Chapter 26

(Verses 1 through 4)  In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah ; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. Open ye the gates that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.

This seems to refer more to the time of the restoration of Israel in the last days than to their deliverance from either the Assyrians or the Babylonians. However, in whichever time is indicated, there will be this song in Judah . They will declare their city, Jerusalem , strong because of the salvation of the LORD, and not by anything that they have done. God will appoint salvation as their walls and bulwarks. He will have made them a righteous nation; and as such they can enter into the city. Also all those, whose minds are focused upon the LORD will, by Him, be kept in perfect peace, because they trust in Him. So they are commanded to trust in the LORD forever, for in Him is everlasting strength. This is a very comforting message to all, who do trust in Him.

(Verses 5 through 11) For He bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, He layeth it low, even to the ground; He bringeth it even to the dust. The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy. The way of the just is uprightness: Thou , most Upright, dost weigh the path of the just. Yea, in the way of Thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for Thee; the desire of our soul is to Thy name, and to the remembrance of Thee. With my soul have I desired Thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek Thee early: for when Thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. Let favor be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD. LORD, when Thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of Thine enemies shall devour them.

We are exhorted to trust in the LORD JEHOVAH, because He is the One, Who brings down those, who are exalted; not those He has exalted, but those, who have exalted themselves against Him and His people. He can, and does, completely destroy even the lofty city, any city that raises itself up against Him and His people. He makes it so that “the foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy.” Compare this to Malachi, Chapter 4, especially verse 3, “And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.” All of this looks forward to the “new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness,” mentioned by the Apostle Peter in II Peter 3:13. When the prophet speaks of the “poor” and the “needy,” he is speaking of them as they are now, not as they will be then. These, whom the lofty and exalted ones now see as poor and needy, will in that day be highly exalted, not in their own minds, but by the power of the LIVING GOD. They are the just, because they have been justified by their GOD, the LORD JEHOVAH. And their path is uprightness. God, Who is Most Upright, weighs, or considers their path. And they are the ones, who even now wait for the LORD in the way of His judgments. In verses 8 and 9 the prophet speaks in “first person singular;” but he is speaking representatively for all of God’s people. In that great day, when the judgments of the LORD are in the earth, and only then, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. Surely the LORD’S people are taught righteousnes by our Lord, even in this day, but there are in the world many wicked today. So it cannot be truly said that “the inhabitants of the world” learn righteousness now. Isaiah clarifies this in verses 10 and 11. Verse 10 says, “Let favor be shewed to the wicked, yet he will not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD.” The first clause of this sentence is not a prayer that favor be shown to the wicked. Rather, it should be understood as “Although favor be shown to the wicked _ _ _.” The nature of the wicked is such, that if favor were shown to him, and he were placed in the land of uprightness, a land where all others are upright, it would have no effect upon him. He would still deal unjustly, and he would not be able to discern the majesty of the LORD. Therefore, when the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness, there will be no wicked among them. Even when the LORD shall lift up His hand in judgment against them, they will pay it no attention. But when that judgment falls upon them, “they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of Thine enemies shall devour them.” This does not mean that they shall be ashamed, in the sense of repenting of their envy against the people of God, but that they shall be brought to shame, or ruin, because of it. The LORD shall turn even their own fire, or wrath against them, and by it they shall be destroyed. “Yea, the fire of Thine enemies shall devour them.”

(Verses 12 through 15) LORD, Thou wilt ordain peace for us: for Thou also hast wrought all our works in us. O LORD our God, other lords beside Thee have had dominion over us: but by Thee only will we make mention of Thy name. They are dead, they shall not live, they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast Thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish. Thou hast increased the nation, O LORD, Thou hast increased the nation: Thou art glorified: Thou hadst removed it far unto all the ends of the earth.

Certainly this looks forward to that great day when all of the LORD’S people shall have been gathered together in His Eternal Presence, and all their enemies have been destroyed. In that day, surely, the LORD will ordain, or appoint, peace for us. Although we may have had many lords, or masters, all the way from other nations that may overcome us and hold us in bondage, to Satan himself, who was indeed our master until the LORD set us free. See Ephesians 2:1-10. But in that day we will be able to say, with the prophet, “They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast Thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.” In that day the LORD will have gathered all His people together, and thus the nation will be increased; and the LORD will be glorified. He had removed, or scattered His people “far unto all the ends of the earth.” But in that day all will be gathered together in His presence. The nation will indeed be increased.

(Verses 16 through 19) LORD, in trouble have they visited Thee, they poured out a prayer when Thy chastening was upon them. Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in Thy sight, O LORD. We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants fallen. Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

In verses 16 through 18 the prophet tells in a very short manner the sufferings of the LORD’S people during the time of their dispersion. In their troubles they have prayed to the LORD while His chastening was upon them. They have suffered as does a woman in childbirth. Yet with all their suffering, and crying to the LORD, they have wrought no deliverance in the earth, nor have they caused the inhabitants of the world to fall. It appears that all their efforts have been in vain. They have only “brought forth wind.” This, of course describes their condition in the trying times that were shortly to come upon them, and continue even to the present time. But none, who trust in the LORD, is ever to give up hope. For in verse 19 the LORD speaks. Some commentators, who have some expertise in the Hebrew Language tell us that the supplied words, those in italics in verse 19 should be omitted, and that “body” in the Hebrew is actually in the plural, leaving the first sentence of verse 19 to read thus: “Thy dead shall live; My dead bodies shall arise.” Thus to those in the sad state described by the prophet, the LORD promises that even the dead shall arise. Not only shall those whom He thus addresses be raised, but all of His “dead bodies.” That is, just as our Lord Jesus promised, “The hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth.” So now the LORD calls, “Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out her dead.” As we find from a study of other parts of the scriptures, only those who belong to the LORD will sing when they awake. Among the others shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Just as the dew upon the herbs refreshes them, so shall the LORD’S dead be refreshed when they arise. “And the earth shall cast out her dead.” Remember that although Lazarus was bound hand and foot with graveclothes, he came forth at the call of Jesus. So we see that literally “the earth shall cast out the dead.”

(Verses 20 and 21) Come, My people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the LORD cometh out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.

Since He has promised that even His dead shall arise, the LORD now tells His people to enter into their chambers, and shut the doors, which is, of course, to come to Him, trust in His power, and rest in His promise, until His indignation is past. For He will come out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. He will even cause the earth to disclose, or reveal, her blood, the blood that has been shed upon her. And her slain will all be accounted for. They will no longer be hidden.

(Verse 1) In that day the LORD with His sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and He shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.

Although Leviathan is mentioned in many places in scripture, and is usually considered a sea monster, the mention of him in the present context seems to set him forth as, probably, a representative figure for Satan. For indeed in the day of judgment upon the earth, as set forth in the latter part of the preceding chapter, the LORD will bring Satan to judgment also. In Genesis, chapter three, Satan is represented by the serpent. And in Revelation 12:9 we find, “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world.” This passage seems to refer to him.

(Verses 2 through 6) In that day sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine. I the LORD do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day. Fury is not in Me: who would set briers and thorns against Me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together. Or let him take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with Me; and he shall make peace with me. He shall cause them of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.

God’s promise to Israel , in verses 2 and 3, is that He is keeping a whole vineyard of red wine for her. Wine was in that day considered a necessity, not a luxury. It was the common beverage, as well as being extensively used in sacrifice to the LORD. So a supply of red wine was a wonderful thing to have. The LORD says that He is keeping for Israel a whole vineyard of it. He will Himself take care of this vineyard, watering it “every moment,” and protecting it night and day. Then He declares that fury is not in Him. That is, He has no intention of doing any harm to Israel . His feeling toward them is very tranquil. Then He asks, “Who would set the briers and thorns against Me in battle?” To do so would be a very futile effort. He would go through them, and completely burn them out of His way. On the other hand if any would “take hold of,” or call upon His strength to make peace with Him, he shall be successful. “He shall make peace with Me.” With this promise of the LORD, the prophet says that not only shall they who call upon the strength of the LORD make peace with Him; but also that He will make the descendants of Jacob, the house of Israel, to take root, to blossom, and to bud, and to fill the earth with fruit. That is, there is yet a day of glory for Israel .

(Verses 7 through 11) Hath He smitten him, as He smote those that smote him? Or is he slain according to the slaughter of those that are slain by Him. In measure, when it shooteth forth, thou wilt debate with it: He stayeth His rough wind in the day of the east wind. By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; and this is all the fruit to take away his sin; when He maketh all the stones of the altar as chalk stones that are beaten in sunder, the groves and images shall not stand up. Yet the defenced city shall be desolate, and the habitation forsaken, and left like a wilderness: there shall the calf feed, and there shall he lie down, and consume the branches thereof. When the boughs thereof are withered, they shall be broken off: the women come, and set them on fire: for it is a people of no understanding: therefore He that made them will not have mercy on them, and He that formed them will shew them no favor.

Isaiah asks two questions, which, actually amount to only one. They are, “Has the LORD smitten Jacob as He did those who smote Jacob?” Or , he sets it in different words: “Is Jacob slain according to the slaughter of those whom the LORD has slain? “ In some measure this may be a debatable question when it comes forth, “when it shooteth forth.” The proof that this is not so is shown in the fact that in the day of trouble for Jacob, “the day of the east wind,” the LORD will restrain His rough wind. Therefore all of this trouble that shall come upon Jacob is only the fruit necessary to take away his sin. And his iniquity shall be purged by it. This chastisement must continue until all the stones of Jacob’s altar, not the altar to God in Jerusalem, but the altar Jacob has raised to his idols, shall be beaten into small pieces, his groves to idols cut down, and his graven images destroyed. Only then will the iniquity of Jacob be purged. Even the walled city shall be left desolate, and the people driven from their habitations. The whole land shall be left as a wilderness. Since they are at this time a people of no understanding, the LORD will show them no mercy. Only the fact that He holds back His rough wind in that day will spare any of Israel . But, as always the LORD will leave a remnant. It is that remnant of whom He speaks in the next verses.

(Verses 12 and 13) And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall beat off from the channel of the river unto the stream of Egypt, and ye shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Israel. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come who were ready to perish in the land of Assyria , and the outcasts in the land of Egypt , and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem .

After the LORD has finished His chastening of Israel , He will open up the way for them to return from their captivity and dispersion in the land of Assyria and the land of Egypt , and they will be gathered back to the holy mount at Jerusalem . Then shall they worship the LORD at Jerusalem in mount Zion . So there is yet hope for them. The promise of the LORD cannot fail.

(Verses 1 through 4) Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine. Behold, the LORD hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with his hand. The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet: and the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer, which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up.

Isaiah is not here pronouncing a woe upon the drunkards that lie around in the streets in Israel ’s cities and towns, as they do in our cities today. Instead he is speaking of the rulers of Israel , who are held in such great honor by the people. They are the “crown of pride,” who are on the “head of the fat valleys.” They are the ones who are in the positions of honor. Yet their wisdom and counsel are no better than that of drunkards. They can no more discern what is coming upon them than can one who has already passed out from being overcome by wine. In addition to this, they are “on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine.” Although they are in the positions of honor among this people, and are drunkards, so far as their wisdom is concerned, the people also, who set them in such honor, are overcome with wine. In Job 17:10, Job says, to his three friends, “But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot find one wise man among you.” And this is the condition of Israel at this point. There is not a wise man among them. They are all as drunkards, whom wine has robbed of all their wisdom. So, he calls upon them to take notice that the LORD has a “mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with his hand.” As we look back upon the preceding prophecies, we find that the LORD has already told Israel that He will send an army upon them that will be as an overflowing river, the army of the king of Assyria . He has also spoken of others, whom He will send against them. Here He says that the one He will send is both mighty and strong, and that he will be as “a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing.” In this time of destruction they will be helpless. So these drunkards, who are the crown of pride to Ephraim, shall be overrun and trodden under the feet of this enemy. All their glorious beauty will fade away like a fading flower, and be consumed just as one would devour the first few ripe fruits he might find. These early fruits would not be enough to use for any other purpose than simply to eat them as one finds them. If one tried to save them until the principal crop ripened, they would spoil anyway. So they are immediately consumed.

(Verses 5 and 6) In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of His people, and for a spirit of judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.

Here, as in all cases, the LORD will leave Himself a remnant, “the residue of His people.” And to them He will be “for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty.” He will also be “for a spirit of judgment” to those who sit in judgment, or authority, and strength to those who carry on the fight.

(Verses 7 and 8) But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.

Although the LORD has promised to spare a residue of His people, and to be to them a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty, as well as strength and a spirit of judgment. Their present condition is not so. Even their priests and prophets have become drunkards, just as have their other leaders. The result is that there is nothing, and no place, that is clean. They all err in vision and judgment. In their present condition they appear completely helpless and hopeless.

(Verses 9 through 13) Whom shall He teach knowledge? and whom shall He make to understand doctrine? Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: for with stammering lips and another tongue will He speak to this people. To whom He said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest, and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; lime upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

The two questions in verse 9 are actually one and the same. Among a people, who have all become as drunkards, so far as knowledge and judgment are concerned, to whom will the LORD teach knowledge, and give understanding of His word? In this particular event, “word” might be better understood as “message.” This whole book of prophecy is a message to Israel , Judah , and Jerusalem . But in their drunken stupor, who among them shall understand this message? The answer is, “them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.” Nature’s way for the nourishing of babies is, that they be nursed at the breast, and fed milk. Those to whom the LORD will teach knowledge, and the understanding of His message, will be those who are “weaned from,” that is, they no longer are fed on, the milk, and are “drawn from,” taken away from the breasts. In this metaphor, they are the ones whom He will teach by His Spirit, and not by the drunken priests and prophets, who err in both vision and judgment. All these drunken teachers know at all is the literal word of that which they teach. If it is not “precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little,” they are completely lost in confusion. They have no conception of the spiritual import of the law or the prophecies. Isaiah then declares that the LORD will speak to this people with “stammering,” lips, and another tongue. That is a language hard to be understood. No doubt this refers directly to the language of the Assyrians whom He will send against Israel . Yet one wonders if it may reach farther forward than this also. In verse 12 Isaiah says, “To whom He said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.” Our Lord Jesus came, preaching, and calling the weary and heavy laden to come to Him and rest. Yet the priests and other religious leaders not only would not come to Him themselves, but did everything they could to prevent the coming of anyone else. “They would not hear.” On one occasion Jesus said to them, “And ye will not come unto me that ye might have life.” Some will immediately say that their reason for not coming was that they could not do so; not that they would not. The above quotation is from John 5:40. And it is obvious that in it Jesus made no reference to their ability, but only to their will. However impotent they may have been, this was not under consideration. The fact that they would accept nothing except “precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little,” of the interpretations of their honored rabbis, not the actual word of the LORD, as Jesus pointed out to them, caused them to “go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.” Just as they were so bent upon their own way, in Isaiah’s day, that they would not heed the warning of the LORD, so they were in the time of the ministry of Jesus. In both instances it had the same result. In Isaiah’s day the Assyrians came just as the LORD said they would; and in the latter event, the Romans came and destroyed Jerusalem . The word of the LORD is always true. It cannot fail.

(Verses 14 and 17) Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem . Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.

The rulers and men in Jerusalem , who were thought to be so wise, were so scornful of Isaiah and the message the LORD had given him, that he called upon them once more to hear the word of the LORD. Since for some time Israel had been trying to play Assyria against Egypt , and Egypt against Assyria , the LORD calls their covenant with either of them a covenant with death and an agreement with hell. They thought that somehow in all this web of lies they had themselves covered, so that the destruction would be kept away from themselves. In verse 17 the LORD says, Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.” The “line” and the “plummet” are tools of the building trades. When a line is stretched between two points, and a wall built exactly to that line, the wall will be straight. And a plummet is a pointed object on a line, which, when it hangs by that line from some point above, will establish the line from the point from which it hangs to the point of the plummet itself as absolutely vertical, or “plumb,” as it is usually called. Thus a wall built by the line and the plummet will be straight, both horizontally and vertically. This is the kind of judgment and righteousness that the LORD will establish. And by it “the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. All the covenants and agreements these have made upon their lies will do them no good. Now let us return to verse 16. “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste." That this is a prophecy of the Christ, surely no Christian would attempt to deny. The Apostle Peter quotes it in I Peter 2:6.This is a precious stone indeed. And it is a sure foundation. Those who believe in Him, not only those who believe in Him now, but also those who believed in Him when He came, and even those who believed the LORD’S promise that He would lay this stone, have a sure foundation upon which to stand in whatever trials may come. They will not “make haste.” That is, they will not be forced to flee from the danger that shall come; but can comfortably rest in Him.

(Verses 18 through 22) And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it. From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report. For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that a man can wrap himself in it. For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, He shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that He may do His work, His strange work; and bring to pass His act, His strange act. Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.

Isaiah warns the people that their covenants and agreements, which he calls, “a covenant with death,” and an “agreement with hell,” will not stand. For this scourge that the LORD will send upon them shall indeed overflow them, and cause them to be trodden down under their enemies. This will even take place in the beginning of this great conflict. Every morning shall bring new devastation, for it will continue day and night, and even understanding the reports will be a vexation. In this time of large beds and heated houses, it might be a little difficult for some to grasp the true significance of “ the bed too short”, and the “cover too narrow.” But those of us who remember earlier days, the likeness is quite graphic. It is difficult to imagine a more uncomfortable situation than trying to sleep during a cold night on a bed that is so short one cannot stretch himself upon it, with, at the same time, a cover too narrow to wrap oneself in. These people have themselves in just such an uncomfortable position. They are, no doubt, trying to rest upon the power of Egypt to protect them from the Assyrians. But they will find that the Egyptians cannot even protect themselves. They think they are covered by their covenant with Egypt . But the Assyrians will surely find out about their efforts to get help from Egypt , and that will leave them completely exposed to the wrath of Assyria . The LORD has already determined a great disaster to come upon the whole earth, at least upon the civilized earth, as they knew it in that day. So it was time for them to lay aside their mockery, and hear, or heed, the message God had sent them. He speaks of His work as “a strange work,” and a “strange act,” because He was going to bring such great destruction upon His own people.

(Verses 23 through 29) Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech. Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? Doth he open and break the clods of his ground? When He hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat, and the appointed barley and the rie in their place? For his GOD doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him. For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and cummin with a rod. Bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen. This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.

This may seem a strange manner of speaking to the people. The prophet turns from his message concerning what the LORD is about to do, to a lesson in farming. However, this also has a purpose. Isaiah points out to the people the difference they make in their approach to different parts of their farming operations, all the way from planting to harvest; and says that the reason they do this is that the LORD has taught them wisdom concerning these things. Yet they reject His counsel concerning how they ought to live. This reminds one of our Lord’s address to the Pharisees in Luke 12:54:57. There He accuses them of being hypocrites, because they are so wise in the things of nature, and so foolish in the things of God; while, all the time, they claim to be the religious leaders of Israel . As Jesus also told Nicodemus, “If I have told you of earthly things and ye believe not, how shall you believe if I tell you of heavenly things?” The message of the LORD was passing these people by, without their perceiving it at all. In spite of their unbelief, this warning was given by “the LORD of hosts, Who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.” Just as the Apostle Paul tells us about our Lord Jesus, “If we believe not, yet He abideth faithful; He cannot deny Himself;” so it was with them. Their faith, or lack of it, would not affect the work of the LORD.

