These are the original teaching notes from this passage.
- Woe to Rebellious Children…
- FOURTH of the SIX woes [הוֹי] – again addressing the Southern Kingdom…
- But the TITLE given to them – is REBELLIOUS or STUBBORN children [of God]
- STUBBORN – because they kept going back to the same FAILED ideas…
- Because Judah had sought COUNSEL [עֵצָה] – but it was NOT from the LORD…
- They went down to EGYPT – TRUSTING [חָסָה] in their SHADOW [no substance] to protect them…
- But ANYONE who put their TRUST in the people of Egypt would be put to SHAME…
- That is why the LORD called them – the BOASTER [רַהַב] who does NOTHING [שֶׁבֶת]!
- Rejecting Wisdom…
- Judah said they FOLLOWED the LORD – but refused to LISTEN to His Word…
- They did NOT want to hear BAD news [coming of Assyria]
- They [piel] insisted [imperative] the PROPHETS lie to them and give them GOOD news…
- Therefore [כֵּן] – God would show them no PITY – He would shatter them like a POT – Matthew 21:44
- And ONE enemy – would cause ONE thousand of them to FLEE – Joshua 23:10
- Wisdom of God…
- But the Lord was WAITING for His people to be LEARN…
- Once they were HUMBLED – He would pour out His GRACE upon them…
- When they cried out to Him – He would ANSWER them…
- Then they would hear the voice of the LORD behind them – directing them [right and left]
- And they would REJECT the idols they had been going to for answers…
- As the Lord did what Egypt NEVER could – give them VICTORY over ASSYRIA!
- 1st – Not seeking God… vs. 1-9
- 1st – Down to Egypt… vs. 1-3
- Horses and chariots… vs. 1
- Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help – and rely on horses.
- Who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong.
- But who do not look to the Holy One of Israel – nor seek the LORD!
- WOE [הוֹי] – a Hebrew interjection that often precedes a pronouncement of JUDGMENT…
- FIFTH of the SIX woes [הוֹי] – again addressing the Southern Kingdom…
- But the TITLE given to them here – is those who do NOT [לֹא] seek the LORD…
- Instead they were the ones going DOWN [participle] to EGYPT for help…
- [כִּי] – because they put their TRUST [בָּטַח] in many HORSES and strong CHARIOTS!
- Psalm 20:7 – “Some trust in chariots – some in horses – but we will remember the name of the LORD our God!”
- Do not miss the geography – there were UP with the Lord [Temple]
- And they went DOWN to Egypt – because they put their FAITH in the power of men!
- Too often we are in TROUBLE in life – we look the WRONG direction…
- Rather than looking UP to the LORD – we look DOWN to the world…
- Thinking that there is POWER there – answers to our PROBLEMS!
- Disaster… vs. 2
- Yet He also is wise and will bring disaster and will not call back His words.
- But will arise against the house of evildoers and against the help of those who work iniquity!
- Yet the LORD knows what to do [He is wise] – He will bring [hiphil] DISASTER [רַע]
- He will not change His mind [סוּר] – but will rise up against the house of EVIL doers [Judah]
- And against those who helped them NOT to trust in the LORD [Egypt]!
- The LORD is wise – and knows how to teach us a LESSON…
- If we put our trust in the WRONG place – He will make sure it ends in DISASTER…
- Although it might look good for a MOMENT – it will NOT last!
- Just men… vs. 3
- Now the Egyptians are men and not God – and their horses are flesh and not spirit.
- When the LORD stretches out His hand both he who helps will fall.
- And he who is helped will fall down. They all will perish together!
- The LORD makes a POWERFUL statement that illustrates the FOOLISHNESS of Judah…
- Egyptians are just MEN [אָדָם] – they are NOT God [אֵל]
- And their hoses are PHYSICAL [בָּשָׂר] – not SPIRITUAL [רוּחַ]
- They are NOT a match for the LORD – who is God – and is SPIRIT…
- Therefore when He stretches out His hand – BOTH Egypt and Judah would FALL!
- If we chose to lean against a ROTTEN post…
- Then is should NOT come as a surprise that both the POST and us fall down!
- Yet so often we FOOLISHLY look to something other than the Lord…
- Assuming there is a BETTER answer than what He can give to us…
- But the results will always be – what we are trusting in will fails – and we will fall with it!
- 2nd – God will deliver… vs. 4-5
- Not afraid… vs. 4
- For thus the LORD has spoken to me: As a lion roars and a young lion over his prey.
- When a multitude of shepherds is summoned against him.
- He will not be afraid of their voice – nor be disturbed by their noise.
- So the LORD of hosts will come down to fight for Mount Zion and for its hill!
