Isaiah Lectures
Isaiah 13-27
Lesson #
I. Introduction:
We will first look briefly at chapters 13-23. These chapters are a unit. They seem to have a cross-connection with chapters 1-12 and chapters 24-27.
There are 10 oracles in chapters 13-23 that are primarily about others nations. There are other such passages in the Bible: Jeremiah 46-51, Ezekiel 25-32, Amos 1-2:16, Zephaniah 2:4-15 and the entire book of Nahum. Such passages are often called the “prophecies against the nations”. They seem odd at first; because why would an Israelite prophet speak oracles against nations he is not even a part of. We wonder if they heard them and what good they did for them. It is natural to wonder what the function of these chapters is and why they are in the Bible.
Let us begin by saying Isaiah (and the other similar passages are the same) has a message that is world-wide in its scope. In Isaiah 2:2-4, 9:7 and 10:5-15 this theme of God’s Word having relevance beyond Israel is already spoken of. Now, as 13 opens, this theme is more fully developed. Alex Motyer reminds us that God’s people are central to His plan and world history is organized in the interests of the His people, but the Gentiles will co-inherit this Kingdom too. Motyer sees the 10 oracles organized in 2 series:
I. II.
Babylon Desert by the Sea (Babylon)
Philistia Edom
Moab Arabia
Damascus/Israel Valley of Vision (Jerusalem)
Egypt Tyre
If one looks at a map of the Ancient Near East and finds all of these countries it clearly shows that Israel is surrounded on all sides. Israel is therefore vulnerable, but this also shows Israel as central to God’s plan for the world. Perhaps, if we refuse to be vulnerable (in the world’s eyes) we compromise our relevance to a lost world. We often want to pull away and be safe. God designed Israel to be in the think of things. Israel was to live a separated and holy life but life that life in the midst of the world as a witness to it.
We are not sure when or how other nations heard these words (we know eventually they did), but they are clearly designed to demonstrate that world affairs, not just the believing community of that day (today the church, then Israel) are the affairs of God and under the hand of Yahweh. It seems right from the beginning these oracles were designed to be applied to the nations they are addressed to but also they were to speak of “types” of peoples Yahweh will deal with. For example, Babylon and Assyria are a clear metaphor for any oppressive or arrogant authority. Each nation could play a role as a type of people God was to deal with. Finally, these oracles were not “against” the nations, but rather the oracles show that the nations are encompassed within the Sovereignty of God. It is a witness to the ultimate victory of the rule of God.
II. Connection to the Surrounding Chapters: 13-23 to 1-12 and 24-27:
A. Chapters 13-23 are tied to chapters 1-12. Here are some examples of this. First, in chapter 14:27 there is this curious metaphor of an “outstretched hand”. God is about to act and this phrase is also found in 5:25, 9:17 and 10:4. These three references in chapters 1-12 refer to Israel and so how God acts with the world (or those outside the church) is similar to how acts with Israel (or the church). Second, in chapter 14:22-24 the claims that Babylon made in her pride (14:14) are shown to be false (14:22-24) and this is similar to the false claims made by Israel in 10:10-11 and 10:15-19. Pride is condemned in both communities. The victory or the defeat of God’s people as well as the victory or defeat of the foreign nations is both within the sovereignty of God. Third, the foreign nations will someday be reconciled to God, the God of Israel, as spoken of in 2:3 and this is repeated in 16:5, 18:7 and 19:21.
B. Chapters 13-23 are connected to chapters 24-27 as well. Chapters 13-23 are mostly judgment against arrogance and pride which leads to a “city destroyed” whereas faith leads to a “city established”. In 2:3 the nations “come to the Lord” and in 24-27 Israel, though already there with the Lord, “comes back” to the Lord. Whether Gentile or Israelite, one must “come” to Him.
III. Chapters 24-27:
A. Chapter 24
Chapter 24 opens with an announcement of God laying waste the earth. He will scatter the people and it so does not matter who you are, priest or servant girl alike, educated and blue collar worker are all judged. The reason for the destruction is in verse 5. The earth was created by God for the humans and they have defiled it by disobeying its lays and by breaking faith. This world-wide destruction (24:1-13) eliminates joy as only ruined dwellings with very few people are left. The pronouncement of judgment in 1-13 continues in 16b through 23a but before and after this second judgment is the declaration of the reign of God. Joy is non-existent among men, but joy itself remains. It exists in the presence of God. It exists in the praise of God: “Glory to the Righteous One”. It is sin that ends joy and praise of God (who is righteous) that preserves joy. It is from His gifts that joy comes and when He chooses He can take the gifts so that we can realize the origin of joy. So when He reigns in Zion it will be glorious (23: b) because when He reigns, He is present and where He is, is glory!
