Isaiah 13 and 14 explore the idea of judgment, including the motif of the day of the Lord. Judgment is a divine initiative that could bring the announcement of an era of distress or the beginning of a new age of joyful experience. The judgment could come over a foreign nation (as occurs in Isaiah 13, 14) or it could come to God’s people. Isaiah 24 tells us that the judgment of the Lord has universal application. Isaiah 25 and 26 are part of a song that announces restoration for Judah, but also includes eschatological significance for the redeemed at the end of the time.
Chapter 25 has been divided into three sections: (1) praise God for the victory (verses 1-5); (2) a feast for God’s people (verses 6-8); and (3) the victory of the Lord over enemies (verses 9-12). Isaiah 26 deals with the characteristics of the redeemed now that they are a faithful nation (instead of a sinful nation, as in chapter 1); and they remain faithful, among other characteristics.
Three main topics are explored in this study: (1) God’s judgments, (2) the assurance of victory, and (3) the faithful nation.
Part II: Commentary
God’s Judgments.
The idea of judgment is a recurrent theme in the prophetic literature of the Bible. Judgment could bring the end of an era of distress and the beginning of a new age of joyful experience (Isa. 42:1). Or it could bring, or announce, future destruction, as occurs in the prophecies of Isaiah 13, 14 and the following chapters. Those days of judgment sometimes are announced by using the expression “the day of the LORD,” as is evident in the first half of the book of Isaiah.
The day of the Lord may be a day of restoration: “It shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah: And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah. And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open” (Isa. 22:20-22).
However, the day of the Lord could be a day of destruction, as occurs in Isaiah 13 and 14, which refer to the devastation of Babylon and Assyria. The judgment (including the reference to “the day”) could have negative implications for Judah (Isa. 2:12; Isa. 3:13, 14, 18), as well, but that feature is more commonly seen in the judgment against foreign nations.
Judgment comes by God’s initiative: “I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger” (Isa. 13:3). It is not standard in the Hebrew language to start a sentence with a subject but, rather, with the verb; however, the exception happens in this verse. The “I” is emphasized here. On the other hand, it is a notable attribute of God as sovereign over the earthly powers. It is emphasized in Isaiah 14 as well: “The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand” (Isa. 14:24). On the other hand, referring to “The mighty God” in Isaiah 9:6, the author uses in Isaiah 13:3 the word g̱ibbwōr (mighty), referring to His mighty ones. They are “the weapons of his indignation” (Isa. 13:5).
Another important element of judgment is imminence. For instance, “for the day of the LORD is at hand” (Isa. 13:6) or “Behold, the day of the LORD cometh” (Isa. 13:9). An image of a host ready for a battle is described here: “The Lord of hosts is mustering the army for battle” (Isa. 13:4, NASB). It would be a day of wrath. The Lord says, “I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger” (Isa. 13:3), “the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger” (Isa. 13:9), “and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger” (Isa. 13:13).
Another notable element of the Lord’s judgment is the reason for a final reckoning and day of destruction: “And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible” (Isa. 13:11). All of these sins are embodied in literal and spiritual Babylon.
The Assurance of Victory.
Although the prophecies of Isaiah 13 and 14 focus on Babylon and Assyria at the end of chapter 14, the whole earth is included: “This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations” (Isa. 14:26). There is no doubt that the eschatological implications of Isaianic prophecies include the entire universe. This notion is also developed in Isaiah 24: “The LORD is going to lay waste the earth and devastate it” (Isa. 24:1, NIV). Therefore, “a curse devours the earth, and those who live in it are held guilty” (Isa. 24:6, NASB), “for its transgression is heavy upon it” (Isa. 24:20, NASB). It is clear that the issue is not against the earth as an element of the creation but against the transgression upon it. The good news, in the end, is that “the LORD of hosts shall reign” (Isa. 24:23).
