ISAIAH'S

PROPHECY
Light for All Mankind
VOLUME T

CONTENTS

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PAGE

1 An Ancient Prophet With a Modern Message 5

2 A Father and His Rebellious Sons

11

3 "Let Us Set Matters Straight"

22

4 Jehovah's House Lifted Up

37

5 Jehovah Humiliates Self-Fmlted Ones

49

6 Jehwah God Has Mercy on a Remnant

61

7 Woe to the Unfaithful Vineyard!

73

8 Jehovah God Is in His Holy Temple

87

9 Trust in Jehovah in the Face of Adversity

101

10 The Promise of a Prince of Peace

117

11 Woe to the Rebels!

133

12 Do Not Be Afraid of the Assyrian

144

13 Salvation and Rejoicing

Under the Messiah's Reign

157

14 Jehovah Humbles an Arrogant City

172

15 Jehovah's Counsel Against the Nations

189

.F. 2000

Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society .of Pennqylvania

N1 Rlghts Reserved

PUBLISHERS
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society nf New York, Inc.
Inlrrnational Blble Students hssociat~on

Urmklyn, New York, U.S.A.

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Unless otherwise indicatetl, Scripture quotailonr
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Isaillh's Prophecy--Light fir A11 Mankirid I

English ( ip-1-E)
Made In the United StaMs of Amerlca

CHAPTER ONE
PAGE

16 Trust in Jehovah for Guidance

17 *Babylon Has Fallen!"

215

A n Ancient Prophet
With a Modern Message

18 Lessons About Unfaithfulness

230

Isaiah 1 :I

19 Jehovah Profanes the Pride of Tyre

244

20 Jehovah Is King

259

21 Jehovah's Hand Becomes High

271

22 Isaiah Foretells Jehovah's

'Strange Deed'

287

23 Keep in Expectation of Jehovah

302

24 No Help From This World

316

25 The King and His Princes

329

26 "No Resident Will Say: 'I Am Sick'"

342

and Protection

208

27 Jehovah Pours Out Indignation

Upon the Nations

356

28 Paradise Restored!

369

29 A h g ' s Faith Is Rewarded

382

30 "Comfort My People"

398

WHO today does not yearn for relief from tlze problems
that face mankind? Yet, how often our longings go unfut
filled! We dream of peace, but we are plagued by war. We
cherish law and order, but we cannot stern the rising tide
of robbery, rape, and murder. We want to trust our neighbor, but we have to lock our doors for protection. We love
our children and try to instill wholesome values in them,
but all too often we watch helplessly as they succumb to
thc unwholesome influence of their peers.
2 We might well agree with Job, who stated that man's
short life is "glutted with agitation." Uob 14:l)'rhs seems
especially so today, for society is deteriorating on a scale
never before seen. One U.S. senator observed: "The Cold
War is now over, but in a tragic sense, the world has
now been made safer for ethnic, tribal, and religious vengeance and savagery, . . .We have watered down our moral standards to the point where many of our youth are
confused, discouraged and in deep trouble. We are reaping
the harvest of parental neglect, divorce, child abuse, teen
pregnancy, school dropouts, illegal drugs, and streets full
of violence. It's as if our house, having survived the great
earthquake we call the Cold War, is now being eaten away
by termites."
state of affairs do we see rn the world today?
(b) How did one U.S. senator express his concern about the deterro-

1, 2 . (a) What sad

ration of society?

a3

"-1

IF'

W b Was Isalah?
MEANING OF NAME:
*Soloplhn04 jehwoh.
FAMILE
Mnkd wfth at lw3t m m
s
PUCE OF RESIDWOt:

I#lnuIrn
Y U R S BF SERWCI:

#oJesshm4byprrm,

7BB,CE, tosomaN~aat& 133 #,CEO

tONYEMP0RARY KINGS OF JUDAH:
&ioh, juthwn, Aha& Ha~eRlah
~

P Q ~ W ~
Mkuh, hsw,O W

3 However, we are not left without hope. Some 2,701)

years ago, God InspM a man of the Middle East to utt
aa series of p p h e d e s that have specla1meaalng for our
day. These m
v are recorded in the Bible book M-

ingthat prophet's name-fsalah. Who was W,andwhy

mn we say that hh prophecy, recorded Jrnmt three milhfifums ago, provides Ught fm all mankind M y ?

A Righteous Man in Thrbdent Times

4 In the first vem of his book, Isaiah Introduces himself
as "the son of h r y " and he teh us tbat he served as
C . ' c

y--

--hat

-. . . . .
v,

"I
n the Aria n.l 1r r
IS, r m r rufr r

u r v y

.-I....

lntknm A h 7 and
-mu

,rr.r.m.,

:,yvyy%h
w r y or paan.- (~samnI: r in ~ m
s a mean
that Wah mntlnued as God's prophet to the nation offud& for no less than 46
Ukely begliming at the end
of ITm's ldgYl-8ba~t the
778 B.C.E
-PI,

Y..

.
.
.
.
I
.

* Isaiah's father, Amos, is not to br confused wlth Mas who p p h eslrrl at the beginning of Uzdah's reign and who wruw the Bible
h o k baaring his name,
3, What Bible book especially offem h o p foi the future?
4. who was h i a h , and when did he wrve ar Jehwah's prophet?

Isaiah md his wife made worshlp of Cod a family mutter

Isaia11's Prophecy-LiLyht for All Mankind I

5 Compared with what we know about some other

prophets, we know little about the personal life of Isaiah.
We do know that he was a married man and that he referred to his wife as "the prophetess." (Isaiah 8:3) According to McClintock and Strong's Cydopedia of Biblical,
Theological, and EcciesidsticaI Literature, this designation
indicates that Isaiah's married life "was not only consistent with his vocation, but that it was intimately interwoven with it." It may well be that, similar to some other
godly women of ancient Israel, IsaiaIlls wife had her o m
prophetic assignment.-Judges 44; 2 Kings 22:14.
6 Isaiah and his wife had at least two sons, each given
a name with proph&c significance. The firstborn, Shertrjashub, accompanied Isaiah when he delivered Gnd's messages to wicked King Aha. (Isaiah 7:3) I t is evident that Isaiah and his wife made worship of God a family matter-a
fine example for married couples today!
7 Isaiah and his family lived during a turbulent period
in Judah's history. political unrest was common, bribery
tainted the courts, and hypocrisy tore the religious fabric
of society. The hilltops were covered with aliars to false
gods. Even some of the kings promoted pagan worship.
Ahaz, for instance, not only tolerated idolatry among his
subjects but personally engaged in it, making his awn offspring "pass through the fire" in a ritual sacrifice to the
Canaanite god Molech." ( 2 Kings 163,4; 2 Chronicles 28:
3, 4) And all of this took place among a people who were
in a covenant relationshp withJehovah!-Exodus 195-8.

Some say that to ''pass through the k e " may simply indicate a purification ceremony. It seems, though, that in this context the phrase
refers to a literal sacrifice. There is n o question that child sacrifice was
practiced by Canaanites and apostate Israelites.-Deutemnomy 12:31;
Psalm 10h:37,38.
5, 6. What must have been true regarding Isaiah's famUy life, and

why?
7. Descsibe conditions in Jndah in Isaiah's day.

8 Commendably, some of Isaiah's contemporaries-including a few rulers-tried to promote true worship.

Among them was King Uzziah, who did "what was upright in Jehovah's eyes." Still, during his reign the people were "sacrificing and making sacrificial smoke on the
high places:' ( 2 kngs 153, 4) King Jotham too "kept doing what was right in Jehovah's eye?." However, "the people were yet acting ruinously." (2 Chronicles 27:2) Yes,
throughout much of Isaiah's prophetic ministry, the lungdom of Judah was in a deplorable spiritual and moral
state. By and large, the people ignored any positive influence that came from their kings. Understandably, delivering God's messages to t h s stubborn people would not
be an easy assignment. Nevertheless, when Jehovah posed
the question, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for
us?" Isaiah did not hesitate. He exclaimed: "Here I am!

Send me."-Isaiah 6%.

A Message of Salvation
9 Isaiah's name means "Salvation of Jehovah," and this
could well be called thc theme of h s message, True, some
of Isaiah's prophecies are of judgment. Still, the theme of
salvation comes through loud and clear. Rgeatedly, Isaiah
related how in due time Jehovah would release the Israelites from captivity in Babylon, allowing a remnant to r
e
turn to Zion and bring the land back to its farmer
splendor. No doubt the privilege of speaking and writing
prophecies concerning the restoration of his beloved Jerusalem gave Isaiah the greatest joy!
8. (a] What example did Kings Uzziah and Jotham set, and did the
people follow t h e ~ rlead? (b) How did Isaiah sl-low boldness in the
midst of a rebellious people?
9. What is the meaning of I ~ a i a hname,
'~
and how does this relate
to the theme uf his book?

10

Isnlnlr's Pmphrcj~-l.l.qht filr A l l Mtr t r k l ~ t Il

In But what do these messages of ludgment and salvation

have to do with us? Happily, [saiah docs not prophesy simply for the benefit of the hratrihe kingdom of Ju&h. On

the contrary, his messages have special significance for our

day. Isaiah paints a glorious picture of how God's Kingdom
will soon bring grand blessings to our earth, In this r e ~ a d ,
a large pertion of Isaiah's writings focl~scson thc fororold
Messiah, who would rule as King of Gocl's Klngdom, (1)an!el 925; John 12:41) Surely it is no coincidence that the
names Jesus and Isaiah express virtl~ally the s;lmc t hnught,
the name Jesus meaning "Jehovah Ir Salvation."
II. Of course, Jesus was not born untl! some seven ccntuties after Isaiah's day. Yet, the Messianic prophcctcs contained in the book of Isaiah are so dctallcrl and so accurate
that t h v head Iike an eyewitness account of JcsusVife nn
earth. One source noted that in view of thk, the lmok of
Isaiah is sometimes called the "Fifth Gaspcl." Hencc, it is
hardly surprising that Isaiah was the Riblc lmok most frequently quoted by Jesus and his almstles in ordcr ta make
a clear identification of the Messieh.
T2 Isalah painB a glorious word picture of "new heavens
and a new earth" wherein "a king wlll retgn for rt~hteousncss Itself" and princes will rule fur justlcc. (Isaiah .72:1, 2;
hS17,18;2 Peter 3:13) Thus t h book
~ of Isaiah pnintr to the
heartwarming hope of God's Kingdom, unclrr tllc Messlah
J e w Christ as e n t h e d King. What an encouragement
for us to live each day in joyful expaation of"salv;ltion
by ~ehovah]"!(Isaiah 25:9;40:28-31)kt us, then, eagerly examine the precious message In the book of Isaiah. As
we do so, our confidence in God's promiscs will bc greatly
strengthened. Also, we will be tlelpcd to grow in our conviction that Jehovah is indeed tlie God of our salvation.
10, 11. (a) Why is thebookof Isakth of interest to ur today? (b)How
does the book of Isaiah dlattentian to t hr Messiah?
12. Why do we eagcdy embark on a study a1 the Imok of Isaiah?

CHAPTER
TWO
-

- -

A Father and His

Rebellious Sons
Isalah 1 :2-9
...

SIE PROVIDED well for his children, as would any loving

parent, For many years he madc sure that they were fed,
clothed, and sheltered. When it was necessary, he di5c-ip h e d them. Rut their punk hrnent was nwer excessive; it
was always administwed "to the proper degree." (Jeremiah
30:11) We can only imagine, tlien, the pain that this Foving father feels at havbng to makc the statement: "5ms I
have brought up und mised, but they themselves hove revolted against me."-Isaiah I ;2b,
2 The rebelllous sons referred to here arc the people ofludah, and the aggrieved l'aihcr Is Jehovah God, I-low tragic!
Jehovah has nourished the Judeans and ralsed them to an
elevated position among thc nations. "I went on to dothe
you with an ernbroldercrl Karrncnt and to shoe you with
seaiskin and m wrap you in fine lincn and to cover you
with cmtly material,"he later reminds them through the
prophet Ezekiel. (hekicl 16: 10) Yet, for the most part, the
people ofJudah do nnl appscdatc what Jchovah has done
for them, Instead, they rehel, or revolt.
2 With good reason, Jehovah prefaces these words
regarding lzls rebelllous sons with t h v statement: "Heor,
0 heavens and give ear, 0 earth, for jehowh himself
1, 2. h p l d n how Jchovnh has come tn haw rehellloua sons.
3. Why does Jehovah call upon tlw heavens ant1 the earth lo bear
witness to Judah'c remft?

12

Isaiah's Prophecy-Llgh t far AII Mankind I

has spoken. " (Isaiah 7 :2a) Centuries earlier the heavens and the earth heard,
as it were, the braelites receive ex. .
plicit warnings regardhg the consequences of disobedience. Muses
said: "I do take as witnesses against
you today the heavens and the
earth, that you will positively p a ish in a hurry from off the land to
which you are crossing the Jordan
to take possession ofIt." (Deuteronomy 4:26) Now in Isaiah's day, Jehovah ralIs trpon the invisible heavens
and the visible earth to bear witnss to
Judah's revolt.
4 The smrivu# the situation calls far a straightforward
approach. Even in these dire circumstances, however, it is
noteworthy--and heartwarming-that Jehovah p~esents
himself to Judah as a loving parent rather than merely
the owner who has purchased them. In effect, Jehovah
Is entreating his people to consider the matter from the
standpoint of a father who is in anguish over his wayward
sons. Perhaps same pmnts inJudah can even personally
relate to such a predicament and are moved by the malogy. In any event, Jehovah is about to state his case against
Judah.

Brute Beasts Know Better

5 Through Isaiah, Jehovah says: '54 bull well kfnows Xts
buyer, and the ass the rnmger of h ownet; Ism4 ifself hm
not kno wn, my awn pmpk have not behmd understand-

A Father and His Rebellious Sons

13

ingly." (Isaiah I:3P The bull and the ass are draft animals
famiIiar to those living in the Middle Ehst. Indeed, t h e Judeans would not denythat even these lowly beasts display
a sense of faithfulness, a keen awareness that they belong
to a master. h this regard, consider what one Bible researcher witnessed at the close of the day in a Middle Eastem city: "No sooner had the drove gat within tlw walk
than it began to disperse. Every ox knew perfectly well his
owner, and the way tu hh house, nor did it get bewildered
for a moment in the mazes of the narrow md crooked alleys, As for the ass, he walked smight to the daor, and up
to 'his master" crib.' "
6 Since such scenes are no doubt common in Isaiah's
day, the pdnt o f J e h h ' s message is cleat: If even a brute
beast rec~gnizesits master and its own manger, what excuse can the people ofJudah offer fox having left Jehovah?
Truly, they have 'not behaved understandingly." It is a> if
they have no mnsriousness of the fact that their prosperity and their very existence dqend upon Jehovah. It is indeed an evidence of mercy that Jehovah still refers to the
Judeansas "my ownpeople" !
7 Nwer would we want to behave without understanding by failing to show appreciation for all that Jehovah
has done fur us! Instead, we should h i t a b the psalmist David, who said: "L will Iaud you, 0 Jehovah, with all
my heart; I will dedare all your wonderful works." (Psalm
91) Continually taking irl knowledge of Jehwah .Mia1
encourage us in this regard, for the Bible states that "the
* In this cafltext, "hrael" referrs to the --tribe

kingdom of Judah.

4. How does Jehovahh o m e to present himself to Judah?

5. In contPast with Israel, in what way do the bulI m d the ass dis-

play a sense of faithfulness?

6. How have the people of Judah failed to act unde~standingiy?

7. W h a t are same ways in whlch we can show aurselaes appreciatim
of Jehovah'spr&siom?

A Father n ~ Hls
d Rcbclllntrs Sons

15

knowledge of the Most Holy One Is what understanding

is." (Proverbs 9:lO) Meditating daily on Jehovah's Messings will help us to be thankful anti not take our heavenly Father for panted. (Colossians 3 1 5 ) T l ~ one
e offering
thanksgiving as his sacrifice is the one that glorifier me,"
says Jehovah, "and as for the one keeping a set way, I will
cause him to see salvation by God."-l'salm 50:23.

high pricstb sturban: "Holiness belongr to Jehovah." (Exodus 3930) Hence, by referring ko Jehovah as "the Hoty
One of lsrael," Isaiah unclcrsct>re~
the gravity of Judah's
sin. Why, these rekh are dircdly.violatingthe command
given to their forvfilthers: "Yon must wnctiiy yourselves
and you must p m e ynurselvcs holy, because 1 am holy"!
-Leviticus 11:44.

A Shocking Affront to "the Holy One of Israel"

8 Isaiah continues his message with strong words for
the nation of Judah: "Woe to the sinful nation, the people heavy with error, an evildalng seed, rtrlnous sons! They
h a w left Jehovah, they hove treated the Holy One of is-

lo Christians today must at: all costs avoid following Judah's example of dhrespectlng "the Holy One of Israel."
They must imitate Jehovah's hallncss. (1 Peter 1:15, 16)
And they need to "hate what Is bad." (Psalm 9710) Such
unclean practices as sexual I rnrnaraIlty, idolatry, thievery,
and drunkenness can corrupt the Christian congregatfon.
That is why those who reft~r;eto atop practicing these
things are disfellowshippcd fmrn thc congregation. Ultimately, those who unrepentantly follow a cousstl of uncleanness will he excIudcd from cnjoyinp; the blessings of
God's Kingdom government. Ileally, all such wicked works
constitute a shocking affrnnt ir, "the I-loly One of Israel."
-Romans 1:26, 27; 1 CX,r.lntlllans5:6-11; 6 9 , 10.

rue1 with disrespa they have turned buckwctrds." (Isaiah

7:4) Wicked deeds can accumulate to the extcnt that they
become like a crushing weight, In Abraham's day Jchavah described the sins of Sodam and Gornorrah as "very
heavy." (Genesis 18:20) Something similar Is now evident
in thc people ofjudah, for lsaiah says that they are "heavy
wlth error." In addition, he calls them 'an evildoing seed,
ruinous sons." Yes, the Judeans are like delinquent MIdren, They have "turned backwarrls," or as thc New Revised Standard Version puts it, they are "uttcrly estranged"
from their Father.
9 Ry their wayward course, the peoplc of Judah are showfor "the Holy Onc of Fsracl," What is
ing gross disresthe signifimnce of this phrase, which is found 25 tlrner In
the book of Isaiah? To be holy means to be clcan and pure,
Jehovah Is holy to the superlative degree, (Iicvclatian 4:8)
The Israelites are reminded of this fact every tlmc thcy abserve the words engraved on the shining gold plate on the
-

8. Why can the people of Judah be cntled 'the slnful nntton"?

9, What Is the significance of the phrare "thc Holy Onc of Israel"?

Sick From Head to Foot

11 Isaiah next strives to reuson wlth the people of Judah
by pointing out to them their sickly state. H e says: "Where
else will you be slruck still more, in thcrt you add more re
wIt?"In effect, Isaiah is askinx them: 'Haw you not suffered enough? Why bring furlher harm to yourselves by
continuing to rebel?' Baiah conlinues: 'The whole heod is
in a sick condition, and the whole heart is feeble. From the
sole of the foot even to the head there Is no sound spot in

10. How can we avold s h o w l n ~disrespect for "the Maly One of Israel"?
11, 12. [a) Descrlbe Judah'r bad condttlan. (b) Why should we nut
feel sorry for Judah?

Isaiah's Prophecy-Lrghf for All Mankind 1

16

it." (Isaiah 1 5 , 6a) Judah is in a loathsome, diseased

state-spiritually sick from head to foot. A grim diagnosis

indeed!
12 Should we feel sorry forJudah? Hardly! Centuries earlier the entire nation of Israel was duly warned about the
penalty for disobehence. In part, they were told: "Jehovah
will strike you with a maIignant boil upon both knees and
both legs, from which you will not be able to be healed,
from the sole of your foot to the crown of your head."
(Deuteronomy 28:35) In a figurative sense, Judah is now
suffering these very consequences of her stubborn course.
And all of this could have been avoided if the people ofJudah had simply obeyed Jehovah.

13

Isaiah continues to describe Judah's pitiable state:

"Wounds and bruises and fresh stripes-they have not

been squeezed out or bound up, nor has there been a
softening with oil." (Isaiah 756) Here the pmphet refers
to three typcs of injuries: wounds (cuts, such as those inflicted by a sword or a knife), bruises (welts resulting from
beating), and fresh stripes (recent, open sores that seem
beyond healing). The idea presented is that of a man who

has been severely punished in every manner imaginable,

with no part of his body escaping harm. Judah is m I y in
a broken-down state.
14 Does Judah's miserable conhtion move her to return
to Jehovah? No! Judah is like the rebel described at Proverbs 29:l: "A man repeatedly reproved but making his
neck hard will suddenly be broken, and that without healing." The nation seems beyond curing. Ps Isaiah puts it,
her wounds "have not been squeezed out or bound up,
-

13, 14. (a) What injuries hare been inflicted upon Judah? (b) Do Judah's sufferings cause her to reconsider her rebellious course?

A Fnther and His Rebellious Sons

17

nor has there been a softening with oil."' In a sense, Judah

resembles an open, unbandaged, all-pervasive sore.
15 Taking a lesson from Judah, we must be on guard
against spiritual sickness, Like physical illness, it can affect any one of us. After all, who of us is not susceptible
to fleshly desires? Greed and a desire for excessive pleasure can take root in our hearts. Hence, we need to train
ourselves to "abhor what is wicked" and "cling to what is
good." (Romans 129) We also need to cultivate the fruits
of God's spirit in our everyday lives. (Galatians 5:22, 23)
By doing so, we d l avoid the condition that plagued Judah-that of being spiritually sick from head to foot.
A Desolated Land
16 Isaiah now leaves his medical analogy and turns to the
condition of Judah's terrain. As if he is gazing down on
a battle-scarred plain, he says: "Your /and is a desolation,

your cities are burned with fire; your ground-righ t in front

of you strangers are eating it up, and the desolation is like
an overthrow by strangers." (lsaiah 1 :7) Some scholars say
that although these words are found early in Isaiah's book,
they were probably uttered later in the prophet's career,
perhaps during the relgn of wicked King Ahaz. They assert that Uzziah's regn was too prosperous to justify such
a bleak description. Granted, it cannot be stated with

' Isaiah's words reflect the medical practice of his day. Bible researcher E. H. Tlumptre notes: "To 'closeJ or 'press' the festering wound was
the process tried at first to get rid of the purulent discharge; then, as
in Hezekiah's case (chap. xxxv~ri.21), it was 'bound up,' with a poultice, then some stimulating oil or unguent, probably, as in Luke x.
34, oil and wlne were used, to cleanse the ulcer!'
15, Inwhat ways can we protect ourselves from spiritual sickness?
16. (a) How does Isaiah describe the condition of Judah's terrain?
(b) Why do some say that these words were llkely uttered during the
reign of Ahaz, but how might we understand them?

Isaiah's Prophecy-Light for Ail Mankind I

certainty whether Isaiah's book i s compiIed in chronological order. However, Isaiah's words about desolation are
probably prophetic In uttering the above statement, most
likely Isaiah is employing a technique found elsewhere in
the Bible-that of describing a future event as if it has already taken place, thus emphasizing the certainty of a
prophecy's fulfillme~lt.-Compare Revelation 11:15,
17 In any went, the prophetic description of the desolation of Judah should not come as a surprise to this stubborn and disobedient people. Centuries earlier Jehovah
warned them of what would happen if they rebelled. He
said: "I, for my part, will lay the land desolate, and your
enemies who are dwelling in it will simply stare in amazement over it. And you I shall scatter among the nations,
and I will unsheathe a sword after you; and your land
must become a desoIation, and your cities will become a
desolate ruin."-Leviticus 26:32,33; 1Kings 9:6-8.
18 The words at Isaiah 1:7, 8 are apparently fulfilled during the invasions by Assyria that result in the destruction of Israel and widespread destruction and suffering in
Judah. ( 2 fings 17:S, 18; 18:11, 13; 2 Chronicles 29:8, 9)
However, Judah is not totally wiped out. Isaiah says: 'The
daughter of Zion has been left remaining like a booth in a
vineyard, like a lookout hut in a field of cucumbers, like a
blockaded city1'-Isaiah 7:8.
19 Amid all the devastation, "the daughter of Zion," Jemsalem, will be left standing. But she will look very vulnerable-1Fke a shanty in a vineyard or a watchman's booth in
a cu~umberfield. In a journey down the Nile, one 19thcentury scholar was reminded of Isaiah's words when he
17. Why should the prophetic description of desolation not come as
a surprise to the people of Judah?
18-20. When are the words of Isaiah 1:7, 8 fulfilIed, and in what way
does Jehovah 'leave a ferv remaining' at this time?

saw similar booths, which he describes as "littlemore than

a fence against a north wind." In Judah when the harvest
was over, these booths were allowed to fall apart and collapse. Still, as flimsy as Jerusalem might appear before the
all-conquering Assyrian army, she will survive.
XJIsaiah concludes this prophetic statement: "Unless lehomh of armies himself had left remaining to us just
o few survivors, we should have become just like Sodom,
we should have resembled Comorruh itself." (Isaiah 1:9)*
Against the might of Assyria,Jehovah will finally come to
Judah's aid. Unlike Sodom and Gomorrah, Judah will not
be obliterated. It will live on.
'The Commerttary on the Old Testnment, by C. F. Keil and F. Delitzsch, says: "The prophet's address has here reached a resting-place.
The fact that it is divided a t this point into two separate sections, is
indicated in the text by the space left between vers. 9 and 10. This
mode of marking larger or smaller sections, either by leaving spaces
or by breaking off the hne, is older than the vowel points and accents,
and rests upon a tradition of the highest antiquity."

Z l M m t b a n 1 0 0 ~ l a k rJudah
,
wasagainunder
threa~The m l e bad not learned from the disclphc infIiM through
'They mre continually making
~eaatthemessengersofthetrueC;odmddespislngbis
words and m
w at his prophets."As a result, 'the rage
ofJehoMh-cup @mt his m e , until there was no
healing." (2 Chronicles 36:16)The Babylanh monarch
NebuChadnemr m n q u d judah, and this h e , there
ws nothing
"like a booth in a w a r d , "Even
Jerusalemm ded~oyed,(2 Chronicles 36117-21) Still, Je
hmah left a few mmhhg! Even though Judah endured
7Oyeaffinal~J~ens~thecontlnurvrceofW
nation and espediiltp of the Mdic line, which w d d
pdwethepmmhdMessiah.

dm

21. Aft& B O ~ Idestrogred

X
J M e m , why did jehamb

a few

and Hda fiebeNfuus Sons

21

22 In the k i t century, fsmd went through Its flnal crI&

as W s mvenant people. When Jesrrs pamted htmself
as the promised M d ,the nation re)him, and as
a result, Jehovahdected them, (Matthew21:43; 23.37-33;
John1:11) Was this the end of Jehovah's hiwing a special
Won on earth? No.The apostle Paul showed that h i a h
1 9 had yet a m h r fulfillment. Quoting from the Septu-

"Just as Isaiah had said aforethe

'WasJehwahof armies had left a seed to us,we should
have b a m e fwt Ue Sodam, and we should have ban
made just like Gomomb,"'-Romm 9:29.
This m
e the s u w h m wem the anointed Chrfstbm,
who p
t faith in Jesus CMst, These m,first of aII, be
liJews. hta they
joined by belldng Genttla.
Together they made up a new Ism, "the lsrael of Gad.''
(GaMam 6:16;R o m 229) Thls *seed" survived the destmdan of the Jewhh system of thIn 70 CE.Indeed,
u t h e b ~ o f G o d N i s s t l l l W twh today. ft hasnowbeen
p e d by millions of kIiMng indidduds of the nuons,
who make up "a great m
d
,
which no man [is] able t~
number, out of atl nations and hfba and poples and
%hit wrsbn, he wtow

tonguts."-Revelatton 7:9.
Sum this world wlll face the battle of Armageddon
(RmWhn 16:14, 16) While this wiU be a crlsis greater
than either the &@an or the Babylonian invasion of Judah, greater evm~
thanthe Roman dwastatlon ofJudeain
70 CX,
there wiIl be survfvors, (kwladon Z14) Hsw vitai, tha, t b t all cotlisider wfulv halah's wards fnJuW!They meant suwWd br faithful ones back then. And
they mnmem survival for befiwlng ones tday
-

W .Inthe &st ewhrry, why did Jehovah1'a few maMng'?

24.What shautd all talce notice of If they wbh to W W
mauWdls
pateStCrh?ls?

CHAPTER
- -THREE
-

"Let Us Set Matters Straight"

Isaiah 1:10-31

THE inhabitants of Jerusalem may feel inclined to jmtify themselves after hearing thc denunciation recorded at
TwEah 1:L-9.n e v no douht would like to point proudly
to all the sacrifices they offer to Jehovah, However, verses 10 through 15 give Jehovah's wlthrrlng reply to such attltudes. It begins: "Hear the word af lehowh, you dictators
of Sodom. Give ear to the law of our Cod, you people of Gomomh."-Isaiah 1: 10.
2 Sodom and Gomomah were destroyed not. only for
their perverted sex pmctices but also for their hardheartcd, haughty attitudes. (Genesis 18:20,21; 19:4, 5, 23-25;
Ezeklel 16:49, SO) Isaiah's audience must be shocked to
hear themselves being compared to the people of those
accursed cities." But Jehovah secs his people just as they
are, and Isaiah does not soften God's message in order to
'tickle their ears.'-2 Timothy 4 3 .
3 Notice how Jehovahfeels about the formalistic worship

* Accurdlng to ancient Jewish eradltlon, wicked Klng Manasseh had

Isnlah executed, sawn asunder. IC:ompare Hullrrws 11:37,)A source
says t h a l in order to bring on thls dcatll senlence, a false prophet
usrd t h e following charge agalnqt Isnloh: "IIc ha< called Jerusalem
5ndom, and the princes of Judah and lerusalcm hc has declared (to
hr) the people of Gomorrah."
-

1, 2. To whom dws Jehovah cornpTm the ruters and the people of

JerusrIcrn and Judah, and why Is thl9 vallrll
3. What does Jehovah mean when hc s a y 5 thnt hc hils "had enough"
of t l i c /~euple'ssacrifices, and why Is thls the cnsc7

"L,tnZ U.t Srt Mnttcrs Straight"

23

of h i 5 people. " 'Of what benefit to me is the multitude of

your sacrifices?'sayslehovah. 7 h m had enough of whole
burnt offeringsof mms m d the fclt of well-fed animuis; and
in the blood of young bulls and male lambs and he-goatr 1
have taken no delight'" (lsaloh 1: 7 1 ) 'l'he people have for-

go21cn t h a t Jehovah does not clcpct~rlupoil their sacrifices.

(I'salm SR8-13) He does not r~ccdanythlng that humans
may atier him. So if the people think that thcy are doing JchwaI~a favor by presenting their halfhearted offerings, they are misnken. Jehovah i~scsa p~wcrful6 f l w of
spccch, The expression "I 11aw had enough" may also k
rcndcrcd "I am satiated" or "I am gluttecl." I40 you know
the feeling of being so full of food that t l ~ every sight of
more Is ~pulsive?Jehovah felt similarly ahout those offer-

ings-utterly repulsed!
4 Jehwah continues:"Whenyou people keep coming in to
see my face, wfre is it that bus requid this from your hand,
to trample my courtyards?" (Isoiah 1 :12) ISit not JehovaWS
own law that requires the people lo 'come In to see his face,'
that is, to he in attendance a t II~S temple InJer~~salem?
(Exod ~ t 34:23,24)
s
Yes, but they come there out nf mere formalism, simply g o i through
~
the motions of PIEworship,
without pure motives. abJehovah, their nlirncrrous visits to
his cuurlyarcls amount to mere ?tmrnplinc accomplishing
nnt hlng more than wearing away thc floor;
5 Na wonder that Jehovah now adapts even stronger lanwigc:cl "Stop bringing in any more valueless groin offerings. Incense-it is something detestuble to me. New moon
and sabbath, the calling of a convention-l cannot put
up with the use of uncanny power along with the solem
Hnw dm5 Isaiah 1:12 expose the ernpllncrs of the people's attendnncc at the temple in Jerusalem?
5 . What are sumc of the acts ot warshlp perfuxrned t)y theJews, and
why have these hecoine "a burden" to Jcllovnl~'l
4.

24

R o i n l ~ 'Pmphfc-y-Li.ylrt
,~
for All Afdnkind /

assembly. Your new moons and your h t a l seusons my soul

hos hated. 70 me they haw become a burden; I hove become tired of bearing them." (Isaiah 1 :73, 74) Grain offer~ E I ~ Sincense,
,
Sabbaths, and solcnrrr assernl~licsare a11 part
nF God's taw to Israel. As to "new rt~orrns,"
Ihe Law simply
dlrects Ihat these be observed, hi1t tvholesa~netraditions
have gradually grown up around the obscnvnce. (Numlwrs IO:10; 28:11) The new moon IF t r ~ ' a f ~asd a monlhly sabbath, when the people would desist from work and
even gather for instruction from the prophet5 and priests.
(2 Kings 4:23; Ezekiel 463; Amos 8:s) Such ot~setvances

arc not wrong. The problem lies ln r l o l n ~them for mere

show. Moreovcr, the Jews am resorting tn "uncanny power," spiritistic practices, right along with their formal obwwance of God's Law." Thus, their acts of worship to Jehovah are "a burden" to him.
fi How, though, could Jehovah kc1 "tired"? Afer all, he
has an "abundanceof dynamic energy. . He docs not tire
out or grow weary." (Isaiah 40:26, 28) Jehovah is using a
vivid figure of speech to enable us to unddcrstand his feclIn#. Have yoti ever borne a heavy burden for so long that
yclu were weary to the very bone and just longed to t h w
it OK'That is howJehovah fwls ahout his per)ple's h y p
critical acts of worship.
7 Jchovah now addresses the most intlrnate and personal of all a a s of worship. #When pu spread out your
palms, 1 hide my eyes from you. Even though you make
many pmyers, 1 am not listening; with bloadshed your very

--;I i 1
hands have become filled." (Isaiah 1:15) Sprcacling out
The palms, holding the hands outstrctdled wl Ih galins upward, 1s a gesture of suppli~qtion,'lo Jchwah, this stance
has brcornc: rneanirgless, for this pcoplc have hands full
of hlnodshed. Violence is rampant in the land. Uppresslon of the weak is commotlplacc, For such al~usivc,selfish people to pray to Jehwah and ask for blessln~sis nb
sccnc. No wonder Jehovah says, "I am not liqtenlng"!

' 'l'lie Ilchren. word for *uncanny pnwcr" I s alw rcndcrd "what is
hurt ll~l.""what is uncamy," and "etronca~~a."Accorrl~np,
to the fie*
.Ir),~Scrtl
Dirtirmnty of the OId T ~ ~ t r r r tI~tel~tcw
r,
proplrets uwd the
wrlrtl to denounce "evil caused by the rnlq~~sr
of powcr."

H In our day, Christendom has Ilkewlw fallcd to win

God's f a w r with her ceaseless repetltian of vain prayers
and her other religious "woks."{Matthew 7:21-23) 'It is of
vital importance that we do not fa11 into the same tsap.
Occasionally, a Chiistian lapses inlo a pmctlce of serious sin, thcn reasons that if he just hldcs what he is

6 , In what sense has Jehovah become "tlrcddl?

7. Why hi~sJehoval~stopped listening ta r h e praycrs uf 1 1 1 ~ people?

H.. Whr~tcrcnr does Christendom commit today, and bmu do some

(:h~I~tlans
fall Into n similar trap?

--

26

Isnlr~lr'sProphecy-Light for All Mnnkind 1

doing and jncreases his activity In the Chrlstlan congregation, his deeds will somehow crrunterbalnnce his sln. Such
forrnallstlc works do not please Jehovah. 'l'hcre is only
onc cure for spiritual sickness, as the next verscs ofIsaiah
show.
The Cure far Spiritual Sickness
the compassinnateGod, now shifts to a warmer, mnre appealing tone. "Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the badness of your dealings from in
front of my eyes; cease fo do bad. Learn ilo do good; search
for justice; set right the oppressor; render judgrnen t for the
fatherless boy; pleod the cause of the widow." (Isaiah I :
16, 1 7 ) t-lerc we find a s t r I t ~uf~ nine imperatives, or commands. The first four are negative in the sense that they invollrc the remwal of sin; the last five am poqitiw actions
9 Jehovah,

tlint lead to receiving Jehovah's blessing.

lo Washing and cleanness have always been an important part of pure worship. {Exodus 19:10, 11; 30:20; 2 Corinthians 7:l) But Jehrwa h wants the cleansing to go deeper, into the very heart ofhis worshipers. Most important
is moral and spiritual cleanliness, and this is what jeh*
vah wfers to, The first two commands in verse 16 are not
mere repetition. A Hebrew grammarian suggests that the
first, "wxh yourselve$,'rcfers to an initial act of cleansing,
whercas the second, "make yourselves clean," refers to ongoing cfforts to maintain that cleanness.
t We can hide nothfng from Jehovah. (job 34:22; Proverbs 153; Hebrews 4:13) So his command, 'Remove the
badncss of your dealings from in front of my eyes," can
only mean one thing-tu cease doing bad. 'That means not
attempting to concea1 scrlous sins, for doing so is a sin in

9, 10. Hnw Important i s cleanness In our ~vorshlpnf Jrhwah?

11. 'To ccombnt sin, what ahoul~lwe do, and what shoultl we never do?

itself. Proverbs 28:13 warns: "He that is covering mr his

transgressionf will not succeed, but he that is confessing
and leaving them will he shown mercy."
12 Thcrc is much to learn from the positive actions that
Jehovah commands in versc 17 of Isaiah chapter 1, Notice that he drxs nat: merely say "do good" hut "I~am
to
do good." It takes personal study of God's Won1 to understand what is good in Gael's eye? and to want to do it.
Further, Jehovah does not merely say "render /ustlce" but
"senrch for justice." Even experienced elders ncecl to make
a thorough spaarch of God's Word in order to hnd rhc just
coursc In some complcx matters, Theirs too is the responsibility to "set right the oppressor," as Jehovclh next cornmands. These directives a r ~important
.
to Christian shep
herds today, for they want tn protea the flock from
"oppressive waives."-Acts 20:28-30.
13 The hnal two commands Involve some of the more
vulnerable of God's people-orphans and widows, The
world is all too ready to take advantage of such inclivlduals; this must not be so among I;odls people. Iflvln~cltlers
"render judpent" for the fatherless boys and girls In the
congtegalion, hclpjng thcrn 10 receive justice and protection in a world that wants to take advantage of them and
corrupt them. Elders "plead t h e cause" of thc widow or,
as the Hchrcw word can abo mean, " M e " in her khalf.
Really, all Christians want to bc a source of refuge, comfort, and justlce to the needy among us because they are
prectoz~sto Jehovah,Micah 6:ft; James 1~27.
14 What a firm, positive message Jehovah conveys

12. (a) Why Is It Important to *!@or17tn do good"? (h) I lnw may clders In parrlculnr apply the dlrectlwv to "search for Ii~stlcc"anti "set
right thc opprersor"?
13. Hmv miaht we todw apply the commands reganling the latherless boy anrl r hc wldnw?
14. What pnsltlve ~ n e s s a gIs conwycd at Isaiah 1:16,I77

28

Isoinli's Pml~ltt'ry-tl,~htfhr All Mankind I

through these nine commands! Sometimes those involved In sin mnvince thernrelvcs,that it is simply beyond
their power to do right. Such notions are discouraging.
Moreover, they are wrong. Jehovah knows--and wants u s

tr) know-that with His help, any sl~lnercan stop his sinful
course, turn around, and do r f ~ h Instead,
t

A Compassionate, Just Plea

15 Jehovah'stone now takes on wen greater warmth

and

compassion, ""Come, now, you peopEe, ond let us set matters straight between us, 'suys Jehovah, Though the sins af
you people should prove to be as scarlet, they will be made
whitejust like snow; though they should be red like crimson
cloth, they will become even like wool.'" (lsrriah 1: 78) The
Invitation thatopens this beautiful vcrse Ir oftcn misunderstood. For example, 7 7 1Now
~ lit$qlifsl~HiEk says, "Lnt us argue it out"--as if h t h sides must makc concessions to reach
itn accord. Not so! Jehovah bcarr IFO fault, least of aII in
his dealings with this rebellious, hypocritical people. (Deutcronomy 324, 5 ) The verse speaks, nnt at' a give-and-take
cli~cusslonbetween equals, but of a forum to establish justice. It is as if Jehovah lierc challeng~sIsrael to a court trial.
16'That may be a daunting notlan, but Jehwah is the
most merciful and mmpaqsionat~Judg~,HIScapacity for
fwrgiwness is unparalleled. (Ratrn 86:s) I-le alone can take
Israel's sins that are "as scarlet" anrl cleanse them away,
making them "white just Hke snow,'' No human effort,
no formula of works, sacrlficcs, or prayers can remuve the
stain of sin. Only Jehovah's forgiveness can wash sin away.
God grants such forgiveness on terms that he sets, which
include genuine, heartfelt repentance.
15. How 15 the phrase "let us s e t mmtea straight between 11s" sometlrner misunderstood, and what docs It actually mean?
16, 17. How clo we know that Jehclvnh la wllll tig 2 0 forglw even serlous rlns?

"Lrr Us Trt Matters Straight"

29

17 SO important is this truth that lehovah repeats it in a

poetic variation-"crimson" sins wlll hecome like new, undycti, white wool. Jehovahwants u~ to know that he truly
Is the Farglver of sins, ewn.vcry serlous ones, as long as
he finds us genuinely repentant, 'I'hosc who find It hard to

believe that this is true in thcir awn casc do well m conrldcr such examples as Manasbeh. HP sinned horribly-f~r
yean. Yet, he repented and was forglvcn. (2 Chsonidcs 33:
3-16) Jchmah wants all of us, including thosc who have
cumnrittecl serious sins, to know that It is not too !ate t~
"srt rnattcrs straight" with him.

18 Jchovah reminds his people that they have a choice to

makc. "If you people show willingness and do listen, the
good of the land you will eat But if you people refuse and
are ac~uullyrebellious, with a sword p u will be eaten up:
for the very mouth of Jehovahhas spoken it. " (Isaiah I : 7 9,
20) Plere Jehovah empharizcs attittldes, a d he uses another vivid figure of speech to drlvc his point home. Judah's clloice is this: Eat or be eaten. If thcy have an attitude of willingness to listen to and obey Jehovah, they
wlll cat the good produce of the land. Ilowewr, if they
perslst In their rebellious attitude, they will be eaten-by
the sword of their enemies! It =ems almoqt unimaginable
that a people wouId chmse the sword of their enemies
over the mercy and abundance of a forgiving God. Neverthcless, such is the case with Jerusalem, as the next verses
oh Isaiah show.

A Dirge Over the Beloved City

19 At Isaiah 1:Zl-23, we see the lull extent of the wickednms of Jerusalem at this time. Isaiah now begins an

1 8 , What choice does Jehovah put before h b rehelliotts peop!e?

10, 20. (a) linw does Jehovah convey the sense of hetrayal that he
reels? (h) In what way has 'righteousnes? lodged In Jerusalem'?