B. Chapter 25
The theme of judgment and the praise of God continue in chapter 25. It opens with praise. God is praised in verse 25:1 because God has kept His Word. He had promised destruction against the ruthless, and He delivered what he promised (their song of boasting was silenced: 25:5). In contrast to His judgment of the ruthless, He had been a “refuge for the poor, and refuge for the needy” and a shelter and shade from the relentless oppression of the wicked (25:4). Then a feast is announced for all people. All those, of whatever origin who trusted in God are invited. Their joy is due to their trust (25:9), but the prideful will be brought down. This is a celebration of the blessing of God and the defeat of the arrogant. It is a word of hope, which is followed by a song in the next chapter.
C. Chapter 26:
In chapter 26 we have the words to the song. It is a song of joy, but words of hope do not mean things will be easy. The judgment came because humans were hard to teach: “though grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness, even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil and regard not the majesty of the Lord” (26:10). When God blesses the wicked they are not grateful, and even when they experienced a righteous community, it did not affect them, but they keep on doing evil and thus despised the majesty of God. His judgment was necessary and brought on by the actions and stubbornness of those who were wicked, ruthless or arrogant.
Before we look at this chapter, we want to look at its opposite in chapter 22.
>>>>Let us read together verses 22:1-14. As we ask ourselves what is going on here, we see that the prophet is speaking of “national sin”. A description of national military crisis is given, but the key is verse 11. As a nation they reacted to the stressful situation but did not seek God. They looked after their water supply but did not look to the One who gives all water. Instead of the disaster driving them to God (12), it caused them to loose hope and go into despair (13). God judges this as wrong, as a lack of faith. Such lack of faith brings about judgment (14). Despair in rough times is not what God intends but rough times are intended to drive us back to Him, so we “come” to Him. Perhaps, that is why suicide is so wrong; it is giving into despair and not giving in to God.
>>>>Let us read together chapter 22:15-24. As we read these verses we realize this is more about an individual and an individual’s sin. Shebna had exalted himself by trying to make himself an expensive tomb in a time of national trouble when he was in position of responsibility (22:15-19). He was replaced by Eliakim (22:20-24), and this is to signal God’s judgment on Shebna. As individuals, we do not build our own memorial tomb but seek the welfare of the city, and seek to live with the gift of life.
Both sections open with rhetorical questions (22:1 and 22:16). One is addressed to the nation and the other to an individual. Both are asked to consider what they are doing. They are asked why they have gone into despair (one is expressed in the quote of verse 13 and the other in the building of his grave). When disaster strikes our nation or church, we do not get drunk because we will die tomorrow, but we weep and hope for deliverance. In both cases the disaster revealed that trust in God during a crisis was the last thing on their minds. They did not look to God; they looked to their own devises or tried to focus on something other than God as a deliverer or they focused on a memorial to themselves instead of on their responsibility to others in a public position. They neither loved God nor their fellow human beings. Faith shows itself in a crisis as responsibility as an individual or as courage and hope in the face of death.
It is in light of this contrast that we look at chapter 26. One of the most beautiful verses in all the book of Isaiah is 26:3.
>>>>Let us read together 26:3-4. This is the opposite of chapter 22. Verse 3 declares a man or nation will kept in perfect peace whose mind is focused on God. Peace, not despair the result of an individual or nation that has faith. The phrase “perfect peace” is translating the Hebrew: peace, peace. The use of repetition is intended to emphasize the depth of the peace.
Q What does this mean to us?
Q What does it mean for us to be in perfect peace or peace-peace?
An = Peace is to be our gift from Yahweh. We need not stay in turmoil, but if we will look to Him we can be freed from our fears.
>>>>Turn to 32:16-19 and let us read it together. Notice that in this text they need not live in turmoil because what they feared or were disturbed about will be gone. >>>>Turn to 48:18. Again the possibility of peace is by faith; this time by following the commands of God. Another example of this is Isaiah 51:7. Peace can be gained and what Isaiah offered the people of his day, Paul knew much about. See Philippians 4:7, II Timothy 1:7 and Romans 8:15. >>>>Let us read these three texts together.
All through the Bible this issue of peace is promised (other verses and biblical authors could be cited). Isaiah seems to stress two actions that we are responsible for: trust in Him and obedience to His commands. The writer of Psalmist 143:8-10 says the same thing:
“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
For I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
For to you I lift up my soul.
