Isaiah 30
30
Woe to the Rebellious
1This is what Yahweh says:
“Woe to the rebellious children,
who carry out their own plans but not mine,
and who sign treaties without consulting my Spirit,
piling one sin upon another.
2You travel down to Egypt to find help
without being guided by the words of my mouth.
Instead you put your trust in Pharaoh’s protection,
seeking shelter in the shadow of Egypt.
3Therefore, Pharaoh’s protection will become your shame,
and the shelter of Egypt’s shadow will end in disaster!
4Though your officials arrive at Zoan
and your ambassadors reach as far away as Hanes,
5all will be put to shame because of such unreliable people.
They can offer you no help, only shame and disgrace!”
6This is a prophecy of the desert animals:
The burden of the caravan is to
traverse a desert land # 30:6 Or possibly a title: “A burden [oracle] of the animals of the Negev.” The caravan, with its beasts of burden, was likely carrying the resources to pay for Egypt’s aid. God had once led them through that desert, bringing them into the promised land. Now they trekked the other direction in the desert, looking for help but not from Father God. See Deut. 8:15; Jer. 2:6. of distress and trouble,
a land of the lion and lioness, the snake and the fiery flying one! # 30:6 Or “seraph.”
They carry their riches on the donkey’s back
and their treasures on the camel’s hump
to a nation that will give them nothing in return!
7Egypt’s help is utterly worthless;
that’s why I nicknamed her
Rahab, the Do-Nothing Dragon. # 30:7 Rahab is used as a poetic term both for a mythical sea monster and for Egypt. See Pss. 87:4; 89:10; Isa. 51:9.
A Message to God’s Stubborn Children
8God told me to write down in a book
words meant for the coming generation as an eternal witness.
9For they are stubborn rebels, children always telling lies,
who refuse to listen to Yahweh’s instruction.
10They say to the seers:
“Stop seeing your visions.”
They say to the prophets: # 30:10 Or “the beholders.”
“Stop prophesying to us about what is right.
Prophesy only pleasant things to us, even if they’re illusions!
11Leave this narrow way; turn aside from this harsh path.
Don’t confront us anymore with the Holy One of Israel!”
12Therefore, this is what the Holy One of Israel has to say:
“Because you have despised this message,
and trust in your own clever abilities to deceive,
and rely upon oppression,
13your own sin will become like a high, bulging wall
that is cracked and about to collapse.
In an instant, it will all fall down.
14It will break into pieces like shattered pottery,
smashed so ruthlessly that not even a fragment
big enough to pick up a hot coal
or to scoop water from a cistern will be found!”
15Lord Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel, says:
“Come back to me! By returning and resting in me you will be saved.
In quietness and trust you will be made strong.
But you refused.
16And though you boast, ‘No! We will flee on horses,’
you will indeed flee for your lives!
You say, ‘We will ride on swift horses,’
but your pursuers will be swift to chase you!
17A thousand will flee at the threat of one, # 30:17 See Deut. 28:25.
and all will flee at the threat of five,
until nothing will be left of you—
like a lonely flagstaff on the top of a hill,
or like a signpost on a barren mountain!”
God’s Promise to His People
18For this reason the Lord is still waiting # 30:18 Or “waits until the last moment.” to show his favor to you
so he can show you his marvelous love.
He waits to be gracious to you.
He sits on his throne ready to show mercy to you. # 30:18 See Jer. 29:11–13; Heb. 4:16.
For Yahweh is the Lord of justice,
faithful to keep his promises.
Overwhelmed with bliss are all
who will entwine their hearts in him,
waiting for him to help them.
19Yes, the people of Zion who live in Jerusalem
will weep no more.
How compassionate he will be
when he hears your cries for help!
He will answer you when he hears your voice!
20Even though the Lord may allow you
to go through a season of hardship and difficulty, # 30:20 Or “though the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction.”
he himself will be there with you.
