XXVII

THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST IN ISAIAH

The relation between the New Testament Christ and prophecy is that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. To him give all the prophets witness. All the scriptures, the law, the prophets, and the psalms, testify of him. And we are fools, and slow of heart to credit adequate testimony when we distrust any part of the inspired evidence.

Of the ancient prophets Isaiah was perhaps the most notable witness of the coming Messiah. An orderly combination of his many messianic utterances amounts to more than a mere sketch, indeed, rather to a series of almost life-sized portraits. As a striking background for these successive portraits the prophet discloses the world’s need of a Saviour, and across this horrible background of gloom the prophet sketches in startling strokes of light the image of a coming Redeemer.

In Isa 2:2-4 we have the first picture of him in Isaiah, that of the effect of his work, rather than of the Messiah himself. This is the establishment of the mountain of the Lord’s house on the top of the mountains, the coming of the nations to it and the resultant millennial glory.

In Isa 4:2-6 is another gleam from the messianic age in which the person of the Messiah comes more into view in the figure of a branch of Jehovah, beautiful and glorious. In sketching the effects of his work here the prophet adds a few strokes of millennial glory as a consummation of his ministry.

In Isa 7:14 he delineates him as a little child born of a virgin, whose coming is the light of the world. He is outlined on the canvas in lowest humanity and highest divinity, “God with us.” In this incarnation he is the seed of the woman and not of the man.

The prophet sees him as a child upon whom the government shall rest and whose name is “Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isa 9:6 ). This passage shows the divinity of Christ and the universal peace he is to bring to the world. In these names we have the divine wisdom, the divine power, the divine fatherhood, and the divine peace.

In Isa 11:1-9 the prophet sees the Messiah as a shoot out of the stock of Jesse, i.e., of lowly origin, but possessing the Holy Spirit without measure who equips him for his work, and his administration wrought with skill and justice, the result of which is the introduction of universal and perfect peace. Here the child is presented as a teacher. And such a teacher! On him rests the seven spirits of God. The spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge, and the fear of the Lord. He judges not according to appearances and reproves not according to rumors. With righteousness he judges the poor and reproves with equality in behalf of the meek. His words smite a guilty world like thunderbolts and his very breath slays iniquity. Righteousness and faithfulness are his girdle. He uplifts an infallible standard of morals.

In Isa 40:3-8 appears John the Baptist, whom Isaiah saw as a voice crying in the wilderness, preparing the way for the coming King.

In Isa 11:2 ; Isa 42:1 ; Isa 61:1-3 the prophet saw the Messiah as a worker in the power of the Spirit, in whom he was anointed at his baptism. This was the beginning of his ministry which was wrought through the power of the Holy Spirit. At no time in his ministry did our Lord claim that he wrought except in the power of the Holy Spirit who was given to him without measure.

In Isa 35:1-10 the Messiah is described as a miracle worker. In his presence the desert blossoms as a rose and springs burst out of dry ground. The banks of the Jordan rejoice. The lame man leaps like a hart, the dumb sing and the blind behold visions. The New Testament abounds in illustrations of fulfilment. These signs Christ presented to John the Baptist as his messianic credentials (Mat 11:1-4 ).

The passage (Isa 42:1-4 ) gives us a flashlight on the character of the Messiah. In the New Testament it is expressly applied to Christ whom the prophet sees as the meek and lowly Saviour, dealing gently with the blacksliding child of his grace. In Isa 22:22 we have him presented as bearing the key of the house of David, with full power to open and shut. This refers to his authority over all things in heaven and upon earth. By this authority he gave the keys of the kingdom to Peter one for the Jews and the other for the Gentiles who used one on the day of Pentecost and the other at the house of Cornelius, declaring in each case the terms of entrance into the kingdom of God. This authority of the Messiah is referred to again in Revelation:

And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as one dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying. Fear not: I am the first and the last, and the Living one; and I was dead, and behold I am alive for evermore and I have the keys of death and of Hades. Rev 7:17

And to the angel of the church in Philadelphis write: These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth and none shall shut, and shutteth and none openeth. Rev 3:7

In Isa 32:1-8 we have a great messianic passage portraying the work of Christ as a king ruling in righteousness, in whom men find a hiding place from the wind and the tempest. He is a stream in a dry place and the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.

In Isa 28:14-18 the Messiah is presented to w as a foundation stone in a threefold idea:

1. A tried foundation stone. This is the work of the master mason and indicates the preparation of the atone for its particular function.

2. An elect or precious foundation stone. This indicates that the stone was selected and appointed. It was not self-appointed but divinely appointed and is therefore safe.

3. A cornerstone, or sure foundation stone. Here it is a foundation of salvation, as presented in Mat 16:18 . It is Christ the Rock, and not Peter. See Paul’s foundation in 1 Corinthians:

According to the grace of God which was given unto me; as a wise masterbuilder I laid a foundation; and another buildeth thereon. But let each man take heed how he buildeth thereon. For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1Co 3:10-11 .

In Isa 49:1-6 he is presented as a polished shaft, kept close in the quiver. The idea is that he is a mighty sword. In Revelation, Christ is presented to John as having a sharp, twoedged sword proceeding out of his mouth.

In Isa 50:2 ; Isa 52:9 f.; Isa 59:16-21 ; Isa 62:11 we have the idea of the salvation of Jehovah. The idea is that salvation originated with God and that man in his impotency could neither devise the plan of salvation nor aid in securing it. These passages are expressions of the pity with which God looks down on a lost world. The redemption, or salvation, here means both temporal and spiritual salvation salvation from enemies and salvation from sin.

In Isa 9:1 f. we have him presented as a great light to the people of Zebulun and Naphtali. In Isa 49:6 we have him presented as a light to the Gentiles and salvation to the end of the earth: “Yea, he saith, It is too light a thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.”

In Isa 8:14-15 Isaiah presents him as a stone of stumbling: “And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many shall stumble thereon, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.”

The prophet’s vision of his maltreatment and rejection are found in Isa 50:4-9 ; Isa 52:13-53:12 . In this we have the vision of him giving his “back to the smiters, and his cheeks to them that plucked off the hair.” We see a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. His visage is so marred it startled all nations. He is a vicarious sacrifice. The chastisement of the peace of others is on him. The iniquity of others is put on him. It pleases the Father to bruise him until he has poured out his soul unto death as an offering for sin.

The teaching of Isaiah on the election of the Jews is his teaching concerning the “holy remnant,” a favorite expression of the prophet. See Isa 1:9 ; Isa 10:20-22 ; Isa 11:11 ; Isa 11:16 ; Isa 37:4 ; Isa 37:31-32 ; Isa 46:3 . This coincides with Paul’s teaching in Romans 9-11.

In Isa 32:15 we find Isaiah’s teaching on the pouring out of the Holy Spirit: “Until the Spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be esteemed as a forest,” and in Isa 44:3 : “For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and streams upon the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring.”

In Isa 11:10 he is said to be the ensign of the nations: “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the root of Jesse, that standeth for an ensign of the peoples unto him shall the nations seek; and his resting place shall be glorious.”

Isa 19:18-25 ; Isa 54:1-3 ; Isa 60:1-22 teach the enlargement of the church. The great invitation and promise are found in Isa 55 .

The Messiah in judgments is found in Isa 63:1-6 . Here we behold an avenger. He comes up out of Edom with dyed garments from Bozra. All his raiment is stained with the blood of his enemies whom he has trampled in his vengeance as grapes are crushed in the winevat and the restoration of the Jews is set forth in Isa 11:11-12 ; Isa 60:9-15 ; Isa 66:20 . Under the prophet’s graphic pencil or glowing brush we behold the establishment and growth of his kingdom unlike all other kingdoms, a kingdom within men, a kingdom whose principles are justice, righteousness, and equity and whose graces are faith, hope, love, and joy, an undying and ever-growing kingdom. Its prevalence is like the rising waters of Noah’s flood; “And the waters prevailed and increased mightily upon the earth. And the water prevailed mightily, mightily upon the earth; and all the high mountains, that are under the whole heavens, were covered.”

So this kingdom grows under the brush of the prophetic limner until its shores are illimitable. War ceases. Gannenta rolled in the blood of battle become fuel for fire. Conflagration is quenched. Famine outlawed. Pestilence banished. None are left to molest or make afraid. Peace flows like a river. The wolf dwells with the lamb. The leopard lies down with the kid. The calf and the young lion walk forth together and a little child is leading them. The cow and the bear feed in one pasture and their young ones are bedfellows. The sucking child safely plays over the hole of the asp, and weaned children put their hands in the adder’s den. In all the holy realms none hurt nor destroy, because the earth is as full of the knowledge of the Lord as the fathomless ocean is full of water. Rapturous vision! Sublime and ineffable consummation! Was it only a dream?

In many passages the prophet turns in the gleams from the millennial age, but one of the clearest and best on the millennium, which is in line with the preceding paragraph, Isa 11:6-9 : “And the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together: and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea.”

The prophet’s vision of the destruction of death is given in Isa 25:8 : “He hath swallowed up death for ever; and the Lord Jehovah will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the reproach of his people will he take away from all the earth: for Jehovah hath spoken it,” and in Isa 26:19 : “Thy dead shall live; my dead bodies shall arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust; for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast forth the dead.”

The clearest outlines of the prophet’s vision of “Paradise Regained” are to be found in Isa 25:8 , and in two passages in chapter Isa 66 : Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn over her; that ye may suck and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. For thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream: and ye shall suck thereof; ye shall be borne upon the side, and shall be dandled upon the knees, as one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem. And ye shall see it, and your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like the tender grass: and the hands of Jehovah shall be known toward his servants ; and he will have indignation against his enemies. Isa 66:10-14

For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make shall remain before me, saith Jehovah, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith Jehovah. Isa 66:22-23

QUESTIONS

1. What is the relation between the New Testament Christ and prophecy?

2. What can you say of Isaiah as a witness of the Messiah?

3. What can you say of Isaiah’s pictures of the Messiah and their background?

4. Following in the order of Christ’s manifestation, what is the first picture of him in Isaiah?

5. What is the second messianic glimpse in Isaiah?

6. What is Isaiah’s picture of the incarnation?

7. What is Isaiah’s picture of the divine child?

8. What is Isaiah’s vision of his descent, his relation to the Holy Spirit, his administration of justice, and the results of his reign?

