Day By Day - Isaiah 34
By Catherine Mitchell
Opening Thoughts:
Read the chapter a few times - you will need to for here in the chapter titled, “The Judgment of the Nations”, the Battle of Armageddon is foretold. Mathew Henry labels it, “a prophecy of the wars of the Lord.” Think of two movies, Armageddon and Wars of the World. Now roll them into one and then understand that the story here is fact, not fiction; the enemy here will not be defeated for He is the Lord of Divine Judgement and Vengeance, and the ending scene here is final destruction.
For the Powers of the doomed Nations, there will be no hope of a new world. This is a chapter depicting destruction, desolation and decaying eternal rot. “He has ordained a lot for them; His hand allotted their portion with a measuring line, they will dwell in it from generation to generation.” (Verse 17)
Keys Points:
1. The Fury (verses 1-2)
Pay Attention: Shake yourself up to hear, all you who come from the earth! For the Lord’s patience is worn, his anger builds and wrath towards His enemies is on the boil. He is furious, hence the bloodshed of the nations at enmity with the church has been decreed. Soon the wafting stench of their corpses will rise over rivers which flow with the blood of their guilt. (Selah.) I cannot believe I must write such dreadfulness.
2. The Horror (verse 8)
The Edomite’s betrayed Israel and treated her like an enemy. They are a picture of those who betray and harm the Kingdom of Christ; these are the antichrist kingdoms and its kings, princes, rulers and beast. Zion is a picture of the Kingdom of God and His Bride. My mind scrambles to comprehend the dramatic horror of the season waiting for the kingdom of the antichrist and those who oppose Christ’s Church. The day of Christ’s wrath and the year of His vengeance are indeed sealed. We must wait patiently for the deliverance of Zion, assess the times, herald the gospel and trust His mercy, for it is extended to the faithful but His wrath is extended to all others.
3. The Scroll (verse 16)
Search The Scroll: As we currently search out the meaning of the scroll of Isaiah, harmonious pieces of truth unfold - some shocking and some saving. Let us read the scroll, balancing the shocking with the incomprehensible grace of our Redeemer and even more diligently search for a greater awareness of His Kingdom.
Closing Thoughts:
The Spirit (verse 16)
The immovable, incorruptible, unchangeable Wind of God will never lose His Power. The Wind of His command will continue to blow across the earth even until the end of time. Here He moves His creatures, mate with mate, to their new breeding ground. As He did before the first destruction, for Noah, so He will do after the last. There, in the land of desolation, they will inhabit and rule.
Do not be disheartened. Although Spirit-Filled believers will have exited the earth at this time, the Wind of the will of God will continue to have total control. Here in this final verse, stop to rejoice, for even in the midst of all horror we see the Holy Spirit at the helm steering and directing, implementing and ruling and ensuring the fulfilment of His word. In the shocking and in the saving; He is always breathing, always perfecting and always controls the final move.
Opening Thoughts:
Read the chapter a few times - you will need to for here in the chapter titled, “The Judgment of the Nations”, the Battle of Armageddon is foretold. Mathew Henry labels it, “a prophecy of the wars of the Lord.” Think of two movies, Armageddon and Wars of the World. Now roll them into one and then understand that the story here is fact, not fiction; the enemy here will not be defeated for He is the Lord of Divine Judgement and Vengeance, and the ending scene here is final destruction.
For the Powers of the doomed Nations, there will be no hope of a new world. This is a chapter depicting destruction, desolation and decaying eternal rot. “He has ordained a lot for them; His hand allotted their portion with a measuring line, they will dwell in it from generation to generation.” (Verse 17)
Keys Points:
1. The Fury (verses 1-2)
Pay Attention: Shake yourself up to hear, all you who come from the earth! For the Lord’s patience is worn, his anger builds and wrath towards His enemies is on the boil. He is furious, hence the bloodshed of the nations at enmity with the church has been decreed. Soon the wafting stench of their corpses will rise over rivers which flow with the blood of their guilt. (Selah.) I cannot believe I must write such dreadfulness.
2. The Horror (verse 8)
The Edomite’s betrayed Israel and treated her like an enemy. They are a picture of those who betray and harm the Kingdom of Christ; these are the antichrist kingdoms and its kings, princes, rulers and beast. Zion is a picture of the Kingdom of God and His Bride. My mind scrambles to comprehend the dramatic horror of the season waiting for the kingdom of the antichrist and those who oppose Christ’s Church. The day of Christ’s wrath and the year of His vengeance are indeed sealed. We must wait patiently for the deliverance of Zion, assess the times, herald the gospel and trust His mercy, for it is extended to the faithful but His wrath is extended to all others.
3. The Scroll (verse 16)
Search The Scroll: As we currently search out the meaning of the scroll of Isaiah, harmonious pieces of truth unfold - some shocking and some saving. Let us read the scroll, balancing the shocking with the incomprehensible grace of our Redeemer and even more diligently search for a greater awareness of His Kingdom.
Closing Thoughts:
The Spirit (verse 16)
The immovable, incorruptible, unchangeable Wind of God will never lose His Power. The Wind of His command will continue to blow across the earth even until the end of time. Here He moves His creatures, mate with mate, to their new breeding ground. As He did before the first destruction, for Noah, so He will do after the last. There, in the land of desolation, they will inhabit and rule.
Do not be disheartened. Although Spirit-Filled believers will have exited the earth at this time, the Wind of the will of God will continue to have total control. Here in this final verse, stop to rejoice, for even in the midst of all horror we see the Holy Spirit at the helm steering and directing, implementing and ruling and ensuring the fulfilment of His word. In the shocking and in the saving; He is always breathing, always perfecting and always controls the final move.
Posted in Isaiah