Us Set Matters Stmbhtx

lnsplred pan in the style of a -,

or lament: "0how
the hMh1W n has become a prrrsartute! B e was fbli of
Irudce; rlghmusna IWlf used bp w
e In ker, but now

rnu&r~~."+ffIcrA 1:21,
20 Haw the dty, Jerusalem, has fallen! Once a faithful wife, she has now become a prostitute. What could
more p0mddLy convey the sense of betrayal and dlsap
potntment that Jehovah feels? "Righteoum~~
i?a&used
to lodge ia" this dt)?When? WeB, even Mm Israel existed,back fnAbmhmts day, thh dty was d e d Salem. Over
it ruled a man who was both h g and priest. His name,
M e l M e k means 'Xing of Mghteousness,"and it ePIdently suited hkn well, (Hebrews 72;Genesis 14:1820]
About 1,Wpm after Melchlzedek, Jerusalem reached a

peak, under the kingships of David and Solomon. "Rlghteousnes ibelf used to b e irk her,"espedally when her
wdklng In Jeh*
set the example for the p p B
.8ah's ways. By Is&ah1sday, tb~ugh,such dmes are a db
tantmemory.
that the leaders among the people are a large
21 It
part of the problem. Isaiah goes on with hls lament: Tour
d h Itref has b m m e scumrily d w . bur wheat beer h
$iIuM with wter. YourplSnm om
mdpaitmts
with e f i h . EwyonedthemisuEwarofa Mbeanda
chaser h r g l h . Fw o hthetfas boy they do not ender
fidgment. and e m the
care ofa W w does not get
a d m l w b them." (ism 1:22,23) ltva vMd m r dpictures in qulck succession set the tane for what must hllow. The smith at his hw skhm the scummy d m from
tfie molten silver and thrrvwsit awq. Ismel's p r h e s and
judges a~ Uke the dross, nd the silvler. They need to be
tilarded They haw no mare use than k r that has been
dilued with water and lost its flm.Such a beverage is M
to be pour& down the drain!
2 2 % m 23 shows why the lead- deem such a descriptton.The Ma& Law ennobled God's people, setting
them apart from ather riatiam It did so,hr ample, by
mandating the protection of arpand widows @md m 2222-24) But in Isaiah's day, the fatherlessboy kas Ifttle h q e of any favorable judgment. As for the wldow, she
mnnot$etanyone~tD~her~~~e,let
ha W,No,thesejudges and leaders am busy h k ing after thdr own Interests-seeking b d b , chasing gi&,
arrd swing as partnm to thiwes, evidently pmtethe m h m l s w h i l e a l l ~ n g ~ e i r v i c t l m s t oworse
s~.
21, 22. What Is ~tgnlfiedby daKs and diluted bear, and why do Ju@'s
leadea merlt such a desdption?

32

I s n l a h * ~J'rt~phrcy-l,l,plrt for AII Mnnkind I

yet, they are "stubbarn,"or harclencd, in their course of

wrongdoing. What a sorry state ol affairs!

Jehovah Will Refine His People

23 Jehwah will not tderstc such abuse of power forever.
lsaia h continues: 'Therefore the utteronce of the true Lord,
jehowh af armies, the PowerFul One of Ismel, is: "Aha! I
shall ~ l ; myself
m of my adw~aries,and I will wenge myself an my emies.'" (Isaiah f :24) Jehovah ir given three
clesignations here, emphar izing his rightful lordship and
his vast power. The exclamation "Aha!" I ikely signifies that
Jehovah's pity is now mixcd with dctcrmination to a a
upon his wrath. There is certainly reason fur this.
24 Jehovah's OFW people have made themselves his enemies, They fully merit divine vengeance. Jehovahwill "relicvc," or rid, himself of them. Does this mean a complete,
permanent obliteration of his name people? No,for Jehovah goes on to say "And i wi// turn back my hand upon
you, and I shall smelt oway your scummy drass 0s with lye,
and I will remove all your woste products." (Isaiah 1:25}
Jehovah now uses the refining process ar an illustration. A
refiner in ancient timm often added lyc to help separate
the dross from the precious metal. In a similar way, Jehovah, who does not. we his p p l e as completely wicked,
will: "chastise them to the proper degree.' He will remove
f t r m them only the "waste proQ~cts"-the stubborn, undesirable ones, who refuse tn learn nnd obey." (Jeremiah
46328) With these words, Isalah has the privilege of writing down history in advance,

The expression -1 will turn back my hand upDn you" rncanr that Jehovah will shift from supporting htr pflple lo chastising them.

23. What feelings toward hl! advcrsarler docs Jchnvah express?

24, What refining process ducs Jehovi~llpurpose klr his people?

ZSJehmrah did indeed refine his pcoplc, removing the

scummy dross of corrupt leaders and ather rrbels. In
607 B.C.E.,Iong after Isaiah's time, Jerusalem was destroyed and Its Inhabitants Ied off For the 70-year exile in
nahylon, 'Phis in some ways parallels an actlnn God took
much later. The prophecy at Malachi 3:l-5, wiWn long
after the Babylonian exile, showed that Cdd would again
do a refining work. It pointed to the time when Jehovah
C ; d would come to his spiritual temple accompanied by
his "rnes~engrof the covenant," ]e~usChrist. 'This eviclently happened at the end of World War I. Jehwah inspected all of those claiming to be Christians, sifting the
true from the false. With what result7
26 Jehwah anwen: "1 will bring back again Judges for
you as at the first, and counsdors for you az at the start.
After this you will be called City d Righteousness, Faithful
Town. With justice Zion herself wilt be redeemed, and those
returning of her, with righteousness." (Isaiah 7:26,27)Ancicnt Jerusalem experienced an i nitlal lul f~llmcntof this
prophecy. After the exlles returned to Ihcir bcloved city
In 537 B.C.E., there were once again faithful judges and
counselors Hke those of the past. The prophets Haggai
and Zechariah, the priest Joshua, the rcrihe Ezra, and the
governor Zerubbabel all served to guide and direct the
falthful returning remnant to walk in God's paths. However, an even more important fulfillmcn t occurred in the
20t h century,
27 Tn 1919, Jehovah's modern-day people emerged from
the period oftesting. They were delivered from spiritual
25. (a) How dld Jehovah refine hls pcoplc In 607 R.C.E.? Ib) When
cttd Jehovah refine his people In modern tima?
26-28. (a) What initial fulfillment did Isaiah E:2b have?(h) Haw has
thlq prophecy been fulfilled in our t i ~ t ~ e(t)
? I-low mlxht thls prophety I,cncfit elders today?

34

Isaiah's Pmplrecy-ilkh t pr AH Mankind I

ban* ta w o n the Great, the mdd empire of false

rdlgion. The dktbction between that faithful anoinkd
m m m t and the a p m t e clergy of CMstwdom bealme
cleat. G d a@
blessed hla people, 'brhglq back for
them judges and counselors*-faithful men who counsel
God's peap1e according to his Word and not according to
the traditions of men, lbdsy among the dfrnldshlng "little M'& their InawIrlg miIUons of "othershaep"
companions*there are thousands af such mm,-Luke 12:
32;J o bla 16;JAah 32:1,2; 6Q 17; hl:3, 4.
Elders keep in mfnd that they do, on occasion, act
as "w
in the congregation in order to keep it moraIly and spbbdly c l a n and to coned mngdoers. They
are d q l y conwmed with doing thlqp
God's way, imitating bls merdful,
balanced sense of justice. In most
mam, tho@, r t r q sem as
' ' W r s . " This) of m e , Is
a farcrpfrombehgprfnmsor
W
t
9
,a ~ they
d make m y
effuxt nwer to give even
the
of
It over those who are God's
~ t a n C e . " - lPeter 5:3.
29 Wbat abDutfhe udmtis"
menlioned in thepmphecy
of Isaiah? W M happas to
those who refuse to Mefit
from God's r&ament: pre

29, 30. (a) What dm%Jehtntahpm

nouncrr for thaw who refuse tn benefrt from tbe r e f h i q p m 7 (b} In
what sense do t8c p p l e become
"asham& of thelt tee and gardens?

m?
Isaiah mnthues: "And the crash of mdtmand Phrrt
a f s i n f u l o ~wlllbsutthewm~me,andtho=l&ng
e
h will came to their flnlsh. Fw they will be ushomed
of thmightytnm Wyolrpeoplededn?4 d y o u will
be abashedkcamof the gatdms that prr haw cho~en*"
(lwiah 198,229) Those who m l t and sln against:Jeh*
vah, ignoring the w m l n g r n q of his prophets until
it is too late, do Indeed "crashumd "come tr, their fInlskH
TbSs happens in 607 B,C,E, What, however, do thae references tu trees and gardens -?
Jo The &dams have a persistent ptoblem with idolatry,
Trea, gardens, and gmm often f i p in their debased
practim. For example, worshipws of Baal and hls mmrh
Ashbelieve that In the dry season, the two deitis
are d& and W e d . To prompt them to a w a h andmate,
briqtq W t y to the tand, the 1dolatlers gather to carry
out p w k d sexual acts under "sacred" trees in grwes or
in gardens. Wherl rolins and fertility come to the land, the
false go& receive the credit the idolaters feel codrmed
in their superstltlons, But when Jehevah brings the rebelU r n idolaters to their crasMng finkh, no idol-godspmsA
them The rebels are "ashamed" of these Impotent t r
and gardens.
T d o l a m Judeans face samethlq worse than sham,
tho*
Shifting the fllustratlon, Jehovah now likens the

idoiaterhhnselftoa~.%uwlll~ltkuMgh
tfre Wage of whlch Is WEtherlng, and like u gatdm that
hos no waWN(I~aIah1:30)In the hot, dry c h a t e of the

Middle East, ti& illustration is apt. No Wx or w e n an

last hr long without a steady supply of waW. Dried up,
such qetatton is espedally wlnerable to rire. Heace, the
illustration In verse 31 follows natmily.

31. What do the Idolaters face that is w o w than shams

36

--

Irrrinlt's Pwphrc!'- L f,ql~t/irr All ,Mnrtkintl I

'The vigorous mun will certainly become hw, rind the

product of his activlly a spark; and both of them will cert ~ i n l ygo up in f/ames ot the same time, with no one Eo
do the extinguishing." (Isaiah F:37) W Ro IF this "vigor~ 1 1 manJ'?
s
The I4ehrew expression conveys the sense of
strength and wealth. It likcly re& to thc psosperaus, selfassured follower of falw godq. In Isaiah's day, as in our
own, t l i ~ isr ~no sharta~eof men who rcjea Jehovah and
1115 pure worship, Somc even seem successful, Yet, Jehovah warns that such men will he like "low,"coarse fiberr
of flax so frail and dry Ihat they tear apart, a%it were, at the
very smell of h e . U u d ~ c s1 h:8, 9 ) The product oE the idolater's activity-whether hls IdoI-gods, his wealth, or whatewr he worships in place ofJehovah-will bc like the igniting "spark."Both spark and tow will he consumed, wiped
out, In a fire that no nne can extlng'tllsh, No power in the
unlverse can overturn Jehovah'sperfect fuclgrnents.
33 IS this final message compatible with the message of
mcrcy and forgivenes? In vcrse IS? By all mcans! Jehovah
has such warnings wrltken down and deliwed by his ser-

vants k a m e he is merciful. After all, "he dws not desire

any 10 he destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance."
(2 IWcr 3 9 ) I t is the prlvllegc oaf every true Christian today
to proclnlrn God"s warning messages to mankind so that
repentant ones may hnefi t from his generous forgiveness
and livc forever. How klnd it is on Jehovah's part to give
mankind a chance to "set matters straight" with him before it is toolate!

32. [ i t ) Wlio is "the vlgomus inan" refermi to In verse 317 (b) In

wliut scrac will he bemrnc "tow," what "spark"wlll Ignite him, and
with what rcsult?
33. {;I) 1Iow do God's warnings of coming Iudpwnt also indicate
hir mcrcyl Ib) What opportunliy i g Jehovah nnw extending to manklntl, : ~ Lhow
I
dne\ ihls atieci each one ot us7

- -CHAPTLR
FOUR

Jehovah's House Lifted Up

-

lsalah
2:1-5
--

--

"THI;.Y shall beat their S W O T into

~ ~ plowshares. And their
spears into prunlng hooks: nation shall not lift t ~ psword
against nation. Neither sllilll thcy learn war any mom."
'rhese worrls arc insmibed on a wall a t the United Nations
plaza in Ncw York City. For dccades the soum of that qu&
tation was not Identified. Slnce the aim of the UN Is ta
work toward global peace, It was easy to condude lhat the
quote nrlglnatcd with the founcters of the UN, in 1945.
2 In 1975, however, the name Isaiah was chlselcd into
the wall h i o w the quotation. It was then wtdcnt that the
words wrrc not of modern origin, They were, In fact, recorded as a prophecy over 2,700years ago in what Is now
the 2nd chapter of the hook of Isaiah. For mlllenntums
lovers of pcacc have pondcrcd aver howt and when the
things Isaiah foretold would occur, There is no longer any
need ta wonder. Today we see hefore us the remarkable
fulfillment ol this ancient prophecy.
3 Who are the nations that beat their swords Into plowshare$? Surely, they are not the modern-day political nations and governments. Until now thcsc nations
haw dcvcloped sworcls, or weapons, both to wage
war and to preserve "peaceJ9hroughstrength, li anything, the tendency has always been for nations to beat
-

1, 2. What words are inscsibctl on a wall a t the United Nntinns plaza, and what lu their source'!
3. Who arc thc nations that heat thelr swnrds into plowshares?

38

Isuiah's Prophecy-Ll,fht for All M~rrrkltid/

their plowshares into swords1 Isaiah's prophecy finds fulfillment in representatives from all nations, people who
worship Jehovah, "the God of peace."-Philipplans 4:9.

The Nations That Stream to Pure Worship

4 Isaiah chapter 2 begins with these words: m
e thing
that lsaiah the son of Amoz visioned concerning judah wnd
lenrsolem: And it must occur h the h a i part of the days
that the mountain of the house of lehovah will become
firm& established above the top of the mountains, and it
will certainly be lifted up above the hills; and to it oil the
nations must streom."-Isaiah 2:7,2.
5 Notice that what Isaiah foretells is not mere speculaUon. Isaiah is directed to record wents that "mr~sloccur"
-without fail. Whatever Jehovah purposes has "certain
success." (Isaiah 55:ll) Evidently to give emphasis to the
reliabilityof his promise, God i n s p i ~ dthe prophet Micah,
a contemporary of Isaiah, to record in his book the same
prophecy that is set out at Isaiah 2:2-4.-Micah 4 1-3,
6 When is Isaiah's prophecy to be fulfilled? "In the final
part of the days." The New Inkrnational Version reads:
"In the last days."The Christian Greek Scriptures foretold
features that wouId identify this period. Included among
them are wars, earthquakes, pestilences, food shortages,
and "critical fimes hard to deal with."' (2 'I'irnothy 3: 1 -5;
Luke 21:SO, II) The fulfillment of such prophecies gives
abundant Wzdence that ~ v eace living "in the final part of
the days," the last days of this present world system. h i * See the b k Knowledge Thnt Ccads to Everlasling Lift?, chaptcr 1 I,
"These Are the Last Days!," published by the Watchtower Bil,lc nnd
Tract Society of Nav York, Inc.
4, 5 . What do the opening verses of lsaiah chapter 2
what underscum the reliability of those words?
6. When dws Isaiah's prophecg find h~lf~llrnent?

foretell, and

cally, then, we would expect to sec fulfilled In nur time the

thlngs that Isalah foretold.
A Mountain in Which to Worship
7 In a few words, Isatah paints a YMd prophetic picture.
We see a lofty mountain, cmwned by a glorious house,
the temple of Jehovah. This mountain towers above surrounding mountains and hills. Yet, it is not foreboding or
Intimidating; it Is appealing. Peoples of all nations yearn
to ascend to the mountain of the house of Jehovah; they
.qfrentn to it. 'This is easy to visualize, but what does it
mean?
.tr In Isaiah" day h113s and mountains are often assaciated wit11 wnrshlp. For example, they serve as sites for idolatrous worship and for sanauaries of false god!,. (Deuteronomy 122; Jr?rem!ah 3:6}Id owever, the house, or temple, of
Jehovah adorns the summit of Mount Moriah in Jerusalem. Rlthfi~lIsraelites journey to Jerusalem three times a
year and ascend Mount Moriah to worship the true God.
(L)eutcronomy 1ci:lh) So thc streaming of the nations
tn "the rnountaln of the house of Jehovah"pictures the
jiatherlng of many peoples to true worship.
9 Today, of course, W ' s people do not gather at a literal mountain with a temple ofstone. Jehovah's tempIe in
Jerusalem was destroyed by Roman armies in 70 C.E. Be
sides, the apostle Pau I made it clear that the temple in Jerusatem ant1 the tabernacle that preceded it werv pictorial
They represcntcd a greater, spiritual reality, "them e tent,
which JehovaI~
put up, and not man." (Hebrews 8:2) That

-.-

7. What pmphetlc plctuw does Isaiah paint?

8. (a) With what are hills and mountains associated in Isaiah'sm?
(h) What dms t hc stmmlng of the nations to "themountain OF the
housc of J c h m h " picture?
4. What tines "the mountaln of the house of Jehovah"represent?

42

has exdted his worship heaven b h , above all forms of

unclean worship, yes, far above all "the kills" and "the top
of the mountains." How so? Largely through the gathering together af those who want to worship him "with spirit and truth."-John 4:23.
12 Christ Jesus referred to "a conclusion of a system of
things" as a time of harvest when the angels would gather in "the sons of the kingdomw-those with the hope
of ruling with Jesus in heavenly glory. (Matthew 13:3643) Since 1919, Jehovah has empowered "the remaining
ones" of these sons to share with the angels in the harvest
work. (Revelation 1217) Thus to start with, "the sons of
the kingdom," Jesus' anointed brothers, are the ones gathered. Then they share in a further gathering work.
13 During this time of harvest, Jehovah has progressively helped the anointed remnant to understand and apply
his Word, the Bible. This too has contributed to the elevating of pure worship. Though 'darkness itself covers the
earth, and thick gloom the national groups,' the anointed
are "shining as illuminators" among humankind, having
been cleansed and refined by Jehovah. (Isaiah 60:2;Philippians 2:15) "Filled with the accurate knowledge of his will
in all wisdom and spiritual comprehension,'' these spiritanointed ones "shine as brightly as the sun in the h g dom of their Father."-Colossians 1:9;Matthew 13:43.
14 Moreover, others have streamed to "the mountain of
the house of Jehovah." Called by Jesus his "other sheep,"
12. Who are ?he sons of the kingdom," andwhat gathering has taken place?
13. How h
s Jehovah blessed the anointed remnant?
14, 15. In addition to the gathering of *the sons of the kingdom,"
what ingathering has taken place, and how was this foretold by Hag-

gai?

Jehovah's Ifouse Liffed Up

Isaiah's Prophecy-Llght for AII Mankind I

I
I

1
I

these have the hope of living forever on a paradise earth.

(John 10:16;Revelation 21:3, 4) Starting in the 19301s,
they appeared by the thousands, then by the hundreds
of thousands, and ncrw by the millions! In a vision given
to the apostle John, they are described as "a great crowd,
which no man was able to number, out of all ~lationsand
tribes and peoples and tongues."-Revelation 7:9.
15 Thr prophet Haggai foretold the appearance of this
great crowd. He wrote: "This is what Jehovah of armies has
said, Yet once-it is a little while-and I am rocking the
heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry ground.
And I will rock all the nations, and the desirable things
of all the nations [those who join anointed Christians in
pure worship] must come in; and I will fill this house with
glory,' Jehovah of armies has said." (Haggai 2 5 , 7)
The existence of this still-growing"great crowd and their
anointed companions elevates, yes glorifies, pure worship
in Jehovah's house. Never before have so many been recorded as united in the worship of the true God, and this
brings glory to Jehovah and his enthroned King, Jesus
Christ. King Solomon wrote: "In the multitude of people
there is an adornment of a king."-Proverbs 1428.

Worship Exalted in the Lives of People

16 Jehovah deserves all credit for the elevating of pure
worshp in our time. Still, those who approach him are
privileged to share in this work Just as it requires effort to climb a mountain, so, too, it requires effort
to learn of and live according to God's righteous standards. L~keChristians in the first century, God's servants
today have left behind life-styles and pxackices that are
16-18. What changes have some made so as to worship Jehovah ac-

ceptably?

44

Isaiah's Pruphecy-Lixht for All ,Udnkind I

not compatible with -true worship. Fornicators, idolaters,

adulterers, thieves, greedy persons, drunkards, and others have changed their ways and been "washed dean" in
God's sight.-1 Corinthians 6:9-11.
17 Typical is the experience of ane young woman who
wrote: "I once was lost with no hope. I lived a life of immorality and drunkenness. I had sexual diseases. I also
sold dmgs and just didn't cam about anything." After
studying the Bible, she made major changes in order to
conform to God's standards. Now she says: "I enjoy peace
of mind, self-respect, a hope for the future, a real famiIy
and, best of all, a relationship with our Father, Jehovah."
18 Even after coming to an approved standing before Jehovah, all must continue to elevate pure worship by gving it a place of prominence in their lives. Thousands of
years ago, through Isaiah, Jehovah expressed his confidence that there would be multitudes today eager to make
his worship the most important thing in their lives. Are
you among them?

A People Taught Jehovah's Way

19 Isaiah tells us more about those who embrace pure
worship today. He says: "Many peoples will certainly go
andsay: 'Come, you people, and let us go up to the mountain of lehovuh, to the house of the Cod of ]acob; and
he will instruct us about his ways, and we will walk in his
paths.' for out of Zion law will go forth, and the ward of Jehovah out of]erusalern."-lsaiah 2:3.
20 Jehwah does not let his people wander about Me Iost
sheep. Through the Bible and Bible-based publications, he
imparts to them his "law" and his "word so that they

19, 20. What are God's people taught, and where?

Jchovnh's House Lifted Up

45

Iearn his ways. This knowledge equips them to "walk in

his paths." Out of hearts filled with appreciation and in
harmony with divine direction, they speak to one another about the ways of Jehovah. They gather together at large
conventions and in smaller groups-at Kingdom Halls and
in private homes-so as to listen to and learn the ways of
God, (Deuteronomy 31:12,13) Thus they imitate the pattern of the early Christians, who met together to eenourage and incite one another to abound in "love and h e
works."-Hebrews 10:24,25.
21 They invite others to "go up" to the exalted worship
of Jehovah God. Haw well this harmonizes with the command Jesus gave to his disdples just before his ascension
to heaven! He told them: "Go therefore and make dirciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy
spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you." (Matthew 28:19, 20) With &vine backing,
Jehovah's Witnesses obediently go throughout the earth,
teaching and making disciples, baptizing them.

Swords Into Plowshares

22 NOWwe come to the next verse, part of w h c h is inscribed on the wall at the LN plaza. Isaiah writes: "He will

certaip1ly render judgment among the nations and set matters stmight respecring many peoples. And they will have
t~ beut their swords into plowshares and their speors into
pruning shears. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will they learn war anymore."-Isaiah 2:4.
21. In what work do Jehovah's servants share?
22, 23. What does Isaiah 2:4 foretell, and what did oae UN official
say about it?

46

23 TO achieve thjs

Isnla11's Pmph~cy-I.l+yhtfhr Ail Mnrr kltlrl 1

would be no small accomplishment.

Fedetico Mayor, director-generalof the United Nations Educational, Scientific,and Cultural Organiir,ition, once said:
"All the obscenities of war, brought home to us nowadays
by audio-visual equipment, do not seem able to halt the
advance of the huge war machine set up and maintained

aver many centuries, Resent generations llavc the almost impossible, Biblical task of 'bcatlng their swords Into
ploughshares' and making the transition from an Instinct
for war-developed since time immemorial-to a feeling
for peace. To acheve this would bc the hert and most
noble act that the 'global village' could accomplish, and the best legacy to our descendants."
24The nations as a
whale will never achieve
this lofty goal. It is simply beyond their reach.
Isaiah's words are fulhlltd by individuals
from many nations, who
are united in pure worship. Jehovah has "set
matters straight" among
them. He has taught his
people to live at peace
with one another. Truly,
in a divided and strife-riddenworld, l ticy have f gl~ratlvely
beaten their "swords into plowshares and ttielr sl?can into
pruning shears."HOW?
24, 25. In whom do Isaiah's, words hnd lulftllrncnt, and In what
way?

1
I
I

I
I

25 For one thing, they do nnt take stdes in the wars of the
nations. Shortly before Jesus' dcath, armed men came to
arrest him. When I'etcr lashed out with a sword to defend
his Master, Jesus said to him: "Return your sward to its
place, for all those who take the sword will perish by the
sword." (Matthew 26352) Slnm then, Jesus' footstep followers have beaten thelr swords Into plowshares and have
refrained from takin~up weapons lu kill thelr fellow man
and from supporting war eflorts in othcr ways, 'I'hey "pursue peace with all penple."-Hcbrcws 12:14.

Purst~ingthe Ways of Peace

26The peace of God's people p;m Far beyond a refusa1 to engage in inarfilte. 'l'hough they arc found in more
than 230 lands and represent muntluss Pan&vagesand cultures, they enjoy peace with one another. In thcm is found
a modern fulfillment of tlie wnrds nf Jesus, who said to
his disciples in the first century: "Ry this all will know
that you are my disciples, if YOLI 1'1avc IOVC among yourselves." Uolm 13:35)Chrlstlans today are "peacemakers."
(Matthew 5 9 , footnote) 'I'hey "seek pcacc and pursue it."
(1 Peter 311) Sustaining them Is Jehovah, "the G a d who
gives peace."-Ramans 15:33.
27There are dramatic examples of those who have
learned to be peacemakers. A young man writes of his early life: "Hard experience taught me how to defend myself.
It made me t o u ~ hand angry ahotit life. I would always
end up in fights. L-ch clay, I would fight, a different kid in
the neighborl~ood,sometimes with fists, soinetlrnes with
rocks or bottles. I grcw up being very vlnlent." Eventually, however, he responderl to the invitation to go to "the
26, 27. How do God's pnple "seek pew" nntl pursue it"? G i w an
example.

48

fsaiah's Prophecy-Light pr All Munkind I

mountain of the house of Jehovah." He learned God's

ways and became a peaceable servant of God.
28 Most of Jehovah's w a n t s do not come from such a
violent background. Still, wen in relatively small things
-am of kindness, forgiveness, and empathy-they strive
to promote peace with athers. Nthough imperfect, they
endeavor to apply the Bible's counsel to "continue putting
up with one another and forgiving one another frwlv t f
anyone has a cause or complaint against another."-Colossians 3:13.
A Future of Peace
29 Jehovahhas done a marvelous thing in this 'It he final
part of the days." He has gathered from all natjons people
who want to serve hi.He has taught them to walk In hls
wayi, ways of peace. These are the ones who will survive
the coming "great tribulation" and pass into a peaceful
new world in which war will be abolished forever.-Revelation 7:14.
30 Swords-weaponry-will
be no more. The psalmist
wrote of that time: "Come, you people, behold the actlvities of Jehovah, how he has set astonishing events on the
earth. He is making wars to cease to the extremity of the
earth. The bow he breaks apart and does ctlt the spear In
pieces; the wagons he burns in the fite." (Balm 46:8,9) In
vkew ofsuch a prospea, Isaiah's f01laving exhortation is
as appropriate t d a y as it was when he mte it: "0 men
of the house of Jacob,come orid jet us walk in the tight of
jehowrh." (Isaioh 2:s) Yes, let JehwaWs light iflunr~nate
our path now, and we will walk in his way for all eternity.
-Micah 45.

28. What can Christians do to pursue peace?

29, 30. What prospect ir there for the earth?

CHAPTER FIVE

Jehovah Humiliates
Self-Exalted Ones
DISGUSTED with the condition of Jerusalem and judah,
the prophet Isaiah now turns to JehovahGod and declares:
"You hove forsaken your people, the house of Jamb."(150Tah 2:do) What has provoked Gad to reject thc people
whom he himself had chosen as his "spcial property"?
-Deutcmnomy 14:2,
2 Isaiah's denunclatlon of the Jews of his time is of great
Interest to tu.Why? Because the condition of Christendom
tcxlay Is very similar to that of Isaiah's people, and so is
thc judgment that Jehoval~pronounces. Paying attention
to Isala11's proclamation will give us a clear understanding
of what God condemns and wlll help us to shun practices
that he disapproves of. With keen anticipation, then, let
u s conslrlcr Jrhwah's prophetic word as recorded at Isaiah
2:6-4:l.

In Pride They Bow Down

3 Confessing the error of his people, Isaiah says: 'They
hwe become f d of what is h m the Emt, and they are
practicers of mogk like the PhiEistines, and with the chi!&en of brelgners they abound.'' (kuioh 2:bb) Some 800
years carlier, Iehc>val~had con?rnanded his chosen people:
"Do not make yourselves unclean hv any of these things
1, 2. Why Lq the pmphetic message of Isaiah to the Jews of his d q
of Intcrcqt tn us'!
3. What crror r,F hls people does Isaiah confess?

Idols, rlchw, and military p m m s do

not saw lemsaIetn on the day of
lehowh's judgment

r-

which] the nations whom 1 am sen&

~ o u t m ~ p ~ R l & d e t h ~
selves tmdwnmR
tJ.mltttctx~ 18:243 Concernfng those whom he had selected as his spedal
p
o
w
IJehovahfar& B a b n ta say: "Fmm the top of
the rocks I see them, and from the Mils I behold
them mere as a W I e they keep tabemading isolared,
and among rhe mti- they do not reckon
lNumbers m9,LZ) Yet, by W
s d q Jehovah's chosen
ones haw adoped the abominable pracdm of the surIounding nationsand are "fullofwhat Is from the East"
Rather than putt@ faith in Jebcwah and his word, they
are pm3idng 'magic like the FWstlaes." Far from heep
Ing separate fmm the nations, the land 'abounds' with
"therhil- ofhr&gntrsJ'-doubtless, foreigners who in.
troduse ungodIy ~
~to Gsd's
B people,
S
4 Nattng the m n t m n m i c prusplty and the dlltwy stmgth d JWunder King Uzzhh, Isaiah states:
Vt&lcrndbWwithdkandgdd,rrndthstrrk~U~~kbWr~u~es.Arld~rlandls~~horses,md
thew k mr Umtt ib W r Chad&.'
(Isubh 2:7)DOthe
ple thank Jei~wah
fursuch W t h and millmy strength?
(2 Qwmlclm 26Cl, 6-15)Par ~O
it1 ZnsWd,
III they p t
their trust in the wealth itaelf and turn m v from
~ its
Source, Jehovah Gadt The nsult?%eIr Imd fs #lkd wM
w i ~ i e gods.
s To the wlork: af one's hanB they bow down,
to that which me's angers
mode, And ear&/hgm c l ~
4. Wher than awing
to thank Jehovah, how do riches and
muitary S-Igth a f f e the J-7

bamdom,andmrrnbsccutseshw,avtdyou~~~nnotp
sib& pardon m."
(lu1Irrh 2:4 9)They turn their faces
away fmn the livIng God and bow d m to Ufeless idols.
Bowing dawn can be a sign of humility. &It bowing
d m to lifeless thhgs is futlle, making the Idol worship
er nkow: degenerate. Haw can Jehovahpardon such a sin?
What wllI these idolaters do when Jehovah d s them to
account?

'Haughty Eyes Must Become Low'

6Mahoontlnw: u E n t e r i & t h s r o d c d h l d e ~
in the dust because of the dmdhlnas of jehmh, a d
trwn Ms s p W # wpkdty.."( i d a h 2:IO) But no nock

willbebigenoughtopmtectthem,nocoverthickenough
to mncd them, from Jehwat.1, the Almighty, When he
comes to execute his judgment, MHte haughy e p of
ewihihg man must k o m low, and the loi3nas of men
mustbow tibwtq andjehowh afonemmcst beputon h/ghh
&at duy."-Is~tah2:71,
7m
e day belong/n$ b]e#tovrrh of umies" is coming. It
wiir be a time br God to express his anger 'upon ali ~e ceb r r ~ s o f & h mthatarelotlycmdlhdup~mdupor~
a#
t h e m a s k ~ o f ~ ~ a n d lrllthsloftymunu p m
~~~mdupond1tkehtlk~mlWup;du
e m y h ~ ~ a n d u p n e w y f o d ~ ~ a v r d u
a# thsship of T d h h and U P ~ Jdl
I & I d bwk"(1icrh 2~72-76)Yes,msy organization r&ed up by man as a
symbol of his pride and wwy ungdy individual will be
given attendm in the day of Jehwahlswrath. Thus, "the
haughtiness of the wrthIIng mun must bow down, and the

5. W y Is bowing down c idols not an act of humillQ?

6, 7. (a) What happens tu ~ l ~ t o cm on
d the day d Jehovah's
iudgment? (b) Upon what and whom da# Jehovah express his mget, and why?

52

Isniah's Prophecy-Light f o AII

~ Mallkind I

loftiness of men must become low; and]ehovah alone must

be put on high in that day."-Isaiah 2:1Z
8 The foretold day of judgment comes upon the Jews
in 607 B.C.B. when Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem, The inhabitants see their beloved city
aflame, its proud buildings demolished, its mighty wall
smashed. The temple of Jehovah is reduced to rubble.
Neither their treasures nor their chariots amount to anything on "the day belonging to Jehovah of armies." And
their idols? I t happens just as Isaiah foretells: '5% valueless gods themselves will pass away completely. " (Isaiah2:
78) The Jews-princes and mighty men included-are taken into exile to Babylon. Jerusalem is to Iie desolate for 70

years.
9 How similar the condition of Christendom is to that of
Jerusalem and Judah in Isaiah's day! Christendom has certainly cultivated a close relationship with the nations of
this world. She is an enthusiastic supporter of the United
Nations and has filIed her house with idols and unscriptura1 practices. Her adherents are materialistic and put their
confidence in military might. And do they not view their
clergy as worthy of great distinction, attributing to them
titles and honors? Christendom's self-exaltation will without fail be brought to nothing. But when?

{ehovah Humiliates Self-Exalhd Ones

53

presence of the enthroned King Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 2:1,2) Peter spoke of that day in connection with the
establishment of 'new heavens and a new earth in which
righteousness is to dwell.' (2 Peter 31CL13) It is the day on
which Jehovah will execute his judgment upon the entire
wicked system of things, including Christendom.
fl "Alas for the day," says the prophet JoeI, "because the
day of Jehovah is near, and like a despoiling from the Almighty One it will come!" In view of the imminence of
that "day," should not security during that fear-inspiring
time concern everyone? "Who can hold up under it?" asks
Joel. He answers: "Jehovah will be a refuge for his people."
(Joel 1:lS; 211; 3:16) Will Jehovah God be a refuge for
those who have a haughty spirit and who put their confidence in riches, military might, and man-made gods? Impossible! God abandoned even his chosen people when
they acted in this way. How vital that all of God's servants
"seek righteousness, seek meekness," and examine seriously the place of Jehovah's worship in their lives!--Zephaniah 2 2 , 3.

"To the Shrewmice and to the Bats"

12 How will idol worshipers view their idols during Jehovah's great day? Isaiah answers: "People will enter into the
caves of the rocks and into the holes of the dust because of
the dreadfulness of jehovah and from his splendid superiority, when he rises up for the earth to suffershocks, In that
day rhe earthling man wiII throw his worthless gods o f rilver and his vuiueless gods of gold. , to the shrewmice and
to the bats, in order to enter into the holes in the rocks and

8. How doe5 the foretold day of judgment come upon JerusaIern in

607 B.C.E.?
9. In what way i5 the condition of Chr~stendomsimilar to that of Jerusalem and Jltdah in Isaiah's day?
10. To what "day of Jehovah" do the apostles I'aul and Peter point?

11. (a) Who will "hold up under" the upcoming "day of Jehovah"?
(b) How can we make Jehovah our refuge?
12, 13. Why is it f~ttingfor the idol worshipers to thow thelr gods
*'tothe shrewmice and to thc bats" on the day of Jehovah?

The Impending "Day of Jehovah"

10 The Scriptures point to a "day of Jehavah" that will be
of far greater significance than the day of judgment upon
ancient Jerusalem and Judah. The apostle Paul, under inspiration, associated the coming "day of Jehovah with the

into the clefts of the crags, because Of the dreadfuinw of

jehmh dnd from his spiendld ruprlariq when he rises up
for the earth bo suffershocks, For your own sakes, hkeM ofi
k.om the w&Iity man, whose breath is 1~ his nostriis, for
on Wqt basis is be himself fo be token intu account?"-tsa-

id 2:19-22.
13 Shrewmice live in holes in the ground, and bats roost
in dark and desolate caves. Moreaver, whae a large number sf bats raost in ane place, these is a repulsivesmdI and
a buildup of thick layers of w i n g s . Casting- idols into
such places is fitting.A place of darhess and uncleamas
is all that they dedesem. Ps for the people, they witl seek

refuge in am and clefts in the rock on the day ofJehcvah3 judgment. So t h f i~t @ of the idols and their worshipers will be the same. True ta Isaiah's prophecy, lifeless id&
saved neither their wunhiplers nor Jerusalem 'from Metsuchah-9
hands in 407 3,C.E.
14 During the cuming day af JehmWs judgment upon
Chrismdam and other se&mm~
of the worid emplrte of
false. religion, *hat wiII pop3-e do? Faced with detetiumting cbpditions w t h wide, mast will likely come to realkz
that their Idols are valueless. In pIsrce of these, they may
well seek refuge and pmtdon in ~ ~ i x i t l f a earthly
l,
organhatlam, -haps including the United Nations, the
~ ~ ~ l e t a l wiId
o m beast''
l
ofk l a t i o n chapter 17. It is
"W ten horn" ~ 3 that
f
q m b l i c wild beast +.hatwill d s
s q Babylon the Greatjthe world empin of fabe digion,
of which ChrWndornis a s i p i f ~ c mpart-Revelation
t
17:
3, 8-12,16,17.

14. During the upcoming day ofjehovah's judgment upan the wodd
empire of Qlsereligion, What wiI1 mddly-minded men do?
On "He dojr of jehovahIR
the warId empire of false religion wjll he devastated

56

Isaiah's Prophecy-Light fo~A11Mankind I

15 AIthough the devastating and burning of BabyIon the

Great may be the direct work of those symbolic ten horns,
it is, in fact, the execution ofJehovah's judgment, Concerning Babylon the Great, Revelation 18:8 states: "That is why
in one day her plagues will come, death and mourning and
famine, and she will be completely burned with fire, because Jehovah God, who judged her, is strong." So to Jehcvah God, the m i g h t y , goes the credit for liberating mankind from domination by false religion. As Isaiah states,
"Jehovah done must be put on high in that day. For it is the
day belonging to Jehovah of armies."-Isaiah 2:llb, 12a.

'Leadexs Are Causing You to Wander'

16 For a human society to be stable, it must have
its "support and stayn-such necessities as food and wa-

ter and, more important, trustworthy leaders who are able

to guide the people and maintain social order. Concerning ancient Israel, though, Isaiah foretells: "Look! the twe
Lord, jehovah of armies, is removing from lerusalem and
from judah support and stay, the whole support of bread
and the whole suppor-l of wates, mighty man and warrior,
judge and prophet, and practicer of divination and elderly man, chief of fifty und highly respected man and counselor and expert in magical am, and the skilled charmer."
(Isaiah 3:73) Mere boys will become princes and rule capriciously. Not onIy will the rulers oppress the people but
"the people will actually tyrannize one over the other. .
They will storm, the boy against the old man, and the light/y esteemed one against the one to be honored." (Isaiah 3:
4 , s ) Children "storm" against their elders, lacking respect
for them. So low will be the condition of life that one will
say to another who has no qualification for rulership: "You

15. How will Jehovah alone "be puton high" In his day of judgment?
16. (a) What constitute the "support and stay" of a human society?
(b) How will Isaiah's people suffer f r o m the removal of the "support

and stay" of their society?

Iehova h Humiliates Sclf-Exalted Ones

57

have a mantle. A dictator you ought to become to us, and

this overthrown mass should be under your hond." (Isaiah

3:6) But the ones thus invited wdl refuse, insisting that
they have neither the ability to heal the wounded land nor
the wealth to handle the responsibility. They will say: "I
shall not become a wound dresser; and in my house there
is neither bread nor a mantle. You men must not set me as
dictator over the people."-isaiah 3.2
17 Isaiah continues: ")erusalem has stumbled, and judah
itself has fallen, because their tongue and their dealings
are against lehovah, in behaving rebelliously in the eyes o f
his glory. The very expression of their faces actually testifies
against them, and of their sin like that of Sodom they do tell.
They have not hidden it. Woe to their soul! For they have
dealtout to themselves calamity." ((Isaiah3:8,9)God's pe+
ple have rebelled against the true God in words and deeds.
Even the shameless and unrepentant expressions on their
faces expose their sins, whch are as disgusting as those of
Sodom. They are in a covenant with Jehovah God, yet he
will not change his standards for them. "It will be well with
the righteous one, for they will eat the very fruitage o f their
dealings. Woe to the wicked one!-Calamity; for the treatment rendered by his awn hands will k rendered to him!As
for my people, its task assigners are dealing severely, and
mere women aactudy rule over i t 0 my people, those leading you on are causing you to wander, and the way of your
paths they have con fused."-lsaiah 3: 10-12.
18 To the elders and the princes in Judah, Jehovah 'passes
sentence' and 'enters into judgment': "You yourselves have
17, (a) In what sense was the sin of Jerusalem and Judah "like that
of Sodom"? (b) Whom does Isaiah blame for the condition of his

people?
18. (a) What judgment does Jehovah pronounce upon the elders
and the princes of Isaiah's day? (b) What lesson do we learn from Jehovah's judgrncnt of the elders and the princes?

58

Jehovah Humiiiafes SeIf-exaIted Ones

Isaiah's Propk~y-Light faa All Mankirnd I

burned dowrr the vineyard. What wus takn by robbery

fPom the affticted cme is in your houses. What do p u men
mean in that you crush my people, and that you grind the
very fates of the afflicted ones?" {lsaiah 3: 73- 15) Instead sf
working Em the welfare of t h e people, leaders engage in deceitful practices. They misuse their authority by enriching
themselves and depriving the poor and needy, But these
leaders must answer ta Jehovah of armies for their qpression of the afflicted, What a warning this 9s to those in pcsitions of responsibility today! May they be ever careful not
to misuse their authoriry.
19 Christendom-particularly her clergy and principal
ones-has fraudulentlyacquired much that should belong
to t h e common people, &torn she has oppressed and continues to oppress. She has also beaten, persecuted,and mdtreated the people of God and has brought great reproach
upon Jehovah's name. In his due time, Jehovah will certainIy enter into fudgment against her,
"A Brand Mark
Instead of Prettinesst'
After denouncing the wrongs of the
leaders, Jehavah turns to the women
of Zion, or Jerusalem. Apparently for
reasons of fashion, "the daughters of Zim"
wear "step chains"-chainlets fastened to
their ankles-which make a melodious tinkling sound. The women ws&ict their stride
and walk along "with tripping steps, " rultivating what might be considered a genteel feminine gait. What, if anything, is wrong with
-

19. Of what oppression and persecution lias Christendom been guilty?

20. Why does Jehovah denounce "the dayghters of
Zion"?

'

59

this? It is the attitude af these women. Jehovah says: 'The

doughten of Zion have become haughty and they walk with
their throatr stretched forth nnd ogling with their eyes. (Clsaiah 3:16)Such haughtiness does not escape retribution.
21 Hem, when Jehovah's judgment comes u p n the
land, these haughty "daughters of Zlon" will lose everytMng+ven the beauty of which they are so proud, Jehuvah prophesies: "Jehovahalso wjil actrruIiy make the crown
of the head of the daughters of Zion scabby, and jehovah
himself wil! lay their wty forehead bare. In that day jehe
vah will take away the beauty of the bangles and the headbands and the moon-sha ed ornammts, the eardrops and
the bmcelets and the w Is, the headdfesses and the step
chains and the bmsrbnds and the 'houses of the soul'
Iprobably perfume receptacles] and the ornammtal humming shells [or, charms], the finger rings and the nose dngs,
the robes ofshte and the mrtutlics and the dmks and the
purses, and fhe hand mirrors and the undfergarmenb and
the turbans and the large veils." [Isuiah 3:77-23; see hotnotes.) What a tragic reversal!
The plophetic message goes on ta say: "Instead of balsam oil there wiii come to be rnerdy a musty smerl; and insteed of a belt, a rop; and fnstead af an artistic hair arrangement, baldness; and instead of a rich garmenl, a
girdiy of saclfrlotk; a brand murk instead of prettiness."
(Isaiah3:24) In 607 BC.E., the proud women of Jerusalem
fall from wealth to poverty. They lase their freedomand receive "a b m d mark" of slavery

"She Will Certainly Be Cleaned Out"

23 Speahng now to the city of Jerusalem, Jehwah
21. Haw does Jehovah's judgment of Jerusalem afhx? the Jewish
women?
22. Besida their o r r ~ ~ ~ e nwhat
t s , else do the women of Jemdalem

lase?
23. What does Jehovahprodaim concerningJerusalem?

1
proclaims: "By the sword your own men will full, and your
mightiness by war. And her entrances wjl have to moum
and express sorrow ond she wit/ ccertulnty be cfeaned out.
She will sit down on the very wrth." (Isaiah 3:25, 26) The
nlcn ol' Jerusalem, even her mighty nnes, will t ~ slain
e
in
hattle. 'The city will be leveled lo l.he ground. Fur "her entrances," it will be a time b "mourn ancE cxpress sorrow."
Jcn~salem
W11 be "cleaned out" and laid derolate.
24 The loss of men by the sword will have drastic consequences for the women of Jcmsalern.Concluding this
part nf his prophetic book, Isaiah tnretells: "Seven women will uctuaEly grab hold of one man In that day, saying: We shall eat our own bread and wear our own mantles; only may we be caljed by your name to mke away
our reproach.'" (Isaiah 4: 1 ) The shortage of marriageable
men will become so severe that several women will attach
themselves to one man in order to be ci~lledby his name
-that is, to be publicly known as his wives-and thus be
frcc of the reproach of beinl: without a husband. The Mosaic Law required that a husband provldc sustenance and
clnthlng for his wife. (Exodus 21:I 0 ) I-lowever, agreeing to
'cat their own bread and wear their own clothing,' these
women are willing to release the man hum his legal obligations. What a desperate situation for Ihe once tlaughty
"daughters of Zion"!
2.T Jehovah h u d i a t e s self-exalted ones, In 607 B.C.E.,
he
does Indeed make the haughtiness of his chosen people
"how clown" and cause their "loftiness" to become "low."
May true Christians never forget thal "Chd opposes the
haughty ones, but he g i w undcserv~dkindness to the
hurnMe ones."-James 46.
2 4 . Thc loss of men by thesword has what cfrit~tScconsequences for

the wtmen of Jerusalem?

25. What Is in t h e ofing for self-exr~ltcclrmes?

CHAPTER SIX

Jehovah God Has Mercy

on a Remnant
-

Isaiah 4:2-6

- --

I
1

--

A VIOl,EW storm descends upon a densely populard region. Strong winds, torrential rains, and heavy finding
cut a wldc swath through the land, dcstroylng homes,
darna~lngcrops, and claiming llves. I311t so011 the storm
passes, and In its aftermath a perlod of calm scts in. For
those who have survived, it is a time for restoratinn and re-

bui lcling.
2 The prophet Tsaiah foretells something st rnilar concernLng Jr~dahand Jerusalem. The storm cloud4 of divkne tuclgmcnt are moving ominously closer-anrl with goad reasnn! The guilt of the nation is heavy. Both the rulers and
the people have filled the land Wth Injustice and bEoodshed. 'Through Isaiah, Jehovah lays bare Judah's guilt and
warns that He will execute judgment on that delinquent
nation. (Isaiah 3:25) The land of J ~ ~ d awill
h be left completely desolate in t h e wake of this storm. That prospect
must sadden Isaiah.
3 Rut there is good news! The storm of Jehovah's righteous judgment will pass, and a remnant wlll survive.
Yrs, Jehovah's judgment of Judah will be tempered with
1, 2, The prophet Isaiah faretells what mncrrnlng ludith and Jeru-

satcm?
3. Whnt goocl news does the inspirccl mcssanr o t lsalah 4:Z-6con-

raln7

IsdaP's h p h q - L l g h t fbr All Mankind I

maql Isaiah's lnsplred rnm e d at Isaiah 4:M

1&
ahead lo thls blessed time. It is as if the s u n breaks
out horn W n d the douds; the mne shifts frwn the
sights and m d s of judgment+bdxd at Isaiah 2 6
41-to a beaddly renewed h d andfwople.
4 Ism's propheq tqpdhg the retomtion of a wnnant and their subsequent semlty a h An& a merit
in our tlme-uthe 6Ml part of the days." (m224)Let
w d f s w thlstlmelyrn-,
for notonlydms it have
prophetic signifbut it also teaches us abut Jeh*

vah'smercyandhowwea~~~ualsmight~~it

The Spmuting of Jehovah'

5 Isaiah's tone becomes warm as he looks W n d the
pwdd t h e . He writes:
coming t e m p t ta a
#In that day wh@ IpfroVprh t w k spmut ["the spmubing
-0
of
bmte] MI come ~o be br d m d m and for g I q i and the fryWg& of rhs iand wlll
be somdhhg ta be pmud dm8 semerhIng hL(tlfu1 b r
#IS&
wfro h~sGQ@,~-!wM
42,
6 Isatah hae s p d x o
f rstoliltton. The Hebm noun
rendered "spmt"refers -tie 'that which springs up, a
shoot, a branch' It is ztsmcbted with prospefiv, lnmaw, and blesings fmn Jehavah. Isaiah thus paints a
piaure of b-the
approaching demlat3m will not
kt f m v a w i t h ~ e hb~ sl e the o n c e - p m s ~

4. Why should we d k w s s I U ' s prophecy of the resbratlon of a

Amn9nt?

S, 6. [a) How d w s Isaiah dmxbe the pcmreful tlme that follows

the c
o
wtamp&? (b]What is the meaning of the tern Yspm~t,Y
and what does tbis hWte abtnrt the land ofJwlah?
A stom ofdivTn~/udgm@nt
b coming upon ludah

k&vdh'WHad Y I Hon
~ r mvtsrat

85

Amwikan Bible] of all the lands? ,(&kid 2&6 B ~ W P

~.thusassu~the~1ethatttreQtado
mimed tp ib horxner glory and beauv. h d w $ it Pum be
J i k r ~ ~ d o n t h e ~

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d 4& who -:w

- : ~ u V d & land1
mpd," wit& W h , m,m e rn gutvim the;hum-

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n3 ~ r a t l r F
nw these
ewpid -*-

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rhwq themwould have wn,noswims at dl.W@e[Z;

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~d M ~ ~ n p l w y d w
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m ~ ~ n ~ @ d ~ H t o ~ ~ J u
mrEskQRtrue wmhip.* ( E m 1:1* 29)The heuwt
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mt% d m IWah dwclhU r kdlw?
9. (3 In f m h m l t ol ~ b ! k w &WlMt happed In $37 K g L f
@)why#IayitbesrtlBth%mma#dmen hcllldeaow*
hde wrl b n tn d e T (Src iwnole.)

Jehovah God Has Mcrcy on n f l ~ r r ~ t ~ n r i t

in Psalm 137, which was Iikety written during the captivity

or shortly thereafter. Back in Judah they tlllcd Ihe wil and
soweci seed in the land. Think of how thcy must haw felt
when they saw that God was blessing their efforts, causing
the land to sprout like the fruitful "gattlcn of Et1enW!-Emklel36:34-36.

turned against Jehovah, he had mercy on a repentant

remnant We can draw comfort horn knowing that even
those who err seriously can return to Jehovah with hope.
Repentant oncs need not fwl. that t h q are beyond Jehe
vah's mercy, for he doer; not reject a contrite heart. (Psalm
51:17] The Bible assures u ~ "]ehovah
:
Is merciful and @acious, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness.As
a father shows mercy ta his sons, Jehovah has shown mercy to those fcadng him," (Psalm 103:8, 13) Surely, such a
merciful God deserves all our pralre!

10 A similar restoration has taken placc in our day. Farly in the ZMh century, the Bible Students, as Jehovnll's
Witnesses were then known, came into spiritual captivlty to "Babylon the Great," the world empire uf false religion. (ReveIation 175) Althotlgh havlng rejected many

false religiousteachings, the BibIe Students were still tainterl by certain Babylonish ideas and practices. AF a result
of clergy-inspired opposition, some of thcm wcrc Hterally
irnprismcd. Their spiritual land-their ~ligious,or spiritual, estate-was left desolate.
11 Ifut in the spring of 1919,Jehovah had rncrcy on this
I
remnant of spirituaE Tsraelites, (tia1;itians 6:15) He saw
their repentance and their desire ta wflrshlp him in l ~ ~ u ~ h ,
sa he brought about their release from literal imprisonment and, more important, from splrl tual captivity, 'I'hesc
"escaped ones" were & o ~ d to their Gd-given spiri hlal
estate, which he caused to sprout abundantly. This spiritllat estate has presented an inviting, attmctivc appearance,
which has drawn millions of other God-fearing ~wnp!eto
join the remnant in true worship.
12 Isaiah's words here magnify thc mcrcy that Gnd has
toward his people. Although the Israclllcs os a natlan

10, 21, (a) In what way were thc Bible Students In captlvlty m "nabylon thc Great" early in the 20th cer~tury'l(b) !-low dltl J e ! l < ~ ~hless
i~h
Ihe remnant of spiritua1 I>raelites!
12. Hmv de Isaiah's words magnfFy the mercy that Jrhuvah has towatt1 his peopie?

67

A Remnant Becomes Holy to Jehovah

13 We haw already been int mduced to the remnant that
would be shown mercy by Jehovah, hut now Isaiah describes them in more detail. He writes: "It mustoccur hat
the ones rernafningIn Zion and the ones leftover in jerusalem will be said to be holy to him, everyone written down
for life in jerusalern,"-lsaiah 4:3.

Who are "the ones remaining" and "the ones left

escaped ones mentioned In t h e preceding verse-the Jewlsh exlles who wlll be permitted to
return tuJudah. Now tsatah shows why Jehovahwill haw
r n q on them-they will "be holy to him." Holiness
means "religious deannm or purity; sacredness." To be
holy involves being clean, or pure, In word and action,
t~ measure up ln Jehovah's standard of what is right and
proper. Yes, Jehovah wlll have mercy on those who are
"holy to him," and 11e will allow them to return to "the
holy city," Jerusalem.-Nehemiah 11 :1.
14

over"? They are the

13. As recorded at Isalah 4 3 , how does lsalah descrlhe the remnant

that would be shown mercy by Jehnvnh?
14. Who are "theones remalnlng" ant1 "the ones left m r , " and why
will Jehovah haw mercy on them?

hH

I.sainh's Prulrl~~cy-Llxlrtfor All M n t ~ k l r ~Ir i

15 WiIE this faithful remnant rernaln there? They w

i It be
"wrlctendown for life in Jerusalem,"promises Isaiah. T h i s
reminds us of the Jewish custom of keeping careful rep;isters of Israel's families and tribes. (Nehemiah 7:s) 'To be
written In a regjster meant to k alive, for when a person died, his name was removed. In other parts of the
Bible, we read of a figurative register, or book, containing
the names of those whom Jehovah rewards with Ilfe, But
this book receives names conditianally, for Jehovah can
'wipe aut'names. (Fmdus 3232, 33; Psalm 6928) lraiah's
wards, then, imply a sobering warning-the returnees
may continue living in thdr restored [and only if they remait1 holy in God's sight
16 In 537 B.C.E., the remnant that returned t
o Jerusalem
did so with a pure motiveto restore true worship. No one
cantaminated by pagan religious practices or by the unclean conduct that Isaiah had so forcefully warned against
had a right to return. (Isaiah 1:15-17) Only those whom
Jehovah viewed as holy could head hack to Jurlah. (Isaiah 358) Similarly, since thelr release from spiritual captivity in 1919,the anointed remnant, now loined by millions of "othersheep"-those wlth the hope of everlasting
life on earth-haw made w r y effort to be holy in God's
si~ht.(John10%) They have rid themselves of BabyIonish teachings and pmctlces. Individually, they swive to
hold to God's high standards of morality. (1 Feter 1:14-16)
Jehovah's mercy on them has not been In vain.

15. (a) The expression "written down for Hfc in Jerusalem" remlnds
of what Jewish custom? (b) What snherlng w a r n l r l ~do Isdinh's
wards imply?
16. (a) What did Jehovah require nF those wham hc permitted to
head hack toludah in 537 B.C.E.? (b) Why can It he said thnt Jehovah's mercyon theanointed remnant and the "orhersheep" has not
us

k e n In vain?

JehovnT~God Hns Mercy nrr n Rrrnnntrt

651

17 Recall that Jehwah n o t 4 those In Israel who were

holy and that he 'wrote down thelr names for life.' Today,
too, Jehovah notices out cndcavors to bc clean in mind
and body as we 'present our bodies a sacrifice living, holy,
acceptable to God.' (Romans 12:l) And all who follow
such a life course are recorded by God In his "book of Life"
-the figurative record conti~ininl:the names of those who
are in line to receive everlnrtlr~glife, rlther In heaven or on
earth. (Philippians 4 3 ; Mali~chi3:M) k t us, then, do our
utmost to remain holy In Gfld's eyes, for then we may keep
our names In that preciaus "baok."-Rwclatlon 3:s.

A Promise of Loving Care

18 Next Isaiah shows how the Inhabitants of the restored
land will come to be holy and what blessings await them.
He says: "Whenjehowh will h w e washed away the excrement of the dough ters of Zion and he will rinse w a y
even the bloodshed of jerusalem fmm within her by the
spirit.of judgment and by the spirit of burning down, jehovah will also certainly create over every established place
of Mount Zion and over her convention place a cloud by
day and o smoke, and the brightness of a Flaming fire by
night because over aN the glory there will be a shelw"

-Isaiah 4:4,5.
19 Earlier Isaiah rebuked "the daughten of Zion," whose
moral corruption was hidden beneath their showy ornamen@.He also exposed the hloodgullt of the people generally, urging them to wash themselves. (Isaiah 1:15, 16;
3%-23) Here, though, he looks ahcad to the time when
God himself will have "washed away the excrement," or

17. Whose name3 does Jehwah wrlte In his "book of life," and what
should we be determined to (lo?
I&, 19. Accotdfng to hatah 4 4 , 5, what clcansin~is to be e f f d
byJehovah, and hnw wltl tt he a~nmpEEshd?

70

Is9iah's @phq-Lfglrt far All Mankind I

moral ath, and ' c l e d the b h ~ . (haiah

'
8:4,
Nau I n m n a i Vmim)How will thh deans@ be effected? By "the spirit ofjudgmenuD and by "the splrit of

burning dmm"The coming d m c t l o n ofJerwknand

the W e in BabylonwiU be blasts of Gad's judgment and
burning anger on an unclean &on. The mumant: that
s w v M these d a d t i l e s and Mums home will h m been
humbkd, mined ThaO b why they will be holy a3 Jehovah and receivemagg4dmpareMslIachi 3:2,3.
ZOJehm thm~ghT&,
promises that he wIU take

t h t s c l ~ m m a n t I n t o M s l ~ m e , T k ~
dons 'a cloud,'' 3
and "a b m i q h e u aw Wniscent~fhawjehop.ahearedfmthe~~~the]r

20. (a) Of w
w mt the

*a GWW smoke," aDd *a

~ w l l l t h e ~ ~ n o t n a e d
T
3"
"4

71

jehawk God H a Mcrcy an a Retnsrast

left Eg)rpt, A "pillarof fire and cloud'' pmMted them from

the pursuing Egyptians; It a h led them In the wildernas.
{Fxodus 13:21, 22; 14:19, 20, 24) When Jehovah inanifested himself at Mount Stnal, the mountain "smokedall
m r . " ( M u s 19:18) The cleansed exlln, then, will not
need to ear. Jehovah will be their Protector. He will
wtth them whdher they gather in thelr own homa cat
meet together in holy conventions,
31 Idah m c h & s his dnrrri tlan of d1We p r o m o n
by fmuiryy on everyday life. e writes: " f i e r e will cot%?
~ ~ u b o O f h t b r o s h u d e b y d a y i r 0 r r l t h e d r y h em
a td
mandbgeandhra hidlngplacakwn hemimbm rrnd
from dl@ ~
I
~ {Isabf!~ 4.e A. both,
n or hut, was
ofhm bullt in a vineyard or In a field to p m d e much-

ueed&l *elW

from the burnlnIJ sun of

;an$ from the cold and storms of

the dry season

the rainy season~4om

pare Jonah 4:5.

When f a d with the scorching heat of persecuthn
and the storms of opposition, the cleansed remnant FrplIl
FrhdJehumhto be their Source of prot&od, semdty, and
re'fiq$e-(Psalm 91:I, 2; 121:5) A behutiful pmspwt tstset kfm them: If they leaw behlnd the unclean beliefs
and practices of Babylon, submit to the cleansing of J e b
W ' s judgment, and endeavor to remain holy, they will re
main safe, as If in 'a booth" of divine protection.
w Notice that k t comes the cteaming, then the blessF
in@.ThlS hm proved true In our day. Back in 1919 the
anointed remnant humbty submitted ta being refmd?
and Jehovah "washed away'qheir undemness, Since
W , ZZ. [a) A booth, cr hut, wan often built Rw what purpose?
Ib) What p m p e a ls sat bbefore tb@c h w d amant?
23- Why has -J
blessed the anahbd r e m ~ nand
t their cornWnS?

72

Isnlnh's Pmplrrcy-L(qht fi)r All Mtinklttd I

then, '51 a t crowd" of other shccp haw also aIiowcd

t h e m l v e to be cleansed by Jehovah. (Ilcvelatlon 7 9 )
Thus cleansed, the remnant and thcir mmpaninm have
been blessed-Jehovah has taken them i t ~ b
his proter-tiw
care. He does not rniraculousIy prevent the hcat of pcrseculion or the storms of opposition from braring down on
them.Rut he does pmtect them, as If erect lng over thcm
'a booth for shade and for a hiding place krm the ralnstorm.' How?
24 Consider this: Some of the most powerftll governments in history have banned the preaching wt~rkof Jehovah" Witnesses or have tded to eliminntc thcm completely. Yet, the Wihesses have rcrnained f ~ r mand haw
continued to preach without letup! Why have mighty nntions been unable to put a stop to the activity ol'Ihis relativcly small and seemingly defenseless gmup of pwple? Recause Jehovah has placed his clean servnnls in "a
hooth" of pmtection that nu human can tear down l
2s What about us as individuals? I-lav11~
Jehovah as aur
Protector does not mean that we 11avc a pmhlem-fwc lifc
in this system of things. Many falthful Christians face sewrc adversities, such as poverty, nnttlral dirasten, war,
sickness, and death. When facing such dlstres~es,Ict us
never forget chat our God i s with us. He protech us spiritually, providing what we need-even "powcr l~cyondwhat
Is normal"-to e n d w trials faithhl1y. (2 Corlnthhns 4:7)
Safe in his presence, we need not fear. After all, as inn^ as
we do our best to k e q ~ourselves holy In his sight, nnthing "wlll be able to separate us From God's love,"-liomans 8:38, 39.

24. How is it evident that Jehovah has blessed his pcoplr as an or~anlzatlon?
25. What does having Jehwah as our Pmtector mean for u s as Indivtduals!

SEVEN
-

CHAPTER
-

Woe to the
Unfaithful Vineyard!
--lsalah- 5- 1 -30
. -

"FOR exquisltc beauty of languaw and consummate

ski11 in effeeive communicatlon, this prahle is virtua11y peerless." So said onc Riblc commentator referring to
the opening verses of Isaiah chapacr 5. More than s i n
ply a work of art, Isaiah's words paint a touching portrait
of the loving care that Jehwah lias For his people. At the
same time, these words warn us against things that displease him,
2 Isaiah's parable beglns: "ktme sing, please, to my beloved one a song of my loved one concerning his vineyard,
There was a vineyard that my beloved one came to have
on o fruitful hillside. And he proceeded to dig Ir up and to
rid it of stones and to plant i t wlth a choice md vine, and
to build a tower in the middle of it And these was olso
a winepresz that he hewed out in i t And he kept hoping
for it to produce gmpes, but it gmduo/ly pmduced wild
gropes."-Isaiah 5: 1,2; cornpare Mark I 2:1.

The Care of the Vineyard

3 Whether Tsalah literally sings this parable to his listeners or not, it surely captures their attention. Most are

1, 2. What does the "bclovc(l one" plant, but hcm clues It prove d i s
appointing?
3, 4. What loving cam Is cxpndcd nn the vineyard?

Woe to the U ~ f i l t h F Vineyard1

I

probably familiar with the work uf planting a vineand W ' s daaiptron is vivid and realtsdc. Wke
vlne growers todayi tltr:pineyard c~wnerplants, not grape
seeds, but a "choice," or rich, #red vine"--8. cutting or
shcrot mmanother vine. Appropriatety' he plants tW
aeyand "on a fruitfulhillside," a place where a vineyard
wlllthm.
4lttakhard1aatrdrkbo ~avlneyardproduce,Isaiah
d-i
the owner's ';dqghg the land and ridIt of
stones'-tdba, e x b m t q work! He likely uses the k g er stones #tobuild a mmcVIn andent times such towers
xNed as WQM
for watxtmen who guarded the crops
againstthieves md animals."AIsoI he buil& a stone w d
to lfne the vineyard W m m . Chiah 5:s) Thjs was mmmonly d ~ n tn
e p r m t the washing away of vital topsoil.
s Having wo&d w hard to pmtect W vineyard, the
owner h a ewrg right ta q e c t &at it wlll bear fruit, Fn
antidpatianofthh, he hew mf a winepress. But d ~ ethe
s
hoped-farharvest materialize?No, the vineyard produces

MtlMgmp.

The Vineyard rrnd Its Owner

6 Mlka is the m
a,and what b the vineyard?The vineyard owner paintsto the answwsto these questions when
he himself sp*
"Mwr 0 ptr inhabitants of l m I e m
and p man offudah, *judge
bemeen me and my

* Some scholars k h that cheaper t e m p m y structures, such 8s

bmths, or huts, wexe far more wmmon than stone t-I.
(tsalah
1:8) The p e n c e of a trPwer would Indiak t b t unusual e r t s had
been put farth by the owner in h t d f of hts "vineyard"

5. What dtxs the owner p w y i q m t fmm his meyard, but what

does he get?
6, 7. (a) Who ls tbe owner af the vineyard, 8nd what Is the v b
p'd7 ibl What ludgment d m the owner Invite?

75

vlnsyrrd. What Is them p

t to do fw my vineyard k
tI
h m not almdy done kt ft? Why Is it hat I hoped k>r fi
to @uce
grope, but itgrduolly produced wlklg m p ?
And now, m
e
,nmy I make known to p u men what I
am ddng to my vineyard: 7hem &wil be n d n g of hs
IPedge, and it must be destined br burning down. There
must be a 6twWng down of its Itone ww4 and It must be
ddnd &a piace of tmmpling~u-Isabh 53-5.
7 Yes, JehovahIs the owner of the vineyard, and he has
put hfmself, as it were, Ln a mwtnmm, asking Sot judgment to be rendered
him and his h p p d n t wvlnqml.what, then, i!i thevlneyaKl7 The OWller@xp ~ A 7 h e ~ r d o f ~ ~ o f ~ i s t % r s

76

Irainli's Prophecy-Ll,g/rt for All Mnrlklrrd I

"The klngdom of God will he taken from you [fleshly Israel] and be glven to a nation procludng its hits."-Matthew 21:3341,43.
11 That new "nation" ptiovd ta be "the Is& of God"
-a spiritual natlon of anointed Christians t~taIing144,MK). (Galatians 6:W;1 Peter 2:9,10; Revelation 7:3,4) Jesus compared these discipla to "branches"on "the m e
vine," nnmcly, himself. Naturally, these branches are expected to bear fruit. Uohn 151-5) They musr manifest
Christlike quallticrs and partidpate In the work of preaching "this garxl news of the Kingdom." (Matthew 2414;
Galatians 5~22,23) Rut ever since the death of the twelve
aposllcr, t l ~ egreat majority of those who daim to be
brancllrs of "'the true vine" have proved to be counterfeib
-producing wild grapes instead of good frui~.-Matthew
t3:24-30, 38, 39.
12 Therefore, Isaiah's condemnation of Judah applies today to Chrhtcndom. A study of her history-her wars,
her crusades, her ~nqulsitions-reveals just how sou her
frult has hecn! Nevcrtheless, the true vineyard of anointed Chrlstbns and their "great crowd" companions must
h c d Isalah's words. (Revelation 7:9) If they are tn please
the vineyard's owner, they must, individually and as a
group, produce frultq that please him.

Israel, and the men of luduh am the plantation of which

he was fond."-hiah 5:7a.
8 Isaiah caIls Jehovah, the owner of the vineyard, "my
Ioved m e . " (Isaiah 51) Isaiah can speak of God tn such
an intimate way only because he has a close relationship
with Him. (CompareJob294; Psalm 25:14.) However, the
prophet's love for God pales in cornpatison with the lwc
God has shown for his "vineyard"-the nation that he
31anted.'-Compare Exodus 15:17; Psalm tK):8,9.

g Jehovah " p h t d " his nation in the land of Canaan

and gave them his laws and regulations, which served
as a wall to protect them h r n being corrupted by other
nations. (Exodus 195, 6; Psalm 147:14, 20; Ephesians 2:
14) Furthermore, Jehovah gave them judges, priests, and
prophets to instruct them. (2 Kings 17:13; Malachi 2:7;
Acts 13:20) When Israel was threatened by military aggression, Jehovah raised up deliverers. (Hebrews 1132,
33) With reason, Jehovah asks: "What is them yet to du
for my vineyard that I have not already done in it?"

Identifying God's Vineyard Today

10 Jesus may have had Tsaiah's words in mind when he
gave the parable of the murderous cuitlvators: "There was
a man, a householder, who planted a vineyard and put a
fence aromd it and dug a winepress in it and erected a
tower, and let it out to cultivators, ant! traveled abro9d."
Unhappily, the cultivators betrayed the vineyard owner,
even killing his son. Jesus went on to show that this patable involved more than just literal Israel when he said:
8. What is significantabout Isaiah's calllng Jehovah "my l m d one*?
9. How has Jehovah treated his nation like a valued vineyard?
10. What parable involving a vineyard did J m s give?

I
!
1

"Wild Grapes"
13 Having gene to extraordinary lengths to nurture
and cultivate his vineyard, Jehovah rightfully expects it
11. What spiritual vineyard existed In the first century. butwhat happened alter the death of t l ~ capostles?
12. Hmv rlo I s a j n l ~ words
'~
mndemn Christendom, and what lesson
dn they hold for true Christiaus?
13. What will Jehovah do lo his vineyard because of Its producing
Imd fruit?

78

Isaiuh's Ptia~lrecy-l.bht for All Mtinklrrcl I

to become "a vineyard of foaming winel" (Isaiah 27:2)

However, instead of producing usable h i t , It produces
"wild grapes," literally "stinking things" or "putrid (rotten) berries." (Isaiah 5 2 ; foomote; Jeremiah 221,) Thcrufore, Jehcrvah decIam that he W remove his protective
"hedge"horn around the nation. The nation will he 'set
as a thing desboyed' and will experience abandonment
and drought (Rwd Isaiah 5:6.) Moses had warncd that
they would undergo such things if they disabeyed God's
Law.-Deuteronomy 11:17; 28:63,64; 29:22,23.
14 God expects the nation to produce good Fruits. Isaiah's contemporary Micah dedares: "Whatis J e h mh askingback horn you but to exercise justice and to Iwe kindness and to be modest inwalking with y w r God?" (Micah
6:8;Zechariah 79) However, the nation fails tu heed Jchovah's exhortation. "[CodJ kept hoping forjudgment, buZ
look! the breaking of law; for righteousness, but, look! on
outcry." (Isaiah 5:7b) Moses predicted that the unfaithful nation would produce poisonous grapes from "the
vine of Sodom." (Deuteronomy 3232) Likely, then, sexual immorality, including hornosermallty, Is part of their
deviation from God's Law. (Lwiticus 1822) The expression "breaking of Iaw" can also be rendered "outpouring
of blood" Such brutal treatment has no doubt resulted
in "an outcry" b m mistreated ones-an outcry that has
reached the ears of the Mmkr oft he vineyard.-Compare
Job 3428.

favor.

15 JehovahGod is "a lover of righteousnessand justice."

24. What h i t a g e does Jehovah expectof his nation, butwhat clocs

it produce instead?
15, 16, How can me Christians m i d producing the had ftulb that
Brae1produd?

(Psalm 33:s) I-Ee mrnmanded the Jcws: "You people must

not do In]ustlce In the judxrnent, You must not treat the
lowly wlth partlsrllty, and you must not prefer the peson
of a greak one. Witlr justice yort should judge yotrr *soctatc."(Leviticus 19:lS) We must thew oreshun partiality In our dealings wilt11 one anothcr, never allowing such
thlnfis in ram, age, wealth, nr poverty to color our judgment of people. (James 21-4) It is particularly important that thocc. serving in positions of oversight 'do nothIng according to a biam! Icaning,' alwav seeking to hear
both $idesol' a matter bcfc)re making judgment.-1 Tim@
thy 521; Proverbs 18:13.
16 !:t~rther,it would he easy for Christians living in a
lawless world to develop a negative or a rehelljous attitude toward godly standads. 13ut true Christians must be
"rcady tn ot~uy"God's laws. Uame? 317) Dcspite the sexual Irnmosnllty and violence of "the present wicked systcm of things," they need to 'keep strict watch that how
thcy walk is riot as unwlse but as wise persons.' (Galatians
1:4;Hpheslans 5: 15) Thcy want to shun permissive views
of sex, and when dba~rccmentsarise, they should settle
these wlthaut "anger and wrath and screaming and abuslve .upucch." (Ep heslans 431 ) Ry cultivating righteousness, trtre Chclstianr hrtng honor to God and gain his

The Price of Greed

17 In verse 8, lsaiah Is no longer quoting Jehovah's
words. Condemning samc of the "wild grapes" pmduced
in Judah, hc prmnally pronouncm the first of six woes:
"Woe to the ones joining house to house, and those who
annex field to field until them ir m more mom md p u

17. What w l c k d ronrluct Is condemned In Isaiah's first woe?

RO

Iscria11's Prnpliccy-Light fbr All MrrrrkIr~dI

men have been made to dwell alt by purrelm in the

midst of the land! En my ears jehowlh of o r m h has
sworn that many houses, though g m t and good, wl/i become an outright obpct of astonishment without on inhobitant For .even ten acres of vineyard will produce but
one bath measure, and m n a homer measure of seed will
produce but an ephah measure."-Isaiah 5:8-10.
18 In ancient Israel all land ultirnatcly belonged to Jehovah, Each family had a God-glven inhcrltnnce, which
