From Isaiah 31-35
This is a fairly bleak picture. Isaiah is certainly having a go at complacency. It seems that through neglect the harvests will fail, their fields will have thorns and briers. And even their cities will become deserted. Isaiah has made a specific judgement on complacent women here.
This post is part of my bible in a year series.
Passage and Comments
In today’s passage Isaiah pronounces a judgment on complacent women. Isaiah cries;
9 Rise up, you women who are at ease, hear my voice;
you complacent daughters, give ear to my speech.
10 In little more than a year
you will shudder, you complacent women;
for the grape harvest fails,
the fruit harvest will not come.
11 Tremble, you women who are at ease,
shudder, you complacent ones;
strip, and make yourselves bare,
and tie sackcloth around your waist.
12 Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields,
for the fruitful vine,
13 for the soil of my people
growing up in thorns and briers,
yes, for all the joyous houses
in the exultant city.
14 For the palace is forsaken,
the populous city deserted;
the hill and the watchtower
will become dens forever,
a joy of wild donkeys,
a pasture of flocks; (Is 32.9-14)
This is a fairly bleak picture. Isaiah is certainly having a go at complacency. It seems that through neglect the harvests will fail, their fields will have thorns and briers. And even their cities will become deserted. Isaiah has made a specific judgement on complacent women here.
Afterwards he makes some more positive statements. The punishment Isaiah describes will happen…
15 until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high,
and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field,
and the fruitful field is deemed a forest.
16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness,
and righteousness abide in the fruitful field.
17 And the effect of righteousness will be peace,
and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever.
18 My people will abide in a peaceful habitation,
in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.
19 And it will hail when the forest falls down,
and the city will be utterly laid low.
20 Happy are you who sow beside all waters,
who let the feet of the ox and the donkey range free. (Is 32:15–20)
The Spirit will be poured from on high. The Holy Spirit. Justice and righteousness will dwell and their effect – peace.
Story of Israel
In Israel and Judah’s history there are a couple other passages in which the LORD promises to pour out his Spirit. They are both well known. The first is in Joel.
28 “And it shall come to pass afterward,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
and your young men shall see visions.
29 Even on the male and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit. (Joel 2:28–29)
The second in Ezekiel.
25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleanness, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. (Eze 36:25–27)
These promises were not fulfilled for a long time. But then came Jesus and of course when he came all kinds of promises began to be fulfilled.
Story of Jesus
The apostle Paul knew his scriptures and understood the Spirit was promised long ago. In Galatians he says;
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— 14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. (Gal 3:13–14).
None of this happened until the festival of Pentecost recorded in Acts. The outpouring of the Spirit proves Jesus is the promised LORD and Christ. After quoting another scripture prophesying the gift of the Spirit (Joel 2 above) Peter says;
22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. (Acts 2:22–24)
and then
33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. (Acts 2:33)
and finally
36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” (Acts 2:36–39)
God has fulfilled many promises in the death and resurrection of Jesus. One such promise is the gift of the Spirit. Praise be to our faithful God.
Copyright © Joshua Washington and thescripturesays, 2014. All Rights Reserved.
