Scripture Reading: Isaiah 13—23; Eph. 6:12b; Dan. 10:13, 20; Rev. 3:7
In this message we will cover eleven chapters, chapters thirteen through twenty-three, a long portion concerning Jehovah's judgment upon the nations and its issue, which is Christ's coming and the restoration that follows. These chapters show us one major point — that the nations are used by God's enemy to disturb God's chosen people and to frustrate God from carrying out His economy. Thus, God would be compelled to come in to judge them. All these judgments issue in one thing, that is, the ushering in of Christ.
The more we consider the judgments exercised by God over the rebellious ones, the more we see that man needs God's salvation, and this salvation is Christ Himself. The more I study the world situation, the more I realize that the only way to solve the problems in today's world is for Christ to come. And we must believe that He is coming. As He is waiting, He is preparing everything, including all of us, for His coming. All things are working together to bring our thought, our concept, and our understanding concerning human life and the human race to a deep aspiration: "Lord Jesus, You must come back. If You are not here, there is no way. Everything must be judged by You. Lord, You must come."
First we will consider Jehovah's judgment upon the nations, and then the issue of this judgment.
The judgment of Jehovah upon the nations was to destroy Babylon by the Median army (14:22-23; 13:17-19, 3-4; 21:2, 9a) because of its cruel destruction of many nations (14:5-6, 16-17) and because of its idols (21:9b).
In the human image seen by Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 2, Babylon was considered by God to be the head, because it was the Babylonian invasion that destroyed the temple, captured God's people, and carried away some of the holy utensils. Although Assyria, not Babylon, was the first nation to trouble God in His economy, in the sight of God all the nations, including Assyria, are a part of Babylon. Before we were saved, we too were a part of Babylon. Even after we were saved, we have often remained a part of Babylon, because a number of times we have troubled the church and damaged God's elect. Whenever we criticize the saints, we are a part of Babylon, damaging God's elect.
The Assyrians put a yoke and a burden upon Israel. Therefore, Jehovah's judgment is to break Assyria because of its yoke and burden upon Israel (14:24-27).
Jehovah's judgment also destroyed Philistia because of its damage to Zion (vv. 29-32).
Jehovah's judgment was to devastate Moab (15:1) because of its pride (16:6).
Jehovah's judgment was also upon Damascus, the capital of Aram. Damascus was to be ruined and forsaken (17:1-4) because of its invasion into Israel (vv. 12-14).
In His judgment Jehovah would also strike and desolate Egypt (19:1, 5-7, 22a) because of its idols and wise men (vv. 1b, 11b-12). Here we see that God ranks wise men together with idols.
In 20:4-6 we see that the judgment of Jehovah was to capture Egypt into captivity and Cush into exile by the king of Assyria, because Cush had become Israel's expectation and Egypt, their boast. Instead of trusting in God, Israel expected to receive help from Cush and to gain something from Egypt for their boast. God hated this and judged the nations because of it.
God would have no judgment on Dumah (21:11-12). Dumah means silence; it is in assonance with Edom and it is like Edom in the desolation in store. Hence, the calling to the prophet is from Seir, which is in the mountain range of Edom and which is the capital of Edom. The prophecy concerning Dumah in verse 12 means that it is the same in the day as in the night and nothing is happening.
Isaiah 21:13-17 reveals that Jehovah would desolate Arabia by the harshness of battle because of its warlikeness.
Even Jerusalem was included in Jehovah's judgment upon the nations. In His judgment He would trample down the city of Jerusalem — the valley of vision (22:5-7) — because of its unforgivable iniquity: it did not look to the Lord and did not regard Him (vv. 11b-14). God's chosen people should have regarded Him and respected Him. They refused to do this, and their failure in this matter was unforgivable.
Finally, these chapters reveal that Jehovah's judgment was to destroy Tyre by the Assyrians (23:1, 13-14) because of its pride of all beauty (glory) and all its honored men (v. 9).
Now we need to see the issue of the judgment of Jehovah upon the nations.
The first issue of Jehovah's judgment is to unveil Satan's kingdom of darkness (Eph. 6:12b; cf. Dan. 10:13, 20) behind the nations and his oneness with the powers of the nations, such as Nebuchadnezzar as a figure of Satan (Isa. 14:12-15), whom Isaiah regards as one with Satan. According to Daniel 10, there is a prince, a fallen angel, an evil spirit, over every nation. These fallen angels are part of Satan's kingdom of darkness.