(Verses 1 through 6) Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! Add ye year to year; let them kill the sacrifices. Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow: and it shall be unto Me as Ariel. And I will camp against thee round about, and will lay siege against thee with a mount, and I will raise forts against thee. And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust. Moreover the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff that passeth away: yea, it shall be at an instant suddenly. Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder, and with an earthquake, and great noise with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire.

“Ariel,” which seems to mean “the lion of God,” is another name for Jerusalem . Isaiah calls it “the city where David dwelt,” not “the city of David .” Bethlehem is “the city of David ,” as it is the place where He was born. But Jerusalem is where he dwelt as the king of Israel . So upon Jerusalem the LORD declares a woe. He will send upon it enemies to besiege it. At the time of this prophecy, Jerusalem had still been spared, although many of the cities of Judah and Israel had been conquered by their enemies. When this siege is brought against her, it will be with forts and ramparts, as set up for a great siege. This could apply to the siege of the Assyrians, were it not for the fact that the LORD speaks of “the multitude of thy strangers,” “and the multitude of the terrible ones,” and later of “the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel.” Such expressions as these seem to point far beyond that event to the great battle of Zecharia 14. When it does come this multitude of strangers and terrible ones shall be as chaff that passes away. And all of this shall be “at an instant suddenly.” At that time Jerusalem “shall be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire.” Compare this to Zechariah 14:3-5. Surely there shall be a great earthquake when the mount of Olives is cleft in the middle, with half moving to the north, and the other half moving to the south. No doubt there will be great noise. And, although thunder, storm, tempest, and fire, are not there mentioned, they can well be part of the activity. All of this activity will be suddenly, when the feet of the LORD touch down on the mount of Olives.

(Verses 7 and 8) And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, even all that fight against her and her munition, and that distress her, shall be as a dream of a night vision. It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against Zion .

So shall it be when the LORD destroys all those nations that shall come against Jerusalem on that day. The memory of those nations shall be to Jerusalem as only a bad dream. We do sometimes have dreams of being extremely hungry, or thirsty. And in that dream we eat or drink. But when we awake, we find that the food or drink of the dream has done us no lasting good. So shall it be to Jerusalem concerning all these enemies. They will be found to be non-existent.

(Verses 9 through 12) Stay yourselves, and wonder, cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath He covered. And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: and the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned.

Here Isaiah explains to Israel what their trouble is. He first calls upon them to, “stay yourselves, and wonder.” That is, stop and consider; take thought on this matter. When you do this, you will cry out. It is such a serious matter that it will cause you to weep and cry out. “They (your leaders) are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.” They are indeed in a serious condition. When one is drunken with wine or other strong drink, he is mentally impaired so that his wisdom has become foolishness; but there is yet hope for him. If we can sober him up, his mind will be able to think clearly again. But this drunkenness is not from the abuse of strong drink. So how can we remedy it. There are thousands of preachers today telling people that all they have to do is to wake up, throw off the evil will of their minds, and God will set them free. All of this sounds good to the natural mind, because it sets man up as the master of his fate. But listen to what Isaiah says is the problem. We certainly must know what the problem is before we can do anything about it. “For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath He covered.” Remember that this is the LORD’S work. He, and He alone, can awake these upon whom He has poured out this spirit of deep sleep, or open these eyes which He has closed. And He has covered, or blinded, the prophets, the rulers, and the seers; so that now there is no open vision of what He will do. So far as the people are concerned, the whole matter is like a book that is sealed. If it were given to one who is learned, he could not read it until someone broke the seal and opened the book. If it is given to one who has never learned to read, he cannot read it either. So, until the LORD breaks the seal so that the learned can read it, or teaches the unlearned to read it, there is no hope for anyone to understand the message of the LORD.

(Verses 13 through 17) Wherefore the LORD said, Forasmuch as this people draw near Me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from Me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? And who knoweth us? Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? Or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding? Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest?

The spirit of deep sleep, which the LORD poured out upon this people, together with the closing of their eyes, is upon them to this day. Only when He sees fit to remove it is there any hope for Israel to receive His word. Our Lord Jesus mentioned this very thing while He was on earth. This does not mean that this sleepiness and blindness is upon every Jew. For God always reserves a remnant for Himself, just as He called a few from among the Gentiles during the law dispensation, and as He will after the restoration of Israel. But this “blindness in part,” as the Apostle Paul says it, will not be removed until God’s appointed time. Man can do nothing to hasten, or hinder it. Jesus Himself quoted from verse 13 as He taught the people. He did not repeat the last clause of this verse per se, but he did condemn the Pharisees for teaching the doctrines of man for the commandments of God. In verse 14, the LORD declares that He will perform a work that will be both marvelous, and a wonder, or a sign. That is, it will be something that will give notice of His purpose. That work will be that He will cause the wisdom of their wise men to be destroyed, and the understanding of their prudent men to be hidden. Then He declares a woe upon those who try to hide their counsel, or purpose, from Him. To even try such is to turn things upside down. It is the equivalent of some object made by the potter, standing up and declaring that the potter did not make it; or as if something built by someone should step forth and deny that its builder was wise enough to build it. Certainly such is nothing but foolishness. But that is the status of those who try to hide their purposes from the LORD. Whether verse 17 actually is a prediction of great changes that shall come upon Lebanon , or not, it shows that with God there is no problem in converting Lebanon into a fruitful field, and then, just as readily turning it into a forest. He has all power, so nothing is impossible to Him.

(Verses 18 through 24) And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness. The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. For the terrible one is brought to nought, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off: that make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought. Therefore thus saith the LORD, Who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob, Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face turn pale. But when he seeth his children, the work of Mine hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify My name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the GOD of Israel. They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.

(Verses 1 through 7) Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of Me; and that cover with a covering, but not of My Spirit, that they may add sin to sin: that walk to go down to Egypt, and have not asked at My mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt! Therefore shall the strength of Egypt be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion. For his princes were at Zoan, and his ambassadors came from Hanes. They were all ashamed of a people that could not profit them, nor be a help nor profit, but a shame, and also a reproach. The burden of the beasts of the south: into the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the young and old lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they will carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, to a people that shall not profit them. For the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is to sit still.

The LORD declares a woe upon Israel , because they are seeking help from Egypt . Instead of asking the LORD what they ought to do, they have taken it upon themselves to seek counsel and help from the Egyptians, and to put their trust in them. Because that they have gone to the Egyptians for help instead of seeking counsel of the LORD, the strength of Egypt will be their shame, and their confidence in Egypt will be their confusion. Not only can Egypt not help them, but neither will they be profitable to Egypt . There will be no gain on either side. “The burden of the beasts of the south: into the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the young and old lion, the viper and the fiery flying serpent,” certainly refers to the land of Egypt and the great wilderness between Israel and Egypt . For in Deuteronomy 8:15, Moses reminds Israel that in that wilderness were the fiery serpents. And certainly it was a land of trouble to them. Now the LORD says that it is into that land that they will carry their riches and treasures “upon the shoulders of young asses, and the bunches (humps) of camels, to a people that shall not profit them.” That is, they will give all their treasures and riches to the Egyptians to secure their help. This is bad. But to make matters worse, “the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose.” All of their effort will be of no avail. Therefore the LORD has “cried,” spoken loudly, to them concerning this. And this is the message He has spoken: “Their strength is to sit still.” It would have been much better for them to do nothing, than to give all their treasures and wealth to Egypt , and get nothing in return.

(Verses 8 through 13) Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever. That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD: which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us. Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel, Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon: therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out of a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant.

So the LORD commands Isaiah to write all He is about to say “in a table,” or on a tablet, and to note it in a book. This is of enough importance that it is to be established before Israel forever. The message he is to write is “that this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD.” They even tell the “seers,” those, who see visions, “See not.” That is, “Quit having these visions.” And they tell their prophets to stop prophesying the truth, “right things,” and just tell them smooth things, things that are pleasing to the ear, even if they are lies. They want their seers and prophets to quit holding the LORD up to them as the One they should obey, and just get out of their way, so that they can do as they please. In this modern day, this seems to be the prevailing attitude among the people. This would be bad enough if it were only among those who make no claim to any knowledge of the LORD. But, just as then, many of those claiming that they love God, and God loves them, are strongly setting forth this attitude. Notice what the LORD says to be the result of this to those. Who despise His word, and trust in oppression and perverseness. “Therefore this iniquity shall be to you a breach, ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant.” The picture here is that of a walled city, one with high walls, built for its protection. In this high wall there is developed a weak place that bows out. But nothing is done about it. It is ready to fall at any time, without any notice. That is the condition of those who will not heed the word of the LORD. Not only is that weakened wall likely to fall when the enemy comes against it, but it can even fall of itself, with no outside pressure applied. It is indeed a dangerous situation.

(Verses 14 and 17) And He shall break it as the breaking of the potter’s vessel that is broken in pieces; He shall not spare: so that there shall not be found in the burning of it a sherd to take fire from the hearth, or to take water withal out of the pit. For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength. And ye would not. But ye said, No; for we will be upon horses; therefore shall we flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be swift. One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee; till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on an hill.

The LORD will not leave the breaking of the weak place in the wall to chance. He will break it Himself. And when He does, there shall not be left a piece of the wall large enough to take fire from the hearth, or to take water out of a pit. He has told Israel that only in returning to Him, and resting in His power can they be saved, or delivered. In trusting in Him, and remaining quiet, they would have strength. But, alas! They would not heed this counsel. Instead, they said that they would have swift horses that would be able to take them to safety. In answer to this the LORD says, “therefore shall they that pursue you be swift.” Their swiftness will be overmatched by that of their pursuers; so surely they shall not escape. They will be so fearful that at the rebuke of one of their enemies, a thousand shall flee, and five enemies will be enough to put them all to flight. They will continue to flee until there will be so few of them left that those who are left will be “as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign (flag) on a hill. In an earlier chapter, the LORD said that He would make a man as precious as the golden wedge of Ophir. It seems that this description would also apply here.

(Verses 18 through 22) And therefore will the LORD wait, that He may be gracious unto you, and therefore will He be exalted, that He may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for Him. For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem : thou shalt weep no more: He will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when He shall hear it, He will answer thee. And though the LORD give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers: and thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. Ye shall defile also the covering of  thy graven images of silver, and the ornament of thy molten images of gold: thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth; thou shalt say unto it, Get thee hence.

“The LORD is a God of judgment,” might sometimes be understood to mean that He is a God, Who brings judgment upon sinners, which, of course He is. But in this particular case it seems to have greater reference to His bringing justification to His people. Therefore, or for this reason, He will “wait, that He may be gracious unto you, and He will be exalted, that He may have mercy upon you.” He has always shown great patience and longsuffering to His people. This He is prepared to do in this case. All who wait for Him are blessed. In verse 19 the prophet says, “For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem : thou shalt weep no more: He will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when He shall hear it, He will answer thee.” Certainly, this looks to the end of the Babylonian captivity when Israel shall return to Jerusalem . But it also seems to point to her final restoration. The prophet says, “Thou shalt weep no more.” And, although it was great joy to them to return from that captivity, they have wept much since then. But when they are restored, there will be no more weeping. The LORD will be forever attentive to their cry. The remainder of this text also seems to apply more to that time than to their return from the Babylonian captivity. First, however, the LORD will give them the bread of adversity and the water of affliction. Yet this will not prevent His fulfilling His promise to them. In that great day, they will be established, and their teachers shall stand before them, and no more be “removed into a corner,” or pushed out of the way. They shall see their teachers. And something new will be added, something very wonderful. “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, ‘This is the way, walk ye in it,’ when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.” The message of the LORD shall always be heard by their ears, guiding them in His way. In that day they shall “defile,” or destroy all of their images of gold and silver, and cast them away as filth. They will have no more desire for them. Surely none can claim that this has ever yet come to pass. But the word of the LORD cannot be broken; it shall be as spoken.

(Verses 23 through 26) Then shall He give the rain of thy seed, that thou shalt sow the ground withal; and bread of the increase of the earth, and it shall be fat and plenteous: in that day shall thy cattle feed in large pastures. The oxen likewise and the young asses that ear the ground shall eat clean provender, which hath been winnowed with the shovel and with the fan. And there shall be upon every high mountain, and upon every high hill, rivers and streams of waters in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall. Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of His people, and healeth the stroke of their wound.

This prophecy continues to look beyond the return of the Jews from Babylon to their final restoration. In that time the LORD will greatly increase His blessings upon them. He will make them to prosper above anything they have ever had. Verses 23 and 24 describe their prosperity, so far as the increase of the earth is concerned, while verses 25 and 26 seem to show the great joy that they shall have from all the blessings of God. “And there shall be upon every high mountain, and upon every high hill, rivers and streams of waters in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall. While it is certainly true that the LORD is able to bring this to pass literally, it seems rather to show the wonderful joy Israel shall have when the LORD destroys all her enemies, and makes the towers that have been raised against her to fall. It will be as if refreshing streams, and even rivers, were on the tops of all high mountains and all high hills. We know that, ordinarily, although streams may flow down the sides of mountains, there are few indeed on the tops of them. Those who climb mountains have to provide their own water supply. So, whether this verse is taken literally or symbolically, the example is the same. In that day the Lord will bless Israel with such joy that even on the high mountain tops they shall find streams of refreshing from Him. They have been in darkness and sorrow so long that in that wonderful time it will seem to them that the moon is as bright as the sun has been, and that the light of day is seven times brighter than it has been. And who is to say that He shall not make it be literally so? This shall be “in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of His people, and healeth the stroke of their wound.”

(Verses 27 and 28) Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with His anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: His lips are full of indignation, and His tongue as a devouring fire: and His breath as an overflowing stream, shall reach to the midst of the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of vanity: and there shall be a bridle in the jaws of the people, causing them to err.

Here again we have a declaration of trouble to come upon Israel . Verse 27 describes the LORD as One, Who comes with such anger that it drives Him to come even from far away to vent that anger. The weight of that anger is great. His breath, which must be very hot, since “His lips are full of indignation, and His tongue as a devouring fire,” will be as an overflowing stream, and shall reach to the midst of the neck. There will be no escape from it, because “there shall be a bridle in the jaws of the people, causing them to err.” Notice that although this overflowing stream of the indignation of the LORD shall be very deep, reaching “to the midst of the neck,” they shall not be completely swallowed up by it. The bridle in the jaws of the people is that “spirit of deep sleep” and closed eyes the LORD has put upon them, as mentioned in Chapter 29, verse 10. In addition to being a chastisement upon Israel , it shall be “to sift the nations with the sieve of vanity.” That is, it will cause the nations to be stirred with vanity, or worthless thoughts of their own importance, for which the LORD will punish them also. Compare this with Chapter 10, verses 7 through 19.

(Verses 29 through 31) Ye shall have a song, as in the night when a holy solemnity is kept; and gladness of heart, as when one goeth with a pipe to come into the mountain of the LORD, to the mighty One of Israel. And the LORD shall cause His glorious voice to be heard, and shall shew the lighting down of His arm, with the indignation of His anger, and with the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering, and tempest, and hailstones. For through the voice of the LORD shall the Assyrian be beaten down, which smote with a rod.

Now we look beyond the tribulations that shall come, to the casting down of the enemy. Surely this applies to the downfall of the Assyrians. But verse 30 also seems to at least hint at the final great battle. When Israel is delivered from the Assyrians, they shall be given a song, such as they might have when “a holy solemnity,” a solemn worship service unto the LORD, is kept; and such gladness of heart as when one goes up to mount Zion, ‘the mountain of the LORD, to the mighty One of Israel.” It will not be as just an ordinary celebration with singing, dancing, and merry-making; but a very solemn occasion of joy and thanksgiving to the LORD. They will be made to know that their deliverance has come, not by their hands, but by the power and indignation of the LORD. “For through the voice of the LORD shall the Assyrian be beaten down, which smote with a rod.

(Verses 32 and 33) And in every place where the grounded staff shall pass, which the LORD shall lay upon him, it shall be with tabrets and harps: and in battles of shaking will He fight with it. For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; He hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.

In every place where the LORD shall lay the “grounded staff,” or a defeat of his army, upon the Assyrian king, there shall be rejoicing, as signified by the tabrets and harps. The Lord shall fight against that army with “shakings,” or upsets. The LORD will lay unexpected losses upon him. “For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; He hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.” Tophet is a place a little south of Jerusalem , where ancient rites of human sacrifice were carried on by the pagans. As such, this text may be the LORD’S declaration that in that place, He will sacrifice the Assyrian army. Or, as some contend, it may look forward to the casting of the devil himself into the lake of fire, as set forth in Revelation 20. For Satan has usurped the title of king of this world. Whichever interpretation one may give this passage, Tophet was prepared for this very thing long ago. It is not just something that the LORD decided to set up on the spur of the moment, as we so often do about many things.

Chapter 31

(Verses 1 through 5) Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD! Yet He also is wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back His words: but will arise against the house of evildoers, and against the help of them that work iniquity. Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the LORD shall stretch out His hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and they shall fail together. For thus hath the LORD spoken unto me, Like as a lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the LORD of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof. As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem ; and defending, also He will deliver it; and passing over, He will preserve it.

This text seems to be very close to self-explanatory. Although Isaiah, as commanded by the LORD, has strongly protested against it, many in Judah are determined to try to get Egypt to help them against Assyria . The LORD pronounces a woe upon those who do so. They, as people usually do, are trusting in the power of Egypt ’s horses, horsemen, and chariots, thinking that they are strong enough to protect them. They have failed to ask the LORD for either guidance in their deliberations or help against their enemies. As so many do today, they have tried to leave Him completely out of the whole matter. But He is also wise. He knows exactly what they are doing. His words have already gone forth against those who do evil, and those who work iniquity; and He will not call back His words. He reminds them that the Egyptians are only men, and not God. Neither are their horses spirit, but are only flesh. Meanwhile He is God; and all He needs to do is to stretch forth His hand, to bring both the one who is helping, and the one who is being helped, to total failure. Just as a young lion is not afraid of the noise made by a multitude of shepherds sent against him, the LORD has no fear, but will “come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof.” Just as easily as the birds fly over, the LORD will defend, deliver, and preserve Jerusalem . Why then should they want to try to get help from Egypt ?

(Verses 8 and 9) Then shall the Assyrian fall with the sword, not of a mighty man; and the sword, not of a mean man, shall devour him: but he shall flee from the sword, and his young men shall be discomfited. And he shall pass over to his strong hold for fear, and his princes shall be afraid of the ensign, saith the LORD, Whose fire is in Zion , and His furnace in Jerusalem .

This, no doubt, refers to the time when Rabshakeh came against Jerusalem , and was turned back by the angel of the LORD, who slew 185,000 of the Assyrians in one night. Neither a mighty man, nor a mean man, one of low degree, was involved in this matter. The LORD himself defended, delivered, and preserved Jerusalem , just as He promised. Senacherib and all his army went back to Assyria , and Senacherib was soon murdered by his own sons. Jerusalem is the city of God . And although He has many times chastised it, He will yet preserve it.

