Isaiah 30 Devotional
by Pastor Lawrence
In light of the Assyrian invasions of their neighboring countries, the Jews are sending out emissaries to meet with the Egyptians to ask for their protection, which would involve entering into a covenant with those who were their previous oppressors. Consequently, God sends Isaiah to rebuke the leaders in Jerusalem for making plans and forming alliances without consulting him or even asking him for guidance. Instead of trusting the Lord to protect them, they were seeking refuge from the pharaoh in Egypt, whom the Lord said could not profit or help them at all.
In vv.6-7 the prophet feels bad for the poor beasts that are carrying this envoy through the parched desert along with their weighty tribute for the Egyptians seeing that Egypt will do nothing for them. Egypt is often compared to Rahab, a fearsome mythological monster that can bring great destruction upon the earth, but in this case Rahab is tired and sitting still. Then, in vv.8-17, the Lord tells Isaiah to write down his woe against Judah both on a tablet to be displayed in public as well as in a book to be recorded for later generations giving the reasons for God’s anger with his people. They are a rebellious people who demand to hear a false word from the prophets than to hear the Word of the Lord. They would rather follow an illusion such as Rahab than to trust in the Holy One of Israel. As a result, those who have trusted in the horses of Egypt will be pursued by the horses of Assyria, and those who have rushed to Egypt for aid will quickly be overwhelmed by the Assyrian raid.
However, in vv.18-27 there is a word of hope for those who trust in the Lord. The Lord grants to them very precious promises telling his people that he waits to be gracious to them and even exalts himself to show mercy to them. He thus pronounces a blessing upon all those who wait for his deliverance and promises to be gracious to them at the first sound of their cry. As soon as he hears their requests, he will answer them. He will again be their teacher speaking to them plainly through the prophets telling them the way of the Lord and how to walk in it. And he will put a new spirit within them causing them to see the futility of their idolatry, and they will defile all their idols and cast them away from their land. At that time, he will also rain down his blessings upon them giving them bread and produce to eat and salve for their wounds.
The Lord, the Holy One of Israel, will also deal with the threat of the Assyrians himself. In his righteous anger he will strike them with terror by the mere sound of his voice, and he will inflict upon them his righteous judgment with many blows as the Jews sing songs of deliverance in the night. Already, he has prepared for the Assyrians a burning place, literally Tophet—the place where children were sacrificed to Molech through fire. Already the pyre has been made deep and wide and the flames are growing, even hungering, for the King of Assyria and his hordes. Later Tophet is identified with Gehennah, which is associated with hell in the New Testament, a place of continual burning. God’s word is certain, and all of his enemies will be thrown into the continual fires of hell.
It is not difficult for us to relate to the Jews here in their fruitless plotting and planning to defend themselves. How many times have we determined to do something out of fear without consulting the Lord of hosts? How many times have we sought out our refuge and help from the idols of this world instead of trusting the Lord to uphold and sustain us? And how many times have we been unwilling to wait upon the Lord to show us his face and grant us more grace? Indeed, the Lord waits to be gracious to us and exalts himself in showing mercy to us. Even now he is waiting for us to call upon his name in prayer that he might draw near to us and help us in our time of need. Surely, our God is greater than all our enemies and even our imaginary monsters.