Articles
God Can Be Trusted - Isa 31-34
God Can Be Trusted - Isa 31-34
With Judah facing the threat of war from Assyria, they thought about making some allegiance with Egypt. They were thus putting their trust in man and not in God.
31:1-3 Help is not to be found in Egypt
4-9 The LORD will help Jerusalem
The actual narrative of this will be found in chapters 36-38. It is interesting that Sennacherib indeed destroyed Israel to the north, then encompassed Jerusalem. The prism of Sennacherib stated that he "shut up Hezekiah liked a bird in a cage", but it does NOT tell of the end. God protected by having 185,000 Assyrians die in one night. Sennacherib withdraws, returns home, and then he is slain. Meanwhile, Hezekiah continued. Oh that God's people would learn to trust Him according to His promises. This is followed by a picture of the coming Messiah.
32:1-8 The Glorious King
9-14 but FIRST, punishment
15-20 Renewal when the Spirit poured out.
Chapter 33 again speaks to the destruction of Assyria (the destroyer, vs. 1) and to the glory of God.
33:1 Woe - to 'destroyer' (Assyria)
2 Prayer of God's people
3-4 Expectation of strength and salvation to come
5-6 The Glory of God extolled for this
God outlines that He will not act UNTIL they see what appears like their doom:
7-9 The danger - the apparent doom that would come with the Assyrians
10-13 NOW God will arise -
The question arises, who can survive when God exercises His wrath:
14-16 Who can live with this? This is answered by showing us the character of God's people!
17-24 The Glorious Reign, described in OT pictures.. a time of peace and safety.
Chapter 34. This chapter is of the same general content as chapters 24-27, and also is usually coupled with chapter 35. Thus, we come to the oracle of God's wrath against the nations. God rules in the kingdoms of men. First, Isaiah pictures the general judgment of all the nations, pictured here in graphic war language of Isaiah's time. Then, verse 5 speaks concerning the judgment against Edom. Here, God uses Edom as a 'type' for all ungodly nations / peoples which have been hostile to God's people.
Smith said concerning this section: "Edom as a political entity has long ago ceased to exist. The territory once occupied by that proud nation consists of bleak mountain heights and barren tablelands. The area swarms with snakes and various desert creatures. Yet these “prefillments” are but a pledge of the doom of all that Edom represented to the prophet’s mind. Fulfillment of the prophecy is still future and will be realized when judgment falls upon the abode of all enemies of the Lord (cf. 1 Cor 15:24–28, 50)." (Major Prophets, ch. 5, Logos edition).
"Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right." (1 Peter 4:19). Are you trusting God?
Hugh DeLong