Chapter 33

(Verse 1) Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou wast not spoiled; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! When thou shalt cease to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled; and when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee.

It may be debatable as to who is here addressed, whether Assyria who took all the treasures of Judah in payment for help to them against their enemies, and did nothing in return, to Egypt who agreed to help Judah, and did not, or to Judah who kept trying to play Assyria against Egypt and Egypt against Assyria. In fact it could very well be to anyone who practices such dealings. The sentence is still the same. There is a woe pronounced upon such. There shall be returned upon him the same evil he has practiced upon others, even if it may be delayed until he has ceased from the practice of such.

(Verses 2 through 6) O LORD, be gracious unto us; we have waited for Thee: be Thou their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble. At the noise of the tumult the people fled; at the lifting up of Thyself the nations were scattered. And your spoil shall be gathered like the gathering of the caterpillar: as the running to and fro of locusts shall He run upon them. The LORD is exalted; for he dwelleth on high: He hath filled Zion with judgment and righteousness. And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of Thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD is His treasure.

Here the prophet addresses the LORD, asking that He be gracious unto His people. He declares that they have waited for the LORD, and he asks that He be their “arm,” or strength, and their salvation in time of trouble. When he refers to the noise of the tumult, he is, no doubt, speaking of the time when the Assyrians shall come against Judah with all the noise and tumult that usually accompany war. He speaks of these things as if they had already taken place, although they are the things that are about to come upon them. He can speak thus because God has determined these things to be done, and they are therefore as sure as if they were already done. When this shall come, the people will flee. But when the LORD lifts Himself up for the protection of His people, it will be the nations that are scattered, those who have gathered against Israel and Judah . The LORD’S spoil, or prey, shall be gathered “as the gathering of the caterpillar.” He shall run upon His enemies as locusts come upon a field. They shall suddenly be overrun. When this is done the LORD will be exalted. He dwells not in houses made by man, but on high, that is, in the heavens. In that day Zion shall be filled with judgment and righteousness. Man is always searching for something that will give stability to the times. In our day it seems that everyone thinks our federal government should do something to give stability to our situation. But most seem either to have forgotten, or never to have known what David says in Psalms 4:8, “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for Thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.” That which gives stability is what makes us dwell in safety. And when the LORD is glorified as He will be in “His times,” that is, when He has destroyed the enemies of His people, His wisdom and knowledge shall shine forth as the stability, and the strength of salvation., because the fear of the LORD is His treasure. This treasure He will give in plenty to His people when He shall deliver them.

(Verses 7 through 9) Behold their valiant ones shall cry without: the ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly. The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth: he hath broken the covenant, he hath despised the cities, he regardeth no man. The earth mourneth and languisheth: Lebanon is ashamed and hewn down: Sharon is like a wilderness; and Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits.

This is a description of the desolation that is coming upon the land before that great day of deliverance comes. Even the valiant, or brave men will cry, and those who have been trying to make peace shall weep bitterly. Under normal circumstances people were free to travel where they would, but in those days that will all cease. In fact, traveling will be far too dangerous; for he has broken the covenant. This breaking of the covenant could refer to either the king of Egypt , who had agreed to help Judah , and has not been able to do so. Or it could be that the king of Assyria has agreed to spare the cities. In either case, he has broken the covenant.  He has despised the cities, and has no regard for any man. He has brought such destruction that the earth mourneth. That is, everywhere one might look, he will find nothing but devastation. Lebanon is ashamed and hewn down: Sharon is like a wilderness; and Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits. So the whole land presents only a dismal picture.

(Verses 10 through 12) Now will I rise, saith the LORD; now will I be exalted; now will I lift up Myself. Ye shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble: your breath, as fire, shall devour you. And the people shall be as the burnings of lime: as thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire.

Although the desolation and destruction is to be inflicted upon Israel by the Assyrian king, the LORD told us in chapter 10 that He is the One, Who will send him to do this work; and that He will “give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.” Now He says, “Now will I rise, saith the LORD; now will I be exalted; now will I lift up Myself.” In all this devastation the power of the LORD will be shown. And it will be recognized. Many today will tell us that God is so loving and merciful that He would never do such great destruction to anyone; and certainly not to His own chosen nation. Certainly He would not do so without cause. But to establish His purpose, we cannot set a limit to what He will do. Remember what He laid upon His only begotten Son, our Lord Jesus. He was exalted in that work; and so He was also in this one of which Isaiah speaks. He tells Israel that they shall conceive chaff and bring forth stubble. That is, all their efforts shall accomplish nothing. Even their own breath shall be as fire to devour them. “And the people shall be as the burnings of lime: as thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire.”

(Verses 13 through 16) Hear, ye that are afar off, what I have done; and, ye that are near, acknowledge My might. The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil: he shall dwell on high: his place of defense shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; and his waters shall be sure.

There are three subjects covered in this text. First, the LORD calls upon all, both far and near, to witness what He has done, and to acknowledge His might. Second, the fear He has brought upon the hypocrites and sinners in Zion . Such fear that they begin to wonder who among them are destined to dwell with “the devouring fire,” and the “everlasting burnings.” And third, what shall be the portion of those who walk righteously, and speak uprightly. These are the ones that despise the gain of oppression, will not take bribes, and turn away from both the hearing of blood and the seeing of evil. These last shall dwell on high, their defense shall be the munitions of the rocks, and they shall have a sure supply of the bread and water of life. Some might wonder, “Are there sinners and hypocrites in Zion ? The answer is; “There are, there always have been, and there always will be, until in the final harvest at the end of the world the tares are separated from the wheat. Then, and only then, will they be forever removed.” Sometimes, by reason of the judgments God brings upon Zion , the sinners and hypocrites therein are made to fear, and for a while to be a little less visible. They sometimes even begin to fear the everlasting burnings. But those to whom are given the promise of dwelling on high, are not the hypocrites who have been aroused to temporary fear of punishment, but those who are indeed made righteous by the righteousness of God.

(Verses 17 through 22) Thine eyes shall see the King in His beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off. Thine heart shall meditate terror. Where is the scribe? Where is the receiver? Where is he that counted the towers? Thou shalt not see a fierce people, a people of a deeper speech than thou canst perceive; of a stammering tongue, that thou canst not understand. Look upon Zion , the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken. But there the glorious LORD shall be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams; wherein shall no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby. For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our King; He will save us.

This is another of those prophecies that many have tried to claim as describing the gospel church of this dispensation. However, to make such a claim, one has to do a great deal of so called “spiritualizing.” It seems better, and far better fits the actual prophecy, to consider it as the promise of the restoration of Israel , or even of the coming of the new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. “Thine eyes shall see the King in His beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off.” This promise certainly can be claimed by the righteous ones that were left in Zion after the desolation of which Isaiah has spoken, and by those who today trust in the LORD. John tells us that “when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.” Certainly then we shall see the King in His beauty; for our Lord Christ Jesus is the King. When He appears, He will catch us up from the earth to meet Him in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord. See I Thessalonians 4:13-17. He does not tell us where He will take us. But He does tell us that we shall forever be with Him. As in our minds we compare this to this world in which we now live, surely we will confess that that is a land very far off. To those of Isaiah’s day, as they contemplated the desolation that was coming upon them, that same land seemed to them also to be very far away. Yet the promise to them, as to us, is that they would behold that land. When we consider the next statement, “Thine heart shall meditate terror,” some may wonder, “Why such a promise as this?” Consider the first chapter of II Thessalonians, especially verses 7 through 10.  Certainly this describes terror that the people of God shall meditate, or think upon. It will not be a terror to them as they behold it. But it will be to them upon whom it falls. During that time the LORD’S people shall be resting with Him. But they shall behold, and admire, or worship, the Lord Jesus as He takes this vengeance upon “them that know not God, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Then the questions of verse 18 shall be asked. For those of whom these questions are asked will be no more. The scribe, the receiver, and he that counted the towers, are those appointed by the king of Assyria , to count the towers of the city to know how strong it was, that he might know what force was needed to conquer it, to gather up and to record all the spoil of the city. These will be no more. The Assyrians were a fierce people, and their language was foreign to the Israelites. But such people will never again be known. These fierce warriors together with all the horrors of war, will be known no more.

In that day, we, and they, shall be able to look upon Zion , the city of our solemnities, and we shall see Jerusalem , no more disturbed by war, but a quiet habitation. Although the word, “tabernacle,” does not always mean a temporary building, most people usually take that to be its only meaning. Here, obviously, it refers to a tent. But it is a tent that shall never be taken down. There is nothing temporary about it. It is described as a tent in deference to the tabernacle the Israelites were commanded to build in the wilderness. That tent was made so that it could be taken down and carried with Israel . But this tabernacle shall never be moved. Not one of its stakes  “shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken.” This tabernacle shall be so permanent that neither stake nor cord will ever have to be replaced. Actually another meaning of  “tabernacle” is “place of worship.” And that, this will be forever. “But there the glorious LORD will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams” Notice that he did not say that this city, or this tent will be a place of broad rivers and streams; but “there the glorious LORD will be” such to us. If we only look to Revelation 22, we find that the river of the water of life flows from the throne of God and the Lamb. It seems that there is a great similarity between that and this. In these rivers and streams there shall be no “galley with oars” and no “gallant ships.” There will be no place there for warships or ships of commerce. Those things belong only to this world. In that kingdom the LORD is all we need. He is our Judge, our Lawgiver, and our King. So He, and He alone, will save us. We need none else.

(Verses 23 and 24) Thy tacklings are loosed: they could not well strengthen their mast, they could not spread the sail: then is the prey of a great spoil divided; the lame take the prey. And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity.

This seems to drop back to address the enemies of Israel as they are finally destroyed by the LORD as He defends His people. They are like a ship with all its tacklings loosed. They cannot strengthen the mast, or raise the sail. All they can do is to await the destruction by the storm of the wrath of the LORD. They are so helpless that even the lame can take the prey from them, and divide the spoils. In that wonderful day, there will be no sickness on the inhabitants of that kingdom, and all their sins shall be forgiven. What a glorious day that will be!

Chapter 34

(Verses 1 through 4) Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it. For the indignation of the LORD is upon all nations, and His fury upon all their armies: He hath utterly destroyed them, He hath delivered them to the slaughter. Their slain also shall be cast out, and their stink shall come up out of their carcases, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood. And the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as the falling fig from the fig tree. For My sword shall be bathed in heaven: behold, it shall come down upon Idumea, and upon the people of My curse, to judgment.

In previous addresses, we have found “The burden of” one place, or another. But here the scene is changed. He addresses both “the nations,” the Gentiles, and “Ye people,” the Jews. Then He emphasizes the generality of the message by saying, “Let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it.” So there can be no doubt that this is a universal message. Then, as we examine the message itself, we see that it is one that can only be fulfilled in the days of the great tribulation, as He brings judgment upon the entire world. He declares that His indignation is upon all nations, His fury upon all their armies, and He has utterly destroyed them. Although He, in verses 1 and 2, speaks of this as being a finished work, it is still in the future. But since He has determined it, nothing can change it. And it is just as sure as if it were already finished. In verses 3 through 5, he returns to the future tense, though speaking of the same event. One should compare this passage with Revelation, chapters 6 through 19. This certainly is in need of no explanation. It is only a description of what shall take place in those terrible times. When these fearful things are taking place, indeed the sword of the LORD “shall be bathed in heaven: behold, it shall come down on Idumea, and upon the people of My curse, to judgment.”

(Verses 6 through 10) The sword of the LORD is filled with blood, it is made fat with fatness, and with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of kidneys of rams: for the LORD hath a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea . And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness. For it is the day of the LORD’S vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion . And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch. It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up for ever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it for ever and ever.

There will indeed be such a great slaughter on earth that no inhabitants will be left therein. In such a time of war and destruction, it is no wonder that even the animals also shall be slaughtered. And the land shall be soaked with the blood of both men and animals. When the battle is over, even the streams of the earth “shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch.” The cry will immediately be raised, “But you cannot take this literally. You know this just cannot happen. It has to be interpreted to mean something else.” Those who would raise such an objection, evidently, do not believe Genesis 1:1 either. There is no place in the word of God that will explain this as anything other than literal description of the result of the final great battle. And, as He says, “It shall not be quenched night nor day, the smoke thereof shall go up for ever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it for ever and ever,” one can hardly keep from seeing its similarity to that lake of fire into which the devil and all the wicked shall be cast. They may not be the same place. But there are many similarities between them.

(Verses 11 through 15) But the cormorant and the bittern shall possess it; the owl also and the raven shall dwell in it: and He shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness. They shall call the nobles thereof to the kingdom, but none shall be there, and all her princes shall be nothing. And thorns shall come up in her palaces, nettles and brambles in the fortresses thereof: and it shall be an habitation for dragons, and a court for owls. The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild beasts of the island, and the satyr shall cry to his fellow; the screech owl also shall rest there, and find for herself a place of rest. There shall the great owl make her nest, and lay, and hatch, and gather under her shadow: there shall also the vultures be gathered, every one with her mate.

This text seems to negate the idea that the earth after that terrible battle shall be converted into the lake of fire for the punishment of the damned. But it also insists that it shall never again be a place for human habitation. It shall be only for the wild creatures, especially those of doleful species.. They shall not be disturbed by human beings. If a call should be made for the assembly of the nobles and princes of the earth, none would be found. This will be the epitome of desolation.

(Verses 16 and 17) Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for My mouth it hath commanded, and His spirit it hath gathered them. And He hath cast the lot for them, and His hand hath divided it unto them by line: they shall possess it for ever, from generation to generation shall they dwell therein.

The LORD declares that not only has He given the earth in that day unto the wild creatures, but that He has even recorded it in his book that all are invited to read. Since it is so established, it cannot be changed, and not a single one of these things shall fail. Neither shall any one of these creatures be alone. “None shall want her mate.” The land is given unto these creatures by lot, divided unto them by line, and is theirs forever.

(Verses 1 and 2) The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon , they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God.

Here we return to a prophecy of the glory that shall shine forth when Israel is delivered from all her enemies, and restored to her land. Even “the wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall blossom as the rose.” This particular prophecy seems to be fulfilled in part even today. Since the nation of Israel was declared in 1948, places that for thousands of years had been desert, have been reclaimed by irrigation, and are now yielding wonderful crops of  grain, vegetables, fruits, and flowers. Indeed they are even now blossoming as the rose. But they have not yet reached the glory that will be theirs. “The glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon . They shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God.”

(Verses 3 through 7) Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; He will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.

With this wonderful promise of the glory of God being shed upon Israel, the LORD instructs the prophet to comfort  and encourage them, thus strengthening the weak hands and confirming the feeble knees. Those who are of a fearful heart are to be encouraged by the message that the LORD will come with vengeance upon their enemies, and He will save them. This is not a conditional, or provisional, promise. It is one that is sure. When He does come and save them, there will be great changes. Then the eyes of the blind will be made to see, and the ears of the deaf to hear. Also the lame will be made to walk, and the dumb, not only to speak, but even to sing.. There shall also be a great change in the nature of the land itself. There will even be streams of water brought forth in the desert, and ground that hitherto has been very dry shall even become a pool. “In the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.” Some translators use “jackals” instead of “dragons.” That makes little difference for the meaning of the sentence. For both want a dry place in which to lie. But where such places have been, there will be enough water not only to sustain grass, but also reeds and rushes. Many try to apply this prophecy to the gospel day. Certainly, we know that while our Lord Jesus was here on earth, He did make the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the dumb to speak, the lame to walk, and even the dead to arise. Yet this is more directly focused upon the restoration of Israel than to those miracles performed by our Lord. Whereas He only wrought these miracles upon some, as a witness of His power, the prophecy is of a wider scope. The prophecy is not that “some of the blind shall see,” etc. But it declares the manifestation of the glory of the LORD to be in a general manner. All the blind shall be made to see, all the deaf shall hear, etc. Also, in order to apply this to the gospel day, the remainder of it, as we all can readily see, cannot apply literally. While I can certainly see a lovely spiritual lesson in the remainder of this, I also contend that God will do for Israel exactly what He promised them. If He is not faithful to His literal promise to them, how can we expect him to fulfill the promises He has made to us? I firmly believe that He will keep His word, no matter how improbable, or even impossible, it may seem to men. What He has promised, He is fully able to perform, whether or not we believe it.

(Verses 8 through 10) And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: and the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

As we read the history of the people of Israel , we find several incidents of attacks by lions and other ravenous beasts. When they are restored, there shall be a highway for them, and a way that shall be called “The way of holiness.” The unclean shall not pass over it, because there will be none in Israel that are unclean, just as there will be no blind, deaf, dumb, lame, etc. Those things shall all be put away. That is, the people shall be healed. This way will be for the redeemed to walk in. That is, those whom the LORD has “redeemed” or bought back from the captivity in which they have been held all these many years. He has bought them back, or redeemed them, by destroying all their enemies. The wayfaring men who travel in that way cannot err from it although they have very little wisdom. For that way shall be made very plain. “The ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads.” Their joy shall nevermore be disturbed by the approach of an enemy. That day is over. There will be no more sorrow or sighing. These also are forever banished.

(Verses 1 through 3) Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, that Senacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fenced cities of Judah , and took them. And the king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem unto king Hezekiah with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller’s field. Then came forth unto him Eliakim, Hilkiah’s son, which was over the house, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, Asaph’s son, the recorder.

This chapter is actually only a little historic account of what took place when King Senacherib sent his army against Jerusalem , after taking the other fenced cities of Judah . Rabshakeh, the commander of this army, came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool to make a proclamation to the people. And it was here that King Hezekiah’s representatives met with him.

(Verses 4 through 10) And Rabshakeh said unto them, Say ye now to Hezekiah, Thus sayeth the great king, the king of Assyria , What confidence is this wherein thou trustest? I say, sayest thou, (but they are but vain words) I have counsel and strength for war: now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me? Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him. But if thou say to me, We trust in the LORD our God: is it not He, Whose high places and altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and said to Judah and to Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar? Now therefore give pledges, I pray thee, to my master the king of Assyria , and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them. How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? And am I now come up without the LORD against this land to destroy it? The LORD said unto me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.

As it turned out, Rabshakeh was correct in his assessment of Egypt and her ability to help King Hezekiah. But when he began to discredit God’s help to Jerusalem , he was speaking without knowledge. Of course Hezekiah had caused the altars and groves in Judah to be destroyed. But those were the altars and groves of the idols after which the people of Judah had been following. He had commanded the people to return to the altar of the LORD at Jerusalem , and forsake their idols. Rabshakeh thought that he had a mandate from God to destroy Jerusalem as he had done to other cities of Judah . In this he was mistaken. He even offers to furnish to King Hezekiah two thousand horses if Hezekiah can furnish soldiers to ride them. Whether this was a bona fide offer, or just said to insult King Hezekiah because of how few soldiers he had, we, perhaps, will never know. But at any rate he made the offer. He further ridiculed the ability of Egypt to help Hezekiah.

(Verse 11) Then said Eliakim and Shebna and Joah unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, unto thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and speak not to us in the Jew’s language, in the ears of the people that are on the wall.