9. What is Isaiah’s vision of the Messiah’s herald?

10. What is the prophet’s vision of his anointing?

11. What is the prophet’s vision of him as a miracle worker?

12. What is the prophet’s vision of the character of the Messiah?

13. What is the prophet’s vision of him as the key bearer?

14. What is the prophet’s vision of him as a king and a hiding place?

15. What is the prophet’s vision of the Messiah as a foundation stone?

16. What is the prophet’s vision of him as a polished shaft?

17. In what passages do we find the idea of the salvation of Jehovah, and what the significance of the idea?

18. What is Isaiah’s vision of the Messiah as a light?

19. Where does Isaiah present him as a stone of stumbling?

20. What is the prophet’s vision of his maltreatment and rejection?

21. What is the teaching of Isaiah on the election of the Jews?

22. Where do we find Isaiah’s teaching on the pouring out of the Holy Spirit?

23. Where is he said to be the ensign of the nations?

24. What passages teach the enlargement of the church?

25. Where is the great invitation and promise?

26. Where is the Messiah in judgment?

27. What passages show the restoration of the Jews?

28. What is the prophet’s vision of the Messiah’s kingdom?

29. What is the prophet’s vision of the millennium?

30. What is the prophet’s vision of the destruction of death?

31. What is the prophet’s vision of “Paradise Regained?”

Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible

XVI

THE BOOK OF ISAIAH PART 8

Isaiah 28-33

“This section, Isaiah 28-33, is called “The Book of Zion,” or “The Book of Woes.” The time of this prophecy is the reign of Hezekiah. In the preceding section the prophet contemplated the judgments which were to come in the course of the ages, upon the nations of the world, but in this section he is brought back to his own time and people.

Quite a long time has elapsed since the prophet first foretold the destruction of Samaria (Isa 7:17 ; Isa 8:4-8 ), but the crisis is now close at hand. The northern invaders who have been held back by the divine order so long, are now ready to be let loose, and the “crown of Ephraim’s pride” is about to be buried to the ground. At this solemn period a most important work must be accomplished in Judah, if Jerusalem is to be saved from Assyria. This must be a religious and moral preparation for a divine intervention, which was necessary for her salvation. This indeed had been begun by Hezekiah but it would not prove permanent unless followed up by a steady culture and patient discipline. This was now the task of Isaiah, the prophet. In order to do this he must alarm the “sinners of Zion,” reprove the infidel, stir up the worldly and careless to repentance, assure the men of Judah, who trusted in their political schemes of alliance with Egypt, that God would bring their schemes to nought, all this without unduly disheartening the poor and the meek. On the other hand, the faithful disciples were to be cheered. They were to be told that their hope was in the stone which Jehovah had laid in Zion; that Jehovah himself would defend Jerusalem; that the Holy City should be as & tabernacle whose stakes should be secure, and all this without fostering a reliance upon external privileges. This was no mean task, but the prophet rose to the demand of the hour. The prophetic word went forth, giving warning to the rebellious, confirming and establishing the true hearts, and putting all on probation.

The word which determines the natural divisions of this section is “Woe,” which occurs at Isa 28:1 ; Isa 29:1 ; Isa 29:15 ; Isa 30:1 ; Isa 31:1 and Isa 33:1 . The divisions are as follows:

1. Woe unto Samaria (Isa 28 )

2. Woe unto Ariel [Jerusalem] (Isa 29:1-14 )

3. Woe unto the worldly-wise (Isa 29:15-24 )

4. Woe unto the rebellious (Isa 30 )

5. Woe unto them that go down to Egypt (Isaiah 31-32)

6. Woe unto the destroyer (Isa 33 )

This outline does not coincide with Dr. Sampey’s, but it has the merit of following the author’s divisions rather than the chapter divisions.

In Isa 28:1-6 we have the woe unto Samaria, “the crown of the pride of the drunkards of Ephraim.” This is a solemn warning to Samaria of her speedy downfall. Then the prophet turns to Judah and pronounces the woe upon Jerusalem because she has followed the example of Samaria. This he gives in a series of pictures: In Isa 28:7-8 we have the drunken priests and prophets, revelling in their self-indulgence and failing in their visions and judgments. In Isa 28:9-10 we hear them mocking Isaiah in his message, saying, “His words are but repetitions, suited to sucking babes.” “For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line; here a little, there a little.” Then in Isa 28:11-13 the prophet retorts that God would speak to them by men of strange lips, the Assyrians, because he had offered them rest and they would not hear. So now the words of Jehovah would be to them, “precept upon precept,” etc., that they might be broken, snared, and taken. In Isa 28:14-22 there is a severe arraignment of the rulers of Jerusalem, who had made, or were about to make, secret arrangements with Egypt which, as they thought, would secure Judah against injury at the hands of the Assyrians. This the prophet calls a covenant with death and an agreement with Sheol, and instructs them that their boasted arrangements would fail completely in the time of trial; that Egypt, their refuge would be a refuge of lies and Assyria, the overflowing scourge, would pass through the land and carry all before it; that only those resting on the precious cornerstone would be secure; that in the time of this vexation of the land, their bed which they made would not suffice, for the decree of destruction had already gone forth. In Isa 28:23-29 is a parable to comfort believers, to the end that God’s wisdom in dispensing judgment and mercy may be inferred from the skill which he gives to the husbandman. But this he left to their spiritual insight to discover.

Two passages of this chapter are quoted in the New Testament:

1.Isa 28:11 is quoted by Paul in 1Co 14:21 to show that the gifts of the baptism of the Spirit, just as the work and message of the prophet, were for a sign.

2.Isa 28:16 is quoted in several places in the New Testament and applied to Christ, as the stone of stumbling for the Jews in all ages.

Isa 28:20 may be used in accordance with the context here to show how futile it is for a man to turn away from God’s plan, in the matters of salvation, to the devices of men. When the testing time comes, the bed is found to be too short and the covering too narrow.

In Isa 29:1-4 we have the prophet’s address to Ariel (Jerusalem) in which he predicts her siege by a terrible army and her great humiliation during that siege. In Isa 29:5-8 is the vivid description of this vast host coming up against Jerusalem, but just as the enemy expects to capture her, the host of them is scattered. As it is with one who dreams, so shall it be with this multitude of besiegers. In Isa 29:9-12 is a description of Israel’s awful judicial blindness visited upon them by Jehovah because of their sins. All prophecy is to them as a sealed book. In their blindness they cannot read the message. What a picture of the effects of sin! This reminds us of the picture of Jerusalem which was drawn by Christ. The natural man cannot understand divine revelation. The educated and the uneducated are alike helpless. Over against this stands the contrast of Isa 29:18 . In Isa 29:13-14 we have the cause stated. They are in this state because of the condition of their hearts. With the lips they honored God, but their hearts were not with him. How significant is the application of this truth to all our worship and service! In Isa 29:17-21 is the prophecy that this condition shall not always pertain to them. The day will come when this condition shall be reversed. The deaf shall hear the words out of the book and the blind shall see. To many this was fulfilled in the days of Christ, but we look ahead of us for the full fruitage of this great promise. In Isa 29:22-24 is the climax of the vision in which the marvels of God’s grace upon the sons of Jacob are exhibited. God speed the day of its realization!

The prophetic description here (Isa 29:1-8 ) fits well the historical events of Sennacherib’s siege and the poem, “The Destruction of Sennacherib” by Byron is the best poetic description of this event. Two passages from this chapter are quoted in the New Testament:

1.Isa 29:10 is quoted by Paul in Rom 11:8 where it is used to show the judicial hardening of Israel which lasted to Paul’s day and will continue till the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

2.Isa 29:13 is quoted by our Lord in Mat 15:8-9 to upbraid the Jews for their hypocrisy and following the commandments of men, showing that the conditions which existed in Isaiah’s time existed also in Christ’s time.

Isa 30 consists of an exposure of the alliance with Egypt. In Isa 30:1-5 we have the plain prediction that the alliance with Egypt, then forming, would be of no assistance to Judah. The prophet in Isa 30:6-17 states the oracle with great power, showing the sin and evil effects of trusting in Egypt rather than in Jehovah. In Isa 30:18-26 there is set forth the hope of the future success of God’s people when he shall be gracious to them and confer upon them marvelous prosperity. In Isa 30:27-33 we have another vision of the supernatural overthrow of the Assyrians.

In Isa 30:33 we have the image of a funeral pyre on which the king of Assyria is to be consumed. Topheth was a place in the valley of Hinnom, that was desecrated by idolatrous human sacrifices (Jer 7:31 ; 2Ki 23:10 ). This was fulfilled, not by the death of Sennacherib in Judah, but by the destruction of his army there, and his own death at home twenty years later (881 B.C).

Chapter 31 is a brief summary of what has been so frequently set forth about Samaria, Jerusalem, and Assyria. The points are as follows: (1) Those who trust in the Egyptian alliance shall fall; ‘(2) Jerusalem shall be protected by divine love; (3) the Assyrian shall be driven away in terror. In verses 4-5 Jehovah represents himself as a lion and a mother bird, a picture of his power and tenderness.

By all scholars Isa 32 is accounted messianic. It must be considered as a whole in order to understand its parts. It tells us under what king justice shall be rendered in human government, and what influences shall bring about an appreciation of this justice in the hearts of the people, and what shall be the effects of the righteousness rendered by this government and appreciated by these people under this divine influence.

The righteous King is our Lord Jesus Christ, the true Governor of this world. “A king shall reign in righteousness.” We have never yet on this earth been blessed with a perfect human government. We do not know experimentally what a genuinely good government is, whose ruler rules according to principles of exact righteousness and uses his office for the benefit of the governed, and to subserve the ends of justice; nor have we ever seen a people whose hearts would properly appreciate that kind of a government, who really desire it or who are willing to work for it and willing to submit to it. The conditions call for a righteous King and righteous subjects. Granted these two and the effect is righteousness, peace, and confidence forever.

We may conceive in our minds of an ideal king whose scepter is a righteous scepter, who loves righteousness and hates iniquity, who holds an even balance when he administers justice, who has no respect to men’s persons, who is a terror to evildoers and as the shadow of a high rock in a weary land to the oppressed. We may conceive of such a ruler, but in earthly governments, we have never known him. We may conceive of a people in their hearts desiring such a government, voting for it, supporting it, on demand sacrificing whatever they have to its maintenance, and then joyfully resting under its benign influence. What a sweet picture to the contemplative mind! Such a king, such a people, and peace and quiet throughout the land, perfect confidence, no doors locked at night, no hired policemen, no standing armies, no dread of burglars or assassins, no distrust in business, engagements, perfect confidence! It is a charming conception. God’s Word declares that this conception shall be realized on this earth; that “a king shall reign in righteousness, and all of the rulers shall rule in judgment.”

