Isaiah 34
THE day of judgment has a large and important place in the Word of God. There may be difficulty in putting together in the precise order in which they will occur, the various events which the prophetic Scriptures reveal in connection with the coming of the Lord Jesus to the world, soon to take place, but every true saint knows that God has promised to judge the world and its inhabitants.
This is, in our own times, an unpopular subject for discussion; the modernists will have none of it. But the Holy Spirit has given ample testimony in both Old and New Testaments, that the day of God’s bearing with man’s wickedness will end in judgment, both of living and dead.
Isaiah 34 begins with a call to the nations and peoples (or races of mankind) to hear and hearken to a promise that concerns themselves. They have heard of the love of God, but have not received the gift of God, and shall therefore know the wrath of God. He has never promised that everyone shall be saved. He has said indeed that all those who receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved, who have not believed the truth, but have found pleasure in unrighteousness, shall be judged (2 Thess. 2).
The wrath of Jehovah is therefore rightly against all the nations, and His fury against all their armies (verse 2). The language used in this chapter is clearly figurative in part, but there is no mistaking what it means: fearful and unsparing vengeance on those enemies of God who are here in view.
Edom, the ancient home of the descendants of Esau lying south and southeast of the land God gave to Israel, is the scene of the action here depicted, and the desolation of Edom is to be complete, as not only this chapter, but Ezek. 35 and the prophecy of Obadiah show.
God has graciously made known much through His Word regarding the state of the world when the Lord Jesus will appear, accompanied by His heavenly saints and angels; He has shown what must and shall be done to cleanse the world—the scene of Christ’s kingdom—of all things that offend, and to fit a people for Himself, among which Israel, reborn, will be the center of blessing and privilege.
It is plain that some time must elapse during which enemies will be dealt with, and a work of God will go on, —among Jews and the lost ten tribes especially. It is well known that in Scripture a definite period is set for the time just before the Lord’s appearing; this is variously called “a time and times and a half time” (Dan. 7:25, N. Tr.); one-half week (a week being reckoned as 7 years, not 7 days) (Dan. 9:27); 42 months (Rev. 11:2), and 1260 days (Rev. 11:3). In the closing verses of Daniel’s prophecy, however, two other periods are named without explanation—1,290 days, and 1,335 days,
“Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand, three hundred and thirty-five days” (Dan. 12:12) seems to indicate that by that time all open enemies will have been judged, and the people and land of Israel, at least, be cleansed and at rest.
The scene pictured in Isa. 34, (with which compare Isa. 63:1-6) is the destruction of the armies associated with the Assyrian or king of the north. Previous to this, the head and the armies of the Roman empire, and the Antichrist will have been judged (Dan. 7:11 and 26; Rev. 19:19-21), and the Assyrian likewise in his turn (Isa. 14:24, 25; 30:30-33; Joel 2:20).
Apart from these acts of righteous vengeance, a singular work will have been going on among the Jews (Zech. 12:10- 13:9), the first result of which will be mourning and deep confession such as Psalms 51 and 88 and other passages give; the lost ten tribes of Israel will be recovered and brought, after passing under God’s chastening rod, to their places in the land once theirs (Ezek. 20:33-44; Matt. 24:31). Then Psa. 107 will be fulfilled.
Edom, singled out above other nations for judgment in chapter 34 and other scriptures, will be confederate with other neighbors of Israel in the attack planned and executed by the Assyrian (Psa. 83). The complete destruction of Edom will be God’s answer to their undying hatred to the people of God (Ezek. 35:5). The unbelieving Jews will die under the Lord’s dealings, directly, as well as during the invasion by the Assyrian who will be an executor of divine judgments before he is himself judged.
ML 10/22/1933