The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV

by John MacArthur

  30:3 shame…humiliation. The Assyrians had already defeated the Egyptian army only 100 mi. from the Egyptian border.

  30:4 Zoan…Hanes. Judah’s emissaries had penetrated from Zoan in the NE of Egypt to Hanes fifty mi. S of Memphis.

  30:6 land of trouble and anguish…humps of camels. Isaiah pictured a rich caravan, trudging slowly through rugged territory fraught with dangers, on its way to Egypt to purchase assistance.

  30:7 help in vain…Rahab-Hem-Shebeth. Egypt was unwilling to help so the prophet calls the powerful Egypt “Rahab,” meaning “strength,” or “sitting idle” (Hebrew). “Rahab” is used of Egypt in Pss. 87:4; 89:10.

  30:8 for time to come. The Lord’s instruction to Isaiah was to make a permanent written record so that future generations could learn Israel’s folly of trusting in Egypt instead of in the Lord.

  30:9 rebellious people, lying children. The people’s unwillingness to obey the Lord necessitated the keeping of a permanent record of their misdeeds.

  30:10, 11 prophesy deceits…turn aside from the path. Isaiah’s listeners tired of hearing counsel that was contrary to the path they desired to follow and wanted him to change his message to accommodate them.

  30:12–14 Since the people opted not to hear the word of the Lord’s prophet, they will hear from the Lord’s judgment.

  30:12 this word. The reference is to the instruction of the Lord through Isaiah.

  30:13, 14 high wall…potter’s vessel. Two comparisons portrayed the coming sudden disaster to befall the rebels, a high wall that collapses suddenly and a clay jug that shatters into many pieces when dropped.

  30:15 rest…confidence. The Israelite rebels refused the true avenue of salvation and strength, i.e., resting and confidence in the Lord.

  30:16 horses…swift horses. The people put their trust in Egypt’s horses instead of the Lord. No horse could deliver them from their God-appointed oppressors (cf. Deut. 17:16; Pss. 33:17; 147:10).

  30:17 One thousand…one. Similar figures elsewhere describe Israel’s victories (Lev. 26:36; Josh. 23:10) and defeats (Deut. 32:30).

  30:18 the LORD will wait. Since Judah would not wait on the Lord to deliver (25:9; 26:8; 33:2; cf. 30:15), He must wait to be gracious to the nation.

  30:19 dwell in Zion at Jerusalem. The prophet emphatically pointed to a result of God’s grace toward Israel—the survival of the city of Jerusalem as the center of her domain (65:9; Ezek. 37:25, 28).

  30:20 eyes shall see. After their period of judgment because of disobedience, God is to open Israel’s eyes to the soundness of the message of His prophets (29:24).

  30:21 a word behind you. The teachers will be near and the pupils sensitive to the Lord’s prophets, in strong contrast to the callousness formerly manifest (29:10, 11).

  30:22 throw them away. The Babylonian captivity rid Israel of her idolatry in fulfillment of this prophecy.

  30:23–25 In the messianic kingdom of that future day, agriculture, cattle raising, food production, and water resources will prosper. The prophet predicted the redemption of nature (cf. Rom. 8:19–21).

  30:25 towers fall. Powerful nations that oppress Israel will come to an end (contra. 29:17).

  30:26 light of the moon…light of the sun. The benefits from the natural bodies of light will be much greater. Increase in the intensity of their light will work to people’s advantage (60:19, 20), not to their detriment as in Rev. 16:8, 9.

  30:27–33 Isaiah followed the promise of Judah’s redemption (vv. 19–26) with a promise of Assyria’s destruction.

  30:27 the name of the LORD. His name focuses particularly on His revealed character as Sovereign and Savior (Deut. 12:5).

  30:27, 28 comes from afar…overflowing stream. The Lord will come suddenly upon His enemies as a great storm with its accompanying flood, to overwhelm them.

  30:29 song…holy festival. While God’s judgment devastated the Assyrians, the people of Jerusalem conducted a time of joyful celebration as at one of their feasts, perhaps a Passover.

  30:30, 31 Assyria…beaten down. Assyria in particular, but in the long range, any enemy of God’s people will fall victim to divine storm and flood (vv. 27, 28).

  30:32 staff of punishment…tambourines and harps. With each blow of punishment against the Assyrians will come joyful celebration in Jerusalem.

  30:33 Tophet. Lit. a place of abomination. Idolatrous Israel had burned to death human victims in this valley just S of Jerusalem, an area sometimes called the Valley of Hinnom (2 Kin. 23:10; see note on Jer. 19:6). Later it became known as Gehenna, the place of refuse for the city, with constantly burning fires, symbolizing hell. The defeat was to be so complete that the fire burns continually.

