Text: Isaiah 21:1-17, Isaiah 22:1-25, 1 Corinthians 15:54, 1 Peter 2:6
We’re in the thick of Isaiah’s prophecy now, about a third of the way through the book we call by his name. But if you’re like me, things don’t feel much clearer than when we first began. So far in our reading, I’ve come across more questions than answers. But I think that’s okay. I think this feeling we’re feeling (are you feeling it, too?) is by design. We are not meant to feel comfortable here.
Isaiah’s prophecy to this point, both in general and in detail, is dark. If his message were one of those Magic 8-balls we had when we were kids, we’d shake it and it would say, “Outlook not good.” Judgment was coming. This was certain.
“Looking” is a recurring theme in these two chapters. We see it in chapter 21 when the Lord tells Isaiah, “Go, post a lookout; let him report what he sees” (v.6). The watchman sees what the Lord said he would: horsemen approaching in pairs. “Babylon has fallen, has fallen,” the Lord replies. “All the images of her gods have been shattered on the ground” (v.9).
As readers of Isaiah’s prophecy, we look, too, watching the scene through our modern-day imaginations. And we see it: destruction and devastation, pain and anguish. We see a kingdom fall along with its false gods—gods incapable of rescue.
Further into chapter 21, we see the lookers again. In his oracle against Dumah, Isaiah reports: “One calls to me from Seir, ‘Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?” (v.11). Desperation echoes in the repetition; surely there is something good, somewhere off in the distance? And there is—for a moment. “Morning has come, and also night,” the watchman replies (v.12). There is hope, sure, he says, but it won’t last.
In short, Isaiah 21 leaves us right where we started: lost in darkness and despair, no hope to be found among us.
No hope to be found among us.
Hope had to come to us. And Hope did, though we refused to see Him (John 1:10-11).
In chapter 22, Isaiah’s prophecy pivots to an oracle against Jerusalem, the holy city itself. Though referred to here as the “Valley of Vision,” Jerusalem was blind. They’d built up walls of self-reliance and weapons of their own strength, all in vain. They looked to themselves, forgetting their God. The prophet says to them:
“You made a reservoir between the walls for the waters of the ancient pool, but you did not look to the One who made it, or consider the One who created it long ago.”
– Isaiah 22:11
God called Israel to repent, but they had a party. God offered them solace, but they celebrated their futility instead. God said “Look!”, but they would not see.
What about us? Will we look? Not just to the future, hoping for a bright light on the horizon. Not to ourselves, drawing strength from our empty wells. And certainly not to whatever shallow joy we can cook up on our own. No, we look to the Lord of Hosts.
The Lord is the One who establishes kings and kingdoms, and He is the One who remains after they fall.
The Lord is the One who calls out to those in darkness and implores them to see His face—beautiful, holy, good.
The Lord is the One whose holy justice cannot overlook sin, and He is the One whose merciful compassion provides sin’s remedy at His own expense.
The cross of Christ was the darkest point on the landscape of humanity, but that sacrifice purchased our rescue. Because of Jesus, His death and glorious resurrection, death itself “has been swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:54).
Devastation is still all around us, and we are bowed down, dismayed (Isaiah 21:3). But we look. We look to Christ. We look to Christ and we return to Him, repenting of our sin and trusting Jesus, the only true and lasting Hope.
Thanks be to God and to Jesus Christ, our eternal, incorruptible Savior. Amen.
Oh I appreciate this response so much. Between this Isaiah study and the Leviticus readings on the Daily plan, I have been reading so much about the wrath of God, but underlying all this doom and destruction is exactly what you point out in your response: redemption and hope, if we look to the Lord.
I appreciated today’s reading so much! I’ll admit I’m right there with the author often feeling lost in Isaiah’s complexity. But she captured the main point so well and really brought it together for me here. We are hopeless without Christ, and Judah was hopeless without God. They tried everything on their own and it was futile. How grateful we are for God’s mercy displayed in Christ! PS – If you all are looking for a great Christian historical series that brings Isaiah and the Old Testament to life, read Gods & Kings by Lynn Austin.
Ohhh- I forgot about that series. I think I read one of the books years ago. Thank you for the remainder!
I just finished God & Kings and loved the historical context it provides :) gives me at least a small frame of reference in this study!
I am struck by verses 21:3,4. ” At this my body is raced with pain, pang seize me, like those of a woman in labor; I am staggered by what I hear, I am bewildered by what I see. My heart falters, fear makes me tremble; the twilight I longed for has be come a horror to me.” And then in 22:4, “Therefore I said, Turn away from me; let me weep bitterly. Do not try to console me over the destruction of my people.” This is so powerful. Isaiah is so upset he feels actual pain and fear from witnessing what is to come. He shares Gods’ pain. He weeps. I often feel the same reading things that are happening in the world through social media and the media.
Yes, these verses are catching me, too. The horror of what was coming must have been so overwhelming..and watching the people turn away from the only Help that would save them….As you have said it is so hard to watch those around us walking in the folly of false securities. It is hard, as well, to recognize that I have been doing the same thing. Isaiah 22:11 hit me hard as I was reading. Sometimes I get so busy fixing that wall that I do forget who put it there in the first place and WHY it is there. (but you did not look to the One who made it , or have regard for the One who planned it long ago. Is 22:11b)
In my study, I was led to re-write Isaiah 22:8-11 with what we should do when looking to the Lord. I hope this helps y’all as much as it did me:
“Look to Jesus. See His steadfast love. Collect memories of His faithfulness. Count His promises. Make His name known.”
My freshman year in High school, my class was asked a question; Would it be better for a leader of a country to be feared? Or to be loved? There was all kinds of answers like feared because it’ll keep everyone on their toes or loved because people will feel safe and vice versa for why not. Some leaders chose fear, like Hitler, while others chose love like MLK Jr. Our God chooses to be both. Feared by His people in a way that will always have them seeking Him and should they not, consequences will arise according to what they have done. Loved by His people in a way that makes Him the One and Only. Our God is just and if a certain situation we may be going through doesn’t seem fair, there’s always a reason behind it. We can’t forget that He has given us hope. Even in our darkest days, the sun will always rise because the light He provides can never burn out.
THEN…here comes 22:22…”I will place the key of The zhouse Of David on his shoulders: what he opens, no one will close no what he closes, no one will open” !!! What a Hope!! Here comes our Jesus… our Redeemer… our Savior.. Hallelujah!!!!
Post a lookout…Keeping watch…looking dark…
They’d built up walls of self-reliance and weapons of their own strength, all in vain. They looked to themselves, forgetting their God. … how often is this a picture of me.. it’s tempting to read through this book with an attitude of judgement.. like how in the world can a people be so ignorant to the God who loves them and attempts to woo them to Himself.. them there it is. A sentence or two that taps me on the shoulder and says eh hem, this is you.. one of the major downfalls of our do it yourself culture is the believing that we only need God for the really hard stuff.. that we can place him on our shelves until a super challenging trial hits.. every time I reach for the “do it herself” kit I forget God.. I am building my walls of self reliance one do it myself at a time.. I need to practice the hymn, “I need Thee every hour” and be mindful that I need to look to Him for the smallest of decisions and practice reliance upon Him in all things big and small.. waywardness begins at the smallest decision to be independent of God.. may we be mindful of scripture that tells us loud and clear, “without Him I can do nothing.” But “with Him I can do all things.” Moment by sweet moment relying upon the One who knit us together in our mothers womb. Forgive me Lord for the many moments I think I have it on my own.. I do not.
Amen. I felt that tap on the shoulder too.
Our culture is so bent on self-reliance it’s hard to step away and ask for His will and direction first. Thank you for your comments/ good reminder