<< Start at Isaiah 1
The "ER" numbers below reference an Exhaustive Reference which will be made available when completed.
Who will be your trust in that Day? Where will you put your confidence? Will you seek help from other lands or will you wait on God for deliverance? You were just supernaturally rescued from a burning land called America. Did you learn anything from it? Will he who brings to birth now shut up the womb? (Is. 66:9) Isaiah addresses Egypt in chapters 19 and 20 and he repeatedly returns to this principle concern. This thread is being woven throughout the book of Isaiah. "And I will wait on the LORD, who hides His face from the house of Jacob; and I will hope in Him." (Is. 8:17) Is that really the answer? All God's people have to do to survive the onslaught of Gog is wait on God? This is why he asks two chapters later: "To whom will you flee for help? And where will you leave your glory?" (Is. 10:3) Where will you flee in that Day? What legacy will you leave behind? (Is. 65:15) Will it be one of trust and faith or will you go down to Egypt for help? Will you be like a tree planted by the River or will be like a shrub in the desert, who will not be alive to see good when it comes? (Is. 17)
Summary by Section
1. (v.1-5) [ER 7.5.2]
“Woe to the rebellious children.” We should not take this word rebellious lightly. The people addressed here are Christians alive today in America. This is the remnant whom God pardons and preservers and takes to Zion at the beginning of Tribulation. But God hides his face from them for a time. It’s a time of leanness. It’s a time of sifting and trial for God’s “holy stump” (Is. 6) in the land of Zion. Did they suddenly become rebellious? “That they may add sin to sin.” No, we are rebellious today in America. We do not follow God with pure hearts and clean lives. We are defiled with the idols of the land. We are rebellious today. But now Isaiah speaks of the time when the rebellion of the people is manifested during the opening months of the Tribulation. "I listened and heard, but they do not speak aright. No man repented of his wickedness, saying, 'What have I done?' Everyone turned to his own course, as the horse rushes into the battle." (Jer. 8:6) Rather than immediately repenting of their wickedness in America, this remnant devises a plan that does not include God.
The picture we are given is such that some of this remnant will leave the place where God put them (in Jordan just north-east of the Dead Sea) and travel down to Egypt for help. But remember what happened to Egypt on the first day of Tribulation. Egypt was one of the recipients of that rushing (or desolation) of the nations. Egypt will be severely damaged on that first day. These rebellious Christians are wasting their time. Egypt will not be able to help. But this act will become a shame and humiliation to them.
2. (v.6-7) [ER 7.5.2]
“Through a land of trouble and anguish.” The Middle East, including Egypt, Arabia, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Israel, will be devastated by war during the first hours of Tribulation, which we’ve already read about in Isaiah’s narrative thus far. “They will carry their riches.” Do you remember where the remnant got their riches? They got it as they were leaving America! "They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will be like refuse." (Ez. 7:19) This is the gift the people bring to Zion. (Is. 18:7, Zeph. 3:10) God intends the silver and gold to be used in the temple (Ez. 40-47) as an offering but these knuckleheads think they can take it to Egypt to buy their help. Notice the audacity and total spiritual blindness on the part of these who go down to Egypt for help. They were supernaturally delivered out of a nuclear holocaust and now they turn to Egypt for help using the gift intended for God! It will not end well for these.
“Rahab-Hem-Shebeth.” Rahab sits idle. Egypt will not be able to help you! Remember what God did already to the nations surrounding Zion: "The LORD has given a commandment against Canaan to destroy its strongholds." (Is. 23:11) You can walk for hundreds of miles in any direction and you will not find help. Instead, trust in God!
