Isaiah 33 Devotional
by Pastor Lawrence
In this chapter Isaiah uses the impending destruction of Assyria as a portent of a greater judgment against the whole world in its opposition to the Lord and his anointed. In the first six verses, the Lord pronounces his woe upon Assyria the destroyer and betrayer who promised peace if tribute was given them but then reneged on their deal and sought to destroy those who love peace. This is how Sennacherib treated Hezekiah’s gifts, taking them and then attacking Jerusalem anyway. In God’s justice the destroyer will be destroyed and the betrayer will be betrayed.
Back in ch.30, Isaiah had exhorted the Jews to wait upon the Lord for his deliverance and not to look to Egypt as a refuge. Now we see that some had listened to this counsel and are pleading with the Lord to be gracious to them and are waiting upon the Lord to save them from the Assyrians. As a result, Isaiah gives them another precious promise. He says in v.6 that the Lord on High will be the stability of their times. He will be their salvation, wisdom, knowledge and treasure as they fear the Lord rather than men.
In vv.7-10, Isaiah sees further into the future and describes the devastation of the entire world wherein heroes cry and peace envoys weep, where highways are wasted, covenants are broken and there is no regard for one’s fellow man. A number of places are mentioned in God’s judgment upon the world. Lebanon, a place full of life and permanence, is now withering. Sharon, a beautiful and lush valley, is now a desert. Bashan and Carmel known for their great fertility are now losing all their leaves. And the Lord will rise up in judgment against all the sinners in the world burning them in the fire, the place of Tophet. Therefore, all sinners in Judah are gravely warned to fear and to repent, and to consider, “Who among us can dwell with the consuming fire and with everlasting burnings?”
In vv.15ff Isaiah delivers an “entrance liturgy” similar to Psalms 15 and 24 showing what is required of a man to enter into the holy courts of God. He must walk and speak uprightly, despise oppression and refuse to engage in evil and bloodshed. If he is worthy and keeps the way of God, the Lord promises that he will dwell on the heights and eat and drink in plenty. His eyes will see the king in his beauty and view the land that stretches afar—the Promised Land. He will not see there a proud and wicked people coming to conquer but an untroubled place of rest where one’s tent will never be plucked up. The Lord himself will be for believers like a place of broad rivers and streams where no enemy can ever trespass. He will be the final judge, lawgiver and king over all creation, and with his victory over all the world he will divide the spoils of battle amongst God’s people, even the lame believers who could not fight in the battle. And he will bring the spoil to them on broken ships that were salvaged from the enemy. But the enemy themselves will never enter into this wonderful place where God dwells with his people. And there no citizen will ever be sick and all will be forgiven their sins.
But how do all these wonderful things come to the people of God when none of them is worthy to ascend God’s holy hill? Isaiah doesn’t answer this question at this time, but keep reading his prophecies and you’ll see that the coming king is also a suffering servant who dies for the sins of his people in order to grant them all these graces and to extend to them such divine mercy. The only hint we receive in this text is that the Lord himself will be their savior. The how, when and where come later on. In the meantime, God’s people should wait upon the Lord for He is the only stability in our times.