Major Prophets Isaiah

The Lord Rises Up

Discover Jesus as: Immanuel Isaiah 32-33 Read on Bible Gateway (HCSB)

Day 588 of 730
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INTRO

The message in these chapters is to pay attention or there will be consequences to face. The moral of the story here is to do what the Lord asks. The 66 chapters of Isaiah are a reflection of the 66 books of the Bible. The 39 books of the Old Testament are about warning and the 27 books of the New Testament are all about comfort and redemption. The message in Isaiah 30 was that if you wait on the Lord, He will take care of you.

TEACHING

Isaiah 32:1-20: There are oracles against three different groups in chapters 28—33; oracles against Samaria, Jerusalem, and Assyria. A total of six woes are included in these chapters (Isaiah 28:1; 29:1, 15; 30:1; 31:1; 33:1). Woe number six was directed toward King Sennacherib because of his treachery toward Judah.

Chapter 32 can be broken up into two sections. The first section is about the prophecy concerning generous leaders and the leadership’s effects. Second is the prophecy about miserly (stingy) leaders. “The fifth woe (chapter 31) concludes with a prophecy about leadership (vv. 1-8) and its effects (vv. 9-20). Paradoxically in chapter 32, generous leaders (vv. 1-5) produce abundance and permanent security (vv. 16-20), whereas the miserly (vv. 6, 7) produce false security and desolation (vv. 9-14).”1

References to the king in verse 1 can easily point to Jesus as the Messiah. “The prophecy concerning this King is fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ (7:14; 9:1-7; 11:1-5; 28:16; John 10:11,16). The princes are His ‘undershepherds’ (1 Peter 5:2-4).”2

Isaiah 33:1-24: Verse 1 was directed to the Assyrians. “The sixth woe differs from the others in that is addressed to Assyria, not to Judah.”3 This woe was “directed against Sennacherib because of his treachery against Judah. In unbelief, King Hezekiah had tried to ‘buy off’ the Assyrians (2 Kings 18:13-15), but Sennacherib had broken the agreement and invaded Judah anyway. He was a thief, a traitor, and a tyrant; and God promised judgement on him.”4

“Hezekiah had taken all the temple treasures and tried to bribe Sennacherib (2 Kings 18:13-16), but God forgave Hezekiah and reminded him that ‘the fear of the Lord is [your] treasure’ (Isaiah 33:6).”5 Isaiah prophesied the destruction of the destroyer (v. 1).

The remnant’s prayer is offered up beginning in verse 2. This remnant included Isaiah. They prayed with a confident expectation. When God answered, He demonstrated His glory and His vindication.

“The plunder of God’s war with His enemies belongs to the Lord, the true Victor (Isaiah 23:18; 34:2). It will be gathered as swiftly and completely as the caterpillar and locusts can strip a field, since the Lord’s judgement will come quickly without warning (1 Thessalonians 5:2).”6

The fear of the Lord is Zion’s treasure. This is a contradiction to Hezekiah’s actions. “This chapter presents the ‘rising glory’ of the Savior King over His people, defending them against Assyria and all others. Justice and righteousness may be rephrased as ‘true justice’.”7

Verses 5-6 begin to show the transformation of Zion. In verses 7-9, Judah still has a need for salvation. The prophecy of Isaiah is almost sarcastic. “Judah’s ambassadors wept bitterly because Assyria took their gifts but continued to besiege Jerusalem. With the treaty between Assyria and Judah broken, the highways are not safe.”8 There was a need and then God showed His response. Verses 11-12 address the destruction of Assyria.

God’s requirement was that the Israelites must live righteously if they wanted to approach the Holy One. The expectation to approach the Lord was that all come to the Lord righteously, speaking rightly, on their knees, with humility. “On high refers to God’s dwelling (v. 5) – the place the righteous will go to live with God forever.”9

The Lord always provides. “The feasts were celebrated from the heart (Isaiah 30:29), and not perfunctorily (Isaiah 29:1). Not be taken down implies that the Exile is over. Judah’s immediate salvation merges with its ultimate deliverance.”10

The defense of Judah was figuratively explained by broad rivers and streams that no ship would be carried on because of God’s protection. Reference to the rivers goes back to Ezekiel 47 when rivers flowed from the south side of the temple.

CLOSING

From Isaiah 33:17-24, “God’s victory over Assyria was but a ‘dress rehearsal’ for His victory over the whole Gentile world system that will one day assemble to destroy the Holy City (Zechariah 14:1-9).”11 The sequence of the prophecy of Isaiah 33 is: the current situation, then the prophecy against King Sennacherib, the coming of the Messiah, and eventually the coming of Christ for the second time. The result will be peace and unity in Jerusalem. Isaiah 32:1 states that the King will reign righteously.

The point of the study of the major prophets is to see where the Messiah is in all of Scripture and how these scriptures fit together. The key concept is Immanuel, God with us; He is coming again.

  1. Earl Radmacher, Ronald B. Allen, and H. Wayne House, eds., Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999), p.839.

  2. Nelson’s Commentary, p. 839.

  3. Nelson’s Commentary, p. 839.

  4. Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament (Colorado Springs, David C. Cook, 1990), p. 40.

  5. Wiersbe, p. 40.

  6. Nelson’s Commentary, p. 840.

  7. Nelson’s Commentary, p. 840.

  8. Nelson’s Commentary, p. 840

  9. Nelson’s Commentary, p. 840.

  10. Nelson’s Commentary, p. 840.

  11. Wiersbe, pp. 40, 41.

Questions

  1. What do these Scriptures have in common: Jeremiah 5:21; Ezekiel 12:2; Matthew 13:15; Acts 28:27; and Romans 11:8? What is the difference between those Scriptures and Isaiah 32:3?
  2. Do you see or hear of Isaiah 32:6-7 being played out before you? Are there preachers preaching false teachings? Schemes and lies in the courts? When will this end in your opinion?
  3. Isaiah 33:15-24 appears to be describing the time of the Second Coming of Christ and His following reign. Do you agree with this assessment, or, in your opinion, was this from Isaiah’s time and it has happened already? Why?
  4. What did the Holy Spirit highlight to you in Isaiah 32-33 through the reading or the teaching?

Next: the Daily Word →

Daily Word

Laura Martin Isaiah 33:2

“LORD, be gracious to us! We wait for You. Be our strength every morning and our salvation in time of trouble.”

God’s people sought everything but the Lord. After being destroyed and betrayed by other nations, their only hope was to wait on the Lord to restore them, to save them, and redeem this time of defeat and destruction. The Lord was their judge, lawgiver, and king. Even those who had been far away from the Lord sought His goodness. And those who had walked closely with the Lord knew He was their strength.

When you seek success, attempt to find your worth in people, strive in your own strength and then fail . . . where do you turn for hope and help? You can choose to sit in a pit of despair. Or you can humble yourself and find hope in the Lord. The Lord will always be there during your time of trouble. You are never too far gone, too great in sin, or too messed up to turn back to the arms of your loving Father. He is Immanuel. He is the God who is with you. His love stretches from the east to the west, and nothing will ever separate you from His vast love. You can always go back to Him. Therefore, wait for Him in the morning. Wait for Him to lift you up with strength.

“Lord, be gracious to us! We wait for You. Be our strength every morning and our salvation in time of trouble.”

— Isaiah 33:2

FURTHER SCRIPTURE

  • Isaiah 33:13 — “You who are far off, hear what I have done; you who are near, know My strength.”
  • Isaiah 33:22 — “For the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our King. He will save us.”
  • Hebrews 13:5 — “Your life should be free from the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for He Himself has said, I will never leave you or forsake you.”