The Lord will wait, that He may be gracious
The Lord will wait, that He may be gracious
Chapter summary.
1. God’s obstinate people persist in seeking foreign alliances rather than relying on the Lord (30:1–7).
2. They even pressure God’s prophets to say only what they want to hear rather than deliver the Lord’s messages (vv. 8–11).
3. This refusal to listen means destruction (vv. 12–13).
4. Yet God longs to be gracious to them. And one day, when at last they cry out to Him for help, God will be gracious to Israel (vv. 14–26)
5. and shatter His peoples’ enemies (vv. 27–33). But Isaiah must leave his bright vision of Israel’s distant future and return to the situation of his contemporaries. He predicts woe to those who rely on Egypt (31:1–3),
6. and as a token of His ultimate grace God will shield Jerusalem even now (vv. 4–9). This last promise was kept. In the days of Hezekiah Assyria devastated Israel and invaded Judah, but Jerusalem was rescued by an act of divine intervention (cf. Isa. 36–39). As God acted then, He will act in the future to keep His other promises. The present may be dark, but the future is bright for the Jews. [1]
Is 30:18 18 Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you;
And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you.
For the Lord is a God of justice;
Blessed are all those who wait for Him.
Though the people had turned from the Lord, He longed to be gracious and compassionate to them (v. 18; cf. v. 19) for they were in a covenant relationship with Him. He is also the God of justice, giving blessings to those who depend on Him[2]
The lord waits to give forgiveness to the repentant and rewards to the faithful
The lord waits to give forgiveness to the repentant
2 Pe 3:9 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
Eze 33:10-11 11 Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’
Ac 3:19 19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
The lord waits to give rewards to the faithful
The Apostles’ Reward
Mt 19:27-28 27 Then Peter answered and said to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?”
28 So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
1 Co 6:2-3 2 Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3 Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?
Re 2:26 26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—
Mt 19:29 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.
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[1]Richards, L. O. (1991; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996). The Bible readers companion (electronic ed.) (426). Wheaton: Victor Books.
[2]Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-c1985). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (1:1080). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.