  Isaiah 31

  31:1 horses…chariots. Egypt’s horses and chariots were numerous (1 Kin. 10:28, 29). Its flat topography was well suited for chariotry. They would be useful to Israel against the Assyrian cavalry. Nor seek the LORD. What made Israel’s turning to Egypt most despicable was her accompanying turning away from the Lord.

  31:2 He also is wise. Sarcastically, Isaiah countered the unwise royal counselors who had advised dependence on Egypt. will not call back His words. The implied exception is, of course, when the sinful nation repented, as in the case of Nineveh (Jon. 3:5–10).

  31:3 flesh…spirit. For example, Hezekiah wisely chose to rely on the Lord, not on the arm of flesh (2 Chr. 32:8).

  31:4 not be afraid…nor be disturbed. In His defense of Jerusalem, the Lord is to be like a strong and determined lion, unafraid of shepherds summoned against him.

  31:5 birds flying about. The Lord is like a hovering mother bird with a strong attachment to her little ones and a willingness to do whatever is necessary for their safety.

  31:6 Return to Him. The prophet called rebellious Israel to repent in light of God’s gracious dealings with them (vv. 4, 5; cf. 30:18, 19).

  31:7 throw away his idols. The obvious helplessness of the idols to deliver rendered them completely useless.

  31:8 Assyria shall fall. The defeat of Assyria by other-than-human means matched this prophecy well (see 37:36, 37), but other such foreign oppressors meet the same fate in the distant future of Israel, during the time of Jacob’s trouble (cf. Jer. 30:7).

  31:9 fire is in Zion…furnace is in Jerusalem. Both in Isaiah’s near future and in the distant future, Jerusalem will be God’s headquarters for bringing judgment on foreign nations. God Himself is the fire, waiting for all the enemies who attack Jerusalem.

  Isaiah 32

  32:1 a king…princes. In contrast to bad leaders already discussed (e.g., 28:14, 15; 29:15), the prophet turned to the messianic king and His governmental assistants during the future day of righteousness. These will be the apostles (Luke 22:30) and the saints (1 Cor. 6:2; 2 Tim. 2:12; Rev. 2:26, 27; 3:21).

  32:2 shadow…land. During the millennial reign of Christ, leaders will provide protection like “the shadow of a mighty rock within a weary land,” instead of posing threats to the people’s well-being.

  32:3 eyes…not…dim…ears…listen. A future generation of Israelites will experience a reversal of receptivity compared to Isaiah’s generation (6:9, 10; cf. 29:18, 24; 30:20).

  32:4 stammerers. The stammerers were former drunkards who uttered nonsense in their drunken stupor (28:7, 8; 29:9).

  32:5 foolish person…generous…miser…bountiful. In the future earthly kingdom envisioned by Isaiah, false appraisals of leadership qualities will be impossible, because everyone will see and speak clearly.

  32:6–8 foolish person…generous man. An unwillingness to care for the needy reflects the character of a fool, but the generous person in dependence on God provides for the poor. These qualities will be evident to all in the age to come.

  32:9–14 The prophet warns the women of Judah against complacency (cf. 3:16—4:1). God’s eventual blessing on their nation gave no excuse for business as usual, i.e., dependence on Egypt instead of God.

  32:9 at ease…complacent. “At ease” translates the word render
ed “quiet” and “complacent” the word rendered “secure” in v. 18. The difference between the bad senses here and the good senses in v. 18 is the object of trust, Egypt or God. Ease and security in God are proper.

  32:10 year and some days. Perhaps specifying a time when the Assyrian army came and pillaged the land, the prophet warned of how God’s coming judgment was to spoil agricultural production.

  32:11, 12 Tremble…mourn. Present satisfaction with the status quo shortly gave way to an entirely different set of emotions.

  32:13 thorns…briers. Without harmony with God, the land of God’s people became just as desolate as any other forsaken territory (1:7; 5:6; 7:23).

  32:14 bustling city. Jerusalem too was to become desolate through the Lord’s purging judgments of the nation (Luke 21:24).

  32:15–20 The promised kingdom was to eventually come to Israel with its accompanying fruitfulness, peace, and security.

  32:15 the Spirit is poured upon us. The infusion of God’s Spirit was to transform the land into productive fruitfulness (Joel 2:28—3:1).

  32:16 justice…righteousness. Noble spiritual values were to thrive in the future messianic reign.

  32:18 My people…peaceful…secure…quiet. The people of Israel will enjoy lasting security with the Messiah personally present to ensure peace.

  32:19 city is brought low. Jerusalem must learn humility before the prophesied ideal conditions can become reality.

  32:20 Blessed. As with the beatitudes of Christ (Matt. 5:3–12), Isaiah pronounced the blessedness of those who participate in the future glory of Christ’s kingdom.