- In light of the inevitable FAILURE and FALL of Egypt…
- The LORD spoke to Isaiah and gave him an illustration…
- Just LIKE [כַּ] a LION that has killed a SHEEP [prey]
- Is NOT afraid of the SHOUTS of many SHEPHERDS that try to scare him away…
- So [כֵּן] the LORD of Hosts [צְבָאוֹת] would come down – and go to WAR to protect Mount Zion…
- And the SHOUTS of the Assyrian army would NOT intimidate Him!
- Passover… vs. 5
- Like birds flying about so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem.
- Defending He will also deliver it. Passing over He will preserve it!
- LIKE [כַּ] a bird that is DEFENDING its nest…
- There are BIRDS who will offer themselves in order to save their YOUNG…
- They will fly out of their nests – and distract potential predators…
- The LORD of Hosts [צְבָאוֹת] – would also DELIVER Jerusalem…
- He would PASSOVER [פָּסַח] them – so that they might ESCAPE [from their sin]!
- Isaiah using [פָּסַח] here is NOT accidental – it points back to the Exodus…
- The way that God saved Israel from Egypt – was through the PASSOVER lamb – Exodus 12:13
- And He would save them through – pointing to Jesus!
- John 1:29 – “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
- The way God delivers of our FAILURES – the way He protects us from our SIN…
- Is He was willing to lay down His life – and DIE for us – that SIN might PASSOVER us!
- 3rd – Come back to God… vs. 6-9
- Repent… vs. 6-7
- Return to Him against whom the children of Israel have deeply revolted.
- For in that day every man shall throw away his idols of silver and his idols of gold.
- Sin which your own hands have made for yourselves!
- The children of Israel had been VERY rebellious [סָרָה]
- But the solution was simple – REPENT [imperative] and come back to the LORD…
- Because in that DAY [בַּיּוֹם] when the LORD of Hosts came down…
- Everyone would CAST away their IDOLS of silver and Gold…
- The SIN that they had made with their own hands!
- IDOL – comes from the root word [אַל] meaning NOTHING…
- Because they had put their TRUST in the things they MADE – which had NO POWER!
- We tend to think we have ADVANCED – we are far WISER today then people were before…
- Yet we make the SAME mistakes they did – trusting in the things we MADE…
- We put our FAITH in colorful pieces of paper – convinced they can SAVE us…
- But they are NOTHING – and in the day when the LORD comes down we will toss them away!
- Victory… vs. 8-9
- Then Assyria shall fall by a sword not of man – and a sword not of mankind shall devour him.
- But he shall flee from the sword and his young men shall become forced labor.
- He shall cross over to his stronghold for fear and his princes shall be afraid of the banner.
- Says the LORD whose fire is in Zion – and whose furnace is in Jerusalem!
- Assyrians would FALL – NOT by the sword of man [אִישׁ] – but by the SWORD of God [לֹא־אָדָם]
- The young men of Assyria would RAN – but would become SLAVES…
- Their mighty [סֶלַע] would flee in TERROR – their leaders would be AFRAID…
- Says the LORD whose FIRE is in Zion – His WRATH [furnace] in Jerusalem!
- The army that Judah feared – and ran to Egypt to find help…
- Did NOT fear Egypt – but they would FEAR the LORD…
- Because real power is NOT found in MEN – it is ONLY found in God!
- 1st – Down to Egypt… vs. 1-3
- 2nd – King of Righteousness… vs. 1-8
- 1st – New Beginning… vs. 1-4
- The King… vs. 1
- Behold a king will reign in righteousness – and princes will rule with justice!
- Isaiah turned to the KING [מֶלֶךְ] who would RULE well [alliteration] over the people…
- The KING during the Assyrian invasion of Judah was Hezekiah…
- He was the one who sought help from Egypt – but in the end he learned his lesson…
- He became a RIGHTEOUS [צֶדֶק] King – who put JUST leaders [שָׂרַר] over the nation!
- With the armies of Assyria surrounding the city – and Egypt nowhere to be found…
- Hezekiah went into the house of the Lord – and pleaded with God to help – Isaiah 37:1
- Relief… vs. 2
- A man will be as a hiding place from the wind and a cover from the tempest.
- As rivers of water in a dry place. As the shadow of a great rock in a weary land!
- Because King Hezekiah learned to put his TRUST in the LORD…
- He would be LIKE [כְּ] a hiding place – a cover in the STORM [protection]
- He would LIKE [כְּ] a river in a dry place [refreshing] – a shadow in the desert…
- Not because Hezekiah was the answer – but because he was pointing others to the answer!
- It can be easy to FORGET – we are NOT the answer…
- We cannot PROTECT – we cannot REFRESH – we are NOT the solution…
- Our ONLY job is to be the billboard to point them to Jesus!
- Understanding… vs. 3-4
- The eyes of those who see will not be dim – and the ears of those who hear will listen.
- Also the heart of the rash will understand knowledge.
- And the tongue of the stammerers will be ready to speak plainly!
- The eyes of those who were NOT looking to the Lord – would now SEE Him…
- The ears that were NOT willing to listen – would now HEAR Him…
- The hearts that were RASH [panicked] – would now UNDERSTAND [יָדַע]
- And the tongue that made no sense – would now SPEAK clearly!
- Life can be very CONFUSING – where to go – who to listen to – what to say…
- It can be OVERWHELMING – leaving us with a sense of hopelessness…
- But when we are following GODLY leaders – good examples who point us to Jesus…
- There is CLARITY – because they leading us to LOOK and LISTEN to the Lord!
- 2nd – The Contrast… vs. 5-8
- The foolish… vs. 5-6
- The foolish person will no longer be called generous – nor the miser said to be bountiful.
- For the foolish person will speak foolishness – and his heart will work iniquity.
- To practice ungodliness. To utter error against the LORD.
- To keep the hungry unsatisfied – and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail!
- Because there was a RIGHTEOUS King ruling in Judah…
- The FOOL [נָבָל] would no longer be called GENEROUS [נָדִיב]
- And the GREEDY [כִּילַי] would not be called RICH [שׁוֹעַ]
- Because [כִּי] – the FOOL spoke like a FOOL – showing his sinful [אָוֶן] CORRUPT [חֹנֶף] heart…
- Exposing his words that had caused the people to walk away from the LORD…
- Keeping [hiphil] them hungry and thirsty for the LORD!
- People will click and listen to celebrities and motivational speakers [millions of likes]
- Because they sound WISE – and everyone thinks they have the answers…
- Yet their words only serve to keep people from the LORD – leaving them EMPTY…
- But once people are hear the LIVING Word – the world is exposed for the FOOLS they are!
- The evil… vs. 7
- Also the schemes of the schemer are evil – he devises wicked plans.
- To destroy the poor with lying words. Even when the needy speaks justice!
- The tools of the GREEDY [כִּילַי] are EVIL [רָעִים]
- He comes up with wicked plans – uses deceptive words to ruin the HUMBLE [עָנִי]
- Even when what the POOR say is JUST [right]!
- II Peter 2:3 – “By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words!”
- DECEPTIVE [πλαστός] – to carefully mold – like an artist works with clay or stone…
- The world carefully crafts their WORDS [λόγος] to EXPLOIT us…
- EXPLOIT [ἐμπορεύομαι] – where we get the word EMPORIUM [market]
- They use their WORDS to try and make us into their own personal MARKET!
- The Generous… vs. 8
- But a generous man devises generous things – and by generosity he shall stand!
- BUT – those who have UNDERSTANDING – whose eyes and ears are open…
- They are GENEROUS [נָדִיב] – and they live GENEROUSLY…
- And because of their GENEROSITY [third time] – they will STAND!
- What a contrast – the world is NOT trying to HELP us…
- They are seeking to take advantage of us – they want to make money off of our misery…
- But those who are focused on the Lord – are NOT looking to get – they want to GIVE!
- Acts 20:35 – “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
- 1st – New Beginning… vs. 1-4
- 3rd – Gift of the Spirit… vs. 9-20
- 1st – Complacent… vs. 9-11
- Rise up… vs. 9-10
- Rise up you women who are at ease.
- Hear my voice you complacent daughters. Give ear to my speech.
- In a year and some days you will be troubled – you complacent women.
- For the vintage will fail. The gathering will not come!
- Then the LORD turned to the WOMEN of Judah and gave them THREE commands…
- STAND up [imperative] you WOMEN [אִשָּׁה] who think you are SAFE…
- OBEY [imperative] you daughters who are over CONFIDENT [בָּטַח]
- LISTEN [imperative] to what the LORD is saying…
- In a little over a YEAR – your CONFIDENCE will be shaken [רָגַז]
- Because your CROPS will fail – there will be NO harvest!
- This prophecy was given shortly BEFORE the siege of Jerusalem…
- The women were confident that next year would be the same as this year [lots of food]
- But Isaiah is telling them – by this time next year – Assyria would be there [701 B.C.]
- So many people today are just going about their daily lives – OBLIVIOUS…
- They assume they have all the TIME in the world – tomorrow will be just like today…
- They do realize that there is NOT much time left – the JUDGMENT is right around the corner!
