The people from Israel had suffered because they did not obey the *Lord. But now their punishment is complete. So now the *Lord will again choose the people from Israel to have a special relationship with him. The *Lord will arrange for their return home to their own land. Babylon had merely been Go... [ Continue Reading ]
ISAIAH: GOD CONTROLS THE NATIONS GOD’S PLANS FOR JUDAH, ASSYRIA AND EGYPT ISAIAH CHAPTER S 10 TO 20 _NORMAN HILLYER_ CHAPTER 14 THE *LORD’S PEOPLE WILL COME HOME V1 The *Lord will pity the people from Israel. He will again choose them to be his special people. He will bring them back to their... [ Continue Reading ]
Former slaves (the people from Israel) will exchange roles with their former masters (the people from Babylon). THE FATE OF THE KING OF BABYLON V3 The *Lord will bring relief from pain to his people. He will bring them relief from what they suffered as slaves. V4 Then they will laugh at the powerf... [ Continue Reading ]
The evil rulers had been using masses of wood for fuel and when they attacked the walls of cities. They had no consideration for the future. Trees need years to grow.... [ Continue Reading ]
The ‘music’ of those who had been wicked rulers refers to their former comfortable life of luxury. Instead of magnificent meals, the body of the king will himself become food for *worms.... [ Continue Reading ]
The ‘Morning Star’ is far brighter than anything else in the sky at dawn. This impressive description shows the proud ambition of the king of Babylon. He wanted to be as great as God in heaven.... [ Continue Reading ]
Many readers have seen in these verses a reference to the future punishment of Satan (the devil).... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Far away in the north’ refers to the sacred mountain called Zephon in northern Syria. The former inhabitants of *Canaan believed that all the gods met there. The proud king of Babylon thought that he was as great as any god. He supposed himself to be a god because he was the most important king in... [ Continue Reading ]
The king of Babylon’s determination to *seize complete power made him act madly. He even stole the property of his own people. And he killed anyone who tried to oppose him.... [ Continue Reading ]
The king’s own sons would suffer because of their father’s wicked behaviour (see Exodus 34:7). GOD WILL ALSO PUNISH ASSYRIA V24 The *Lord (commander of heaven’s armies) makes a serious promise. ‘All will happen, *exactly as I have arranged. What I have decided to do, I shall certainly carry out. V... [ Continue Reading ]
This probably refers to the intention of the *Assyrian army to attack Judah in 701 *BC (see 2 Kings chapter 19).... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Lifts his hand’: see my note on 9:12. GOD WILL ALSO PUNISH THE *PHILISTINES V28 A special message from God came to Isaiah in the year when Ahaz king of Judah died. V29 Do not be glad, all you *Philistines! Once it seemed as if a heavy stick was striking you. You are glad because now that heavy s... [ Continue Reading ]
Ahaz died in 716 *BC.... [ Continue Reading ]
The ‘heavy stick’ is a picture in words of an enemy’s attack. God warns the *Philistines that something even worse than the *Assyrian attack is coming.... [ Continue Reading ]
People will never find real safety in great armies. They will only find real safety in the great *Lord God. LORD ~ God’s name in the Bible. In the original language, God’s names mean ‘head over all’ and ‘God always’. SHEOL ~ the place where Jews thought that dead persons went. JEWS ~ people who belo... [ Continue Reading ]