Isaiah 32 & 33
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Isaiah 32 & 33
Isaiah 32 & 33
Good evening church! Turn with me in your Bibles to Isaiah chapter 32 and we will begin. Let’s pray...
1 Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, And princes will rule with justice.
I want to make three points before we get too far into this tonight so I’ll do that here. The first is a reminder that Biblical prophecy does not always flow in a neatly packaged linear timeline. Chapters 32 & 33 may be an example of that. In that the prophecies contained in these two chapters may have been given prior to the one we read last week in chapters 30&31, but were simply recorded afterward.
Many Bible commentators state this, primarily due to this verse, which says a king will reign in righteousness. So point number two is the historical context at the time this prophecy is given. Remember it was the time that the nation of Israel was divided. The ten northern tribes were referred to as Israel, and their capital was Samaria. The two southern tribes were Judah and Benjamin, with Judah being the larger of the two, the southern portion was simply referred to as Judah and Jerusalem was the capital, sometimes referred to as Zion.
The evil empire of Assyria was coming to attack, and really being used as part of God’s judgement on his stagnant, complacent, and adulterous people. In fact they had already concurred the Northern region and the city of Samaria, I mentioned last week that Jerusalem was like an Island, history tells us that there was over 40 villages surrounding Jerusalem that has all been concurred by the Assyrian troops but King Hezekiah was already in power in the prophecy that we covered last week. So when this one begins saying a king will reign in righteousness must mean that King Ahaz his predecessor was still in power and it is predicting Hezekiah, because Hezekiah fits this description, his son Manasseh certainly didn’t he was a wicked King, but Josiah who followed Manasseh, he was a man who followed God, but not like Hezekiah. Look at how the book of 2 Kings describes King Hezekiah. He was 25 years old when he began to reign.
3 And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father David had done.
4 He removed the high places and broke the sacred pillars, cut down the wooden image and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made; for until those days the children of Israel burned incense to it, and called it Nehushtan.
5 He trusted in the Lord God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor who were before him.
6 For he held fast to the Lord; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses.
What a great testimony, and how wonderful if the same were said of any of us.
Before we move on, I said there were three points I wanted to make. The first is that Biblical prophecy is not always linear, so this could have happened before that. 2nd point was simply the context of our prophecy, and the 3rd, which is always important to remember, is that very often, Biblical prophecy has both a near fulfillment and a far, or yet future fulfillment. When we consider that, we must look at the future fulfillment in Jesus, our righteous king, King Jesus reigning in righteousness. Personally, I believe that is what is going on here in this passage, being a mixture of both the near and far.
I won’t pretend to be able to draw clear lines in this prophecy, because I’m not sure that even the people that say they are sure, can be based on the evidence that we have.
Even the later part of the verse has a yet future fulfillment in us! Rev 20:6
6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
Earlier in Rev 5:10
10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”
So, consider our context, consider that written prophecy does not always follow a linear timeline, and that most often prophecy has both a near and a far fulfillment. Continuing on then in our chapter…with the reminder that we are in a series of woes that the prophet is announcing, except for this chapter, it doesn’t start with a woe, it starts with behold, or Look. The idea is woe, judgement is coming, woe, judgement is coming, but behold, or look, God will deliver (so you better be ready) because woe, judgement is coming.
2 A man will be as a hiding place from the wind, And a cover from the tempest, As rivers of water in a dry place, As the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.
3 The eyes of those who see will not be dim, And the ears of those who hear will listen.
4 Also the heart of the rash will understand knowledge, And the tongue of the stammerers will be ready to speak plainly.
This I believe speaks to the future reign of Christ, but also in the present, how refreshing is was to have the Godly reign of King Hezekiah. Like a river of water in such a dry place, there is relief in the reign of a Godly ruler. If you’ve lived in the United States for the last several years, you’ll have to take my word for that. The prophecy continues…Isa 32:5-8
5 The foolish person will no longer be called generous, Nor the miser said to be bountiful;
6 For the foolish person will speak foolishness, And his heart will work iniquity: To practice ungodliness, To utter error against the Lord, To keep the hungry unsatisfied, And he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.
7 Also the schemes of the schemer are evil; He devises wicked plans To destroy the poor with lying words, Even when the needy speaks justice.
8 But a generous man devises generous things, And by generosity he shall stand.
This is basically saying the upside down world is going to be set right. It so often seems that this world elevates to fame those the least deserving. The that are fools that the world applauds, or those that are wicked and treat people horribly. But all of that will be exposed and the fool will be foolish and the generous will be known for his generosity.
Now in verse 9 there is a transition and he addresses the women. Which I think is quite interesting, because it is very often the women in a culture that are the remnant, or the ones with the highest morality, and when you loose the women over to corruption, the culture is completely lost. Isaiah says.
9 Rise up, you women who are at ease, Hear my voice; You complacent daughters, Give ear to my speech.
10 In a year and some days You will be troubled, you complacent women; For the vintage will fail, The gathering will not come.
11 Tremble, you women who are at ease; Be troubled, you complacent ones; Strip yourselves, make yourselves bare, And gird sackcloth on your waists.
Remember last week we warned against complacency. Those that have become comfortable in their ease and prosperity and have become dependent upon themselves, or the world, or others, rather than God. Those who have grown complacent. Isaiah says you shouldn’t be comfortable, you should be sounding the alarm, and making sure that you are right and ready for the judgement of God that is coming.
If you are interested at all in word studies, David Guzik points out here that. At ease in verse 9 is the same word used later in the chapter, where God promises secure dwelling places (Isaiah 32:18). Complacent is the same word used later in the same chapter, where God promises peaceful habitation.
What I think is interesting about that. Is the same words being used in a negative context are translated as one things and presented in a very negative light and the same words are later presented in a positive reference and translated differently. The real difference in the translations are where our reliance is place. The first use of ease and complacency presented negatively is in the context of self reliance, and the positive presentation is when our faith is placed in God, and our reliance is fully in Him. Verse 12....
12 People shall mourn upon their breasts For the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine.
13 On the land of my people will come up thorns and briers, Yes, on all the happy homes in the joyous city;
14 Because the palaces will be forsaken, The bustling city will be deserted. The forts and towers will become lairs forever, A joy of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks—
Much of Israel was not cared for when the Jews were dispersed. And even in the time of Isaiah, due to the Assyrian invasion there was no economic prosperity and verse 10 tells us the vintage will fail, the harvesting of the grapes won’t happen, therefore there won’t be any wine either. Until…verse 15…Isai 32:15
15 Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, And the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, And the fruitful field is counted as a forest.
Certainly, Israel today is a fruitful land, God allowed them to experience loss to appreciate that it is not good luck or bad luck, or worldly prosperity, or enemy attack that determines blessing, it is the Spirit of the Lord. The same is true in our lives. There will never be true blessing, and fruitful fulfillment, until the Holy Spirit is poured out in us and on us. Isa 32:16-18
16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, And righteousness remain in the fruitful field.
17 The work of righteousness will be peace, And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.
18 My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, In secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places,
19 Though hail comes down on the forest, And the city is brought low in humiliation.
20 Blessed are you who sow beside all waters, Who send out freely the feet of the ox and the donkey.
I think this has both a near fulfillment and future. For those that could see the Assyrian threat coming, but remained complacent you will inherent the hail in the forest and humiliation. For us, when we recognize that there is a day of judgement coming, and we surrender our self reliance to a reliance on God, and take Jesus as our Savior and Lord. There is fruitfulness, there will be peace, quietness and assurance, peaceful habitation and quiet resting places, despite the circumstances or condition of the world around us.
Not that we won’t be affected by it, or weep for the lost even, but in the turmoil, the Holy Spirit is the Comforter. Chapter 33.
1 Woe to you who plunder, though you have not been plundered; And you who deal treacherously, though they have not dealt treacherously with you! When you cease plundering, You will be plundered; When you make an end of dealing treacherously, They will deal treacherously with you.
2 O Lord, be gracious to us; We have waited for You. Be their arm every morning, Our salvation also in the time of trouble.