  Isaiah 33

  33:1 you who plunder. Though the immediate reference is to Assyria (2 Kin. 18:13–16; 19:32–37), the prophecy looks beyond Assyria to any power that sets itself against Israel.

  33:2 We have waited for You. Israel refused to do this earlier (30:15; 31:6), but had repented (25:9; 26:8; 33:2).

  33:3, 4 Just as Sennacherib took flight suddenly (cf. 37:37; 2 Chr. 32:21), so the nations will scatter before the Lord, leaving their spoils behind.

  33:6 fear of the LORD. The same Spirit-imparted qualification possessed by the Messiah (11:2) will belong to His people when He returns.

  33:7–9 From the vision of future glory, Isaiah returns to the disastrous present. Jerusalem’s situation was hopeless when in 701 B.C. the Assyrian army had the city surrounded and was ready to move in.

  33:7 valiant ones…ambassadors. Both men of war and diplomats had failed in their attempts to thwart the invaders.

  33:8 highways lie waste. The enemy surrounding the city had cut off all travel and trade with the outside world.

  33:9 Lebanon…Sharon…Bashan…Carmel. The enemy had spoiled places renowned for their lush fertility.

  33:10 Now I will rise. When the oppressor’s power had reached its zenith, the time had arrived for the Lord to assert Himself in judging the plunderer, in Isaiah’s case the Assyrian troops.

  33:11 chaff…stubble. References to Assyria reaffirm that the plunderer is to be plundered (v. 1).

  33:12 lime…thorns. Burned limestone became dust; thorn bushes burned rapidly.

  33:13 afar off…near. When God puts down the final enemies of Israel, He will receive worldwide acknowledgment of His might.

  33:14 afraid; fearfulness. When sinners (false professors among the elect) comprehend the might of God, fear takes hold of their lives (Acts 5:11; Heb. 12:29).

  33:15 righteously…uprightly. The only survivors in the presence of mighty God will be the righteous (Pss. 15:1–5; 24:3, 4).

  33:16 place of defense…bread…water. Those who are right with God will enjoy perfect security and ample provisions (32:15, 17, 18).

  33:17 King in His beauty. The prophecy moves beyond Hezekiah in his sackcloth, oppressed by his enemy, to Messiah in His beauty. Seeing Him in glory is another reward of the righteous. The near-future deliverance from Sennacherib anticipates a more distant wonder when the Messiah will sit on His throne.

  33:18, 19 In that future day God’s people will remember past hardships under foreign domination.

  33:20 tabernacle…not be taken down. God’s presence is to permanently inhabit restored Jerusalem in the millennial kingdom.

  33:21 broad rivers and streams. God is to restore wide rivers and streams as a means of defending the city.

  33:22 He will save us. In explicit language, God, not the surrounding nations, is to deliver Israel.

  33:23 tackle is loosed. In her own strength, Jerusalem is as helpless to defend herself as a ship deprived of its ropes and pulleys, that cannot sail. lame take the prey. The weak city defeats the invaders with the Lord’s enablement.

  33:24 not say, “I am sick”…forgiven their iniquity. When Christ returns to rule, Jerusalem will be free of physical and spiritual problems.

  Isaiah 34

  34:1 Come near. Isaiah invited the nations to approach to hear God’s sentence of judgment against them.

  34:3 Their stench. Prolonged exposure of dead corpses was and is repulsive and disgraceful (see 14:19).

  34:4 heavens…scroll. Not even the heavens are to escape the effects of God’s wrath. Revelation 6:14 affirms the future fulfillment of this prophecy during Daniel’s 70th week (see 2:19; 13:10).

  34:5 Edom. The prophet selects Edom as a representative of the rest of the nations (cf. 63:1; Gen. 25:23; Num. 20:14–21; Ezek. 35:1–15; Obad. 1–14; Mal. 1:2, 3; cf. 25:10). people of My curse. Lit. “devoted people.” The expression’s negative connotation stems from their involuntary devotion to God.

  34:6, 7 lambs and goats…rams…wild oxen…bulls. Since the nations had not repented and obeyed God’s way of sacrifice for sins, they became the sacrificial penalty for their own sins.

  34:6 Bozrah. A chief city of Edom located about 20 mi. SE of the southern end of the Dead Sea.

  34:8 day of the LORD’s vengeance. See note on 2:10–22. God’s day of vengeance on Edom (63:4) will be the same as on the rest of the nations (59:17, 18; 61:2).

  34:9, 10 God’s judgment is to reduce the nations to a state of perpetual volcanic waste.

