Worshiping the Lord through Study of His Word
Readers should consider Chapters 34 and 35 of Isaiah together. These two chapters together present the outcome of all human history, the end of time, in a manner similar to Psalm 1 (Psalm 1: LINK1 and LINK2).
Chapter 34 gives the final outcome for the “damned”–those who persistently and willfully resist God and the goodness of his nature.
Chapter 35 gives the final outcome for those in the Kingdom of Messiah. …
In the prior post, Isaiah Devotional Journal 71, I presented the argument that in Chapter 32 Isaiah writes using concrete terms for spiritual realities (1). Verse 19 adds evidence to this hermeneutic. Although it speaks to us by means of concrete (physical) language, the realities this verse describes are spiritual. See, for example, John Calvin’s description of this passage. …
In his book, Isaiah writes of two topics: 1) the coming Messiah and 2) the dismal failure of Israel as a whole to embrace God as their King. Chapter 32 encompasses both of these topics. Because the time markers fail to represent accurately the concrete-literal history of Israel, it is good biblical hermeneutics to interpret the language of this chapter spiritually. Using concrete-literal language, Isaiah prophesies the spiritual demise of one kingdom and the arrival of a new King. The new kingdom will be eternal. …
“Isaiah 32:1-8 describes the messianic King and his followers. The flow of the Septuagint in Isaiah 32 is smooth. The verses connect well one with another, as they keep the focus upon the King of verse 1. The king, though no longer directly mentioned, interacts with the sick and the weak of later verses. The Masoretic, on the other hand, takes a step into stiff formality. The “king who reigns in righteousness” is almost forgotten in the later verses. Unlike the Septuagint, the Masoretic passage appears to be more about a certain prophesied period of time, rather than a person. The poignant prophesy of the Septuagint dissolves into a mechanical abstraction in the Masoretic.” …
Please understand. Jesus incarnate was always God. He never ceased being God. Yet he was also a man. His death remains a mystery, like the Trinity itself. Nevertheless, I know that Jesus thirsted. And I know that his experience on the cross was very dark. And I’m thankful that he did this for me. For me and for you and for everyone who brings their thirst to him. …