The influence that prepares the people for that kind of a government is here distinctly set forth. It is said that “thorns and briers shall come up on the land of my people until the spirit be poured out from on high.” Without the influence of God’s Spirit the people themselves are not prepared for a righteous administration of affairs. They have what they want. If they wish to promote the wicked they promote them. If they wish to be placed in bondage to the covetous they yield their necks to the yoke. The people are not prepared for good government. And what things disqualify them for living and working for such a government? We get at the disqualifications by ascertaining from this chapter what the blessings are which the Spirit confers by way of preparation.

The first blessing specified is that under the influence of the Spirit they shall see clearly: “the eyes of them that see shall not be dim.” This refers to the moral perceptions. Where there are no clear perceptions of right or wrong, where the vision is clouded, everything else will be wrong. If the moral sense of the people be distorted in vision, it will see light as if it were darkness, and darkness as if it were light; it will call a churl a liberal man, and a liberal man a churl; it will label things contrary to their essence and nature. If the eye be not single our very light is darkness, and how great is that darkness! So that we have as the first effect of the Spirit poured out on the people, that they shall see clearly.

It is now painful and humiliating, distressingly so, to get any ten or twelve men or women together and submit for their consideration a question involving morals, and see how variously they look at it. They do not see clearly. And particularly they do not see clearly with reference to the outcome of things. They look at immediate results. They look at present effects. They judge of things by what may immediately follow their performance. They do not project their vision far enough, and they are unable to do it on account of their moral blindness. So the prophet in the middle of this chapter calls on the women to hear his discussion. We do well to recall the words of the apostle Peter concerning the Christian graces, the fruits of the Spirit:

For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins” 2Pe 1:8-9 .

Yes, he that lacketh these things is dim-eyed. His vision will be blurred. He cannot see things afar off. First of all, therefore the outpoured Spirit enlightens the eye, the moral eye. It makes us see things as they are in the sight of God. If a man is a miser, a covetous man, a churl, we see him to be that way. He appears so to us. He does not seem to be a liberal man. Oh, when the Spirit is poured out then no longer will the liberal man be called a churl and the churl a liberal man. There are examples that may be known and read of all men in every community, of those whose hearts are as hard as a millstone, hearts that have never been melted, never known any mercy, never felt one heartthrob of joy in ministering to the necessities of the distressed, and yet the community stands off and bows before them, and calls them the liberal men of the community. When the Spirit of God is poured out, clearness of vision will be given, and men will see a soul just as easily as they can see a body and the soul that is black will look black, the soul that is shriveled and miserly will look so, and the soul that is slimy and obscene and foul will appear to be so. That is the first effect. Now if people have not that vision, how can they love a righteous king? How can they love a righteous government? How can they desire evenhanded justice? How can they wish to be rid of favoritism, nepotism, and every other form of mischief in government, seeing their eyes are dim and their vision distorted? Clear vision distorted! Clear vision, that is first. They shall see clearly.

The second effect of the out-poured Spirit is, “The ears of them that hear shall hearken.” They shall hear distinctly and see clearly. To hear distinctly! You know there is such a thing as hearing and not hearing, “having ears to hear and hearing not,” what is called in the Bible an “uncircumcised ear.” An ear that does not hearken to what? To the divine voices, to the voice of wisdom speaking on the streets, speaking in places of business, speaking in places of pleasure, speaking in the family circle, speaking in the church and in the Sunday school, the voice of God. The whole earth is filled with the voices of God. As the psalmist says: There is no speech nor language; Where their voice is not heard. There line is gone out through all the earth; And their words to the end of the world. Psa 19:3-4 .

But if the people have not a hearing ear what matters it about a voice? “Incline your ear and come unto me. Hear and your soul shall live,” exhorts the prophet. The giving heed to the monitions of God’s Spirit, to the declarations of his Word, the submitting to the voice of God as the end of controversy, we must have that, to see clearly, to hear distinctly. The right kind of a conscience will hear the faintest whisper of God. God will not have to speak aloud. God will not have to send storms and earthquakes and pestilence and famine and blasting and mildew and other judgments to secure attention. If they have the hearing ear, though God speaks in the stillness of the night, that ear hears his whisper, and like a little Samuel rising up from his bed, saying, “Speak Lord, thy servant heareth.”

Oh, for the ear that will hearken to God’s Word, to righteousness. The evil-minded may devise a most mischievous falsehood, a shameful, sensational scandal, without the shadow of foundation in fact, and then with tongue set on fire of hell whisper his story of malice and, behold, the whole earth hears it. They have the ear set for hearing such things. But the good deed has no sound, seems to create no air waves, attains to no publicity. No wonder Paul said, “Whatsoever things are good, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are of good report, think on these things.” But they do not hear them. To get an audience, to come within the range of the ear of the world, speech must have a different character.

The third effect of the Spirit is “the heart of the rash [the hasty] shall understand.” That means to choose wisely. And what a blundering world this is, as to the choices made! All the time going to the forks of the road, so many times taking the wrong road, so many times preferring the worse to better things, so many times electing that which will bring shame instead of that which will bring honor. Every day there are put out before men and women multitudes of things from which to make a selection. Which will you take? And just see how they do take the poisons, how they take the rubbish, and the degraded, and that which tends downward, and that which debases. Oh, for choice God-guided! And that must come to the people. The hasty! Yes, when Spirit-guided the hasty need never apologize, thus: “I beg your pardon. I was inconsiderate. I acted unthoughtedly. I was indiscreet in that.” If we had the clear vision, if we had the hearing ear, then could we decide quickly on a moral question, and decide right. Even the heart of the hasty would be able to understand.

The fourth blessing is to speak plainly. What does the record say? “The tongue of the stammerer shall speak plainly.” Now, it is a somewhat ludicrous conception, and yet it does present the truth in a very striking manner. In a time or urgency, where one needs an utterance at once, and clean-cut, how a sharp question confounds a stammering man! It throws him into a fit of agitation. He tries to say something and stammers and stutters, and every kind of an answer seems hanging on the end of his tongue, and he cannot say anything. So there are moral stammerers. Ask him, “How do you stand on this question?” and he begins to stammer at once. It distresses one to listen. We feel like crying out: “Oh, speak plainly! Tell where you are. Don’t stutter all over a world of morals. Do gay one plain, straight-out word.” We are cursed with moral stuttering.

The church is cursed with it. Try some time to find out the attitude of even God’s people on a perfectly plain question of morals, or of doctrine, or of practical righteousness, and hear them begin to answer, “Well, I don’t know. Some people think it is this, and some people think it is that.” And thus they go limping around, stuttering over it. Do we not know that if the Spirit of God was poured out to give us clear moral vision, so that we could see things as they are, and the hearkening ear, so that God’s whisper would be louder to us than the devil’s thunder do not we know that if we had that wiseness of heart to choose as quick as lightning between good and evil, that there would not be any stuttering speech? A man would speak right up and Bay: “Here is where I stand; let there be no mistake about it.”

We have found the effects of the outpoured Spirit to be clear vision, acute hearing, wise choice, and plain talk. But work follows qualification. The outpoured Spirit exhorts: “Sow beside all waters.” The “sowing beside the waters” refers to that planting of rice and wheat in the overflowed waters, as in the overflow of the Nile. They go out in boats when the water covers the whole surface of the country, and they sow it down “cast your bread upon the waters,” i.e., your bread seed. And then they bring the cattle, and drive them up and down, tramping the seed down in the slime so that when the waters recede it has been plowed under by the feet of the stock.

“Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, driving thither the feet of the ox and of the ass.” That simply means covering it under. “Cast your bread upon the waters.” A distant blessing then that cornea from the outpouring of the Spirit in this ideal government set forth in this prophecy will be that every piece of land fertile enough to grow grain will be sowed down with grain. “Sow beside all waters,” that is, cast your seed on every spot of earth that can sprout the seed and make it bear a crop.

To bring the thought a little more closely: Where we have a righteous king, and a people who are endowed with clear vision, hearing distinctly, choosing wisely, and speaking plainly, these people will occupy every foot of ground which God commands them to occupy. They will let no spot of earth remain without a crop, if it can bear a crop.

But look at society as it stands, even Christian societies! You say, “Here is water out here. God has sent the overflow laden with rich soil in solution, which the receding waves deposit. Come, let us sow seed by that water.” “No, no; I have my little pond here at home. I must sow in this home pond, this and this only. I will not sow out yonder. Let the waves come and deposit the fertile soil, and the earth wait expectantly for seed to be deposited in its glowing bosom, ready of itself to make it send up the ripening grain that shall bless the earth with bread, all in vain. I won’t sow out there.”

What a miserable Christian! What an infinitesimal soul that man has! God brings soil for bread seed, and says, “Go forth, bearing precious seed; go forth casting your bread seed upon the waters; sow beside all waters,” and the delinquent church says, “I cannot hear that; I cannot hear that now. We have heathen at home the Greeks are at our door. I don’t believe in sowing in waters that are far off.” No, and he doesn’t believe in sowing in them at home. That is nearer the truth. He does not believe in any sowing at all. The root -of the matter is not in him. The spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ doesn’t reign in his soul; for where the spirit is poured out from on high, and they have the vision of clearness, and the hearkening ear, the wise choice, and the unstammering tongue, they will not stop to consider the clouds. They will not stop to ask whether this or that shall prosper. They will not stop to talk about the narrow circumference of their own field, but they will say, “Lord God, let me send out thy word wherever hearts are hungering and souls are in bondage; wherever the devil throws his black pall of midnight and superstition over the hearts and souls of the people. Oh, God, let me by thy grace send them light to shine in the darkness! Oh, let me hold up my light higher and throw its radiance farther.” That is the spirit of the Christian. “Sow beside all waters.”

A final fruit of the spirit is: The liberal deviseth liberal things, and in liberal things shall he continue. “Ye did run well for a season,” says Paul. What hindered you? Why did you stop? What warranted it? Has God’s plan been modified? Have Christ’s desires abated? Is heaven full? Is the ground of salvation all pre-empted? Are the corridors of deliverance crowded so that there is no room for another one? Is Jesus Christ satisfied? Has he seen all of the travail of his soul that he wanted to see? No. There is room yet; the desire of God for human salvation is unabated; the needs of the lost are increased; the hell that threatens them is nearer to them. Oh, it is near. The damnation is not lingering. It is coming stealthily as the footfall of a tiger, or the spread of a pestilence, but coming nearer and deadlier than before, and we say, “Let us call a halt in liberal things.”

