Isaiah 33

13–16 God, through Isaiah, calls upon those who are far away (the Gentile nations) and those who are near (Judah) to hear what He has done (verse 13). He has consumed His enemies and purified His people. The sinners in Zion are terrified; they too will be consumed by God (verse 14).

It is God Himself who is a consuming fire (see Deuteronomy 4:24; Hebrews 12:29). “Who of us can dwell with such a Babylonians to a day when Jerusalem will God?” Isaiah asks, implying that no one can be restored.¹⁴⁷ Look upon Zion, says (verse 14). But there is good news: God is a “consuming fire” only to those who rebel against Him. He who walks righteously will not be consumed¹⁴⁶ (verse 15). Instead, he will dwell on the heights and in the mountain fortress—poetic figures for the security found in God (verse 16).

17–22 Here Isaiah comes to the central promise of the whole chapter: Your eyes will see the king (verse 17)—the Messianic king (see Isaiah 4:2; 32:1). Isaiah is looking beyond the attacks of the Assyrians and Babylonians to a day when Jerusalem will be restored.¹⁴⁷ Look upon Zion, says Isaiah (verse 20); and in verses 20–23, he describes the restored Jerusalem.¹⁴⁸

23–24 In verse 23, Isaiah describes a ship (Assyria) that is unprepared to said—unprepared to resist the Lord. Its cargo will be plundered and carried off even by the lame—the weakest of nations. The, in verse 24, Isaiah brings to a climax his vision of the restored Jerusalem: it will be a place where there is no illness (Isaiah 25:8), and where all sins have been forgiven.