Hezekiah’s representatives were well enough educated that they could understand Syrian, so they wanted Rabshakeh to speak in that language rather than in Hebrew so that the common people would not understand what was being said. Usually high-ranking leaders do not want the common people to understand any more about what business is being done than they choose to tell them. Those of today are just that same way.

(Verses 12 through 17) But Rabshakeh said, Hath my master sent me to thy master and thee to speak these? Hath he not sent me to the men that sit upon the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you? Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jew’s language, and said, Hear ye the words of the great king, the king of Assyria . Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you. Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD surely will deliver us: this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria . Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me: and eat ye every one of his vine, and his fig tree, and drink ye every one of his own cistern; until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards.

Rabshakeh evidently was not very much impressed by the request made to him by the representatives of King Hezekiah. For he immediately began to talk much more loudly, “he cried with a loud voice in the Jews’ language.” He wanted the common people to hear him also, since they, he thought, were going to have to suffer great hardship and famine. He wanted to impress them with this very thing. He warned them to not let Hezekiah lead them into thinking that Jerusalem would be delivered. According to him, their only hope was to “Make an agreement with me with a present.” That is, they would have to pay him tribute, and make an agreement with him. Then they could come out to him. If they would do this, he would let them remain where they were until he was ready to re-settle them back in Assyria , his homeland. According to him Assyria was very much the same type of country as was Judah .

(Verses 18 through 22) Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, The LORD will deliver us. Hath any of the gods of other nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria ? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arphad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? And have they delivered Samaria out of my hand? Who are they among all the gods of these lands, that have delivered their land out of my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand? But they held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king’s commandment was, saying, Answer him not. Then came Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, that was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.

Rabshakeh continued his speech to the people, bragging about the exploits of the king of Assyria , and telling the Jews that the LORD is no greater than any of the idol gods of the cities he had already overcome. Therefore, if they trusted Him for deliverance, according to Rabshakeh, they were only deluding themselves. In spite of the insult he spoke concerning the LORD, they, being under the command of King Hezekiah to keep silence, did not give him any answer at all. Then Hezekiah’s representatives returned to him, and told him all that Rabshakeh had said 

(Verses 1 through 5) And it came to pass, when King Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD. And he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests covered with sackcloth, unto Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz. And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is no strength to bring forth. It may be the LORD thy God will hear the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria hath sent to reproach the living God, and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that is left. So the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah.

Isaiah continues reciting the history of this event. When King Hezekiah heard what Rabshakeh had said, he tore off his royal robes, dressed himself in sackcloth, a sign of the greatest sorrow; and went into the house of the LORD. No doubt, he went there to pray for deliverance. At the same time he sent Eliakim and Shebna, with the elders, or most respected, of the priests, to Isaiah the prophet. The message they carried to Isaiah was that Hezekiah realized that he had come to the end of what he could do. He knew that, so far as he and his army were concerned, the situation was hopeless. Their only hope of deliverance was in the hands of the LORD God. So he asked that Isaiah pray to the LORD for that deliverance.

(Verses 6 and 8) And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall you say unto your master, Thus saith the LORD, Be not afraid of the words that thou hast heard, wherewith the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumor, and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land. So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah: for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish .

Isaiah sent back a reply to Hezekiah, not from himself, but from the LORD. In this answer, the LORD told him to not be afraid because of the Assyrian king’s insults against Him. He would take care of the matter. King Senacherib would hear a rumor that would make him return to his own land, and there the LORD would cause him to fall by the sword. His days of making trouble would be over permanently. Whether any answer was given to Rabshakeh, or not, is not mentioned. Nevertheless he left Jerusalem , and went back to his master, the king of Assyria, who had already conquered Lachish , and gone to Libnah.

(Verses 9 through 13) And he heard say concerning Tirhakah king of Ethiopia , He is come forth to make war with thee. And when he heard it, he sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying, Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy God, in Whom thou trustest, deceive thee, saying Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria. Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands by destroying them utterly; and shalt thou be delivered? Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed, as Gozan, and Haran , and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Telassar? Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arphad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim , Hena, and Ivah?

The LORD had said that the king of Assyria would hear a rumor that would cause him to return to his own land. That rumor is here given. He heard that Tirhakah of Ethiopia was coming to fight him; and this, together with some other details not yet set forth, will bring about that return to Assyria . But upon hearing of the intentions of the king of Ethiopia , Senacherib, though not yet ready to besiege Jerusalem , sends a message to King Hezekiah. That very boastful message is found in verses 10 through 13. In this message he scorns the LORD God, and tries to equate Him with the idol gods of the other lands and cities he and his forefathers have overcome. He brags that The LORD can no more deliver Jerusalem than could these idols deliver the people who trusted in them.

(Verses 14 through 20) And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD. And Hezekiah prayed unto the LORD, saying, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel , that dwellest between the cherubims, Thou art the God, even Thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: Thou hast made heaven and earth. Incline Thine ear, O LORD, and hear; open Thine eyes, O LORD, and see: and hear all the words of Senacherib, which hath sent to reproach the living GOD. Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations, and their countries, and have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them. Now therefore, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all kingdoms of the earth may know that Thou art the LORD, even Thou only.

As soon as Hezekiah received this letter, he read it, and took it to the house of the LORD, to spread it before Him, and to pray to Him concerning it. He acknowledges God, not only as his God, and the God of Israel, but, what is often overlooked when people consider the Jewish manner of worship, as the God of all the kingdoms of the earth. We often hear someone, when speaking of the relation of ancient peoples with God, say, “The Lord Jehovah, was the God of the Israelites, while the other nations all had other gods.” While it is true that other nations, and even Israel at times, did worship idols instead of the LORD, He is, always has been, and always will be, the GOD of all nations of the whole earth, because He created both heaven and earth, together with the fullness of both. Hezekiah asks that the LORD will consider the insults of Senacherib against the LORD Himself in trying to liken Him to the idols of the nations he has overrun. He acknowledges that the Assyrians have laid waste all these other nations and cities, and destroyed their idols. But these idols had no claim to being gods; for there is no other God but the LORD. He then asks that the LORD “save us from his hand, that all kingdoms of the earth may know that Thou art the LORD, even Thou only.” This should be our thought in anything we ask of the Lord: that it glorify Him.

(Verses 21 through 29) Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent unto Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Whereas thou hast prayed to Me against Senacherib king of Assyria: this is the word which the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin daughter of Zion, hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee. Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? And against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? Even against the Holy One of Israel . By thy servants thou hast reproached the LORD, and hast said, by the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon ; and I will cut down the tall cedars thereof: and I will enter into the height of his border, and the forest of his Carmel . I have digged, and drunk water; and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of the besieged places. Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it; and of ancient times, that I have formed it? Now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay waste defenced cities into ruinous heaps. Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded: they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the grass on the housetops, and as corn blasted before it be grown up. But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against Me. Because thy rage against Me, and thy tumult, is come up into Mine ears, therefore will I put My hook in thy nose, and My bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way which thou camest.

Isaiah sends a message to Hezekiah, telling him that, because he has prayed to the LORD concerning this matter, his prayer has been heard. And because Senacherib has so reproached, or insulted, Him, He will take the matter into His own hands. Senacherib has boasted so greatly about his great exploits, that the LORD reminds him that He, not Senacherib, is the Creator of all these things. And, further, it is He, Who sent Senacherib to destroy all these nations. That is the reason for their lack of strength; not because Senacherib is so great. For the LORD is so great that He knows the home of Senacherib, what he does, whether going out or coming in. And above all He knows Senacherib’s rage against Him. Because of all that rage against Him, and the great disturbance Senacherib has raised, He, the LORD, will treat him like what he is, a beast of burden. He will put a hook in his nose, and a bridle in his mouth, and as one leads a horse, He will take him back to Assyria by the same route he used in coming to the land of Judah .

(Verses 30 through 36) And it shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such as groweth of itself; and the second year that which springeth of the same: and the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruit thereof. And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward: for out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion : the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this. Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shields, nor cast a bank against it. By the way that he came shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the LORD. For I will defend this city to save it for Mine own sake, and for My servant David’s sake. Then the angel of the LORD went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred fourscore and five thousand; and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.

Now the LORD gives the inhabitants of Jerusalem a sign; not a sign signifying that He will sometime in the future do something for them; but a sign, or a ritual that they are to observe because of what He has done for them. For two years they are not to either sow or reap, but only use that which grows up without any labor on their part. The third year they are to return to their regular practice of sowing, cultivating, and reaping. “And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward.” That is, those who are delivered from the hand of Senacherib shall be established again in the land, and shall be blessed to increase greatly. There shall be a remnant sufficient that they shall spread out over the land. They shall go forth from Jerusalem ; not that Jerusalem shall be forsaken, but that from there they shall again spread forth. This is not something they will achieve of themselves, but the zeal of the LORD of Hosts will do it. And the Assyrian king shall return to his own country by the same way by which he came. He will not be permitted to come into Jerusalem , shoot an arrow into her, or raise up a siege against her. The LORD Himself will be her defense. Notice that He does not say that he will do it for the sake of Hezekiah, nor even for the sake of His prophet Isaiah. Instead it for His own sake, and that of His servant David.

Having given Hezekiah this message, Isaiah tells us how the LORD did defend the city. During the night the angel of the LORD went into the camp of the Assyrians, and killed 185,000 men, doing it so quietly that none knew anything about it until early in the morning. When those who were left arose, they found that all this great number were already dead. The matter was finished without either the agency or the knowledge of man.

(Verses 37 and 38) So Senacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned , and dwelt in Nineveh . And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch, his god, that Adramelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Armenia : and Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.

Certainly there is little in this that needs explanation. Just as the LORD said in verse 7, He made Senacherib to hear a rumor, and return to his own land. And there He brought to pass the very sentence He had pronounced upon him. He fell by the sword. It was not in battle, but by the murderous hands of two of his own sons.

(Verses 1 through 3) In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live. Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, and said, Remember now, O LORD, I beseech Thee, how I have walked before Thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in Thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.

 This seems very simple. Isaiah comes to the sick King Hezekiah with a message from the LORD. It is a very somber message, “Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.” A message like this might cause most of us to be very sad, as was Hezekiah. The first thing he did was to turn his face toward the wall, and pray to the LORD. Hezekiah had tried to turn Judah away from idols back to serving the living God. And in his prayer he asks the LORD to remember his good works. He also wept greatly. We might keep two things in mind as we consider this, together with the remainder of the event. First in the message Isaiah gave to Hezekiah, he did not say when Hezekiah would die, but only that he would die, and not live. We too should always be aware of this, and “keep our house in order,” as Hezekiah was told to set his in order. Second, we never know whether such a message means that we have already come to the actual time of our death, or God is simply reminding us of the brevity of life, that we might cling the more closely to Him. In life or in death we should always be mindful that our life is in His hand. We notice that Hezekiah did not ask for an extension of life, but only asked the LORD to remember that he had walked before Him with a perfect heart.

(Verses 4 through 8) Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying, Go, and say to Hezekiah Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years. And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria : and I will defend this city. And this shall be a sign unto thee from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that He hath spoken; behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down in the sun dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward. So the sun returned ten degrees, by which it was gone down.

We can only take this message to mean that God would add fifteen years beyond the time the message was sent, not fifteen years beyond the time He had determined. For the teaching of the entire Bible shows us that God does not change His mind about things as do men. His knowledge is perfect; and with Him there is neither variableness nor shadow of turning. Nevertheless He did allow Hezekiah fifteen more years beyond the time of this message. And He did deliver both Hezekiah and Jerusalem from the king of Assyria , at this time. Later another king, the king of Babylon , did come and overcome Jerusalem , but not Senacherib. As recorded in the previous chapter, he went back to Nineveh , and was murdered by two of his own sons. To reassure Hezekiah, the LORD gave him a sign. He returned the shadow in the sun dial of Ahaz by ten degrees from where it had reached.

(Verses 9 through 12) The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah , when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness: I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave: I am deprived of the residue of my years. I said, I shall not see the LORD, even the LORD in the land of the living: I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world. Mine age is departed, and is removed from me as a shepherd’s tent: I have cut off like a weaver my life: He will cut me off with pining sickness: from day even to night wilt Thou make an end of me.

Here we turn to what Hezekiah thought and recorded concerning this event, after he had recovered from this sickness. He had very mournfully considered the matter when he thought he was about to die. Like most other people when they are heavily afflicted, and think their time has come to die he began to think that life is unfair, and to wonder, “Why me?” He thought he had been deprived of his residue of years, or years he thought he was entitled to. All his thoughts in this text seem to tend toward the same idea. He thought he was being unfairly cut off.

(Verses 13 and 14) I reckoned till morning, that, as a lion, so will He break all my bones: from day even till night wilt Thou make an end of me. Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward: O LORD, I am oppressed; undertake for me.

Apparently, the LORD let Hezekiah contemplate his situation all through the night until some time the next day before sending to him the message of His mercy. All this time Hezekiah was in great sorrow, believing that his death was immediately at hand. During this time he, apparently, prayed more than just the prayer recorded in verse 3. He uses several similes to describe his sorrow, with all of them showing it to be very deep. It seemed an almost hopeless case.

(Verses 15 through 20) What shall I say? He hath both spoken unto me, and Himself hath done it: I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul. O LORD, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit: so wilt Thou recover me, and make me to live. Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but Thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for Thou hast cast all my sins behind my back. For the grave cannot praise Thee, death cannot celebrate Thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for Thy truth. The living, the living, he shall praise Thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known Thy truth. The LORD was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the LORD.

Hezekiah asks, “What shall I say?” or “What can I say?” There are not words to express the great joy of the king when he received God’s assurance that his life was extended beyond what he had thought. Not only did the LORD speak to him, and promise him more time; He also fulfilled that promise. He says, “I had great bitterness for peace." He was so overcome by the thought that his death was at hand that he was in great bitterness, and wanted peace and comfort from that, although, apparently, he did not expect it. “But Thou in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for Thou hast cast all my sins behind my back.” What wonderful comfort there must have been for him in this. He was not only given an extension of life, but also his sins were all taken away. Then he declares that only the living, and not the dead, can praise the LORD as he does this day. Now because the LORD was ready to save him, he shall spend the remainder of his life in the house of the LORD, praising Him with songs and the music of stringed instruments.

(Verses 21 and 22) For Isaiah had said, Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaster upon the boil, and he shall recover. Hezekiah also had said, What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the LORD?

No doubt Isaiah had been instructed of the LORD to order the lump of figs placed upon Hezekiah. And when the LORD’S command was obeyed, He healed Hezekiah. The simplicity of the remedy is sufficient to show that not the figs, but the power of God is what cured Hezekiah. It is not mentioned in the earlier part of this chapter, but according to verse 22, Hezekiah had requested the sign from the LORD to assure him that the LORD would do what He had promised.

(Verses 1 and 2) At that time Merodach-baladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon sent letters and a present to Hezekiah: for he had heard that he had been sick, and was recovered. And Hezekiah was glad of them, and shewed them the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.

It was not unusual for kings, when they heard that a neighboring king had been sick, or had had some great misfortune, to send messengers to him with a present and a letter of condolence. This is what the king of Babylon did for King Hezekiah. And Hezekiah was so pleased with this act that he, as we would say today, gave them the grand tour. He showed them everything he had, all the wealth, and all the treasures of the kingdom. He reserved nothing.

(Verses 3 and 4) Then came Isaiah the prophet to King Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? And from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country unto me, even from Babylon . Then said he, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All that is in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them.

Isaiah was concerned about these men, both from whence they were, and what they had seen in Hezekiah’s house, and in his kingdom. Evidently Hezekiah was in a somewhat boastful attitude when these men were there, and he had wanted to “show off” to them. So he showed them everything he had that he thought worthwhile. And seemingly he is still a little boastful as he answers Isaiah.

(Verses 5 through 9) Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, hear the word of the LORD of hosts: Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD. And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon . Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. He said moreover, For there shall be peace and truth in my days.

Because of Hezekiah’s boastful act of showing all his wealth and treasures to the men who came from Babylon, the LORD declares to him that the time will come when all of these things, and even the people of Judah, including his own sons will be carried away to Babylon. There his sons will be made eunuchs, and become the servants of the king of Babylon . It seems that Hezekiah was completely unmoved by this prophecy. He seemed unconcerned about what might be done to his people, and even his children, if he could only have peace in his days. This seems to be a state of mind that afflicts most people today. If they can escape trouble, let future generations fend for themselves.

(Verses 1 and 2) Comfort ye, comfort ye my people saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem , and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, and her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received at the LORD’S hand double for all her sins.

Certainly, if we consider “ Jerusalem ” to be the gospel church, (and in that usage, our meaning of “gospel church” is not any particular organization claiming to be the “church,” but all who believe in our Lord Christ Jesus) we can draw a wonderful spiritual lesson from this text. For our Lord does indeed send us a comforting message, as he declares that Jesus has accomplished our warfare, and paid the price for all our sins, and by Him a double portion is given to us for all our iniquities. And that is a true message. But the fact remains that this is a message to Jerusalem , and not to the gospel church. It is a message that leaps forward to the day when Jerusalem and Israel shall be delivered from all their enemies, and restored in peace as Isaiah so often tells them will come to pass. Perhaps, one reason why so many become confused about the subject is that they cannot see the separation, in the prophet’s writings, between the first and the second coming of our Lord Jesus. These two verses look forward to His second advent. And that is an event that covers many things. When He comes and fights for Jerusalem , and destroys her enemies, as Zechariah tells us in Zechariah 14, her warfare shall indeed be accomplished. She will never again have enemies besiege her.

(Verses 3 through 8) The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: and the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: the grass withereth, the flower thereof fadeth: because the Spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God  shall stand forever.

“The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness” is indeed the prophet, John the Baptist. He it was who came as the harbinger of our Lord Jesus. His message was, “Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” Surely, in a spiritual sense, Judah , and all Israel , were a desert. There had not been a prophet sent to either in hundreds of years, and the interpretations that had been placed upon many of God’s commandments were such that they “made void the commandments of God.” as Jesus declared to the Pharisees. The whole structure of their religion had so fallen into decay that the poor were almost cut off from access to God. In this prophecy we might well consider the valleys, or low places to represent the poor of Israel , while the mountains and hills represent the wealthy and highly honored. But the valleys were to be filled, and every mountain and hill made low. Remember that one of the things Jesus told John’s disciples to tell him when he sent, asking if Jesus is the Christ, or if they should look for another, is “and the poor have the gospel preached unto them.” We hear a great clamor today for a “level playing field” in commerce. That is exactly what this prophecy sets forth in the realm of access to the worship of God. Remember how greatly surprised the Lord’s disciples were when He told them that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven. And He also said, “Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden; and I will give you rest.” Certainly, before He came, just as since then, all, who were, or are, saved, receive that salvation the same way—by the grace of God. But access to the worship service of God was very restricted. Consider the conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. The Jews had contended that no one could worship the LORD except at the temple in Jerusalem . But Jesus told this woman that now only one thing is needed. That one thing is that they worship in spirit and in truth. And in John 14:3, “Jesus saith unto him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me. ’” Thus there is a “level playing field” for all. The valleys are filled, and the mountains and hills are laid low. Worldly position gives no advantage. Under the law service the rich man could more readily afford a sacrifice, than could the poor. But now the only sacrifice required has already been freely offered by our Lord Jesus, and accepted by the Father. “He hath by one offering perfected forever them that are sanctified.” The crooked has been made straight, and the rough places plain. “And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.” The writer of the Hebrew letter says, of Jesus, (Hebrews 1:3) “Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His Person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high.” So when He  came, and was crucified, the glory of the LORD was revealed to all flesh. “All flesh” is used just as is so often the case with “all men” and “the world,” not to embrace every person in the world, but simply to mean, “both Jew and Gentile.” Isaiah declares that this is spoken by the mouth of the LORD. Therefore it cannot fail. Then this voice that was crying in the wilderness said, “Cry.” That is, he called for a cry, or a message, to be sent forth. “And he said, ‘What shall I cry?” That is, “What message shall I send forth?” The message is: “All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is the flower of the field: the grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit (or breath) of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of the LORD shall stand for ever.” This message can be very readily summed up thus. “Man is no more important or permanent than the grass that withers down, and its flower that fades. But the LORD and His word are eternal.” Since this is the truth of God, we should not put our trust in man, but in the eternal God.