Isaiah 25 is a song of praise for God’s favor in the eschatological day of the Lord. The chapter has three clear sections. These are 1-5, 6-8, and 9-12. The first part is the song of praise for what God has done for His people after prolonged pain and suffering. God has completed what He has planned for His people: “for You have worked wonders, plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness” (Isa. 25:1, NASB). He has overthrown the powers of the oppressors of His people. He has made “a fortified city into a ruin” (Isa. 25:2, NASB). Thus, this praise is a sign of joy and happiness for the victory. God is exalted through the works that He has done.
The second part of this chapter encompasses verses 6-8. The content emphasizes the celebration of God’s people. The Lord has restored the joy and peace in their land. God has removed the time of dark suffering from their lives. God has buried their pain and tears. It is now time for a feast, for “on this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines” (Isa. 25:6, NRSV). Sorrow is eternally banished: “He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces” (Isa. 25:8).
The last section of this chapter begins in verse 9 and ends in verse 12. This section elaborates upon the song of God in the first section. The section praises God for His anticipated performance: “this is our God; . . . he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him” (Isa. 25:9) and “the unassailable fortifications of your walls He will bring down” (Isa. 25:12, NASB). Thus, God’s people “will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. For in this mountain shall the hand of the LORD rest” (Isa. 25:9, 10).
The Faithful Nation.
The song in Isaiah 26 complements the song of the previous chapter. Particularly, verses 1 to 10 emphasize an important topic in relation to the redeemed (applying it, first and foremost, to the nation of Judah who returns to their homeland from the deportation in Babylon). The topic of this section is about faithfulness. The question is, “Who is able to enter into the gates and to participate in the banquet?”
The song describes the city as a protected city. Now, the order comes: “open the gates,” so “that the righteous nation may enter, the one that remains faithful” (Isa. 26:2, NASB). The nation is no longer a sinful nation (chapter 1) but a righteous one. The Hebrew expression used for righteous is ṣaddiq, and according to the Hebrew lexicon, it denotes several things: (1) the upright person, behaving correctly and coping with his life; (2) the pious person, one belonging to the community of Yahweh; (3) the pious person who has his or her pleasure in the commandments; and (4) the one who is regarded as just, correct. In short, ṣaddiq describes someone who is just, upright, and devout (Ludwig Koehler and Walter Baumgartner, The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, vol. 3, p. 1002).
Additionally, these verses in Isaiah 26 provide more details about the features of the redeemed and also complement the previous line of thought: the faithful one “remains faithful” (Isa. 26:2, NASB) or, as is translated in the New International Version, “keeps faith.” Another characteristic of the redeemed is that they trust in the Lord, which is emphasized twice in Isaiah 26:3, 4: “They trust in you. Trust in the LORD forever” (NRSV).
Isaiah 26:7 introduces a new word (an adjective in this case) in order to describe the redeemed. It is the Hebrew expression yāšār, which describes a “right or just (person).”— Ludwig Koehler and Walter Baumgartner, The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, vol. 2, p. 450. Isaiah 26:7 says, “the way of the righteous is smooth; O Upright One, make the path of the righteous level” (NASB). Isaiah 26:8, 9 provides other elements in the experience of that faithful people who are going to enter into the redeemed city: “In the path of your judgments, O LORD, we wait for you; your name and your renown are the soul’s desire. My soul yearns for you in the night, my spirit within me earnestly seeks you” (Isa. 26:8, 9; NRSV).
Part III: Life Application
The scene of judgment seems to be largely terrifying and horrifying for many. But oftentimes, the fear of impending judgment impels people to seek the Lord and finally to enter into the way of salvation. What lesson can we learn from the scenes of the judgment in the book of Isaiah? Read Isaiah 24, especially, in the formulation of your answer.
In Isaiah 25, God has shown in advance His faithfulness for the deliverance of His people from the oppression of the enemies. He will overthrow them with His mighty power. God is going to give peace and joy to His people. He has secured victory in the past, and He will bring us victory in the future. God is our victory, and we can have victory over suffering, pain, and sin by the power of the mighty God. What hope does this thought give us as we look to the day of the great eschatological feast that God has prepared for His beloved people?