they could rent or loan out but nevcr sell "in perpchllty." (Leviticus 25:23) 'This law prevented abuses, such
as lraE estate monopolies. It aIso pmtected farnilics from
sinking too far into poverty. Some in Judah, howcver,
were greedily breaking God's laws tegarcling pmpeq. Micah wrote: 'They have desired fields and have reizcd
them; also houses, and have taken them; and they have
defrauded an able-bodied man and his household, a man
and his hereditary possession." (Micah 22) Ibt l'rvwrbs
20:2t warns: "An inheritance is being got by greed a t first,
but Its own future will not be hfessecl,'"
19 Jehovah promises to strip these greedy ones of thcir
ill-gotten gain. The houses they cxtort will bc "without
an inhabitant."The lands they covet will produce a mere
Fnction of their capacity, Exactly how and when thls
curse will be fulfilled is nat stated. Likely it refers, at least
In part, to the conditions brought on I y thc future I3ab
ylnnian exile.-Isaiah 27:lO.
20 Christians today must abhor insatiable greed Ilkc that
manifcsted by some Israelite5 back ihcn, (Proverbs 27320)
18, 19. How do Isaiah's cnntempclr;irles lgnnre Jchovnh's law5 regarding property, and what wlIl be the result for them?
2r). Flow can Christian? todav avoftl Irnltatltlg ttic #rcetEv altltudc
\Itown by some in Israel?

11

I
t

Woe to t h e U~rffllHtfirlVlr~~ynrrll

When material t h i n ~ stake on exag~eratec1importance,

it is easy to stoop to unscrupulous ru,?ys af getting money. One could easl!y kcomc cnsnaml in shady business
dealings or unrealistic get-richquick schcmm. "He that is
hasteningto gain riches will not rcrnain Innocent." (Proverbs 2820) How important it Is, then, to he content with
what we have!-1 Timothy 6:8.

The Snare of Questionable Entertainment

21 Next comes Isaiah's second woe: "Woe lo those who
are getting up eor/yin the mornlng that they may seek just
intoxicating liquos, who are llngerlng till /ate in the evening darkness so that wine ltsetf inflames them! And there
must prove lo be harp ond stringed instroment tambourine and flute, and wine at their feasts; but the activity of
Jehovah they do not look wt, and the work of his hands
they have not seen,"-lsalah 5: 17, 72.
22 Jehwah is "the happy God" and does not begrudge
his servants reasonable rccr~atlon.(1. 'Timothy 1:I1 ) Howwer, these pleasure-seekers go beyund all limits! "Thase
who get drunk are usually drunk at night," says the BibIe.
(1 Thessalonians 5 7 ) nut the revelers of the prophecy begin their drunken spms at dayhreak and carry on drinking into the ~veninx!'I'hcy behave ar i f Cod did not exist,
as if he would not. holrl them accountable for their actions. Isaiah pwdicb a dilrk future for such ones, "Mypeople will haw to go into exile b r Iack of knowledge; and
their glory will be famished men, and their crowd will be
parched with thirst" (isdoh 5:733 tiecause of refusing to
act according to true k ~ ~ o w l e d God's
g,
covenant people
-

21. What sins are cnndernnt?d In Isainh's scmnd woe?

22. What tack of restratnt Ir rnantfvbt In Isracl, and what will be the
result for the nation?

Is%iuhlsProphrry--Light for All Muwkf d I

-the high, and the Im-Wl go down into Shed.-Read

l~akfh
5:14- li!
23 "Rw&es,*
or %d pmksb" were also a problem
among some Chris&ms in the lint emhuy. [GWans 5:
21; &'r@&z;
2 E'eter 213)So it b not surprising that some
dediad
today have shown poor judgment
when Itcomes t~ s d gatherings. Unrestrained use of alcoholic beverages has a u s d some to k m e loud and
boistmw. (Proverbs m1) There have even k n those
who behaved ~o~
under the inauenm of acesive
atmhol, and
gatherings have &n a l l M to go on

v k t d l y ail -5

inbaferhgwrth C h r M m activities the

next day.
Balanced Ch+sdml h m m r , produce godly Eruit
ratmint and moderatjon in ~ e f choice
r
of
-tian.
They head Paul's &ice found at Romans 13:
13: 'A9 In the daylime let m walk decently, not in m1rks
24

and exe-

and drunken bouts?

25 Hear now Idah's third and fourth woes: Woe &
those d f w h g arrw with topes of untruth, and as wkh
wugon &E sh;ehm who so-:
'kt his wo& has-

ten;do&Rmmeqer~,hkrhfhatw~sesit;rtnd
kt the c w d of the Holy One of I s d drnw near and
w m ,aRutwmcgrknw~~'w0eto
tiwe whoatesup
Ing hatgoad Is h d omi bod Is @,thobe who UR putting dothas hr light and light hr dothess, those who
am puttfng Bmw far sweet and s w a /Or bM*-4mbh
5:78-20.

23, 24. What matnt and znodemtivn are Chkthm atled upon

an show?

25, 26. What wideed thfndiiag

in his third and fouxth woes?

f i e Lra&tes dws Isaiah expose

26 What a vMd picture this paints of prackbrs of sin1

They are attached to sin the way draft a d m h are tfed
to wagons. T h e &men do not f a r any coming day of
judgment. Macbgly they say "fRt [Gad's -1
come
qulcklyl" Rather than submitting to God's Law, they mbt
thfryFs,d~thatlYgwdfsbadand'badisgoodP
4ompmJeremiah&IS; 2 Peter 3:3-7.

Isatah's mpiteq-Ught fir All Mdnkind d

help those who haw Zzllen and need ~

sU ~ E5:~S
14, 15) With the aid of pmyers and Biblehed counsel,
s p M W muwry is p"sib1e. Othmvk, there is the danger of bwmhg "a&m of sin." (John8.34) bther than
mock4gGadmdlming~ofthecomingdaJrof
m
t
,
UuMans strive bo mmh uspotlessand unblemished"beha J&mah--Z Peter 314; Gdatians 6:7,8.
ZsApproprWeIy, Mahaddsthesebaiwaes: %bedo
thosewkin theirown qesunddrscreetem In frontof
Ekeir wwt faces! IYoe fo those wbo am rn#gMyIn dtfnkfng
he,anddD~menwZthMm~formMgIntkxld n g #qw&me
,
who m prwlounchg the wicked one
righmus in considmtion ofu hibe, and who bke away
em^ the r $ h k w s of
~~
the~/@hkws one 1Lorn Mmlu
( h i a h 527-23)These w w b were evidently addreBsed to
those swing as juin the land. Cangregatl~neiders
today amid seernhg #wiseh their own e y ~ ~ , ~ 7 humhey
bly accept mmd b m Mow elders and adhere dosely to orgmbational W c l i o n s . ( P m b s 15; 1 Corinthians 14:s) T h q are modate in their use of dcohohc
beverages, D e V a hEtugpg b e h e cmyhg out mgrqp
tion mpmities. (Hosea 4:ll) Eldm also m i d gMng
even the appearance of s h m i q hritlsm. (lama 2 9 )
Haw Werent from the clergy of Chdstendornl himy of
these whitewash the h h e n t i d and d t h y sinners In
their midst, in direct contu the apostle Paul's warnhgs at Romans 1:18, %*27; 1 Codnthhs 6:9, 10; and
FpheSimS 53-5.
29 h i a h concludesthis propheticma&q@
by destrlblng
28. Wwtsmat~amdemmLIn
~ ' s i i n a l and
~ , how ran
ckrMW~
m i d such
29. What cabmitow 4amits Jehovah's k a e W vlneyard?

su?

86

Tsainh's Prophecy-Llxlrl f i r All Uanklrrd

CHAPTER EIGHT

a calamitous end for those who "haw mjected the low of

jehowh" and have failed to bear righteous fruit, (Isaiah 5:
24, 25; Hosea 9:16; Malachi 4 2 ) He declares: "2lehovahI
has mised up a signal fa a grwt nodon fur mfi and he
has whistled to it at the extremity of the earth; ond, look1
in haste it will swiftly come in.'Llsalah 926; Deutcrt~no-

my 28:49;Jeremiah 515.
30 In ancient times a pale on an elmated site could serve
as "a signal,"or rallylng polnt, for people ns arrnlcs. (Compare Isaiah 18:3;Jeremiah 51:27.) Now Jehovah himself
will raliy this unnamed "great natlon" to execute hb [udgrnent.*He will 'whistle to it,' that 15 draw its attention ta
his wayward people as an object worthy of conquest. The
prophet next describes the swift and terrifying onslaught
of these IionLilce conquerers who will "gmb hold of the
p v 8" that is, God's nation, #and bring it safely away" Into
captivity, (Read Isaiah 5:27-300.)And what a sad result for
the land of Jehovah's people! "One will actualw gaze at
the land, and, look! there is distressing darkness; and even
the light has grown dark because of the drops fulling on

-.

lehovah God Is
in His Holy Temple

In nther prophecies, Isaiah idensffies Babylon as the natlon that cxecutes Jehovah's devastating judgment on Judah.

%ITHE year thut King Uzlah died I, however, got to

see jehovah, sitting on o throne lofty and lifted up, and
his skim were fillEng rhe temple." (lsaiah 6:7 ) With these
words sf the prnptrct, thc 6th chapter of the hook of Isaiah begins, It is t l ~ eyear 778 11.C.1:.
2 Uzziah's reign of 52 ycats as king of Judah r m , for
the most part, a brilliant aucrrss. 1)oing what "was right
in Jehovah'seyes," he enjoyed Gorl's hacking in his military, building, and agrlc~ilturalventures, But his success
also came t
o be his undoing, I:.ventunlly, his heart b c
came haughty, "so that hc aclcd un F;~ithfullyagalnstJ e h a
vah his Cud and crltrle Into the tcrnplc of Jchovah to burn
incense." Becitttse of thlr presump~iiou!,act ;~nrlhis rage
against the priests who censured him, Uzziah dicd a leper.
(2Chronicles 26:s-22) It was about this time that Isaiah
started his prophetic strrvicc.
3 We are not told whcrc Isaiah is stationed when he
sees the vision. nut: what hc sccs with his physical eyes
is clearly a vision, not an actual sighting of the Almighty, as "no man has seen Cnd at any iimc." (John 1:
18; Exodus 33:20) Still, ti1 sce the Creator, Jehovah, even

30. Who wf1l rally "a great nation" against Jehovah's people, and
wlth what outcome?
31. How can true Christians avoid s w f i r t n ~thc puntshrnent Inflicterl on Jehwah's Israebte vineyard?

1, 2. (a) When does the prnphet Iselah rcctivc his temple vlslon?
{b) Why did King V~llahlusc Jcllovi111'5favor?
3. (a) Doe5 lsaiah acluatly src Jchwah? Explaln, (h) What rcene
does Isaiah beholrl, ant1 fur what reamn?

it,"-Isaiah 5305.
31 Yes, the vineyard that God x, lwIngEy planted prwes
Itself to be barren-worthy only of destruction. What a
powerful lesson Isaiah's words hold for all who would
serve Jehcwah today! May they skiw to bear nothing
but righteous h i t , to Jehovah's praise and to their o m
salvation !

88

Isainh'r P f ~ p ~ l c c y - L l , ~fir
h t All M ~ rkinrl
r
1

in vision, is an awesome sight. Sitting on a lofty throne,

which symbolizes his role as everlasting King and Judge,
is the Universal Ruler and Source of all rightful government! The skirts of his long, flowing robe f i l I the ternp1e. Isajah is Wing called to a prophetic service that will
magnifyJehovah1ssovereign power md justice. In preparation, he will be given a vision of God's holiness.

4 Isaiah provides no description ofJehovah'sappeamncc

in his vision-unlike the visions reporred by kckiel, Ihniel, and John.And those accounts all vary as to what is
seen in heaven. (Ezeluel 1:25-28; Daniel 7 9 , 1O; Ikvclat - j m 42, 33 However, the nature and purpose of thesc visions must be borne in mind. They are nut literal descriptions of Jehovah's presence. The physical eye cannot ssue
what is spiritual, nor can the finite human mind colnprchend the spirit realm. Hence, the visions present in 1111man terms the information that is to he c o i ~ v q ~(Comd.
pare Revelation 1:l.) In Isaiah's vidon a description nf
God's appearance is not necessary. The vlslon informs h a lah that Jehovah is in his holy temple and that he is holy
and his judgmrllntr are pure.

The Seraphs
5 Listen! Isaiah continues: "Semphsw m standlng above
him. Each one hod six wings. Wifh two he kept 11;s face
covered, and with twcJ he kept his feet covered, and with
two he would fly about" (fsuiah6:2)Isaiah chaptcr h is
the only place in the BibIe where we find mention of wraphs. Obviously, they arc angelic creatures in Jehovah's
4. (a) Why must descriptions oflehwah seen In vislon and rccortled in the Bible be syrnhnlic? @) What is learned about Jehmlali Imrn
Isaiah's vision?
5. (a) Who are the seraphs, and what does the term mean? (1,) Why
do the seraphs hide their fams and fect?

servlce who rank vcry highly in privileges and in honor, bdng stationed about Jehovah's heavenly throne. Unlike pmud King Umiah, they occupy their position in dl
l~t~mlllty
and modesty. Recause of being In the presence
of thc heavenly Sovcrcign, they cover their faces with one
sct of wings; and with reverence for the holy location,
thcy o v e r thcir lcct with another set. Qose to the h i vcrwl Sovereign, thc seraphs an. all the more selfeffacing,
so as not to distract from CmI's penonal glory. The term
"seraphs," meaning "fiery ones" or "burning ones," suggests that they radiate brlghtncss, yet they hide their faces
lrorn lhc greater hrlllianw and glory ofJehovah.
6 The seraphs use thcir third set of wings for flying and,
no doubt, lo hovcr, or 'stand,' in their places. (Compare
Ileutcmnomy 31 :IS.)As to their position, I'rtlfessor Franz
l>clitXsch cnmmcnts: "'l'he seraphim would not indeed
tower above the hcnd of Him that sat upon the throne,
but thcy hovered abovc the rnhc bdonging to Him with
whlch the hall was filled," (I:ot?~t?rc~lfi~ryon the Old Testu~vrrrrt)Thi5 sccms rcasonabic. They are "standing above,"
not as supcrlor t.o Jehovah, hut as waiting on him, obedien t and rcady to serve.
7 I,lrten, ntw, to thnsc privileged seraphs! "This one
called to that one and said: 'Holy, holy, holy is lehowrh
of armies. The fullness of all the earth is his glory.'" Elsaiah 6:3)'I'hcirasflgnmcnt i? to SIT that Jehovah's holiness
ir dcclared and that his glory IFacknowledged throughout the universe, of which the earth is a part. His glory
is wen in all that hc created and will soon be discmned
by all earth's inhabitants, (Numkrs 1421; Psalm 191-3;

-.

6. What is thc po%llionnf thc ncnphs In relatlon to Jehmah?

7, '.ak EWl~atas3l~nmenttlo lthc scrap117 fulf~ll?
[b) Why dn the sera p h rlc~law(intl'q h~illne%s
Il~reeZlnles?

90

Isalrrh's Pmpkw-Llghtfir All M~nkladr

Habakkuk 214) Tlw threefold dedaradon, 'holy' hob,

holy," is no evidene ofa IMnlty, Rather, it fs a threefold
emphashing ofa ' s holiness. (Campare Rwelation 4:8-3
Jehovahis holy to m
!t superlative d e w .
a Although the number of seraphs is not mentioned,
there may be groups of seraphs stationed near the W e .
In melodious song they repeat one after anuther the &b t l o n of God's h o W and glory. What result do we
note? Listen again as Isaiah continua: '7he phts of the
thrwhoIds BegPn tu q ~ at kthtr wko of the one cadC
IN, and the house &dfgrrrduu#y Med wftk smoke," ({soIdh 6:41 h the Bible, moh or a cbud often provides &Ible evidenceof God's p m c e . {Exodus 19:18; 40:34,35;
1 Kings 8:10,ll; kwlation B S 8 ) It denotes a gImy m
which we human aeahw camat approach.

Unworthy, Yet CIeansed

9 This Asion ofJeh~ah7s
throne has a profound &&
on Isaiah. He recards: "I m e d e d to wy:W e to mel h r
1 am rn g o d QS h q h t to sllmce, h a u s e a mrm tinrlwninllpIum,6ndhamonga~unclerrnhIiprI
am dwelling; for my grips haw seen the King, J & m h of
annles, himself!'" (Isaiah6:s) What a stark comast there
is between Isaiah and King Uwahi U a a h usurped the
position of the andnbd priesthod and impioudy h d ed the Holy compmeslt: of the temple, Although U a ah saw the goIm hpstands, the gotden al&r of incense, and the table of "the bread of Presence," he did
not see Jehowh's h e of approval or mlve any sp&d
commission fromhim. (1Kings 7:48-50; foolnote) On the

8. W h mdts from the seraphs* declmtfons?

0, (a) What affect dm5 tRr vision have on I mi&? (b] What con-t
fs evldent between Isaiah and IUng Uzzhh?

other hand, the propnet ~ i u m not bnrsh aside the

on the m q l e , Yet, he sees a vision
priesthood or
of Jehovah in his holy mple md is honofed Wth a ared commission from God. Whlle t h e seraphs do n& presume to Look upon the enthroned Loxd of the temple, halah h allawred, invision, to look upon "theKing, Jehovah
of armies, hhmdf!"
10 The conthat hiah sees between God's holiness
and his own sinfulness mab hlm f
d most unclean.
Filled with fesr, he reasons that he will die. (Exodus 33:
20) He hears the seqphs praise God with clean Ups, but
hb m Ups are d e a n and are further sullied by the
undeanuw of the M p s of ?hepeople among whom he
dwells and whose speech he beats. Jehovah t9 holy, and
his senrants must reflect that quality. (1 R k I:lS, 16) Although Isaiah has a h d y been chosen as a sp4bmm
for God, he 1s struck with the realization of hrs sinful

10. Why does Isaiah k l dxead at seeing the vlsion?

Ichuvah God Is trt His Holy ?IrmpL

T off the

&I:

And he p m a k d to touch my morrtk

cm t o ~ * & o k l ~ h a r ~ y o u r i l p s , a n d y a u r w
w h e r -andyoursin
Itreffk aWW"(IsProP1

condilh~and ladcj the dean Ups befitMng a s p o h m m

of the gloriausand holy King, What will the hearesponse be?
U Instead of b a n i s 9 lrrwfy IsaIah from bew Jehovah's pmwncer the setaphs act to help him. The recod
s m t w H A t W o p l e o f f h e ~ ~ f k w d&inhis
o,
handthemmaghwlngcoalthathehadtakend&

11. (a1 Whatdwsaneoftheseraphsb,

endwimtdowtMs

~YnbOliZe?fb) How can &ecUng on what the seraph tens Isaiah

help ui when we feel unworthy as W'sservants?

bd, 7 ) Xn a sylnbaIic sew,fm has puripurlf power. Wheo

applying the @owing coal from the holy fire of the dtar
to Isaiah's lip,the seraph assum bafrah that Ma a h haw
been atoned for to the extent newismy ta enable him to
recek Gud's EaPor and a wmmlssion, How msurlng this
Is to us! W e b o o a r e W and uaw~rthyboappnwrhGod
But mkb n r e k m e d by the merit of Jesus1rzmsom
s a d h i and can receive Gad's favor and approach him In
prayer,-2 & ~ ~ W E5:18,21;
M S 1 John410,
12 Remind@ w again that thb is a &Ion is the mention of *the altartarn
(Compare Mation 8:3; 913.) Thm
mtpWJ altas at the temple in J e d e r n .Just before the
curtain of the Most Holy was the small altar of incense
and in h n t of the entrance tothe smctmy was the large
altar of sadfm, whm the fire was kept constantly buming, (Levfticus 612,B;16:12,13]But these earthly 4Ptaxs
were t)rpical, repentaw of grrater things. (Hebrews
85; 923;10:s-10) It was fite from heam that consumed
the burnt offer@ u p the aitar when the temple was
InaugmaW by King Solomon. (2 Chrdcles 7:13) And
now it Is hfrom the true, hemnly altar that moves
the uncleanness ofIsaiah's Ups.
13 Let: us Wen with h h h . '1 began b hear the vake of
jhovoh saflttg: M o r n rhall I send, and who wkcl go for
us? And / proceadsd to ~ a y' :H e m I am! Send me,'"(lrh h 6:8) The question pmpwnded by Jehovah is deadp
Wlgned to elicit a mpnse from IsaiahI as no other human prophet appears in the vision. It is mmhkably an
12. What altar dws Isaiah me, and wbat I s the effKtof fire?
t 3. What questkon d m J e h a h propound, and whom doa he in-

clude when he says "usPl'

J t h m k God is In His Haly X W p l e

am!Send me."Neither does he ask what he e h t galn by

ampthg the agslgnment. HISuvl1lhg splrlt Is a fine example for all ~f God's servanb Myfwho have the c o r n sicm to peach the 'good n w of the kfngdom fn aU h
Wtd earth,' (Matthew &kN)L& Wab, they falthf d y stick to their assignment and amrnpllsh the "witnm to ail the nations," despitewidepmd unrespaasim
nm. A d they go farward with mnFidene, as did Isaiah,
bowing that thelr c o m m o n has the highest authsrfzatbn.

*HenI am! Send me,#

invitation for Isaiah to be Jehovah'srnesmyp. But why
does Jehwah ask, "Who will go for ~ 7 By" swttchhg
from the stngular paonal pronoun "I" to the plural pronoun 'us," Jehovahnow Indudes at least one &person with himself. Who? Was this not Ms orilprbegotten
Son, who tam b m m e the man Jews Christ?Indeed, it
was this same Son to whom God saf4 "LRt us make
man in our image? (Genesis 1:26; Proverbs8:30,31) Yes,
alongside Jehovah in the heavlenly courts is his onlybegotten Son.-John 1:14.
14 Idahdoes not hesitate torespond1 Regmiles of what
the message might be, he Imedhl~lyreplie: "Here I

14. HOW b h i a h y n d to Jehovah's imltatiion, 4what ex.

ample ~ O E She set fur w.

15 Jehwah now outlLn& what Isatah is t~ say and what

the response will be: "Go, and you must suy to this people,
'Hmr -In and agahr, O men, but do not undemnd;
and s
e agdn and again, but do not get any knowle@e/
Make the heort of thk people unreceptlw, and make their
my eurs u n m p n s k , and p i h e theh wyw tag&&
that they may not see W#J their e p and wlth their em
he),
may not k a r , and that thek own heart may not undmtPnd and that they m y not cKduaI& turn bClCk cfnd
get hwlhg Ibr themselw." (Isabh 6:9, 10) Does this
mean that blah Is ta be blmt and tactless and repel the
Jm,keeping them at odds with Jehovah?Absolutely not1
These are Isaiah's awn people far whom ha feels an a f i iv But Jehovahrswords indimtt! how the people will respond to his message, no
how faithfully Isaiah Nm his task,

16The fault lies wlth the people, Isaiah

s@
to t-hm "again and again/ hit they wlll not accept
the mesage or gain u h t a n d l n g . The majority will be
15, 16. (a) What Is Jsalah ta say to "this people: and what will be
their response7 (b) b the mctlon of the peoplc due ta arry fault an
Isaiah's pact? &plain.

Isaiah's Prophecy-Light fir All Mankind I

stubborn and u n m p e , as if W y blind and deat

By going to them ~ e p a t d l y ,Isalah will let "thiis peaple" show that they do not mtia undenmd. They will
p m that they m shutling their minds and hmts to Isaiah's message-God's mew@-ta them. How true this L
~f people today1So many of them refuse to Wm toJehovah's Mtnas they preach the good news of the incoming Wngdom of W.
17 Isaiah is con-&
#At #Is 1 said: 'How Iong 0 j&ovdtrfimhsmM:%vi:Ithedortuallyareshin~fn.~
to k without an Infrabitm~and the homs be w&hwt
eorthihg m,a d the gmund I W k rulned inbo a koluthn; and IsClomh actually mmm e a ~ l h g
rnen hr
w,and the dwe-d condI#on d m hornsm y exfenh / n thmldstdtheIcmd.IU(krahh6:fl,12)Bya&ng,
#How hg?' -1
is not askinky how long he wU1 have
to anthue. p m c b g to an unrspnsive people. haer, he is concerned abwt the people and asks haw long
t h l x bad spiritual stake will continue and how long J&CF
vah's name will be dishomred on earth. (See Psalm 74911.1So, then, how longwiI1 the senseless slfttation go on?
l&Alas,Jehwahlsangww shows that the bad spirltua1 sbk of the people d l anthue until the ftlll mnsequmca of &bedieme to God, as outlined In his
cwwmtEare fulfilled. (Levlths m21-33; Deuteronomy
28:49-48} The ration will come to ruin, the people will
be deported, and the land will lie desotate, bhhwill nM
live to see the destmdlon of Jerusalem and M temple
by the Babylonian army In 607 &C&, although he wfll
prophesy for over 40 yeas, conunuing Inta the Ngn of
17. When W h asks, "Row long?"to what does he refed
18, Until when Wll, the bad apldtud stare of the peo 4 wntfnue,
and wtll Isaiah jive to see the pmphecy's complete &mt?

Jekavah God B In HI3 HaEy Temple

97

King U W Sgwat-pdson &

H
Still, b h h wlU
keep faithfullyat h!s c~m&on until he dies, m m than
100years before that natlonal diwikrocc~~s.
19 Destructton that will' leave~udah
"ruinedInto a d m WonAis brrund to come, but the situation Is not hope
'ThZ Will
less. (2 Wngs 231-26) j e h d assure^

Mb8bitamtJI,artdItmurt@n~~eso~ns~~fwbumhgdown,mSeablg~u~~armw
s h tm in &&, when there Is a cumg down d them,
ahere Is a stump;a holy seed wiii be the stump of ita (Isuioh 6:13) Yes,'a mth, . .a holy seed/ will remain, fust
like the slump of a rnwW
that Is klled, Thfs wurme, no doubt, comforts Isaiah-a holy m n a n t will be
b u d within bfs people. 'IBough the nation e x w m

19. Althougtt the ntltlon win be Mled Ilk a me, what assurance
aoes God g h Isaiah?

96

Isaiah's PMphecp-Light fir All Mankfnd I

a repea& burning, like ablg we cut down for fuel, a vit a i ~ t l n n p ~ f t h e ~ ih ie cl w~ l~l m
f ain.Itwill
be a seed, ot 06- that is holy to Jehovah. In time, it
will sprout againJand the bee will regrow.-Compe Job

147-9; DstnieI 4%.

Did the words of the prophcym e true?Ye.Wentyyears after the land of Judahhad been desolated, a God-

fearlng~emnant~fromexlleinEaby1an.Theyre
built the temple and the city, and they remd m
e
worship to the lana This ratmation of theJews to thelr
God-given homeland made passible a s a n d fuHillment
of this propheq that Jehovah gave to Isaiah. What was
that to be?-1:14

a b h h l s prophetic task foreshadowed the work that

the Messiah, JesusChrist, would do some 800 years later.
2Q. How m1 the k
tpart of Isaiah's propby ipidally fulfilled?
5L23. {a) Wth w a r n &
4I
W f s pmplwq 3 4 a brat-centuryhtl.

fdhkm,rtriahm? &)WWBB
the 'holy seed1!ln the irst mtuq
s n d ~ ~ t t p d ?

J'arRaugh God h

in Hta Hoip lbmppk

99

(Isatah 8:f & 61:1, 2; Luke 4:16-21; Hebrew5 2113,14) Although g r e w than Isaiah, Jesus was just as wWng to be
sent by hls heavenly Father, Wng: " M k t I am m e to
do p u t will."-Hebrews 105-9; Psalm 4Q:M.
22 Like ls&ih, Jaw faithfully carded out his w e d
work and met with the same readion. TheJews in Jam'
day vwre no more wflllng to acoept the m
q than were
those to whom the prophet Isaiah preached (Isaiah k4)
The use of Uusbatlons was a feature ofJesus' ministry.
Thlspmmptdhisdisdplesmask:W h y l s i t y a u ~ E o
them by the use of illutmtlom?"Jesus replied: "E'a you
It is gxanw to understand tbt! s a d semAs of the kingdom of the heavens, but to those people It is not grantedThis Is why I speak to than by the me of lUuStmtlom,because, lookin& they look in valn, and f
i
m they hear
in vain, xmelther do they get the sense of it; and towad
them the prophecy of Isaiah Is having f u W e n t , wuch
says, 'By hearing, you will hear but by no means get the
sense of it; and, looking, you will look but by m m c m
see. Fox the heart of t h i s people hs grown umcepttye,
and with thatrearsthey h m heardwithwt wpumerand
they have shut their eya; that they might new see with
thdreyesand hmrwiththeireaffandgetthesawofit
wlth their hmts and turnb&, and I heal them'"-Matthew 13:lQ 11,13-15; M d k10.12;hh 8:9,10.
23 In quotlng fmm Isaiah, Jewwas showing that the
pmphw had a merit in his day. The people as a
whole had a heart attitude Wte that of theJewsin Isa=hht5
day. They made themselves blind and deaf to his
sage and H h w h met with destntctlon. (Matthew 233538; 241, 2) Thb occurred when the Rornan f
uw uaderG@n~Tltwcame~~J~eminTOCJL

ion

Isaiah's PrupIt~cy-Llght for All Mcrrtkind I

demolished the city and its temple. Yet,some had listened

to Jesus and had berome his disaples. Jesus pronauncecZ
these "happy." (Matthew 13:16-23,
51) He had inlormcd
them that when they saw "Jerusalem surrounded by en-

Trust in Jehovah
in the Face of Adversity

camped armies," they should "beginfleeing to the rnnuntabs." (Luke 21:20-22) Thus the "hoIys c d " that had exercised faith and that had been formed into a spiritual
nation, "theIsrael of God," was saved."--Galatians 6:16.

Isaiah 7:l-8.18

24 About 60 CE, the apostle Paul found himself under

house arrest in Rome. There he a r r a n ~ da meeting with
"the principal men of the Jews" as &ll as others and
gave them a "thoroughwitness concerning the kingdom
of God."When many would not accept his message, Paul
explained that this was in fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy. (A& 28:17-27; Isaiah 6:9,20) So Jcsus'disciples carried
out a commission comparable to that of Isaiah

25 SimiIarly! Jehovah's Witnesses today discern that Jehovah God is in hs holy temple. (Malachi 3:1) Like Isaiah,
they say: "Here I am!Send me." Zealousty, they sound the
warning rnessaF about the approaching end of this wicked system of things. But, as Jesus indicated, relatively few
people open their eyes and ears to see and hear and be
saved. (Matthew 713, 14.) Happy, indeed, are those who
incline their hearb to listen and "get healing for themse1ws"I-Isaiah 6:8,10.

In 66 CE,responding to a Jewish m l t , Roman forces under Cestivs GaUus surrounded Jerusalemand penetrated the city as far ar the
temple walls. Then t h q w i t h d m , all&ngjesus' disclplcs to flee to
the mountains ofPerea before the Romans returned in 70 C.E,
24. What application did Paul make of Isaiah's prophecy, and what
does tNs indicate?
25. What have maernday W~messesaf God discerned, and how do
they pond?

CHAPTER NINE

ISAIAH chapters 7 and 8 are a study in conbasb. Tsa

iah and h a z both belonged to a nation dedimted to Jehmral~;both had God-given assignments, one as a prophet) the other as a krng of Judah; and both faced the same
thmat-thc invasion of Judah by superior enemy forces.
Isalah, however, faced the threat with confidence in Jehovah, wherear Ahaz gave way to fear. Why the different
reactions? Since Christians today are likewise surrounded
by hostile forces, they de well to examine these two chapters of Isalah to discover what lessons they contain.

Facing a Decision
2 Much like an artist who defines the outline of a new
palntlng wlt h a few sweeping strokes, Isaiah starts hs account wlth a few broad statements that mark the b w ning anrl the end of the events he is about to relate: "15
come about in the days of Aha. the son of Jothamthe son
of Uniah, the king of judoh, that Rezin the king of Syria
and Pekah the son of Remaliah, the king of Ismel, come trp
to jerusnlern for war ogoinst if and he proved unoble to
war against it."-baiah 7:1.
.1It Is the dghth century R.C.E. Ahaz has succeeded his

GWhy
will Chrlstlans today benefit by exarnlnlng Isaiah chapters 7
and 8?

2, 3. What summary does l~aiahgive In hb openlng wmrds?

1051

aabha PmpR#cy-Light for AlE Manklttd I

father, Jotham,a king cwex Judah. M n , the king of Syrlai and BkaIr, the king of the northern kingdom of Israt4
b a d e Judah, and their armies hit hard. Eventually, thw
wlU beskge J@rusalem W.H m , the siege will fall.
(2 Kings l&S,6; 2 Chronicles 2.85-8)Why? That we will
learn lam.
4 Earlier in the war, "a report w a made & the house of
M d , sayfry: '5yrffa hm l e a d upon EphmIm.'And hi3
he& and the heart ofhis pmpk beyan to g u k , ilk
Ehequhdngof t h e ~ o f t h e b m t b e c m s e o fwind"
a
( I d R2)Yes,it is
to dhtte and his people to
learn that the Syrians and the L i m U b have teamed up
atid that their armies are at thls wry moment encamped
on Ephmim's Wel's) so& They are merely a twu- or
*-day
marchfromJ-em!
5 J&ovah telk Isaiah:"Go ou2 please, to metllha4 you
and Shear-*hub your son, Eo tha end of the conduit of
the upper pod by the highway Of the iuundiynan's Wd,"
(isaiurh Z3)Just W! At a t h e when the klng should
belooking for Jehmdfsp q M and asking forguidaram,
the prophet has to go and h d the king1 mfen so, Isaiahwlllf@yohpJebwah Similarly, W ' s p p l e t o d q
re;sdilygomttoliridpoplewhoarefearfdbemwof
the pressures of this world (Matthew 24:6,14) H m satisfying &at each year hundreds of thousands respond to
the visits of these preachers of the good news and take
hold of Jehovah'sphand1

~~

4. Why am the heam of Ahaz and his people Wed wlth feat?
S. In what w w da Gad's peaple today resemble [satah?

Isaiah took SheurJoshub along

when he mnwyed Iehmh's message to Ahar

104

Isaiah's Prophecy-Ll,rht for All Mrrnklrid I

6 Isaiah finds Ahaz outside the walls of Jerusalem, where,

in preparation for the expected siege, the klng Is inspectIng the city's water supply. Isaiah gives him Jehovah's
message: "Watch yourself and keep undisturbed. Do not
be afraid, and do not let prrr heart /&elf be timid because of the two tajl ends aF these smoking logs, becuuse
of the hot anger of Rezin and Syria and the son of Remalid?." (Isaiah 7:4 When the attackers ravaged Jludahcarlier, their anger was as hot as flames. Now they are merely 'two tail ends of smoking logs.' A h a need not cl rcad
Syrian King Rezin or Israelite h g Pekah, son of Remaliah. Today it is similar. For centuries, Christendom'sleaders have subjected true Christians to fiery persecution.
Now, though, Christendom resembles a log that is nearly
burned up. Her days are numbered.
7 In Ahaz' day, not only Isaiah's messas but also the
meaning of Isaiah's name and that of his son glve hopc
to those trusting in Jehovah, Rue, Judah is in danger, but
the name Isaiah, meaning "Salvationof Jehovah," signals
that Jehovah will prwide deliverance. Jehovah tells Isaiah to take with hm his son Shear-jashub, whose name
means "A Mere Remnant WiU Return." Even when the
kingdom of Judah finally falls, Cad will mercifully bring
a remnant back to the land.

More T h a n a War Between Natf ons

8 Jehovah,through Isaiah, meals the strategy ofJudah's
enemies. Here is what they are planning: "let us go up
against judah and twr it aport m d by brwkthmughs
toke it for o u m k ; and let us make another king d g n in6. (a) What heartening message does the prophet convey to
KIng Ahaz? @) What situation exim today?
7. Why do Isaiah's name and that of his son give mason for hope?
8. Why is the attackon Jerusalemmore than a war hchwen aatluns?

side It, the son of Tabeel," (Isaiah 75, 6) The Syrc-Tsraelite

league schemes to conquer Judah and replace Ahaz a son
of Ilavlcl, with tlldr man, Clearly, the attack on Jerusalem
15 now more than a war b m c c n nations. It has become
;I stntggte k t w c c n Satan and Jchovah. Why? Because Jehovah God made a covenant with King David, thus assurlnfi him that his sans would rule over Jehovah's people. ( 2 Samuel 7:11, 16) What a triumph for Satan i f he
ccluld install some other myal dynasty on the throne in
Jerusalem! I le might even frustrateJehovah'spurpose for
!)avid's linc to prrduce a permanent heir, the "I'rince of
Pea~-e."-Isaiah96,7.

Jehovah's Loving Assurances

Wlll the scheme of Syria and Brael succeed? No. Jellcvah dcclarrs: Yt wijl not stand, neither wilt it take place."
(Isaiah 7:f) Through Isaiah, Jehovah says that not only
will 111c siegc oaf Jerusalcm fail but "within just sixty-five
years Ephruim wlll be shattered iW pieces so as not to be
a people." (/solah 7:8) Yes, within 65 years Israel will no
l o n ~ e exlst
r
as a people," This assurance, with its speciffc timctnhle, shotlld give Ahaz courage. In the same way,
God's pcnplc today are strengthened hy knowing that the
tlme left for Satan's world is running out.
10 Rrhaps Ahaz' face registers disklkef, since Jehovah,
r htough [satah, says: "Unless you people haw foith, p u
will in that c w not be of long duration." Jehovah,in his
'1

For further dctalls about this pmphecy's fulhllment, see I n s ~ han

t

IJw Srriptr~rrs,Volume 1, pngm 62 rlrld 758, publishrrl by the Watchlower nlhle ant1 'lract Society of Nmu York, Inc.

9. What asquranctls should give courage to Ahaz a well as to Christians today?

10. (a) I Iuw can true ChrlstIans today ImltateJehwah?@) What offer d o ~ J e h o v a make
h
to Ahax?

tOh

Isninlr'r Pmphcy-ti,qht for AIl Mrtnkind I

patience, "went on speaking some more to Ahaz. " (lsuiuh

7:9, 10) What a fine example! M a y , although many do
not readily respond to the Klngdorn message, we do well
to Imitate Jehovah by "spc;~klngsome more" as we visit
agaln anrl again. Jehovah next tells Ahaz: "Ask for yourself
a sign fmm Jehovc~h
p u r God, making if as deep as Sheol
or making it high as the uppermgions." (Isaiah 7:7T)Ahaz
may ask for a sign, and Jehovah will perform it as a guman tee that he will protect the hutue of David.
11 Note that Jehovah says: 'Ask a sign from yorrr God.'
Jehovah is truly kind Ahaz i s already reportedly worship
Lng false gmls and following disgusting pagan pratims.
(2 Kinas 16:3,4) Despite that and despite Ahaz' fearful attltude, Jehovahstill calls himself the God of Ahaz. This assures us that Jehovah does not reject humans rashly. He Is
wIlllng to reach out t~ those who err or whose faith has
grown weak. Will this assurance of God's love move Ahaz
to take hold of Jehovah's hantl?

From Doubt to Disobedience

12 Ahaz replies defiantly: "I shall not ask, neither shall
I put jehowh to the tat" (lsaioh R l ) A l m is not hem
observing the words of the law: "You must not put Jehovah your God to the test," (Deuteronomy 6%) Centuries later, Jesus quotes that same law when Satan tempts
him. (Matthew 4:7) In Aha? case, though, Jehovah is Inviting him to turn back to true worship and is offeringto
strengthen his faith by performing a sign. However, Aha2
prefers to seek protection elsewhere, It is possibly at this
point that the king sends a large sum oi money .to Assyria, seeklng help against his northern enemies. (2Kings 16:
11. What assurance is found In Jehovah's expression mpttrGcd"?
12. (a) What haughty attirude d m Aha2 adopt? (h) Instead of turning tu Jchovah, to whom does Ahax go for hclp?

Trrtst In jcltaunh ltt tllr F<tccof drlverstry

7, 8) Meanwhile, the Syro-Israelik army encircles Jerusalem and the s i c n is on.

13 With the kln$s sack af faith on his rnlnd, Isaiah says:
"tistm, please, 0 house sf david, Is it such a little thing
for you to tire out men, that you should oiso SEre out my
God?" [lsaiah 7:?3)Yes, Jchavahcan gel tin4 of constarlt
dcfiancc. Olncrvrr, too, that the pm~rhclnow says "ury
God," not "p~iirI'rod." An ominous hangv! When Ahaz
rejects Jehovah and lztrns to Assyria, he lol;cs a. fine opporm i t y to restnre his relationship with God. May we never
sacrifice our relationship with God lly compromising our
Scriptural belief%In artlcr to gain temporary i~dvantages.

The Sign of ImmanucI

14 Jehovah remains falthfuI toward hls covenant with

David. A sign was crffc~cml,a sign will be given! Isaiah continues: 'yehovah himself will give you men a sign: look! The
maiden herself will actualIy become pn?gnarsC and she is
giving birth to a son, and she will certainly call his name
lmmanuel. Btrlter and honey he will eat by the time that he
knows how to reject the bad and choose the good. For before the boy will know how b reject the bad and choose
the good, the ground of whose two kings you are feeling o
sickening dmad will be left entirely "-lsaioh 7:14- 16.

15 Here is good news for anyone fearing that the Invadets

will put an cncl to the Davichc line of kings. "lmmanuel"
means "With Us Is God." God is with judah and will not
allow his covenant with David to be nullilicd, 1n acldition,
Ahaz and hi5 people are told not only what Jchovah will

13. What chanp do w notice in verse 13, slgfllfylng what?

14. HowdocsJthclvah show his faithfulness to hi\ cowrtent wlth Da-

vid?
15. What two qricqtlonq does the prophecy abnut Iinrnanucl anrwer?

Trust in JeRoval~in t)!c I:ricc ofAllvetslty

do but aIsa when he wifI do It. Before the b y lrnmanuel

is old enough to distinguish between good and h d , the
enemy nations will be destroyed, Anci this proves true!
16 The Bible does not m a 1 whose child lrnmanuel Is.
But since the young Immanuel i s to serve as n sign and
Isaiah later states that he and his children "are as signs,"
lmmanuel may be a son of the prophet. (Bajah 8:18) Perhaps Jehovah leaves the identity of Imnlanuel In Ahaz' clay
uncertain so as not to distract later generations from the
Greater Immanuel. Who is that?
T7 Outside of the book of Isaiah, the name trnmanud occurs ody once in the Bibte, at Matthew k23.Jehe
vah inspired Matthew to apply the prophecy of I mrnanuel's birth to the birth of Jesus, the rightful Heir to the
throne of David. (Matthew 1:18-23)The hirth of the first
Immanuel was a sign that God had not forsaken the house
of David. Likewise, the birth of Jesus, the G ~ a t e rTmmanuel, was a sign that God had not hrsaken mankind
or his Kingdom covenant with David's house. (Luke 1:3133) Wlth Jehovah's chief representative now among mankind, Matthew could truly say, 'With us b God.' 'Today, Jesus rules as heavenly King and is with his congregatlnn on
earth. Watthew 2820) S m l y , God's people haw artded
reason to cry out boldly: "With us is God!"
More Consequences of Unfal t hfu l ness
18 Comforting though his latest words are, Isaiah's next
statement brings terror to his hearers: 'yehouuh wlll bring
16, Why may Jehovah have left thc Identity of lrnrn~nuelin Ahas'
day uncertain?
17, (a) Who is the Greater Immanuel, and whet did hls hlrth s l ~ n l fy7 (b) Why can God's people cry out today, "Wlth us Is Gotl"?

18, (a) Why do Isaiah's next words hrlng terror to his Ilrtcners?
{b) What turn of evenh is soon to take place?

109

against you and against. your people ~ n against

d
the
house o f your father doyj such as haw not come since
the dcry of Ephrcrim's turning away fmm alongside judoh, namely, the king of Aaynr'o." (Isaiah 7:77$ Yes, disaster is corning, and at thr. hand of the king of Assyria. The
prospect of domination by the notoriously cruel Assyrians must be the causc nf Inany sleepless nights for Ahaz
and his people. Ahaz has seasoned that llefriendlng hsyria would relieve him of Israel and Syria, Intleed, Assyria's
king will respond to Ahaz' plea hy rvcnh~allyattacking Israel and Syria. (2 Kingsl6:9) Thls Is Ilkciy why Pekah
and Rein will be forced to lift thetr siege of Jerusalem.
Thus, the Syro-Israellre Ieaqc will have prwed unable to
take Jerusalem. (lsaiali 7:1 ) Now,though, Isaiah t ~ l l shis
shocked audience that Anyria, their hoped-for protector,
will become their oppressor!-Compare Proverbs 29:25.
19 For Christians today, thls true historical account contains awarning, When under pressure we may be tempted
to compromise ChrjsNan prjnciples, thereby rejecting Jehovah's protection. Thls 1s shortsighted, even suicidal, as
becomes evident horn Baiah's further words. The prophet goes on to describe what the Assyrian invasion will do
to the land and Its people.
20 Isaiah divides his pronouncements into bur parts,
each fo-lling
what will happen "in that day"-that is,
the day when Assyrla attacks Judah. "It must occur in thut
day thatjehawh will whistle for the flies that are at the extremity of the Nile cunals o f Egypt ond for the bees that
are in the land of Assyria, and they will certainly come in
and setlle down, all of them, upon the precipitous torrent
valleys and upon the clefi3 of the crags and upon all the

19. What warnlna does this Wstarlcal drama contaln for Chdsttam
today?
20. Who are "the flEesWand "he bees," and what will they do?

thorn thand upon a# the watering p k l c e ~(imbh

.~
Z78, 19) The armia of Egypt and P\sSynq like s w a m
of fib and trees, will h m their amtion directed to the
Promised taad. This will nut be a passing W o n , The
ma'' and "the beesmwill settle down, In-ng
every
nook and craany of the land.
21 lSalzthwnxlnues: "In that
by mmm of a h l d mzor in the mion of the W,ewn by mwns of the klng of
Arryria, jlehowf~ w171
the head avrd the halr of the
liee& andItwHlnwq away- t h e b e ~ m i M . ~ ( / s a h h