(Verses 9 through 11) O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah , Behold your God! Behold, the LORD will come with strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him: behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him. He shall feed His flock like a shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

Zion and Jerusalem are called to go up on the high mountain to spread the good tidings of the coming of the LORD. The immediate reaction to this today, from many well meaning people, is to try to relate this to the birth of our Lord Jesus. There are a few things here that seem that they might could be thus applied. But principally it applies to the day when He will deliver the Jews from all their enemies. It pertains to the time when He shall come to rule, or reign, over Israel after destroying all her enemies. When He does, He shall come with a strong hand. And His arm, or power, shall rule for Him. “His reward is with Him; and His work before Him.” Not only will He rule over them, but He will very gently take care of them. Just as a shepherd takes care of his flock, so will the LORD take care of His people, carrying them in His bosom, and gently leading those that are weak. Certainly, He does this for us today. But not as He will then. This promise is given to Judah to comfort the people with hope even in the troublesome times that will come upon them before that day. When that day does come, all their troubles will be over forever.

(Verses 12 through 17) Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with a span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being His counselor hath taught Him? With whom took He counsel, and who instructed Him, and taught Him in the path of judgment, and taught Him knowledge, and shewed to Him the way of understanding? Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, He taketh up the isles as a very little thing. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering. All nations before Him are as nothing; and they are counted to Him less than nothing.

All the questions asked in this text are for one and the same purpose, to show that the LORD is so much greater in every manner of consideration than any man, that there can be no comparison of them. No man can measure the waters, not just the waters of a particular spot, but all waters, including not only the waters upon the earth, but even those that are in the clouds. But the LORD can even hold them in the hollow of His hand. He can even measure the heavens in a span (the measure of the distance from the end of the thumb to that of the little finger when the hand is spread out). He can also gather the dust of the earth in a measure, and weigh the mountains and hills in scales or a balance. Then, as we consider His wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and judgment, we see that it is so great that no man could ever have taught Him. All the nations together are counted of Him as nothing, and even less than that. The islands are in His sight a very little thing. To make a proper sacrifice to Him, all the beasts of the forests of Lebanon would not be sufficient; and neither would the forest itself be sufficient wood to burn it. The LORD is so great that there are really no adequate words to describe Him. Yet many today, who claim to be His ministers, will tell us that He desperately wants to save every person in the world; but, alas, they just will not let Him do it. How can these two positions agree?

(Verses 18 through 20) To whom then will ye liken God? Or what likeness will ye compare unto Him? The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains. He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved.

In spite of the fact that God is so great that man can find nothing, and no one, that can be compared to Him, man will still try to make some sort of image to worship instead of worshipping the eternal God. If he is rich, he will have the image made of silver or gold, and if too poor to afford that, he will make it from a piece of wood. This shows the total depravity of human nature, both rich and poor alike.

(Verses 21 through 27) Have ye not known? Have ye not heard? Hath it not been told you from the beginning? Have ye not understood from the foundation of the earth? It is He that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: that bringeth the princes to nothing; He maketh the judges of the earth as vanity. Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and He shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble. To whom then will ye liken Me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold Who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: He calleth them all by names by the greatness of His might, for that He is strong in power; not one faileth. Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God?

This is a continuation of the discussion of the greatness of God. First the prophet asks, “Have ye not known? Have ye not heard? Hath it not been told you from the beginning? Have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? “ It seems incredible to him that men can be so ignorant of the majesty of God that they would try to substitute anyone or anything for the LORD, seeing that He is so great, and so far above the whole earth that the inhabitants thereof appear as grasshoppers to Him. That is, they amount to no more than grasshoppers when compared to Him. As a man would set up a tent in which to dwell, so has the LORD stretched forth the heavens. That is, it was just as easy for Him to do that as it is for a man to set up a tent. His wisdom and judgment are so great that they put the judges and princes of the earth to shame, and show them up to be nothing and emptiness. When He blows upon them all they can do is to wither away. They will not be established; but He will take them away as the whirlwind carries away the stubble and chaff from the field. Again he says, “’To whom will ye liken Me, or shall I be equal?’ saith the Holy One.” This is to remind them that there is none, to whom He can be compared. Isaiah reminds them that God is so great that He created all the heavenly bodies, such as the sun, moon, stars, planets, etc. And not only did He create them, but He brings them out by number, and calls them all by name. And because of His great power not one of them fails. They come forth at His bidding. Why then does Israel say, or for that matter, even think that their way is hidden from the LORD, or that He will pass over, or not be able to bring upon them the judgment He has declared?

(Verses 28 through 31) Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of His understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: but they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Again he questions, as if he is greatly surprised that they have not known about the greatness of the LORD. He is “the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth.” And He never grows weary; and neither can men search out, or find a limit of His understanding. He even gives power and strength to those who are so weak they have fainted. A man may be young and strong, physically, but sometimes he will utterly fall, for there is a limit to his strength. “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not grow weary; they shall walk and not faint.” The strength He gives will not fail as does our natural strength, because he continually renews it. After speaking of the persecutions and troubles through which Christians must pass, and the strength the Lord gives us in such things, the Apostle Paul says, “For which cause we faint not; but, though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.” (II Corinthians 4:16) Thus he shows that this promise is to us as it was to Israel .

Chapter 41

(Verses 1 through 5)  Keep silence before Me, O islands; and let the people renew their strength: let them come near; then let them speak: let us come near together in judgment. Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to His foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? He gave them as dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow. He pursued them, and passed safely; even by the way that he had not gone with his feet. Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the First, and with the last; I am He. The isles saw it, and feared; the ends of the earth were afraid, drew near, and came.

Here the LORD commands the people to keep silence, that is, to rest; and let them renew their strength. Then they can draw near to Him. “Let us come near together to judgment.” He is not calling them together before Him that He may judge them. Rather He is calling them to come before Him quietly, and with their strength renewed that they may consider, or judge, what He is about to say to them. He asks a question, as if it concerns something already done, whereas it will be many years before it comes to pass. This is one of the reasons why many try to tell us that Isaiah did not write this. They do not believe that he could have known before hand about the things that would take place. They forget, or never knew, that The LORD has all wisdom and knowledge, and can reveal any future event to whomsoever He will. The event of which He speaks is the raising up of Cyrus, the king of Persia , whom He calls here “the righteous man from the east.” Persia was actually northeast of Judah , actually about the location of modern Iran , which with a part of modern Iraq , is the remnant of Persia . In this meeting of judgment, the LORD asks, “Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to His foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? He gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow.” Those to whom Isaiah spoke this did not even know anything about this righteous man from the east. He had not even come upon the scene at this time. But God is always well aware of all His marvelous works long before He brings them to pass. And this is one He has purposed. Just as back in Chapter 10, He told Judah that He would not only send the Assyrian king against them, but would give him a charge as to what he must do, so now He sets before them the fact that it is He, Who will raise up Cyrus, and give all these nations into his hand. He speaks of it as if it had already taken place. He will, then, give all these nations into the hand of Cyrus, and because of this, Cyrus will have no difficulty in overcoming them all, even though he is going in a way in which he has never gone before. He then asks, and answers the all important question. “Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the First, and with the last: I am He.” When the isles, and the ends of the earth see these things, they will be gripped with fear, so that they will come together to encourage one another. Notice that He said, “The isles saw it, and feared; the ends of the earth were afraid.” Nothing is said at this point about Judah or Israel . The heathen nations are the subject. The next two verses will show why this is restricted to the heathens.

(Verses 6 and 7) They helped every one his neighbor; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage. So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smootheth with the hammer him that smote the anvil, saying, It is ready for the soldering: and he fastened it with nails, that it should not be moved.

When these heathen were made afraid by the exploits of Cyrus, they came together to encourage one another. But the result of it all is that they made unto themselves idols. The carpenter, or woodworker, did his part of the work, and then called the goldsmith to overlay his idol with gold. Then when the one who smote the anvil, or did the rough work of the overlay had finished his part the one who did the final finish work took over. Thus they were all involved in making their images. When the image was finished it was fastened in place with nails that it might not be moved. This last phrase seems to have been used for the very purpose of showing the uselessness of idols. They cannot even move. How then can they be of any help in time of trouble?

(Verses 8 and 9) But thou, Israel , art My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend. Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art My servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.

This is, as is often said today, “the flip side” of the previous two verses. Whereas the heathen turned to idols for help, Israel knows the futility of such, and also that there is One, Who can, and will, help. That Helper, Who never fails, is the LORD, He Who made choice of Israel, took him from the ends of the earth, and called him from the chief men thereof, and declared him to be His servant. And He has not cast him away. So let the heathen turn to idols; but let us turn to the living God.

(Verses 10 through 13) Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness. Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. Thou shalt seek them, and not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and a thing of nought. For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.

This hardly seems to need any explanation. It is God’s message of comfort to Israel and Judah . Certainly it is a message that God will be with His people in whatever may come upon them at any time. And in addition to that, He promises that they shall finally be made to triumph over all their enemies. This is, of course, addressed to Israel . Yet from His faithfulness to His promise to Israel we find assurance that His promises to us are just as sure. In this promise to Israel , He speaks of a day when all those who have contended with Israel shall be destroyed, not to be found again, even if one sought for them. That too is our hope through our Lord Christ Jesus.

(Verses 14 through 20) Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel ; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small , and shalt make the hills as chaff. Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the LORD, and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel. When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together: That they may see, and know, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.

Although in comparison to the LORD Jacob and the men of Israel are no more than a worm, the LORD declares that they have no need to be afraid, because He, their redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, has espoused their cause, and will help them. By His power they will be made a new threshing instrument with teeth, not for threshing grain after it has been cut, but for threshing the mountains and the hills. This, no doubt has reference to the time of the great battle of Ezekiel, Chapters 38 and 39. For it is then that the LORD says concerning the nations that shall come against Israel , “And I will call for a sword against him throughout My mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man’s sword shall be against his brother.” (Ezekiel 38:21) And “Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel , thou and all thy bands, and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and the beasts of the field to be devoured.” (Ezekiel 39:4) In that day, all the enemies of Israel shall be carried away like the wind carries chaff, and the whirlwind scatters stubble. Then, when Israel is restored according to God’s promise, should the poor and needy be thirsty and seek water, He will hear their cry, and provide for their needs, even to the opening of rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. He will make a pool of water in the wilderness, and springs in the dry land, or desert. Even in the wilderness, or desert, He will plant a forest, such as has never before been there. As we have said before, there are many, who say this just cannot be, and therefore some meaning other than the literal must be found for this. Again, I contend that any, who believe Genesis 1:1 should have no difficulty in believing the literal interpretation of this, or any other proclamation our God has made. Verse 20 tells us why He will do this. “That ye may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.” If what He will do can be explained as “a phenomenon of nature,” that is exactly what everyone would call it. But what He is going to do is so outrageously impossible that it has to be recognized as His work, and not a freak of nature. Nothing is impossible with Him.

(Verses 21 through 24) Produce your cause, saith the LORD; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob. Let them bring them forth, and shew us what will happen: let them shew the former things, what they be, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come. Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together. Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought: an abomination is he that chooseth you.

This is addressed to the idol gods upon which the heathen depended. The LORD here challenges them to come before Him, and set forth their causes and reasons. The first challenge to them is that they tell us of things already done that we may compare what they say to what we know has taken place. Then, if we consider these, and find that they have spoken truly, they are to declare things that are to come in the future. Since they are but nothing, they cannot even meet the first challenge. But if they want to be considered gods, they must meet both the first and the second challenge. Then He says, “Yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together.” If they are gods, let them make a move, either good, or evil. Then we could witness their power. But, as He told us earlier, they are fastened with nails, so that they cannot be moved. They are completely helpless. They can do neither good nor evil. Their origin is from nothing, and they can do no work, either good or evil: therefore anyone who chooses them is himself an abomination, just as are they.

(Verses 25 through 29) I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come: from the rising of the sun shall he call upon My name: and he shall come upon princes as upon mortar, and as the potter treadeth clay. Who hath declared from the beginning, that we may know? And beforetime, that we may say, He is righteous? Yea, there is none that sheweth, yea there is none that declareth, yea, there is none that heareth your words. The first shall say to Zion , Behold, behold them: and I will give to Jerusalem one that bringeth good tidings. For I beheld, and there was no man; even among them, and there was no counselor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word. Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion.

Since the LORD has proven all these idols to be nothing, and unable to even tell the past, to say nothing of the future, He declares that He has raised up, or established, one from the north, and he shall come. In verse 2 of this chapter, this one is called, “the righteous man from the east.” This may appear to be a contradiction; but it is not. Since Persia is actually northeast of Israel , it is just as appropriate to speak of Cyrus’ coming from the north as from the east. In verse 2 he is called “the righteous man,” and here it is said, “From the rising of the sun shall he call upon My name.” So, no doubt, both statements refer to the same man. He will be of great power, and shall overcome many nations with as much ease as the potter treads clay. Again the LORD shows the contrast between Himself and the idols of the heathen. He asks a question that can have only one answer. “Who hath declared from the beginning, that we may know? And beforetime, that we may say, ‘He is righteous?’” He has previously shown that the idols cannot do this. Therefore there is only One, Who was able to do this. He is the LORD, and He is righteous. The remainder of verse 26 declares that among all the idols of the world, there is none that can show or foretell anything, and none that can even hear the words of those who cry unto them. “The first shall say to Zion , ‘Behold, behold them:’ and I will give to Jerusalem one that bringeth good tidings.” The first messenger the LORD will send to Jerusalem at that time will call upon the people to take notice of the things that shall be done. And He promises that the tidings will be good. Then He says, “For I beheld, and there was no man; even among them, and there was no counselor, that when I asked of them, could answer a word.” Even as the LORD looked upon Jerusalem , he could find none, even of their counselors, that was wise enough to answer a word if He asked a question. They had been led astray also by idols that caused so much confusion that all their works were nothing, and they themselves were vanity. This is in contrast to what He has promised that He will do for them. Surely when He brings forth the fulfilling of His promise, they will see that it is of Him, and not of their works.

Chapter 42

(Verses 1 through 4) Behold My Servant, Whom I uphold; Mine elect, in Whom My soul delighteth: I have put My Spirit upon Him: He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall He not break, and smoking flax shall He not quench: He shall bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till He have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for His law.

None can deny that this is a prophecy of the coming of the Christ. It is, actually, what we might call a thumbnail sketch of Him, not just in the time He was on earth before His death, burial, and resurrection, but even to the end, “when He shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father,” as the Apostle Paul says in I Corinthians 15:24. We are to take notice of this Servant of God; because He is the One, Whom the Father upholds. He is the Father’s elect, or beloved, Son in Whom the Father is well pleased, or in Whom the Father takes great delight. The LORD has put His Spirit upon Him. Surely the Father has also shed abroad His Spirit upon us, but not as upon Him. For He is “the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His Person.,” as the writer of the Hebrew Epistle tells us in Hebrews 1:3. In addition to this, it is He, Who will bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. That is, He is the One Who shall judge and rule all nations. He is the final judge of all the world. This is a part of His work that is yet future. It is to be finished at the time of the judgment described in Matthew 25:31-46. “He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.” Although He did teach in the street, in the mountains, in the fields, along the road, and by the seashore, as well as in the synagogues and temples, He did not raise up great tumults, and make great outcries in the street. But this is not what this scripture has in view. It is more in keeping with Isaiah 53:7. When He was arrested, and taken before the high priest, and before Pilate and Herod, He kept his silence. So much that they were astonished at Him. Remember that He could have called for, and received, more than twelve legions of angels to set Him free. But He quietly submitted to all the indignities and suffering they laid upon Him, because, as He Himself said, “How else could the scriptures be fulfilled?” The statement, “A bruised reed shall He not break, and the smoking flax shall He not quench,” seems to give some a little difficulty. It appears to be primarily a declaration of His gentleness, as He deals with the weak and downtrodden of His people. Although they are bruised by the struggles of life, as a reed might be bruised by being trampled, He will be so gentle with them that they will not be broken. We are told by some that the phrase, “the smoking flax” should be read, “the dimly burning wick,” since the wicks of lamps in that day were often made of flax, or linen. In this reference, it can readily mean that where there is even a flickering of faith, He will not snuff it out. Instead He will give more faith. Although there would be many discouraging things that would take place, they would never overcome Him. “He shall bring forth judgment unto truth” In Matthew 12:20, this is quoted with slightly different words, “Till He send forth judgment unto victory,” In either quotation the result is the same. He continues His gentle work with His people until He brings forth judgment unto truth, thus obtaining the victory. Regardless of what battles He must fight, He will not fail nor be discouraged until He is victorious in setting judgment in the earth. Until this is finished, the isles shall wait for His law.

(Verses 5 through 8) Thus saith God the LORD, He that created the heavens, and stretched them out: He that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; He that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein: I the LORD have called Thee in righteousness, and will hold Thine hand, and will keep Thee, and give Thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. I am the LORD: that is My name: and My glory will I not give to another, neither My praise to graven images.

Since what is about to be said is of God the LORD, there can be no reason to doubt it. For He is the One, Who created the heavens. He also spread forth the earth, and everything that comes forth from it. And He it is, Who gives breath and life to all that walk therein. Therefore the message that He speaks forth must be received, for it is the truth, and it cannot fail. The address of this message is to this Servant He has introduced in verse 1. To Him He says, “I the LORD have called Thee in righteousness, and will hold Thine hand, and will keep Thee, and give Thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.” This then is the commission the LORD GOD gave to His Son, and Servant, Christ Jesus. Although usually people consider it as only pertaining to His work while He walked this earth in the days of His sojourn here, it reached far beyond that. It is indeed true that while He was here the Father did hold His hand, and gave Him as a covenant (or testament) to the people, (the Jews,) and as a light for the Gentiles. He also opened the eyes of the blind, both the natural blind, and the spiritual blind. He also led forth the prisoners from the prison of sin, and those that sat in the darkness from the prison house of unbelief into the light of His glorious gospel. This He did while He was here on earth. But how much more glorious it will be when He “Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” This is His work. To it He has been of the Father called in righteousness, and unto it He has been anointed of God the LORD. How could it possibly fail? To completely clinch the matter, the LORD says, “I am the LORD: that is My name: and My glory will I not give to another, neither My praise to graven images.” Since “the LORD” is His name, no other can take it. He will not give His glory to another. Therefore we must be careful to not try to lay claim to any glory. It all belongs to Him, and Him alone. Still further, He will not give His praise to graven images. No idols will ever have any right to His praise.

