Isaiah 30:23-33

Isa 30:23

Then shall he give the rain of thy seed, that thou shalt sow the ground withal; and bread of the increase of the earth, and it shall be fat and plenteous: in that day shall thy cattle feed in large pastures.

 

Then once they forsake all the idols the LORD promises them that they will receive his blessings.  He will give the former rain which will nourish the seeds and let them sprout.  Then they will also have good crops which will yield amply and will be able to make bread which is a staple food in the Middle East.  There will be a great abundance of food.  After the army of Sennacherib was broken up, there was a time of great fruitfulness of the land.  Then also the cattle and all the livestock will be able to graze on the pastures of which there would be an abundance of.

 

Isa 30:24

The oxen likewise and the young asses that ear the ground shall eat clean provender, which hath been winnowed with the shovel and with the fan.

 

The oxen and the asses which were used for plowing the land will be given clean provender for food.  They would not be in mixed pairs but the oxen and asses would plow separately.  Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together. (Deuteronomy 22:10) The oxen and the asses will eat the provender which has been winnowed which means they will not eat the tares or anything which is unhealthy for them but will eat only good provender.  This shows that there is going to be an abundance where the animals will also eat of the good grains.

 

Isa 30:25

And there shall be upon every high mountain, and upon every high hill, rivers and streams of waters in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall.

 

These would the mountains and hills which surround Jerusalem and other parts of Judah.  As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever. (Psalm 125:2)  Then there will be such an abundance of rain that the streams and rivers will be filled to be able to water all the crops giving an ample supply.  These will happen in the day of great slaughter when the enemies of Israel will be destroyed and Judah will rebound with the blessings of the LORD without any enemies to threaten or destroy the land.  The towers may refer to the Assyrians who were destroyed by God or the Babylonians which were defeated by the Medes and Persians.

 

Isa 30:26

Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people, and healeth the stroke of their wound.

 

Then there will also be other blessings which will accompany their restoration.  Light shall increase which not only refers to physical light but also the light of the knowledge of God will increase.  Those who follow false gods and false religions are walking in darkness but those who follow God and the Lord Jesus Christ are walking in light.  This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5)  The moon shining as bright as the sun is an expression which means that Judah will now walk in light both day and night and the darkness of false religions are in the past.  Then the sevenfold light as the light of seven days carries with it the meaning of God being the center of worship once again and the city will shine with the glory of God as it did before they steeped into idolatry.  And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. (Revelation 21:23)  Just like when the sun stood still for Joshua and there was continual light until the battle was done, they will have the light of the true gospel shining continually on them.  Then just as Judah was like a breach in a wall which was ready to give out, now that breach would be filled up but this is a spiritual filling in that they will have the binding element of the true gospel which binds the person to God and their deadly wound which was their false religions would now be removed paving the way for healing of their souls by returning to God and not departing from him anymore.

 

Isa 30:27

Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire:

 

Isaiah now returns to the event which is going to take place which is the destruction of the Assyrian army.  Since it is introduced with the word “behold” it means that it a sure thing and it is not going to be pretty.  The name of the LORD means that whether he himself or he sends an angel to destroy them, they come in the name of the LORD.  Since the Assyrians were all idolaters, the LORD will be coming against them with fierce anger and the result is going to be heavy or grievous.  The lips will deliver the indictment against Assyria and his tongue will decree the punishment that they will receive.  A similar event will take place on Judgment Day but on a worldwide scale.  And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (Revelation 19:15) 

 

Isa 30:28

And his breath, as an overflowing stream, shall reach to the midst of the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of vanity: and there shall be a bridle in the jaws of the people, causing them to err.

 

The overflowing stream which reaches to the neck means the entire body is engulfed.  The body of the Assyrian army will face the brunt of God’s judgment which will come to them as an overflowing stream creates a torrent of water and destroys everything in its path.  Then the sieve of vanity is mentioned where God will sift Assyria and all the nations which are allied with them.  They will not be sifted with a sieve that only holds back the good corn but with a sieve that allows everything to go through which means that Assyria in its entirety will be judged.  Then the divine bridle will be one that will hold back the Assyrians so they will be unable to attack Jerusalem and will route them in a different direction, right into the hand of God’s judgment.

 

Isa 30:29

Ye shall have a song, as in the night when a holy solemnity is kept; and gladness of heart, as when one goeth with a pipe to come into the mountain of the LORD, to the mighty One of Israel.

 

Then once Assyria is destroyed, that would bring in a time of rejoicing and they would once again sing and it would be like them keeping the Passover which was celebrated at night as a solemn occasion.  Then there would be gladness of heart as one who goes to the temple with a pipe which is a type of flute that they played while they proceeded to go to the temple.  They would come before the LORD with singing and exultation. O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. (Psalm 95:1)  There would be great praise as the LORD had gotten great victory over the Assyrians and saved his people.

 

Isa 30:30

And the LORD shall cause his glorious voice to be heard, and shall shew the lighting down of his arm, with the indignation of his anger, and with the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering, and tempest, and hailstones.

 

Those who would not listen to the prophets or his warnings, especially these pagan nations would hear the voice of the LORD in a different way.  It says that he will cause his glorious voice to be heard, which means they are going to hear it whether they want to or not.  The lighting down of his arm means that Assyria will experience the arm of God’s righteous judgment.  They will encounter his arm of judgment in anger and will experience a devouring fire.  Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire. (Isaiah 29:6)   The scattering would be like a cloudburst which comes suddenly upon a place and that is how swift the judgment of the LORD will be.  The tempest and hailstones shows the ferocity of the judgment in that all who are under judgment will face it in its entirety.  Assyria will know that the LORD has greater power than any of their false gods.

 

Isa 30:31

For through the voice of the LORD shall the Assyrian be beaten down, which smote with a rod.

 

The voice of the LORD would be the command of the LORD which will go forth against the Assyrians.  They smote with the rod mean the Assyrian government was both tyrannical and evil and they did not hesitate to view human life as something low and would use torture tactics and would subdue entire nations in cruelty.

 

Isa 30:32

And in every place where the grounded staff shall pass, which the LORD shall lay upon him, it shall be with tabrets and harps: and in battles of shaking will he fight with it.

 

The grounded staff is a foundation rod of the LORD which in scripture has been used to describe the judgment of God.  The foundation rod was designed to punish Assyria for its cruelty.  Then it shall be accompanied by tabrets and harps which signify that there is going to be victory over Assyria as they play these instruments in joy.  The battles of shaking is when the LORD’s arm will be shaken over the Assyrians as he fights against them and gains victory over them as they are judged and brought down to nothing.  The word “shaking” in the Hebrew comes from a root word which means “up and down or to and fro.”

 

Isa 30:33

For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.

 

Tophet was the place just south of Jerusalem where they would have burned their garbage and possibly when they were in apostasy had burned sacrifices to Molech.  Many of the Assyrian army had possibly camped there waiting for the order to attack Jerusalem.  Tophet like hell was ordained for a purpose long ago, basically it has long been ready.  It was prepared for the King’s army which perished here although Sennacherib did not perish here.  Making it deep and large meant that it was prepared for a great number.  The instrument of judgment was fire and the wood was the members of the Assyrian army.  All the LORD had to do was speak the word and his words would be like a stream of brimstone which would begin the great slaughter of the Assyrians.  Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup. (Psalm 11:6)  It was figuratively happening to the Assyrians although it was a real event but will be more fully realized on Judgement Day on the last day.

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