Something Greater

Isaiah 13, Part 2: The Oppressor is Oppressed What has gone before... God has suddenly brought to Isaiah a prophecy regarding the faraway nation of Babylon, the ancient site at which a tall tower had been built. The tower had been an attempt at "making a name for themselves", and God had intervened and confused their language, dispersing them throughout the world. Moving on... Isaiah 13:4-5 (ESV) The LORD of hosts is mustering a host for battle. They come from a distant land, from the end of the heavens, the LORD and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land. Isaiah implies that Babylon will be attacked by a nation "from a distant land", with the LORD using another nation as the "weapons of his indignation". The LORD's anger will bring desolation and destruction: Isaiah 13:9 (ESV) Behold, the day of the LORD comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger, to make the land a desolation and to destroy its sinners from it. ...

Isaiah 13, Part 1: A Mark of Individuality What has gone before... Following the promise of a Divine Judge Who would restore earth to Eden's perfect beginning, Isaiah assured Israel that there would come a day of joy, a time of singing. God would be praised as their Strength and Salvation, the Holy One of Israel. To this point Isaiah's visions have concerned Israel, Syria and Assyria, with only slight mention of surrounding people groups. Now, in Chapter 13, Isaiah's perspective shifts to Babylon. Moving on... Isaiah 13:1 (ESV) The oracle concerning Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw. What, or who, was Babylon? BABYLON: babel "baw-BEL" (confusion); from balal (to overflow, specifically with oil, or to mix); related to belil (mixed, as feed for cattle) The first reference in the Bible to Babylon is found in the Book of Genesis: Genesis 10:6-11 (ESV) The sons of Ham: Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan. The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah...

Isaiah 12, Part 2: God Draws Near Isaiah makes an abrupt change in tone midway through this chapter. Verse one began with "You", translated from a Hebrew word that is singular, suggesting a feeling of isolation. But the subject of verse three is a word that is plural, suggesting fellowship or gathering together. Isaiah 12:3 (ESV) With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. Further supporting the notion of plurality, the song encourages the listeners to "make known his deeds among the peoples...let this be made known in all the earth." Perhaps the change in number points to the unity experienced between an individual and God: Isaiah 12:6 (ESV) Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel. "Your" in verse six is singular, but describes God as being in the midst of that singular person, as if Isaiah is speaking of an person indwelt by the Spirit of God. MIDST: qereb "...

Isaiah 12, Part 1: Anger Turns to Comfort What has gone before... The LORD promised a divine Judge who would end oppression and wickedness on earth. Isaiah 11:4 (ESV) With righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. The dispersed tribes of Israel will be regathered and restored to the land around Jerusalem. Isaiah 11:12 (ESV) He will raise a signal for the nations and will assemble the banished of Israel, and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. All nations on earth will turn to Jerusalem in worship of the LORD. Isaiah 11:10 (ESV) In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious. Moving on... Now, in Chapter 12, Isaiah breaks into song, calling all the earth to join in worship ...

Isaiah 11, Part 4: Recovering the Remnant The Lord restores the nation of Israel, bringing back from dispersion, the Israelites scattered by war and exile. Isaiah 11:11-12 (ESV) In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea. He will raise a signal for the nations and will assemble the banished of Israel, and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. Isaiah described the recovering of the remnant as "a second time". When was the first time? Isaiah 11:16 (ESV) There will be a highway from Assyria for the remnant that remains of his people, as there was for Israel when they came up from the land of Egypt. Pursued by their captors, Israel found themselves with their backs against the sea, facing an Egyptian army six hundred chariots strong. The people des...

Isaiah 11, Part 3: The Signal The LORD will make "the root of Jesse", the divinely Righteous Judge of the world, to stand as a signal. Isaiah 11:10 (ESV) In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious. SIGNAL: nes "nace" (a flag or sail; a flagstaff, signal or token); from nasas (to gleam from afar; to be conspicuous as a signal) The first instance of "signal" is found in the Book of Numbers: Numbers 21:8-9 (ESV) The LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live." So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live. "Pole" is the same word as "signal". David composed a psalm which referred to a banner, using the same word as "signal": Psalm 60:4 (...

Isaiah 11, Part 2: Fearing the LORD Isaiah referred to fear of the LORD as something admirable. Isaiah 11:3 (ESV) His delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, FEAR: yir'a "yir-AW" (fear or moral reverence); from yare (to fear, to revere; to frighten) The root word of "fear of the LORD" is a word meaning an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat (The New Oxford American Dictionary). "Fear" comes from an Old English word meaning calamity or danger. Adam feared punishment after disobeying God's command regarding the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Genesis 3:10). Jacob feared the loss of his wives after tricking Laban (Genesis 31:31). The Israelites feared pain and injury from serpents, scorpions and desert (Deuteronomy 8:15). Rather than describing someone running away ...