Jehovah's judgment upon the nations shows His sovereign and just rule over the nations (13:17; 14:22, 24-25; 19:1). This rule is seen particularly during times of crisis and war; for example, this rule is seen in Hitler's decision during the Second World War to invade Russia instead of England. In His sovereignty, the Lord rules over the nations. For this reason, the Lord Jesus is called "the Ruler of the kings of the earth" (Rev. 1:5).
Another issue of Jehovah's judgment upon the nations is the restoring and establishing of His beloved Israel.
Jehovah will have compassion on Jacob, choose Israel again, settle them in their land, and give them rest from their pain and turmoil and from their hard service as slaves (Isa. 14:1-3, 32b).
Moab, having changed, will offer sacrifices to Zion, seeking Israel's counsel and protection (16:1-4).
Israel will look to his Maker, his eyes will behold his Holy One, and he will not forget the God of his salvation and the Rock of his stronghold, which is for protection (17:7, 10).
Cush, at the time of its flourishing, will bring a gift to Jehovah, unto Mount Zion, the place of the name of Jehovah (18:1, 7).
According to 19:19-25, Egypt will build an altar as a sign and a testimony to Jehovah in their land and a pillar near its border. Jehovah will make Himself known to the Egyptians, and they will worship Him with sacrifice and offering and will vow a vow to Him and accomplish it. Jehovah will heal them, and they will turn to Him and entreat of Him. Then the Egyptians will worship Jehovah with the Assyrians, and Israel will be a third party with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the land. Jehovah will bless Egypt, Assyria, and Israel, saying, "Blessed be Egypt My people and Assyria the work of My hands and Israel My inheritance" (v. 25).
The ultimate issue of Jehovah's judgment upon the nations is to provide the all-inclusive Christ as the Savior to meet the need of the beloved Israel and the judged nations.
Christ will sit in truth upon the throne established in lovingkindness in the tent of David to rule Moab in justice and righteousness (16:5).
Jehovah will send the Egyptians Christ as a Savior and a Mighty One, and He will deliver them (19:20b).
Jehovah will make Christ (typified by Jehovah's servant Eliakim) a Father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the house of Judah and will set the key of the house of David upon His shoulder (22:20-25). When He opens, no one will shut; when He shuts, no one will open (v. 22). And Jehovah will drive Him as a peg into a sure place, and He will become a throne of glory for His Father's house. They will hang upon Him all the glory of His Father's house, the offspring and the issue, all the smallest vessels, from the bowls to the jars.
Isaiah 22:25 says, "In that day, declares Jehovah of hosts, the peg driven into the sure place will be removed, even cut away, and it will fall; and the burden that was upon it will be cut down; for Jehovah has spoken." To whom does this verse refer? It refers not to Christ but to Shebna (v. 15), who was replaced by Eliakim. Verse 19, referring to Shebna, says, "I will drive you from your position, / And from your standing He will pull you down." Verses 20 and 21 tell us that Shebna was to be replaced: "I will call to My servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, / And I will clothe him with your tunic, / And I will strengthen him with your girding sash, / And I will put your dominion into his hand; / And he will become a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem / And to the house of Judah." These verses indicate clearly that the position of steward over the king's house had been occupied by Shebna but that the Lord wanted to remove Shebna and replace him with Eliakim, who typifies Christ. The fact that Eliakim is a type of Christ is proved by Revelation 3:7, which applies the word in Isaiah 22:22 to Christ. The key of David has been given to Christ; He opens and no one shall shut, and shuts and no one shall open. When we put these verses together, we see that Eliakim is a type of Christ as a steward over God's house.
Verses 23 and 24 also speak concerning Eliakim as a type of Christ. Verse 23 says, "I will drive him as a peg into a sure place,/And he will become a throne of glory for his father's house." Verse 24 goes on to speak of all that will hang upon Christ as a peg: "They will hang upon him all the glory of his father's house, the offspring and the issue, all the smallest vessels, from the bowls to all the jars." The bowls and jars typify the different ways and means for us to partake of Christ in His riches. God's glory, all God's people, and all the different ways and means for us to partake of Christ and enjoy Christ are hanging upon this One. From this we see once again that the book of Isaiah unveils Christ in a very particular way. How rich is Isaiah in unveiling Christ to us!
