Isaiah 30:27-33

Assyria punished

27 Look there! The LORD is coming from far away; his anger blazing, his smoke-cloud thick. His lips are full of fury; his tongue is like a devouring fire.
28 His breath is like a raging river that reaches up to the neck, to shake the nations with a sieve of destruction, and to put a misleading rein on the people's jaws.
29 There will be singing for you as on the night that people celebrate a festival. The heart will be joyful as it is when one goes with a flute to the LORD's mountain, to the rock of Israel.
30 The LORD will unleash his majestic voice and display his crushing arm in furious anger, with a flame of consuming fire, in stormy rain and hail.
31 The LORD's voice will terrify Assyria; with a rod he will smite it.
32 And every crack that is made in the foundation wall, which the LORD will bring down upon him, will be accompanied by timbrels and lyres. The LORD will raise his arm and fight against Assyria in battle.
33 His place for burning was arranged long ago; it is indeed made ready for a king. God has made its wood pile wide and deep, fire and wood in abundance. The breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, ignites it.

Isaiah 30:27-33 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 30

This chapter contains a complaint of the Jews for their sins and transgressions; a prophecy of their destruction for them; a promise of grace and mercy, and of happy times, to the saints; and a threatening of utter and dreadful ruin to the wicked. The Jews are complained of for their rebellion against God, their slighting his counsel and protection, their trust in Egypt, and application there for help; whither they went with their riches for safety, but in vain, it being contrary to the will and counsel of God, Isa 30:1-7 next follows a denunciation of ruin and destruction for these things, rebellion, and lying, and vain confidence, as well as for contempt of the word of God, which, that it might appear sure and certain, is ordered to be written in a book, Isa 30:8-12 and this ruin is signified by the sudden falling of a wall, and by the breaking of a potter's vessel into pieces, which can never be used more, Isa 30:13,14 and seeing they rejected the way of salvation proposed by the Lord, and took their own way, first destruction is threatened them, which should be very easily brought about, and become so general, that few should escape it, Isa 30:15-17 and then promises of grace and mercy are made to them that wait for the Lord, Isa 30:18 such as a dwelling place in Zion, hearing their prayers, granting them teachers to instruct them, and the riddance of idolatry from them, Isa 30:19-22 and also many outward blessings, as seasonable rain, good bread corn, fat pastures, good food for cattle, and fruitfulness of mountains and hills, Isa 30:23-25 likewise an amazing degree of spiritual light and glory, and healing of the Lord's people, Isa 30:26 and the chapter is concluded with a threatening Of God's wrath upon the Assyrian, expressed by various similes, as of an angry man, an overflowing torrent, a tempest of thunder, lightning, and hail, and the fire of Tophet, Isa 30:27-33.

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