Isaiah 30
I. (1-39) Condemnation
A. Chapters 1-12 - Prophecies against Judah
B. Chapters 13-23 - Prophecies against the Nations
C. Chapters 24-27 - Prophecies of the Day of the Lord
D. Chapters 28-35 - Prophecies of Judgment and Blessing
1. \\#28:1-29\\ Ephraim’s Future
2. \\#29:1-24\\ Jerusalem’s Future
3. \\#30:1-33\\ Israel’s Future
3. \\#30:1-33\\ Israel’s Future
a. \\#1-7\\ Condemnation for Trusting Egypt
(1) \\#1\\ Israel are "rebellious children." To rebel means they must
have been told and taught what they ought to do but are refusing to
do it.
(2) \\#1\\ "that take counsel, but not of me" - They are listening to
someone, just not the Lord. By the same token, they have "covered"
(hid, anointed) themselves in the power and protection of someone,
but not Jehovah.
(3) \\#1\\ "they may add sin to sin" - Their sinful actions are adding
up!
(4) \\#2\\ The counsel and covering Israel has turned to is Egypt
(among Assyria, Ethiopia, and others); yet, Egypt has no real
substance. They are but a "shadow."
(5) \\#3\\ "Therefore" - Because Israel will trust in men instead of
the Lord, they will be left with "shame" and "confusion."
(6) \\#4-7\\ Although a confusing section, it appears that counselors
from Egypt have met in Zoan and Hanes (once powerful and royal
cities) and have traveled into the "troubled land" of Israel, a
land of lions, vipers, and serpents. These Egyptians come with
treasures on the back of asses and camels, probably to pay for
mercenaries or to buy alliances with Israel’s enemies, but it will
serve no purpose. It will be in vain. For all of Egypt’s offer to
help, it will be as though they just sat still. Egypt will do
nothing more than cause more shame and reproach to Israel.
b. \\#8-17\\ Judgment for Not Trusting Jehovah
(1) \\#8\\ Isaiah is commanded "write it before them in a table, and
note it in a book." God wants the record of Israel’s wickedness and
the prophecy of His judgment recorded forever.
(2) \\#9-11\\ God notes some of the Jews many sins:
(a) rebellion
(b) lying
(c) They will not listen to God’s commandments.
(d) Which chide their prophets to preach only good and pleasant
words.
(e) To the intent that they might deceive the people and cause them
to fail.
(3) \\#12-14\\ Because of this, "iniquity" will "break" out on them
"suddenly." Their judgment is pictured as a "breach," a swollen,
protrusion of wrath in a weakened wall of mercy which could and
would burst through at any moment. Once the holding wall is broken,
it will dissolve and disintegrate like broken clay, leaving such
small pieces that not even a scooping vessel will be found.
(4) \\#15\\ What could have been if Israel had only trusted in the Lord!
They could have "returned" to Him, found "rest" and salvation in Him,
enjoyed a "quiet" deliverance having "confidence" in their God. The
quietness that God offered was a calm or still deliverance since God
would have been doing the work!
(5) \\#16-17\\ "But ye said, No" - That was not to be the case. The Jews
instead chose to seek horses (from Egypt and others) and to fight
their own fight. Because of this, horses will pursue them and they
will have to flee the soldiers that pursue them, only God will
greatly amplify the effect of Israel’s enemies.
c. \\#18-26\\ Days of Blessings
(1) \\#18\\ Because Israel would not come to the Lord, God will "wait"
on His judgment to have its effect. In so doing, He will one day
be able to be "gracious" to Israel and "have mercy on" them.
(2) \\#19\\ "For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem" - This is
God’s future promise of restoration but the promise implies that
the judgment will remove them from the land.
(3) \\#19\\ "when he shall hear it, he will answer thee" - Israel will
one day cry to the Lord and He will hear them. In fact, it appears
that He will immediately hear them. Oh, that they would call upon
Him now before more judgment would befall them!
(4) \\#20-21\\ After their years of affliction, God will give them
teachers but the greatest Teacher will be the Holy Ghost who shall
direct them from within.
(5) \\#22\\ In those days, Israel will be sickened at the remembrance
of their own wickedness.
(6) \\#23-24\\ These will not only be days of great spiritual blessings
but of physical blessings as well.
(7) \\#25\\ "the day of the great slaughter" - This is the event that
changes those curses that God has been placing on the earth to
blessings. It is battle described in \\#Revelation 19:11-21\\.
(8) \\#26\\ "Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of
the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold" - The Bible
does describe a day of unique light \\#Zech 14:5-7\\, but the
descriptions are different.
(9) \\#26\\ In this day, God will "bind up the breach" of judgment He
has poured upon His people.
d. \\#27-33\\ The Mighty God Comes to Aid His People - The wrath of God
described in these verses is the wrath that God pours upon the enemies
of Israel.
(1) \\#27\\ God’s power and deliverance "comes from far"; indeed, it
came from the very portals of heaven.
(2) \\#27\\ He is "angry" and "heavily burdened" for His people. They
have finally called upon Him. His judgment has brought them to
their end. God will have no pity on those who have now come
against them.
(3) \\#27-28\\ A river of fire and wrath is pictured as coming out of
His mouth. This is the Old Testament version of \\#Rev 19:15\\.
(4) \\#28\\ "There shall be a bridle in the jaws of the people causing
them to err" - God will bring His enemies to their destruction.
(5) \\#29\\ While the enemies of Israel become a feast to the wild
animals of the world, Israel will be singing "songs" of rejoicing
and have a "holy feast."
(6) \\#30\\ The Lord will be glorified as His "voice is heard" and His
power is displayed.
(7) \\#31\\ "shall the Assyrian be beaten down" - This is a promise and
a prophecy that God will defeat the Assyrians. Some use the verses
in Isaiah to suppose the antichrist will have Assyrian blood in
him. While that may be true, I see these prophecies as a return to
Isaiah’s time. God promised to (and did) defeat the Assyrians in
Judah.
(8) \\#32\\ After Sennacherib’s defeat, the nation’s power was broken
and funeral "tabrets and harps" were played for them.
(9) \\#33\\ "Tophet" was the location where Israel offered their
children in burnt sacrifices to false idols. The shame of what they
had done caused the entire valley, Gehenna, to be a dump and ever
burning trash heap. It became the symbol of hell. Hence, God is
saying that hell itself has been ordained of old for such kings as
Sennacherib. (This passage does sound typical of the anti-Christ.)
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