3. (v.8-14) [ER 7.4.1, 7.5.2]
“Cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.” Notice these rebels want nothing to do with the right things of their Holy God. They are not interested in hearing right things from true prophets. They only wish to hear smooth words, words that bring comfort to their flesh and confirm their fleshly ways. They trust in oppression and perversity. Their minds are still fixed on that oppressive and perverse land called America. They think if only they garner a little help from the surrounding nations they can build themselves back up into a powerful nation once again. But look how Ezekiel describes them: "I will purge the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the country where they dwell, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD." (Ez. 20:38) They are brought out of the country where they dwell (America) but they will not enter the land of Israel. These rebels are judged at the border, present-day Jordan. They are not among the righteous nation who keeps truth and is allowed to go through the open gates. (Is. 26:2)
“Therefore this iniquity shall be to you like a breach ready to fall, a bulge in a high wall, whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant.” Remember what we’ve seen to this point. “Surely such is our expectation, wherever we flee for help.” (Is. 20:6) Gog and his horde are defeated instantly, as God slew the Midianites, after God uses Gog of Magog to finish his work in his people. (Is. 10:12) “Yes, it shall be in an instant, suddenly.” (Is. 29:5) “Behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, will lop off the bough with terror.” (Is. 10:33) These who go down to Egypt will be among Gog’s army when God destroys them. They will partake in the punishment intended for Gog because of their rebellion.
4. (v.15-26) [ER 7.4.1, 7.5.1, 7.5.2, 8.1.1, 8.1.2, 8.1.4, 8.1.5, 8.1.6]
“Therefore the LORD will wait, that He may be gracious to you.” The word “therefore” (H3651) means “rightly so”. A translation more fitting the context would be: “So the Lord will wait to show favor. Rightly so he will be exalted and show you kindness.” Understand that God figuratively “hides his face” from his people during this time. He “tears and goes away” for a time. God is allowing the rebels to rebel. God is creating a distinction even among his people. When America is destroyed, God pardons and preserves a remnant, a tithe, a tenth of the population. (Is. 6) They return to Zion but many still will not learn wisdom. Though they return to the land they do not return to God. “In quietness and confidence shall be your strength. But you would not.” Sometimes we just need to shut our mouths and trust God. Stop scheming, stop conniving, stop making plans, and just trust in God. Come clean before him, confess your sin, and wait for a response. But these would not. Therefore they will get caught up in the conflagration that comes upon Gog and his army. These chose to defect to the enemy and will suffer the consequences.
“Blessed are all those who wait for Him.” A distinction is being made between those who rebel and those who wait on God. The rebels tumble away like a shrub in the desert but the faithful now enter into a time of great blessing. We saw this time described as early as chapter 2. “You will say to them, ‘Get away!’” The people come clean. They throw away their idols and idolatrous mindsets. The child (Zion) is now discerning between good and evil. (Is. 7:15) “Then He will give the rain for your seed.” The pastures are now springing up. Remember what happened to the earth when the celestial object passed by. Now is the time when the sower will overtake the reaper. (Amos 9:13) A return to righteousness and truth and understanding shows how Zion is being established. Yahshua is ascending to his throne and that throne, his kingdom, is established in righteousness and truth and holiness among his people. Even the earth, in the land of Zion, now responds with abundance.
“There will be on every high mountain and on every high hill Rivers and streams of waters.” Waters of the sea and rivers and streams represent the truth of God now coming to the world by the things which they just witnessed. Through these events the Lord will be exalted as he comes to the rescue those of his people who waited on him. Isaiah takes us back to a statement made in chapter 11: "They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea." (Is. 11:9) This coincides with Ezekiel’s account of the destruction of Gog: "Thus I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the LORD." (Ez. 38:23)
“And the light of the sun will be sevenfold.” While such a light, if literal, would do much harm, this light comes at a time of great blessing when he binds up wounds and heals his people. Remember from Isaiah 1 that the wounds of his people were not bound up and healed. But now comes healing to his bride. Shebna and his false teaching is replaced with Eliakim and his truth. Though he hid his face from us, though he tore and went away, now Yahshua, God’s Holy One, returns to his people who kept truth and faith. "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined." (Is. 9:2) "So the Light of Israel will be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame; it will burn and devour His thorns and his briers in one day." (Is. 10:17) The same moment in time is being spoken of in all three occurrences. This is when God destroys Gog of Magog and saves his people from Gog’s hand.
5. (v.27-33) [ER 1.1.1.1, 8.1.2]
“Burning with His anger, and His burden is heavy.” Though the beginning of Tribulation focuses on the sifting of God’s remnant and the establishment of Zion in truth and righteousness, now God turns his attention to the nations. "I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity." (Is. 13:11) "For I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts, a destruction determined even upon the whole earth." (Is. 28:22)
“You shall have a song as in the night when a holy festival is kept.” This chapter is one of many contrasts. Though God now enters into judgment with the nations, yet the people of God in Zion have a song. Notice a parallel verse in Hosea: "I will give her her vineyards from there, and the Valley of Achor as a door of hope; she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, as in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt." (Hos. 2:15)
“The LORD will cause His glorious voice to be heard.” Though at his first coming he would not lift up his voice to be heard in the street (Is. 42:2) now "He shall cry out, yes, shout aloud; He shall prevail against His enemies." (Is. 42:13)
“For through the voice of the LORD Assyria will be beaten down.” Remember that Isaiah calls him the “king of Assyria” but Ezekiel calls him Gog of Magog. God defeats Gog of Magog and now turns his attention to wicked rulers seated in high places. Those who will not submit to the Holy One of Israel will be dealt with severely during this time of Tribulation.
“It will be with tambourines and harps. And in battles of brandishing He will fight with it.” Remember what we learned in chapter 2, that “He will teach us His ways.” Then he said “they shall beat their swords into plowshares.” Lesson number one: man’s implements of warfare are useless. (Is. 9:5, Ez. 39:9) “Unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.” (Ps. 127:1) What are we being shown regarding praise from a pure, holy people as it relates to the punishment of the wicked? "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds." (2 Cor. 10:4) Is not praise the confession of God’s goodness and truth by the expression of that which reverberates or undulates? The word brandishing (H8573) is rendered as shaking in the KJV and carries with the sense of undulation, which is a wavelike motion. As we praise God we come into harmony with that oscillation that pulls down the strongholds of the enemy. Why were the singers sent ahead of the army? (II Chron.20:17-22) Did we learn that lesson before the Tribulation? No, the people were defiled. But now things are different. The people are now truly righteous. Praise from a holy people moves the hand of God on their behalf.
“For Tophet was established of old, yes, for the king it is prepared.” Tophet means place of fire and was a place where dead bodies were burned. This time of Tribulation will not end well for those who fight against God and his Holy One, our Redeemer. Why do you continue to fight, O’ man? Make peace with him while there is still hope.
Recap
1. Egypt will not help but you will be ashamed for going down there.
2. They try to buy help from Egypt with the gift meant for God.
3. God will purge the rebels. They will fall with Gog of Magog.
4. Separation of the rebellious and the blessing of God’s faithful.
5. God’s praise will bring down the kingdoms of the wicked.
End of Age Context
Isaiah continues to expound upon the events of the first few months of Tribulation. The end of the chapter looks ahead to judgment coming against the nations who fight against God.
End of Age Themes
- Some of God’s remnant goes to Egypt for help.
- God’s faithful will wait on him.
- The remnant possesses treasure though their land is destroyed.
- Separation among God’s people between the rebels and the faithful.
- The destruction of Gog of Magog includes some of the remnant.
- Judgment coming to the entire world.
- God’s remnant is blessed in Zion during the Tribulation.
Sequence of Events
When the remnant returns to Zion they will be oppressed by Gog of Magog. But before he “has found like a nest the riches of the people” (Is. 10:14) at least some of the treasure is taken to Egypt by the rebels to buy their help. We already learned that Gog will even take some of the Egyptians captives. Likely these rebels are among them. When Gog is defeated the faithful of God’s people enter a time of great blessing.
Final Thoughts
If only God’s people would stay and wait on God for deliverance. If only they would read his Word today. “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” God tells us in advance what will happen. If only his people had familiarized themselves with the events of the Tribulation. How many will fall with Gog? Zechariah tells us two-thirds of the remnant will fall. (Zech. 13:8)