He will not hide himself from you,
for your eyes will constantly see him as your Teacher. # 30:20 The Hebrew word for “teacher” (mowreh) is a homonym for “rain.” The gift of a teacher is to water our hearts with the rain of the Spirit and the rain of Truth. When God teaches our hearts, it is like spring rain falling, refreshing and renewing our spirits. See 1 Cor. 3:6.
21When you turn to the right or turn to the left,
you will hear his voice behind you to guide you, saying,
“This is the right path; follow it.” # 30:21 This verse and the preceding verse teach us several lessons: (1) God will be with us in our troubles. (2) God will not hide himself from us when we pass through hard times. (3) God himself will teach us lessons in our trials. (4) We can set our eyes on him no matter what is happening around us. (5) His voice will lead us into making good decisions. (6) We have his promise of constant guidance as we listen to his voice. The voice of the Lord and the Word of God are our faithful guides throughout our lives.
22Then you will see your idols as they are—unclean!
Your silver-overlaid idols and gold-plated images are defiled.
You will discard them like a filthy menstrual cloth,
saying to them, “Good riddance!”
23Then God will supply you with abundant rain
for the seeds you sow.
He will bless you with an incredible, plentiful harvest. # 30:23 Or “Bread and the produce of the ground will be rich and plentiful.”
And in that day he will give you lush, broad pastures for your cattle.
24Even your oxen and donkeys that work the soil
will feed on good grain, separated from its chaff. # 30:24 Or “The oxen and donkey that till the ground will feed on silage that has been winnowed with pitchfork and shovel.”
25On the day of great slaughter,
when all their towers tumble,
God will bless you with sparkling streams and bubbling brooks
flowing down every high hill and every lofty mountain.
26Moonlight will shine as bright as sunlight,
and the sun’s glare will become seven times brighter,
like the light of seven days rolled into one.
That will be the day when the Lord Yahweh
heals the bruises and wounds that he has inflicted.
God Will Judge the Nations
27Look! Here comes Yahweh with his mighty power and glory! # 30:27 Or “The name of Yahweh comes from far away.”
He comes in his awesome splendor with thick clouds!
Consumed with anger, his lips are filled with fury,
and his words # 30:27 Or “his tongue.” are a devouring fire!
28His breath is as overwhelming as a flooding river
reaching up to the neck.
He sifts the nations in his sieve of destruction
and places a bridle in their jaws that causes them to wander.
29But you will have a joyous song throughout the night,
as one celebrating a holy, consecrated feast.
You will have gladness of heart,
as one celebrating to the sound of a flute
and dancing up the mountain of Yahweh,
the Rock who shelters Israel!
30And Yahweh will cause everyone
to hear his awe-inspiring, majestic voice. # 30:30 See Ps. 29.
He will open their eyes to see his mighty power # 30:30 Or “arm,” a metaphor for his power.
coming down with raging anger and consuming fire!
His power will descend in cloudburst, thunderstorm, and hail.
31And when his rod strikes the Assyrians,
they will be terror-stricken by the mighty voice of Lord Yahweh.
32Every stroke of Yahweh’s punishing rod # 30:32 Or “established [destined for punishment] rod.”
will be to the sound of cymbals and strumming harps.
God himself fights them in battle with dancing! # 30:32 As translated by some scholars. The Hebrew word uvémilkhamot (“with battles of”) is emended by some to read uvimkholot (“with dancing”). The majority view of the Hebrew text is “battles of brandishing [uplifted weapons/arms].” This “punishing rod” will fall on the spiritual forces of darkness as we celebrate and dance in the victory of the risen Christ.
33From long ago, the king’s fiery burial place has been prepared,
stacked high with plenty of firewood to fuel the flame. # 30:33 Although the Hebrew of this verse is uncertain, the implication is that the king of Assyria will be thrown into fire. There is also the hint of our eternal foe, Satan, the king of darkness, being cast into the lake of fire. See Rev. 20:10.
Yahweh’s breath, like a stream of sulfur, kindles it.
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Isaiah 30: TPT
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