ISAIAH, CHAPTER 18
SCRIPTURE: CHAPTER 18, VS 1-3
“Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia:
2 That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled!
3 All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye.”
APPLICATION: CHAPTER 18, VS 1-3
v. 1– The Hebrew word translated as “land” comes from the root word which means “firm”. He is referring to those who are set in their ways, and covering their faces with their “wings”–not wanting to really listen to the Lord because He may want them to do what they don’t want to do.
v. 2– “peeled” comes from a word that means obstinate, independent, “Terrible” comes from “fearful”. “Nation” means a foreign or Gentile nation, and “meted” in this case means “fastened together”. He is speaking of the Gentiles who were lost, independent, unattached to God.
- 3– But God called the Gentiles to Him through Jesus.
SCRIPTURE: CHAPTER 18, VS 4-7
“4 For so the Lord said unto me, I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.
5 For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches.
6 They shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth: and the fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them.
7 In that time shall the present be brought unto the Lord of hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the Lord of hosts, the mount Zion.”
APPLICATION: CHAPTER 18, VS 4-7
v. 4– This is an extremely beautiful verse! His dwelling place is in us, and His Presence and Love are so refreshing! –As a “cloud of dew in the heat ..•”
v. 5– When we are totally turned to Him and we’re “ripening” in Him, He is molding our thoughts and personalities to be more like Him. He will cut away our imperfections as un-needed branches so we can bear more fruit. (John 15:1 tells us the Father is the husbandman) .
v. 6– The useless things in us are thrown out of our lives. These are the things of satan and of this world and can go back to him—we will be left with the beautiful branches of Jesus Christ in our lives!
v. 7– We are His (see verse 2). The Gentiles whom He has chosen will bear fruit and join chosen people!
END OF CHAPTER 18