Week 29b--Isaiah 18-27, 29-39

Many people enjoy reading the book of Isaiah. I have often heard people refer to the beautiful language and the joyful words that are found in these prophecies. 

They’re usually not referring to the prophecies we read this week.

I myself love the book of Isaiah, for the previously mentioned reasons, but I found it hard to slog through all the death and destruction found in these chapters, despite the joy and hope that I knew was waiting at the end.

This was a painful bit of scripture to get through--Isaiah 18 even begins with the word “Alas!” Messages are sent out specifically to Ethiopia, Egypt, Babylon, Tyre, Edom, and Arabia--they will all be destroyed because they have not followed the One True God. By the time we get to chapter 24, the LORD has planned to lay the whole earth waste. God says the earth is polluted by its inhabitants and a curse devours the whole earth. (No more! Make it stop!)

In Ch. 33 we see a new facet of God’s character. The LORD appears as judge, lawgiver, and king. He will forgive. And this is the most important part of these chapters--after all the punishment comes the repeated promises of forgiveness and restoration.

Once we start looking deeper in to these chapters, though, we find good news all over the place. We can find songs of praise. Isaiah 25:8 reads: “He will swallow up death for all time, And the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces, And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; For the LORD has spoken.” Finding this verse is like seeing the sun in the middle of a cloudy winter day. We also have a comforting thought in Isaiah 26:3: “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in you.” Again and again in the book of Isaiah there is a balance of pain and hope. This is the reality of Isaiah, and the reality of our lives.

In chapter 27, we are told that Israel will be delivered and will return to worship the LORD at His holy mountain in Jerusalem. Isaiah 29:19 tells us that “The afflicted also will increase their gladness in the LORD, And the needy of mankind will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.” Chapter 30, while not full of good news entirely, has one important message. When you start listening to God and paying attention to Him, He will speak to you. He will tell you, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you begin to turn from the way.

Finally, we come to Isaiah 35, which is a whole chapter full of joy! The blind will see, the lame will leap, the dry ground will sprout. Finally, “the ransomed of the LORD will return And come with joyful shouting to Zion, With everlasting joy upon their heads. They will find gladness and joy, And sorrow and sighing will flee away.” I want to stand up and cheer! Oh, for that great and glorious day!