“Thorns and briers shall come up on the land of my people until the spirit be poured out from on high.” But if the spirit be poured out from on high, and we see clearly, and hear distinctly and choose wisely and speak plainly and sow beside all waters and devise liberal things and continue in liberal things, then that is heaven on earth. The kingdom of heaven has come. Christ is reigning whenever that has come to pass. And the nearer we approach it the nearer we are to heaven. Louder than the big guns of our battleships, louder than the voice of many waters, louder than mighty thunder should be the acclaim of God’s people, saying, “Hosanna to the Iambi Hallelujah! The Lord God omnipotent reigneth, and let the earth rejoice.”

Isa 33 is a woe against the Assyrian invaders. The prophet, after the great messianic ecstasy in the preceding chapter, comes back to his own times again to take another start. At first he deals with the local situation picturing the invading army of Assyrians, the desolation of the land by them and the awful distress in Jerusalem. Then follows the prediction of the miraculous deliverance of the city and the destruction of the enemy, upon which sinners are made to tremble and the inhabitants of Zion rejoice in quiet confidence by reason of Jehovah’s protecting presence. There are several messianic gleams in this chapter, as “the king in his beauty,” “Zion, . . . Jerusalem . . . a quiet habitation, . . . a place of broad rivers and streams,” where there is no sickness and the “iniquity of the people is forgiven”

The historical background for this prophecy is the invasion of Sennacherib’s host, the desolation of the land, and the threat of Jerusalem, all of which is described in 2Ki 18:13-19 ; 2Ki 18:37 . The essential items of this history are as follows: Sennacherib received at Lachish the stipulated tribute from Hezekiah, but then he demanded the unconditional surrender of Jerusalem. He captured many cities and had broken up all travel. Hezekiah’s ambassadors came home weeping. Then Sennacherib sent an army against Jerusalem to enforce his demands, but Rabshakeh, though skilful in speech, failed to get the keys to Jerusalem. He returned to Sennacherib whose army was visited by Jehovah and destroyed. Sennacherib returned to his own land and was smitten while worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god.

In Isa 33:1-6 we have the woe pronounced against the destroyer, showing his destruction, at which he would cease dealing treacherously. Then follows a prayer by the prophet to Jehovah in which he exalts Jehovah as the God of their salvation and the destroyer of the enemy. In this exaltation of Jehovah the prophet gets a glimpse of glorified Zion, filled with righteousness and justice, a city of stability and abounding in salvation, wisdom, knowledge, and the fear of Jehovah. Thus be gives the general outlines of the things which are to follow. In Isa 33:7-12 we have the particulars of what the prophet has just stated in general, viz: the shouting of the enemy without, the weeping of Hezekiah’s ambassadors, the waste and desertion of the highways, Sennacherib’s disregard of his covenant and his spoiling of the cities, the languishing of the land, specifying the destructive work of the Assyrian army, at which point he presents Jehovah as rousing himself, delivering his people and disposing of the enemy, as thorns cast into the fire.

In Isa 33:13-16 is a description of the effects of this intervention of Jehovah, upon the sinners and the citizens of Zion in which the prophet again leaps upon the messianic heights to show us the characteristics of a true citizen of the New Jerusalem, whose everlasting dwelling place is with Jehovah.

In Isa 33:17-24 the prophet assures us that, in that glorious state, we shall see the King in his beauty, we shall behold a universal kingdom, whose inhabitants shall muse on the days of terror and their triumphs over their many adversaries. Then he invites them to look upon Zion and contemplate her security, her king, her broad streams, her feasts and her inhabitants, who are never sick, but are in the joy of the fellowship of their majestic Lord, who reigns forever and ever.

The characteristics here given by the prophet of a true citizen of Zion are very similar to those given by the psalmist in Psa 15 . This true citizen is herein described as righteous, upright in speech, hating oppression, rejecting bribes, stopping his ear to murderous suggestions, and closing his eyes to sinful sights, a blessed ideal yet to be realized. How different now! We are vexed in our righteous souls to behold the unrighteousness, the prevarication, the oppression, the graft, the murders and sinful sights in the present order of things. But this must give way to the principles of the majestic and beautiful king who will reign forever in justice and righteousness.

QUESTIONS

1. What is the section, Isaiah 28-33, called in our outline and what the date?

2. What is the difference in the character of this and the preceding section?

3. What arethe conditions under which this prophecy was delivered, what Isaiah’s task and how did he meet it?

4. What is the key word which marks the natural divisions of this section and what the divisions thus marked?

5. Give a brief synopsis of Isa 28 , showing its interpretation.

6. What are two passages of this chapter are quoted in the New Testament, what use made of them in each case and what use may be made of verse 20 as touching the plan of salvation?

7. Give a brief synopsis of Isa 29 , showing its interpretation.

8. What is the fulfilment of Isa 29:1-8 and what the best poetic description of the destruction of Sennacherib’s army?

9. What two passages quoted from this chapter in the New Testament, and what use made of them there?

10. Give a brief statement of Isa 30 with the important points of interpretation.

11. What is the meaning of Isa 30:33 ?

12. What is the nature of Isa 31 and what the points contained therein?

13. What is the nature of Isa 32 , what in genera] its contents, how does the ideal set forth correspond with present conditions and what the ideal state herein contemplated?

14. What is the influence that prepares for this ideal and what its importance?

15. What is the first blessing of the Spirit herein specified?

16. What is the general condition now respecting moral and spiritual vision and the lesson of Peter on this point?

17. What is the second effect of the outpoured Spirit and what the importance of it? Illustrate.

18. What is the third blessing of the Spirit and what its importance? Illustrate.

19. What is the fourth blessing of the Spirit and what its importance? Illustrate.

20. What is the fifth blessing of the Spirit? Explain and illustrate.

21. What is the sixth blessing of the Spirit and what its importance?

22. What is the nature and contents of Isa 33 ?

23. What is the historical setting of this chapter?

24. Show the progress of this prophecy from the local conditions to the broader mesaianic phases of the kingdom.

25. What are the characteristics, here given by the prophet, of a true citizen of Zion?

Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible

Isa 31:1 Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because [they are] many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!

Ver. 1. Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help. ] The prophet saw them set upon it to send down to Egypt; he therefore addeth another woe to such refractories, and layeth before them more reasons to dissuade them from doing so: a good precedent for preachers. Oecolampadius rendereth it, O descendentes, O ye that go down to Egypt, &c. Oh ye are a wise company of you, and full well ye have done it!

But they look not to the Holy One of Israel. ] They trust not God at all, that not alone. He that stands with one foot on a rock, and another foot upon a quicksand, will sink and perish as certainly as he that stands with both feet on a quicksand. See Psa 62:5-6 .

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Isaiah Chapter 31

The chapter now coming before us is a brief moral comment on, or a compressed rehearsal of Isa 30 . “Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help, and stay on horses; and trust in chariots, because [they are] many, and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek Jehovah!” (v. 1). How touchingly the prophet warns of the danger through Egypt as defection from Jehovah! “But he also [is] wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back his words [which Israel vainly would escape], and he will arise against the house of the evildoers [Israelitish or not] and against the help of them that work iniquity. Now the Egyptians [are] men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit: and Jehovah shall stretch out his hand, and he that helpeth shall stumble, and he that is helped shall fall, and they all shall perish together” (vv. 2, 3).

Jehovah’s protection over the righteous would be proved in the day when He judged the helpers and the helped. Their material resources were great, their political wisdom famous; but where were they in that which is highest and alone enduring? The true God was in none of their thoughts. They were the most besotted of creature-worshippers. From Zion, not heaven only, He will deal. It is the day of open intervention here anticipated. “For thus saith Jehovah unto me, Like as the lion growleth, and the young lion over his prey, if a multitude of shepherds be called forth against him, he will not be dismayed at their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so will Jehovah of hosts come down to war upon mount Zion, and upon the hill thereof. As birds hovering, so will Jehovah of hosts cover Jerusalem: covering he will also deliver, [and] passing over, he will rescue [it]. Turn ye unto [him from] whom, O children of Israel, ye have deeply revolted. For in that day every may shall cast away his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which your own hands have made unto you [for] a sin. And the Assyrian shall fall with the sword, not of a mighty man; and the sword, not of a mean man, shall devour him; and he shall flee from the sword, and his young men shall become tributary. And his rock shall pass away by reason of fear, and his princes shall be dismayed at the ensign, saith Jehovah, whose fire [is] in Zion. and his furnace in Jerusalem” (vv.4-9).

The commentators naturally are perplexed who look not beyond Sennacherib; for though his host was smitten by the angel of Jehovah, and this might in some measure meet the prediction, there are strong expressions which can never be satisfied, short of the great enemy at the close. Then only will be felt the force of Tophet; then only will be seen the ensign of the Divine presence and power which protects Zion and Jerusalem.

For what can be plainer than the assurance that Jehovah will in very deed appear for the deliverance of His people? Whatever has been in the past is but a pledge of the coming glory. We know as a fact that Judah did not hear any more than Israel as a whole; and that as in Christendom, so among the Jews thenceforward evil men and seducers waxed worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. Bright exceptions there were now and then; and faith working by love is never without honour from God, and fruit among men. But the general issue of old, as now, is the same sad and at times rapid and audacious declension. But the time of ultimate blessing is all the more sure. For the Lord will come quickly to receive His heavenly redeemed, and this will but give the utmost impulse to Satan’s wiles and apparent victory on earth, when those who stood most opposed in the Spirit are taken out of the way, and God works in a remnant of both Israel and the nations for the kingdom soon to be displayed. Only in Isa 31 we must hold fast that it is not a question of Antichrist sustained by the Beast or Western Empire, but of the external chief of the nations hostile to the people and their land – the Assyrian. He is not to be destroyed, like the Beast and the False Prophet by the Lord’s shining forth from heaven, but by His going forth and fighting against those nations as when He fought in the day of battle. His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives. (Zec 14 ) He will then deign to be in relationship with His people; of which His King set on His holy hill of Zion is the token and the glory.

Fuente: William Kelly Major Works (New Testament)

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Isa 31:1-3

1Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help

And rely on horses,

And trust in chariots because they are many

And in horsemen because they are very strong,

But they do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the LORD!

2Yet He also is wise and will bring disaster

And does not retract His words,

But will arise against the house of evildoers

And against the help of the workers of iniquity.

3Now the Egyptians are men and not God,

And their horses are flesh and not spirit;

So the LORD will stretch out His hand,

And he who helps will stumble

And he who is helped will fall,

And all of them will come to an end together.

