Isaiah 30 is a lengthy rebuke of Israel's reliance on the strength of man, the doom of those who present themselves as worthy of such trust, and a reminder of the bliss that awaits those reconciled to God.
Isaiah 30:1-2 (HCSB) "Woe to
the rebellious children! ⌊This is⌋ the LORD’s declaration. They carry out a plan, but not Mine; they make
an alliance, but against My will, piling sin on top of sin. They set out to go
down to Egypt without asking My advice, in order to seek shelter under Pharaoh’s
protection and take refuge in Egypt’s shadow."
Note the judgment of God: His
people, ethnic Israel, proved themselves to be rebels by pursuing a plan of
their own. Not being merely ignorant of YHWH's ways but being deliberately
against what they know of His ways. They pile up sin upon sin by seeking refuge
in the strength of man! These are the same people who declared that some may
trust in chariots but THEY would trust in the name of their God. And here they
are. Saints - how is it with your soul? Are you THIS DAY trusting in Him or
have you slouched into a false security of seeking refuge in wealth, comfort,
political success, or those who preach "peace, peace!" where there is
none?
Note how it will end for ethnic
Israel: Isaiah 30:3 (HCSB) "But Pharaoh’s protection will become your
shame, and refuge in Egypt’s shadow your disgrace." This was written for
our benefit - we can expect no better result if we have misplaced trust.
Verses 4 - 8 bring us more
details of the consequences of this misplaced trust, describing the land as "in
distress" and Egypt's help as "completely worthless." Our
prophet is given instructions:
Isaiah 30:8-9 (HCSB) "Go
now, write it on a tablet in their presence and inscribe it on a scroll; it
will be for the future, forever and ever. They are a rebellious people,
deceptive children, children who do not want to obey the LORD’s instruction."
We will read later of another
message that is to be written on a tablet so all can read it - bringing the
good news of the gospel. This message, written on a tablet, is bad news - God's
judgment comes upon those who rebel against God and do not obey YHWH's
instructions.
Isaiah 30:10-11 (HCSB) "They
say to the seers, “Do not see,” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy the truth
to us. Tell us flattering things. Prophesy illusions. Get out of the way! Leave
the pathway. Rid us of the Holy One of Israel.”"
This reminded me of the encounter
between the kings of the two kingdoms in 1 Kings 22. Ahab, king of Israel (northern
kingdom) wanted a military alliance with Jehoshaphat, king of Judah (southern
kingdom). Jehoshaphat is agreeable, but wants Ahab to get confirmation from God
(verse 7). 1 Kings 22:8 (HCSB) "The
king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man who can ask Yahweh,
but I hate him because he never prophesies good about me, but only disaster. He
is Micaiah son of Imlah.”" All the other "prophets" had told Ahab
he would succeed in this campaign. And this was the result: 1 Kings 22:16-18
(HCSB) But the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear not to
tell me anything but the truth in the name of Yahweh?” So Micaiah said: I saw
all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD
said, “They have no master; let everyone return home in peace.” So the king of
Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you he never prophesies good about
me, but only disaster?”
The Jews had developed their own
brand of the prosperity gospel - thinking God only wanted them to prosper as a
nation, conquering all the pagan nations; thinking poverty and illness was a
sure sign of sin. We see this highly developed as early as Job's day. It didn't
line up with God's plan then and it doesn't now.
Isaiah 30:12-14 (HCSB) Therefore
the Holy One of Israel says: “Because you have rejected this message and have
trusted in oppression and deceit, and have depended on them, this iniquity of
yours will be like a spreading breach, a bulge in a high wall whose collapse
will come in an instant—suddenly! Its collapse will be like the shattering of a
potter’s jar, crushed to pieces, so that not even a fragment of pottery will be
found among its shattered remains— no fragment large enough to take fire from a
hearth or scoop water from a cistern.”
We man trusts in man, he has
trusted in oppression and deceit; and this will ALWAYS bring judgment and
dismay. The description of this judgment is in detail that would imprint itself
in the minds of the Hebrews - wall breached and collapsing, reduced to small
pieces like a shattered ceramic pot that are good for nothing. If we trust in
man for satisfaction in this life or protection from His wrath, we will be
dismayed.
Isaiah 30:15-17 (HCSB) For the
Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said: “You will be delivered by returning
and resting; your strength will lie in quiet confidence. But you are not
willing.” You say, “No! We will escape on horses”— therefore you will escape!—
and, “We will ride on fast horses”— but those who pursue you will be faster. One
thousand ⌊will flee⌋ at the threat of one, at the
threat of five you will flee, until you alone remain like a ⌊solitary⌋
pole on a mountaintop or a banner on a hill.