(Verses 9 through 12) Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and His praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof. Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare His praise in the islands.

Now the LORD tells us that the former things, those things of which He formerly told us, have come to pass, just as He has said. So now He will tell us of new things. But before telling of these new things, He calls upon all men and all things to praise Him in a new song from the ends of the earth. He includes all that go down to the sea, and everything that is in the sea, together with the isles and their inhabitants, as well as the inhabitants of the wilderness, or desert, and of the rock to lift up their voices and sing. “Let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare His praise in the islands.” This is a universal call to praise the LORD. There is a very special reason for this, and that reason is the new things He said He would tell us.

(Verses 13 through 16) The LORD shall go forth as a mighty man, He shall stir up jealousy as a man of war: He shall cry, yea, He shall roar; He shall prevail against His enemies. I have long time holden My peace; I have been still, and refrained Myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once. I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up all their pools. And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and will not forsake them.

These are the new things about which He said He would tell us. He will no longer exercise patience, but will go forth like a mighty man, and stir up jealousy, or rage, like a man of war. The cry that He shall send forth will be actually a roar, like a lion as he attacks his prey. And, like a lion, He shall prevail against His enemies. Heretofore He has restrained Himself, and held His peace. But that day is over. He will now cry like the scream of a woman in childbirth, and will both destroy and devour whatever is before Him. In that day, He shall waste mountains and hills, and dry up the rivers and pools. This text, down to this point, might well be a contrast between our Lord’s work while here on earth as the sacrificial Lamb of God, and His work in bringing Judgment upon the world. All are familiar with His meekness and humility in the first advent. But, seemingly, many are ignorant of His conduct when He shall come as the conquering king. See Revelation 6:15-17. “And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the rocks of the mountains; and said to the mountains and the rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of His wrath has come; and who shall be able to stand?” Notice that in this quotation it is “the wrath of the Lamb,” from which they want to be shielded. Because He is the Lamb of God, we have a tendency to always think of Him as meek and gentle. But, alas, on that day, many will find Him indeed a man of war. All the foregoing is concerning His treatment of His enemies. The next verse shows His care of His children even in that great day. It can hardly be made any clearer than Isaiah has written it. “And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.”

(Verse 17) They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to molten images, Ye are our gods.

It is easy enough to see that this verse stands out by itself. And its meaning is abundantly clear. It declares that all who trust in idols shall be brought to shame. They are only nothingness and waste. So how can they ever be of any help? Those who look to them are doomed.

(Verses 18 through 21) Hear, ye deaf, and look, ye blind, that ye may see. Who is blind, but My Servant? Or deaf, as My Messenger that I sent? Who is blind as He that is perfect, and blind as the LORD’S Servant? Seeing many things, but Thou observest not; opening the ears, but He heareth not. The LORD is well pleased for His righteousness’ sake; He will magnify the law, and make it honorable.

Verse 18 may seem a little strange, when we first consider it. The LORD is calling upon One, Who is blind and deaf, and telling Him to hear and see. That this is addressed to a particular Person instead of all the deaf and blind is evidenced by verses 19 and 20. The One here addressed is the same Servant introduced in verse 1, our Lord the Christ. In verse 19 and 20 the LORD points out that His Servant is the One, Who is blind, and His Messenger is the One, Who is deaf. None can be as blind as He, Who is perfect. This is a strange blindness and deafness. It is selective. He sees many things, but does not observe them. That is, He does not point them out, or He lets them pass without calling attention to them. We who are imperfect have a great tendency to see, and call attention to the faults of others. And the farther from perfect we are, the greater that tendency, as if we are trying to justify our faults by calling attention to the faults of others. This Servant of the LORD, being perfect, has no need to do that. So He, as if blind to them, does not constantly point out the faults of His children. If He did, none of us could stand. It is only in His mercy that we can have hope. So because of His own righteousness imputed to us, He will not see our sins. Thus in His perfection He is blind. The same thing is true concerning His being deaf. He opens the ears, but hears not. With this work of His Servant, the LORD is well pleased for His righteousness’ sake. He will magnify the law, and make it honorable, or highly exalted.

(Verses 22 through 25) But this people is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore. Who among you will give ear to this? Who will hearken and hear for the time to come? Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? Did not the LORD, He against Whom we have sinned? For they would not walk in His ways, neither were they obedient unto His law. Therefore He hath poured upon him the fury of His anger, and the strength of battle: and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.

Now Isaiah turns his attention to Israel ’s condition, and why they are therein. They are a people that has been robbed and taken for a spoil. They are snared in holes and shut up in prison houses, or captivity, and there is none to deliver them. No one tells their captors to restore them. This is, of course, looking forward to their captivity by the Babylonians. Many of them were carried as captives all the way to Babylon . And there they were made slaves to the Babylonians. It was a deplorable condition indeed. Then he asks a question. Actually it is two questions that really amount to one. “Who among you will give ear to this? Who will hearken and hear for the time to come?” Is there anyone among the people of Israel that will pay attention to what he says is going to come upon them? The answer to that is not given. But likely it is negative. Until trouble actually comes upon us, we seldom listen to the warnings. So Isaiah now asks the people if they know who is going to give them to the robbers. Then he answers this question by another. “Is it not the LORD, He, against Whom we have sinned?” Israel had neither walked in His ways, nor rendered obedience to His laws. Yet they claimed Him as their God. A sad state of affairs! Yet this is very similar to the way we are today. Probably, a majority of the people of our nation claim to believe in the Lord, but those who sincerely try to serve Him are in a small minority. Thus it was with Israel . Therefore the LORD poured upon them His fury, and raised up the enemy against them in battle. “And it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.” This does not mean that Israel did not know that the fire, or affliction, was upon them, but that they did not know that it was because of their sins. That is, they were not brought to repentance. Even when the fire burned them, they did not lay it to heart. Such is our stubbornness when we have wandered away from God. Even when chastisement is sent upon us we do not repent until the LORD works repentance in our hearts, until He gives us the grace of repentance.

Chapter 43

(Verses 1 through 7) But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and He that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou wast precious in My sight, thou hast been honorable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring My sons from far, and My daughters from the ends of the earth; even every one that is called by My name: for I have created him for My glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.

Many of our brethren like to claim that this was said, not for national Israel , but for spiritual Israel . That this entire declaration was to national Israel is never to be doubted. Isaiah said in the beginning of this book (Chapter 1, verse 1) “The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.” The whole book is concerning Judah and Jerusalem , together with those named at various points in the book. No doubt, since the righteous Servant of the LORD, introduced in verse 1 of the previous chapter is our Lord the Christ, and He is our Savior, we are given the right to depend also upon the wonderful promises contained in this. Nevertheless, even in this we are partakers of the “good olive tree” of which the Apostle Paul says the Jews are the “natural branches,” and we are contrary to nature. The LORD declares to Israel that they are His because He has created, formed, and redeemed them. He has also called them by name. This leaves no room for any other to lay claim to them. Then we come to the promise He made to Israel . And since our Savior and the Father are One, we believe that this same promise extends to us. As we have earlier seen, troubles, calamities, and all the evils that can come upon us are often compared to overflowing rivers and great fires. So as He speaks of these waters, rivers, and fire, we know that He is referring to all the woes that can come upon Israel , and upon us. He promises to be with us when we pass through these waters: and when we pass through the rivers, they may be deep; but they cannot overflow, or destroy us. And even the fires of affliction, though they be great, they cannot consume us. The reason they cannot is that He is our God. He is the Holy One of Israel, and He is our Savior. So far as Israel is concerned, He declares that He gave Egypt for their ransom; and He also gave Ethiopia and Seba for them. Also for us our Lord Jesus has given Himself as the ransom. We should always remember that we are not our own, but we are bought with a price. We sometimes hear the expression concerning someone, “He is bought and paid for.” That is the literal truth for everyone whom our Lord redeemed. “Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honorable, (honored,) and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.” This shows as clearly as any passage of scripture that can be found, the election of God. He does not tell us why He considered Israel “precious in His sight,” but only that this was a fact. And that is all we need to know about that matter. Nevertheless, because this was a fact, He honored, or exalted, Israel and loved them. Those who try to deny or discredit His election are here faced with a question they cannot answer. “Why would He give men for them and people for their life?” He has told us that it is because He loved Israel . Someone will tell us that He loves everyone the same. If so, why would He give other men for Israel ? If His love for both were the same, how could one be sacrificed for the other? Notice that He makes no mention of loving the men that He will give for Israel . Surely this shows election, or selection, both of which, in this case, become the same. Verses 6 and 7 are a declaration of His promise to re-gather, or restore, Israel in the last days. He will bring them from the north, the south, and from all the earth, even from the ends thereof. This is the same Israel whom He declared that He would send into bondage, the same against whom the nations of the world will be enemies. But at His appointed time they shall be restored, and called back to the land He gave to Abraham and to his seed forever. Certainly, this is also what will be to all those who are redeemed by our Lord Christ Jesus. When He returns, “He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” (Matthew 24:31) As the LORD continues to speak to Israel , He says, “Even every one that is called by My name: for I have created him for My glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.” This promise is just as sure to Israel as the promise of Jesus is to His elect.

(Verses 8 through 13) Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears. Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? Let them bring forth their witness, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, it is truth. Ye are My witnesses, saith the LORD, and My Servant Whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He: before Me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after Me. I, even I, am the LORD, and beside Me there is no savior. I have declared, and have saved, and have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are My witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God. Yea, before the day was I am He; and there is none that can deliver out of My hand: I will work, and who shall let it?

Now the LORD calls for a bringing forth of these people who have eyes and ears, but cannot see or hear. They are Israel . Then He calls for all the nations, the Gentiles, to be assembled with the people, the Israelites. Then to all He asks, “Who among them can declare this, and shew us former things?” That is, “Who among them will claim to be a prophet of things to come?” If there is one, he must produce witnesses that can justify his claim. If he cannot produce such witnesses, he must listen to what the LORD says, and acknowledge it as the truth. Then the LORD and His Servant Whom He has chosen declare to Israel , “Ye are My witnesses _ _ _ that ye may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He; before Me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after Me. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside Me there is no Savior.” This is the one great truth upon which all things depend. Not only is the LORD God, but He is the Only One Who ever has been, or ever will be. He had no predecessors; and He will have no successors. He is eternal, having neither beginning nor ending. Forever and ever He is the LORD GOD. In the days before there were any strange, or idol gods among Israel , the LORD declared and showed to them what would come to pass, and they are witnesses that what He told them is the truth. Just as He is eternal, so He has all power. There is none that can deliver out of His hand. And when He works none can hinder Him.

(Verses 14 through 17) Thus saith the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, for your sake I have sent to Babylon , and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships. I am the LORD, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel , your King. Thus saith the LORD, Which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters; Which bringeth forth the chariot and the horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise: they are extinct, they are quenched as tow.

The LORD has already told Israel that He shows them things before they come to pass, and that they are His witnesses of these things when they do take place. Now He overreaches the Babylonian captivity He has told them will come, and speaks as if it is already ongoing, as He tells them of His preparations to deliver them from it. So when they are languishing in that captivity, they can know that He has already set in motion their deliverance. No doubt that 70 years of captivity seemed a long time to Israel . But to the LORD it was only a moment. So He says, “For your sake I have sent to Babylon , and have brought down their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships.” He has already purposed to bring down the nobles and the wise ones of Babylon . He declares that He is their Creator, their Holy One, and their King. And this is true whether in good times, or even in captivity. He is the One, Who makes a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters. So even there He will watch over them. Since He is the One, Who brings forth the chariot and the horse, as well as the army and the power, He is also able to cause all of this to fall. They shall lie down, and not rise. They will be as powerless as those things that are extinct. They can do nothing.

(Verses 18 through 21) Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. The beast of the field shall honor Me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, My chosen. This people have I formed for Myself; they shall shew forth My praise.

Now the LORD tells Israel to forget the former things, and to not even consider them. They will not compare with the new thing that He will do. Surely, when they see this new thing, they will know, or take notice of, it. This work is one that has not been done before. He will make a way, or road, in the wilderness, the pathless wastelands. Not only so, but He will also make rivers in the desert, to give drink to His people whom He has chosen. When He does this, even the wild creatures will honor Him. He declares that He has formed Israel for Himself, and that they shall show forth His praise.

(Verses 22 through 24) But thou hast not called upon Me, O Jacob,; but thou hast been weary of Me, O Israel. Thou hast not brought Me the small cattle of thy burnt offerings; neither hast thou honored Me with thy sacrifices. I have not caused thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incense. Thou hast bought Me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled Me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made Me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied Me with thine iniquities.

The LORD charges Israel with failing to call upon Him, neglecting their sacrifices to Him, and instead of offering to Him the fat of their sacrifices, they have only “made Him to serve,” or put up with their sins, and wearied Him with their iniquities. They have done everything except what He has instructed them to do.

(Verses 25 and 26) I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for Mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. Put Me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.

Having rebuked Israel for their sins, the LORD now declares that He is blotting out their sins, and will not remember them against them any more. He declares that He is doing this, not for any repentance they have shown, nor for any merit of their own, but for His own sake. Then He calls upon them to plead their cause if they have anything that will justify them, which, of course they have not. So His blotting out their sins is altogether according to His mercy, and by His grace, just as is His forgiveness of our sins also.

(Verses 27 and 28) Thy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against Me. Therefore I have profaned the princes of the sanctuary, and have given Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches.

This is the summing up of the sins of Israel . Even their first father, or earliest progenitor, sinned, and their teachers have transgressed against the LORD. That is, the sins of Israel have continued all the way from their beginning by reason of the doctrines of their teachers. For this reason the LORD has put to shame the leaders of the sanctuary, and turned Israel over to the curse and reproaches. This is the reason for the captivity that shall come upon them. While reading this chapter, one will notice that the thread of it is constantly turning back and forth between The LORD’S rebuke of them for their sins, and His promises to finally deliver them from all their woes. Although He will finally deliver them from all their enemies, they must be chastised before that deliverance.

Chapter 44

(Verses 1 through 5) Yet now hear, O Jacob My servant; and Israel , whom I have chosen: Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, Which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, My servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen. For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour My Spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thine offspring: and they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the watercourses. One shall say, I am the LORD’S; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel.

Again we turn back to the promises of the LORD. He calls upon Israel , His servant, whom He has chosen. One thing we should always notice is that the LORD always declares that Israel is His servant, not by the choice of Israel , but by His own choice. He declares that He has formed Israel , and caused him to be born. Also it is by His choice that He will help Israel . Then He says, “Fear not, O Jacob, My servant; and thou, Jesurun, (another name for Jerusalem ,) whom I have chosen. So in all this the choice belongs to the LORD, and not to the one chosen. So it is with all of God’s children. Had He not made the choice, none would have been made. Now He promises that He will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground. Although He can, and as He shall see fit, will, literally do this, it seems that the purpose of this language is to give assurance to His people that He will abundantly supply their needs. In Israel , as in other countries where there is much desert area, water is the most necessary commodity. In such places one can survive longer without food than without water. That is why water is so often mentioned in the LORD’S promises to Israel . The second part of verse 3 explains the first part. “I will pour My Spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thine offspring.” He is not promising these that are going into captivity that they shall ever return to Jerusalem ; but His Spirit and His blessing shall be upon their descendants. And He shall restore them. Although when they go into captivity, the land will be left desolate, with few inhabitants, In the day of their return “they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the watercourses.” And every one of them will make every effort to link his name with Israel , and with the LORD.

(Verses 6 through 8) Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his Redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the First, and I am the Last; and beside Me there is no God. And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for Me, since I appointed the ancient people? And the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them. Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even My witnesses. Is there a God beside Me? Yea. There is no God; I know not any.

The LORD speaks forth, declaring Himself the LORD the King of Israel, and the LORD of hosts the Redeemer of Israel. Furthermore He is the First, and also the Last. And beside Him there is no God. Since this is true, who beside Him is able to call, declare, and set in order before Him such things as He can? Who beside Him can show “the things that are coming, and shall come?” If there is one, let him show us these things. Of course this challenge has to go unanswered, for there is none. So He again comforts Israel , telling them to not be afraid; for He has already told them of these things to come, and they are His witnesses that He has told them before these things come to pass. Therefore He, and He alone, is God. There is no other.

(Verses 9 through 11) They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses: they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed. Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing? Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together.

As can readily be seen, this is the beginning of a treatise upon the worthlessness and foolishness of idols. Even those who make such are all vanity. So what can one expect of their product? These who make them are, as we shall see a little later, their own witnesses of the futility of such. But they don’t see or know the vanity of it, that they may be ashamed. They would indeed be ashamed of their work, if only their eyes were opened that they might see how foolish it is. When one makes a god, an idol, whether it is a graven image, or something else, it is totally worthless. It is something for his companions to be ashamed of. After all the workmen that make it are only men. If they are all gathered up, and attempt to stand up, they shall all fall and be ashamed together. It cannot protect them. So they will still fear.

(Verses 12 through 17) The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint. The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house. He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it. Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh a graven image, and falleth down thereto. He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire; and the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me, for thou art my god.

Verses 12 through 14 tell us of the care a man will use in the selection of the materials and the preparations of his idol; all of which is easily understood with no explanation. Then in verses 15 through 17 He gives us the picture of the utter foolishness of such. The man who makes an idol from a piece of wood, will carve it into whatever likeness he desires. Of course there are always chips and scraps left over. He will take those scraps and with them make a fire, whether for him to warm himself by it, or to use it to cook his food makes little difference. He may use it for both. Then he will take the image he has made from a piece of the same wood, and set it up as his god, without even considering that, first of all, it is no more than the scraps he has burned; for all are from the same original piece of wood; and second, since he made it himself, he must have more power than it can possibly have. Because the only means it has of even getting from one place to another is that someone move it. It cannot move itself. This same reasoning can also be applied to anything else that one might set his affections upon, and consider his god. There is only one true God. That is the LORD of hosts, the Holy One of Israel

(Verses 18 through 20) They have not known nor understood: for He hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts that they cannot understand. And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? Shall I fall down to the stock of a tree? He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, or say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?

Notice the reason why such men cannot understand the utter foolishness of what they are doing. “They have not known nor understood: for He hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts that they cannot understand.” Since the LORD is the only One, Who can give wisdom and understanding, it is also He, Who withholds the same. And those to whom He has not given understanding cannot even see the futility and foolishness of their actions. They cannot understand that the idol god they have set up is no greater that the chips and scraps of the tree from which it came, and can therefore neither help nor deliver them. He cannot see the fallacy of his reasoning in thinking that this piece of a tree can help him in his troubles. “He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside.” Such are all, who trust in idols, whether a graven image, or some other equally vain thing.

(Verses 21 through 23) Remember these, O Jacob and Israel ; for thou art My servant: I have formed thee; thou art My servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of Me. I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto Me; for I have redeemed thee. Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified Himself in Israel .