  34:9 brimstone…burning pitch. Genesis 19:24, 28 describes Sodom in similar terms (cf. 30:33; Deut. 29:23; Ps. 11:6; Jer. 49:18; Ezek. 38:22).

  34:10 smoke shall ascend forever. Revelation forecasts this destiny for final Babylon, the great end-time world empire (Rev. 14:10, 11; 18:18; 19:3).

  34:11–15 Various forms of animal and bird life symbolize the depopulated condition into which the nations fall after God’s judgment upon them (13:21, 22; 14:23).

  34:11, 13 pelican…owl…raven…ostriches. The presence of unclean birds was a sign of desolation and wilderness. Similar symbolism portrays the final state of Babylon in the future (Rev. 18:2; cf. 13:21; Jer. 50:39; Zeph. 2:13, 14).

  34:16 My mouth has commanded. The prophecies against the nation in vv. 1–15 were just as certain as God’s sovereign command through His prophet.

  34:17 divided it…with a measuring line. God had partitioned off Edom just as He once did Canaan (Num. 26:55, 56; Josh. 18:4–6) and allotted it to the wild animals listed in vv. 11–15.

  Isaiah 35

  35:1–4 In contrast to luxuriant Edom that is to become a desert (34:1–17), during Messiah’s reign on earth the whole world is to become a flourishing garden and this will offer encouragement to the weak.

  35:1 desert…as the rose. Dramatic changes in the land are to come during the messianic age (see 30:23–25; 32:15–20).

  35:2 Lebanon…Carmel and Sharon. Areas near the sea noted for their agricultural fertility. They shall see. Israel is to recognize the earth’s newfound fruitfulness as coming from the Lord and attribute to Him the appropriate credit.

  35:3 weak hands…feeble knees. The future change in Israel’s international role is to serve to encourage the discouraged among the people. The writer of Hebrews gave an additional application of this verse to strengthen endurance among Christians suffering persecution for their faith (Heb. 12:12).

 
; 35:4 vengeance…save you. The vengeance of God (34:8) is to furnish the means to redeem His long-oppressed people of Israel.

  35:5 eyes…opened…ears…unstopped. This is to reverse the spiritual condition of the immediate objects of Isaiah’s ministry (see 29:18; 32:3).

  35:6 lame…sing. God’s restoration in the millennial age is to include physical restoration to the afflicted. Jesus’ first coming gave a foretaste of that future day (Matt. 11:5; 12:22; Mark 7:37; Luke 7:21; Acts 3:8).

  35:6, 7 streams in the desert…springs of water. Water was and is a precious commodity in Israel (41:18). In the Millennium, there will be no scarcity.

  35:7 habitation of jackals. The rocky crags normally inhabited by jackals (34:13) are to become splashy meadows.

  35:8 Highway of Holiness. This refers to the way leading the redeemed back to Jerusalem, the throne of Messiah, literally and spiritually. Christ Himself is to be the leader on that way, called in 40:3, the “way of the LORD.”

  35:9 lion…ravenous beast. No ferocious beasts are to threaten the safety of those traveling the Highway of Holiness. the redeemed. Mentioned only rarely in chaps. 1–39 (1:27; 29:22) whose theme is judgment; terms for redemption occur frequently in chaps. 40–66.

  35:10 the ransomed…flee away. See 51:11 where the words occur again. Gladness is to replace sadness across the board in the day of Israel’s restoration.

  Isaiah 36

  36:1—39:8 The 4 chapters duplicate almost verbatim 2 Kin. 18:13–20:19 (cf. 2 Chr. 32:1–23). See 2 Kings notes for amplification. Isaiah added this material to make the references to Assyria more understandable. It is most probable that Isaiah is the author of this section, since 2 Chr. 32:32 says Isaiah also wrote the acts of Hezekiah. Isaiah’s record was incorporated into 2 Kings by the author of that record. These chapters form the transition closing the first division of Isaiah’s prophecy. Chapters 36, 37 are the historical consummation of chaps. 1–35—Jerusalem’s deliverance from Assyria—and chaps. 38, 39 the historical basis for chaps. 40–66—a preview of the Babylonian captivity.

  36:1 fourteenth year of King Hezekiah. Since Sennacherib’s attack came in 701 B.C., this places the beginning of Hezekiah’s reign in 715 B.C. But since 2 Kin. 18:1 says he began to reign in the third year of Hoshea, ca. 729 B.C., Hezekiah served as co-regent with Ahaz (ca. 729–716 B.C.) before assuming the throne exclusively. It was customary for the later kings of Israel to assume their sons into partnership in the government during their lives. Sennacherib. The king of Assyria (ca. 705 to 681 B.C.). fortified cities. The discovery of the ancient Annals of Sennacherib reveals the cities he conquered in his campaign southward from Sidon on the Mediterranean coast.