Isaiah 32:15

15 This will continue until God pours his Spirit from above upon us. Then the desert will be like a fertile field and the fertile field like a forest.

Isaiah 32:15 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 32:15

Until the Spirit be poured upon us from on high
That is, Jerusalem shall lie in ruins until this time comes; which therefore cannot be understood of the effusion of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, which, as it was before the destruction of the city by the Romans, so the desolation it was brought to by the Chaldeans did not last so long; but must be interpreted of a pouring forth of the Spirit in his gifts and graces yet to come, which will bring on the fulness of the Gentiles, and the conversion of the Jews, and till that time comes Jerusalem will continue in a ruinous condition; the sense is the same with that of ( Luke 21:24 ) "Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled". The Targum of the place is,

``until refreshing comes to us from the face of him, whose Shechinah, or Majesty, is in the highest heavens;''

with which may be compared ( Acts 3:19 ) : and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be
counted for a forest;
this will be the consequence, fruit, and effect of the effusion of the Spirit in the latter day; that such parts of the world as were like a wilderness, barren and unfruitful, producing nothing but the briers and thorns of impiety, infidelity, superstition, and idolatry, should now become like a fruitful field; the Gospel being now preached everywhere, multitudes of souls converted, churches raised and formed, and these filled with such as were laden with the fruits of righteousness; and such places where the Gospel had been preached and professed, and where churches had been planted, and there were some good degree of fruitfulness in word and works, now should be abundantly more fruitful, and the professors of religion more numerous, and look more like a forest, for number of trees, than a field. Kimchi says this whole paragraph shall be accomplished in the days of the Messiah.

Isaiah 32:15 In-Context

13 Cry for the land of my people, in which only thorns and weeds now grow. Cry for the city that once was happy and for all the houses that once were filled with joy.

14 The palace will be empty; people will leave the noisy city. Strong cities and towers will be empty. Wild donkeys will love to live there, and sheep will go there to eat.

15 This will continue until God pours his Spirit from above upon us. Then the desert will be like a fertile field and the fertile field like a forest.

16 Justice will be found even in the desert, and fairness will be found in the fertile fields.

17 That fairness will bring peace, and it will bring calm and safety forever.