Season 6, Podcast 88, Isaiah 33:1-24, “Look upon Zion.”

Season 6, Podcast 88, Isaiah 33:1-24, “Look upon Zion.”

So much of Isaiah speaks of the Second Coming of the Messiah which comes only after much turbulence. To fully understand Isaiah, one must read the Revelations of John for their images overlap, and one expands the other. Typically, Isaiah uses familiar things and places of his day in prophesying of the future. To most of us Lebanon, Sharon, Bashan, and Carmel are merely names that we read about in the Old Testament that have grown into great symbolic significance. Isaiah would not have been as difficult to read by the Jews of his day as perhaps he is to some of us today who have never been to the Middle East and are familiar with it only through the Holy Bible. 

Isaiah 33 begins with a curse. ‘Woe’ is a term that may depict mourning. It may also announce a curse or describe a forthcoming calamity. It is most often used as a warning, indicating that the calamities can be avoided through repentance. Most ‘woes’ speak of a future time. 

Isaiah 33:1

Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou wast not spoiled; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! when thou shalt cease to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled; and when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee.

Isaiah teaches us a great principle. We perhaps like to think that the wicked always get what is coming to them. In a Biblical sense they do for there is the absolute law of justice and the final judgment, but in a local sense they may or may not. Many very wicked people grow quite wealthy from their wickedness. They live a life of luxury and ease while humble, honest people often live in poverty and want. Malachi speaks of the same thing.

Malachi 3:13-18

Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee? Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts? And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

That is the curse that is placed upon the wicked. In the day that the Lord of hosts shall make up his jewels, then they shall be distinguished. Malachi is also speaking of the Second Coming of Christ, and it could also refer to the final judgment or both. 

Isaiah offers a prophetic prayer which we know will be answered.

Isaiah 33:2

O Lord, be gracious unto us; we have waited for thee: be thou their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble.

Through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord makes the following promise.

Isaiah 40:31

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Isaiah speaks of the future scattering and final gathering of Israel.

Isaiah 33:3-4

At the noise of the tumult the people fled; at the lifting up of thyself the nations were scattered. And your spoil shall be gathered like the gathering of the caterpiller: as the running to and fro of locusts shall he run upon them.

We must remember, however, that the focal point of Isaiah is Jesus Christ. In the following Isaiah speaks of the Millennium.