Z2@ Now only Assyna, the chief threat, Is mentioned,
Ahaz hires the byrian king to "shad Syria and h a el. Howev~r,this "hired razor" from the Euphrab regJon
will move againstJud;this''head* and shave It clean, even
removing the bmd!
22 What will be the d t ? ''It musl occur In &at day
that on indMtllaMf will pmerw a I k a ywng cow of
the herd and two sheep,And If mustoccurthe due to the
abundance of the pmhcing of milk, he will eut butter; because b u m aitd honey ~ f He o t everyone !eft rema.lnhg
In the midst of t h tarid
~ will WE" (Isulah 7:2?,24 By the
ti= the Assyrians h 'shaved' the fmd, so few people
will be left that unlp a mall number of animals will be
n d d to provide W *WlUer and honey" will be eaten-mthg else,no wine, no bread, no ather staples,k
i

w,

iftostcessthed~ofda~on,lsaiahthwetlm~says
that where there used to be a l e , productive land,
there will novv be thornbushe and weeds. Those mturing into the countryside will need "ammand the bowu
for prokctiun againstwild animals hddng in the thickets.
Cleared fields will h m e kmpling grounds -for oxen
In what way w&Ilthe Asspalan h g be liLe a razor?
22. What examples d m Isaiah use to show the conquences of ksyrla's I r n d n m t inmiion7
21.

md sheep. (IsaIoh 723-29 Thfs p p h q Wns to be

fulfilled In Bhaz' own day,-2 Chtanfcles 28$Ov

Precise Predictions
to the hmedbk situation. W e
23 Wah now
JeruIS stlll undet siege by the S ~ h # e l i &camb e , Isaiah reports: "jehwh p w d k d b r r ~ yb me:
Tok ht poundfa Irrrga tabktand Wte upon It with the
~ 4 4 ~ 1ofs mor&d m,
"IWah~akrMash-bgz"And let

23. (a) Whrt Is Iaalah now commanded to do? (b) How Is the sign
of thc tablet anfirmedl

Trust in Jeliomh In tltr Ihcf of Adversity

me how attestation for myself by faIhh/witnesses, Urhh

the pn'est and Zechariah the $on of Jebe~chiah."
" (lsaiah
8:1, 2) '[he name Maher-rhalal-hash-l~itz
means "Haslcn,
(1 Spnlll I-le I-Ias Come Quickly to thc Plunder." lsaiah
asks two respected men In the cornmunjty b attest his
wrltlng this name on a large tabl~t,so that they can later confirm the authenticity of thc document This sign,
though, i5 tu be confimteclhy a sucond sign.
2.1 Isaiah says: "Then I went near to the prophetess, m d
she mme to be pregnant and in time gave birth to a son.
jehowh now suid to me: " C d his name Maher-sholalhnsh-baz, for before the boy will know how fo call out,
"My father!" and "My mother!'' one will carry away the
resources of Dtrmascur and the spoil of Sumaria before the
king ofhsyriu.'" (Isaiah 8:3, 4) IEoth the large tablet and
tlrr newl-rornboy will serve as signs that Assyria will soon
pli~nderJudah's opprecwrs, Syria and Israel. Now soon?
Refore the boy is able to Fay the first words that most
t9a hles learn-"Father" and 'Mot hcr." Such an exact pndict Inn s h w Id build the people's confidence in Jehovah.
Or It could cause some to ridiculu Isaiah and his sons.
Whatever the ase, Isaiah's prophetic words come true,
-2 Kings 17:14.
2s Christians can learn from Isalah's repeated warnings.
The apostle Paul revealed to us that In this historic drama, Iwiah portrayed Jesus Chrlst and Iraiah's sons foreshadowed Jesus' anointed disciples. (Hebrews 210-13) Jesus, thrnugh his anointtlcl followers on earth, has been
remlndlng true Christians of the need to "keep awake" In

24. What effect should the sign of Mriher-shalal-hah-baz haw on

the pmple of Judah?
25. What sirnllarltim are there between the clays of Tsaiah and thc
present tl me?

113

these critical times. (Luke 21:34-36)At the same time, unrepentant opposers are w m e d of thelr corning destruction, a l r h o u ~ hsuch warnings are often met wlth riclicule,
(2 Peter 3:3,4) ?'he fulfillment. of time-related prophecies
in Tsaiah's day is a guarantw that God's timctalrlr for our
day will alro "without fail come m e , It will nnt bc late."
-Habakkuk 23.

Devastating "Waters"
26 Tsaiah continues h l warnings:
~
"For the reason that
this peopk has rejected f-hewaters of the Shiloah hut are
goimg gently, nod there is exultation o w Rexin and the
son of Remallah; even therefore, laok! lehowh is bringing
up agoinsr them the mighty and the many waters a f the
River, the king of Assyria and oil his glory. And he will rertoinly come up over ail his streambeds and go over all his
bonks and mow on through ludah. He will ochrully flood
and pass o m Up to the neck he will m c h . And the outspreading of his wings must occur to fill the breadth of

your land, 0 Irnrnanueli"-lsaioh 85-8.

27 ''This people," the northern kingdom of Israel, reject Jehovah%covenant with David. (2 Kings 1216-18 ) To
them, it Iooks as weak as the trickling watc rs a f S hiloah,
Jerusalem's water supply. They exult In tl~clrwar a ~ a i n s t
Judah. But this contempt: will not go unpunished, J e h ~
vah will allow the A~syriansto "flood,"or o v c r l n , Syria
and Israel, much as Jehovah will soon allow the present
political part of the wnrfd to flood the realm of False religion. (Revetation 17:16;compare Danlel 9:26.)Next, says
Isaiah, the swelling "waters" will "move on through Judah," reaching riglit "up to the neck," up to J~crusalem,
26, 27. (a) What events does Isaiah fomtell? (b3 What do Isaiah's
words indicate fur Jchnvah'r servants today?

114

Isaiah's Pruphecy-1.Jglrt for All r\.iorrkirrri 1

where Judah's head (king) rules." In our time the polltical executioners of false religion wlll llkewise close in on
Jehovah's servants, surrounding them " t ~ pto the neck."
(Ezekiel 382, 10-16) What wilt be the outcome? Well,
what happens in Isaiah's time? Do the Assyrians suwc
across the city walks and sweep God's people away? No.
God is with them.

Fear Not-"God Xs With Us!"

2s Isaiah warns: "Be injurious, O you peoples [opposer! to
God's covenant people], and be shattered to pieces; and
g k ear, all you in distont purls of the earth! Gird yourselves, and be shattered to pieces! Gird yourselves, ond be
shattered to pieces! Pion out a scheme, and it will be braken up! Speak any word, and it will not stand, for God
is with US!" (Isaiah 8 9 , 10) Some yean later, during t t ~ c
reign of Ahaz' faithful son Hezekiah, these words come
true. When the Assyrians threaten Jerusalem, Jehovah's
angel strikes down 185,000of them. Clearly, God is with
his people and the myal line of David. (Isaiah 3733-37)
During the coming battle of Armageddon, Jehovah wlll
likewise send the Greater Irnrnanuel not only to clash His
enemies to pieces but also to rescue all those who trust In
Him.-Psah 2:2,9,12.
29 Unlike Jews in Hezekiah's time, Ahaz' contemporaries
Tack faith in Jehovah's protectton. TI-rey favor a confedArjsyria is also compared to a bird whose outspread w l n ~ s"hll thc
breadth of yourland."Thus,w h e m r the land extends, It lvlll he c w e r d by the Assyrian army.
+

28. Despite the sb-enuousefforts of thelr enem ier, of what docs Jeb m d assure
~
Judah?
29. (a) How do Jews In Ahaz' day differ fmm tl~oscIn the days of
Hezekiah? (b) Why do Jehovah'sservants today refraln fmm rnaklng
religious and political alliances?

cracy, er "conspiracy," with the Assyrians as a bulwark against the Sym-Israeliteleague. However, Jehovah's
"hand" prods Isalah to speak against "the way of this peoplu," or t.he poputar trend. I-le warns: 'me objectof their
fear you men must nos fear, nor must you tremble at it.
lehowh of armies-he Is the One whom you should
ns holy, and he should be the object of p u r fwr, and
he should he the One causing you to tremble." (Isaiah 8:
11-73) With this in mind, jchovah'~senlant+stoday guard
agaitist amspiring with or putting their trust in religious
counclls and political leagues. Scrvants of Jehovah h v e
full cnnfrdcnm in I;odls protective power. After all, if "ehwah is an our sidc, what can earthling man do to us?'
-Psalm 118:6,
30 Isaiah Roes on tn reiterate that Jehovah will prove to
be "a sacsed place," a protection, for tli~setrusting in
hlm, In contrast, those rejecting him "will be certain to
stumble and to fail and be broken, and to be snored and
caughtn-live vlvld verbs that leave no doubt about the
fate of those not trusting inJehnvah. (Isaiah 8:74 15) In
the first century, thosc rejecting Jesus likewise stumbled
and tell. (Luke 20:17, 18) A similar outcome awaits those
today who fall to give allegiance to the enthroned heavenly King, Jesus.-Psalm 25-9.
31 In Isatah's day, not all are srurnbld. Isaiah says: "Wrap
up the uttestation, put o seul about fhe tuw among my
disciples! And I wlH keep in expectation o f Jehovah, who
Is concealing his face from the house of Jacob, and I will
hope in him." (Isaiah 8:16,77) Isaiah and those who heed
hi5 teachin# will not abandon God's Law. They keep on
30. What wlll he the fntc of those not ttrustlng in Jehmah?
11 Hmv can true Chrislians today follow the example of Isaiah and
t 3 l thaw who l l ~ t c n
tn !lit; tcaclling7

116

Isaiah's Prophecy-Llbyllt for All

Miit! klnrl

trusting in Jehmah, even though their dclhquent compatriots refuse tw and thus have Jehovah conceal his face
from them. May we follow the example of those trusting
in Jehovah and have the same dekrmination to cling to
pure worship!-Daniel 12:4, 9; Matthew 24:45; compare
Hebrews 6:11,12.

The Promise of
a Prince of Peace

" S i p s " and "Miracles"

32 Isaiah now proclaims; "Look! I and the children whom
]ehovah has given me are as signs and as mlmcIes in Ismel from Jehovah of armies, who Is miding in Mount Zion. "
{Isaioh 8: 78) Yes, h i a h , Shear-jashub, and Mahcr-shalalhash-baz are signs of Jehovah'spu rpo.wF forJ~tdah.Today,
Jesus and his anointed brothers similarly serve as signs,
(Hebrews 2:ll-13) And they are joined in their work by
"a great crowd" of "othersheep."(Revelation 7:9,14; John
10:16)Of course, a sign is valuable only If It stands out
from its surroundings, Likewise, Christians fulfill their
rommisdon as slgns only If they stantl out as belng different from this world, putting thelr full trust InJehovah
and boldly proclaiming his purposes,
33 Let dl, then, observe God's standards, not those of
this warId. Continue to stand out fearlessly--as signs-carrying hsward the mmmissien gwn te the Grcater Fsalah, J m s Christs "Proclaim the year of gdwI11 . . . and
the day of vengeance on the part of our God," (Isaiah 61:
1,2;Luke 437-21) Indeed, when the Assyrlan flooci surges
across the earth-even if it reaches up to our necks-true
Christians will not be swept. away, We will stand firm I)(?cause "God is with us,"
32. (a) Who today serve "as slgns and as mlracles"7 (b) Why should
Christians stand out from the world?
33. [a) W h a t are trueChristiam determlrred tn do? (b) Why wtll true
Christians be able to stand hrm?

CHAPTER TEN

SOME six thousand years ago, the first human baby was
born. His name was Cain, and hls blrth was very special. Neither his parents, nor the angels, nor even the Cre
ator had seen a human baby before. This newborn infant
could have brought hope to a condemned human rate,
How disappointing it was when, after he grew up, he b e
came a murderer! (I John 312) Since then mankind has
witnessed countless othcr murders. Humans, inclined as
they are to do bad, are not at peace with one another or
with God.-Genesis 6:s;Isaial~48:22.
2 Some four millenniums aftcr the birth of Cain, another
baby was born. His name was Jesus, and his blrth too was
very special. He was horn of a virgin, by the power of holy
spirit-the only such birth in history, At the time of his
birth, a rnultltude of joyful anpis sang praises to God, saying: "Glory in the heights above to God, and upon earth
peace among men of goodwill." (Luke 213, 14) Far from
being a murderer, Jesus opencd the way for humans to be
at peace with God and to gain ewrlasting 1lfe.-John 3:16;
1 Corinthians 1555.

3 Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would be

called "Prince of

1. W h a t has mankind experienced slnce the tlme of Cain?

2, 3. What prospects werc opened up by Jesus Chrlst, and what m~tst
we do to rrreive such blrsslngx?

b.
(Isaiah
"
9 6 ) He wuld o f bhb own life in M l f
ofm&d,
thus makingpible rhe bqlveness of dm.

(Isaiah S3:ll) Todayj pace Mth God and the fmghness

of sins can be attained on the basis of faith inJesusChist

But such blssings m not -matic.
(Colossians 121-23)
Those wtro want them must learn to obey J e h c d ~God.
(1 kter 3:11; cornpate Hehews 5:8, 9.) In W ' s day, Israel and Jdah do
the oppiie.
'Ihmiog to the Demons
4 Because of *eir disobedience, Isaiah's conOemporaries
min a depI01abk moral sme, a pebble pit of spiritual
darkurn. Even the smithern kingdom of Judah, the l a tron of m ' s tempie,b no p-. As a rermlt of th& maithfuhess, the people of Judahaw threatened with invasion by the Assp5mPand hW Cima Ue ahead. To whom
do they turn far M p ? 'Sad@ many turn to Satan, not to
Jehmah. No, they dq not Inwk Satan by name. Rather,
1W King Saul.of old, Ehey engage in spfrtth, looking for

atrswm to th& pmbIem9 bSf tryiRg to mmmutmicab?d t h

the dead.-1 Sm*l @:l-W.
5 Some are am p m m q this pmt$e. Isaiah pofntg
tosuchapcmaywh he s a y ~ : ~ l r ? atheyshoulds0)r
se
t o j w ~ : ' ~ ~ ~ s p ~ ~ m a d f ~ ~ t ~ o r t o d r w e
havJng a spfrif of predirfiim wtlo pre rhiplng and d n g
~ h l o w ~ ' i r N n o t f v i b ~ d i h t m y p m -

p l e s h ~ m ~ ? ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ f i o d w d p sons In Malf d lkring personst" ( i d a h 8:19) Spirit me

dhsms rran trick ~ l e"ddrplng
,
and maktng utterances
4, 5. Whatis thestateof a f f a i f s i n ~ ~ s d qand
, to whomdo
=me turn?
7 k births of Calm and jesus wcare both vsry rpecM,

Only that of /&us had a happy outcame

120

Isaiah3 PrapkeEy-LigR t fir All Mankhd I

in b~ma."Starh sound eik&, attdb~tedto the ~plrib of &ad ma, dan k worked Plrrough venlrllqnhm
by a living medlm. At WP
though, the demons may
get dimclly ~~and impersonate the dead, as a p p ently happned Wtren Sad i n q u d of the witch of Endbr.
-1 Samwl28:&19.
6 All of thlS is going on in hdah despite the fact that Je
Ouwah has fmblddm the practice ofspiritism. tFnder the
Mosaic Law, it is a capital offense. ~ t l c u 1
s9.31; U1:6,
27; Rutemnomy 18:9l2)Why do a people who are Je
hwah's special -on
commit such a grave kmsgresslon? B e a u s e they have tuned their backs on Jehovah's
Lmandcouaselandhavebecame Wetredbythed+
wptlve pclwer of s h *
3:13) 'Their heart has becomeuddhgjustlikefat,"a r d theyhavebemme allen-

~~

aaed from their G d - P s h 119:711.*

Wythey-I.'OfwhavgoodIsaeLgW~fJ&wah

when we are faced with an imminent attack by the Assyrians?' They want a quick and easy solution totheir predicament and are not:a b u t to wait: forJehwah to work out his
wfll. En our day tow, many &nureJehovahJslaw and search
out spirit mediums1comdt hor~scofres,
and resort to 0ther f o r m of mxhbm Pio mhe their problems. However,
for t h e ~ b 6 s e e l r ~ w e r s f mthedeadis
m
justas rldiculoustodayas itwasbackthen. %future of anywhounrepentantlypractice such +hgswill be with the " m d ers and fwnicatorsand.. .idolaters and aU the ku
They
ham no f u l m p m s p c t ~of Pk-Rmhtfon 21:8.
Many Wm tbat Psalm 219 was written bg HesfeW -re
he becameklng. I f s o , i t w a s l i k e I y e v r i ~whJleIsalahwas prophesytne.

The Promise afa P~incrvof Ruce

God's 'Law and Attestation'

8 Jehovah'sIaw banning spMism, together with his otb
er commands, is not hidden in Judah. It is pmerved
in wrlthg. Today hh W d is available in its completed
form lnwrlthg, It is the Bible, w h i ineludes not only a compila#on of divlne
lawr and regulationsbut a h an account
of God's Wings with his people. This
Bible account of JehaMh'sdealqp forms

,-

an a m t i o n , or kstlmony, kachlng us

abwt Jehovah's nature and quallth. In- 1

sbead of consulthag with the d d 1where
should the Ismlim be going for direction? Isaiah aMWED: T o
the law and to the dterCationl " (Isalah 8:20cr)
Yes, those seeking true
enlightenment should go
to God's written Ward.

9 Some Isradites dabbling

fn spMthm may profess n-

*
But such ~~

for

Thm w#I bed k r m h

wna &an a hunger ~w
bread and a thirst for warn

~r

of
empty and hypaaim hatahsap:"Sum/ythqwlllkeqsoyingw h 4 t i s d g d P
bhlo sWmmt that will h m no llght of dam." (1-h 8:
ZOb)Towhat statement is Isaiahbexe refemng?Perhaps tu
the sMement: "To the law and m the atWxUm!"It may
be that some apoetate haelites refer to the Word of God,

~ustasaposta&3andothmtodaym a y q y o t e S a l ~ B u t
-

6. Why am the hacks who him resaacd to splrlttsm eqedaIly

blammvmhy?

8. What is "the iawwd *the attestationu bwhkh we todag should

7.

Hmdo-ytoday-&tbelsraellmofW1rday,d-t

wlIlbethefu~d~11&bnesiftheydorsc#~t?

&AFamine, Net &t BradH

~QDWwknce
to J e w - in mental &he%
mheim 617,181 Iu r $pMzu.&lrase, t h people,lEPfJ~t-

& h a w k m a n e b l t n d , w W ~ ~ ~

~
~
2
:
1
4
)u E d m
~ e:
d l ~ n ~ p a s r ~ ~ ~ k r m f ~
gq." (fsabalt &2l a] Bemuse ofthe m&mts un&ilthftilneq
--plmttruMy d*
the reign o f ~ , A h a z 4 h & s m M
a m h d e p n h t hg#om'B threatened, T h
~

~aneJudemdtyafkamthtzTheenemy
tkdate?

k ~ ~ m ~ m - M a n g ~ " h i i

~andh-''El~t~klndOfh~BQso&
f&@ @e h d . Suwe -4
Amos pmphW

~~

Q W I T h ~ a r e d a f " ~ ' b d t e u ~

~ ~ J & ~ ~
M a * , n o t f
~ t f w l ~ ~
~ ~ t n t b e

' a m i I ~ s m d a f
o ~ ~ @ a ~ n o t h m m
v r a o r d s~ o~f 8~ ~: ~l "l )
~j su ss f t ~ ~ ~ f m b e

TITI:Prornl~enfa klnce of Pence

12 Will calling down evil upon God bring p a c e to the
inhabitant%af Judah? No. Isaiah foretells: "To fhe earth
he will look, and, iro! distress and darkness, oBscurl& hard
times and gloominess with no brightness." (lsuiuh 8:22)
After raising their eyes 2o heaver1 to t~lanieGod, they look
l~ackto the earth, back to their hopclcss prospeas, Their
turning (?way from God has led to calamity. (Proverbs
19:3) What, though, of the prorniscs that God made to
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? (Gencsls 22: 15-18; 28:14, 15)
Will Jchovah default? Will the Assyrians or some other
military power bring to an end the royal Ilne promised to
Judah and David? (Genesis 49:8-1O; 2 Samuel 211-16) Will
tlre Israelites be forever condemned to darkness?

A Land "Treated With Contempt"

13 Isaiah now alludes to one of the worst of the cabclysmlc events that come upon the descendants of Abraham: "The o b s c u m ~ wfll
s not be us when the Iond had
stress, as at the former time when one treated with contempt the /and of Zebulun and the land of Naph tali and
when at the later time one coused It lo be honored-the
w a y by the sea, in the region of the lordan, Colilee of the
nations." (Isaiah 9:J)Galilee is a territory in thc northern kingdom of Israel. In Isaiah's prophecy i t lndudes
"the land of Zebulun and the land of Nnphtali" and also
"the way by the sea," an ancient road that ran 'bythe Sea
of Galilee and led to the Mcdlkrranean Sea. In Isaiah's
d<ay,the region is called "Galilee of t l ~ cnatlonr," likely because many of its cities are inhabited ly non-Israelites."
' Samc havesuggestedthat the 20 dtles of Callleethat King Sdomm
oflcrcd to Ilirarn the king of Tpe were probably tnhahited by nonIrraell2es.-l Kinp 9:1&13.

12. (a) Ta what h a turn@ away fmm God Icd Judah?(b)What important questtons are raised?
13. What I s "Galilee of the natfans," and how does It come to be
"treated wlth contempt"?

125

How is this land "treated with contempt"?Thc pagan Assyrians wnquer it, take the Israelites into exile, and resett'le the whole region with pagans, who are not descendants
of Abraham. Thus the ten-tribe northern kingdom dlsap
pears from hlstory as a distinct nation !-Z Kings 17:5,6,18,
23,24.
14 Judah too is under pressup from the Aqsyrlans. W111 it
sink Into a permanent "obscureness"as cIid the ten-tribe
kingdom represent& by Zebulun and Naphtall?Na. At a
" l a l ~ rtime,"Jehovahwill bring blessings to the region of
the southern kingdom of Judah and ewrl to the land formerly ruled by the northern klngdum. I-low?
1s The apostle Matthew answers this questlon in his Insptrecl record of the earthly ministry of Jesus. Describing
the early days of that ministry, Matthew says: "After leaving Nazareth, [Jesus] came and took up residence In Capernaum 'bcside the sea in the districts of Zebulun and
Naphtali, that there might be fulfilled what was spoken
t h r o u ~ hIsaiah the prophet, saying: '0 land ai Zebulun
and land of Naphtali, along the road of the sea, an the
other side of the Jordan, GaliIge ofthe natlons! the people
sitting In darkness saw a great light, and as for those sitting
in a region of deathly shadow, light mse upon them.""
-Marthew 413-16.
16 Yes, "the later time" foretold by Isaiah B the time of
Christ's earthly ministry. Most of Jesus' earthly life was
spent In Galilee. It was in the district of Galilee that he began his ministry and started to announce: "The kngdom of the heavens has drawn near." (Matthew 4:17) In

14. In what sense willjudah's PobscurenpssH

be less than that of the
ten-krlhe kingdom?
15, 16. (a) At what "later time" will the sltuatfon c h a n ~ efur "the
dlstrlctfi of Zebulun and Naphtallf'?(b)How does the land that was
trratud wlrh contempt come to be honored?

126

lsdoh's Pmphdcy-&&ht fir All Mankind I

W e e , he d e h d his famous Sermon on the Mount,

chose hls apostles, w r m e d hh fist W e , and spp x e d a0 some 500 fo11mm after his remmdon. (Matthew 51-7:27; a16-;?0;Mark 3:13,14; John 28-11; 1 Corinthians 1551In this way Jesus fulfdld hiah's prophey
by honoring "the land of a h f u n and the land of NaphtalL'' Of course, Jesus d d not mMct his minkmy to the
people of Galilee. 3y m n g the good news throughout
the land, Jesus 'awedto be honored' the entire nation of
Israel, IncludingJudah.

The *Great UghV

17What, though, of Matthew's mention of "a great
light" h mike?Be? m is a q r t l u n from Imh's
pmpheq, Iserlah
me people that were wikfng In
~
d
a
~
~
h
~
~
~
I
l
ingh ahsiadofdtspshdow, Ilghtheifharshoneupon
them," (Isdub 9G!) By lhe Arst century C.E,the light of
mth had been hiddm by pagm falsehoods. J W h rellglous leaders had compnded the pmb1011 by holding to thetr ml@ous traditionwfth whlch theyhad "made
the ward of G a l invalid"(Matthew 15:6) Humble ones
wax oppressed and W d e r e d , C o U m h g 'Wind guides,'
(Matkhew 2324,16) When Jesus the M&sW a w e d ,
the eyes of many humble people were opefled in a wondrous way. (John1:9,12)Jes& work W e on earth and
the bIangs Wdng from his sacrib are aptly characterized in Isaiah's pophay as "a great IfgkH-jahn 8:'12.
18 Those who xespntkd to the Ught had much reason
17, HQWdo= "a gmt ll&P ahlnc in Galllce?
18, 19. What reason, dfd the who rlspmded to the light haw fbr

gat re)oidn$?

laus w s a light in ehe land

for rejoicing. Isaiah continued:'You haw made the nation populous; for it you have made the rejoicing greet
They have rejoiced before you as with the rejoicing in the
harvesttime, as those who are joyful when they divide up
She spoil." (lsoiuh 9:3) As a m u I t of she prcacliing activity ofJ m s and his followers, honestheartecl oncs came
forward, showing themselves desirous of twrshiping Jchovah with spirit and truth. (John424) In less than four
years, multitudes embraced Christianity. Three tliousand
were baptized on the day of Pentecost 33 C.I. Shortly afterward, "the number of the men hecame about five 1.housand." (Acts 241; 4:4) As the disciples zealously rcffectcd
the light, "the number of the disciples kept multiply in^ in
Jerusalem very much;and a great cmwd of priests began
ta be obedient to the fajth."-Acts 6:7.
19 Like those who rejoice in a bounteous harvest or who
delight over the division of valuable spoil after a great military victory, Jesus' followers rejoiced over the increase.
(Acts 246, 47) In time, Jehovah caused the light to shine
among the nations. ( A m 14:27) Sa people or all races rejoiced that the way of approach to Jehovah had been
opened to them.--Acts 13:48.

I
I

"As in the Day of Midian"

20 The effech of the activity of the Messiah are permanent, as we see from Isaiah's next' words: '7he yoke of
their toad onti the rod upon their shoulders, the staff of
the one driving &em to work, you have shcrttemd to pjeces
as in she day of Midian."(Isaiah 9:#)Cenhrries ixfore Isaiah's day, the Midianites conspired wit11 the Mmhltes to
20. (a) In what ways did the MIdianitPs prove to be enemies of Israel. and how did Jehovah bring an end to the threat they pncctl?
(b) How on a future "day of Midian" wilt Jesus bring an cnd to the
threat posed by enemies of God's people?

liire Israel into sin. (Numbers 251-9,14-t8; 31~15,

16) Later, Mldlanltcs tcrrorlzed the Israelites by raiding and plundering their villages and farms for seven years. (Judges6:
1-61 nut then Jcho~vah,through his servant Gideon, routecl MldI~n'sarmles. After that "day of Midian," there i s
no cviclcnce that Jehovah" people ever again suffered a t
the hands of the Midianltes. (Judgts 6:7-16; 828) In the
near future, Jesus Christ, the greater Gidmn, will ddiver
a dcalhblow to rntxlern-day enemies oflehovah's people.
(llevelation 1214; 19:11-21) Then, "as in the day of Midian," a complete and lasting victory will be gained, not
by human prowess, but by Jehovah9 power. (Judges 7:222) tiocl's people will never again suffer under the yoke of
uppscsslan!
21 Displays of divine powcr am-not a glorification of warfare. 'l'he resurrected Jesus i s the Prlnce of Peace, and by
annlhtlatlng 111s enemies, he will usher in eternal peace.
Isaiah now speaks of rnllitary paraphernalia as being totally dcstroycd by tire: "Every boot of the one tramping with
tremors and the mantle rolled in blood have even come to
be for burning as bod for fire,"(Izoioh 95) The tremors
caused by t hc trampin# of t hc boots of marching soldiers
wlll never agaln he felt. The bloody ~mlforrnsof combathardcnctl warriors will no longer be seen. War will be no
more!-I1sal m 4h:9.
22 At

the

"Wonderful Counselor"
time of his miraculous birth, the one born

bc thc Messiah rcccived the name Jesus, meaning "Jehovah Is hlvntion." But he has other names, prophetic
names that outline his key mle and his elevated position.

to

21. What dms Isatah's prophecy indicate as to the future of warfare?

22. Whdt r~ir~ltiplc
prol,herlc name Ir Jmuq given in the book of 1%
Inh?

130

Isainh's Prophecy-Light for All Mankind I

One such name is I ~ a n u e lmeaning

,
"With Us Is God."
(Isaiah 214, footnote) Isaiah now describes another pmphetic name: "Therehas been a child born to us, there has
been a son given to us; and the princely rule will come to
be upon his shoulder. And his name will he called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace."
(Isaiah 9:6) Consider the rich meaning of t h s multiple
prophetic name.
23 A counselor is one who gves counsel, or advice. When
on earth Jesus Christ provided wonderfuI counsel. In the
Bible we read that "crowds were astounded at hs way
of teaching." (Matthew 228) He is a wise and empathetic Counselor, with an extraordinary understanding of human nature. His counsel is not restrided to reprimands or
chastisement. More often, it is in the form of instruction
and loving advice. JesusJ counsel is wonderful because
it is always wise, perfect, and infallible. When followed, it
leads to everlasting life.-John 658.
24 Jesus' counseI is not simply the product of his brilliant mind. Rather, he says: "What I teach is not mine,
but belongs to him that sent me." (John7: 16) As was the
case with Solomon, Jehovah God is the Source of Jesus'
wisdom. (1 Kings 37-14; Matthew 12342) Jesus' exampIe
should motivate teachers and counseIors in the Christian
congregation always to base their instruction on God's
Word.-Proverbs 21:30.

"Mighty God" and "Eternal Father"

25 Jesus is also "Mighty God" and "Eternal Father." This
does not mean that he usurps the authority and position
23, 24. (a) In what way is Jesus a "Wonderful Counselor"? (b) H o w
can Christian counselors today irnltate Jesus' example?
25. What does the name "Mighty God" tell us about thc heavenly

Jesus?

The Promise of a Prince of Peace

131.

of Jehovah, who is 'God our Father." (2 Corinthians 1:2)

"He lJesusj . . . gave no consideration to a seizure, nameIy, that he should be equal to God." (Philippians 2:h)
He is caIled Mighty God; not Almighty God. Jesus never
thought of himself as God ALmighty, for he spoke of his
Father as "the only true God," that is, the only God who
should be worshiped. (John 173; Revelation 4:ll) In the
Scriptures, the word "god" can mean "mighty one" or
"strang one." (Exodus 12:12; Psalm 8:s;2 Corinthians 4:4)
Before Jesus came to earth, he was "a god," "existing in
God's form."After hs resurrection, he returned to an even
higher position in the heavens. (John 1:l;Phjlippians 2:
6-11) Further, the designation "god" carries an additional implication. Judges in Israel were called "godsn-once
by Jesus himself. (Psalm 826; John 10:35) Jesus is Jehovah's appointed Judge, "destined to judge the living and
the dead." (2 Timothy 4:1; John 530) Clearly, he is well
named Mighty God.
26 The title "Eternal Father" refers to the Messianic King's
power and authority to give humans the prospect of eternal life on earth. (John 11:25, 26) The legacy of our firrt
parent, Adam, was death. Jesus, the last Adam, "became
a life-gwing spirit." (1 Corinthians 15:22, 45; Romans 5:
12, 18) Just as Jesus, the Eternal Father, will live forever,
so obedient mankind will enjoy the benefits of his fatherhood eternally.-Romans 6:9.

"Prince of Peace"
27 Besides everlasting life, man also needs peace, both
with God and with his fellowman. Even today, those
26. Why can Jesus be called "Eternal Father"?
27, 28. What wonderful benefits come both now and in the future
to subjects of the "Pr~nceof Peace"?

132

Isninh!~Prp/~~r+y-L/,~!rt
Ihr A l l Mrrnklr~rlI
-

subjecting themelm to the ruIe uf the "Prlncc af Peace"

have 'beaten their swords into plowshares and their spears
into pruning shears.' (Isaiah 2:24)They do not nune hatrcds because of political, territorial, racial, or economIc differences. They are united in the worship of the one

true God, Jehovah?and they work to maintain peacetill relations, with their neighbors, both inside and outside the
conpegation.-Galatians 6:lU; Ephesians 412, 3; 2 Tim*
thy 224.
28 In God's due time, Christ will establish on carth a
peace that will be global, firmly estahlishetl, permanent,
(Acts 1:7) "To rjte abundance of She princely rule and to
peace them wilt be no end, upon the throne of David and
upon his kingdom in order to esroblish it firmly and to sustain it by means of justice and by means of righteousness,
from now on and to time indefinite." (Isaiah 9:70) In exercising his authority as the Prillcc of Pcacc, Jcsus will not rcrsort to tyrannical means, His subjccts will nut br stripped
of rhefr free will and subjugated by force. Ilathcr, all that
he will accomplish will bc "by means of justlcc and by
means of righteousness." What a rcfrcshln~change!
29 ln view of the wonderful ImpticatIons of Jcsus' prophetic name, tsaiah's conclusion to this part of his prophecy is truly thrilling. H e writ-: 'The veryxmlof~ehovuh
of
armies will do this." (Isaiah P:7b) Ycr, J c h m h acts wlth
zeal. Ile does nothing in a halfhcarteri way. Wc can be
sure that whatever he promises, he will fi~llyaccomplish,
Il' anyone, then, longs to enloy werlastlng peace, let him
serve Jehovah wholehearteclIy. Like Jehnvah God and Jcsus, the Prince of Peace, may all servants uf God be "zcalnus for fine works."-Titus 2:14.

29. What should wc do if

I rtk pace7

WT

wish tu entoy the blesslng nl werlast-

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Woe to,the Rebels!

W E N Jehovah's c m n n n t people were divided Into two

kingdoms, the nart helm ten-tribe kingdom came under
the rulership of Jeroboam. The new klng was an able, energetic ruler. Rut he lacked real falth In Jehovah, Because
of this he made a krtlMe error that bli~hrcdthe whole
history of the northern kingdom. Undcr the Mosaic Law,
the Israelites;were cornnanrlrrl to t m l three times a year
up to the temple in Jerusalem, which was now in the
southern kingdom of Jt~clah.(1)euteronorny 16:16) Afraid
that such regular journeys would make his subjects think
about reunification wlth their southern brnthers, Jeroboam "made two golden calves and said to the pcaple: 'It is
too much for you to go up .loJerusalem. Here is your God,
0 Israel, that brought you up out of the land of Egypt.'
Then he placed the one in Brthcl, and the other he put in
Dm"-l Kings 12:28,29.
2 In the short term, Jcroboam's plan seemed to work.
The people gradually Icft off goin# to Jerusalemand tmk
up worshjping beforc thc ti40 calws. ( 1 Wngs I2:SCF) However, this apostate rellglous practice corrupted the tentribe kingdom. In later years, even jehu, who had shown
such commendable r.eal ln clearing Dan1worshlp out of Israel, continued to bow down to thc golden calves, (2Kings
10:28, 29) What else rcsulted from Jerobuam'h tragically
I. #at terrlblc error dirt Icmt~mmmake?
2, 3. W a t e f f e d ~did Jernlmm'%trrcjr have on IiracE?

134

Isaiah's Prophecy-Light for All Mankind I

wrong decision? Political instability and suffering for the

people.
3 Because Jeroboam had become apostate, Jehovah said
that his seed would not reign over the land, and in the
end the northern kingdom would suffer a terrible disaster, (1 Nngs 14:14,15) Jehovah's word proved true. Seven
of Israel's kings ruled for two years or Iess-some for only
a few days. One king committed suicide, and six were assassinated by ambitious men who usurped the throne. Especially after t h e reign of Jeroboam 11, which ended
about 804 B.C.E. whiIe Uzziah was reigning in Judah, Israel was plagued with unrest, violence, and assassinations,
It is against this backdrop that Jehovah through Isaiah
sends a direct warning, or "word," to the northern kingdom. 'There was a word that Iehovah sent against Jacob,
and it fell upon Israel."-lsaioh 9:8.*

Haughtiness and Insolence Earn God" Wrath

"word" will not be ignored. 'mepeople will
certainly know it, even all of them, Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, because of their haughtiness and because of their insolence of heart" (Isaiah 9:9)"Jacob," "Israel," "Ephraim," and "Samaria" all refer to the northern
Iungdom of Israel, of which Ephraim is the predominant
tribe and Samaria the capital. Jehovah's word against that
kingdom is a shong judicial statement, for Ephraim has
4 Jehovah's

* Isaiah 98-10:4 is made up of four strophes (sections of a rhythmic

Woe to thp Rebels!

135

become hardened in apostasy and is brazenly insolent toward Jehovah. God will not protect the people from the
consequences of their wicked ways. They will be forced to
hear, or pay attention to, God's word.-Galatians 6:7.
5 As conditions deteriorate, the people experience severe
losses, including their homes-commonly made of mud
bricks and inexpensive wood. Are their hearts softened as
a result? Wdl they heed Jehovah's prophets and return
to the bxe God?" Isaiah records the people's insolent response: "Bricks are what have fallen, but with hewn stone
we shall build. Sycamore trees are what have been cut
down, but with cedan we shall make replacement " (haiah 9: 10) The Israelites defy Jehovah and spurn his prophets, who tell them why they are suffering such hardships.
In effect, the people say: 'We may lose houses made of perishable mud bricks and inexpensive wood, hut we will do
more than make good for these losses by rebuilding with
superior materials-hewn stone and cedar!' (CompareJob
4:19.) They leaveJehovah no choice but to discipline them
furthet-Compare Isaiah 48:22.
6 Isaiah continues: "Jehovahwill set headversaries of Rezin on high against him." (Isaiah 9: 7 Ja) King Pekah of IsraeI and King Rezin of Syria are allies. They are scheming
to conquer the two-tribe kingdom of Judah and to place
on Jehovah's throne in Jerusalem a puppet king-a certain
"son of Tabeel." (Isaiah 7:6)But the conspiracy is doomed.
-

"Jehovah's prophets to the northern kingdom of Israel include Jehu

(not the king), Eliiah, blicaiah, Elisha, Jonah, Oded, Hosea, Amos,

passage), each ending with the ominous refrain: "In view of all this
his anger has not turned back, but his hand is sketched out still." (Isaiah 9:12,17, 21; 10:4) This literary device h a the effect of binding Isaiah 9%-10:4 into one composite "word."(Isaiah 9%)Note, too, that
Jehovah's "hand is stretched out still,"not to offer recondliation, but
to judge.-Isaiah 9:13.

5. How do the Israelites show themselves unaffemd by Jehovah's

a d s of lodgment?
6 . How does Jehovah undermine the Syro-Israelite scheme against

4. What "word"does Jehovah send against Israel, and why?

Judah?

and Micah

136

Isainit's I'roplvrc}~-Li,fI~t/iur All Mrrnkind I

Reztn has powerful enemies, and Jehovah wlll '.xt un

h l ~ lthese
~ ' enemies against "him,"Israel. The term 'seton
hlxh' means to allow them to wage effcaive warfare that
will bring about the destruction clE thc alliance and its ob-

jectlws,
7 The dlssolvjng of thls alllance beglnr when Aqsyria attacks Syria. 'The king of Arsyria went up to L~nrnascwsithe
capital of Syria] and captured it and Icd its puple into exilc at Kir, and Re& he put to dmth." (2 K i n ~ s16:9) Having Iwt his puwerfuI ally, Pekah finds that I ~ l rdesigns on
Judahare thwarted rn fact, rliortly after Rexln" death, Pek a l ~himself Is assassinated by Hnshen, wlzo thereafter
uFurps the throne of Samaria,-2 Kings 1523-25,30.
8 Syria, Israel's former ally, is now a v3ssal of Assyrja, the
dominant power in the region. Isaiah prophesies a b u t
how Jehovah will use this new political alignment: '7k
enemies of that one [Isme!] he [ jehovah] will goad on,
Syria from the east and the Philistines [ram behind, and
they will eat up Israel with open mouth. in view of oil this
his anger has not turned bock, but his hand is stretched out
still,," (Isaiah 9:19b, 12) Yes, Syrb ir now Ismel's enemy,
and Israel must prepare for attack from Aqyria nrrd Syria.
'I'he invasion succeeds. Assyria makes the usurper Hoshea
his servant, exacting a hefty tributc. (A fcw decades earlier,
Assyria received a large sum from Klng Menahem of Israel,) How true the prophet Hosea's PY~KIS:
"Strangers have
eaten up his [Ephraim's] power"!-I-lasea 79;2 Kings 15:

passes, the Hebrews indicated direction from the viewpnint of a person facing the sunridng. 'Thus, "the cast"
W ~ thc
F b n t , white the west, the coastal home of the PhiIlstincs, was "hehlnd." The "Israel"mcntlonerl a l Isaiah 9:
12 may Include Judah in this instance hccause the Philistines Invaded Judah during the reign of Pcknh's conjrcrnp m r y , Aha%,capturing and om~pying
a rnrrnber of Judean cities n11d slrongholds. Likc liphraim ro t11c north,
Judah cleserv~this discipline fmm Jel~nvah,for she ton is
slddlert wl th apostasyr2 Chronicles 28:1-4, 18, 19,

From 'Head to Tail1-A Nation of Rebels

9 Dws not Isaiah also say that the Philistlns will invade
"from behind"? Yes. Prior to the days of magnetic com-

In 111 spltc of all I t s suffering-and desplt~the strong pronounccments of Jehovah's prophets-the northern kingdam persists in rebellion against Jehovah. 'The people
themselves h m mt returned to the One striking them,
and jehovah of armies they hove not sought"(Isaiah9:13)
Consequently, the prophet says: 'Yehovuh will cut off from
Ismel head and tail, shoot and rush, In one doy. The aged
and high/y rerespected one b the head, and the prophet giving Idse Instru&'on is the tailI And those who ore lmding
this people on prove to be the ones causing them to wander; and those of them who am being led on, the ones who
are being confused."-Isaiah 9:14- 16,
11 'I'he "head" and the "shoat" represent "the aged and
highly respected oneu-the leaders nf the nation. The
"tall" and the "tush" refer to false prophets who utter
wods pleasing to their leaders. A Bitlle scholar writer:
"The false Prophets are called the tail, because they
wrc morally the basest ofthe people, and because they

7, R. Pnr Israel, what is the result of hsyria's conrlucst uf Syria?

9 , Why can we say that the Phlllatlnes attack "l'rom t~elilnd"?

10, 11. Whnt punishment wflI Jehovah brlng against Israel because
of their persistent rebellion?

19, 20; 171-3.

Woe ta thr Rebels!

were the g$rvlte adherents and mprters of w i c W rub

IXL" b b o r W.J.
Yxmg says of these fahe pmph
ets:UNa l d e ~ ~ mthey
r e brat, folkwing where the ladm
led, they simply ~ a t k n and
d famed, a wagging tail on a
dog."-G3mp~ 2 TlmOthy 43.

Even Widows and

Fatherless Boys' Are Rebels
12Jehovahis the Champion of widows and fatMess
bogs. W w 2E22,W)
Yet, hear what Is&
now says:
" ~ w i B m t ~ k e e m o w r W r p u n gcmd
mI
upon~~~andrrponth&wldomhewlll
~nome~~usealloftk
mapshim
em
and&&
d m and e w y m&
Js s p h g mwkmas. In vJew
of all this hk m p h nM turned back, but hk hand
ir s
&
r
e
W
orrE sM,"@oak kl7)
has mrr~pted all 1ewL of sod*> indud@ the widows and fatherless
bop! j&mh patmtly sends kb pmpheq hoping that
the people:W change their ways. For example, "Da come
back, Q brad, ta Jehovah your God, 6M. you have stumbled in your e ~ m ~pleads
, " H w a . (Hosea 14:l) How it
must pain the Chmrpion o f w f d m and fatheries bop to
j-ent
agdm even them!
have to
13 Lfke Isaiah, we a& l m g Ixl dtics] times prior tr,Jeh*
vah's day of judgment a
m &e wicked. (2 nmothy 3:
1-51 How impoztant, then, that true CMstians, regardless
of their situation in life, remain spiritually, morally, and
maWydan in ordw to rettljn W ' s &or. k
t each one
jealwsly guard hk reMmbip with Jehuuah. k
t none
W h Q k e s m p e d h r n "Eiabylmthe GRaYmeragdn
''share With h a in her s i t ~ . * - ~18:2,4.
W
How d8ep info b r ~ s m i e b
yu
s
t cmqtlon penetrarctl7
13. What cnn m km ham the s i M l o n in W ' r day?
12.

Faf se Waxship Breeds Violence

14 Forlse worship Is, in effect, the worship of &mom.

(1 Codnthhm 1020) As demonstratedbefore the F l d J

demon Influence leads m violence. ( G a d 6:1l,12)It is

no surprise, then, that when hael tuns apostate and beans worshiping the demons, violence and
