Year 2, Week 4, Day 1 Bible Reading Observations

Year 2, Week 4, Day 1

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of Isaiah 13-15.

Today’s reading returns to Isaiah’s prophecy to Judah. Today’s portion from Isaiah is the start of a segment that prophesies against nations surrounding Judah. Isaiah 13-23 records the judgments that nations will face. Isaiah 13 begins with the judgment that would fall upon Babylon, who will be the nation that would take Judah into captivity for seventy years: “The oracle concerning Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw” (Isaiah 13:1). But at the appointed time, the LORD would raise up Persia to overtake the Babylonians: “Behold, I am stirring up the Medes against them, who have no regard for silver and do not delight in gold” (Isaiah 13:17). Isaiah 14 continues the prophecy against Babylon, but it opens with a promise of restoration for Judah: “For the LORD will have compassion on Jacob and will again choose Israel, and will set them in their own land” (Isaiah 14:1). But much of the remainder of Isaiah 14 focus further on Babylon as it concludes with: “I will rise up against them,” declares the LORD of hosts, “and will cut off from Babylon name and remnant, descendants and posterity,” declares the LORD” (Isaiah 14:23). The LORD declares His disdain for the arrogance displayed by the king of Babylon: “You said in your heart, I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:13-14). His arrogance is reminiscent of the evil one who attempted to usurp God’s throne, but was cast out of heaven, The rest of Isaiah 14 touches on prophecies against Assyria and Philistia. Isaiah 15: "An oracle concerning Moab” (Isaiah 15:1a).

One of the things that struck me from today’s reading was, in the midst of the LORD’s determined judgment upon the nations, that the LORD declares His absolute sovereignty over the nations: “This is the purpose that is purposed concerning the whole earth, and this is the hand that is stretched out over all the nations. For the LORD of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?” (Isaiah 14:26-27). The LORD’s statement concerning His plans never being thwarted are specifically stated in the context of judgment upon Assyria: “The LORD of hosts has sworn: “As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand, that I will break the Assyrian in my land, and on my mountains trample him underfoot; and his yoke shall depart from them, and his burden from their shoulder” (Isaiah 14:24-25). However, it is not only the nation of Assyrian who is unable to thwart God’s purposes; no nation can frustrate or forestall God’s plans. Throughout the section of judgment on the nations, what God declares will come to pass. The nations cannot stop the LORD.

The nations oppose the LORD and plot against Him: “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us” (Psalm 2:1-3). But the LORD is not phased by their conspiratorial rebellion: “He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill” (Psalm 2:4-6). All the nations together are no match to the LORD. Later Isaiah will say: “All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness. To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him?” (Isaiah 40:17-18). The nations are confident but their confidence is a delusion. All nations will be held accountable to the LORD. And when the LORD reveals His judgments to the nations they will then see what they have repressed. Like Nebuchadnezzar, all the leaders of the nations will realize and express reality: “At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?” (Daniel 4:34-35).

Isaiah spoke of the LORD’s sovereignty in the context of the judgment that awaited the nations. Their judgment is a sure judgment: “For not from the east or from the west and not from the wilderness comes lifting up, but it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another. For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup with foaming wine, well mixed, and he pours out from it, and all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs” (Psalm 75:6-8). But, at the moment, it is also an avoidable judgment: “And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place…The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed” (Acts 17:26,30-31a). Thus, the church has been commissioned: “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19a).

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe