Isaiah 5:24-30

THE WRATH OF JUDGMENT

TEXT: Isaiah 5:24-30

24 Therefore as the tongue of fire devoureth the stubble, and as the dry grass sinketh down in the flame, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust; because they have rejected the law of Jehovah of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
25

Therefore is the anger of Jehovah kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them; and the mountains tremble, and their dead bodies are as refuse in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

26

And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss for them from the end of the earth; and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly;

27

none shall be weary nor stumble among them; none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken:

28

whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent: their horses-' hoofs shall be accounted as flint, and their wheels as a whirlwind;

29

their roaring shall be like a lioness, they shall roar like young lions; yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and carry it away safe, and there shall be none to deliver.

30

And they shall roar against them in that day like the roaring of the sea: and if one look unto the land, behold, darkness and distress; and the light is darkened in the clouds thereof.

QUERIES

a.

Why is God's anger so fierce?

b.

What is the ensign to the nations in Isaiah 5:26?

c.

How successful will be God's punishment?

PARAPHRASE

Therefore God will deal with them and burn them. They will disappear like straw on fire. Their roots will rot and their flowers wither, for they have thrown away the laws of God and despised the Word of the Holy One of Israel. That is why the anger of the Lord is hot against His people; that is why He has reached out His hand to smash them. The hills will tremble, and the rotting bodies of His people will be thrown as refuse in the streets. But even so, His anger is not ended; His hand is heavy on them still. He will send a signal to the nations far away, whistling to those at the ends of the earth, and they will come racing toward Jerusalem, They never weary, never stumble, never stop; their belts are tight, their bootstraps strong; they run without stopping for rest or for sleep. Their arrows are sharp; their bows are bent; sparks fly from their horses-' hoofs, and the wheels of their chariots spin like the wind. They roar like lions and pounce upon the prey. They seize My people and carry them off into captivity with none to rescue them. They growl over the victims like the roaring of the sea. Over all Israel lies a pall of darkness and sorrow and the heavens are black.

COMMENTS

Isaiah 5:24-25 THE ANGER OF GOD: The people are to be smitten. What happens to them will be in proportions of earthquake shaking mightily the earth. Great numbers to be slain. His anger still unappeased. This judgment does not end in a single day or week or even a month. The fundamental cause for all their sin is the rejection of God's law (Cf. Jeremiah 6:19; Jeremiah 8:9; Isaiah 30:9; Isaiah 30:12). They not only reject His law, they despise it. (Hosea 4:6).

Isaiah 5:26-28 THE ANGER STRIKES: The scourge comes. God is perfectly equipped. This scourging instrument is the invading armies of Assyria, composed of a conglomeration of peoples. God gives the signal - Lift up an ensign (a signal of some sort) He will hiss (whistle). These armies did not come except through His will and purpose. Strong - trained - efficiently accoutered. God sends His signal (stirs up the spirit of nations and rulers) and they serve Him (Cf. Obadiah 1:1; 2 Chronicles 36:22; Ezra 1:1; Isaiah 44:28; Isaiah 45:1; Isaiah 10:5 ff).

Isaiah 5:29 GOD IS TERRIBLY FIERCE: Unwearied - courageous - powerful - ferocious - cruel - bloodthirsty and terrifying - swift.

Isaiah 5:30 GOD IS COMPLETELY OR OVERWHELMINGLY SUCCESSFUL: As a lioness overwhelms her prey and carries it away. The land is utterly desolated. And if Israel from Assyrian captivity looks toward the home land they will see only the darkness of a cloudy and obscure future. A future and a land darkened by divine judgment.