Isa 31:1 Woe This is the fifth in a series of woes that began in Isa 28:1; Isa 29:1; Isa 29:15; Isa 30:1; Isa 31:1; Isa 33:1. The term introduces the poetic meter of a funeral lament. See note at Isa 5:8.

who go down to Egypt for help The people of God were attempting to trust (BDB 105, KB 120, see Special Topic at Isa 22:23) in political alliances instead of the power, presence, and promises of YHWH for their help (cf. chapters 28-34).

horses. . .chariots. . .horsemen The Assyrians were known for their very large cavalry. Egypt was known for her very large contingent of chariots. Judah was afraid of the Assyrians and was trusting in Egypt instead of God. Humans of all ages must be careful of trusting in the current level of technology or numerical superiority instead of the God of creation and mercy.

chariots Egypt exported chariots to all the surrounding countries (cf. 1Ki 10:29), but they could be effective only on flat land, not the hill country of Judah. See Special Topic: Chariots .

the Holy One of Israel. . .the LORD These two terms apply to the Covenant God (cf. Isa 1:4). The first refers to His nature as righteous, yet the God that calls sinful humans to be His children.

The second term is the Covenant name for God, YHWH (cf. Exo 3:14). See Special Topic: NAMES FOR DEITY and Special Topic: The Holy One .

look. . .seek Both of these VERBS are NEGATED Qal PERFECTS, which denotes a settled condition.

1. look (lit. to gaze at intently), BDB 1043, KB 1609, cf. Isa 17:7-8

2. seek, BDB 205, KB 233, cf. Isa 9:13; Isa 55:6; Isa 58:2; Isa 65:10

These VERBS denote an intense personal element (cf. Dan 9:13).

Isa 31:2 He also is wise and will bring disaster The NET Bible sees this as a sarcastic comment about Judah’s advisors who are seeking help from Egypt. However, the whole verse, not just the last two lines, speaks of YHWH.

And does not retract His words When God speaks, His words can be depended on (cf. Isa 45:23; Isa 55:11; Jer 44:29).

will arise This VERB (BDB 877, KB 1086, Qal PERFECT) is used anthropomorphically of YHWH rising from His throne to do battle on behalf of His people (cf. Isa 14:22) or against His people (cf. Amo 7:9). See Special Topic: Anthropomorphic Language Used for God .

the house of evil-doers. . .the workers of iniquity These two phrases refer to Judah (i.e., he who is helped, Isa 31:3 e) and her political alliances (i.e., Egypt, he who helps, Isa 31:3 d).

Isa 31:3 This is a comparison between the frailty of human beings and the eternality of God (El). Specifically here it may refer to Exo 14:26-31 a.

This verse also clearly contrasts God (El) with flesh. God is spirit (cf. Joh 4:24). He can take a human form (theophany), but He is spirit and dwells throughout his creation (cf. 1Ki 8:27; Jer 23:24). He chooses to fellowship with humble, repentant believers (i.e., Isa 66:1-2).

the LORD will stretch out His hand This is an anthropomorphic idiom of God’s actions. See Special Topic: Anthropomorphic Language Used for God .

all of them will come to an end together This VERB (BDB 477, KB 476, Qal IMPERFECT) denotes a complete destruction and end (cf. Isa 1:28; Isa 16:4; Isa 29:20). What looks powerful and long lasting is not! This is similar to the common proverb about the transitoriness of humans as grass (cf. Isa 40:6-8; Psa 90:5-6; Psa 103:15; Psa 104:14; Jas 1:10-11; 1Pe 1:24).

Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley

Woe. The fourth of the six woes.

down. It is always “down” to Egypt, geographically and morally.

trust = confide. Hebrew. batah. App-69.

the Holy One of Israel. See note on Isa 1:4. Psa 71:22.

neither seek the LORD. Compare Isa 30:2. Reference to Pentateuch (Deu 17:16). App-92.

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah.(with ‘eth). App-4.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

Shall we turn in our Bibles to Isa 31:1-9 .

Now as a backdrop to these scriptures in Isa 31:1-9 is the impending invasion of Assyria. Assyria is the world-conquering power at the moment. Assyria has destroyed the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Assyria has destroyed Syria; has conquered over Babylon. And now the Assyrian troops are moving in a massive invasion of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Having taken some of the cities of Judah already. And there is pressure against Hezekiah and the pressure groups are seeking to have him to make an alliance with Egypt and to go down to Egypt and seek the help of the Egyptians against this Assyrian invasion. And so Isaiah is saying, “No, your strength is in standing still and doing nothing. God is going to deliver you from the hand of the Assyrian. Don’t trust in the arm of flesh; trust in the Lord.” And so as a backdrop to this is this pressure group that is moving towards an alliance with Egypt to withstand this Assyrian invasion. So Isaiah says,

Woe unto them that go down to Egypt for help; who would trust on horses, and in chariots [for help], because they have many of them; and in the horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD! ( Isa 31:1 )

So he is pronouncing a woe upon them that would be seeking the help from men and not seeking the help of God. Now for some strange reason, it seems that we always turn to God as a last resort. It seems like the very natural thing for us to do in a crisis is to turn to the arm of flesh. To try to figure out how to work things up and turning to the arm of flesh, turning to our friends and all, trying to get support for our cause, instead of turning to the Lord and seeking the help of the Lord. So he pronounces woe on them who are ready to look to Egypt for help, to depend and trust in their chariots and in their horsemen, who do not look to the Lord for their help.

May that be a real lesson to us. May we learn to trust in the Lord. For, “It’s better to put your trust in the Lord than your confidence in man. It’s better to put your trust in the Lord than your confidence in princes” ( Psa 118:8-9 ).

Yet he also is wise, he will bring evil, he will not call back his words: but will arise against the house of the evildoers, and against the help of them that work iniquity. Now the Egyptians are men, they’re not God; their horses are flesh, they’re not spirit. When the LORD shall stretch out his hand, both he that helps shall fall, and he that is helped shall fall down, and they shall fail together ( Isa 31:2-3 ).

Don’t trust in the arm of Egypt. They’re only flesh. They’re not God. They’re only men. Their horses are flesh, not spirit. The greater strength, the greater help is in the Spirit of God, for God is able when He stretches out His hand to do the job completely.

For thus hath the LORD spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the LORD of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof ( Isa 31:4 ).

Now, trust in the Lord; don’t trust in the Egyptians. Put your trust in God. For God is going to come down. And like a crouching lion on his prey.

Now when a lion would grab one of the sheep out of the flock, it would crouch upon its prey and the shepherds would, all of them, come around and they would start yelling and making a lot of noise and all and they would try to scare the lion off. They would try to get the thing all frightened and scared off by just yelling, make a lot of noise and all. But the Lord said, “Like a lion that is on his prey, and though the multitude of shepherds make a lot of racket, he’s not going to move. He’s going to hang on to it.” So the Lord is going to come down. And He’s going to fight for Zion. God is going to defend the people. You don’t have to depend upon the arm of flesh. We sing the song, “The arm of flesh will fail you. Ye dare not trust your own. Put on the royal armor.”

Now here is an interesting little verse, verse Isa 31:5 . And as we have noticed in prophecy, so many times there is a dual fulfillment of prophecy, or so many times there’ll just be… He’ll be talking about a local situation, and this particular situation is the impending invasion of Assyria and don’t go to Egypt. Trust in the Lord for your help. And he’s talking about the local situation. But now we get this interesting little verse, verse Isa 31:5 . And this is typical of so many prophecies. Suddenly it will jump way on out and be speaking of a future event that is totally unrelated to the particular local scene.

Or it could be relating to the local scene and yet have a fulfillment in the future. And you’ll notice this many places through the prophecies of the Old Testament, because these men wrote things that they did not understand. In the New Testament it said that these prophets really desired earnestly to look into these things but they were hid from their eyes. They didn’t really understand. They only wrote as God inspired them. Not always understanding what they were saying.

Now when in the New Testament you have many times an exposition from a remote prophecy of the Old Testament. There is a psalm that talks about “He shall fall and let another take his bishopric,” and it goes on. And Peter picked up this one little verse of this psalm and he says it was referring to Judas Iscariot. That he by transgression would fall and it would be necessary for another one to take his bishopric. So let’s choose one to take the place of Judas Iscariot. And yet, if you would read the psalm, in just reading the psalm you wouldn’t see where that related.

Reading in the scriptures, the prophecy concerning, “he shall bring him out of Egypt.” In the New Testament, Matthew said that that was referring to the flight of Joseph and Mary to Egypt. Now you read that in the Old Testament and it’s hard to pick out. But yet, inspired by the Holy Spirit the commentaries of the New Testament help us to understand the prophecies of old. I believe that this is possibly one of those little prophecies that are just nuggets here; that they’re just thrown in and had a future fulfillment.

For in 1917, when the Turks were holding the city of Jerusalem, General Allenby came with the British troops and they had set up their artillery around Jerusalem and were planning an artillery barrage to weaken the defenses of the Turks within the city before they made their assault against Jerusalem. Because there were many holy sites in the old city of Jerusalem, General Allenby wanted to be careful in the directing of the artillery that he would only direct it as much as possible against the Turkish positions. He did not want to just a wholesale destruction of the old city because you would lose priceless monuments, buildings and all of the past. So he ordered some planes to fly over Jerusalem to observe where the Turkish military locations were in order that they might direct their artillery against the Turkish defenses. When these planes came over, the Turkish captain who was in charge of the garrison ordered that Jerusalem be evacuated by the Turkish troops. He thought that Allenby was going to actually begin to bomb their positions in the city. And so they evacuated from Jerusalem and Allenby was able to go in and take the city of Jerusalem without firing any artillery rounds, without destroying any of the ancient sites, and the city was spared the artillery bombardment as the result of these airplane, the reconnaissance planes that he sent overhead.

Now in the light of that historic background from 1917, you read this particular verse in Isaiah and it stands out very interesting.

As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it ( Isa 31:5 ).

The city of Jerusalem was preserved from the destruction of the artillery bombardment of the British troops in 1917 because of these planes, the reconnaissance planes that struck actually terror and fear in the heart of the Turkish garrison leader. So it’s interesting how that here in the midst of his prophecy concerning Assyria that he puts in this little nugget and that in 1917, whether or not it was intended to be a prophecy concerning that, yet it was so aptly fulfilled in 1917 when General Allenby took Jerusalem from the Turks.

