? v.13a
2.
What was their real state? v.13b
3.
What was their worship? v.13c
4.
What will the Lord do? v.14
5.
Who are especially in trouble? v.15
6. What do they do? v.16
B. Think:1. How were things not as they seemed? 2. How was their thinking completely wrong? 3. So what was the Lord going to do? C. Comment:The Lord never disciplined Israel without first warning them and making clear their situation that needed correcting. The reference to “These people” (v.13a) must refer back to the people of Jerusalem (v.1). In the previous verses here, the Lord has already spoken about the inability of the people to understand His word of warning. Now He exposes their failures. First, they appear to speak spiritual words but the reality is that their hearts are far from God (v.13a,b) and indeed their worship does not come from the heart but is simply following rules (v.13c). They think they can get away with what they want which is contrary to God's will (v.15) and in their silly thinking they think they are greater than God and can hide from Him and get away with wrong things (v.16). But the Lord is not going to let this situation just continue on. He is going to intervene and will yet do wonders in their midst (v.14a). That may be good or bad from their perspective; they aren't told at this stage. But all the cleverness of those who consider themselves either wise or intelligent will get swept away. (v.14b).
This part of the prophecy is remarkable in its clarity in pointing out the foolishness of this people who should know better, but what is amazing about it, is what follows (see next study) for the Lord is going to bless this people. It may be by correction but the outcome will be good!
D. Application:
1. Sin makes us stupidly think we're better than God. 2. God, in His love for us, will not let that attitude prevail.
Chapter: Isaiah 29
Passage: Isaiah 29:17-24
A. Find Out
1.
What two transformations are coming? v.17,18
2.
How will the humble and needy respond? v.19
3.
What will happen to the ruthless and mockers? v.20,21
4.
What does the Lord say to whom? v.22
5.
What will they see and acknowledge? v.23
6. Who else will be changed? v.24
B. Think:
1. How will the physical world be changed? 2. How are people going to be changed? 3. How will Israel be specifically affected?
C. Comment:
Despite all the negatives in the assessment of the world or of Israel or of Jerusalem that we have seen previously, the grace and mercy of God means that He still intends to bring good to this world. At some point in time – short by His standards – He is going to bring transformation to the natural world (v.17) – for that is what Lebanon represents. But in that day there is going to come sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf (v.19) i.e. there will be transformation for humans as well.
The humble, needy and downtrodden will rejoice in that day (v.19) for the changes that the Lord brings will transform their lives as well. On the other hand, as the Lord brings justice to His world, those who are ruthless and mockers (v.20) and those who bring injustice (v.21) will be dealt with by the Lord, and removed. Whether such a time is the outworking of what we call ‘revival' or refers to the end of time, is unclear. The word then specifically turns to Israel – referred to as Jacob, the schemer, the nation that so often sought to go their own way, ignoring the Lord, bringing on themselves the consequences of all that. No longer will they be in a place of correction and pain and shame (v.22) but they will know ongoing fruitfulness, they will have a future (v.23a) and they will honour the Lord (v.23b) and that includes all (v.24) including those who had previously had wrong attitudes.
D. Application:
1. Discipline is and will be brought by God to correct wrongs.
Chapter: Isaiah 30
Passage: Isaiah 30:1-7 A. Find Out
1.
On whom does the Lord now focus? v.1
2.
To whom had they looked for help? v.2,4
3.
But what will be the outcome? v.3,5
4.
What does the oracle appear to be about? v.6a
5.
Yet who does it focus in on? v.6b
6. Why is it pointless? v.6c,7
B. Think:1. Why is the Lord telling off Israel ? 2. What will be the outcome? 3. Why?
C. Comment:
The Lord calls Israel ‘obstinate children' (v.1a) and they are this because they refuse the Lord's plans (v.1b) but worse than that they looking to Egypt for help (v.1c,2) and think that Pharaoh will provide protection for them (v.2) but actually, in the end, there will be no help from them and Israel will end up shamed (v.3,5). The fact that Israel 's envoys have arrived in Egypt safely (v.4) means nothing. This will not end well. Reliance upon others and not the Lord indicates a failure of relationship and, for the people of God, constitutes sin (v.1c). But then appears to come a strange oracle (an oracle we said was a serious message being sent). It speaks of the animals of the south (the Negev v.6) Why should Isaiah be bringing a message about animals (v.6b). Ah, they act as a backdrop. It's like a film-maker panning over a large desert wasteland and then beaming down on a lone camel train – it is the envoys going to Egypt (v.6c,7a) But, says the Lord through Isaiah, it is useless (v.7a). He calls Egypt ‘Rahab' which means ‘turbulence arrogance, boastfulness'. Egypt , He says is a troublemaker who appear big and strong and even helpful towards a smaller nearby nation, but in event they will ‘do nothing', they will prove to be a worthless friend. The picture of these envoys struggling through the desert is a picture of futility.