Here God lays out His plan -
return to Him and rest! But they were not willing - natural man is ALWAYS unwilling,
trusting in horses and barns. Any excuse to run away from God will do - but all
excuses will end badly. But YHWH is unchanging and patient with His chosen
ones, no matter how circumstances look to us.
Isaiah 30:18-22 (HCSB) Therefore
the LORD is waiting to show you mercy, and is rising up to show you compassion,
for the LORD is a just God. All who wait patiently for Him are happy. For you
people will live on Zion in Jerusalem and will never cry again. He will show
favor to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears, He will answer you. The
Lord will give you meager bread and water during oppression, but your Teacher
will not hide Himself any longer. Your eyes will see your Teacher, and whenever
you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear this command behind
you: “This is the way. Walk in it.” Then you will defile your silver-plated
idols and your gold-plated images. You will throw them away like menstrual
cloths, and call them filth.
YHWH is just and He will satisfy
those who hunger for Him; they will live with Him on Mt. Zion where there will
be no more tears - sound familiar? He will ensure we have enough to live on
while we are our earthly pilgrimage, and He will be with us - gave His Spirit
to comfort and guide us - during this time. He will instruct us in His way: “This
is the way. Walk in it.” A better way than man (even Mandalorian!) can show us.
And there will be evidence of this change in heart: we will be cast away false
idols - consider them filthy rags (another familiar phrase). Saints: do you
cling to idols? Think they yet have value? Consider your ways and make sure you
are not mistaken about whose way you follow.
Verses 23 - 26 continue with the description of the care
YHWH has for His people, Isaiah 30:26 (HCSB)
"The moonlight will be as bright as the sunlight, and the sunlight
will be seven times brighter—like the light of seven days—on the day that the
LORD bandages His people’s injuries and heals the wounds He inflicted." This
ought to draw our minds to John's Apocalypse: Revelation 22:5 (HCSB) "Night
will no longer exist, and people will not need lamplight or sunlight, because
the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign forever and ever." Oh
the glory and the true AWE of being in Christ and knowing Him as He knows us! No
more tears, no more sin, no darkness!
The balance of this chapter is an
oracle against Assyria, the main pain for national Israel. God's judgment on His
enemies ought to comfort us just as it did national Israel - for it
demonstrates His justice. Our sins weren't "winked at" - Jesus
suffered the Father's wrath for our sin. This is part of the covenant God made
with Noah and all creation: Genesis 9:6 (HCSB) "Whoever sheds man’s blood,
his blood will be shed by man, for God made man in His image." This is why
the Son of God put on man-flesh. To know we are reconciled to God, our sin-debt
PAID, ought to cause us to rejoice with unspeakable joy.
So He tells Israel to, "Look,
Yahweh comes from far away, His anger burning and heavy with smoke. His lips
are full of fury, and His tongue is like a consuming fire." (Isaiah 30:27)
This wrath is against Assyria for their vengeance against ethnic Israel. Isaiah
30:28 (HCSB) "His breath is like an overflowing torrent that rises to the
neck. ⌊He
comes⌋
to sift the nations in a sieve of destruction and to put a bridle on the jaws
of the peoples to lead ⌊them⌋ astray." Note that God not
only sifts the nations to destroy them, He leads His enemies astray - into that
destruction.
Isaiah 30:29 (HCSB) "Your
singing will be like that on the night of a holy festival, and ⌊your⌋
heart will rejoice like one who walks ⌊to the music⌋
of a flute, going up to the mountain of the LORD, to the Rock of Israel." In
the midst of the doom falling on Assyria, we see this snippet of grace poured
out His people. Does your heart rejoice in the knowledge that you are seated
with Christ in the heavenlies, destined to be with Him on the New Earth (Mt Zion!)
for eternity? Pray for the Spirit of God to stir you - and me! - up to be honestly excited and joyful at being His
possession.
Verse 30 shows God's arm raised
to strike, and He will make known the splendor of His voice. Isaiah 30:31
(HCSB) "Assyria will be shattered by the voice of the LORD. He will strike
with a rod." Isaiah 30:33b (HCSB) "The breath of the LORD, like a
torrent of brimstone, kindles it." No matter how strong man considers
himself, the breath of YHWH will shatter him. There is NO refuge from this
judgment apart from union with Christ. If you are His, rejoice!
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