iiIl
the land.-DMwonorny 32:17; Psalm 106:3538.
d a d b the spread of
15 In vMd word p l m ,
wkkdnea and violence In Israel: W n e s s hm be-

mrneatlomejurtll&eamthombt~hesand~&~
Itwili
eat up. A d It wlll mtch flm In the M&is of the h?sC
and thq will bs borne aM as the billbwing of snwke. in
14, 15, (a) What mults from demonworship? (b) W h pqhesre~
that Imel will experlenw what ongoing sufferlag?

Wlckedniss and violence sweep thmugh I m e l

Ilks a Ibwt #re

rhe fury of j-h

of mmia w Imd has k n s@tafim,
and f h k p y k w i l f k o m e a r W b r thefke. No one
dl1l w compmsbn even on his brother. And one WIN cut
down on the right and will camink be hungry; and one
Msrrton &el&, undtheyM~~in&notbewtlsfled.
Thqrwfll&mmfthefleslrofhkormm,M~
Ephmim, and @raim km&.
Together t h q d l 1 be
againstludoh. In view of ail this h& orup h a not tomed
but ~s hand is
art rtia.u--i~ai~h
9: 1&27.
16 Uke a flame that spreads from thornbush to thornbush, vtolace m m out of mntrol and quickly mches "the Wckets of the fur&,* aeattng a full-blown forest
frre of violence,Wle commenmtrln Kell and Deli*h d*
scribe the level d vblence as be@ "the most Inhuman
seifdestntctionduring ana m c h i d dvfl war. Mtltute of
any tender ernotEom, they & o u d one another without
being satisfied" Likely, the t t l k of Ephraim arid Mmasseh are singled out here h a u s e they are the main repres
m
of the northern Wgdom and, as descendants
of JosepklsWO
t k y are the M O d~ ~ ~ erelated
l y of
the +Elltrfhs. Despite w, m a rthey Intwrupt their
f#Mddal Wlma only when they war e n s t Judah to
the south.-2 Qm,nides ml-&,

Caxrupt Judges Meet Their Judge

17Jehmah next focuses hb judicial eye on tsrael's mrupt judges and other offichh.
abuse their paww
by plundering the lowly and a c t e d ones who come to
16. How m the words of Idah 9:18-21hr1611ed7
17, 18. What mrmption exists In hael's legal and

s7-

Ishovah dl1 hold

m account those who prey on others

1
142

Isaiah's Prophecy-Ligh t for All Mankind I

them seeking justice. Isaiah says: "Woe to those who are

enacting harmful regulations and those who, constantry
writing, have written out sheer trouble, in order to push
away the lowly ones from a legal case and to wrest away
justice from the afflic&dones of my people, for the widows
to become their spoil, and thot they may plunder even the
fatherless boys !"-Isaiah 70: 1,2.
1s Jehovah's Law forbids all forms of injustice: "You people must not do injustice in the judgment. You must not
treat the lowly with partiality, and you must not prefer
the person of a great one." (Leviticus 1915) Disregarding
that Iaw, these officials draw up their own "harmful regulations" so as to legitimize what amounts to outright theft
of the cruelest kind-taking the scanty possessions of widows and fatherless boys. Israel's false gods are, of course,
blind to this injustice, but Jehovah is not. Through Isaiah,
Jehovah now focuses hs attention on these wicked judges.
19 "What will you men do at the day of being given attention and at the ruin, when it comes from far away? Toward whom will you flee for assistance, and where will you
leave your glory, except it be thot one must bow down under the prisoners ond that people keep falling under those
who have been killed?" (Isaiah 70:3,4a) The widows and
fatherless boys have no honest judges to whom to appeal.
How appropriate, then, that Jehovah now asks those corrupt Israelite judges whom they will turn to now that Jehovah is holding them to account. Yes, they are about to
learn that "it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the
living God."-Hebrews 10:31.
20 The "glory" of these wicked judges-the worldly prestige, honor, and power that come with their wealth and

19, 20. How will the situation of the corrupt Israelite judges be
changed, and what will happen to their "glory"?

Woc to

I
I

I
I

t71c Rebels!

position-will be short-lived. Some will become prisoners

of war, 'bowing down,' or crouching, among other prisoners, while the rest will be slain, their corpses covered with
the war dead. Their "glory" also includes ill-gotten riches,
which will be plundered by the enemy.
21 Isaiah concludes this final strophe with a grim warning: "In view of all this [all the woe that the nation has so
far suffered] his anger has not turned bock, but his hand is
stretched out still.'' (Isaiah 10:46) Yes, Jehovah has more
to say to Israel. Jehovah's outrtretched hand will not be
drawn back untd he delivers a final, devastating blow to
the rebellious northern kingdom.
Never Fall Prey to Falsehood and Self-Interest
22 Jehovah's word through Isaiah fell heavily upon Israel and a d not return to him without results.' (Isaiah
55:10, 11) History records the tragic end of the northern
kingdom of Israel, and we can only imagine the suffering that its inhabitants had to endure. Just as surely, God's
word will be fulfilled on the present system of things, especially on apostate Christendom. How important, then,
that Christians give no ear to lying, anti-God propagandal Thanks to God's Word, Satan's clwer strategies have
iong been exposed, so that we nerd not be overreached
by them as were the people of ancient Israel. (2 Corinthians 2:11) May all of us never cease to worship Jehovah
"with spirit and truth." (John 424) In that case, his outstretched hand will not strike his worshipers as it did rebellious Ephraim; his arms will warmly embrace them, and
he will help them along the road to everlasting life on a
paradise earth.-James 4:8.
21. In view of the punishments that Israel has
-

received, ha%Jehovah's anger against them ceased?

22. What lesson can we learn from what happened to Israel?

CHAPTER TWELVE

Do Not B e Afraid
of the Assyrian

IN THE middle of the ninth century B.C.E., the Flebm

prophet Jonah, son of Arnittaj, ventured into Ninw~h,
the capital of the Assyrian Empire. He had a weighty message to deliver. Jehavah had told him: "Get up, go to Nineveh the great cityI and proclaim against her that their barfness has come up before me."-Jonah 1:2,3,
2 When he first received his commission, Jonah ran off
in the opposite direction, toward Tanhish. From a human
standpoint, Jonah had reason to be reluctant. ' f i e Assyrlans were a n u e l people. Notice how one Assyrian monarch dealt with his enemies: "I cut off the limbs of the officers , . . Many captives from among them I burner1 with
fire, and many I took as living captives. From some I cut
off their hands and theit fingers, and from others I cut
off their noses."Still, when Jonah finally delivered Jehcwh's message, the Nirrwites repented of their sins and
Jehovah spared the city at that time.-Jonah 33-10;Matthew 1.241.

Jehovah Takes Up "the Rod"

3 Do the Israelites, to whom Jonah also preach~l,re1, 2. (a) Fmm a human standpoint, xvhy did Jonah sccm to haw
good mson to be reluctant to accept his comrnlwinn lo prenrli to
the Assyrians? @) How did the NinevlZes read to Junahl rnctrnge?
3. How dws the reaction of the Israelites to the warninp clrlivr~rrrl
@Jehovah's prophets differ from that of the Ninevitcr?

spend'? (2 Klngs 14:25) No, They turn their backs on pure

worship. Indecd, they go so far as "to how down to all the
army of the heavens and to serve Baal." What is more,
"they contlni~erlto maketheir sons and their daughters
pass through the firc and to practice divination ancl to
I w k for omens, and they kept selling themselves to do
what was hnrl In the cycs of Jehovah, to offend him."
(2 Wngs 1 7 16, 17) Unlike the Ninevites, Israel does not re
spond when Jchovahsends prophets to warn them. So Jehovah determines to take stron~ermeasures.
4 Tar some time after Janah's visit to Ninewh, there is
a decline In Assyrian aggression.' However, at the beannlng of the eighth century B.C,E., A q ~ i areasserts itself
as a military power, and Jchovah uses it in an astonishIng way, The prophet Isaiah conveys a warning from Jehovah to the northern kingdom of Israel: "Aha, thehyrian,
the rod for my anger, and the stick &at Is in their hand for
my denunciation! Against an apostate nation E l~hallsend
him, and against the people of my fury I shall issue a command to him, to toke much spoil and to take much plunder and to make it cr trampling place like the clay of the
strwtr,"-lsaiah 705, 6.
5 What a humiliation for the Israelites1 God uses a pagan natlon-"the Assyrian"-as a "rod" to punish them.
In 742 R.C.E,, Assyrian King Shalmaneser V Iays siege to
Sarnarla, capital of the apostate nation of Israet. From its
strategic localion on a hilt some 300 feet high, Smaria
warrls off thc enemy for almost zhm years. But no human strategy can black Gocl's purpose. In 740 B.CE, Samaria falls, trampled under Assyrian feet.-2 Kings 1S:lQ.
~ c / ci ~ ~ i . @
O N~ the
t Scrlpn~m,Volume 1, page 203.
4, 5. (a1 What Is rncnnt by "the Arqrlan,"

and how will Jehovah

w e h l i i ~aq a "rod"? (h) Whcn does Samarla fall5

Ikuiah-3 mphrcy-L&ht

pr All Mankind I

6 Although w d by Jehovaht~ teach his people a lesson,

the Assyrians themdm do not reco@ix Jehwah.That
is why he g c e on to say: %ugh [WAsphn]may not
be that ~lyty, he Mi W inclined; though hls heart m y
not h that wa;y, he willsdwme, k a u s e to a n n i W Is In
h&hmtt and to cut offnations not a lkw." (lsalah 109)

Jehov& meaaz; the Asspian to be an InsWment in the

dlvlne hand. But t h +tan
~
feels indhed to be some
Wng eise. His heat urges h h to scheme for somethhy
gmder-mnquest of the thm-knownworld1
7 Many of the nofiIsmUe dtim conquered by the Are
syrian were pmiaudyruledbykhgs.Thm formerklngs
now have to submit to the W n g of Assyrla a 4
prima, so he mtruly baast "h
mrt my prlnccr at the
some h e Mng$Y {Jsaiah fO:8) The false gods of promlnent dues of the nations could not w e thdr w&ipers from d a t r W m . Tke gods worshiped by the inhabitants of $maria, am% as h a l , Molech, and the golden
calves, wlli npt p~0tec-kLh$t dty. Having Eorsakn Jchaa
vah, Samarla has no right to expect him to Intervene, Let
m y today who f o e Jehovahtake notice of Samarh's
fab! T h e k q r h mn w d bast regding Samarla and
the other cities he has 6 0 n q u d #is mt Wno just Me
C m h m b h ?b not Hamcrth just like Arpad? is not amarhjust llke DamamF (Ssaioh 70.9) They are all the same
totheAssyrian-qdforhfmtotak.
aH
,
the Assyrrzuz g m too far In hls boasting.
6. In what way does the Assyrian p be)rond what Jchowh Bs In
mind for him?
kin the ap~&&n *Are oat my prttrcei rrt the same time
king?" I ) Of what sbould those today who forsake Jehovah take
note?
7b

Elg

8, 9. W h y k i t P h a t t h e ~ a n ~ s t o o f a r l v h e n h e K t s h l s s l g b t f
on Jerusalem?

rT-'
that pths#ng the nuttons
'-

muchertb reasms
is ar easy us gathering eggs h m a nest

He says: ' M m r my hand has #ached the klngdams

of fhe v u ~ r r e bgod whose gmwn Images are m m than
those at hr$lst?kmand ot krmurlo, will A not be tkat just
mIshaIIhowdone toScr&
and to herwIu&pds,
e m so I M
i do to jenrsulem and b her kfokl" ( b b h
ItklO, 1I ) The Mngdoms already defeated by the Assyrlan posxsed far more idols than do Jerusalemor wen Samada. What, he masons, 9s to prevent me from doing to
Jerusalmwhat T did ta Sam&?'
9 The braggart!JehovahwU1 not allow him to takeJerusdem. Bue, Judah does not have a spotless record of supparfmg me!w~tship,(2 Kings 16:7-9; 2 Cbronides 28:24)
Jehwah has w m e d that 'because of her unfaithfulne~~
Judah
suffer much during the Assyrian hvasfon. But
Jerusalem will sutvkPe. (Isaiah 1:7, 8) When the Assydan
invasion o m , H a a h Is k h g in Jemsde~.
Hezeldah

148

Irraifilr's Prophecy-Light for A11 Mankind I

Do Not Be Afraid
I

is not like his father, Ahaz. Why, in the very first month of
h reign, Hezekiah reopens the temple doors and restores
pure worship!-2 Chronicles 29:3-5.

1
I

10 So Assyria's proposed attack on Jerusalem does not

have Jehovah's approval. Jehovahpmmises an accounting with that insolent world power: " I t must occur that
when lehovoh terminates all his work in Mount Zion and
in jerusulem, I shall make an accounting for the fruitage
o f the insolence of the hearr o f the king ofAssyria and for
the self-importanceof his loftiness of eyes."-Isaiah 70: 12.

On to Judah and Jerusalem!

11 Eight years after the northern hngdom fell in
740 B.C.E., a new Assyrian monarch, Sennacherib,marches against Jerusalem. Isaiah poetically describes Sennacherib's prideful plan: "I shall remove the boundaries ofpeoples, and their things stored up I shall certainly pillage,
und I shall bring down the inhabitantsjust like a powerful
one. And just as if a nest, my hand will reach the resources
of the peoples; and just as when one gathers eggs that
have been left+I myself will gather up even ail the earth,
and there will certainly be no one fluttering his wings or
opening his mouth or chirping." (Isaiah 70:13, 74) Sennacherib reasons that other cities have fallen and Samaria
is no more, so Jerusalem will be easy prey! The city might
put up a halfhearted light, hut with hardly a chirp, its inhabitants will be quickly subdued, their resources plucked
up like eggs from an abandoned nest.
12 However, Sennacherib is forgetting something. Apos10. What does Jehovah promise regarding the Assyrian?
11. Why does the Assyrian think that Jerusalem will be easy prey?
12. What does Jehovah show to be the right way to view things with
regard to the Assyr~an'sboasts?

I
I

of the Assyrian

149

tate Samaria deserved the punishment that it received.

Under King Hereluah, however,Jerusalemhas once again
become a bastion of pure worshp, Anyone wanting to
touch Jerusalem will ha+ Jehovah to reckon with! Inhgnantly, Isaiah rtrks: "Will the ax enhance itrelf owr the
one chopping with it, or the saw magnify itself over the
one moving it bock and forth, or though the stoff moved
back and forth the ones raising it on high, as though the
rod raised on high the one who is not woad?" (Isaiah 10:
15) The Assyrian Empire is a mere tool inJehovahPshand,
much as an ax, a saw, a staff' or a md might he used by
a woodsman, a sawyer, or a shepherd. HOWdare the rod
now magnify itself over the one who uses it !
13 What will happen to t h e Assyrian? "The true h r d , lehovah o f armies, will keep sending upon his fat ones a
wasting disease, and under his glory a burning will keep
burning away like the burning of a fire. And Israel's tight
must become a fire, and his Holy One a flume; and it must
blaze up and eat up his weeds and his thornbushes En one
day. And the glory o f his forest and of his orchard He will
bring to an end, wen from the soul clear to the flesh, and
it. must become like the melting away o f one thaf is ailing. And the rest o f the Veer ofhis forest-they will become
such a number that a mere boy will be uble to write them
down." (Isaiah 10:16- 19) Yes, Jehovah will whittle that
Assyrian "rod" down to size! The "fat ones" of the Assyrian's army, his stout soldiers, will be struck with "a warting disease." They will not look so strong! Like so many
weeds and thornbushes, his ground troops will be burned
by the Light of Israel, Jehovah God. And "the glory of hs
--

13. Identify and tell what happens to (a) the "fat ones." (b) 'the
weeds and thornbushes.' (c) "the glory of h ~ forest."
s

IS0

Isaiah's Prophecy-Llght for All Mnnklnd I

forest,"his military officers, will come to thelr end, After

Jehovah finishes with the Assyrian, so few officers will remain that a mere boy wilI be abIe to number them on hls
h e ! - S e e also lsoiah 70:33,34.
14 StiU, the Jews living in Jerusalem In 732 D.C.E.must
6nd It hard to believe that the Assyrian will be defeated.
The vast k y r i a n a r m y is advancing relentlessly. Listen to
the list of cities in Judah that have fallen: "He has come
upon Aiath . ..Migron
Mickmash. Geba Ramah
. Gibeoh of Soul. . Gallim .. . hishah. . . Anafhoth
.. .Madmenoh ...Cebim Nob." (lsoiuh 10:28-32~)'
Finally the invaders reach Lachish, just 30 miles from Jerwsalem. Soon a large &@an
army is threatening the clty.
"He waves his hand ~thmminglyat the mountoin of the
daughter of Zion, the hill of )erusulem." (Isaiah 10:32b)
What can stop the Assyrian?

..

. ..

..

. ..

. ..

15 In his palace in the dty,King Hezekiah grows anxlous.

Ile rips his garments apart and covers himself wlth sackcloth. (Isaiah 37: 1)He sends men to the pmphet Isaiah to
inquire of Jehovah on Judah's behalf. They soon return
with Jehovah's answer: *Do not be afraid , I shall certainly defend this city." (Isaiah 3?6,35)StiII, the Assyrians
are menacing and supremely confident.
16 Faith-that is what wiiE carry King HezeMah through
this crisis, Faith is "the evident demonstration of realities though not beheld." (Hebrws 11:1) It involves look-

..

" For clarity, isaiah 1028-32i s discuss4 bchm Isaiah 10:20-27.

14. Desaibe the

progms of the hyrian on the soil of Judah by

732 3.C.E.
15, 16. (a) Why does King Hezeklah w c d strong falt h? (b)What hasis is there for Hezekiah's faith that Jehovah will come to his aid?

Ing beyond the obvlour. Rut faith is based on knowledge.

Hereklah Hkely remembers that ahead of time Jehovah
spvkc these comfottlng wads: "Do not be afraid, 0 my
people who arp dwelling in Zion, bemuse of the Assyrian . . . For yet a very littk while--and the denuncidion
wit/ hove come to an end, and my anger, in their wearing away. And jehovah of armies wilf cerfuinly brandish
against him a whip as at the defeot of Midian by the sock
Oreb; and his staff will be upon the sea, and he will certainly I l f it up In the way that he did with Egypt" (lsoioh 10:24-26)" Ycs, God's people have heen in difficult
situations before. Nezekiah's ancestors seemed hopelessly
owtc1asr;ed by thc Emtian army at the Red Sea. His forefather Gideon faced staggering odds when Midian and
Amalck Invaded Isl-ael. Yet, Jeehwah delivemd his people
on thosc WO~cca~l~n~.--EXodus
14:7-9, 13,28; Judges 6:
3.1; 7:21, 22.
17 Wlll Jehovah do agaln what he did on those previous
occasions? Ycs. Jehovah promises: "It must occur in that
day that his load will depart from upon your shoulder,
and his yoke from upon your neck, and the yoke will certainly be wrecked because of the oil." (Isaiah 10:27) The
As~yrliinyoke will be llfted from the shoulder and the
neck of God's covenant people. Indeed, the yoke wdl be
"wrcckett"-and wrecked it is! In one night, the angel of
Jehovah kills 185,000 of the As.ryrians. The threat is rernuvt~1,and the Aayrtans leavc the soil of Judah forwer.
(2 Kings 1935, 36) Why? "Recause of the oil."This may
rcfer to the oil used to anoint Hezekiah as king in the line
' Fnr a discu%qltsnuf
Ahcar!," on page 155.

Isaiah 1k20-23,sec: "Isaiah Lmks Further

17. Him*I s the A\syrlan ynke "rvrixkd," and why?

-1
152

Da Not Be Afrnid of the Assyrian

Isaiah's Prophecy-Light for All Mankind I

of David. Thus, Jehovah fulfills his promise: "I shall certainly defend this city to save it for my own sake and for
the sake of David my servant."-2 Kings 19:34.
1%The account of Isaiah discussed in this chapter has to
do with events in Judah more than 2,700 years ago. But
those events have the umost relevance today. (Romans
154) Does this mean that the major players in this thrilling narrative-the inhabitants of Samaria and JerusaIem
as well as the Assyrians-have modernday counterparts?
Yes, it does. Like idolatrous Samaria, Christendom claims
to worshp Jehwah, but she is apostate to the core. In An
Essay on the Development of CJzristiarz Dochine, Roman
Catholic John Henry Cardinal Newman admits that items
Christendom has used for centuries, such as incense, candles, holy water, priestly garb, and images, "are all of pagan origin." Jehovah is no more pleased with Christendom's paganized worship than he was with Samaria's
idolatry.
19 For years, Jehovah's Wilmesses have warned Christendom of Jehovah's displeasure. In 1955, for example, the
public discourse entitled "Christendom or Christianity
-Which One Is 'the Light of the World'?" was delivered
worldwide. The talk graphically explained the way that
Christendom had strayed from genuine Christian doctrine and practice. Thereafter, copies othis powerful lecture were mailed to clergymen in many countries. As an
organization, Christendom has faiIed to heed the warning. She leaves Jehovah with no choice but to discipline
her with a "rod."
-

18. {a) Does Isalah's prophecy have more than one fulfillment? Explain. (b) What organization today is like ancient Samaria?
19. Of what has Christendm been warned, and by whom?

20 Whom will Jehovah use to discipline rebellious Christendom? We find the answer in the 17th chapter of Revelation. There we are introduced to a harlot, "Babylon the
Great," representing all the world's false religions, including Christendom. The harlot is riding a scarlet-colored
wild beast that has seven heads and ten horns. (Revelation 17:3, 5, 7-12) The wild beast represents the United Nations erganization.*Justas the ancient Assyrian destroyed Samaria, the scarlet-colored wild beast "will hate
the harlot and will make her devastated and naked, and
will eat up her fleshy parts and will completely burn her
with fire." (Revelation 1716) Thus the modernday Assyrian (nations associated with the UN) will deal Christendom a mighty blow and will crush her out of existence.
21 Wirl Jehovah's faithful Witnesses perish along with
Babylon the Great? No. God is not displeased with them.
Pure worship will survive. However, the wild beast that
destroys Babylon the Great also casts a greedy eye in the
direction of Jehovah's people. In doing so, the beast carries out, not God's thought, but the thought of someone
else. Who? Satan the Devil.
22 Jehovah exposes Satan's prideful scheme: "It must occur in that day that things will come up into your [Satan's] heart, and you will certainly think up an injurious
scheme; and you must say: 'I shall . ..come in upon those
having no disturbance, dwelling in security, all of them

" Additional information regarding the identity of the harlot and the

scarlet-colored wild beast is f u n d in chapters 34 and 35 of the book

Revelation-Its Grnnd Clirnnx A t Hand!, published by the Watchtower
Bible and Tract Socicv of New York, Inc

20, (a) What will serve as the modem-day Assyrian, and how will it
be used as a rod? {b) To what extent will Christendombe disciplined?
21, 22. Who will motivate the wild beast to attack God's people?

tS4

155

Jsainh:~Proplirc}~-Ll,rlrl for All Man ki11d I

tlweIllng p:without [a proWve] wall . . .' It wlll be to get

a big spoil and to do much plundering." (Fzcklcl 38:10.
72) Satan will reason, Yes, why not Incite thc nations to
attack Jehovah'sWitnesses? They are w l n e r a l ~ l e ,unprotected, wlthour political influence, 'l'hcy wl11 offer no reslstance. I-Iow easy it will be to phck them like eggs from
an unprotnmt!'
23 But watch out, nations! Be advisd that if you much
Jehovah's people, you will have to reckon with God himself I Jehovah loves h people, and he wilt fight for them
lust as surely as he fought fur Jerusalem in the days of
3 Iczeklah. When the modern-day Assyrian tries to annihilate Jehovah's servants, he will really he battling Jehcvah God and the Lamb, Jesus Christ. That Is a battle that
the Assyrian cannat win. "The h m h will rwnquer them,"
thc Rihle says, "because he is Lord of lords and King of
kings." (Revetation 1Z14; compare Matthew 25:40.) Like
the Assyrian of old,the scarlet-colorcd wild beast wlll 'go
off Into destruction.' It will be fcared no more.-Revelatlon 1Z11.
24Tr'rule Christians m n face the future without fear if
they keep their reIationship with Jchovah strong and if
they make the doing of his will their primary concern in
l i f t (Matthew 6:33) Then they need 'Year nothing bad."
(Psalm 23:4) With their eyes of faith, they will scc God's
mighty arm raised high, not to punish them, but to shield
thrm fmm his enemies. And thrrIr eats wlll hear these reanuring words: "Do not be afraid."-Isaiah 10:24.

23. Why rvfII the modem-dayA y t i a n be unabie tn i l w to God's peoplc whnl hc clues to Christendom?
24. (:I) What are true Christians determlnetl to do to prepnrr for
tlic futl1rc7 [h) How does Iralah look furlher s h ~ t ~ d(See
' l I ~ on
x
1)lIKP 15s.)

ISAIAH LOOKS FURTHER AHEAD

Isaiah 1O:ZU-23

The 10th chapter of lraish'focures primarily on the way

that Jehovah will use the Assyrian invasior~to execute
judgment upon Israel and on his promise to defend Jerusalem. Since: verses 20 to 23 are located in the middle
of this prophecy, they can be viewed as having a general fulfillment during the same period. (Compare Isaiah 1:
7-9.) However, the wording indicates that these verses apply more specifically to later periods when Jerusalemtoo
would have to answer for the sins of her Inhabitants.
King Ahar tries to gain securit]r by turning to Assyria
for help. The prophet lsaiah foretells that at a future time,
the survivors of the house of Israel will nwer again pwrsue such a senseless course. lsaia h 10:20says that they will

"support themselves upon Jehovah, the Holy One of lsra-

el, in trueness." Verse 21 shows, however, that only a small

number wlll do so: "A mere remnant wlll return." This reminds us of Isaiah's son Shear-jashub, who is a sign in Israel and whose name means "A Mere Remnant Will Re
turn." (Isaiah 7:3) Verse 22 of chapter 10 warns of a corning
"extermination" that has been decided on. Such an extetminatlon will be righteous because it is a just punishment
on a rebellious people. As a result, from a thickly populated nation that is "like the grains of sand of the sera," only a
remnant will return. Verse 23 warns that this coming extermination will affect the whole land. jerusalem will not be
spared this time.

These verses well describe what happened in 607 B.C.E.

when Jehovah used the Babylonian Empire as his "rod."
The whale land, including Jerusalem, fell to the invader.

The
were t a b captive to Bnbylon for 70 yean, M&r thaq h u g h , smn-n
If only #a mere reremnanv-re;
turned to m ~ b l i s t
hm w h i p In Jerusalem.
The p p h q +t,Irnl~hf @ a 2 3had a further fulfllhmt
In the first em%as sirown at bmans 9:27,2&. Cam( ~ a Isaiah
p
1:9; Ramairs Pa.)PaJ explains th~t
In a a p ~
tual sense#a "mmnanY ofJw
'Wrned* to jehovah in the
flrst cenkrry CE, iinasmudh as a small number d faitMu1
jw b e m e f o l b of b
us Chrlst and began worship
Ing IdwA *With qMtand'truth*' (john 424) These m,
totter j o l d by k1leuing emtile, rnaktng u p s spiriual
natkm* "the Is&
d Ed.' (Galatians &16) On th0 waston the words OT Isaiah 1020 were
fuMlled: 'Nmr again* did a nation
dediwted l e h d turn away kom
hlrn to human souws for suppoR ,

Salvation and Rejoicing

Under the Messiah's Reign
Isaiah 11:I-12:6

IN THE days of Isaiah, the spiritual condition of God's

covenant pople was bad. Even under the rule of fafthful kings, such as Uzdah and Jotham, many of the people worshiped at. the high places. (2 Kings IS:1-4,34, 35;
2 Chronicles 26:1,4) When HezeWah became king, he
had to remove the appendages of Baal worship from the
land. (2 Chronicles 31:l) No wonder that Jehovah urged
hls people to return to him and warned of disclphe to

come!
2 Still, not all were out-and-out rebels. Jehovah had
faithful prophets, and Likely there were some Jews who
listened to them.Jehovah had comforting words for thest!
ones. After desuiblng the terrible depredations that Judah would experience during the Assyrian Invasion, the
prophet Isaiah was inspired to pen one of the most beautiful passages h the whole Bible, a descrlptlan of the blessIngs ta come under the reign of the Messiah,* Some aspects of these blessings turned out to have a small-scale
7

' 'Messiah" ts derived torn the H e b m word tnu.dd'ach, mmeanlng

"AnointedOne."The Greek equivalentis KhK-star, ar "ChrlstU-Matthew 2:4, footnote.

1. hscribe the spirltud d i t i u n of GodP covenant people In the

day# of Isai~h,
2, 3. What encouragement does Jehovah supply for those who desire to servc him despite widerpwad unfdthfulnc~s?

Salwklon and &1olcf11gUnder the Meisi~h'sRelgn

futhllmentwhen the Jmteturned from q t i v i I~

nEabylon. But the propas a whole has a major fdhllmerrt
today.Tnre, IsabhandutherMthfulJewsofhisthnecHd
not I
k to see thew blesiqp. But they looked forward to
them fn hi& and will see a fulfillment of isafh's words
a h the wsurrWim.-Iiebm 11:36
3 Jehovah's modanday people a h need enrjamgemmt. Rapidly
moral Wues in the wodd, vldous
a-n
to the -rn
=sage, and personal weaknesses &allall of thmn Idah's wonderful P\lylTdS
abouttheMessl&andhisrdgn mstrengthenandhe@
M J s pmpIr*ta meet these chalmga,

Messiah-A Capable Leader

4 Centuries k f o Esaiah's
~
b e , other Hebrew Bible mlters pointed Do a
h
te amhg of the Mwiah, the true M e r ,
whom Jehovah would spnd to Israel, (Genesis 49:1@ Dmternnomy 1&18; P s ~ h11&22, 26)Now through Isafah,
Jshsvahadds further W s . h h h wrlbes: m
e
mmust $0
b t h a twfgoutoftheSacmp o f l m ; o n d outofhhmofs
a sprout wHI k WflhI." (Isaiah 11:1; cornPsatrn 132:
11.) "Twjg" and "qmmt* bath Indkate that the Messiah
wIl! be the desceprdmtofJessethrough his son David, who
was andntd with oils king of Israel. (1 Samuel 16:13;
Jeremi& 23:s;Redation 22%) When the me M e s M
arrim, this "spraut; horn the house of David, k to produce good Crult.
S The promised Messiah is Jesus. The gospel wrlW Matthew alluded ua the words of Isaiah 11:l when he said that
Jesus' being called "a Nazmme' fulfilled the words of the
prophets. kause he was brought up In the t w n of Nam
Wh, Jesuswas called a Namne, a name apparently ~ b t ed to the Hebrew ward used In Isaiah 11:1 for 'fspmut''*
-Matthew 223, M o t e ; W e 2:39,40.
6 What klnd of ruler dthe Messiah be?Wlll he be like
the cruel, self-willed A s y r b who destroys the ten-northern kingdom of Ismel? Of cotme not. Of the Messiah, Isaiah says: "Uponhim the spirit of j h w h must settle dbwn, fite idt d Wdom and of undsrsIrrndIng, the
spldt of cauns Imd sf mighthers, the splrk of knowlaS@e
and of the h r oJJ&tawh;and them wlll Be emjuymenby

'The Hebrew w r d for 'sprout" is ne'Wr, and for " N a ~ ~ e n ets' W

tl:

4, 5. What dld Isaiah pmphesy w r d l n g the mmlng of the M ~ s i ab, md what appUWn of Isaiah's wxds dM Mstthm a p p m t l y

make?
6. What ldnd of ruler i s the h s k h prophesied to \rel

l(i0

Isaloll's Pmphtrcy-Ll,qlrt

pr

All Mnnklrrrl I

him In the fear of Jehovah.'' (Isaiah 71:2, 3a) The Mcssiah is anointed, not with oil, bttt with C;o<I's holy spirit. This happens atlesus' baptism, whcn John t he Raytizcr
sees God" holy spirit descending on Jesus in the form of
a dave. (Luke 322) Jehwah? spirit 'sctllcs down upon' Jesus, and he gives evidence of thls whcn he acts with
wisdom, understanding, counrel, mlgh tjness, and knowledge. What excellent qualities for n rttlcrl
7Jesus' followers too can receive holy spirit. In one
af his discourses, Jesus declared: "If you, although bcina
wicked, h o w how to give goocl gifts to your children, how
much more so will the Father in heaven ~ i v eholy spirit
to those asking him!" (Cuke I t :13) Hence, we should never hesitate to ask God for holy spirit, nor shou ltl wc cease
to cultivate its wholesome fru it a p N l o v c 8 jny, peacc,
long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, mlldncss, selfcontrol." (Galatians 5:22,23)Jehovah promi~eqto answer
the request of Jesus' followers for "wlrdom from ahove"
to help them deal successfiilly with thc challenges of life.
-James 1 5 ; 3:17.
What h the fear of Jehovah that the Messlah displays?
Jesus certainly is not terrified by Gnrl, fcarfi~lof his condemnation. Rather, the Messiah has a reslleah~lawe of
God, a loving rwerence for him. A Coct-fcnring person desires always to *do the things pleasing to him," as Jesus d m . (John8:29) By word and example, Jesus tcaches
that there is no greater joy than walking wcry day in thc
wl~olesomefear of Jehovah.
A Righteous and Merciful Judge
lsaiah foretells more of the Messiah" schrackrlstlcs:"He

7. What pmmlse did Jesus make tn his blthtul followcr~?

8. How doer Jesus find enjoyment in the ienr af Jchovith?
tl, What example does Jesm give to those calleci i i l i c ~ r tto lucl~emittters In the Chr~stiancongregation?

Salvation andR~]d~lcin#
Utrtlrr fhr- Mer.slnl~'.rRrkrr

I61

wi!! not judge by any mere appeamnce to hls eyesI nor rep m simply according to the thing head by his ~QTZ."{lsaiah 77:3b) If you h;wl to stirnd t)c.lom a court of law, would
you not be gratefill Far a judge ]like that? In his paci city as
Judge of all mankind, the Mcsqlah Is not swayed by false
arguments, clever courtroom tactics, rumors, or superhcial
factors, such as wealth. 1-I@ sees through deccptlon and looks
beyond unflattering outward appcannces, rliscernlng "the
secret person of the heart," "thc hltlclen man." (1 Peter 3:4,
footnote)Jesus' superlatlvc cxample serves as the model for
all who are called upon to jutlgc matters In the Christian
congregation.- 1Corinthians 6:1-4.
10 How will the Messiah's superlative qualities influence
his judicial decisions? Isaiah explains: "With righteousness
he must judge the lowjy ones, and with uprightness he
must giw reproof in behalf of the meek ones of the earth.
And he must strike the earth with the rod of his mouth;
and with the spirit of his lips he will put the wicked one to
death. And righteousness must prove to be the belt of his
hips, and faithfulnessthe belr of his loins."-Isaiah 11:4, 5.
11 When hb followers need correction, Jesus delivers it
the way that benefits them mmt-an excellent example for Christian elders. On the other hand, those who
practice wickedness can expect iud~rnenaof a swere sort.
When God calls this system of things to amount, the Messiah wil "strikethe earth" with hls authoritativevoice, issuing a judgment of desl-ructian for all the wicked. (Psalm
2 9 ; compare llmlation 19:15.) Eventually, there will be
no wicked people left to dlstuth thc peace of mankind.
(Psalm 37:10,11) Jesus, with his hips m r l loins girded with
righteousness and faithfulness, has the power to acmmplish this,-Psalm 453-7.
ID, 11. (a) In what way does jcsus correct his followers? (b) What
judgment does Jesus rentlcr to the wicked?

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lng fmm ssbpbn m the h m t d tandl

peace described here results from the knowledge of Jchovah. Hence, more is i n w I d than mere safety from wild
animals. The howledge of Jehovah will not chanae animals, but it will adfect people. Neither on the way home

itants d
lenjoy peaceful condItIons like thasc that Adam
and Eve enjoyed in Men. C3f course, thc Scriptures do not
reveal every detail of what life was li kc in Ggcn-cw of what
it will be like in Paradiw, We can k confident, though,
that under the wise and Iwing rule of the King Jesus
Christ, everything will he just as it should be.

nor in their restored land will thc Ismcrlit~snecd to fear

wild beastq or beastlike men.-km 8:2I,22; I ~ a i a h35:810; h5:25.
14 This prophecy, however, has a larger i'ulfillrncnt. ln
1914, Jesus, the Messiah, was enth~~oned
on heavenly
Mount Zion. In 1919 the remaining oncs of "the Israel of
God" experienced release from Babylonbh captlvlty and
shared in the restomtion of true wnrsh lp. (Galatians 6:16)
h a rerult, the way was opened for a modern-day fi~lh!lment of Isaiah's Paradise prophecy. "Ac~urn
tc kno~vledgc,"
the knowl~dgeof Jehovah,has changd persnnaliti~.((blossians 3 9 , 10) FormerIy violent people have lecome
peaceabIe. (Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:17-24) Thcse dcvelopments have now affected mi I lions bccausc Jsa lah's
prophecy has come to include a rapidly Incrcaslng numher of Christians with an earthly hnpc. (I3snln~37:29; Isaiah 6022) These have learned to look to the tlme when
the whole earth wilI be restored as a stlcure, peaceful paradise, according to W s original purpose.-Matt t ~ c wfi:9,
En; 2 Peter 3:1J.
I5 In that restored Paradise, will Isaiah's prophecy have a
further, perhaps more literal, ful fi1 P ment? It seems rcasonable to think so. The prophecy gives to all w l ~ will
o live
under the Messiah's rule the same assurance that It gave
to the returning Israelites; they and thcir childrcn will not
feel threatened by harm from any suurcc-human or mimal. Under the Messiah's Kingdom rule, all earth's inhab-

Pure Worship Restorer1 Thrt~ughthe Messiah

16 Pure worship first came under attack in Eden when Satan successfullyinfluenced Adam and Evc to disobey Jehovah. To this day, Satan has not given up his goal aturning as many as possible away from Gorl. Rut Jehovah will
never p m i t pure wonhlp to vanish from the earth. His
name is involved, and he cams about thnse who serve him.
Hence, through Isaiah he makes a striking promise: 9 t
must occur in that d q that there will be the mot o fIesse
that will be standing up m o signal for the peoples. Ta him
even the nations will furn inquiringly, and his resting-place
must become glorious." (lsuialr 77: 76) liack in 537 R.C. E.,
Jerusalem, the city [hat David llatl made the national capital, served as a signal, c a l l i ~ ~a gFaithful rcmnanl of the dispersed Jewish people to return and rebulld the temple.
17 However, the prophecy po-lnts to more than that. As already seen, it points to the rule of the Messiah, the one
true Leader for people of all nations. The apstte Paul quoted Isaiah 11:10 to shaw that in his day people of the nations would have a place In the Christian congregation.
Quoting the Sepfrmngint rendering uf this verse, he wrote:
"Isaiah says: 'There will be the root of Jesse, and there
will be one arising to rule natlonr; on him nations will
rest their hope.' " (Romans 15: 12) Moreover, the prophecy reaches even further-down to our day when people of

14. What is the larger fuIfiIIment of Isatah l1:h-97

15. Can we reasenably expect Tsaiah's word* tr, hi!^^ n ItteraE ltetfillment in the new world? Lxplain.

16. FtXat stood a5 ;Is l ~ n a Inr

l Gnrl's proplc In 537 R.C.E.?
17. How did Jesus 'artsc tt) rule nirttnns' In the Rrst century and In
our day?

166

Isnfah's Propl~ruy-Ll,yhf fur All M ~ ~ r ~ k l rit r l

the nations show their Iove for Jehovah by supporting thc

anointed brothers of the Messicah.-Isaiah 61:s-9;Ma tlhcw
25:31-40.
18 In the mdem-day fuIfiltrnent, "that day" refcrrcci to
hy Isaiah began when the Mes.;iab w& enthroned as K l n ~
ol God's heavenly Kingdom in 1914. (Luke 21:10; 2 'Emothv 31-5; Revelalion 12:103 Since then, Jesus Christ has
been a clear signal, a rallying p i n t , for spiritual Israel
and for people of a11 nations who long for righteous government. Under the Messiah" direction, thc good news of
the Kingdom has been carried to all the nations, a? J e w
foretold. (Matthew 24:14, Mark 13:10)This good news has
a powerful effect. "A great crowd, which no man \Is] ahlc
to number, out of alI nations" is nibmitring to the Messiah by joining the anointed remnant in pure worship. (Revelation 7 9 ) tls many new ones continue to comc into association with the remnant in Jehovah's spiritual "house
of prayer," they add to the glory of thc Messiah's
"testing-place," God's great spiritual temple.-lsalah Sh:7;

Haggai 27.

A United People Serve Jehovall

19 Isaiah next reminds the lsraelitm that Jehovah once
before provided salvation for them when the nation faced
oppression by a powerful enemy. That part of brael's history-Jehovah's liberation af the nation fmm captivity in
Egpt-is dear to the hearts of all faithful Jews. Isaiah
writes: "It must occur in that doy thotjehovah will again offer his hand, a second time, to acquire the remnant of his
people who wit#remain over from Assyria and from Egypt
and from M r o s and from Cush and from Elom and horn
18. In our day, how has Jesus hen a rdlylng p i n t ?
19. On what huo occasions doer Jehovah msttaW a remnant o l hlc
pcople scattered throughout the earth?

Sirfv(fHur~ r ~ n dnpiolclt~,fU a d ~ rthr Mcssjah s' Relp

167

Shlrrar and from Hamath and from the islands of the sea.
And he will certainly raise up a signal for the nations and
gather the dispersed ones o f Isroel; and the scattered ones
of ludah he will collect together from the four extremities
of the earth." (IsaiaIl f I: 7 1, 12) As i f taking them by the
t-tnncl,Jchovah will lead a faithful. remnant of both lsracl i~ndJudah out from the nations to which they have
lleen scattcrd and will bring tl~ernsafejy home. In a minor way, this happens In 537 H.C:.E. How much more glorious, though, is the major fulfillment! In 1914, Jehwah
raised thc mthroned Jesus Christ as "a signal for the nations." Starting in 1919 the rcmaininganes of "the IsraeI of
( h d " b e ~ a ntu flock to this d~nal,e a g r to share in pure
worship under God's Wngdom. 'This unique spiritual nation come? "out of every tribe and tongue and people and
nation."-Revelatinn 5:9.
2D lsalah now describes the unity of the restored nation.
Referring to the northern kingdom as Ephraim and to
the soul hcrn kingdom as Judah, he says: "The jealousy of
Epkralm must depart, and even those showing hostility to
judah wlll be cut off. Ephrulm Itself will not be jealous of
)udoh, nor will judah show hostility toward Epkraim. And
they must fly at the shoulder of the Philistines to the west;
together they will plunder the sons of the East Edom and
Moob wlSl be those upon whom they will thrust out their
hand, and the sons of Ammon will be their subjects." (Isaiah 17:73, 74) When thc Jews return from Babylon, they
wi ll no longer be divided into two nations. Members from
all tribes ofIsrael will return unitedly to their land, (Ezra 6:
17) N o longer will they show rewntment and hostility t
e
ward one another, As a united ptlople, they will take a triumphant stand agalnst their enemies in the surrounding
nations.
-20. What unlly will God's people cnioy upon their &urn from R a b
y Ion 7

21 Still more impressive is the unity of "the Israel of

God." The 12 symbolic tribes of spiritual Isracl have for
almost 2,000years enjoyed a unity hised on love lor G d
and for theit spiritual brothers and sisters. (Colmsians 3:
14; Revelation 74-8)Today, Jehwah's pcaplc-both splritual Israelites and those with an earthly holrr-enjoy pcacc
