Isaiah 33:1-16
Human Weakness, Divine Opportunity
1 Woe to you, O destroyer, While you were not destroyed; And he who is treacherous, while others did not deal treacherously with him. As soon as you finish destroying, you will be destroyed; As soon as you cease to deal treacherously, others will deal treacherously with you.
2 O LORD, be gracious to us; we have waited for You. Be their strength every morning, Our salvation also in the time of distress.
3 At the sound of the tumult peoples flee; At the lifting up of Yourself nations disperse.
4 Your spoil is gathered as the caterpillar gathers; As locusts rushing about men rush about on it.
5 The LORD is exalted, for He dwells on high;
He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness.
6 And He will be the stability of your times,
A wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge;
The fear of the LORD is his treasure.
7 Behold, their brave men cry in the streets,
The ambassadors of peace weep bitterly.
8 The highways are desolate, the traveler has ceased, He has broken the covenant, he has despised the cities, He has no regard for man.
9 The land mourns and pines away,
Lebanon is shamed and withers;
Sharon is like a desert plain,
And Bashan and Carmel lose their foliage.
10 “Now I will arise,” says the LORD,
“Now I will be exalted, now I will be lifted up.
11 “You have conceived chaff, you will give birth to stubble;
My breath will consume you like a fire.
12 “The peoples will be burned to lime,
Like cut thorns which are burned in the fire.
13 “You who are far away, hear what I have done; And you who are near, acknowledge My might.”
14 Sinners in Zion are terrified; Trembling has seized the godless. “Who among us can live with the consuming fire? Who among us can live with continual burning?”
15 He who walks righteously and speaks with sincerity, He who rejects unjust gain And shakes his hands so that they hold no bribe; He who stops his ears from hearing about bloodshed And shuts his eyes from looking upon evil;
16 He will dwell on the heights, His refuge will be the impregnable rock; His bread will be given him, His water will be sure.
1) Woe to you, destroyer, you who have not been destroyed!
Woe to you, betrayer, you who have not been betrayed!
When you stop destroying, you will be destroyed; when you stop betraying, you will be betrayed.
Woe to the Destroyer (v. 1)
2 LORD, be gracious to us; we long for you.
Be our strength every morning,
our salvation in time of distress.
FINALLY! (v. 2)
30:18 Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!
19 People of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you.
30:18 Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!
2 LORD, be gracious to us; we long for you.
Be our strength every morning,
our salvation in time of distress.
FINALLY! (v. 2)
God's Promised Deliverance (vv. 3-4)
3 At the sound of the tumult peoples flee;
At the lifting up of Yourself nations disperse.
4 Your spoil is gathered as the caterpillar gathers;
As locusts rushing about men rush about on it.
Gifts God Gives to Those Who Exalt Him (vv. 5-6)
6 And He will be the stability of your times,
A wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge;
The fear of the LORD is his treasure.
5 The LORD is exalted, for He dwells on high;
He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness.
5 The LORD is exalted, for He dwells on high;
He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness.
Gifts God Gives to Those Who Exalt Him (vv. 5-6)
6 And He will be the stability of your times,
A wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge;
The fear of the LORD is his treasure.
5 The LORD is exalted, for He dwells on high;
He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness.
5 The LORD is exalted, for He dwells on high;
He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness.
Gifts God Gives to Those Who Exalt Him (vv. 5-6)
6 And He will be the stability of your times,
A wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge;
The fear of the LORD is his treasure.
5 The LORD is exalted, for He dwells on high;
He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness.
5 The LORD is exalted, for He dwells on high;
He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness.
Gifts God Gives to Those Who Exalt Him (vv. 5-6)
6 And He will be the stability of your times,
A wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge;
The fear of the LORD is his treasure.
5 The LORD is exalted, for He dwells on high;
He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness.
5 The LORD is exalted, for He dwells on high;
He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness.
Rock Bottom (vv. 7-9)
7 Look, their brave men cry aloud in the streets; the envoys of peace weep bitterly. 8 The highways are deserted, no travelers are on the roads. The treaty is broken, its witnesses are despised, no one is respected. 9 The land dries up and wastes away, Lebanon is ashamed and withers; Sharon is like the Arabah, and Bashan and Carmel drop their leaves.
Human Weakness is Divine Opportunity (vv. 10-12)
10 “Now will I arise,” says the LORD.
“Now will I be exalted;
now will I be lifted up.
11 You conceive chaff, you give birth to straw;
your breath is a fire that consumes you.
12 The peoples will be burned to ashes;
like cut thornbushes they will be set ablaze.”
World Reacts to God's Actions (vv. 13-16)
13 You who are far away, hear what I have done; you who are near, acknowledge my power! 14 The sinners in Zion are terrified; trembling grips the godless: “Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who of us can dwell with everlasting burning?” 15 Those who walk righteously and speak what is right, who reject gain from extortion and keep their hands from accepting bribes, who stop their ears against plots of murder and shut their eyes against contemplating evil—16 they are the ones who will dwell on the heights, whose refuge will be the mountain fortress. Their bread will be supplied, and water will not fail them.
Everyone is desperate with nowhere else to turn. Some realize it.
Everyone is desperate with nowhere else to turn. Some realize it.
God still loves this prayer: "God, be gracious to me. I long for you alone. Be my strength in my distress."
When we pray it God:
--Destroys the destroyers.
--Gifts us with righteousness.
--Becomes our stability.
--Saves us--eternally and now.
--Begins to grow us in wisdom and knowledge.
God still loves this prayer: "God, be gracious to me. I long for you alone. Be my strength in my distress."
Isa 33:1-16
By Matt Maxwell