Here the LORD calls upon Israel to remember these, that is, these things He has just told them. They are to remember these, because they are His servants; and He has blotted out their sins and transgressions. He calls them to return to Him, because He has redeemed them. Although this is spoken of as something already done, their experiencing of it was at that time still future. They yet had to experience the captivity before they would be redeemed in the sense of being brought back to Jerusalem . Full redemption of anything includes the returning it home, as well as paying the price to regain possession of it. So, in verse 22, He calls them to return to Him. Because He has redeemed them, that is, He has brought them back home. It is upon that occasion that He calls upon the heavens, the earth , the mountains, and the forest to break forth in singing. As mentioned above, this looks forward to the return of Israel from the Babylonian captivity, and even to their final restoration, at the end of the present dispersion. Since He will faithfully keep these promises, we too can rest in His promise to “gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

(Verses 24 through 28) Thus saith the LORD thy Redeemer, and He that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by Myself; that frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish; that confirmeth the word of His servant, and performeth the counsel of His messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shalt be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof: that saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers: that saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.

In verses 24, 25, and part of 26, the LORD is simply reminding Israel that He, their Redeemer, is the same great God, Who has created the heavens and the earth, and even now frustrates the signs of the false prophets, “the liars,” and confirms the word and counsels of His servants and messengers. Then He gives a message to Jerusalem , “You shall be inhabited, and the cities of Judah shall be built up.” He declares that He will dry up the rivers and the deep. Then He speaks of a man, who would not even come upon the scene until well over one hundred years later. This is one of the prophecies that drive the skeptics mad. They cannot believe that Isaiah could have written this, because they cannot understand how he could have known anything about him, since he was not yet born. But the great God of heaven and earth has known even from the beginning, not only this, but all things that ever shall come to pass. The man of whom the LORD speaks is Cyrus the king of Persia , whom He ordained to send back the Jews from the Babylonian captivity. He calls Cyrus His shepherd, and says of him, “He shall perform all My pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem , Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.” And history witnesses that he did exactly that.

Chapter 45

(Verses 1 through 4) Thus saith the LORD to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: and I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by name, am the God of Israel. For Jacob My servant’s sake, and Israel Mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known Me.

The first thing to be noted here is that although we have the expression, “Thus saith the LORD to His anointed, to Cyrus,” Cyrus is not another name for the Christ, of whom we most often think, when we hear someone speak of the LORD’S anointed. Cyrus is a Persian king, who also became king of Babylon in 539 BC. Since this prophecy was given prior to 687 BC, it is easy to see why skeptics don’t believe that it was given as a prophecy, but that someone wrote it after the fact, and inserted it in this book of prophecy at a later date. Of course, such a claim is foolishness. The God, Who created the heaven and the earth surely has no difficulty in telling beforehand what He will bring to pass, and even naming the one He will use to bring it. Even the priests of the LORD were anointed for their work, as were also the kings of Israel and Judah . So the LORD anointed Cyrus to perform a work for Him. That work was to send the Jews back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple and the city. As He commissions Cyrus for this work, the LORD says that He will loose the loins of kings. That is, He will weaken them so that Cyrus will have no difficulty in overcoming them. Most cities of that day were walled for defense in time of battle. They would have, perhaps, several small gates where individuals might have access in and out. But the main entrance gate was much broader, and had two leaves. These broad gates are the ones the LORD says He will open before Cyrus. And even the little gates shall not be shut. He promises that He will make the way for Cyrus easy. He will even straighten the crooked places for him, and break the gates of brass and the bars of iron. Moreover He will give to Cyrus “the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places.” The remainder of this text may seem a little strange to us. But we must remember that we are not privy to the secret counsels of God; and therefore cannot know His reasons for doing what He does, unless He sees fit to enlighten us concerning them. He tells Cyrus, and us His reason for doing all these wonderful things for Cyrus: “that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, Which call thee by thy name, am the GOD of Israel.” He did not say, “I have done this that you may know that I am your God;” but “that you may know that I am the God of Israel.” He further says, “For Jacob My servant’s sake, and Israel Mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known Me.” Whether, or not, God ever caused Cyrus to know Him, is a secret buried in the secret counsel of God, and is none of our business, although, no doubt, some will argue vainly concerning it.

(Verses 5 through 8) I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside Me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known Me: that they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside Me. I am the LORD, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things. Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it.

The LORD’S address to Cyrus continues. He tells Cyrus that though Cyrus has not known Him, it is He, Who has girded him, or given Him strength and power. His purpose in so doing is that from the rising of the sun to the setting of the same it may be known that He is God, and beside Him there is no God. Verse 7 is a declaration about which many seem to enjoy arguing. “I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.” To me this seems only a very strong declaration of the power of God. He takes two sets of opposites, light and darkness, and peace and evil, (tumult or commotion,) and sets them forth as evidence that all that exists, beside Himself, is created by Him: for there is no other God, and no other Creator. It seems that should be far enough for anyone to try to go with the subject. The LORD said, “I the LORD do all these things.” And there He left the subject. In verse 8 He calls upon the heavens and the skies to pour down righteousness, and upon the earth to open up and bring forth salvation, with righteousness also springing up with it. And He declares, “I the LORD have created it.” He has created both righteousness and salvation.

(Verses 9 and 10) Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherds strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioned it, What makest thou? Or thy work, He hath no hands? Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? Or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?

Certainly, if we try to argue, or strive against our Maker, we are being worse than foolish. We certainly will be put to shame. He says, “Let the potsherds strive with the potsherds of the earth.” If we consider this seriously, it will surely put us in our place. Since, at best, we are no more than broken pieces of pottery, we should remember to do our striving with those on our level, the other pieces of broken pottery scattered around in the earth, man against man; not man against God. Verse 10 is abundantly clear without further explanation.

(Verses 11 through 13) Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask Me things to come concerning My sons, and concerning the work of My hands command ye Me. I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even My hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded. I have raised him up in righteousness, and will direct all his ways: he shall build My city, and he shall let go My captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts.

Some commentators think, (and the tenor of the whole message in verses 9 through 11 seems to bear it out,) that verse 11 should be read, “Thus says the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, ‘Do you question Me of things to come concerning My sons, and concerning the work of My hands? Do you command me?’” The whole discussion has been of the fact that He is God, and we are only broken pieces of pottery. And would we presume to question the LORD about what He has purposed, or what He is doing? Then He declares, “I have made the earth,  and created man upon it: I, even My hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.” This ought to settle any argument we might think to start with Him. Having thus settled this, He again speaks of Cyrus, though He does not call his name. “I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build My city, and he shall let go My captives, not for price nor reward, saith the Lord of hosts.” It is in the righteousness of the LORD that He will raise up Cyrus to do those things that He has purposed. History testifies that this was all done exactly as the LORD said it would be.

(Verses 14 through 19) Thus saith the LORD, The labor of Egypt, and the merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shall come after thee; in chains they shall come over, and they shall fall down unto thee, they shall make supplication unto thee, saying, Surely God is in thee; and there is none else, there is no God. Verily Thou art a God that hidest Thyself, O God of Israel, the Savior. They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they shall go into confusion together that are makers of idols. But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end. For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God Himself that formed the earth and made it; He hath established it, He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else. I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye Me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.

It is a little unclear whether the reference, in verse 14, to the “labor of Egypt, and the merchandise of Ethiopia and the Sabeans,” as they “shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine,” etc., is addressed to Cyrus because of the great conquests the LORD will give him, or to Israel, in the day of her final restoration, after all her enemies have been destroyed. It is, probably, to Israel , in that last great day, because in that day the LORD will give them the victory over all nations. And Egypt is one of the nations particularly mentioned as coming up to Jerusalem “from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.” At that time they will say to Israel , “Surely God is in thee; and there is none else, there is no God.” They shall also say unto the LORD, “Verily Thou art a God that hidest Thyself, O God of Israel, the Savior.” He is indeed a God Who hides Himself; and can only be found by those unto whom He reveals Himself. With all the natural enlightenment there has been among the nations, Israel is the only nation that ever declared Him their God. And that was done only because He made choice of them, and revealed Himself unto them. Those who are makers, or worshippers, of idols shall be brought to shame and confusion; because, as we have already seen in chapter 44, these idols have no power to help those who look to them. But the salvation of Israel is in the LORD, and shall be both sure and everlasting. They “shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.” The LORD God, Who created and established the earth did not make it in vain. “He formed it to be inhabited,” and so shall it be. He is the LORD, and there is none beside Him. His messages have not been spoken “in secret, in a dark place of the earth,” not that He cannot speak in secret, but that His word has been declared in the open that all may hear, that when it comes to pass all may know that it is as He has declared it. And when He said to the seed of Jacob, “Seek ye Me,” He did not speak in vain. He is the LORD, He speaks righteousness, and what He declares is right.

(Verses 20 and 21) Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save. Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? Who hath told it from that time? Have not I the LORD? And there is no God else beside Me; a just God and a Savior; there is none beside Me.

This is definitely addressed to the nations left after that great battle of Zechariah 14. They are the ones that have escaped of the nations. The Lord commands them to draw near that He may declare something to them. His message to them is the same that He has already spoken unto Israel : “They have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.” Then He commands them, “Tell ye.” That is, they are to spread this message, and bring others near to take counsel together, or to consider what He is saying. He asks, and answers a question that should make the matter clear to all. “Who hath declared this from ancient time? Who hath told it from that time?” Let them search and consider the matter. Then let them give answer to this. Who in ancient time first declared this that has taken place? And who has kept telling about it, and insisting that it shall come to pass? Then by another question He answers this. “Have not I the LORD?” He sums it up thus: “And there is no God else beside Me; a just God and a Savior; there is none beside Me.”

(Verses 22 through 25) Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by Myself, the word is gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to Him shall men come; and all that are incensed against Him shall be ashamed. In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.

There are, in this text, phrases and statements, which can be profitably used in teaching spiritual lessons that are wonderful, but are still not directly involved in the principal subject of the text. Our function, at the present time, is to try to set forth that subject. Even the Apostle Paul addressed one of the other lessons to which we have referred. This is a continuation of the same address that is in verses 20 and 21. Having shown these nations that are escaped from that great battle that He, and He alone, is God, and that He alone has declared beforehand the very things they have experienced, and that beside Him there is no God, He calls upon them, those who are “the ends of the earth,” to look not upon these idols that cannot save, but upon Him, “and be ye saved.” He is God, and there is no other. He has already spoken in righteousness, and He will not take back what He has said. He has declared that unto Him every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall swear. This is in keeping with the ancient custom of kings. When they obtained the victory over their foes, these enemies were brought before the king, made to kneel in his presence, and swear fealty to him. That is the picture here. Those who escape destruction in that great battle, shall be thus brought before Him, and, as they kneel before Him, swear to Him that they will no longer be His enemies, but His servants. (The Apostle Paul makes use of this quotation on two separate occasions, Romans 14:11 and Philippians 2:11, with slightly different words which is not unusual in New Testament quotations from the Old Testament. As can readily be seen by the context, he was dealing with different subjects from the one before us). Then the LORD tells us what those gathered before Him will say, and declares that “all that are incensed against Him shall be ashamed.” All those who are angry against the LORD shall be brought to shame. But in Him “shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.”

Chapter 46

(Verses 1 and 2) Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages are heavy loaden; they are a burden to the weary beast. They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves are gone into captivity.

Bel and Nebo, (or Nabu) were idol gods of the Babylonians. When Cyrus came upon Babylon , as many as possible of these images were loaded upon carts and taken away, in the hope of saving them from being destroyed. This made a heavy load for their carriages and the beasts that pulled them. But it was all to no avail. These gods could not deliver either the people or themselves; but all went into captivity.

(Verses 3 and 4) Hearken unto Me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel , which are borne by Me from the belly, which are carried from the womb: and even to your old age I am He; and to hoar hairs will I carry, and deliver you.

The LORD tells the house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel to take heed to the fact that He has carried them since their birth. They have never been able to go for themselves; but their God, the LORD, has always carried them. Since He has carried them from birth, He will also carry them, even to old age. And He also shall deliver them. What more could they want? As we have many times observed, His faithfulness to this promise is also our assurance that He will also save us to the uttermost.

(Verses 5 through 8) To whom will ye liken Me, and make Me equal, and compare Me, that we may be like? They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, and hire a goldsmith; and he maketh it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship. They bear him upon their shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place, and he standeth; from his place shall he not remove: yea, one shall cry unto him, yet he cannot answer, nor save him out of his trouble. Remember this, and shew yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors.

The LORD is still calling them to task for their tendency to follow after idols. His questions in verse 5 are designed to show how futile it is to try to compare God to anyone, or anything. There is no comparison. Then He reminds them again of how foolish and unprofitable an idol is. No matter how much gold and silver may be used in making it, when it is finished, they have to carry it upon their shoulder. It cannot carry them. All it can do is to remain in its place until someone moves it. If one should call upon it for help, there is no help it can give. In fact, it cannot even answer him. So He calls upon these transgressors, the house of Israel , to remember this, and again bring it to mind.

(Verses 9 through 11) Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure: calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth My counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I also will do it.

The LORD calls upon Israel to remember “the former things of old.” If they will only do this, and consider how He has taken care of not only those who are present, but even their forefathers in days of old, they will know that He alone is GOD, and there is no other. He not only knows the end from the beginning, but has also declared it, even from ancient times telling of things not yet come to pass. The fact that His word is always true, and is proven by those things that come to pass, proves also that His counsel shall stand forever, and He will do all His pleasure. Even at this time, which as we have already said, was more than a hundred years before Cyrus was born, He has called him by name, and declared that he is “a ravenous bird from the east.” He also declares that this same man, though he is from a far country, shall execute the counsel of the LORD. So that there shall be no doubt concerning the matter, the LORD says, “Yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I also will do it.”

(Verses 12 and 13) Hearken unto Me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness: I bring near My righteousness; it shall not be far off, and My salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel My glory.

The LORD gives Israel a very serious “wake up call.” He says “Listen to Me, you stubborn ones that are far from being righteous.” Israel had always been a stubborn people, and had walked in their own way instead of the way of the LORD. So they were by no means righteous. But what the LORD is going to do is by His righteousness, and not theirs. His righteousness shall be very near, and His salvation shall not be delayed. It will come at His appointed time. Then He shall place salvation in Zion , or Jerusalem , and it will be “for Israel My glory.” That is, for God’s own glory, He will bring Israel back to Jerusalem . He will thereby prove that His counsel shall stand, and that He will do all His pleasure.

Chapter 47

(Verses 1 through 5) Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon , sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate. Take the millstones, and grind meal: uncover thy locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers. Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man. As for our Redeemer, the LORD of hosts is His name, the Holy One of Israel. Sit thou silent, and get thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called, The lady of kingdoms.

This is an address to Babylon in the day when Cyrus shall come upon it. It has been a great city, one that has been considered too rich and powerful to be overcome. Notice what Nebuchadnezzar said, as he looked over Babylon . (Daniel 4:30) “The king spake, and said, ‘Is not this great Babylon , that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty?’” Its great hanging gardens were accounted one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. It was world renowned for its wealth and splendor. No doubt, it held the title Isaiah ascribes to it, “The lady of kingdoms.” But when Cyrus comes against it, it shall be called this no more. Instead it will be brought down to servitude, instead of mastery. It may have been built by the wise ones, and thus was “the daughter of the Chaldeans,” but in that day that will not deliver it. It will be as any other conquered city. All its days of glory will be over.

(Verses 6 through 10) I was wroth with My people, I have polluted Mine inheritance, and given them into thine hand: thou didst shew them no mercy; upon the ancient hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke. And thou saidst, I shall be a lady for ever: so that thou didst not lay these things to thy heart, neither didst remember the latter end of it. Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children: but these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great abundance of thine enchantments. For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me.

As the LORD addresses Babylon , He tells why He sent His people into captivity to her. It was not because of the greatness of Babylon , but only as a chastisement upon them for their sins. But Babylon showed them no mercy, and laid heavy bondage upon them, even a heavy yoke upon the ancients, or old people, who for their age should have been treated more gently. Babylon cared nothing about this, but boasted that she would be “a lady for ever.” She was so arrogant that she said in her heart, “I am, and none else beside me, I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children.” This is very similar to what Babylon the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth will think just before her destruction. “For she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.” (Revelation 18: 7) Nevertheless, the LORD says, “But these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great abundance of thine enchantments.” The only thing in this statement that might need any explanation is the word, “perfection.” Certainly we know what is the common meaning of this word. But in such usage as this, it actually means “with everything that pertains to” these two things, such as pain, sorrow, affliction, etc. And the reason why they are coming upon her is as punishment for “the multitude of thy sorceries, and the abundance of thine enchantments,” and because she had trusted in her wickedness, thinking that none could see her. She was so lifted up by her own wisdom and knowledge that it had perverted her, so that she even thought that she was above everyone else, and, in reality, thought herself equal with God. And as we know, this cannot be. This is another example of God’s speaking of things to come as if they were already done. This He can do because none can hinder that which He has purposed.

(Verses 11 through 15) Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know. Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast labored from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail. Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee. Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it. Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast labored, even thy merchants, from thy youth: they shall wander every one to his quarter, none shall save thee.

Since Babylon shall not know from whence her troubles will come, she can make no preparation to defend herself. She will not be able to prevent it, or even delay it. She shall not be aware of it until it is upon her; for it shall come suddenly. In derision, the LORD tells her to stand with her enchantments and her sorceries, and see if they can help her. She has grown tired of taking counsel with those who might give good advice. So let her turn to her astrologers, stargazers, and monthly prognosticators, and see if they can do anything for her. Babylon was noted for her astrologers and other soothsayers. But the LORD says that instead of working any deliverance for Babylon , they will themselves be destroyed just as the fire destroys the stubble. And the destruction of that fire will be so complete that of the residue there will not be left a coal to warm by, or enough of a fire to sit before. And her merchants shall desert her, with each seeking his own safety, and not hers. 

Chapter 48

(Verses 1 through 8) Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the LORD, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness. For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel; the LORD of hosts is His name. I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of My mouth, and I shewed them; I did them suddenly, and they came to pass. Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass; I have even from the beginning declared it unto thee; before it came to pass I shewed it thee: lest thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, hath commanded them. Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare it? I have created new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them. They are created now, and not from the beginning; even before the day when thou heardest them not; lest thou shouldest say, Behold, I knew them. Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.