Turn ye unto him from whom the children of Israel have deeply revolted ( Isa 31:6 ).

Now the cry of the prophet to turn to God. “You’ve revolted against God, but He will defend. He will be your defense.”

For in that day every man shall cast away his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which your own hands have made unto you for a sin ( Isa 31:7 ).

They had created their own little gods. They have turned to idolatry. The thing that God had forbidden they indulged in. So it speaks of the reformation of the people.

Then shall the Assyrian fall with the sword, not of a mighty man; and the sword, not of a mean man, shall devour him: but he shall flee from the sword, and his young men shall be discomfited. And he shall pass over to his stronghold for fear, and his princes shall be afraid of the ensign, saith the LORD, whose fire is in Zion, and his furnace is in Jerusalem ( Isa 31:8-9 ).

So here Isaiah is, of course, predicting that God is going to destroy these Assyrians and that they don’t need to go down to Egypt or to depend upon the Egyptians for help. But that in reality, the Lord will destroy them. But not with the sword of man, but God Himself is going to destroy them.

Now it is important for understanding of the prophecy of Isaiah to really put it in its historic setting. And so as a background to this area, you should be reading Second Kings again beginning with chapter 17 probably, which begins with the destruction of the Northern Kingdom by Assyria. And then eighteen which begins with the reign of Hezekiah. And then the threats from the Assyrians, Sennacherib sending his threats against Hezekiah and so forth.

In the nineteenth chapter, verse 2Ki 19:35 of Second Kings we read, “And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went out and smote in the camp of the Assyrians 185,000: and when the people in Jerusalem arose early in the morning, behold, they looked out and they were all dead corpses. And Sennacherib the king of Assyria departed, and he returned, and he dwelt in Nineveh. And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead” ( 2Ki 19:35-37 ).

So here the prophecy of Isaiah before it happened. And, of course, then in Second Kings you can read of how this prophecy was fulfilled. The Assyrians fell, but not with the sword of a mighty man but with the sword of an angel of the Lord who in the one night destroyed 185,000.

Now brings up the subject of angels, which were created before man, which are a special class of creation. They are spiritual beings. They have the capacity of taking on a physical form. And in the Old Testament many times angels would take on physical forms. And we read where Abraham talked to the angel of the Lord. The angel of the Lord appeared unto Gideon at the threshingfloor. The angel of the Lord appeared unto Samson’s mother. And many times the angels appeared to people in the Old Testament.

Also in the New Testament. When Peter was in prison, about midnight an angel of the Lord woke him up and said, “Put your sandals on and follow me.” And Peter tied his sandals on his feet and followed the angels as the doors of the prison opened of their own accord. And the angel led Peter out of the prison and then disappeared. Paul the apostle spoke to the people, “Be of good cheer,” when they were on a boat and were expecting to be shipwrecked and were soon to be shipwrecked. “Be of good cheer, for last night an angel of the Lord stood by me and assured me that though the boat was going to be destroyed, there wouldn’t be a loss of life” ( Act 27:22-23 ).

And so the Old Testament speaks of the angels and said, “He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all of thy ways. To bear thee up, lest at any time you dash your foot against the stone” ( Psa 91:11-12 ).

So some way God has placed angels and given them the responsibility of watching over you as a child of God. In Hebrews we read concerning the angels, “Are they not all of them ministering spirits who have been sent for to minister to those who are the heirs of salvation?” ( Heb 1:14 ) Satan at one time was an angel of God. He rebelled against the authority of God. There are indications that when Satan rebelled, that a third of the angels in heaven rebelled with him. In Revelation chapter 13 or chapter 12, he saw the dragon, and with his tail he drew a third part of the stars of heaven. The stars of heaven is an appellation for angels many times. So there is the concept that Satan drew a third part of the angels in his rebellion against God.

They are spirit beings. They remain to us today much of a mystery. But many otherwise unaccountable phenomena can be explained by the presence or power of angels. Things that we cannot understand. Interesting type of phenomena. I think that much of the psychic phenomena is in the realm of spiritism and is in the realm of angels, not necessarily the angels of God but those that have fallen with Satan from God. Now when the angels fell, because they rebelled against the authority of God and followed Satan, God prepared a place where they are ultimately to be incarcerated.

There is also a place of temporary incarceration known as the abusso in Greek, translated many times “the pit” or “the bottomless pit.” But their place of final incarceration is Gehenna, which Jesus described as being outer darkness. Probably out in space beyond the light of the farthest galaxy. And Jesus declares that in the day when He comes back to the earth to judge the earth, He will say to certain of those who are upon the earth, those who have received the mark of the beast, those who have worshipped the false messiah, He will say unto them, “Depart from Me, ye workers of iniquity.” Into Gehenna that was prepared for Satan and his angels. And so Gehenna, even though it was prepared by God for Satan and his angels, those who have chosen to follow Satan will also be consigned to that same place of judgment.

And so, “The angel of the Lord,” the Bible says, “encamps about the righteous” ( Psa 34:7 ). “His ear is open to their cry” ( Psa 34:15 ). And yet, we are not to pray to angels. Let no man deceive you concerning a false sense of humility by praying to angels. We are not to worship angels. When John tried to bow down to the angel that was giving him the revelation, he said, “Stand up, I’m a man just like you are. I’m in the same class as you are. I’m just a servant of God. Don’t worship me, worship God.”

Most of the time at the appearance of the angels to men, the effect upon men was that of fear. And so they were always saying, “Fear not.” Two of the extraordinary angels seem to be Gabriel and Michael. Michael is called that strong prince. Gabriel it seems was in charge of the arrangements for the birth of Christ. Gabriel appeared to John the Baptist’s father Zacharias. He also appeared to Mary to announce to Mary the fact that she was to be the mother of the Christ child. He appeared 600 years earlier to Daniel. Gave unto Daniel the prophecy by which the day that the Messiah would come was prophesied.

So they are interesting beings. They surround the throne of God. There is one class of angels known as the cherubim who surround the throne of God, cease not day or night saying, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty.” It will be very interesting and fascinating for us to discover the facets of these angels when we get to heaven. Our knowledge of them at the present time is very limited. But yet the Bible speaks of them and even tells us to be careful to entertain strangers. You never know but what you might be entertaining an angel without knowing it.

So the Assyrians were destroyed by one angel. A hundred and eighty-five thousand of them. So they are very powerful beings in ratio to man. Who can withstand a spirit being? An angel of the Lord. Brings up an interesting thought. When Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane and Peter pulled out his sword and began to swing away, cutting off the ear of Malchus the servant of the high priest, and Jesus picked up the ear and put it back on and said to Peter, “Put your sword away, Peter.” He said, “Don’t you realize that if I wanted to at this moment I could call for ten thousand angels to deliver Me out of their hands? I don’t need your help, Peter.”

So oftentimes we think God needs our help, don’t we? Now let’s help out the Lord. The Lord says, “Hey, Peter, I don’t need your help. I could call for ten thousand angels to deliver Me.” Now if one angel smote 185,000 Assyrians in one night, can you imagine what a legion, ten thousand angels, could do? Now that’s why when God speaks of this coming situation with Russia and you think, “Oh, how could Israel ever withstand Russia and all,” you don’t have to worry about Israel, because God is going to set His forces and His power to work against the invaders. And it’s just… it will be a time of great awakening as people awake to the realization of God. “

Fuente: Through the Bible Commentary

Isa 31:1-3

Isa 31:1

This chapter might be entitled “More of the Same”; but there are some significant differences. Jehovah appears in this chapter as a lion defending his prey (Jerusalem) against false shepherds; and the idols of the people are discarded as, at last, they “trust in God” when the armies of Sennacherib are actually deployed around the city. As Barnes expressed it: “It is evident that this chapter is composed at about the same time as the preceding, and relates to the same subject. The changes just mentioned are sufficient grounds for understanding it as somewhat later than that of preceding chapters. Of course, the critics promptly make a “post eventum” prophecy out of it because they are blinded by unreasonable infidel rules followed in most seminaries. As often observed in this series of studies, “No unbeliever will ever be able properly to interpret the Bible.”

Isa 31:1

“Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses, and trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because they are very strong, but they look not to the Holy One of Israel, neither seek Jehovah.”

Many things should have convinced the Jews of the fallacy of trusting in Egypt for anything. They had, throughout the history of Israel, been their bitterest and most cruel enemies. Also, as Rawlinson noted, “The examples of Samaria, Gaza, and Ashdod might well have taught them the lesson of distrusting Egypt … But they were infatuated and insisted upon relying on Egypt despite her previous failures to provide aid.

Isa 31:2

“Yet he also is wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back his words, but will arise against the house of the evil-doers, and against the help of them that work iniquity.”

“He also is wise …” (Isa 31:2). This is a sarcastic remark, roughly equivalent to this, “Well, perhaps you wise men should remember that God also has some intelligence.” Furthermore, God will not have to revise what he says every time the situation changes! “This is intense irony. Wisdom is not wholly confined to Hezekiah’s evil human counselors!

“And not call back his words …” (Isa 31:2). Such a statement may seem to contradict such passages as that in Jonah where it is stated that “God repented of the evil that he said he would do unto them and did it not” (Jon 3:10). Clarkson’s comment on this was correct when he declared that, “There is always a reservation understood, whether stated or not, with regard to every Divine promise and every Divine threat. This was the very thing that kindled the anger of Jonah against the Lord; and many people today don’t like it, but Jeremiah spelled it out beautifully in Jer 18:7-10.

Isa 31:3

“Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses are flesh, and not spirit: and when Jehovah shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall stumble, and he that is helped shall fall, and they all shall be consumed together.”

The New Testament use of the word “flesh” for the lower element in human life does not appear in this passage. “It is the weak and mortal in contrast with the immortal and omnipotent, which is stressed here.

Kelley called this, “One of the truly great texts of the Old Testament. It puts the children of God up against a very simple test. The brute strength and material power of Egypt in contrast with the eternal, spiritual power of the Almighty God. It must be one or the other! To choose material rather than spiritual power is failure.

Just at this point, there seems to have been a change in the strategy of the Assyrians. Hezekiah had evidently expected that Assyria would attack Jerusalem “on the way to” the destruction of Egypt and Ethiopia; but it appears that the attack came “on the way back to Assyria,” after the defeat of Egypt in the battle of Eltekeh, a site some forty miles southwest of Jerusalem, but a battle in which Egypt apparently participated. There had to be some good reason why the Jews of Jerusalem discarded their idols; and, although Isaiah’s preaching certainly had a lot to do with the change, the disaster at Eltekeh could also have had something to do with it. Barnes commented thus:

“The whole narrative respecting the invasion of Sennacherib would lead to the conclusion that, at first, Hezekiah himself joined in the purpose of seeking that alliance with Egypt, but that afterward he was led to abandon it, and to use all his influence to induce his people to rely upon aid from God.

Isa 31:1-3 FEEBLENESS OF EGYPT: The flatness and scarcity of trees in the land of Egypt made it ideal for vast armies of horses and chariots. Classical writers attest to the abundance of horses in Egypt as well as the bas reliefs on ancient Egyptian ruins. Chariots were as awesome against foot soldiers then as tanks and armored vehicles are today. Egypt, with thousands of horses and chariots, would appear to Judah as invincible. Isaiah continues his warning in the strongest and plainest language possible against turning away from Jehovah and seeking help in pagan Egypt.

Judah thinks she is wise in trying to get help from Egypt. But Jehovah is also wise. He is wise enough to know what evil is-going to Egypt; He is wise enough to know who the evil-doers are-Judah; He is wise enough to bring woe upon the evil-doers to try to turn them from their evil; He is wise enough that He never needs to retract His words! God always abides by what He has spoken. He always speaks with full knowledge and perfect foreknowledge (cf. Num 23:19, etc.).

The prophet may have put some irony or sarcasm into his tone when he spoke these words, Now the Egyptians are men, and not God. . . . The great war machine of the Egyptians and all their riches made them appear invincible to tiny Judah. However, Judah is reminded, the Egyptians are merely men-not God. They are not invincible. One is reminded of the people of the Roman empire of the first and second centuries. In that day the whole earth wondered after the beast (the Roman emperor), and they made images of the beast and worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? and who is able to war with him? But the apostle John, author of the Revelation to the churches of Asia Minor, told the church that the beast was not invincible-in fact John said he had the beasts number; it was 666, the number of a man. The beast is not invincible, he is human! (cf. Rev 13:1-18). Isaiah said, Egypt is not God, but man!

The Hebrew word ruahk translated spirit is also translated wind and symbolizes the mighty penetrating power of the Invisible God. The horses and horsemen of the Egyptians are flesh, subject to all the feebleness of flesh, and not spirit! Spirit is a synonym for power. God is all power. When He stretches out His hand they will see power like their forefathers witnessed at the parting of the Red Sea and the drowning of the Egyptian army. There may be a veiled reference here to that great wonder of the past. This time, both Egypt (he that helpeth) and the rebellious Israelites (he that is helped) shall fall, and they shall all be consumed together.

Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary

The prophet again denounces the alliance with Egypt. He declares that the sin of it is a false trust consequent on the chosen people tuning their back on Jehovah. The folly of it is manifest in the fact that all their plotting cannot circumvent Jehovah, who is wise, and will certainly proceed against the workers of iniquity.

He then describes the attitude of Jehovah, first as One in whose power the people are as surely as is the prey in the grasp of the lion, and yet He is determined to protect, to deliver, to preserve Jerusalem. In view of this revelation of the divine attitude the prophet appeals to the people to turn again to Him from whom they had revolted. He anticipates their obedience, and describes how in the day of their return they will cast away their idols. This is their true policy, for when they do this, the Assyrian will fall, not by the sword of man, but by the act of Jehovah.

Fuente: An Exposition on the Whole Bible

a Nobler Future for the Nation

Isa 31:1-9; Isa 32:1-8

Isaiah continues to denounce the contemplated alliance with Egypt. His compatriots put their trust in horses and chariots, and refused the help of their fathers God. Yet was He not so wise as the Egyptians, and equally as strong! And were they not running a fearful risk in rejecting One who would not recall His words of threatened punishment to those who refused His help? At best, the Egyptians were men, and not God, and their cavalry, flesh. If only they would trust Him, God would defy their foes, as a lion defies a company of unarmed shepherds, Isa 31:4. The mother-bird hovers over her brood to protect it from the kestrel; so would He spread His covering wing over Jerusalem, Isa 31:5. We may have deeply revolted, yet we may turn back to God with the certainty that He will receive and rescue us, Isa 31:6.

Sennacherib fell by the sword of his sons. Compare Isa 32:8 with 2Ki 19:36-37. How different is our glorious King, whose many-sided nature meets all our needs! Isa 32:2. Before Him all men are unveiled in their true characters. Only those who are royal in heart shall stand before Him, Isa 31:8.

Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary

EXPOSITORY NOTES ON

THE PROPHET ISAIAH

By

Harry A. Ironside, Litt.D.

Copyright @ 1952

edited for 3BSB by Baptist Bible Believer in the spirit of the Colportage ministry of a century ago

ISAIAH CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

REMONSTRANCE WITH PROMISE OF FUTURE BLESSING

IT SEEMS evident that the message of the previous chapter made little or no impression upon the king and the nobles of Judah. Therefore, the Lord again sent His servant, Isaiah, to warn them against the folly of still looking to Egypt for help, and so we have the fifth woe, which is practically the same in character as the fourth, already considered.

“Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord! Yet he also is wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back his words: but will arise against the house of the evildoers, and against the help of them that work iniquity” (verses 1, 2).

With a stinging rebuke, the Lord reproves those who in the time of national danger turn to Egypt for help instead of looking to Him who had of old brought them forth triumphantly out of Egypt and had given them His holy covenant, promising blessing and deliverance so long as they walked in obedience to His Word. This they failed to do, and so when emergencies arose, they sought help from that power which had formerly enslaved them, and which, as we know, speaks to us typically of the world from which CHRIST delivered us by giving Himself for us on the Cross. For a Christian today to turn back to that world, rather than to depend on the living GOD, is to dishonor the name of Him who has thus redeemed us to Himself. He has promised never to fail the soul that trusts Him, but we all know how easy it is to forget this when difficulties arise which seem to put us in jeopardy, and so in our desperation we seek help where it is not to be found instead of turning directly to Him who has said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Whether He speaks in grace or in judgment, He will never go back on His word, but this we are slow to believe, often fancying in our folly that He will be better than His word or fearing that He may not carry out His promises of blessing. His faithfulness abides whether we believe it or not.

“Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the Lord shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and they all shall fall together” (verse 3).

We are told elsewhere, “It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing.” To Israel, Egypt seemed to speak of great strength and power which if acting on their behalf would meet the opposition of the Assyrian and effectually prevent his taking possession of Jerusalem and the land of Judah. But their hopes were vain, for only in GOD was true power to be found and the Egyptians knew Him not nor did GOD recognize them as His direct agents at this time. For the people of Judah to put their dependence upon Egypt was to make the mistake of supposing that the arm of flesh could save. By so doing they ignored the arm of the Lord which was mighty in power. Egyptian cavalry might make a brave showing, but their horses were flesh and not spirit, therefore not to be depended on in the day of battle.

“For thus hath the Lord spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the Lord of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof. As birds flying, so will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it” (verses 4, 5).

While the Assyrian armies seemed almost invulnerable and, therefore, the help of Egypt appeared to be necessary, the Lord Himself still had His people in mind and would soon demonstrate His omnipotence in the destruction of the mighty host that came up against Jerusalem. Undoubtedly the prophecy referred directly to that of which we read later on when the army of Sennacherib was destroyed in a night, and that not by weapons of war but by the breath of the Lord. A greater fulfillment will take place in the future when GOD will arise to destroy all who come up against Jerusalem in the last days.

The hosts of all nations will, as we know, be gathered together against that devoted city, but when it appears as though all hope is gone, the Lord will arise in His might and go forth to fight against them as when He fought in the day of battle. When He shall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire, taking vengeance on those who know not GOD, the enemies of Israel will melt away at His presence and their leaders be dealt with in summary judgment.

In view of this, the Lord again calls upon His people to turn to Him in repentance, acknowledging their sins and putting away all their graven images and turning from all idolatrous practices.

“Turn ye unto him from whom the children of Israel have deeply revolted. For in that day every man shall cast away his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which your own hands have made unto you for a sin. Then shall the Assyrian fall with the sword, not of a mighty man; and the sword, not of a mean man, shall devour him: but he shall flee from the sword, and his young men shall be discomfited. And he shall pass over to his strong hold for fear, and his princes shall be afraid of the ensign, saith the Lord, whose fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem” (verses 6-9).

When Judah shall thus turn to the Lord and do works meet for repentance by cleansing the land of all their evil practices, GOD Himself will act on their behalf, and the enemy whose power

they dreaded will become subservient to them, recognizing them as the chosen of the Lord.

Instead of hating or despising them and seeking their ruin, the Gentile powers will acknowledge them as the favored of the Lord and will seek their favor, as many other scriptures testify.

~ end of chapter 31 ~

http://www.baptistbiblebelievers.com/

***

Fuente: Commentaries on the New Testament and Prophets

CHAPTER 31

The Fifth Woe Against Them that Go Down to Egypt

1. The Egyptian Alliance condemned again (Isa 31:1-3) 2. Jehovah promises to deliver Jerusalem (Isa 31:4-9) All looks forward towards the future. It is Jerusalems glorious future. The Lord will deliver it; He will preserve it (Isa 31:5).

Fuente: Gaebelein’s Annotated Bible (Commentary)

trust

(See Scofield “Psa 2:12”)

Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes

to them: Isa 30:1-7, Isa 36:6, Isa 57:9, Eze 17:15, Hos 11:5

stay on horses: Isa 30:16, Isa 36:9, Deu 17:16, Psa 20:7, Psa 33:16, Psa 33:17, the look, Isa 5:12, Isa 17:7, Isa 17:8, Isa 22:11, 2Ch 16:7, Jer 2:13, Jer 17:5, Hos 14:3

neither: Isa 9:13, Isa 64:7, Dan 9:13, Hos 7:7, Hos 7:13-16, Amo 5:4-8

Reciprocal: Gen 47:17 – for horses Deu 20:1 – horses Jos 11:6 – horses 1Ki 10:28 – horses brought 1Ki 15:19 – There is a league 2Ki 7:6 – the kings of the Egyptians 2Ki 17:4 – king of Egypt 2Ki 18:21 – upon Egypt 2Ki 18:24 – thy trust 2Ch 9:28 – brought 2Ch 16:3 – a league Job 39:11 – trust Psa 91:11 – in all Psa 118:9 – than to put Psa 147:10 – delighteth Pro 21:31 – horse Son 1:9 – to a Isa 2:7 – their land is Isa 7:18 – fly Isa 10:3 – to whom Isa 18:1 – the land Isa 20:6 – whither Isa 26:3 – stayed Isa 30:2 – walk Isa 30:5 – General Isa 30:7 – the Egyptians Isa 30:12 – Because Jer 2:16 – Also the Jer 2:18 – what hast Jer 2:36 – thou also shalt Jer 12:13 – put Jer 21:12 – Execute Jer 22:20 – and cry Jer 37:7 – Pharaoh’s Jer 42:14 – we will go Jer 42:19 – Go Jer 46:25 – and all Lam 4:17 – our eyes Lam 5:6 – to the Egyptians Eze 17:9 – Shall it Eze 29:6 – a staff Eze 29:16 – the confidence Hos 2:7 – she shall follow Hos 7:11 – they call Hos 10:12 – time Zep 3:2 – she trusted Rom 3:11 – seeketh Heb 12:2 – Looking

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

HELP FROM A WRONG QUARTER

Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help, and stay on horses but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel.

Isa 31:1

I. Here we see how foolish we are not to pray more for help in temporal need!We go to our strong friends, and make enormous efforts, instead of looking to the Holy One of Israel.

In a book entitled Twenty Years in Khamas Country, the sixth chapter teems with interest, because it shows how, again and again, rain was given in answer to prayer. When the veldt was as hard as flint, no water in the river-bed, not a cloud in the sky, the hearts of the people dead within them, and neighbouring chiefs taunting Khamathe missionary, Mr. Hepburn, encouraged him to pray. What shall I do, Monare? Do what a Christian only can do, Khamalay it all before God. He pointed Him to the example of Hezekiah and Nehemiah in times of distress. So they held a week of prayer. The rain-makers said that the gods were angry and would give no more rain, because Khama had forsaken them. But presently a strong, steady wind set in from the north, the clouds began to cover the sky, and there came a heavy, ground-soaking rain.

II. The world teems with incidents of the way in which urgent needs have been met in answer to prayer.Some can tell that after searching for a situation everywhere, they obtained just what they wanted in answer to prayer; others, that when all other sources of supply were closed, the money for rent, or rates, or the necessaries of life, was forthcoming in answer to prayer. Probably some of us who are busily engaged in concerting plans, or obtaining influential names, to overturn some of the iniquities of modern times, would be wiser to spend less time and energy in going down to Egypt and more in going to the Holy One of Israel.

Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary

Isa 31:1-3. Wo to them that go down to Egypt, &c. As the Jews did, contrary to Gods command, Deu 17:16. And stay on horses For Egypt had many and choice horses. But they look not unto the Lord Their confidence in the creature was accompanied with, and produced, a distrust of God, and a neglect of seeking to him by prayer for his help. Yet he also is wise, &c. You think you are wise, in engaging the Egyptians; but God is not inferior to them in wisdom or strength, but much superior, and therefore you have done foolishly in preferring them before him, who will execute his judgments upon you, notwithstanding all the Egyptians can do. And will not call back his words His threatenings denounced against you; but will arise against the evil-doers Against this wicked and rebellious people; and against the help That is, the helpers, as it is explained in the next verse; of them that work iniquity That act in direct opposition to the express command of God. The Egyptians are men, and not God And therefore are utterly unable to defend you, either without or against Gods will; and their horses, flesh Weak and frail, and not spirit Not like spiritual substances, such as the angels, who are immortal, and invisible to men. When the Lord shall stretch out his hand Shall exert his power to oppose or punish them, both he that helpeth and he that is holpen shall fall, &c., together And their alliance shall prove their joint ruin.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Isa 31:1. Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help. This was a sin in open defiance of the law. Deu 28:68. It was a great revolt of unbelief, because it distrusted the Lord, and all his wondrous works, to trust in an arm of flesh. By consequence, the prohibition has a strong bearing on the christian church in times of trouble.

Isa 31:9. The Lord, whose fire is in Zion. He had promised to be about his church as a wall of fire, while the wicked have only a fire and sparks of their own kindling. Zec 2:5. Isa 10:17; Isa 50:11.

REFLECTIONS.

This chapter contains a portion of another prediction, during the time of the Assyrian invasion. It was written before Sennacherib had entered the boundaries of Egypt. We may here see that no nation can fall, till the invader first receives his commission from heaven. Then precaution is vain; and efforts of defence, by falling into the enemys hands, encrease his power. Here the reliance on Egypt is rationally reproved, for the Lord was king in Jeshurun. He had ever defended his people, when they called upon him by sincere repentance; and the Egyptians being but men, could not deliver the Israelites, unless the Egyptians were first helped of the Lord. Let this teach the sick man not to trust in physicians, and the rich man not to confide in wealth; yea, let it teach the church of God not to put confidence in princes, for the whole of our earthly dependence is but an arm of flesh.

There is no need to trust in man, for the Lord will roar for the safety of Zion, as the young lion roareth for his prey; and come swiftly to succour her, as the bird flies to cover her young in the moment of danger.

God promises to defeat the Assyrian, but not with the sword; and yet he fled to his strong cities for fear of the sword. Seeing the flower of his army fall in one fatal night, he thought Hezekiah would pursue.

But there was an ensign or royal standard which he feared more than that of Hezekiah, or of Pharaoh. This was the flames of fire, which have ever surrounded the Lord as the banner of victory. Oh my soul, be careful to retain that token of the divine favour, and thou shalt not be afraid of Satan nor all his host. Only walk with God, and thou shalt be exalted in righteousness, and all thine enemies shall fall at thy feet.

Fuente: Sutcliffe’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Isaiah 31. The Folly of Reliance on Egypt. Jerusalem will be Protected, and Assyria Overthrown.

vv. Isa 31:6 f. seems to be an interpolation. Isa 31:4 f. creates serious difficulties. Isa 31:4 apparently represents Yahweh as attacking (mg.) Zion, undismayed by its rulers as a lion is undismayed by the shepherds, whereas Isa 31:5, with an abrupt change of metaphor, represents Him as Jerusalems protector. By drastic measures we can remove the discrepancy; the passage then represented Yahweh either as hostile to Jerusalem or as its protector. Of the two the latter is preferable, but it involves the omission of so shall. . . . As birds fly. If we keep the text as it stands, the meaning seems to be that Yahweh will wrest Jerusalem from its present rulers, but will protect it from falling into the hands of the Assyrians, who are the instruments of His judgment. This is continued in Isa 31:8 f., which represents the Assyrians as smitten down by His power rather than by human antagonists.

Woe to those who trust in Egypt and her cavalry and not in Yahweh. For Yahweh is wise as well as the sapient politicians, and His threat of evil will certainly be fulfilled. For Egypt, weak and perishable, is no match for Yahweh, who is spirit, and will involve helper and helped in one common disaster. When He descends to fight against Zion, the Egyptians will be as powerless to rescue it as the shepherds to rescue the prey from the dauntless lion. Yahweh will protect Jerusalem as birds protect their young. Let the disobedient turn to Him. In the day of deliverance all will cast away their idols. The Assyrian shall fall by no human hand, he shall flee in panic.

Isa 31:3. A classical passage for the OT sense of flesh. It is the weak and mortal in contrast with the immortal and omnipotent. Flesh stands not for the lower element in human nature in contrast with the higher (as in Rom 7:7-25), but for man as a whole as contrasted with the immortals (Gen 6:3).

Isa 31:8 b. This modification of 8a may be an insertion.

Isa 31:9. his rock: the parallelism suggests that this means the Assyrian king. This is improbable; AV renders and he shall pass over to his strong hold for fear. Duhm2 renders his rock by reason of terror shall he pass by, i.e. the hunted animal in its terror passes by its usual shelter. Duhm3 emends, reading, and his heroes shall be dislodged from the siege works.

Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible

31:1 Woe to them that {a} go down to Egypt for help; and rely on horses, and trust in chariots, because [they are] many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not to the Holy One of Israel, neither {b} seek the LORD!

(a) There were two special reasons why the Israelites should not join with the Egyptians: first, because the Lord had commanded them never to return there, De 17:16,28:68 lest they should forget the benefit of their redemption: and secondly, lest they should be corrupted with the superstition and idolatry of the Egyptians, and so forsake God, Jer 2:18 .

(b) Meaning, that they forsake the Lord, if they put their trust in worldly things: for they cannot trust in both.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

Imminent disaster and later deliverance 31:1-5

The first five verses constitute a prologue to this "woe" and deal with imminent disaster followed by later deliverance.

"Without any particular break in the thought Isaiah continues his denunciation of those who look to Egypt for aid." [Note: Young, 2:373.]

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

The prophet condemned those in Judah and Jerusalem who were relying on the brute strength, the military might, and the trained personnel of Egypt to provide security for their nation (cf. Deu 17:14-20). Going down to Egypt to secure these things revealed a lack of trust in the Holy One of Israel who had long ago proved His sovereignty over Egypt. Rather, the people should have simply looked to the Lord and cultivated a relationship with Him.

". . . when any people feel that special weapons can relieve them of dependence upon God, they are on the road to destruction." [Note: Oswalt, p. 571.]

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

4

BOOK 3

ORATIONS ON THE EGYPTIAN INTRIGUES AND ORACLES ON FOREIGN NATIONS

705-702 B.C.

Isaiah:

29About 703

30A little later

31A little later

32:1-8Later

32:9-20Date uncertain

—————–

14:28-21736-702

23About 703

WE now enter the prophecies of Isaiahs old age, those which he published after 705, when his ministry had lasted for at least thirty-five years. They cover the years between 705, the date of Sennacheribs accession to the Assyrian throne, and 701, when his army suddenly disappeared from before Jerusalem.

They fall into three groups:-

1. Chapters 29-32., dealing with Jewish politics while Sennacherib is still far from Palestine, 704-702, and having Egypt for their chief interest, Assyria lowering in the background.

2. Chapters 14:28-21 and 23, a group of oracles on foreign nations, threatened, like Judah, by Assyria.

3. Chapters 1, 22, and 33, and the historical narrative in 36, and 37., dealing with Sennacheribs invasion of Judah and siege of Jerusalem in 701; Egypt and every foreign nation now fallen out of sight, and the storm about the Holy City too thick for the prophet to see beyond his immediate neighbourhood.

The first and second of these groups-orations on the intrigues with Egypt and oracles on the foreign nations-delivered while Sennacherib was still far from Syria, form the subject of this Third Book of our exposition.

The prophecies on the siege of Jerusalem are sufficiently numerous and distinctive to be put by themselves, along with their appendix (38, 39), in our Fourth Book.

Fuente: Expositors Bible Commentary