and worldhide unity under the Mcllesslah's rule, conditions
unknown in the churches of Chrlstendam. Jehovah's Witnesses present a united spiritual fmnt against Satan's cfforts Zo interfere with their worship, ATone peqjle, they
carry out Jesus' commission to preach and teach the good
news of the Messiah's Kingdom in itll the nations.-Mat-

remain owq just as them came to be one b r Israel in the

day of his coming up out of the land of Egypt" (isaioh
77:16) Jehovah will lencl returning exiles as it they were
walking along a highway honl their place of exile to their
l~omeland.Oppmem will attempt to stop them, but their
God, Jehovah, will he with lhcm, Anointed Christians and
their companions today Ilkcwisc come under vicjuus attack, but they go fonuiml co~~rapeouslyl
They have come
out of modern Assyria, Satan's world, and thcy help others
to do the same. 'l'hey know that pure worship will succeed
and flourish. It is not man's work, hut God's.

thew 28:19,20.

Barriers Will Be Overcome

22 There are many barriers, both literal and figurative, to
hlnder the Israelites' return from exile. How will they be
overcome? Isaiah says: "jehowh will certainly cut off the
tongue of the Egyptian sea, und wnve his hand nr the Rlver in the glow of his spirit And he must strike it In its sewn
torrenlr, and he will actually cause people to walk in their
sarfd~ls."
(lsaiah 77: 15) rt is Jehovah who wilt temovc all
impediments to his people" return. Even a barrlcr as formidable as a tongue of the Red Sea (sttch as the Gulf of
Sues) or as impassable as the mighty Euphrates River will
be dried up, as it were, so that a penon can cross without
having to take 08his sandals!
23 In Moses' day,Jehovah prepared a way for Israel to ercape from Egypt and march to the Promised Land. He wlll
do something similar now: 'There must come to be a highway out of dssyria for the mmnanr of his people who will
21. How Is the unity of God's people today tnily outstandfn~?
22. How will Jehovah "cut off the tonuue of the L~yptl;lnsea" and
"wave hI%hand a t the River"?
23. In what way wiIl there "come to be n highway out of Assyrla"?

Endless Reiaicing for

the SuE~jcctsof the Mcssiah!

24 In joyful language Isaiah nmv descrlbw the exultalion
of Jehovah's peoplc uvcr the Fulfillment of Iiis word: "In
that day you will be sum to say: 7 shall thank you, 0 Jehowh, for although you got incensed at me, p u r anger gradually turned back, grid you proceeded to comfort
me.'" (Isaiah 12:1 ) Jclrova 11's disdpllne of his wayward
people is severe. Hut It nccompltshcs its purpose of healing
the nation's relationship wlth him and of testoring pure
worship. Jehovah reassums his faithful worshipers that ulh t e l y he wiIl saw them. No wonder they expms appreciation?
25 The rrstord Israelites have their confidenee in Jehovah completely confirm~rl,and they cry out: "'Look! God
is my salwtian. I shall trust and be in no dread; for Jahjehowh is my sfnength and my rnighc and he came to be the
salvation of me.With exultation you people will be certain
to dmw water out of the springs of salvalion. " (Isaiah 72:
2, 3) The Hebrew word translated "might" in verse 2
24, 25. With what exprcsslnnsnt prdse ant1 ~ratltude
wlll Jehovah's

people cly out?

hulah's PmpHecy-Light fir All Aarrnkhd I

appears m 'praiW h the kphaght m i o n . Worshipers

b m k out h sangs d pratse over salvation fmm "JahJehuwh.' AS an abbmated form of the name Jehmh, *j&
is used in the Bible to convey hdghtened feelf rigs of paise
and gratitude.
the expreasim "jah JehovahJt-dmbltng the divine name-raises the intensity of pr* ta
Gad & an even higher level,
26 Gmuioe worshipers of Jehovah annot kep their jay

Who to8;tg
26.

make h i ' s dealltqp known among the nations?

C ~ h 72:4,S,
h
as lilapptra~sin the Vead h a krolls
(Occurrencesof W ' s nome are hlghllghtud)

C
7

Salvatlun and Rejoicing Under the Mmluh's Reign

tn themselves. Isaiah f a r e k k "In drat day you wHI certdnh say: 'Clve fhmh to lehomh, you p p k i Call upon
his n a m Make known among the people~hls deaIIngs.
wake m e n w ehat his name is put on high. Make melody & lahowh, hr he has done surpwlng!y n&is mwke
known In all the ear&." " (bdah 12:4, 5 ) Since 1919,
anointed Christians-later with the help of their "other
s h w " companions-have ' d e d a d abroad the excellend a of the one that mlled them out of darkness into his
wonderful light.' They are "a chosen race, , a holy nation" set apart for this purr>ase. (John10:16; 1 Peter 2 9 )
Anointed ones dedare that Jehovah's holy name is put 0x1
high and share in making jt known In all the earth, They
lead dI of Jehovah's worshipen in rejoichq In his pravlslon Eor their sa!vatio& It is f ust as Isaiah exclaims: "Gy
out shdlly and shout Wjoy,Q you Inhablbwss of Zion, br
gmt In the midst ofyw is the Hw One of I s W l (lsahh
12:6)The Holy One of Israel ts JehwahGad himself.

..

Look to the Future With Confidencet

27 Today miIliom haw flacfsed to the "signal far the pmpl&"'Jesus Christenthmned in God's Kingdom. They re
loice to be sub/- to that Kingdom and are thrilled to
know Jehovah Gad a d his Son. (John123) They find
great happinas in their unikd Christian fellowship and
strive had to p
m the pace that is the mark of Jehe
vah's tnte sewmts, (W&54:13) Convinced that JahJehovah is a God w h fulfills his pmmises, they are confident In thelr hope and 6md great delight in sharlng it with
others.May each worshiper d J e h a v hcontinue to use all
hlsstrengtfrtosaveGodandt0 helpothersdoUhvk.
Let all t a k Isaiah's words ta hart and mice in salvation
through Jehwa'sMessiah1
27, WMLe aweitiq t k mdbtian af theb hope, tn what are Chris

tlam confident?

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

- -

Jehovah Humbles
an Arrogant Cjty
lsalah 13:l-1493

THE prophrtic book of Isaiah was written in the eighth

century B.C.E. against the background nf the Aqsyrlan invasion of the Fmmlsed Land. As has been seen In previous
chapters of hi book, Isaiah forrtcl Is with remarltable accuracy the course that events will take. However, the bmk
looks beyond the lime of Asyrian ascendancy. It foretells the return of Jehovah's covenant people from exile
in many lands, including Shinar, the location of Habylon.
(Isaiah 11:ll)In Isaiah chapter 13, we find a remarkable
prophecy that upon fulfillment will open tllc way for such
a return. This prophecy is introduced wlth these words:
'The pronouncement aguinst Babylon that Isaiah the son
of Amoz sow in virion."-Isaiah 13:1.

'Haughtiness I Shall Abase'

2 Judah becorn- involved with Babylon durin): Isaiah's
lifetime. King Hetekiah falls seriously III and then movers. Ambassadors from Babylon come to cowratulate him
on his recovery, likely with the secret purpose of enlisting
Hezekiah as an ally in their war against Assyrja. Unwisely,
King Hezekiah shows them all his treasures,As a result, Tsnlah telIs Hezekiah that after the klng's death, all that
3. How far ahead does the book of lsalah now Took?
2. (a) How does Hezekiah get involved with Rshylon7 (b) What Is
the "slgnal" that will be raised up?

weaIth will be carrlcd off to Rahylnn. (Baiah 391-7)This

is Mfilled in 607 B.C.E when Jerusalem is destroyed and
the nation is taken into exilc. tiuwcvcr, God's chosen people will not stay in Ral,ylon+fnrmct.
Jchovah foretells how
he wilt open the way for their return home. He begins:
"Upon a mounrain of bare rocks mlse up a signal, you
men. Lift up the voice to them, wave the hand, that they
muy came into the entrances of the nobles." (Isaiah 13:2)
The "signal" i s a r i s l n ~worlil powcr that will disloilge B a b
ylon from its place of en~inetlcc.It will he raised "upon
a mwntaln of bare suckr"-ln plaln view from a great
distance. Summoned to assault: Ilahylon, that new world
p e r will force its way throu~h'7 he entrances of the nobles," the gates of that great cityf and will conquer i t
3 Jehovah now says: "I myself have Issued the command
50 my sanctified ones. I have also called my mighfy ones
for expressing my cfnger, my eminently exultant ones, Usten! A crowd in the mountulns, sornefhlng like i~
numerous people! Listen! The uproar of kingdoms, of nations
gathered together! Jehovah of ormies is mustering fhe
army of war." (Isaiah 13:3, 4 ) Who are these "sanctified
ones" appointed to bring down haughty Rabylon? They
are combined national nrmles, "nations gathered together." They descend againsk Babylon from a di~tantmountainous region. 'They are corning from the / ~ n d
for c~roy,
h r n the extremity of the heavens." (Isaiah 1 3 5 ) In what
sense are they sanctified? Ccrtainly not in thc sense of being holy. They are pagan armies with no interest in serving
Jehovah,Howewr, in the I-le'lrrewScriptures, "sanctified"
means "set apart for use by Gotl," Jehovah can sanctify
the armies of the nntlons and use thelr selfish ambitions
in order to express his anger, He used Assyria in this way.

3. (a) Who am the "sancttfiettuncs" thtJelroveh wlll alsc up? tb) In

what sense arc paEan arnlfeq "ranrtlhrd"?

Eic will use Babylon similarly. [Isaiah 10:s; Jeremiah259)

And he will use other nations lo punid1 Habylon.
3 Ral~ylonis not yct the dornlnali t worlrl power. Yet, issrrlng a procIarnation through Batnh, Jehrwnh looks to the
Ilmu whcn she will oca~pythat posi tlon, and he foretells hcr frill. He says: "Howl, you people, for the day of
lehovrrh is near! As a despoiling from the Almighty it will
come." (Isaiah 73:6) Yes, Hnhylor~'~
lhji~stin~
iciil be repltlccd by grief-filled howl in^. Why'? [{ecause of "the
clay of Jehovah," the day whcn Jchovalr cseccrtes judgment against her.
Hnw, though, will it be poslble far Haby1on to be despoiled? lNhenJehovahlstime for this comes, the city will
appear to be secure. Invading armies wlll first have to deal
with the natural defenses prr~videdby the Euphrates River,
which runs through the center of the city and is tapped to
fill a protective moat and to supply the city with drinking
water. Then there will be Babylon's massive double walls,
which are seemingly irnpregnablc. Moreover, the city will
he well stocked with food. 'Tl~ebook Dnily Rible JilusPrraliotts says that Nabonirlus-the last king of Babylon-"had
takcn immense pains to store the town with provisions,
arrd it was mkoned to contain enough [fond] 20 sustain
the inhabitants for twenty years."
6 However, appearances can be dcccptlw. Isaiah says:
'That is why ail hands themselves will drop down, and
the whole heart itself of morn/ man will melt And people
have become disturbed. convulsion^ and birth pains themselves grub hold, like a woman that is giving birth they

4,5. (it) What doesJehovah forrtell lor Ilahylnnt (b) What will those
attacking UihyIon have to deal wlth?
6. W l ~ i wlll
~ t i~nexpectedlyhappen whcn the fnretold assault on Babylon nccurr?

h m bbw pains. They look ot each other h amazement

Their foca are inflorned focps." f kojuh U:l; 8 ) When the
conquering armies invade the city, the ease of its inhabitants will be replaced by pain as suddcn anrl Intense as that
of a woman glving birth. Their hearts wlll melt with fear.
Paralyzed, their hands will drop down,~ ~ n a hto
l e make a
delensc. 'Thelr faces will be "inflamed"with fear and an&wish. In amazement they will look at nne another, wondering how theirgreat city could Fall.
7 Neverthetess, fall itwill. Babylon is to face a day ofreckfining, a "day of Jehovah,"that will be painful Indeed,
The supreme Judge will express 111s anger and brlng welldescrv~djudgment upon Rabylon's sinful inhabitants.
The prophecy says: " h k ! 7he day ofIehovah ltrelf is corning, cruel both wrth hry and with burning anger, in order
to make the land an object of ustonishment, and that it
may unnihilate the land's sinners out of it " (lsaiah 73:9)
Rnt)ylonls prospects are gIoomy, It is RF t h o ~ i ~the
h sun,
moon, ancl stars all cease giving light. "For the very stars of
the herrvens end their constellat/ons of Kesii will not flash
forth theEr light the sun will actually grow dark at itr going
forth, and the moon itrelf will not cause its light Co shine."
-Isaiah 73: 10.

a Why such a fate for this proud city? Jehovah says: "I
shall certainly bring home its own badness upon the prod u c t / land,
~
and their own error upon the wicked themselves. And I shall actually cause the prlde of the presumptuous ones to cease, and the haughtiness of the tpnts I
shall srb~se."(4saiah 13:lf) The outpouring of Jehovah's
wrath will be punishment for &ai>y1ylan1scruelty to God's
7. What "dayof Jehovah" is coming, and what wlll be the results for
Babylon7
H. Why does Jehovah decree the fall of Rabylnn?

176

Xsw &A's Propkey-Light far All Mgnklrrd I

people, The whole land wlil Mer because of the badness

of t
b Babyhdam. No Ionger will thm proud tyrentg
m y defyJ m h !

]ehavak H t i m b k

aff Amgant dty

Medes, w h o ~ l t c o u n t ~ i W f a s n o t h l n g a n d w l r o ~ u s ~
s m golcC take no de/&ht In It. And their h w s wifl
dash ewn young man to pisces. And ths hibage of the

~theywlllnot~;liorms+Wr~WimrtMscw
8 n d p I d , # n d ~ g ~ r r r r e v ~ ~ ~ g o W o f ryAnd&o~n,the~llonofklngdoms,tfrebeauq.ofthepwofmUla~&bewmtea~
OpAk"(isakrh 13:72)Yes,the dty will come to be depopuGod
OMM#UWW
Eakm rrnd
(lsrrlcrh 73:174J
lated, waste. Jehovah mntinues: %t is why 1 SfroH muse

9Jehovahsags:7siwUmkmwtralmprtmuwahonm- ,

-."

~ M l o k o m @ ~ t m d h ? @ & r l h W I # r O t k
autof&pkrcerrtlfPeiirryd~mhofddcrth
day of hk bumkg angw.."(lsahh 73:13) hbyion's "heaven,* her d t l t u d e of gods and guddasa, will be agltat-

ed, UaabletobeEpthecityinitstirneofnd,Theearth,"
the 3abyloaianEmpire, will be m d d out of p k e , passh gInto history as Justmotherdead empire. "it must occur
thut,#ikeogaze&&asadaavrr)radlkaaock~lhout
u y m e tu &
i
f tisem ftgeth3 t h y wlll turn, each one
t o h i s o m p ~ o p k ~ a n d t h y w l l&onetohisown
l~,
fand,' (brrluh T3?T$)All of 3abylon's foreign mppsters
will famike her and flee, hopttrg. to set up new relationmps with the csquerhg d d pmm. Babylon will
hallyeqxrlence the ago* of%conquered dty,an agony
that she hftftted onaa many others fn the days of her giory: ~ a n e i f ~ & & f o i m d W h ~ t h r o u g h , a t d
everymetfwthcaqhEbthe~wfllMIbythe~;
~ W r v e r p . c h ~ w i R b e ~ t o p ~ ~ t h e &
epm,~ I s o u w w i U b e p i # a g & O n d W r u w n w h will
be mpd"--Isaiah 13:IS, 76.
God's Instrument of Destruction
10 Which p o w w w l I t J ~ u s e t bdngaboutthe
u
fail
of Babylon? Some 200 p ahead of tlme, Jehwah re
vwhthemwmukimdng~Instthembho
9. What aw&~ Babylon on Jebwh's day of judgmwt?
10. Whom will Jehmsh use b defeat &byion?

1721

& d d i k Pwfi&y-Llgfrt fir All hdrrrtkd~dI

momtabus country of Media.* Eventually, Babyfoa will

be as das the grossly immoral dtk of Sodom and
Gomorrah.4amh W:13; 19:13,24.
11 In rsaiah's day, bothMedia and Babyion are under the
As!yrhn pk &out a century laterfIn 632 B.C.E,, Media

" baittll mtIom only tbe &edes by name, but a number of nations
wlll be d k s aphst Babyim-kAlIa, Persia, Elm,and Other amaller mattons. Jeremiah SO:$; 51:2B, 27, 28) NelghhrItq narfoas r t k r
to both Me&6 and PWam ~s'"he Meda" Further, In l~aIah9dada)r,
Media Is the dominant pwr,Only under Gyms d m P t m h k a m e
daalhmt.
11, 12. (a) H w does Me& become a world powcr7 (b}What unusual. h i t does the p q h q mention about Mdh's armies?

and IkbyIonjoin brces and overt& Mnweh, the =pital of A

s
W This o m the way for hbylon to become
the pmbmhnt world powr. Wttle does she w a l k that
a m 100 pan after that, Media will destroy hetl Who
but JehavahGod could m a k such a bold prediction?
12 When identifying hh chosen Instrument of destrucon, Jehovah says that Media's armies n~ccountsilver itself as nothing and , ns b~pecksgold, take no delight in
it'' What an unusud trait fo~
battlehardened sd&mtBible -ah Aikrt B a r n says: "Few, i n d ~ dhaw
, been the
invz&g-armies whI& were not:influenced by the hope
ofspaiLIrDo the Medim armles prove Jcrhwahtrue in rhis
regard? Yes. Consider thh comment found In The BibleW+ prepared by J. GknWorth Butlet:" U W most natfmthat have ewr m g d war, the Medes, and
ly the P d a m , thought less of gold than of conquest and
$ory."* In vim ofthis,it is not surprjslng that when he H+
leasesthe Lmellta fmm Wybnian exile, the Persiannrt.
er C p s remm to them thousands of gold and silww4@ that Nebuchadnem looted fromJerusaIemtstemple.
-ma I:?-11.
1s WhIle the Meand the Persian warriors have We
P~S~~M~OSS@
they
,
I E W m 1 e s ambkbW
~
W
d
O
not intend a6 main second bo any natlon on the wodd
w.M m , JehoMh puts 'despollhg" into their
h m . (isaiah 13:6) Hence, with th& metal km-which
mnbewednotonlytoshmt~butahotostrikeand

..

w-

Fallen Babyton wiI/ &emmethe haunt

of desert cmturer

m
b
,
memy soldlasJthe affsprlng of Babylorn mathax determined ?otonqcler Babylon.

-they

* f wws, hamwr, that Iarer on the M d r a and the Perslam dW1o w amat 1-

b~Iuxury,-Esthcr l:l.i",

l3,L4. (a) Although not intensted In s i t br what are the

and m.Persian w m c n a m ~ t l o u r( 1~R ~ 4 1 o wdoes OF.owcome
the w t e d defenses oP Rabybn?

180

Isainh's Pruphcc)~-L1,ql1t fijr A / / Mnn klr~rlI

t4 Cyms, leader of the Medo-Persian armies, is undeterred

by nabylon's fortifications, On the night OF Or-okr S/h,
539 R.C.L, he orders the diverting of the waters ot the Euphrates River. As the water level kills, the invades stealthily make their way into the city, walking along the rivcrberl tl~roughthighdeep water.Ifabylon'~inhnl>ibntsare
caught unawares, and Babylon falls, (13anicl 5:30)Jchwall
God inspires Isaiah to prophesy thew cvcnts, I c a v i n ~no
doubt that He is directing matters,
1s How complete will the destruction of Rahylon bc? Llsten to Jehovah's pronouncement: "She wlll never be inhabIted, nor will she reside for generution uftrr~tergenera tlon,And
there the Arab will not pitch his tent, and no shepherds will
lle t their flocks lie down there. And there the haunters of woterlen ~ g i o n will
s certainly lie down, and their houses must
be filled with eagle owls. And there the ostriches must reside, and goat-shaped demons themselves will go skipping
obout fhere.And jackals musf howl in her dwelling hwers,
and the big snake will be in the palaces of exquisite d ~ l i gth
And the season for her is near to come, and her days tl~emselves wilE not be postponed," (Isaiah 13:20-22)Iltter clcl;olation will be the city's fate.
Ih Inis did nat happen immediately in 539 B.CE. Still, today it is very clear that everything lsaiah foretold regarding Babylonhas come true. Babylon "is now, and has bcen
for centuries, a scene of wide clesolation, and is a Ilcap of
ruins," says one Bible commentator. Then he adds: "It is
irnpossjble to behold this scene and not be rcrnlndcd how
exactly the predictions of Isaiah and Jeremlnl~have hccn
fulfilled." Clearly, no man in Isalah's day could have foretold Babylon's fall and her eventual dcsalatlon, Alter all,
nabylon's fall to the Medes and the Perslans occurred some
t 5. What tuture awafs Babylon?
16. 'fhe present condition of Babylon glwr us what cnnhdence?

200 years after Isaiah wmte his book! And her final desolation came centuria Datcr. Does this not strengthen our
faith in the Bible as the impired Worcl of TI^? ( 2 Timothy
3:lS) Moremr, since Jehavah Fulfilled prophecies in times
past, we can haw absolute confidcncc that Rible prophec i a yet unfulfilled will bc rcalizctl in God's due time.

"Rest Prom Yot~rPafn"

17 Babylon's fall wjll he a tellef for Isracl. It will mean
release from captivity and the opportunity to return to
the Promised land. Hence, lsalah now mys: "lehowrh wiII
show m e q tujacob, and he is yet certain to choose Esml;
and he will oddly give them rest upon lhefr soil, and the
alien resident must be joined to them, and h e y must dtach themselves to the house oflacob. And peoples will actually take them and bring them to thelr own place, und
the house of Ismel must take them to themselves as a possession upon the SON of jcl~ovahas menservants and as
maidservants; and they must become the captors o f those
holding them cciptlve, and they must have in subjection
those who were driving them to work, (lsalah 14:1,2) "acob" here refers to Israel as n whole-all 12 tribes. Jehovah will show mercy to "Jacob"by allowing the nation to
return home. They will be accompanied hy thousands of
foreigners, many of whom will scrve the lsraelitcs as temple servants. Somc Israelites will even come to have authority over thelr former captors."
J8 Gone wU1 be the anbwish of living In exile. Instead,
For example, Danlel was appalnterl ns n hlgh officlal In R~bylonunder the Medes and thc I'crslnns. Aricl ohnut hQ year5 later, Enther hecame queen of the Perqian Klng Ahar;ueru?i,and Mnrclecai became
prime rninlster of the wht~lcIlcrsli~nCn~plrc.
17,1&.The defeat n l Babylon will mean what blcsirsings b r Istael7

182

Isaiah's Prophecy-light fur All Mnrrkirrd I

Jehovah will give his people "rest fmm [their] pain and
from [their] agitation and from the hard slavery in which
[they] were made a slave." (Isaiah 14:3) Having been
freed born the physical burdens of slavery, Israel will no
longer suffer the pain and agitation of living among worshipers of false gods. (Ezra 3:l; Esaiah 32:18)Commenting
on this, the book h n d s and Peoples of the Bible says: "To
the Babylonian his gods were altogether such as himself,
in all the worst aspects of his character. They were cowards, drunkards and imbeciles." What a relief to escape
such a degraded religious environment!
19 Nevertheless, Jehovah's mercy is not unconditional.
His people must express mmorse for their wickedness,
wrhich moved God to punish them so severely. (Jeremiah 3:25) Open, heartfelt confession will bring Jehovah's
forgiveness. (See Nehemiah 9:6-37;Daniel 95.) This same
principle holds true today. Since "there is no man that
does not sin," all of us need Jehovah's mercy. (2 Chronicles 6:36)Jehovah, the merciful God, lovingly invjtes us
to confess our sins to him, to repent, and to cease any
wrong course, in order that we may get healed. (Deuteronomy 4~31;Isaiah 1:18;James 5:lb) This not only helps to
restore us to his favor but also brings us comfort.-Psalm
51:l; Proverbs 28:13;2 Corinthians 2:7.

A "Proverbial Saying" Against Babylon

20 More than 100 years before Babylon's rise as the
preeminent world power, Isaiah foretells the world's reaction to her fall. Prophetically, he commands Israelites who
have been freed from captivity to her: 'You must raise up
this proverbial saying against the king of Babylon and say:
19. What is needed if IsraeI is to enjoy Jehovah's fnrgiveness, and
what do we learn irom this?
20, 21. How do Babylon's neighbors reloice a t her fall?

Jehovah Humbles an Arrogc1 nt City

183

'How has the one driving others to work come ta a stop,

the oppression come to a srop!jehovah has broken the rod
of the wicked ones, the staffo f the ruling ones, the one
striking peoples in fury with .a stroke incessantly, the one
subduing nations in sheer anger with a persecution without restraint "' (Isaiah 7434-6) Babylon has built up quite
a reputation as a conqueror, an oppressor who turns free
people into slaves. How fitting that her fall be celebrated
with a "proverbial saying" directed primarily at the Babylonian dynasty-starting with Nebuchadnezzar and ending with Nabonidus and Belshana-that presided over
the glory days of the great city!
21 What a difference her fall will make! 'The whole earth
has come to rest, has become free o f disturbance. People
have become cheerful with joyful cries. Even the juniper
trees have also rejoiced at you, the cedars of Lebanon, saying, 'Ever since you haw lain down, no woodcutter comes
up against us." (Isaiah 14:T 8 ) The kings of the nations
round about were, to Bahylon's rulers, like mes to be cut
down and used for their own purposes. Well, all of that is
finished.The Babylonian woodcutter has cut hs last tree!
22 So astonishing is the fall of Babylon that the grave itself reacts: "Even Sheol underneath has become agitated at
you in order to meet you on coming in. At you it has awakened those impotent in death, all the goatlike leaders of
the earth. If has made all the kings of the nations get up
from their thrones. A/\ of them speak up and say to you,
'Have you yourself also been made weak like us? Is it to
us that you have been made comparable? Dawn to Sheol
your pride has been brought, the din of your stringed instruments. Beneath you, maggots are spread out as a
couch; und worms are your covering.' " (Isaiah 14:9-11)
22. In a poetic sense, how is Sheol affected by the fall of the Babylonian dynasty?

184

fehovah Hrrlwbles an Arrogant C i p

Isaiah's Prophecy-Light far A l l Mankind I

What a powerful poetic image! It is as if the common

grave of mankind were to wake up all those kings who
preceded the Babylonian dynasty into death so that they
can greet the newcomer. They mock the Babylonian ruling power, which is now helpless, lying on a bed of maggots instead of on a costIy divan, covered with worms instead of expensive linens.

"Like a Carcass Trodden Down"

23 Isaiah continues the proverbial sayjng: "0how you
have fallen from heaven, you shining one, son o f the
dawn! How you have been cut down to the earth, you
who were disabling the nations!" (Isaiah 14: 72) Selfish
pride prompts Babylon's kings to elevate themselves above
those around them. Like a star s h i n g brightly in the early morning sky, they arrogantly wield power and authority. A particular source of pride is Nebuchadnezzar's conquest ofJerusalern, a feat that Assyria failed to accomplish.
The proverbial utterance portrays the proud dynasty of
Babylon as saying '70the heavens I shall go up. Above the
stars of Cod 1 shall lift up my throne, and I shall sit down
upon the mountain of meeting, in rhe remotest parts of the
north. I shoJl go up above the high places of the clouds; I
shall make myself resemble the Most High." (lsaiah 14:73,
74) Could there be anything more oubageous?
24 In the Bible the f i g s of the royal line of David are
likened to stars. (Numbers 24:17) From David on, those
"stars" ruled from Mount Zion. After Solomon built the
temple in Jerusalem, the name Zion came to apply to
the whole city. Under the Law covenant, all male kraelites were obliged to bavel to Zion three times a year. Thus,
it became "the mountain of meeting." By determining to
subjugate the Judean kings and then remove them from
23, 24. What extreme arrogance is shown by Babylon's hngs?

(
I

1
I

185

that mountain, Nebuchadne~zaris declaring his intention

to put himself above those "stars." He doer not givelehavah credit for his victory aVer them. Rather, in effect, he
arrogantly puts himself in Jehovah's place.
25 What a reversal is in store for the proud Babylonian
dynasty! Babylon is far from being elevated above the stars
of God. Rather, Jehovah says: "Down to Sheol yo11 will
be brought to the remotest ports of the pit Thore seeing
you will gaze even at you; they will give close examination
even to you, saying, '1s this the man that was agitating the
earth, that was making kingdoms rock, that made the productive fund Iike the wilderness und that overthrew its very
cities, that did not open the way homeward even for his
prisoners?' " (Isaiah 74:15-77) The ambitious dynasty will
come down to Hades (Sheol), just like any human.
26 Where, then, will be the power that conquered kingdoms, destroyed productive land, and overthrew cities
without number? Where will be the world power that
took captives and never alIowed them to go back home?
Why, the Babylonian dynasty will not even have a decent
burial! Jehovah says: '$41other khgr o f the notions, yes,
ail o f them, have iain down in glory, each one in his own
house. But as for you, you have been thrown away without a burial place for you, Iike a detested sprout, clothed
with killed men stabbed with the sword that are going
down to the stones of a pit, like a carcass trodden down.
You will not become united with them in a grave, because
you brought your own land to ruin, you killed your own
people. To time indefinite the offspring of evildoers will
not be named." (Isaiah 74:78-20) In the ancient world, it
was considered a disgrace for a king to be deprived of an
honorable burial. So, what about Babylon's royal dynasty? It is true that individual kings are pmbably interred
25, 26. How does the Babylonian dynasty meet a disgraceful end?

l s h ~ w t hHumbles an Amgant City

wlth honor, but the impxlal dynasty of ldngs that descended from N e b u w is discarded "
lka d sprout.' It is as if the dynasty were thrown into an
unmarked grave-& a mere f
m
tsoldier slaln in battle.

What a hu-tionl
27 The pruwbial saying ends wlth m orders to the
conquering Meds and PersW: "#ah Iready, p you a
slaughtsrkrg block br his own sons because of the error
o f t f r o l r h f a t k s ,thtdsqrmaynotrlreupandQCCUoI~

~~lonoftkem~and~~~~ir#leofbhep
thehrtd wfth Ma."Clmiah 14:2f) The fall of Babylonwill
be permanent. The Babylonian dynasty wflI be rooted out.
There will be no mabance. Future p e r a m of Babylon i a will
~ suffer becaw of "the error af their Inrefathers.'
28 The Wdpent pronounced against the Babylonian dynastp provides a valuable lwon h us. The root of the
Babylonian kings' sin w a
endless ambition, (Daniel 523) Thetr hearts were filled with a dafre far pawer. They wanted to doarlnnte others, (Isaiah $75,6 ) And
they IwM a& glary from men, which rightly belongs tu
God. (Revelatton411)This Is a warnlng to any in authontty-even In the Chdstkm c o ~ t l l o nAmbltfon
.
and selfish pride we
that Jehwahwill not tolerate,
~ 4 t in
h ~i n d i v i W or in nations.
29 The pride of the Babylonian rulers was a reflection of
the spirit d "thegod of thb qskm of things,NSatan the

~~

27. Ln what way do futue

of BPbyIonlsar M e t for the
ermr of their bmLtha?
28. What was the coot of the s i n of the Bnbylonlan kings, and what

dowelesrnfmmthis?

29. The ride aad &ition

of what{

of the Babylonian d e n was a refledon

Like anclen t Babylon, &&Ion

wild becams a hwp of rurm

the Great

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

M
E
.(2 Corinthians 44)He tm lusts for power and longs
to place himself above Jehovah Coct. As was the cnsc with
the king of Baby!on and the people he subjugated, Satan's
unholy ambition has resulted in misery and suffering for
all mankind.
30 Moreover, in the book of Revelatlon, we read of another Rabylon-"Babylon the Great.'~l~cwlatlon
18:2) This
organization, the world empire of False religion, has also
shown a prideful, oppressive, and cruel spirit, IZs a result,
she toe has to face a "day of Jehovah" and tre destroyed in
God's due time. (Isaiah 136) Since 1919 the mrssag has
sounded around the earth: "Babylon the Great has fallen!" (Rewlation 148) When she was unabIe to t~otdGod's
people in captivity, she experienced a bll. Soon she will be
completely d m y d . Of ancient l<abylon,Jehovah cornmanded: "Pay back to her according to her activity. According to all that she has done, do to her, 1:or it is ngalnst
Jehovah that she has acted presumptuously, against the
Holy One of Israel." (Jeremiah50:2(7;James2 13 ) Ralrylon
the Great will receive a similar juclgm~nt,
31 Hence, Jehovah's final statement of thls prophecy In
the hook of Isaiah applies rtot only to ancient Babylon hut
also to Babylon the Great: "I will rise up oquinst them
And I will cut off h m Babylon name and rernnant and
progeny and posterity.
And I wiil rnclke her a porsession of porcupines and m d y pools of water, and I will
sweep her with the h m of onnihiiation." (Isaiah 14:22,
23) The desolated ruins of ancient Iiabylon show what JFhovah will soon do to Babylon thc Great. What a comfort for lovers of true worship! What an cncouragment to
strive never to allow the satanic chnracterl~ticsof pride, arrogance, or cruelty to develop in us1

. ..

..

30,What other BabyIon is mentioned in the tllhle, and what splrit

has she sham?
31. What will soon happen to Babylon thc Great7

- -

Jehovah's Counsel
Against the Nations
I

Isalah 1424-19:25

JEHOVAH can use thc natlons to dlsclpline hls people for

their wickedness. liven sat hc cloer not excuse those nations for their unncccssnry cruelty#tthctr pride, and their
animosity toward true worship. Thus, long in advance he
inspires Isaiah to record "'thc pmnounccment against B a b
ylon."(Isaiah 131) However, Rnbylon i~a future threat. In
Isaiah's day, Assria is oppressing God's covenant people.
hsyria destroys thc nartllcrn kirrgdom of Israel and devastates much of Judah. I'lut Assylhia'striumph is limited.
Isaiah writes: ")eehavah af armlcs has sworn, saying: 'SureJy just as / have figured, so it must occur, , In order to
breuk the Assyrian in my /and and that 1 may tread him
down on my own mauntulns; and that his yoke may actually depart from upon them and thar his very Ioad may
deport from upon their shovlder.' " (Isahh 14:24,25) Not
Iong after Isaiah uHcrs t h i ~
prnphecy, the Assyrian threat is
removed from Judalt.

2 What, though, of other nations that are enemies of

God"s covenant pcoplc? They too must he judged. Isaiah
declares: mi^ is the counsel that Is counseled against all
the earth, lrnd this is the hand that is stretched out against
1. W h a t judgment pmclamt~tlonngalnst Awyrln does Isnlah record?
2, 3. [a) In nnclent tlmcs, against whum rlnes Jehovah str~tchout

his hand? (h) What dclchr 11 mean th;htJuhnv&hstrutches out his hand
against "a!! the nation$"?

Bibla'sPmpkccy-Ught

fir All Manklnd I

dl the nrrtfomr. hr lebowh d mb h h e # has counseted,acrndwhonmhmkitup?AndhlshondIstheone

strstched out and who can h m It hckP ( W a h 14:26,
27)Jehovah's "counsel" Is more than mere advice. It b
hb firm demmbtion, his decm. U U h 4920, 30)
Gad's "hand" is W appM power, In the final wises of
Isalah chapter 14 and h chapters 15 ta 19,Jehovah'scounsel is against PhiliiGa, Moab, Damascus, Ethiopia, and

m-

3 H o w e m f Isaiah says that Jehovah's hand

Is stretched

out against "all the nations? Hence, while these prophe

da of Isaiah ate l k t W l e d in andent tlmes, they also
apply in prindple during HtheW e of the enduwhen Je
hovah s-es
out his hand against all the kingdoms of
the earth. (Daniel 244;129; Romans 25:4; Revelation 19:
11,19-21) Inng in advance, the P w t y God, Jehmah,
cunfidatly meals his a m e l . No one a n hrm back his

stretched-outhand-Wm 33:ll; Isaiah 48.10.

MA Flying Herp Snake"Against Phiftstia

4 The P~~
receive a t m t i m first, "In the p a r that
Khg&ardkdtMrpnolnountsmentd:'Donotrs-

m,0 *il&th, m y w e of pu, just baaus2 the W o f

~eonedrlhgywPlarh~.~outofhmtof
the serpmvrt tfrerre will c a m b& a pdmnow s
e and
h hit will be a tlyhg h y snuk/"4uIah 14:28,29.

5 King U*
was stcong enough to contain the threat
posed by PhilMh. @ Chtonides 26:&8) To thhe
was like n s e p m , ad his stag kept s~kingthat un.
d Jebwrah's pmmncwamt a
m Phi1Wifi1
5 6. (4 In what way was UIlke a serpent to the PhUstina?
ib) What
Hwekbh p m to be agalnst PhWsth?

4. What are h ~ n d
e-s

Phi/&rinewudm

charging their enernler

(Egyptian carving t b m

the 12th century 8,C,E.)

friendly neighbor. After

Uz4& dled-'his staff WBS
bsokcexlr-the falthful To-.
-,.-.---.
-t
ruled, but 4he people were yet actfng rutnowiy."Next, Ahaz became king.
Things changed, and the PhIhtlnes conducted rnca-3ful military mi& on Judah. (2 QlFonides 272; 28:17,18)
Now, hmww, things are changing agah In 746 B . U ,
King A h a dies and the young HezRkiah tala the throne.
Lf the PhiMiues feel that thlngs MU contlnue in their favor. they are sadiy mlstalpen. Hezeklah prwles m be a
deadly he.A descendant of Uz&h (the "huff from his
Umt'l),
H W a h is Hke "a flying fiery &"-rapidly
dartlng tu the attack, skrlking In a
fashion,
and produdfig a burning dect, as if injecttng his vIctfms

with venom.
6 This is an apt descrlptlon of the nmv king, "It was BaWah] h t rn&down the PhIlisdm dear to Gaza and
a h its tenitoris." (2 KLngs 1&8) According to the amah
of Assyrian King Sennacherlb, the Phllbtlna -me
subjeas ofHtzkhh. W e lOWIy onesu-the weakened kingd m of J a - g e t to enjoy securlv and material plentp,
while PhiMia s u f k a h d n e . - R m t Iroicrh 14:30,3?.
7 It seems that ambassadon are p m t In Judah-perhaps sh!ek;lngan alllance against Assyria, What shouldthey
be told? 'What w/l/ anyone say In c
m
s
w to he mas~ngarrof the nation?" Should Kez~Mabseek security
7. What ~
w of faIthnmust b k l a h make to the amdors pmmt InJerusalem?

isaiuh's Pmphtxy-Light fir AH Mankind I

Moab Xs Silenced

aMwbh

Stone &of

warrior ar god (betwen 17 th

and 8bh century 8 L E )

in foreign alliances? Noi He

should tell the messengers:
" I e h W h h e # hrrs hid the
fctmdaa'on of &,and In her
~-on~ofh&polople
w l l &b-."
(IsuM 14:33
The king must h m full tnrst In
Jehovd~The foundawn of Zion is
7
firm.The dty will surdye as a fatk hawa from the Assyrfan menace.-Psabm 46:1-7.
8 Uke m
t
h
,some mtions today vldously oppose
God's .
CMstlan Wi-w
of JefioPsh haw
been m d m d in prisons and conwntmdon camps.They
h m been banned, A number haw been W e d . Up
ponenfs continue ta 'make sharp a h d s on the suuI of
the righteous o m Y (Psalm 94:21) To thelr mantes, this
Qlrlsttan p p m y seem "lowljPand *poor,"H m I
with Jehovah'ssupport, they enlay spiritual plenty, W e
their d e s suik famtne. (Isaiah 65:l3,14;h a s &11)
When Jehowh
out his hand against the modem
day lWlMms, thm "lowly ones"W l be wcum Where?
In a~wletlonwifh?he household of God: of which je
sus is the sure boundation cornemom. mheians 219,
ZQ) And they rvill be under the pm&lon of "hJerusalem,"Jehovah's ceIatIal Khgdoa wtkich has Jesus
slat as -.-He1222; Rewbaon 14:1,

iehovah's Counsal Against the Marian#

a (a) m h S O M ~

~ k Pe~ I I W ?
he
W h ancient times, w b t hm J e h m d m ?to support his peopk
MY?

9 &t of the Dead !?mIs another neighbor of Israel

-Moab,Unlike the PhiMhs, the Moabites are mted to
Ismel, being descendanisofAbraham's nephew Lot.(Genesis 19:37)Despite that r&ttonship4 Mod ius a hisof
erimi~
wlth IsraeL !?or example, batk irt the days of M+
ses, the khg of Moab hired the propw Balaam, hoping
that he would curse tbe I s d k s . Wha that failad,
Mmb ur&d Immotality and Eaal wrship to ensnare brael. (Numbers 224-6; 251-5)Uttle wnder, then, that Jeh d now inspfres lsaiah to xmrd "tke pmun-t

agffOnsf Mub#f-isc1iErA 75:70.

to Isaiah's prophecy 3s M against m e m u s dtla
and loc~tiansIn Moab, hdudingAr, Kir (orHr-hareseth),
and Mbon. (bdoh 15:Jb, 220) Moabites wlll mourn Par

KPc-WWh's ralsfn c&sl pahaps a

pmdud of
the dty. (Wah 1&6, 7)Slbmah and Jam,famous for
vine dtivaUon, will be smitkn ( b h h 16:8-10)EgIa*
sWbtph, whose name m9y mean H&r of Three
P a Old,# will k Iik a stutdy young cow uwrlngpitiful
cries of anguish. (Imfah 1S:J) The gma of the land wlll
dry up while the "wttters of L#mbecome
"
full of bid
because of the shughtet of the MoaMta. The Hwcrtsrs of
NJmrrhnY wiU W
e " s k r & d ~ " i either
n a ffguPative sense or a W seaseHCcely because enemy fom
darn up their streams.-lsaioh fS:6-9.
11 Moabites will gird & m dwith
~ sdcloth, the garment of mourning. They d
l
their heads bald to
spmbo13ze shame and lamentation. Thdr beards will be
"cIipp&" shewng atfeaw grief and hwdiztion, (Isufoh
lS2b-4) Isaiah himself, d
n of the f d i h e n t of these

whom is the n e ~pwxl~uncement

t
made, and how l
w
this p p f e p w d w bk an enemy of W a p W e ?
10, 11. What wlfl happnta Mmb?
9. AgalnSt

194

Isaioh's Prophecy-Light far AII ,Wfli?kirrrl I

judgments, feels deep emotions. Like thc vibrating strings

of a harp, h s inward parts are moved with pity because of
the message of woe against Moab.-Isaiah 76: 11,72.
12 When will this prophecy be fulfilled? Soon. "This is the
word that lehovah spoke concerning Moab formerly. And
now jehovah has spoken, saying: 'Wirhin three years, according to the years o f a hired laborer, the glory o f Moab
must also be disgraced with much commotion of every
sortt and those who remain aver will be a trifling few, not
mighty "'((lsaiah 16:73, 74) In harmony with tl~is,there
is archaeological evidence that during the eighth century B.C.E., Moab suffered grievously and many of its sites
were depopulated. Tiglath-pileser 111mentioned Salamanu
of Moab among the rulers who paid tribute to hum,Sennacherib received tribute from Kammusunadbi, king of
Moab. Assyrian monarchs Esar-haddon and Ashurbanipal
referred to Moabite Kings Musuri and Kamashaltu as being their subjects. Centuries ago, the Moabites ceased to
exist as a people. Ruins of cities thought to be Moabite
have been found, but little physicd evidence of this oncepowerful enemy of Israel has thus far been unearthed.

Modexn-Day "Moab" Perishes

13 Today there is a worldwide organization simiIar to ancient Moab. It is Christendom,the principal part of "Babylon the Great." (Revelation 175) Both Moab and Israel
descended from Abraham's father, Terah. Similarly, Christendom, like the congregation of anointed Christians today, claims lo have roots in the first-century Christian congregation. (Galatians 6316) However, Cl~ristendom-like
Moab-is corrupt, promoting spiritual immorality and the
worship of gods other than the one true God, Jehovah.
12. How were Isaiah'? words against Moab fulfilled?

13. What organization today can be compared with Moab7

Jehovuh's Counsel Againsf t h e Nations

I
II
I

195

(James 4:4; 1John 5:21) As a class, Christendom's leaders

oppose those who preach the good news of the h g d o m .
-Matthew 24:9,14.
14 Moab was eventually silenced. The same will happen
to Christendom.Jehwah, using a modern-day equivalent
of Assyria, will cause her to be desolated. (Rwelation 17:
16,17) However, there is hope for people in this modernday Woab." In the midst of prophesying against Moab,
Isaiah says: "In loving-kindness a throne will certainly be
firmly established; and one must sit down upon it in trueness in the tent of David, judging and seeking justice and
