Isaiah 42:25

25 So he made us feel the force of his anger and suffer the violence of war. Like fire his anger burned throughout Israel, but we never knew what was happening; we learned nothing at all from it.

Isaiah 42:25 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 42:25

Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger
The Lord was angry with these people for their rejection of the Messiah, and contempt of his Gospel; and therefore his wrath came upon them to the uttermost, not in some small drops, but in great abundance, to the utter ruin of their nation, city, and temple. Josephus says ^F5,

``the Romans came to subdue Palestine, but their coming was the pouring out of the heat of the wrath of the Lord:''

and the strength of battle;
or "war"; all the miseries and calamities that are the effects of war. The Targum is,

``he hath brought upon them the strength of his warriors;''

the Roman soldiers: and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned
him, yet he laid it not to heart;
the Roman army set fire first to the lower part of the city of Jerusalem, and then the higher ^F6, and wholly consumed it; and yet this has not to this day brought this people to lay it to heart, to consider and observe the true reason of it, their rejection of the Messiah.

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FOOTNOTES:

F5 Josephus apud Forerium in loc.
F6 Josephus de Bello Jud. l. 7. c. 7. sect. 2. and c. 8. sect. 5.

Isaiah 42:25 In-Context

23 Will any of you listen to this? From now on will you listen with care?

24 Who gave Israel up to the looters? It was the Lord himself, against whom we sinned! We would not live as he wanted us to live or obey the teachings he gave us.

25 So he made us feel the force of his anger and suffer the violence of war. Like fire his anger burned throughout Israel, but we never knew what was happening; we learned nothing at all from it.