Isaiah chapter 33 continues the
contrast of the man's wickedness and God's self-existent power and
righteousness.
The opening reveals the doom of
those who rebel against God and abuse people for selfish gain. Isaiah 33:1
(HCSB) "Woe, you destroyer never destroyed, you traitor never betrayed!
When you have finished destroying, you will be destroyed. When you have
finished betraying, they will betray you. "
Note: those powerful men who
appeared to have a firm grip on their destiny, destroyers never destroyed -
such Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar - will be destroyed when, according to YHWH's
plan, will themselves be destroyed. Those whose lives are marked by betraying
others will be betrayed by them. This is
God's plan.
Isaiah 33:2 (HCSB) LORD, be
gracious to us! We wait for You. Be our strength every morning and our salvation
in time of trouble.
The contrast with those who
belong to YHWH wait for Him; these cry out to Him for grace, for strength, and
for salvation - for refuge from destroyers.
Isaiah 33:3-4 (HCSB) The peoples
flee at the thunderous noise; the nations scatter when You rise in Your
majesty. Your spoil will be gathered as locusts are gathered; people will swarm
over it like an infestation of locusts.
When God makes Himself known to
the world, as when the Lord Jesus returns, people who know Him not will flee,
seeking safety on earth. Nations that rage against Him will be scattered like
dust in the wind when the majesty of God is revealed. The spoils of His war
will be picked over like bugs swarming a garbage heap.
Isaiah 33:5 (HCSB) The LORD is
exalted, for He dwells on high; He has filled Zion with justice and
righteousness.
In all of this, YHWH is exalted,
reigning from on high, having filled Mt Zion with justice and righteousness -
the two characteristics of the saints ruling with Him and His rule over all
things, as we read in the beginning of chapter 32.
Isaiah 33:6 (HCSB) There will be times of security for you—
a storehouse of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of the LORD is
Zion’s treasure.
Those who are known by YHWH are
secure - the storehouse of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge of Him! Do you see,
dear saints - we are heirs of all that the Father has given His Son because we
are united to Him by grace working through faith! Nothing this weary world has
can satisfy the soul of the one who has been brought to life by the Spirit of
the living God.
Verses 7 - 9 reveal the dismal
state of those rebel against their Creator. Bitter weeping, cities broken down,
promises broken, land become worthless, and human life without meaning.
Isaiah 33:10-13 (HCSB) “Now I
will rise up,” says the LORD. “Now I will lift Myself up. Now I will be
exalted. You will conceive chaff; you will give birth to stubble. Your breath
is fire that will consume you. The peoples will be burned to ashes, like thorns
cut down and burned in a fire. You who are far off, hear what I have done; you
who are near, know My strength.”
When YHWH rises up, He will be
exalted. Chaff consumed, leaving stubble. His voice is a fire that will destroy
the destroyers, burning them to ashes. Those who are far off - a phrase used by
Paul and Luke to denote Gentiles - will hear of His mighty deeds and those are
near will know His strength. Children - do you hear Him, do you see Him? He is
mighty to save and will have mercy on all He calls to Himself.
Isaiah 33:14-16 (HCSB) The
sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling seizes the ungodly: “Who among us can
dwell with a consuming fire? Who among us can dwell with ever-burning flames?” The
one who lives righteously and speaks rightly, who refuses gain from extortion,
whose hand never takes a bribe, who stops his ears from listening to murderous
plots and shuts his eyes to avoid endorsing evil—he will dwell on the heights;
his refuge will be the rocky fortresses, his food provided, his water assured.
Pretenders in the midst of the
saints will greatly fear Him; they will tremble in terror as they recognize the
nature of His judgment that is being poured out. Those who live in
righteousness will dwell on high with his God, Who will be his strong tower of
refuge - providing food and water.
Isaiah 33:17-20 (HCSB) Your eyes
will see the King in His beauty; you will see a vast land. Your mind will
meditate on the ⌊past⌋ terror: “Where
is the accountant? Where is the tribute collector? Where is the one who spied
out our defenses?” You will no longer see the
barbarians, a people whose speech is difficult to comprehend— who stammer in a
language that is not understood. Look at Zion, the city of our festival times.
Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a peaceful pasture, a tent that does not wander;
its tent pegs will not be pulled up nor will any of its cords be loosened.
When His people see Him, in His
glory and beauty unsurpassed by anything, they will how vast His dwelling is. They
will remember the terror that filled their life on this earth, where all those
who were to protect them took advantage of them instead. In contrast, the New Jerusalem
will be a peaceful pasture with unmovable boundaries, stable in all
circumstances.
Isaiah 33:21-22 (HCSB) For the
majestic One, our LORD, will be there, a place of rivers and broad streams
where ships that are rowed will not go, and majestic vessels will not pass. For
the LORD is our Judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our King. He will
save us.
All these things mentioned above
are so because YHWH the majestic One dwells there with His own, where rivers
need not carry the ships of man - He provides food and water for His own (verse
16). For YHWH is our lawgiver, Judge, King, and Savior! No matter how bad 2020
was, no matter how good you think 2021 might be, nothing can compare with the
security and provision that Creator God provides for His own.
Isaiah 33:23-24 (HCSB) Your ropes
are slack; they cannot hold the base of the mast or spread out the flag. Then
abundant spoil will be divided, the lame will plunder it, and none there will
say, “I am sick.” The people who dwell there will be forgiven ⌊their⌋
iniquity.
Those who stand on their own
merit will find their symbols of substance failing, as their ships fall limp
and useless. Its cargo will be taken from her, divided among the weak - leaving
gleanings for those who are refuse in the eyes of the world's powerful. These are
provided for by God, just as He ordained the corners of Israel's fields to be
left for the poor. All who are called and seek Him will dwell with Him in
forgiveness.
To be forgiven by your lawgiver and Judge is a precious thing. This is the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in our eyes!