Isaiah 26 provides some of the characteristics of the people who are going to enter the gates of the secured city. “The righteous nation” and those that keep faith “may enter in” (Isa. 26:2, NRSV). With these verses in mind, how would you describe your experience of faith lately?
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Study Focus: Isaiah 13, 14, 24-27
Part I: Overview
Isaiah 13 and 14 explore the idea of judgment, including the motif of the day of the Lord. Judgment is a divine initiative that could bring the announcement of an era of distress or the beginning of a new age of joyful experience. The judgment could come over a foreign nation (as occurs in Isaiah 13, 14) or it could come to God’s people. Isaiah 24 tells us that the judgment of the Lord has universal application. Isaiah 25 and 26 are part of a song that announces restoration for Judah, but also includes eschatological significance for the redeemed at the end of the time.
Chapter 25 has been divided into three sections: (1) praise God for the victory (verses 1-5); (2) a feast for God’s people (verses 6-8); and (3) the victory of the Lord over enemies (verses 9-12). Isaiah 26 deals with the characteristics of the redeemed now that they are a faithful nation (instead of a sinful nation, as in chapter 1); and they remain faithful, among other characteristics.
Three main topics are explored in this study: (1) God’s judgments, (2) the assurance of victory, and (3) the faithful nation.
Part II: Commentary
God’s Judgments.
The idea of judgment is a recurrent theme in the prophetic literature of the Bible. Judgment could bring the end of an era of distress and the beginning of a new age of joyful experience (Isa. 42:1). Or it could bring, or announce, future destruction, as occurs in the prophecies of Isaiah 13, 14 and the following chapters. Those days of judgment sometimes are announced by using the expression “the day of the LORD,” as is evident in the first half of the book of Isaiah.
The day of the Lord may be a day of restoration: “It shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah: And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah. And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open” (Isa. 22:20-22).
However, the day of the Lord could be a day of destruction, as occurs in Isaiah 13 and 14, which refer to the devastation of Babylon and Assyria. The judgment (including the reference to “the day”) could have negative implications for Judah (Isa. 2:12; Isa. 3:13, 14, 18), as well, but that feature is more commonly seen in the judgment against foreign nations.
Judgment comes by God’s initiative: “I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger” (Isa. 13:3). It is not standard in the Hebrew language to start a sentence with a subject but, rather, with the verb; however, the exception happens in this verse. The “I” is emphasized here. On the other hand, it is a notable attribute of God as sovereign over the earthly powers. It is emphasized in Isaiah 14 as well: “The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand” (Isa. 14:24). On the other hand, referring to “The mighty God” in Isaiah 9:6, the author uses in Isaiah 13:3 the word g̱ibbwōr (mighty), referring to His mighty ones. They are “the weapons of his indignation” (Isa. 13:5).
Another important element of judgment is imminence. For instance, “for the day of the LORD is at hand” (Isa. 13:6) or “Behold, the day of the LORD cometh” (Isa. 13:9). An image of a host ready for a battle is described here: “The Lord of hosts is mustering the army for battle” (Isa. 13:4, NASB). It would be a day of wrath. The Lord says, “I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger” (Isa. 13:3), “the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger” (Isa. 13:9), “and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger” (Isa. 13:13).
Another notable element of the Lord’s judgment is the reason for a final reckoning and day of destruction: “And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible” (Isa. 13:11). All of these sins are embodied in literal and spiritual Babylon.
The Assurance of Victory.
