Isaiah 32:9-20
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This page is on the 5 Worlds / 4 Judgments Temporary Worksheet.
Summary
- Judgment will come (with a negative ecological impact) because of the people's moral complacency - including their lack of concern over the fact that they have been warned about it.
- Later, when the Spirit comes, and when righteousness and justice rule, the situation will be reversed. The events mentioned here seem to parallel those described elsewhere, related to the Fourth World Ecosystem.
Details and/or Comments
- This chapter is a messianic prophecy about a coming righteous king and what will happen during his reign. At that time the distinction between righteousness and folly will be clearly seen and acknowledged. People will pursue righteousness, and this will affect all things... including the environment.
- As with many other prophecies about future events, some verses have a connection to events that would occur during or soon after prophet's time of ministry. (Here, an example of this begins in verse 9.)
- The judgment and blessing described here, along with the consequences each has on the environment, follow the patterns seen in Deuteronomy 29:1-29 (judgments that will come because of sin) and Deuteronomy 30:1-20 (blessings that are associated with righteousness).
Scripture
Isaiah 32:9-20
- The beginning of this passage focuses on events that would occur in Isaiah's day (or soon thereafter). Half-way through the passage, there is a shift to events that will occur in the future.
| Scripture Passage | Comments and Links |
| Isa 32:9 Rise up, you women who are at ease! Hear my voice! You careless daughters, give ear to my speech!
Isa 32:10 For days beyond a year you will be troubled, you careless women; for the vintage shall fail. The harvest won't come. |
A warning to the complacent, pleasure-seeking women (a warning that would also be applicable to the men): A time of disaster is at hand; it won't be long in coming.
This may be a warning about Assyria's invasion of Judah (701 B.C.). If so, the crop failure would be caused by the invading army. |
| Isa 32:11 Tremble, you women who are at ease! Be troubled, you careless ones! Strip yourselves, make yourselves naked, and put sackcloth on your waist.
Isa 32:12 Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine. |
The emphasis is not on nakedness, but on replacing their fancy clothes with sackcloth, a symbol of mourning. |
| Isa 32:13 Thorns and briars will come up on my people's land; yes, on all the houses of joy in the joyous city.
Isa 32:14 For the palace will be forsaken. The populous city will be deserted. The hill and the watchtower will be for dens forever, a delight for wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks; |
Famine and destruction is coming, and it will last “forever.” The Hebrew concept of "forever" refers to a long, indefinite time period. Verse 15 defines the "forever" as lasting until the Spirit comes. (See also v. 17.)
The judgment will have an effect on the environment, both in the country and in the city. |
This judgment will not last "forever" - the way we understand that word today. The next passage tells us when it would end.
| Scripture Passage | Comments and Links |
| Isa 32:15 Until the Spirit is poured on us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is considered a forest.
Isa 32:16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness; and righteousness will remain in the fruitful field. |
When the Spirit comes, the situation will be reversed. It will affect the environment, but it will also affect moral values and conduct. Justice and righteousness will be present.
Isaiah 55:12-13 also makes reference to the day that God would restore Israel to the land; and this desolation would be reversed. The emphasis in that passage is the nation's return from Babylon. |
| Isa 32:17 The work of righteousness will be peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.
Isa 32:18 My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in safe dwellings, and in quiet resting places. |
The end result will be peace and safety - something that will not happen before that time. Many people cry out for peace; but it can be attained only indirectly - by the pursuit of righteousness.
Here we find the second "forever" in the passage. (See v. 14 for comments.) Here, the context (and other prophecies) would suggest that it will be permanent - at least in regard to its prophetic description of future events. |
| Isa 32:19 Though hail flattens the forest, and the city is leveled completely,
Isa 32:20 Blessed you will be, who sow beside all waters, who send out the feet of the ox and the donkey. |
This passage seems to contrast the two situations - the judgment (which would happen in Isaiah's day or soon thereafter) and the blessings (which would come in the prophetic future).
The tame donkey, mentioned here, stands in contrast to the wild donkey of v. 14. |
Scripture Passages
(Only books that have relevance to this study have active links. The others are in italics.)
Genesis • Exodus • Leviticus • Numbers • Deuteronomy • Joshua • Judges • Ruth • 1 Samuel • 2 Samuel • 1 Kings • 2 Kings • 1 Chronicles • 2 Chronicles • Ezra • Nehemiah • Esther • Job • Psalms • Proverbs • Ecclesiastes • Song of Solomon • Isaiah • Jeremiah • Lamentations • Ezekiel • Daniel • Hosea • Joel • Amos • Obadiah • Jonah • Micah • Nahum • Habakkuk • Zephaniah • Haggai • Zechariah • Malachi Matthew • Mark • Luke • John • Acts • Romans • 1 Corinthians • 2 Corinthians • Galatians • Ephesians • Philippians • Colossians • 1 Thessalonians • 2 Thessalonians • 1 Timothy • 2 Timothy • Titus • Philemon • Hebrews • James • 1 Peter • 2 Peter • 1 John • 2 John • 3 John • Jude • Revelation |
—— To avoid any copyright issues, all Scripture is either from a public domain translation (such as the World English Bible), my own translation, or a combination of these. ——
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The name "Yahweh," when present in an Old Testament passage, represents the Hebrew name for the God of the Bible.
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Unless otherwise noted, all notes and comments are © by Dennis Hinks.
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