- Repent… vs. 11
- Tremble you women who are at ease. Be troubled you complacent ones.
- Strip yourselves – make yourselves bare – and gird sackcloth on your waists!
- The LORD tells these WOMEN who thought they were safe – to be AFRAID [imperative]
- Women who were over CONFIDENT – they should be WORRIED [imperative]
- If they were smart they would strip off their FANCY clothes [imperative]
- And put on SLACK cloth [imperative] while there was still time [and God would clothe them]!
- When Jonah came into the city of Nineveh his message was simple…
- FORTY days and God would judge them – no hope – no escape…
- But the EVERYONE put on sack cloth and humbled themselves!
- Jonah 3:9 – “Perhaps even yet God will change his mind and hold back his fierce anger.”
- The time to REPENT is NOT when everything falls apart [consequences]
- The time to REPENT is NOW – so that God does NOT have to let things crumble!
- 2nd – Mourning… vs. 12-14
- No crops… vs. 12-13
- People shall mourn upon their breasts for the pleasant fields – for the fruitful vine.
- On the land of my people will come up thorns and briers.
- Yes on all the happy homes in the joyous city!
- When Assyria came – when the cities of Judah began to FALL…
- The people would BEAT upon their chests in mourning…
- As all of their fields and vineyards lay wasted by the war…
- Instead the LAND [אַדְמַת] would be filled with THORNS [קוֹץ]
- All of their HAPPY homes and JOY filled cities would be gone!
- When ADAM [אָדָם] refused to listen to the Lord in the Garden – Genesis 3:17
- The result was the land was cursed with THORNS [קוֹץ] – and joy was LOST!
- Deserted… vs. 14
- Because the palaces will be forsaken. The bustling city will be deserted.
- The forts and towers will become lairs forever. A joy of wild donkeys a pasture of flocks!
- The PALACES of Judah would be neglected – their cities EMPTY…
- Their military fortifications – would be the homes of donkeys and pastures!
- There is a PRICE to be PAID for NOT listening to the WARNING of the Lord…
- When we do NOT repent now – we will regret it LATER!
- 3rd – Poured out… vs. 15-20
- Fruitful… vs. 15
- Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high – and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field.
- And the fruitful field is counted as a forest!
- Judah would be a WILDERNESS – until the SPIRIT [רוּחַ] was poured out from heaven [niphal]
- Only then would the WILDERNESS become a FRUITFUL field…
- But it would NOT stop there – that FIELD would become a FOREST [keep growing]!
- When we are HUMBLE – either by choosing to REPENT – or because we are BROKEN…
- It opens up the door for God to pour out His GRACE upon us – I Peter 5:5
- What is the GIFT that God gives to us – His SPIRIT to transform us…
- So that we GROW – not just a little [field] – we GROW a LOT!
- Peace… vs. 16-18
- Then justice will dwell in the wilderness – and righteousness remain in the fruitful field.
- The work of righteousness will be peace.
- And the effect of righteousness – quietness and assurance forever.
- My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation – in secure dwellings and in quiet resting places!
- And [sequential] – once they were FILLED with the SPIRIT of God…
- JUSTICE would dwell in what was once the WILDERNESS of Judea…
- And there would be RIGHTEOUSNESS [צְדָקָה] – that would lead to PEACE [שָׁלוֹם]
- The effect of THAT righteousness [הַצְּדָקָה] would be REST forever…
- MY people [possession] – will dwell in PEACE [שָׁלוֹם]
- In the safety of the TABERNACLE [מִשְׁכָּן] – and in quiet [no war] REST!
- When we finally learn the ONE lesson the Lord has been trying to give us all along…
- The PROBLEM [Assyria] is just the tool God is using to get our attention…
- The WORLD [Egypt] does NOT have the answer…
- The conclusion of REPENTING – being BROKEN – is that we are FORGIVEN [righteous]
- And that RIGHTEOUSNESS brings us lasting PEACE and REST…
- We become the CHILDREN of God – and get to dwell with our LORD [tabernacle]!
- Blessed… vs. 19-20
- Though hail comes down on the forest – and the city is brought low in humiliation.
- Blessed are you who sow beside all waters – who send out freely the feet of the ox and donkey!
- Although it would HAIL [Assyria] on the forest – and the city humbled…
- They would be BLESSED [אֶשֶׁר] – they would once again sow by every RIVER…
- And their animals [donkey – ox] would be free to graze in the open pastures!
- Although we are FORGIVEN [righteous] – there are still consequences…
- The damage is done – the CITY is still brought LOW…
- But whatever it takes to get our attention is worth it…
- Because the ONLY place to have a BLESSED life – is from the Lord!
- 1st – Complacent… vs. 9-11