Slideshow image

Overview

The judgment upon Jerusalem continues. But in this chapter, YHWH is unhappy with their trust of Egypt for protection, rather than leaning on divine protection. And yet, God will redeem Judah. Jerusalem will be restored someday. 

Isaiah 30:1-2

“Ah, stubborn children,” declares the Lord, “who carry out a plan, but not mine, and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin; who set out to go down to Egypt, without asking for my direction, to take refuge in the protection of Pharaoh and to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt!

Stubborn children. That is an accurate way to describe the citizens of Jerusalem. Instead of running to God, the all-powerful being, the Creator of all things to protect them—they are running to Egypt for help. This plan is fundamentally flawed, but it is often the playbook of the nation of Judah. Political alliances rather than divine trust. 

Isaiah 30:19-22

For a people shall dwell in Zion, in Jerusalem; you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. As soon as he hears it, he answers you. And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. Then you will defile your carved idols overlaid with silver and your gold-plated metal images. You will scatter them as unclean things. You will say to them, “Be gone!”

The book of Isaiah is such a roller coaster. Doom and gloom. And then hope and restoration. Up and down—again and again and again. But this also means no one can read Isaiah and not see that the Lord is going to make things right. He will restore His people. He will transform the earth someday. 

I love verse 20. YHWH calls Himself the Teacher. The Teacher will return. Class will be back in session. The students will ACTUALLY want to listen. To embrace the way of YHWH. But you should notice that embracing the way of YHWH meant they had to deal with their idolatry. They had to put their idols away. Do you have an idol or two that needs to be destroyed? Identify it and destroy it today. 

Isaiah 30:30-31

And the Lord will cause his majestic voice to be heard and the descending blow of his arm to be seen, in furious anger and a flame of devouring fire, with a cloudburst and storm and hailstones. The Assyrians will be terror-stricken at the voice of the Lord, when he strikes with his rod.

It is necessary to understand the context whenever you read the Bible. Assyria is looming. The fear of their imminent takeover is constantly in the minds of the southern kingdom. But once again, instead of humbling themselves and finding shelter under the wings of YHWH—they ran to Egypt for help.

The vision reminds Isaiah that the voice of the Lord will strike fear into the Assyrians. All nations will bow at the feet of YHWH. The judgment of God is real. It is coming. His perfect character requires Him to act this way. 

Notice how powerful the voice of God is. It is described as “devouring fire”, a “storm”. A cloudburst of “hailstones”. This reminds us that the voice of God is either a comfort or a terror. It either calms the storm or creates a storm. How do you see the voice of the Lord? I would encourage you to embrace His voice as a comfort, as a lighthouse, as a beacon of hope.