D. Application:
1. All that glitters is not good to rely upon! 2. Be careful who you trust. Check them out.
Chapter: Isaiah 30
Passage: Isaiah 30:8-17
A. Find Out
1.
What is Isaiah now told to do? v.8
2.
How does the Lord describe the people of Israel ? v.9
3.
What did they say and ask? v.10,11
4.
What will now happen and why? v.12-14
5.
What had they rejected? v.15
6.
What had they wanted but what will happen? v.16,17
B. Think:
1. What had been the sin of the people? 2. What should they have done? 3. What had they done and so what will be the consequence?
C. Comment:
Moving from criticising Israel for relying upon Egypt and not Him, the Lord now requires Isaiah to write down and record Israel 's folly (v.8). He wants history to note Israel 's rebellion, deceit and unwillingness to follow the Lord's will (v.9). They had rejected the prophetic word (v.10a) and demanded that such prophets only speak good things to them (v.10c). They didn't like the presence of the prophets that the Lord sent and wanted them to stop upsetting their consciences and wanted them to stop going on about the Lord (v.11)
Because of all this, the Lord stated quite clearly what He was going to do with them and why. There would never be an opportunity for them to ever be able to say, “We didn't know!” There is a threefold condemnation of them (v.12): first that they have rejected the Lord, second that there is injustice that they tolerate in that they allow the poor and weak to be oppressed (implied) and, third, that they rely on deceit, they live in untruth, denying who they are and what the Lord has said about them in the past (they ignore the Law of curses and blessings, for instance).
This sin is going to end up turning in on them and destroying them (v.13,14). What they should have done was come in repentance and rest in the Lord's provision for them (v.15) against the enemy, but they said they would flee (v.16) but this means rout and defeat (v.17)
D. Application:
1. The thing about being the Lord's people means relying on Him. 2. Self determination means defeat and destruction. It is folly.
Chapter: Isaiah 30
Passage: Isaiah 30:18-26 A. Find Out
1.
Yet what does the Lord desire? v.18
2.
Of what can they be assured? v.19
3.
What will happen? v.20,21
4.
What will they then do? v.22
5.
How else will He bless them? v.23,24
6. And what will yet happen? v.25,26
B. Think:1. How is this shown to be a future thing? 2. What is the Lord waiting to hear? 3. What will He do for His people then? C. Comment:Verse 18 states the Lord's desire, to be able to be gracious and compassionate, yet these are not things poured out automatically. He cannot bless rebellion and sinfulness and so He waits for them to cry out to Him (v.19) and the moment they do, He will bless them. Yes, He disciplines them with adversity and affliction (v.20a), yet a time will come when they will receive fresh guidance (v.20b,21) and direction from the Lord. When that time comes as a response to the combination of their repentance and His blessing, they will turn from their idols (v.22) and back to the Lord. As an expression of His graciousness and compassion, He will send abundant (implied) rain and the ground will produce in abundance for both man and cattle (v.23,24). The day of great slaughter (v.25) refers to that time that the Lord has spoken of before, when in the end days He will come and destroy His enemies. When that comes and sin is removed, there will be abundant provision of water (v.25b), abundant provision of light (v.26a) and a healing up of His people (v.26b). Note in these prophecies that although again and again the Lord calls His people to repentance and faces them with their sin, again and again He promises ultimate blessing of His people which is linked to repentance and reconciliation.
D. Application:
1. We can weep for self-concern or in repentance at awareness of self. 2. Catch the picture: the Lord is just waiting to bless His people.
Chapter: Isaiah 30 Passage: Isaiah 30:27-33 A. Find Out
1.
How does he see the Lord coming? v.27,28
2.
Yet how will they yet feel? v.29
3.
How will the Lord come? v.30
4.
And what will He do? v.31
5.
And by what will this be accompanied? v.32
6.
What is prepared for His enemies? v.33
B. Think:1. What aspect of the Lord's activity is focused upon here? 2. Why do you think His people will be rejoicing? 3. How does the passage go from the general to the specific? C. Comment:Throughout these chapters we keep seeing the same thing except it is expressed in different ways. In these distinct verses the Lord is seen as coming in judgement from afar (v.27). “The Name of the Lord” takes us back to the “I Am” of Ex 3 where His name is of such significance – the Eternal One, the Creator of all things. His coming is put in such personal terms, referring to His lips, His tongue, (v.27b), His breath (v.28) perhaps suggesting that His word will be the means of bringing destruction – He speaks and it is done (as in Gen 1) But there is also His voice, His arm and His anger – His word, His strength expressed and His emotion revealed (v.30) coming to bring this destruction. And while He does this, His believing people sing for joy (v.29) presumably rejoicing that He is dealing with His and their enemies and bringing justice. It is a good thing to see the Lord acting against evil. But then it becomes very specific, for His anger and His actions will be turned upon Assyria (v.31). Verse 32 is amazing for it will be millennia before films arrive that portray battles accompanied by great music (v.32) for the music reflects the wonder of what is taking place – the mighty works of God pulling down His enemies, the enemies of good. “Topheth” simply means ‘place of disgraceful burning' (v.33) and will be place of destruction for Assyria decreed by the Lord.
D. Application:1. Justice should be heralded and acclaimed as good. 2. The Lord's acts of judgment are always about justice.
Chapter: Isaiah 31 Passage: Isaiah 31:1-9 A. Find Out
1.
What were the two sides of the wrong? v.1
2.
How are God and the Egyptians contrasted? v.2,3
3.
To what is the Lord compared? v.4,5
4.
What are Israel counselled to do? v.6,7
5.
What will happen to Assyria ? v.8,9
B. Think:1. What, implied in this chapter, is the reason Israel turns to Egypt ? 2. But what is the problem with that? 3. What will the Lord do? C. Comment:In the beginning of the previous chapter (30:12-7) the word of the Lord derided putting trust in Egypt . This present ‘Woe' reiterates the folly of that reliance on the strength and power of Egypt (v.1) and not on the Lord. It is only at the end of this short chapter that we see the reference to the Lord dealing with Assyria (v.8,9) that we realise that their indications of war against Israel are the cause for Israel to look around to see who could help them against this enemy. This folly of ignoring the Lord comes from unbelief, a belief that God cannot do anything for them and so the prophet reminds them that God is powerful and can rise up against evil-doers (v.2) and deal with them. The Egyptians are merely human beings (v.3a) and are limited in what they can do, whereas the Lord can bring them and their help to nought (v.3b) The Lord gives two startlingly clear pictures of Himself. First He is like a lion who is not put off by the sounds of hubbub and so is not afraid of the noises from Assyria (v.4). He is also like a bird of prey hovering over Israel to protect it and rescue it from this ‘predator' (v.5). The call to Israel is therefore to return to the Lord (v.6) and lose all their idols (v.7), for the Lord is going to come against Assyria and will destroy them (v.8,9) for His holy fire resides in Jerusalem and will consume any who come against Israel.
D. Application:1. When in difficulty, the temptation is to reason our way out. 2. Reliance upon the Lord is far better.
Chapter: Isaiah 32 Passage: Isaiah 32:1-8 A. Find Out
1.
What will come about? v.1
2.
How will every man be? v.2
3.
What will also change? v.3
4.
And what, even more, will change? v.4,5
5.
For what, at the present, does silly thinking etc. produce?
v.6,7
6.
But will an alternative be? v.8
B. Think:1. How would you summarise the changes of v.1-5 2. How do verses 6 & 7 show how much will change? C. Comment:The king (v.1a) is presumably the messianic ruler of earlier in the book, who will bring in a righteous reign, a reign in accord with God's design. His under-rulers, people of authority in the land, will subsequently be those who are true and uphold justice (v.1b). Presumably the ‘each man' reference (v.2a) is of those under-rulers and under this king's rule, they will become bastions of protection for the weak against the storms and evils of life (v.2a), a source of life and support (water v.2b) and general protection (shadow v.2c). This reign will also be a time of revelation change for where, as previously, the prophetic complaint had been that the people could neither hear nor see (the word of God) now they will both see and hear (v.3). Moreover the thinking in the land will be transformed (v.4,5) so that true understanding will prevail and true assessment made. This will be a significant change from the present because (now) the fool prevails in the land (v.6) and he speaks silly, thoughtless things and he does what is wrong. Being self-centred, what he does is ungodly and whatever he says is error and contrary to the Lord's will. His words do nothing to alleviate the (spiritual) hunger of those around him or slake their (spiritual) thirst. Folly is his way. Look around and you see two sorts of people. The first, the ‘scoundrel' is a wrong doer and he plans wrongs and does down those weaker than himself (v.7). But contrast the man who is noble who impacts the world with his nobility (v.8).
D. Application:1. How is my life assessed by heaven? 2. Do I speak thoughtless folly, or careful wisdom?
Chapter: Isaiah 32 Passage: Isaiah 32:9-20 A. Find Out
1.
What were the women of Jerusalem feeling? v.9
2.
What will soon happen? v.10
3.
How should they respond to this word? v.11-13
4.
Because what will happen? v.14
5.
Yet what will eventually happen with what results? v.15-17
6.
What will be the end result for those living there? v.18-20
B. Think:1. What is the ‘bad news' in these verses? 2. Yet what ‘good news' follows? 3. What will be the outworking of that good news?
C. Comment:Very often women in a society respond as a block to what happens in the world. Perhaps for this reason Isaiah addresses the women of Jerusalem who he describes as complacent, feeling secure in the present peace and affluence (v.9). Very soon (v.10a) this is all going to change and the harvest which was at the heart of their economy will fail (v.10b). Even worse the city is obviously going to be attacked in some form so that the prophet sees it empty and deserted (v.14) So bad will this be that he counsels them to tremble, shudder and put on the clothes of mourning (v.11). Be in anguish over the awful transformation that will come on the land (v.12,13) which will be the result of the land being abandoned after attack and exile. Yet, and here is the most incredible thing, this is not the end. When God sends His Spirit (v.15a) the land will be transformed (v.15b,c) and also society. The life of the people will be transformed so that justice and righteousness (v.16) will fill the whole land – the desert and the farmed land. Because of this, peace and confidence and quietness will return to the people (v.18) so that living there will be a peaceful, secure and undisturbed experience (v.18). Even should hail come and destroy (v.19) they will be blessed anyway (v.20) as they are able to till and sow in the land and let their beasts roam afar. As a land it will be secure.
D. Application:1. God WILL deal with unrighteousness and judgment may be hard. 2. With judgment always comes hope in mercy.
Chapter: Isaiah 33 Passage: Isaiah 33:1-12 A. Find Out
1.
Who is now condemned? v.1
2.
What does he call on the Lord for? v.2
3.
What does he see happening? v.3,4
4.
How does he see the Lord? v.5,6
5.
How does he see the land? v.7-9
6.
What will the Lord do? v.10-12
B. Think:1. What does he see happening in practical terms to the enemy? 2. What does he see happening to Israel ? 3. Yet what hope is there? C. Comment:The difficulty with broad prophecy sometimes is that it isn't specific in its application. Thus now Isaiah appears first to warn those the Lord would use to chastise Israel . When they have done their work and sit back, it will be their turn (v.1). The only hope for Israel in such times is the Lord (v.2) because when He moves nations are scattered (v.3) but until He does, plundering enemy armies clear the land (v.4). But in the face of all this upheaval and uncertainty, the Lord's ‘home' is Jerusalem where He will be exalted (v.5) and He is the only One who can be relied upon to bring stability and salvation (v.6). Yet at the present, all the prophet can see is warfare (v.7) and the land is desolate (v.8a), for although there had been peace treaties these are now disregarded (v.8b) – this may be the betrayal that he referred to earlier. The whole of the area is in anguish and desolation, presumably as a result of this betrayal (v.9). But now it is time for the Lord to move and be seen (v.10). In what will follow everything will be like material that is so easily burnt up (chaff & straw) but that is of the people's making and they destroy themselves (v.11) and so they will be set on fire and destroyed (v.12). The wording seems to imply that this is the people's folly returning on them and bringing destruction. They have relied on outsiders and not the Lord and have been betrayed by their ‘helpers'. Destruction follows.
D. Application:1. If we rely on unholy fire, we will be burnt. 2. Safety only comes in relying on the Lord.
Chapter: Isaiah 33 Passage: Isaiah 33:13-19 A. Find Out
1.
Who is called to do what? v.13
2.
Who feels what? v.14
3.
Who will dwell where? v.15,16
4.
What will they see? v.17
5.
What will they reflect on? v.18
6.
And who will they no longer see? v.19
B. Think:1. How do these verses separate the sinner and the righteous? 2. How does it seem to span over a long period of time? 3. To whom and how should it bring comfort? C. Comment:So often the prophetic word lifts us out of the present and seems to give us an aerial view of time. Here the Lord calls both those who were far away and have just heard, and those who were near and now see, to note what He has done (v.13) even though it has not yet happened. The Lord is coming against those in Jerusalem who continue to sin against Him (v.14) and they will be terrified by the judgement He brings, the destruction that will come. Yet those who are righteous (v.15) will have no cause to fear for they will survive and be blessed (v.16). They will see the Lord as their King and will look out over the peaceful (implied) land, presumably after it has all happened (v.17). As they do that (when it has happened) they will look back and ponder on what has taken place and will think about the officials who they had known in Jerusalem but who have now been carried away (v.18), who are no longer there. But they will also think of the terrible experience of having an invading army come in with their foreign speech, all of whom (now it has passed) are gone (v.19). These verses provide quite an amazing prophetic aerial view of history and it is like we are able to look down on it at several points – but isn't this exactly how God sees it? This should therefore come as no surprise as the prophet catches God's view on life.
D. Application:1. Get a big picture as we are seated with Christ today (Eph 2:6) 2. Don't only focus on what you see today – ask God for a panorama.
Chapter: Isaiah 33 Passage: Isaiah 33:20-24 A. Find Out
1.
What are the listeners called upon to do? v.20
2.
Who will be there? v.21a
3.
What will it be like? v.21b
4.
But what will not be there? v.21c
5.
How will the Lord be for them? v.22
6.
What will the invading navy be like and with what result?
v.23
7.
And what will be the state of the people of Zion ? v.24
B. Think:Go through these verses and pick out the things that indicate the completely different state of the future Jerusalem . C. Comment:The word ‘will' that appears so many times in these verses suggests a future time, a time yet to be fulfilled. At that future time Jerusalem ( Zion ) will be a place of peace and stability (v.20). It will also be a place where the Lord dwells (v.21a). It appears (unlike the present Jerusalem) to be a place of great and many rivers (v.21b) indicating much provision, but no enemy ships of war (implied) will appear on these rivers (v.21c), because God is there as the lawgiver and law administrator so (implied) all will live under the perfect design of God, who is also its ruler (v.22) and therefore He will save all in it from potential threats from outside (implied). The picture of a becalmed and damaged ship (v.23a) perhaps refers to the ‘ship of state' of Israel who have been damaged and rendered virtually helpless by enemies but yet they will enjoy the spoils of war, even in their weakness, implying that another (the Lord) will have fought for them. At that time the people will be healthy who live there (v.24) and they as a people will know that they are forgiven and are, therefore, able to enter into and enjoy a new relationship with the Lord who lives in their midst. It would appear that this ‘future Zion ' is unlike the present physical Jerusalem and this therefore means the dwelling of all believers.
D. Application:1. God's ultimate purpose is a place of blessing for His people. 2. That blessing covers every aspect of life in relationship with Him.
RECAP "Six Woes" Isaiah 28 - 33SUMMARY :In this third group of 17 studies we have seen: • Woe to Ephraim ( Samaria )--and to Judah Ch. 28
• Woe
to David's City ,
Jerusalem 29:1-14
•
Woe to the godless
29:15-24
• Woe
to the Obstinate Nation
Ch. 30
• Woe
to Those Who Rely on Egypt
Chs. 31-32
•
Woe to Assyria -but
Blessing for God's People Ch. 33
COMMENT :Isaiah prophesied from 739BC, and so in the early years Samaria still existed (ceasing in 722BC, 17 years into Isaiah's ministry), the first ‘Woe' comes to Samaria and then the ‘woes' come largely to those with wrong hearts in the people of God. The contents are much more complex than the summary notes above indicate.
LESSONS?1. God disciplines His people to produce a fruit of righteousness. 2. Through discipline comes blessing.
PRAY :Thank the Lord that He doesn't just leave us, but works in our lives to bring us into the good of His inheritance for us.
PART 4 : "More Judgment & Promise" Ch.34 & 35In this next Part see the Lord's anger over the nations of the world and the judgment that follows, the desolation of Edom . Nevertheless there will a way for the people of God to a good place.
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