Although the prophecies of Isaiah 13 and 14 focus on Babylon and Assyria at the end of chapter 14, the whole earth is included: “This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations” (Isa. 14:26). There is no doubt that the eschatological implications of Isaianic prophecies include the entire universe. This notion is also developed in Isaiah 24: “The LORD is going to lay waste the earth and devastate it” (Isa. 24:1, NIV). Therefore, “a curse devours the earth, and those who live in it are held guilty” (Isa. 24:6, NASB), “for its transgression is heavy upon it” (Isa. 24:20, NASB). It is clear that the issue is not against the earth as an element of the creation but against the transgression upon it. The good news, in the end, is that “the LORD of hosts shall reign” (Isa. 24:23).
Isaiah 25 is a song of praise for God’s favor in the eschatological day of the Lord. The chapter has three clear sections. These are 1-5, 6-8, and 9-12. The first part is the song of praise for what God has done for His people after prolonged pain and suffering. God has completed what He has planned for His people: “for You have worked wonders, plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness” (Isa. 25:1, NASB). He has overthrown the powers of the oppressors of His people. He has made “a fortified city into a ruin” (Isa. 25:2, NASB). Thus, this praise is a sign of joy and happiness for the victory. God is exalted through the works that He has done.
The second part of this chapter encompasses verses 6-8. The content emphasizes the celebration of God’s people. The Lord has restored the joy and peace in their land. God has removed the time of dark suffering from their lives. God has buried their pain and tears. It is now time for a feast, for “on this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines” (Isa. 25:6, NRSV). Sorrow is eternally banished: “He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces” (Isa. 25:8).
The last section of this chapter begins in verse 9 and ends in verse 12. This section elaborates upon the song of God in the first section. The section praises God for His anticipated performance: “this is our God; . . . he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him” (Isa. 25:9) and “the unassailable fortifications of your walls He will bring down” (Isa. 25:12, NASB). Thus, God’s people “will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. For in this mountain shall the hand of the LORD rest” (Isa. 25:9, 10).
The Faithful Nation.
The song in Isaiah 26 complements the song of the previous chapter. Particularly, verses 1 to 10 emphasize an important topic in relation to the redeemed (applying it, first and foremost, to the nation of Judah who returns to their homeland from the deportation in Babylon). The topic of this section is about faithfulness. The question is, “Who is able to enter into the gates and to participate in the banquet?”
The song describes the city as a protected city. Now, the order comes: “open the gates,” so “that the righteous nation may enter, the one that remains faithful” (Isa. 26:2, NASB). The nation is no longer a sinful nation (chapter 1) but a righteous one. The Hebrew expression used for righteous is ṣaddiq, and according to the Hebrew lexicon, it denotes several things: (1) the upright person, behaving correctly and coping with his life; (2) the pious person, one belonging to the community of Yahweh; (3) the pious person who has his or her pleasure in the commandments; and (4) the one who is regarded as just, correct. In short, ṣaddiq describes someone who is just, upright, and devout (Ludwig Koehler and Walter Baumgartner, The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, vol. 3, p. 1002).
Additionally, these verses in Isaiah 26 provide more details about the features of the redeemed and also complement the previous line of thought: the faithful one “remains faithful” (Isa. 26:2, NASB) or, as is translated in the New International Version, “keeps faith.” Another characteristic of the redeemed is that they trust in the Lord, which is emphasized twice in Isaiah 26:3, 4: “They trust in you. Trust in the LORD forever” (NRSV).
Isaiah 26:7 introduces a new word (an adjective in this case) in order to describe the redeemed. It is the Hebrew expression yāšār, which describes a “right or just (person).”— Ludwig Koehler and Walter Baumgartner, The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, vol. 2, p. 450. Isaiah 26:7 says, “the way of the righteous is smooth; O Upright One, make the path of the righteous level” (NASB). Isaiah 26:8, 9 provides other elements in the experience of that faithful people who are going to enter into the redeemed city: “In the path of your judgments, O LORD, we wait for you; your name and your renown are the soul’s desire. My soul yearns for you in the night, my spirit within me earnestly seeks you” (Isa. 26:8, 9; NRSV).
Part III: Life Application