Isaiah 30:27-33

27 See, the Name of the LORD comes from afar, with burning anger and dense clouds of smoke; his lips are full of wrath, and his tongue is a consuming fire.
28 His breath is like a rushing torrent, rising up to the neck. He shakes the nations in the sieve of destruction; he places in the jaws of the peoples a bit that leads them astray.
29 And you will sing as on the night you celebrate a holy festival; your hearts will rejoice as when people playing pipes go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the Rock of Israel.
30 The LORD will cause people to hear his majestic voice and will make them see his arm coming down with raging anger and consuming fire, with cloudburst, thunderstorm and hail.
31 The voice of the LORD will shatter Assyria; with his rod he will strike them down.
32 Every stroke the LORD lays on them with his punishing club will be to the music of timbrels and harps, as he fights them in battle with the blows of his arm.
33 Topheth has long been prepared; it has been made ready for the king. Its fire pit has been made deep and wide, with an abundance of fire and wood; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of burning sulfur, sets it ablaze.

Isaiah 30:27-33 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 30

This chapter contains a complaint of the Jews for their sins and transgressions; a prophecy of their destruction for them; a promise of grace and mercy, and of happy times, to the saints; and a threatening of utter and dreadful ruin to the wicked. The Jews are complained of for their rebellion against God, their slighting his counsel and protection, their trust in Egypt, and application there for help; whither they went with their riches for safety, but in vain, it being contrary to the will and counsel of God, Isa 30:1-7 next follows a denunciation of ruin and destruction for these things, rebellion, and lying, and vain confidence, as well as for contempt of the word of God, which, that it might appear sure and certain, is ordered to be written in a book, Isa 30:8-12 and this ruin is signified by the sudden falling of a wall, and by the breaking of a potter's vessel into pieces, which can never be used more, Isa 30:13,14 and seeing they rejected the way of salvation proposed by the Lord, and took their own way, first destruction is threatened them, which should be very easily brought about, and become so general, that few should escape it, Isa 30:15-17 and then promises of grace and mercy are made to them that wait for the Lord, Isa 30:18 such as a dwelling place in Zion, hearing their prayers, granting them teachers to instruct them, and the riddance of idolatry from them, Isa 30:19-22 and also many outward blessings, as seasonable rain, good bread corn, fat pastures, good food for cattle, and fruitfulness of mountains and hills, Isa 30:23-25 likewise an amazing degree of spiritual light and glory, and healing of the Lord's people, Isa 30:26 and the chapter is concluded with a threatening Of God's wrath upon the Assyrian, expressed by various similes, as of an angry man, an overflowing torrent, a tempest of thunder, lightning, and hail, and the fire of Tophet, Isa 30:27-33.

Cross References 29

  • 1. 1 Kings 18:24; Psalms 20:1; Isaiah 59:19; Isaiah 64:2
  • 2. Isaiah 26:20; Isaiah 66:14; Ezekiel 22:31
  • 3. Isaiah 10:5; Isaiah 13:5
  • 4. S ver 30; S Job 41:21
  • 5. S Isaiah 11:4
  • 6. S Psalms 50:3; S Isaiah 28:15
  • 7. S Isaiah 8:8
  • 8. Amos 9:9
  • 9. 2 Kings 19:28; Isaiah 37:29
  • 10. Isaiah 25:6
  • 11. Isaiah 12:1
  • 12. S 1 Samuel 10:5
  • 13. S Psalms 42:4; Matthew 26:30
  • 14. S Genesis 49:24
  • 15. S Psalms 68:33
  • 16. Isaiah 9:12; Isaiah 40:10; Isaiah 51:9; Isaiah 52:10; Isaiah 53:1; Isaiah 59:16; Isaiah 62:8; Isaiah 63:12
  • 17. S ver 27; S Isaiah 10:25
  • 18. S Isaiah 4:4; Isaiah 47:14
  • 19. Exodus 20:18; Psalms 29:3
  • 20. S Exodus 9:18
  • 21. S Isaiah 10:5,12
  • 22. S Isaiah 11:4
  • 23. Isaiah 10:26
  • 24. S Exodus 15:20
  • 25. S Isaiah 11:15; Ezekiel 32:10
  • 26. S 2 Kings 23:10
  • 27. S Exodus 15:10; S 2 Samuel 22:16
  • 28. S Genesis 19:24; S Revelation 9:17
  • 29. S Isaiah 1:31
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