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Overview

Isaiah’s vision is keeping the same theme as it was generally in Isaiah 24-26—the kingdom of God will rise and the kingdoms of this world will fall.

Isaiah 27:1

In that day the Lord with his hard and great and strong sword will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan the twisting serpent, and he will slay the dragon that is in the sea.

The Leviathan is only mentioned 5 times in the Bible. Twice in Job. Twice in Psalms. And here in Isaiah 27. Generally speaking, it is a great sea monster. In the vision of Isaiah, the Leviathan seems to represent the enemy or enemies of God. Does the Leviathan represent Satan, the great dragon of old? It is possible. It is also possible that “Leviathan” here represents the fall of the kingdoms of the world. 

Either way, don’t miss the point of the vision. The greatest, the most terrifying, the most powerful of all the sea creatures will fall before the God of Israel. No god, no nation, no creature, no demon can thwart the will of God. 

Isaiah 27:2-3

“A pleasant vineyard, sing of it! I, the Lord, am its keeper; every moment I water it. Lest anyone punish it, I keep it night and day;

The image of the vineyard is common throughout the Bible. God is the vinekeeper and the people of God are the vineyard. Here in verses 2-3, it is clear God is sustaining the vineyard. Every moment God waters it. Every. Moment. It is amazing to know that the God of the Universe is so hands on with His creation. He is not a distant, deistic God. Therefore, the Scriptures reassure me I am valuable to God. He cares about my plight, my journey, my daily needs. 

It is also assumed that if God keeps the vineyard, then He also protects and prunes the vineyard. The people of God need both protection and pruning. How has God pruned you lately? Was it painful? Did it make you feel bare? Exposed? Don’t fret my friend, the fruit is coming. Its beauty will overtake you. Others will see it and give glory to the Vinedresser. 

Isaiah 27:13

And in that day a great trumpet will be blown, and those who were lost in the land of Assyria and those who were driven out to the land of Egypt will come and worship the Lord on the holy mountain at Jerusalem.

I have to imagine Isaiah was always shocked at this part of the vision. Egypt and Assyria. Past and current enemies of the people of God—these nations will someday come and worship the Lord on the holy mountain. How crazy! How hopeful! 

Verses like this remind us how gracious and merciful God is. God will let Egypt and Assyria into His vineyard. He will graft them in. The wild and the natural vines together. Only the Divine Vinedresser can accomplish that. Anything is possible with God.