Rescue me from my enemies,
For I hide myself in you.
Teach me to do your will,
For you are my God;
May your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
The believer is not allowed to be filled with fear or despair, but to look into the future by placing themselves in Him and by obeying (wanting to be taught about) what He has told us what to do.
>>>> Let us read together Isaiah 26:1-2
Q What makes a city strong?
An = Salvation, which God brings about by His action. Salvation is not accomplished by us. Salvation is God’s thing, our role is something else.
Q What is the command given in verse 2?
An = the gates are to be opened to all those who are righteous, that keep loyal. We need to know God will make us strong and thus the gates will be open.
>>>> Let us read together Isaiah 26:3-6.
Q What are we commanded to do in verse 4?
An = We are to trust.
Q Why are we to trust in God according to 4b-6?
An = Two reasons are given. One is that God is trustworthy. It is His character that gives confidence in Him. He is a rock, an ever lasting Rock. The second is that He will bring about justice on the arrogant and they will be brought low (5) and brought low by means of the weak (6). Paul knew this. He had experienced what Isaiah knew. See II Corinthians 12:9.
Trusting in religious performance is trusting in the flesh, just as trusting in success financially or trying to gain honor. The danger is to trust in something other than God Himself. Another example of this is the words of Psalm 49:20:
“A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish.”
Isaiah as well as Paul wants us healthy, and health comes from putting our faith in the proper place.
Q How do we do this? How do we keep in perfect peace?
An = >>>> Let us read together Isaiah 26:7-9. Here is the answer. It defines verse 3. We do not focus on our need but we wait. We wait because we trust. What we wait for is defined in verses 8 and 9 and it is a focus on something besides ourselves and our needs or crisis conditions.
Twice it is said we wait for God’s honor and God’s renown to be displayed (8).
Twice we wait for His presence (9 a + b).
Twice we look for His manifestation of justice (9 c + d).
We want His praise and honor to be seen. We want Him to be present, and we want His righteousness for all the people of the earth. Perhaps, this another way of saying what Jesus says when He shows us the way to peace and the way to freedom from anxiety in Matthew 7:19-34 by showing us what to focus on: “Seek first the Kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you.” We often focus on our problem, not the reign of God in ourselves or in others. God wants us to look beyond our own noses.
See this theme again in: Isaiah 25:9, 33:2 and 51:5.
>>>> Let us read together Isaiah 26:10-11
Q Is it easy to get people to trust in the Lord?
Q Can you sense the Lord’s frustration?
Note: they are shown favor but it does not help them learn righteousness (10a). They refuse to see the majesty of the Lord even when living among God’s people (10b). Finally, Isaiah hoped that they observe God’s blessing on His elect and His intense care for them and if they do not see it they are to be consigned to judgment (see the word for judgment fire in verse 11). God would love to bless, but we force His hand to judge so we can be helped.
Verse 11 is clearly a threat of judgment on those who refuse to trust even though they have been dealt with by God in the ways described in verse 10. But in verses 12-15 Isaiah follows with a promise for those who do trust. The promises will come about in our lives but will not be accomplished by us but by God. This theme of God being the bringer of salvation even from the dead is stressed further in 16-19. Salvation is accomplished by God not us. Our job is to trust and obey. He will do the saving. We will not raise ourselves up from the dead when we pass from this life. He must do that, and He can do it. He will do it, because He promised He would “for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal” (26:4).
>>>> Let us read together Isaiah 26:20-21.
Q What is being counseled here?
An = Salvation comes in God’s timing, so part of our trust or waiting is realize there often is delay. Noah had to build the ark and then hide in it for a little while until God’s wrath passed by, and the Israelites had to be in doors with blood on those doors of their homes while the death angel passed by. The coming of judgment is certain, but it must be waited for. We are not despair (chapter 22), but hope for His justice. We are to wait in Him by obeying Him and seeking His honor, His presence and His justice for all the earth to see and participate in.
D. Chapter 27.
Judgment is coming and so Isaiah wants to teach in the final chapter of this section two things: to encourage His people to wait, to trust and long for His action to come into their world. God’s work will come, despite delays and by faith they will see it and participate in it. To help those who refuse to see it, God will pour out His punishment. However, even in the punishment that is deserved, the goal is to bring people to their senses. The goal is “to hear the trumpet and come and worship the Lord on the holy mountain in Jerusalem” (27:13).