Vs. 1 The Assyrian army.
Vs. 2 Back to Jerusalem I believe. IF you consider the language. Back in chapter 30 they were told to wait on the Lord and here their prayer and petition is be gracious to us Lord, we waited! That is a very effective strategy in prayer. Lord, you made this promise in your Word, please pour it out on me or on us.
3 At the noise of the tumult the people shall flee; When You lift Yourself up, the nations shall be scattered;
4 And Your plunder shall be gathered Like the gathering of the caterpillar; As the running to and fro of locusts, He shall run upon them.
The Lord shall run upon them. The Lord is going to mow down the enemy and deliver
In verse 5 some hope for the future is offered. Isaiah 33:5
5 The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high; He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness.
Verse 6
6 Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times, And the strength of salvation; The fear of the Lord is His treasure.
7 Surely their valiant ones shall cry outside, The ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly.
8 The highways lie waste, The traveling man ceases. He has broken the covenant, He has despised the cities, He regards no man.
9 The earth mourns and languishes, Lebanon is shamed and shriveled; Sharon is like a wilderness, And Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits.
10 “Now I will rise,” says the Lord; “Now I will be exalted, Now I will lift Myself up.
11 You shall conceive chaff, You shall bring forth stubble; Your breath, as fire, shall devour you.
12 And the people shall be like the burnings of lime; Like thorns cut up they shall be burned in the fire.
13 Hear, you who are afar off, what I have done; And you who are near, acknowledge My might.”
14 The sinners in Zion are afraid; Fearfulness has seized the hypocrites: “Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?”
Remember our context here everything, nearly everything and everyone has been conquered. Even the Philistine cities along the coast, the villages in Judah surrounding Jerusalem, so all the people have fled to Jerusalem hoping to be saved, claiming salvation in the Lord. But what is a hypocrite? Someone who is pretending to be something or someone that he is not. The hypocrites in the city should be afraid, the hypocrites in the church should also fear God. When we get to 2nd Thessalonians we will read about Jesus coming back with His mighty angles in flaming fire. He is a consuming fire, a holy fire.
We sing a song Empty Me, where the lyrics say Holy Fire, burn away My desire, for anything, That is not of You. So do we want to burn in judgement as the hypocrites, or surrender to the Lord asking Him to cleanse us instead, so we won’t be judged, but Jesus will pay the price of that judgement for us?
We are going to share communion in a few minutes and that is the instruction that we receive that we would examine ourselves, as we remember and proclaim, so that we ourselves won’t be judged. Continuing on in verse 15...
15 He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, He who despises the gain of oppressions, Who gestures with his hands, refusing bribes, Who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed, And shuts his eyes from seeing evil:
16 He will dwell on high; His place of defense will be the fortress of rocks; Bread will be given him, His water will be sure.
17 Your eyes will see the King in His beauty; They will see the land that is very far off.
What an incredible promise of deliverance the Lord gives to the Jews here through the Prophet Isaiah, that they will see the King, in His Beauty. They will get it, they will understand Jesus to be their Messiah in the days ahead. The promise applies to all who would receive Him as Savior, and it does not apply to Jew or Gentile that reject Jesus Christ.
18 Your heart will meditate on terror: “Where is the scribe? Where is he who weighs? Where is he who counts the towers?”
19 You will not see a fierce people, A people of obscure speech, beyond perception, Of a stammering tongue that you cannot understand.
20 Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feasts; Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a quiet home, A tabernacle that will not be taken down; Not one of its stakes will ever be removed, Nor will any of its cords be broken.
21 But there the majestic Lord will be for us A place of broad rivers and streams, In which no galley with oars will sail, Nor majestic ships pass by
22 (For the Lord is our Judge, The Lord is our Lawgiver, The Lord is our King; He will save us);
23 Your tackle is loosed, They could not strengthen their mast, They could not spread the sail. Then the prey of great plunder is divided; The lame take the prey.
24 And the inhabitant will not say, “I am sick”; The people who dwell in it will be forgiven their iniquity.
Communion
1 Corinthians 11:24-25 NKJV - "24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me." 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.""
Grace and Peace