This is a heavy indictment against Israel . When the LORD begins this He uses two expressions whose significance might be lost upon us, unless we carefully consider two words. They are “Jacob,” and “ Israel .” We are prone to think that they are one and the same. Their only connection is that they are the names of one man. His name was “Jacob,” which means, “trickster,” or “cheat.” If one will review the life of Jacob, as set forth in Genesis 25:25 through Genesis 32:27, he will find that he lived up to the name. At that time the angel of the LORD changed his name to Israel , thus: “And he said, ‘Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel : for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.” The name, “ Israel ,” means Prince. And from that time we see a great change in this man, a change to match the change of his name. The LORD’S opening expression here is, “Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel .” Obviously, the difference between names comes into play in this phrase. They are calling themselves by the name of Israel , but they are still trying to cheat, as is made clear as we continue. Although they “swear by the name of the LORD, and make mention of the God of Israel,” they do it not in truth and righteousness, but in pretense. They claim to be of the holy city; but they do not believe the word of the LORD. They are still stiff-necked and stubborn, and although they know that the LORD has from the beginning told them beforehand what He is going to bring to pass, they have credited their idols with being the ones who have done these things. So He tells them that He is going to bring to pass things which He has not created, and will not create, until He brings them to pass, in order that the people cannot claim that they already knew about them. “They are created now, and not from the beginning; even before the day when thou heardest them not, lest thou shouldest say, ‘Behold, I knew them.’” He says, further, “For I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.” He knew that they were cheats and traitors from the birth; and because of that He would bring upon them things they could not possibly have known, because they did not exist until that time. He did this to show them, that they could not depend upon their idols.

(Verses 9 through 11) For My name’s sake will I defer Mine anger, and for My praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off. Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. For Mine own sake, even for Mine own sake, will I do it: for how should My name be polluted? And I will not give My glory unto another.

We often hear the question, “Why did the LORD do this, or that?” And sometimes we may even wonder, “Why does He not just completely destroy one who has done such and such terribly evil things?” Here He answers that question concerning the “house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel .” He did not do it for any merit they may have thought they had. For they had none. (And, for that matter, neither have we). However, He always has a reason for what He does. He did this for His own name’s sake, that it be not polluted, that none could say He had chosen Israel , but could not save them. So for His own name’s sake He will put aside His anger, and hold Himself in check, that He not destroy them. In verse 10 He speaks of something He will do as if it were already done, “Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.” In Romans 8:29, the Apostle Paul says, “For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” The LORD had chosen Israel in Abraham, before any one of them had ever been born. He had also predestinated them to be conformed to the image of Israel , not Jacob. So now He will refine them, bring them more into that image, in the furnace of affliction. Oftentimes that is the only thing that will bring about the desired conformation. That is just as true with us as it was with those whom He addressed on this occasion. So, in reality, afflictions should be a comfort to us instead of an irritation. He will bring about this conformation. And it will be neither for their sakes nor for ours, but for His own name’s sake. “And I will not give My glory unto another.” This statement is just as true today as when first spoken.

(Verses 12 through 15) Hearken unto Me, O Jacob and Israel , My called; I am He; I am the First, I also am the Last. Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together. All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear; which among them hath declared these things? The LORD hath loved him: he will do His pleasure on Babylon , and his arm shall be on the Chaldeans. I, even I have spoken; yea, I have called him: I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous.

The LORD calls upon Jacob and Israel to listen to what He says. He again declares that He alone is God, both First and Last. There was none before Him, and neither shall there be any after Him. He is eternal. He alone created the heavens and the earth, and when He calls them they answer, “they stand up together.” Remember that earlier He said He would do things that were not yet created, lest they give the credit for them to their idols. Now He calls them to assemble to hear what He is going to do. And He asks them who among them has declared such things as this. Of course, none has ever done so. This is one of the new things He will create. He will call a foreign king, who has not even yet been born, to overthrow the nation that will at that time hold His people in bondage, and to set His people free. Surely they could not have known about this, because such had never before been done. Although it seems that He has been speaking of Cyrus for some time, we must keep in mind that Cyrus was only introduced in Chapter 44. And since other related subjects have been brought in, and have taken up much of the time, he is still the new thing that the LORD will bring upon them. No one else has ever declared, or done such as this. So now the LORD says of Cyrus, “The LORD hath loved him: he will do His pleasure on Babylon , and his arm shall be upon the Chaldeans.” Just how far the expression, “The LORD hath loved him,” reaches is not ours to question. Whether He loved him only in the sense of being well pleased with the work Cyrus would do, or whether even in an eternal sense, makes us no difference. That is the LORD’S business; not ours. At any rate, Cyrus will do the LORD’S pleasure on Babylon . That is the purpose of his being called. And his arm, or power, shall be on the Chaldeans. The LORD has spoken, and that settles the matter. He has called him, He has brought him forth, and his way shall be prosperous.

(Verses 16 through 19) Come ye near unto Me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and His Spirit, hath sent me. Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God Which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee in the way that thou shouldest go. O that thou hadst hearkened to My commandments! Then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea: thy seed also had been as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof; his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before Me.

Now Isaiah calls the people to come near, and listen to what he says. He has spoken openly and clearly to them since the beginning of his message. Also his coming to them has been because he was sent by the LORD and His Spirit. Now the LORD, the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel, the Lord GOD, Who has taught them what is profitable, and leads them in the way they should go, declares to them that had they only listened to His commandments, peace should have covered them as a river and as the waves of the sea. All this trouble, both that which they are already experiencing, and that which is going to come upon them, would have been avoided. Their descendants would have been multiplied as the sand and the gravel of the seashore, and would not be cut off from before the LORD. All these troubles are the result of their disobedience. But, alas, they have not obeyed, and therefore they are facing many afflictions. This is the sad case of the LORD’S people in all ages, even in our day.

(Verses 20 through 22) Go ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth; say ye, The LORD hath redeemed His servant Jacob. And they thirsted not when He led them through the deserts: He caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them: He clave the rock also, and the waters gushed out. There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked.

This looks beyond the Babylonian captivity to the time when Israel shall be delivered therefrom. The LORD commands Israel to leave Babylon , and flee from the Chaldeans. Not only are they to go free, but they also are to sing, and declare to the end of the earth that the LORD has redeemed Israel . That is, that He has set them free from their captivity. We know from what Isaiah has already told us, as well as from history, that Cyrus is the king who has freed them. But we also know that it is the LORD Who set him on the throne, and caused him to set Israel free. Cyrus was only a tool in the hand of the LORD for this work. So, not to the tool, but to him who wields it does the honor belong. The LORD delivered Israel from this bondage, and led them back home to Jerusalem . He redeemed them. He even provided refreshment for them on the way so that they were not even thirsty while passing through the desert. Yet, even as He has done so much for His people, He declares, “There is no peace unto the wicked.”

Chapter 49

(Verses 1 through 4) Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath He made mention of my name. And hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of His hand hath He hid me; and made me a polished shaft; in His quiver hath He hid me; and said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. Then I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God.

This is to be a song of Israel , the servant of God, as he is brought back from the captivity. From what the LORD said in the beginning of Chapter 48, one might be led to believe that this Israel, the servant of the LORD, might be the faithful servant, Israel, or the righteous remnant that the LORD always holds in reserve, and not “the house of Jacob,” as there addressed. This servant was called and named of the LORD, even from birth. And it is in this servant that the LORD will be glorified. Yet he has been brought to say, “I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain.” Surely this was in the time of the captivity. Now by reason of the great deliverance God has wrought, he can say, “Yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God.”

(Verses 5 through 12) And now saith the LORD that formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, to bring Jacob again to Him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and My God shall be My strength. And He said, It is a light thing that Thou shouldest be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel : I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that Thou mayest be My salvation unto the end of the earth. Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and His Holy One to Him whom man despiseth, to Him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and He shall choose Thee. Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard Thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped Thee: and I will preserve Thee, and give Thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; that Thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places. They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for He that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall He guide them. And I will make all My mountains a way, and My highways shall be exalted. Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.

Evidently, the servant spoken of here is the same that is introduced in the first verse of Chapter 42, our Lord Christ Jesus. Even after Israel is brought back from the Babylonian captivity, Israel was not fully restored, or gathered. And even today the same is true. However, this Servant, Who is to bring Jacob again to the LORD, is glorious in the eyes of the LORD “though Israel be not gathered.” God was His strength while He was performing His earthly ministry. And God is His strength today. For He is even at the right hand of God in heaven awaiting the time when His enemies shall be made His footstool. The LORD has told Him that it is only a light thing that He should “raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the preserved of Israel ,” and therefore He will give Him for a light to the Gentiles. And that He is today. But let us never lose sight of the fact that He is still the LORD’S “Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel . That work has never been taken from Him, and has never been canceled. Although this Servant is despised of men, hated by the nation, ( Israel ,) and is a servant of rulers, Kings shall rise up in deference to Him, and princes shall worship Him, “because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and He shall choose Thee.” “Thus saith the LORD, ‘In an acceptable time have I heard Thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped Thee.’” Surely when our Lord Jesus cried unto the Father from the cross it was an acceptable time, a time acceptable to the LORD, and a day of salvation. For He delivered Him, even from the grave. He is given as a covenant, or a testament, to the people, (the Jews). And He it is, Who is preserved of the LORD “to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages.” He also shall bring forth those that are in darkness. “They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.” That is He will provide complete care for them. Verse 10 is almost identical to Revelation 7:16-17, and shows what tender care He will always provide for His own. The LORD will make for them a way, or road, upon His mountains, which signifies that they shall be raised above the things of this world. “And My highways shall be exalted.” Verse 12 declares that His people shall come from far, actually from all over the world. He mentions the north and the west, as well as “the land of Sinim ” which is usually considered “the east,” and by many as actually referring even to China . This would include all the known world at that time, and can therefore be taken to mean the whole world.

(Verses 13 through 17) Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted His people, and will have mercy upon His afflicted. But Zion said, the LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands; thy walls are continually before Me. Thy children shall make haste; thy destroyers and they that laid thee waste shall go forth of thee.

Looking forward to the day of their delivery from captivity, the LORD commands the heavens, the earth, and the mountains to break forth in songs of praise to the LORD for this wonderful deliverance, because He comforts His people, and will have mercy upon them. Yet, now, and during the time of her captivity, Zion is, and shall be so downcast by her sorrows that she will say, “The LORD has forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me.” This is also in keeping with our usual manner of thinking. When we are chastised for our disobedience, we often begin complaining, and thinking that God has forsaken and forgotten us. On one occasion David, the man after God’s own heart, asked the LORD, “Art Thou clean gone forever?” But the LORD answers this in a manner that should give comfort to all, who are ever thus tried. “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion upon the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.” We would think it impossible for a woman to forget her baby who is still nursing. Yet such is sometimes done. But although that may sometimes take place, the LORD declares that He will never forget Zion , Jerusalem . Verse 16 is one that everyone today wants to take away from Zion , or Jerusalem , to whom it is addressed, and address it to the gospel church, which has not even been introduced in this message. They want to claim that “I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands” is a reference to the nail scars in the hands of Jesus, put there by His crucifixion. While it is certainly true that He was nailed to the cross for us, and He called Thomas to witness the scars, that he might “be not faithless, but believing,” this prophecy has no reference to those scars. The LORD is declaring that His holy city, Jerusalem , is always in remembrance before Him, as if “ Zion ,” or “ Jerusalem ,” were carved across the palms of His hands. He can never forget her. Her walls are continually before Him. The very fact of His faithfulness to Jerusalem also gives us sound reason to believe that He will also keep His promise to us. He promises, ”Thy children shall make haste; thy destroyers and they that laid thee waste shall go forth of thee.” History shows us that He was faithful to His word. The Babylonians who laid waste their city and took them captive, were also destroyed, and they were set free. This also gives assurance that His promise to finally re-gather all the remnant of Israel shall also be fulfilled. Upon this same faithfulness also stand all His promises to us through Christ Jesus our Lord.

(Verses 18 through 23) Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the LORD, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride doeth. For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away. The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, shall say again in thine ears, the place is too strait for me: give place to me that I may dwell. Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? And who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been? Thus saith the LORD God, Behold, I will lift up Mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up My standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for Me.

As we read this text, we must keep in mind that this address is addressed, not to an individual woman, although it sounds much like it is. Instead it is addressed to a city, or more properly, to the people of a city. It over reaches even the captivity of Babylon and the return from it. In fact it reaches into what is still future, even now. First, the LORD calls upon Judah and Jerusalem as one; and tells them to lift up their eyes and look around them. All these enemies that they see, together with the ones about whom the LORD has told them shall gather themselves together against them. But His promise to them is that they shall take these enemies, and use them as ornaments for themselves. This can only mean that they will overcome these enemies, and have them for their slaves. Although, at the present their land is laid waste, and their people slain, and in the future they shall be carried away captive, yet the time will come when they (their descendants) will be gathered back in their land. Then shall their descendants increase so much that their land will be too small for them. They will need more room. This is all to take place after a great part of their population has been swallowed up by death and captivity. In verse 21 He says, “Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? And who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been?” As we noted in the beginning, this is not an individual woman speaking, but the people of a city, or even a nation, even the house of Israel . The language would be somewhat strange for an individual, but not for a people. The question is, “Since my children have been so badly decimated, from whence did all these come?” They will be amazed, and wonder, “Where had these been?” Even today the question often comes up, “Where are the ten lost tribes of Israel ?” And we can hear many answers given to this question, all the way from, “There were no lost tribes,” to “The native Americans are the lost tribes.” From such answers as this, obviously, none but God knows the true answer. When they are restored, the others will ask, “Where had these been?” The scene described in verses 22 and 23 has never been fulfilled. But to those who trust the LORD that is no discouragement. Since His word cannot fail, that which has not yet been fulfilled is still ahead of us. And we are confident that it shall be just as He has declared it. At His appointed time, He will give the signal, “I will lift up Mine hand to the Gentiles.” Although when the Jews rejected both the Christ and His gospel, God did begin His calling forth His people from among the Gentiles, that is quite a different thing from what He is describing here. This will be the signal for the re-gathering of Israel , even the grafting in again of the broken off branches into the good olive tree, as He so plainly tells us in Romans 11. This will be when, in the great battle described in Zechariah 14, the Lord descends from heaven, stands on the mount of Olives, and fights the battle for Jerusalem . So far as the message of verses 22 and 23 is concerned, it seems clear enough as written, with no further explanation. The final few words of verse 23 are especially important. “And thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for Me.”

(Verses 24 through 26) Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children. And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Savior and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.

The LORD asks two questions, not to obtain information, but to impress upon Israel what He is going to do. “Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?” Usually none will attempt to take the prey from the mighty. And if one army has overcome another, and taken it captive, none interferes. But the LORD says, “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will deliver thy children.” Others might pass the matter by, and not interfere; but those who contend against the LORD’S people are meddling to their own hurt, because He has promised that He will contend against such. And He will deliver His own. There seems to be a point here that, although not expressly said, is implied. The LORD does not say, “I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will deliver thee.” Instead he says, “I will deliver thy children.” This seems to indicate that it will be in future generations that I will work this deliverance. And it was indeed in future generations that He delivered Judah from the Babylonian captivity. He declares that He will feed their oppressors with their own flesh, and make them drink their own blood. Although this may not be meant literally, it certainly means that He will bring them down with such a great slaughter, that it seems to better fit the great final battle, than the time of their deliverance from the Babylonians. However that may be, all flesh, that is, the whole world, shall know that the LORD, the Holy One of Jacob is the Savior and Redeemer of Jerusalem.

Chapter 50

(Verses 1 through 4) Thus saith the LORD, Where is the bill of your mother’s divorcement, whom I have put away? Or to which of My creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away. Wherefore, when I came was there no man? When I called, was there none to answer? Is My hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver? Behold, at My rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for thirst. I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering. The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: He wakeneth morning by morning, He wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.

Under the law, when a man wanted to get rid of his wife, he was allowed to do so by giving her a “writing of divorcement.” After this, if she were married to another, it was unlawful for the first husband to marry her again, even if the second husband died. The divorce was final separation. Yet a wife might sometimes be “put away,” or separated from her husband for a while, with no divorce given. Under these circumstances, the husband could take back the wife thus separated. Here the LORD is speaking to Judah as a father speaking to his children of a marriage that has thus been temporarily broken by separation, and not by divorce. His first question is, “Where is the bill of your mother’s divorcement, whom I have put away?” This actually amounts to a denial that there has been a divorce. The separation is only temporary. None can show a writing of divorcement. Then He asks, “Which of My creditors is it to whom I have sold you?” Here again, we have a situation that speaks for itself. It was possible for a man to sell his children to a more wealthy brother, that is, a wealthier Israelite, not to a foreigner, if he was himself so poor that he could no longer support them. In fact, he could even sell himself. But, in this case, that could not be; because the LORD is not, and has never been poor. Therefore He had no creditors. So He has not sold His children; and neither has He divorced His wife. The real situation is that the children have sold themselves for their iniquities. That is, they have made themselves servants to sin. The Apostle Paul has told us, “His servants ye are to whom ye yield yourselves to obey.” So the fault lies, not in the LORD, the Father, but in the children. Likewise the mother, Israel , is put away, or separated by her own transgressions. God has not divorced her, in spite of the fact that many today try to tell us that He, the LORD, has forever put away Israel , and has substituted the gospel church in her place. We should remember that although the true gospel church is “the bride of the Lamb,” Israel is the “wife of the Lord JEHOVAH.” Now, since the wife is not divorced, and the Father has not sold the children, why is it that when He comes, He finds no man, and when He calls there is none to answer? Is it because they think His “hand is shortened that it cannot redeem?” Or that He has no power to deliver. If so, it is then time to stop and consider some very pertinent facts, First of all, He it is Who can, at His rebuke, dry up the sea, make the rivers a desert, and even kill all the fish that are therein. Moreover, He says, “I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering.” This may refer to His power to bring night upon the earth, but it seems more to be concerned with His power to, even on the brightest of days, bring forth the blackness of an extremely great storm cloud, although both are by His hand. Verse 4 may be Isaiah’s declaration of the understanding and knowledge that the LORD has given him of these things that are to come. Yet it seems that it may be rather a prophecy of our Lord Jesus, because to Him indeed the Father gave the tongue of the learned, and constantly refreshed His wisdom and knowledge.

(Verses 5 through 9) The LORD hath opened Mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away My back. I gave My back to the smiters, and My cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not My face from shame and spitting. For the Lord GOD will help Me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set My face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. He is near that justifieth Me; who will contend with Me? let us stand together: who is Mine adversary? Let him come near to Me. Behold the Lord GOD will help Me; who is he that shall condemn Me? Lo, they shall all wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.

There can be no question about it. This is a prophecy of the Christ. His ears were indeed opened to the LORD, the Father. He declared that the words He spoke were not His, but the Father’s. So also were the works that He did. He was never rebellious, but even when He prayed that the cup might pass from Him, He followed that with, “Nevertheless, not what I will; but what Thou wilt.” So in all things He was obedient, even to the death on the cross. All one needs to do is to read the accounts of the four evangelists concerning His actions, and the actions of the mob from the time of His being taken to the house of the high priest through the mock trials before Pilate and Herod, to see the fulfilling of verse 6. They smote Him, they mocked Him, they spit upon Him, they scourged Him, and they finally crucified Him. Although they treated Him shamefully, he was never ashamed, nor was He put to shame in the end of His work. For the Lord GOD did help Him, by raising Him from the grave, and raising Him up to the highest heaven, where He now sits upon the right hand of the Father until His enemies are made His footstool. Who, then, shall condemn Him? The answer is, “None.” All those who would “shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.” He calls for His adversaries to approach Him, but the nearest they shall ever come to Him is when they stand before Him on the great day of final judgment, and are at His command cast into the lake of fire.

(Verses 10 and !!) Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice of His Servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God. Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of Mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow.