Day 204 – Reading – Isaiah 31 – 34.

Read today’s Scriptures.  

Isaiah 21.

Isaiah continues with the “Ah’s” (woes) against the advisors of King Hezekiah in Judah/Jerusalem. 

“Woe to those who go to Egypt for help, and rely on horses and chariots and horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel.”  “The Egyptians are man, NOT GOD, and their horses are flesh, and NOT SPIRIT.”

Isaiah is asking which option Judah would rather have for help: man and horses, or God and His Spirit. 

This choice reminded me of the words of encouragement to Zerubbabel in Zechariah 4:6, “‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD.”   Of course, you can SEE men and horses, and the Spirit is invisible (you can only see His work), so Judah is tempted.

(We will see in 2 Chronicles 32:8 that Hezekiah wisely chose to rely on the Lord.)

God compares himself to a young lion and to hovering birds, protecting Jerusalem.  He says, “The Assyrians shall fall by a sword, not of man.”

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Isaiah 32.

Isaiah then sees a future kingdom, in which the Messiah will reign in righteousness, and princes in justice.  And the generation will have eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart more receptive to the things of God.

But for now, Isaiah warns them of complacency. “In a little more than a year, you will shudder … for the palace is forsaken, the city deserted, the hill and the watchtower will become dens … for donkeys and flocks.

(The Assyrians would come and pillage the land and ruin their agriculture.)

Then Isaiah reverts again to the coming promised Kingdom, with justice and righteousness. “And the effect of righteousness will be peace, the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever. And my people will abide in a peaceful habitation…”

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Isaiah 33.

The final “Ah” (woe) is directed towards not only the Assyrians, but to any power that sets itself against Israel.  “When you have ceased to destroy (and betray) YOU will be destroyed.”

We will learn of the mighty defeat of King Sennacherib (2 Chronicles), taking flight after Hezekiah went to the LORD for help. So the nations will scatter before the LORD in that day.  “The fear of the LORD is Zion’s treasure!”

Nevertheless, the current situation for Judah will be dire when Assyria surrounds them, having destroyed surrounding cities and their agriculture.  And just when their power seems overpowering… the LORD will intervene.

And when God intervenes, even Judah will fear. Verses 15-16 resemble passages in Psalm 15 and Psalm 24.

• Who among us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who among us can dwell with everlasting burning?
• He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly,
• who despises the gain of oppression,
• who shakes his hands, lest they hold a bribe,
• who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed
• and shuts his eyes from looking on evil.
• HE will dwell on the heights; HIS place of defense will be the fortresses of rocks, HIS bread will be given him; HIS water will be sure. 

Then Isaiah continues to paint the picture of the Messiah’s glorious kingdom.  “For the LORD is our judge; the LORD is our lawgiver; the LORD is our king, He will save us!”  AND  “No inhabitant will say ‘I am sick,’ for the people who dwell there will be FORGIVEN THEIR INIQUITY.”

Halleluia!

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Isaiah 34.

Isaiah invites the nations and peoples to come close and hear God’s judgment on them…..  

The LORD is enraged… furious… has devoted them to destruction… given them over to slaughter.

He picks Edom as a representative of all the nations. 

The LORD has a sword… The LORD has a sacrifice… a great slaughter in the land of Edom. 

The LORD has a day of vengeance, a year of recompense for the cause of Zion.  (He paints a picture of the destruction of Edom, as with Sodom.)

• Streams turned to pitch, soil into sulfur, the land a burning pitch,
• night and day it shall not be quenched, its smoke shall go up forever. 
• from generation to generation, it shall be waste. 
• Its nobles, the kingdom, all the princes shall be nothing. 
• A place fit only for jackals, ostriches, hyenas, wild goats, hawks, porcupines, owls, and ravens.

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(These passages remind me of today in many ways.  We see death and destruction, evil and suppression, threats and killing all around us in this fallen world.  We try to correct it by laws, and troops, and even Stealth Bombers, but evil still lives, oppression grows, and hatred rules mobs.  But… in God’s word, we read the promises of Eternity free from evil for His chosen believers, and we have hope. We praise Him as we look toward that time.)