being prompt in righteousness." (Isaiah 16:s) In 1914, Jehovah firmly established the throne of Jesus, a Ruler in
the line of King David. Jesus' kingship is an expression
of Jehovah's loving-kindness and, in fulfillment of God's
covenant with King David, will last forever. (Psalm 72:2;
85:10, 11; 8 9 3 , 4; Luke 1:32) Many meek ones have left
modern-day "Moab" and haw submitted themselves to Jesus in order to gain life. (Revelation 18:4)How comforting
for these to know that Jesus will 'make clear to the nations
what justice is'! -Matthew 12:18; Jeremiah 33:15.

Damascus Becomes a Decaying Ruin

15 Next, Isaiah records "the pronouncement against Damascus." (Read Isaiah 77:1-6.) Damascus, to the north
of Israel, is "the head of Syria." (Isaiah 78) During the
reign of King Ahaz of Judah, Rezin of Damascus in
league with Pekah of Israel invades Judah. At Ahaz' request, howmr, Assyrian Tiglath-pileser 111 wars against
14. DespiteJehovah's counsel against the modern-day "Moab," what
hope is there for individual members of that organization?
15, 16. (a) What hostile steps do Damascus and Israel take against
Judah, and with what result for Damascus? (b) Who is included in
the pronouncement against Damascus? {c) What can Christians today learn from Israel's example?

'-"<7

h's I h p h c ~ y - L i g k t for All Maaklnd I

.
'

Syrian warrior riding

u camel (ninth
cmtury B.C. E.)

Damascus, conquering it
and exiling many of its inhabitants. Thed&r, Damascus r e a w tobea timat
tO J~dah.-Z KQs 36:s-9;
2 Chronides 28:5,16.
16 likely because of Israel's alliance with Damastus, JekwaWs pronouns;meat against Damascus
also bdudeS eqxes$ion.s
of judgment against the
unfaithful northern kingdom. (Baiah 17:Mj Israel will b c a e U e a add at harvesttrma with very little grain. or like an alive We from
which most of t h e dives ham b m shaken from the
branches. Qsaiah 174-6)What a sobering example for
those who arededicated toJehovah!He e x p e t s exclusive
dmoimn and accepts ad7 heartfelt sacred service. And he
hates those who tu~nagainst their b~others.-Fxdus 20:s;
Isalah 17:1CI, 11; Matthew 2448-50,

Full Confidence in Jehovah

17 Isaiah now sap: ""In that day earthling man will look
up to his MakerI md his own eyes wiil gaze utthe Holy One
of Isrue1 himsdf And he will not {oak to the slaps, the work
d h i s hqnds; and at what his fingers have made he wi#not
17, 18. W How do s m e in Israel reat4 t~ Jehovah's pronouncements but what is tb~gen&alrespons2 @) How do events today resembk thaw of HegekiaKs d+?

gaze, either ur the sacred pdes or at the incense stahds."

(Isaiah 1Zx 88)Yes, some in Israel heed Jehovah"s i n g

pronouncement. For example, when Iiezekiah sends an

invitation to the Inhabitants of Israel to jainJudahin a cdebration of the Passover+some Israelites respond and travel south to lain their brothers in pure worship. (2 Chronicles 361-12j Still, most of Israel's inhabitants mock the
messengers bearing the invitatim. The country is incurably apostate. Hence, Jehovah's counse1 against her is fulfilled. Assyria destroys Israel's cities, the land becomes
waste, the pastures urrpmductive.-Read Isaiah lZ9- I I.
18 What of today? Israel was an apostate nation. Hence,
the way Hezekiah lned to help individuals in that nation
to return to true worship reminds m of how hue Chrirtiam today try to help individuals in the apostate ownizatlon of Christendom. Since 1919, couriers horn "the
Is~aelof God" have gone through Christendom, inviting
people to share in pure worship. (Galatians 6:16) Most
have refused. Many have mocked the messengers. Some,
though, have responded. They now number into the millions, and they delight in 'gazing a t the Holy One of Israel,' being educated by him, (Isaiah 5 413)They abandon
worship at the unholy altars-devotion to and trust in
man-made gods-and eagerly turn toJehovah. (Psalm 146:
3, 4) Like Isaiah's contemporary Micah, each one of them
says: "As for me, It is for Jehovah that I shall keep on the
lookout. I will show a waiting attitude for the Gad of my
salvation. My God will hear me."-Micah 7:7.
19 What a contrast to those who put their trust in mortal
man! Turbulentwaves of violence and upheaval bdet humanlty in these last days. "The sea" of restless, rebellious
humanity churns up discontent and rwolutton. (Isaiah
57:20; Revelation 8:8, 9;13:l) Jehovah will "rabuk" this
-

19. Whom will Jehovah rebuke, and what will this mean for them?

188

I$&tu&s mphecy-L&bt far All Manklnrl I

noisy crowd. US hawnip Kingdom wfll destmy w q

troub1p.mkiq organimtion and individual, and these
wiU%tbrawq.../ikeathlrtlewhirlbeforeaPdomr
wind."-Isakrh IZ?2,73; ReveWan 16:14,16.
WThe mull?Wah sys: "At m I n g lime, why, look!
thew & sudcXen temK. k h m mornitydt b no m a 7his
&bre~oftfrosepiu@gus,andtheht~
Ing b
pIunderfng a
' (Isaiah 1Z14)Many am plunde&gJehavah's p q k , mthgthem harshly and &re-

~pBeca~tfieparenot-anddon0twishtube-a
part of the d d l s maimhwn ~ o mtnre
I ChrisbIans
20. mspw king 'patmtkml' by the natlons, what M e n m do
tnrecwthlsbave?

"?be sea" J&Illous h u m &

chums up 61scantknt M d m i u d o n

v l d as easy p q by biased critics md M c op

ponents. But G d ' s people are mnhdent t b t the "momIng" when their trlbulatlons will end Is fast a p p m d h g .
-2 ThessEllonhns 16-9; 1~~ 56-11.

Ethiopia Brings a Gift to Jehovah

21 On at least two occasions, EthiopiaI to the smth of
Egypt, hasbeen involved In mWaryaction @nstJudab(2 Chronlclen 12:2,3; 1k1, P I S ; 16:8) Now Isaiah pralicb

fudgment on that natton: ##a hr the M of tfre whkdnglmerts withwlngs, w h i d r & i n ~ ~ i o n o f t f r e r f w e v s

of EdraOpra!" ( R e d lrwlah 18:1 6 ) " Jehovah decrees that
Ethioph will be 'cut off, remavsd,and lopped off.'
=Secular hlsrory tells us that In the latter part of
the eighth century BC.E, W o p i a m n q m Egypt and
ruled it h r some 6Q yam. Assyrian Eupmrs Esir-haddan
and Ashurbanipal invaded in turn. With the d~~~

of Thebes by Ashurbanipal,A q f a sub]ugated Egypt, thm

ending Ethiopian dominance over the Nile Valley. [See
also Isaiah 20r3-6.)What about in modem tima?
23 In Dmfel's prophq of "thet h e af the end," the agg~ssive"ktng of the north"is -bed
as haKtag E W
pia and LIbya "at his step," that is, mponsive to his di&on. (Daniel 11:#43) F$hiogia b &o mentioned as
being in the battle forces of "Gog of the land of Magog."

'Some scholars suglpst that the expmlon "land of the whirring

lnsW with *In@ refers ta the locusts that owuionally swam

In Ethla la. Othen point out that the Hebrew word fw "whlrrlngiY
bda-&m[ resembles in m d the name glmn m the lrrtrc fly, &a&
&alp,by the Cdh, a Hamltlc people ltvlng Jn m d r n EthIoph.

21, 22. Whlch mthn neH Wcs a judgment pranomcement,

and how we- Isaiah's hplrsd wards iidlUIed7
23. What pnrt d m s the d e m & y "Whiopla"play, and r#fry W
It meet Ita end?

)rlrovnlrls Co~rrrsclA p i t r ~ thc

t Natio!rs

(bckld 3R2-5,8)Gog's forces, including the king of the

north, meet their end when they attack Jehovah's holy
nation, Hence, Jehwah's lrand will also be stretched out
agi~instthe modern-day "Ethiopia" hecause of its opposition to Jehovah's sovereignty-Ezekiel 38:21-23; DmIcl 11:45.
24 Yet, the prophecy also says: "In that time Q gift will
be bmught to Jehovah of armies, h m a p p f e drawn
out and scoured, even from a people feur-inspiring everywhere
to the place of the name of lehovatr of armies,
Mount Zion." (Isaiah 18:7) Although the nations do not
sec[~#nireJehovah's sovereignty, thc3yhhac at times acted
in ways that benefit Jehovah's people, In some landr the
authorities have enacted leglrlalinn and rendered court
deckions gbing legal sights to faithful worshipers of Jehovah. (Acts 529; Revelation 1 2 15, 16) And there a p other gifts, "Kings will bring gifts to you yourself. .. .B m m
ware things wilI come out of Egypt; Cus h IEthiopia] itself
will qillckly stretch out its hands with sifts to God."
(Psalm fi8:29-31) Today, millions of modcrn-day ''Ethiopians" who fear Jehovah are bringlnfi "a g1Ft" In the form of
worship, (Malachi 1:ll)They arc sharl~igIn the immense
task of preaching the good news of [he Kingdom in all the
carth. (Matthew24:14; Revelation 14:6,7) What a fine gift
to offer to Jehovahf-Hebrews 13:lS.

.. .

The Heart of Egypt Melts

25 Judah's immediate neighbor to the south is Egypt,
l o n ~an enemy of God's covenant people. Isalah chap
tcr 19 mounts the unsettled state of affairs in P i ~ y p durt
ing Isaiah's lifetime. There is civil war in IIgypt, with "city
against city, kingdom against kingdom."(lsiiah 19:2, 23,
24. In what ways has Jehuvah received " ~ i R 5 "from the naHonr?
25, In fulfillmcntof Isaiah 19:1+11,what lial>pensto at~clentEgypt?

201

14) Historians present evidence af rival dynasties ruling

diCTcrcnt parts d the country at the same timc. Thc vauntctI wisclorn of Egypt, with her 'valuetes%gods and charmers,' t l r l ~not
~ save her from "the hand OC a hard master."
(Isalah 193, 4) E ~ y pi ts successivelymnquercd hy Anyria,
Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome, All thesc evcnts h~lfill
!hc prophecies of lraiah 19:l-I 1.
26 Ilmvever, in the Bible, Egypt often symboli;r~s
Satan's
world. (lkekiel 293; Joel 3:19; Revelation I l :R) 'Therefore,
cloes lsn iah's "pmnouncernentagoinst Egypt" have a larger
fulfillmcnt? Ycs, indeed! The opcning wtlrtls of the prophccy should give everyone cause to take nnticc: "look!Iehovah Is riding on a swift cloud and comlng Into Egypt And
the mIueless gads of Egypt will certainly quiver because of
him, and the very heart of Egypt will melt in the midst of it."
(fsaiah 79:1) Jehovah will soon nlove against Sillan's orgitnizirtiorl. At that time, the gods OF this aystcm ot things
wlll bc sccn to be valueIess. (Psalm 96:s; 977) "The very
htlart of Iigypt will melt" in fear, Jesus foretolrl that time:
"There will be , , , anguish of nations, not knowing the
way out because of the roaring of the sea and It5 agitation,
while men become faint out of fear and rxpuaatlcln of the
thin^ coming upon the inhabited earth."--Luke 21:25,2G.

27 Of the time leading up to his execution of judg

rncnt, Jrhovah says prophetically: 7 wilf good Egyp
tluns against Egyptians, and they will certalnIy war each
one agoinst hls brother, and each one agalnst Ids cornpanion, city against city, kingdom against kingdom." (Isaiah
19:Z) Since thc establishment of God's KinffdornIn 1914,
"lhc s i ~ nof 1Jesus'] presence" has h e m msrk~dby nation ri~ingagainst nation and kinadom again~tkingdom.

26, In the larger fulfillment, how wilt Inhabttants of modern-day

"IIgypt" react t.o Jehovah's acts of iudgrnenr?
27, What lntcrnr~ldivisions were Eoretuld for "II~ypt,"and how is this
I>clng fi~lfillctltoday?

tsff hh's Prepkacy-L/ght for All Msrnkirrd I

MM massaaest blolady gtmoddes, md s d l e d etMc

cleanshgs haw daimed millions of Ilm during these last
days. Such "p~mgsd distress" wiU only get worse as the
end draws nearer.-Matthew W3,7,8.
m%splrit
d E g y p f ~ ~ e b e Inwthel ~
mi& of I f and I shad c o n h e Itr own mimid. And thy
wid be c e ~ to
n nasmf lo the ~Iuelessgo& md b the
chcrmters and to i
b spIrlt mediums md to the profas l m I hwtetkrs of wenb" (tsdah 19:3) When Moses ap
pemd before Fbmab, the priests of Egypt were put to
shame, W l e ta match J e b W in pawer. { M u s 8:18,
1% Acts 13%; 2 ?kmhy38) Slmilady, In the day of )udgm a t , false religionwiU be unable to save this corrupt S ~ S taa (Compm lsaiah 47:1,11-13.)Evenkrally, Egypt m e
under "ahQlltl mustqMAssyda.
(isabh 79:4) Thh forahadows the bleak fumefacingthls system of things,
29
though, af the p ~ U t l leaded
d
Can thy help?
T h e p r i of
~ Zoun
~ ~ ow Indeed hoIish. As mgarrfsthe wise
ones of Phmmh's cmnsebrs, adr counsel ls something
u n m m H e a a( R e d Idah 1*5-11,) How unreasomb1e

tahopethatIru~~mW91iUbeofanyweInthe
day of judgment! Rfen with all the world's knowled@
at their dbpwal, they lack godly wisdom, (1 m t h l ans 3:19) They have
Jehomh and haw turned to
sdence walled, pMwp@, money, pleasure, and 0ther substitute gods. As a-t,
they have no knowledge of
God's purposes. They are decelmdand disconcerted,Their
m&sare In wain, (adlsolph 19:12-15.) The wise ones
have become ashamed+They haw become terrified and
wlH be caught. M k T They haw rejetted the wry woKi of
Jehovah, and what w i s h do they haw?"-Jeremiah 8:9.
28. In the dey of judgmat, what will false rellglm be able to da to
saw this system d We?
29. When JekoPah'sday emnm, of what use will p~lltldnmbs?

ign and a Witness to J

204

Ii~kovrih'sCnrrrtsel &tiinst the Nr~llons

fsttl;il?'s l ~ w ~ ~ l ~ r ~ ;fhr
~ ~All
- lMotrkjnd
, / , ~ l # t1

their "other sheep" companions-in more than 230 coun-

amies that he is counseling against Mm." (Isaiah 19:17)

The faitliful messengers nf Jehovahgo forth telling p p I e
the trut h-including the announcrrnent of the plagues
fr,rctolcl by Jehwah. [Revdatinn R:7-12; 1632-12) T h s is
dlsturhlng to the religious leaders of thc world,
31 What is the surprising result of thls proclamation
work? 7 n that day there will prow to be five cities in
the land of Egypt speaking the Ianguoge of Conuan and

swearing to Jehovah of armies. The City of Twrfng Down

will one city be cafled."(Isaiah 19:18) I: n ancient times this
prophecy was apparently fulfilled when the I-lebrew language was spoken in Egyptian cltles hy Jcmwho had fled
thcrc. (Jeremiah 24:1, 8-10; 41 :I-3;429-437; 44:l) 'raday,
thcw are people in the territory of rnndern-day "Egypt"
who have learned to speak the "pure languageJ'of Bible
truth. (Zephaniah 3:9) One of the five figurative cities is
called "The City of Tearing Dawn," si~t~ifying
that part
nf the "pure language" is rclated to exposing and "tearing

downJ'Satan's organization.
142 Thanks to the proclamation work of Jeliovah's people,
his great name will certainly become known in this system of things. "In that day there will prove to be an altar to Jehowh in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pi!tar to jehavoh beside its boundary." (Isaiah 19:t93 These
words point to the position of anointerl Christians, who
are in a covenant relationship with God, (Psalm 5 0 5 ) As
"an altar"they are offering their sacrifices; as "a plllar and
support of the truth,"they are bearing wltness to Jehovah.
(1 'I'imothy 3:15; Romans 12:1; Hebrews 13:15, 16) They
are "in the midst of the land," being found-along with

205

tries and islands of the sea. But they are "no part of the
world." (John 10:16; IE7:5,16)They arc, as It wete, standing nn thc boundary m e n this world and thc Kingdom
uf Gad, prepared to cross that boundary and rcceive their
heavenly reward,
3:s Isaiah continues: "It must pro* to be for o sign and
h r D witness ta jehomh of armies in the land of Egypt. for
they will cry out tolehwoh because of the opprasors, and
he wllf send them a savior, even a gmnd one, who will
octuafly deliver them." (Isoioh 19:20]As "a sign" and "a
witncss,'' rhe anointed take the lead in thc preaching work
ancl cxalt JchwnhJsname in tlils systc~nol' things. (Isaiah R: I R; Hehnwr 219) Thmugl~outthr world thr cries of
oppressed people can be heard, but by and lar~e,human
governments are unable to help thcm. I-lowwer, Jehovah
wilt scnrl a Grand Savior, the King Jcsus Chtist, to liberate all the meek ones. When these last days reach their climew at the war of Armageddon, hc will llrlng rellef and
~wrlastlngblessings to God-fearing humans,-Psalm 72:2,
4, 7, 12-14.
34 In the meantime, it is God's will that all sorts of POple gain accurate knowledge ancl k saved. (1 Timothy
2:4$ I.lence, Isaiah writes: ")efiovah wilt certofnly become
known to the Egyptians; und the Egyptians must know jehowrh In that doy, and they must render sacrtflce and gift
and must make a vow to jehowll and pay i t And Jehovah
will certainly deal Egypt a blow. There will be a dealing of
a blow and a heo/ing; and they must return tu Iehovah,

33, In what ways are the anointed "a slgn" and "n wfmcss" In

31. How does it come to pass that "the languilge of Canaan" Is ~ p *

krn In cEtlcr of Egypt fa) in anclenl tlmch? (b) In modern times?
32, (a) What "altar" is in the midst nf the land of Bgypt? (b) H a v
nrv thc anointed like " a pillar" hesicle I':gyptls hbr~undaryl

34. (<I) How wllI Jehovahcome to be known to "the E~ypttans,"and

whet sacrlrice and gift will they give to hlm? {b) WEicn wlll Jehovah
deal a blow to "F,gypt," and what l l c ~ l l n gwill tnllow?

"Egypt"?

206

Jsninh's Prupllecy-Li,fht for A l l Mrtnklnd I

and he must let himself be entreated by them and must

heal them." (lsaiah 1921, 22) People from all nations of
Satan's worId, individuaI "Egyptians," come to know Je hovah and render him sacrifie, *the frultof lips which makc
public declaration to his name." (Hebrews t3:lS) They
make a vow to Jehovah by dedicating themselves to him,
and they pay their wrw by living a life of loyal service. Following the "blow" that Jehovah will deal this system of
thing5 at Armageddon, he will use his Kingdom to heal
humankind.DuringJmus8MilIennial Reign, mankind will
be elwated to spiritual, mental, rnoml, and physical prfection-healing indeed!-Revelation 22: 1, 2,

"Blessed Be My People"
35 The prophet then foresees a remarkable development:
"in that day there wit1 come fo be a highway out of
Egypt to Assyrio, and Assyria will actually come into Egypt,
and Egypt into Assyria; and they will cerbinly render service, Egypt with Assyria. In that day israel wiJl come to he
the third with Egypt and with Assyrid, namely, a blessing
in the midst of the earth, because lehowh of armies will
have blessed it, saying: 'Blessed be my people, Egypt crnd
the work of my hands, Assyria, and my inheslfoncc, /srael,'" (Isaiah 19:23-25)Yes, one day friendly relations will
exist between J?gypt and Assyria. Mow?
36 When Jehovah rescued his people from the nations in
the past, he made for them highways to freedom, so to
speak. (Isaiah 11:16; 358-10; 4911-13; J m i a h 3E:ZP) A
limited fulfillment of this prophecy t m k place after the
defeatof Babylon when exiles from Assyria and Egypt, as
well as h r n Babylon, were brought back to the Promised
Land. (Isaiah 31:11) But what of modern times?
35, 36. Ln Iullillment of Isaiah 1923-25,what connections came to
exist in ancient times between Egypt, hsyrla, and Israel?

37 l'oday, the remnant ofanointed spiritual Israelites is

'9Illlesslnfi In thc midst of the earth." They promote true
wnrrhll~and arc dcclarlng the Kingdom message to peoplc In all the nations, Some .oft hcse nations are like Assyria, hriavily militaristic. Other nations are more Liberal,
pcrhaps t ikc Ihypt-at on" timc "the king of the south" in
Ihnirt's proplrcry. (I Sanlcl 115,8) Millions of individuals
from thc militaristic nations and the mare liberal nations
l ~ i ~ taken
v c up Ihc way al' true worship. Thus, people from
all nations am unitcd in 'rendering service.' There are no
nation8llstlc divisions among thew ones. They love one
annthcr, and i t can truly he said that Bsyria comes into
IIgypl and T:,hwtinto Aqqyria.' I t is as if there were a highway from o11cto the other.-1 Rter 217.
38 HOW, though, doe? Israel "come to be the third with
E ~ y p and
t with Assyrla"? Early in "the time of the end,"
nwai of those servlny:Jehovah on. earth were members of
"Ilie Israel of God." (Ilanid 12:9;Galatians 6:16) Since the
Ic):$O's, a gr@atcrmvcl of "other sheep," with an earthly
hope, havc ap~~carcd.
(John 10:1ha;Revelation 29) ComIng out nl' ~ h c
nations-foreshadowed by Egypt and Assyrla-they strcam to Jrhovilh's house of worship and invite
nthcrs to loin rhcm. (lralah 22-4) They perform the same
preachln): work as thclr anointcd brothers, endure simiInr ttasts, milnifest the same faithfulness and integrit$ and
f p i ~ li ~ thc
t
same splritital tablc. 'l'ruly, the a~ointedand
the "r~thershecp" arc "(me flock, one shepherd." (John
to:l(,h) T A a~n p n c douht that Jehovah, viewing their
zeal and endurance, ir pleased with their activity? Little
wnndcs that hc prunounces a benediction on them, say
ing: "Rlessed be my ~ ~ e q ~ l e " !
-

37. How (In rnl!Hnnr tc~liiylive 3%thougli thew were a hjghrvay bet w c m *:lr\yha" ant1 "lippt"?
78. (a) Ilow wlll Israfl "wmc to he the third with Egypt and with
A\rvrlaH? (h) Why dnos Ichrwah ray "Rlemerl be my people"?

- .-

.-

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

- -

Trust in Jehovah for Guidance

and Protection
AS SERN in earlier chapters of this hook, God's p o p ! f~a t a~
frlghknlng threat in the eighth century R.C.T:,. 'rhc hload1hll.styAssyrians are ravaging one lanil after anather, and it
Is only a milficrof time before they attack the southern kingdom of Juclah. To whom will thc land's 1nhaI~ltant.rturn for
pmtectlon? l'hey are in a covenant relatinnlihip with J e h a
vah and should rely on him for help. (l.kutlus195, 6) That
is what Kiw David did. He acknowlettjicrl: "Jehovah is my
crag and my stronghold and the Provlclrr of escape for me."
(2 Samuel 22:2) Evidently, though, many in tlic cighth century B.C:.R do not put trust In Jehovah as thcir stronghold.
'I'hey are more inclined to look to Egypt and F-tthlopla,h o p
in# that these two nations will provide a hulwnrk against thc
Zhrefitcned Assyrian invasion. They are wrong.
2 'firough hls prophet Isaiah, Jehovahwarns that seeking
refirgc in l3hwt or in Ethiopia will be dlsast rota. 'l'he prophet? insplrerl worcls providc a salutary Icsson for his csontcrnporarles nlid contain a valuable lesson for us about the impltxtancc of trusting in Jehovah.

A Land of Bloodshed
:%
Thc Arsyrinns WIT known for their military might. The

--

I , 2. What d a n g t do God's people face Inthc c l ~ h t hucntilry B.C.E.,

and to whom are many of them inclined to turn lor prntc~tlonl
3. Ilcscrll~cthe emphasis that Assyrla put an mllli:lry power.

The Assyrians used tn blind some of their cuptlves

bonk A r ~ ~ * i cCities
~ t t notes: T h e y worshiped strength, and
woc~ldsay tlielr prayers only to colossal idols of stone, 1 ions
anrl hulls whose ponderous limbs, caglc winas, and human hcads were symbols of strength, courage, and vlctary, Fightln~was the business of the nation, and the priests
werc inccrqrant fomenters of war." It is with goml wason
that the Aihle prophet Nahum described Nineveh, Assyrla's capital, its '"he city of b1ood~hed."-Nahum 3 1 .
4 T h e war tactics of the Assyrians were unusually cruel, Carvcd rciiefs from those days show Assyrian warriors
leading riff captives by means of hooks stuck through the
noses or the lips. Wjth spears they blinded some captives.
One inscrjption tells of a conquest in which thc Assyrian army cllsmernbered its captives and made two mounds
outsldc thc city--one of hearts and the other of Hrnbs. '!+he
children of the conquered were burned En fire. 'the fcar
4. Howdld the Assyrians strike terror in the hrarts of otlier natlonr?

210

Isuiuh's I'mpl~ecy-L~,~I~t
f i r All Mrt~rk/t/rtI

inspired by such cruelty must have s e m d thc tlssyrlans

well m a military sense, discmtragi~resistance hy thostl
who stood in the way of thclr armies.

The War Against Ashdod

In Isaiah's day the Assyrian Empim reached an unprcccdented level of p w e r under King Sargon."For many yean,
critics doubted the exiFtence of this ruler, as they knew of
no mention of him in secular sources. In time, horvrwcr,
archaeoIogisbuncovered the ruins of Sargc>nms
palacc, and
the Bible" account was vindicated.
6 Isaiah briefly describes one of Sargan's military campaigns: Tartun came to Asfrdod, when Sargon the king of
Assyria sent him, ond he proceeded to wur against Ashdod
and to capture it." (Isaiah 20:l)" Why docs Sargnn oi.cirr
an attack on the Philistine city of Ashdod? For one thlng,
Phillstia is an ally of Egypt, and Ashdod, hotne to n tcrnplc
of Dagon, is located on the road that rum along the coast
from Egypt through Palestine. The city is thur in a slratcglc
location. its captu~ecan be viewed as ii prcllminnry step tu
the conquest of Egypt. In addition, bsyrian records report
that Azuri, Ashdod's king, was conspiring rigninst Assyrla.
Hcnce, Sargon has the rebellious king rcmovtd and ~mts
the king's younger brother, Ahimiti, on the throne. Still,
that dws not settle matters. Another rtlrolt breaks out, and
Historians refer to thir king as Sargon 11. An earllet kin^, nut oI I\<svria. but of Rabylon, is des~gnaledas "5nrgon 1."
" "Tartan" is not a name but a title designating the rr>mrnantler 111
clriefof theAssyrianarmy, likely thc s'cwnd most powerl~~l
Iwrwn in
thr. empire.
S. Who was a pcnverhl Assyrian ruler in Isaiat~'!, day, and liow wa5
the Bible's account or him vindicated?
h, 7. (a) Likely, f o r what reawns dnes Sar~clnorder an aitnckor~Ashdod? Ib) How doe5 the fall of h h d a d atTeck Philirtio's ncixhhnn!

'IS~rstItr jrlinvtll; for I;rridnnre trnd P r v t e c t i o ~

21 1

this time Sargon takes more forceful action. He orders an

attack on Ashdod, which Is besieged and conquered. Likly, Isaiah 2R1 is allucllng to this event.
7 The fall sf Ashdod casts a griin shadowmr her neighbors, especially Judah. Jehovah knows that his people are
fnclinerl to look to "an arm a#flesh," such as Egyptor Ethiopia to the south. Ihercfore, he commissions lsaiah to act
out a dire wtlrnlng.-2 Chronicles 32:7,8.

"Naked and Barefoot"

A Jehovah tells I.wiah: "'Go, rrnd p u must loosen the sockcloth from off your hips; and p u r sandals p u should d m
from off your feet." Iralah complies with Jehovah's command. "He proceeded & do so, wolking abour naked and
borefoot." (Isaiah 20:2) Sackcloth is a cwarse garment often worn by the prophets, sometimes In conjunction with
a warning message. It is also warn in Slmes of crisis or
upon hearing ctllitinitous news, (2 Kings 19~2;Psalm 35:13;
Daniel Y:3) Does Isslah really walk around naked in the
seme of belng without any protective covering at all? Not
neccssarlly,The I-lebrew word translated "naked" can also
rcfcr to one's belng partially or scantily clothed. (1 Samuel 1924, footnote) So Isaiah may have merely taken off
hls outer garment, while retaining the shorttunic that was
carnrnonly worn close to the body, Male captlves are often
represented in this manner in Assyrian sculptures.
9 Thc meaning of Isaiah's unusual action is not left io
doubt: "jehwlah went on to say: yust as my swvrrnt Iso;ah has walked about naked and borefoot three ywrs os
o sign and a portent ogainst Egypt and agairtst Ethioplo, so the king of Assyriol will Ieod the body of captives of
8. What Inspired prophetic act dries Isaiah carry out?
9. What h t h e pruphctic meanlng of Isaiah? action?

Isaiah's P i q h q - L i g h t for All Wdnkiprd I

Egypt and the exiles of Ethiopia, boys and old men, naked
and barehot, and with buttocks stripped, the nakedness crf
Egypt' (lscoioh 20:3, 4) Yes4 the Emtiam and Ethiopjans WlI soon be carried 08captive. No one will be spared.
Even 'boys and old men"-the chiId~rland the elderly-will be stripped of aU their possessions and taken into
exile. By means of this bleak imagery, Jehwah warns the
inhabitan& ofludah that it wiIl be futile for them to put
their trust in Egypt and Ethiopia. The-dl
of these nations wilI lead to &ir "nak&ms"-their ultimate h d iatim 1

Hope Crumbles, Beauty Fades

18 Next, Jehovah prophetically destliha .the response of
his people as they realize that Egypt and Ethiopia, their
hoped-for refuge, has proved powerless before the ksydans. They will certain& be terrified and be ashamed of
Ethiopia their looked-fur h o p and of Egpt their beauty
And the inhabitant of thjs c o d a n d will be rertain to say in
that day, ITRere is haw our looked-hr hope is, to which we
fled for ossjstance, Jn wder to be delivered becouse of the
king of ksyrlol A d how shall we wrseCv& escape? "-Iwigh 20;5, 6,
11Judah s e m s I.& a mere strip of coatland when campared with the powm of Egypt and Ethiopia Perhaps
some of the Inhabitants of "this roasdmdl' are mamared
with Egypt's beauty-its impressive pyrnmids, its towering
temples, and its spacious villas w i t h their surrounding gardens, orchards# and ponds. The magnificent architecture
ofEgypt seems to be evidence of stability and permanence.
Surely this land c m t be devastated! Likely, the Jews are
10,11, [a) What will the respaasp of Judahbe when 6 he f-lizes that
Egypt and Ethiopia are powerless before Asqria? (b) Why may the
inhabitas& of Judah be incIlned to twt in Egyp and ExMopia?

Some may be imptessed by men's achievements,

but ft Is better to trustin jehovah

also Imppressed by the a ~ h e ~ chariot&

s,
and horsemen of
Ethiopia,
12 In view of the acted-uut warning of Isaiah and t h e

prophetic words of.Jehovah, any of Gbd's professed p a ple who are inclined to trat in Egypt and Ethiopia haw
same serious thinking t-o do. H w much &tier 'to put their
trust in Jehovah rather than in earthling man! (Psalm
25:z; m4)As thing's work out, Judahsuffers terribly at the
hand of the king of Assyria, and later, she sees her ternpJe and apital ciQ destroyedby Babylon. Yet, "a tenth," "a
h~lg
wed,"is 1ef&like the stump of a maaiw W. (Isaiah
6:B) When tlhe time comes, Isaiah's message will greatly
12, In whom should Judnh put her trust7

214

--

Isahh's P r o p k ~ c y - C I . ~ ~fur
t t All Mankind 1

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
--

strengthen the faith of that srnaEl gmup who continue to

trust in Jehovah!
Put Your Trust In Jchavah
13 Thc warning in Isaiah concerning the futility of trusting in Egypt and Ethiopia Is not just dead history. It
has practical value for our day. Wc arc llving in "critical
times bard to deal with" (2 Timothy 3:1) Financial disasters, widespread poverty, political z~nmrtalnty,civil unrest;
and small- or largemle wan have devastating effects-not
only on those who spurn God's rulcrsllip Ilut also on those
who worship Jehovah.The question lacing each one Is, 'To
whom will I turn for help?'
14 Some might be impressed by today's financial wizards,
politicians, and scientistr, who talk ofsolving man" problems using man's ingenuity and technology. Homer, the
nlble plainly states: "It i s beeter to take refuge in Jehovah
than to trust in nobles,'~Psalm11 8:9)All man's schemes
i?)r pcace and security will come to naught Ibr the reason
aptly stated by the prophet Jeremiah: "Iwell know,0Jehovah, that to earthIing man his way does not: belong. It does
not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step."
-Jeremiah 1023.
1s lt b imperative, therefore, that servants of God not be
unduly impressed by any seeming strengtll or wisdom of
thls world, (Psalm 33:lO; 1 Corinthians 3: 19, 20) The only
hope for distressed humankind rests wlth the Creator, Jehovah, Those who put their trust In hlm wlll be saved. As
the inspired apostIe John wrote, "theworld Is passing away
and so i s Its desire, but he that does the wilt of God remains fomer."-1 John 2:17.
13. What pressurns affect all-both h ~ i l w e r sand unbclimrs-today?
14. Wlly qhould we put trust only In J C ~ O V A ~ I ?
15. Where Ires the only hope for dlstrcissed rnanklnd?

'Babylon Has Fallen!"

-

Isaiah 21:l-'17
-

'I'H E I!ihlc may be likened to a great piece nf music with

a rlominant theme and with minor thcmcs intrduced to
add to the distinctiveness of Ihc whole, In a similar way,
thc Bi blc has a major theme-the vindication of Jehovah's
sovcrrigniy by mcans of the Messlanlc Klngdnm government, It also has other important, rccurrin~themes. One
of these Is the fall of Babylon.
2 That theme Is inbmduwcl in Isaiah chapters 13 and 14.
It recurs In chapter 21 and again in chnptcrr 44 and 45.A
century later, Jeremiahenlarges on the samc thcme, and
the lmok or Rwclation brings it to ;I thundering conclusll>rr. (Jcrcmiah 53:60-64; Revelation 18:l-194)[,veryserious s t ~ t d c tn of the Bible needs to bc concerned about this
Irn['ortnnt sut~sidiarytheme of God's Word. Isilia h chap
tcr 21 helps In this regard, far it suppf ics fascinating details
nhout thc prophesied fall of that great world power. later,
wc will see that Isaiah chapter 21 slnbsswnnothcr Importnnt Rlblc theme-one that helps us assess our vlgilnnfe as

Chrlstiiins today.
"A Hard Vision"
3 Isaiah chapter 21 opens on an ominous nrbte: "The
-1, 2. [a) What is the owmll theme of tlic Rll?le, hut rvh;~timportant sul~$idiarytheme appears in Iraiah? (b) Ilirw dnrs tlic Hihlr devclop illu thcmc of the Call of fiabylon'!
3. Why Ic Ital,ylon t e ~ m c d"the wlldernes~r l t tlic sra," and w h t dues
1 ha1 tlklc portcnd regardillg her fi~tt~rc:'

pmnouncement against the wilderness of the sm:Like

storm winds in the south in moving onward, from the wiEderness it is coming, from a fear-inspiring land." (t5aiah
27: 7) Straddling the Euphratcr Rlver 15 Hilhylon, with its
ca5tern half in the region between the two great rlvers Eul~hratesand Tigris. It is some distancv from Ihc actual sea,
Why, then, is it called "thc wildcmesr of the sea"? Bc
cause the region of baby lor^ used to flootl annually, treating a vast, marshy "sea." Hawmr, the tlelylonians have
cnntroEEd this watery wilderness by creating a complex
system of dikes, sluices, and canals. They ingeniously use
tbcse waters as part of the city's defense system, Still,
no human works will saw Bahylnn fmm rlivinc judgment. A wilderness she had been-a wildrrness she will
again become. Calamity i s heading hcr way brewing Iike
onc of the fierce storms that somctimtls blow in upon Israel f rorn the fearsomewi Gderness to the mut h.-Compare
Zechariah 9:14.
4 A?WWFlrarned in Chapter 14 of thlr hook, ancient Babylon has a modern counterpart-"nal~ylon the Great," the

world empire of false religion. In Rcwlatlan, Rabylon the

Great is likewise portrayed in connection with "a wilderncss" and "waters."The apostle John is carried away to
a wilderness to be shown Babylon the Great, Ile is told
that she "sits on many waters" representing "peoples and
crowcls and nations and tongues." {lEcwlatlon 17:1-3, 5,
15) I1opular support has always bccn a key in the survival of false religion, but such "waters"wl1I not protect her
in the end. Like her ancient counterpart, shc will end up
empty, neglected, and desolate.

4 Flow cfoes the Rerelation vision of "Ilahylon the Great" indude

thc cfumcnts of "waters" and "a wlldrrncss," anti what do the "watcr~"mean l

I
I

5 In Isaiah's day BabyIon is not yet the dominant world

powrr, hul Jehovah already forewes that w l ~ e nher lime
corncs, shc will abu.se her power. tsalah prtrcdr: "There
is a hard vision that has been hki to me: The Ineacherous dealer is dealing treacherously, and the despoiler is despoiling," (Isaiah 21:Za) Babylon wlll Indcet l despoil and
dcsl lr~ochrmuslywith the nations shu ronrluerr, includin^ Juclah. 'l'he Babylonians will sack Jerusalem, pillage
it5 tcrnplr, and take-its people caplivc to Ibl?ylon. lhere,
tllmc hclpless captives will be tmtcci treacherously, ridictrlccl for their faith, and offered no hope of return lo theit
homclanrl.-2 Chronicles 36:17-21; I'solm 137:1-4.
fi Yes, Rabylon richly deserves this "hard vlslon," whidz
wJl1 mean hard rimes for her, lsaiah cclntinucs: "Go up,
0 Eltarn! lay siege, 0 Media! All sighing due Eo her J have
caused to cease.'' (Isaiah 21:2b) 'l'ho~copprr%ed by this
treacl~erousempire will have relief. At last i n cnd to their
sigtilng! (Psalm 79:11, 12) By what means will this reIief
cornc'? Isaiah names two nations that will attiick Rrtbylon:
Illarrl and Meclia. 'ltvo centuries later, Irr 539 I!.(:.C., Cyrus Ihc Persian wiIl lead a combined force of I'etsians and
Medes aaainst Babylon. As for Elam, hrslan monarchs will
possess at least part of that land prior to 539 H.C.I.:.*The
Persian k>wswill thus inclucic Hamits.
7 Notc how Isaiah describes the effect of this vision

' 'l'ht. I'crsli111King Cyrus was at tlrnes drllgnntc~l"Klng nf hnshan"

-Anshan [ ~ c l n fai reg~onor city in Elam. 'I'hc Imull tcs ot' Isalah's day
-I hc c l ~ htti ccntury R.C.E.-may have hccn ~inlimlllarwlt 11 I)ursia,
whrrew thcy wnuld have known of Etam. I'hh ~ n , i yrxplain why Isa+
la11 hcrc I I ~ ~ T I I CElarn
S
instead of Persia.

--

S. I ~ R W dues Babylon come to earn a reputation as llelnp, "treacherous" and 31 " d e r p i l e l ' ?
6 (a) What sifihlng &illJehovah cauw to cease? (h) What nations

;ire k>retnld to attack Rabylon, and how Ir t h l h lulfillcrl?

7. Hnw drwa Isaiah's vision affect hi~ri,sigllllylng whut7

upon him: %at is why my h i p h#e become full of sew~ pins. C o n w h h s t h m s e k ha^? g t w W hdd of
me, Iik the c m w b of u w m u n that k g#ng bid.
I haw beoome it4h-m so tbat I do trot harr; I haw
fnmme d&u&ed so that I do not see. My heut has md e d a b u t ; a shuddering itdf has M e d me. 7
htwlIlght tbr which I had an uftachrnent has been made tbr me
u tremMIng." Clmiah IT:$ 4) The prophet, It seems, snjoys the twilight hours, a lovely h e for quiet contemplatlon. But nightfall h a now lost its charm, bringing inst&
only fear, pain, and wmbhg. He sufiers mnvuldons llke
those of a woman in labor, and hh heart Ehas wandered
about." One scholar renders this p h m "my heart beats
wildly; noting that the expression refers to 9 fwerlsh
and irregularbeating of the pulse."Why such distress? EvIdently, hiah's feehgs are prophetic. On the nlght of QcQober 516,539 B.CE, the BabyIonbns will experiena slmi h wmr.

8 As darkness fails on that fateful night, terror b the last

thlng on the BabylO&nsl minds. Soare two centurks f n
advance, Isaiah foek "Let them be o setting of the W e
in order, an a m g b of ttrs Iwdn of swb, an wthg, a
drSnkhgln (Isuicrh 2J:Sa) Yes, the m g a n t Klng k b
zar is hosting a feast Seats are arrilnged 6w a thwsand of
his grandees,as well as many w b a and concublmi. (Daniel 5:1,2) The d e r s hm h a t there Is an army outside
the d s , but they klim that the1r clv Is Impregnable.
Her massive walls and deep moat appear to makc her cap
ture impassibIe; her many gods make It unthinkable, So
let thm be "an cat@ a drinking!" Belshaaar gets drunk,
and he probably is not done. The hatted state of the
8, As pmphetied, h w do the Babylonians a d , wen though their enrmlep are m ~ d the
e mu?

high offichh is qgeskd by the ned to rouse them, as

Isaiah's n dwords prophetically show.
9 *teY q,
p u prlntet, a d n t #w shlakl," (Isulah27:Sb)
Sudddy~thepartybcrper.Thep~have~muse
them&=!
The aged prophet Daniel has beea died to
thesamIandhe~howJehovahhm~~
King Mhamr into a state of terror similar bo that de
s a k d by Isaiah T h e king's grmdes are plunged into
confusion m the comblned foms of Meks, Pmtans, and
Hamites breach the dty's defenses. Babylon fsrlls quickly! What, thou& does it mean to "mhtthe shidd*?
9. Why does Y become n ~ s a r t
yo "anoint the shleld"?

The Bfble sometimes refers to a nation's Wrrg as Its shield

because he is the deknder and prowtor of the land.*
(hh
89:l8) So t h i s wm In Isaiah Is W I y breklbg
tfre need for a new hng. Why? k a u e Belshmr is ldlled
that "very +t,* Thus, therrr Is a need eo "anoint the
sbleid,* or appoint a new king.-Daniel 5: 1-9,30.
IQ All lovers of true worshfp driiw comfort fmm this account. Modem-day Babylon, Babylon the Great, b as
mu& a treacherous dealer md despoiler as was hm andent caunteprt. lb this day religious leaders conspire
to have Jehovah'sWitness%banned, pemmted, or puniW y taxed.But as this prophecy m d s us,Jehovahsees
dl su& tm&msdealing, and he wlll nut let it go unpunished, He wSlI brhg an end to all religions that misr e p m t him and -t
hls people. (RevelatIan 1&8)
ls sucXl a thing possible? To build our &thIwe have only
to see how his warnings regaxd1ng the fall of both m&nt
Babyion md her modernday counterput have already
k e n Eutahd.

"She Has Psllenl"

UJehmah now speak to the prophd -1
I

!
I

I
I

* Many Bible commentators think tbat the words "anolnttbeshieldn

re& to the andent millmry pctlee of o1lInj~leather shields befoff
battle so that mast blows will glance 08, Whlle this ia p i b l e in~~,
It should be noted that a r ~the
t the dty feU, the
&aby10nbu barely had Um@to put up rm hght, et alone prepare Por
htde by w i n g r b k sMeldjl

10. What comfort an wonhipet8 of J e h R d m from the Wmrtt of Is&hls prophecy regarding the &reachemusdealer?
11. (a) W M la the nsponUbllIty of 1watchman, and who hw barn
a c i h ;lsa
today?(b) What Is tepxemtd by the war charW ofasses and that d c~lrnekl

~~

w:

f i e watchman "pme*ded to c d out like a lionn

ZZ2

Isaiah9 Progh~cy-Lightfar Ali Mankind f

"Thb Is whotfebmh has ~ t ' d

to me: 'Go, post u lookout
that he moy W j u s t what he sea'' (ImCah n:6)These
words Introduce another important theme of this chap
&-that of the lookout, or watchman. This is of In-t
to all true CMstiam today, forJesusurged his followe~sto
Ymp an the watch." The faithfuland &meet s h e " has
never stopped Wing what it sees regarding the nearness
of Gad's day of judgment and the dangers of thh corrupt
world. (Matthew 2*42,4547) What does Isaiah's vislonarywmhmnsee? "Hexawu wurchotiot WMa span of
a wurdrarbtd~,a~rcharJotofca&,And
he paid s t k t attention, wibh mucb
[Isahh
27:- Thae slngiewar chariots M y representcdumnsd

-."

7 am stondng constondy by dufi and.

. .all the nfghtr"

"i?nbylorr Har FallrnlY

a 3

chariots advancing in battle farmation with the speed d

trained steeds. The war chariot of ma and that of c a d s
Rttlngly represent:the two powers, Media and Pe~sia,that
will unite to launth this attackk.Furthamofe,history confirms that the Persian army used bath asses and cam& in
warfare.
12 The watchman, then, is ~r)mpelledta make a rqmrt.
#He p m c d d to d l out like a lion: 'Upon the wotGhtower, 0 j-h,
1 am W r p g constan* by drry, and
at my guardposl I am stutionpd dl the nights. And h,
now, them Is m l n g a wur charlot of men, with a y#ut of
stesdrl'" (lsuhh 21:8,9a) The vbknary watchman d s
out courageously, "likea lloa" It takes cowage to call out
a judgment message against so formidable a nation a W
yion. Something eIse fs requited as well--endurance The
watchman nmains at hls p s t day and night:, never-1
his vigilance flag. SlrnilarIy, the watchman class in tbex
last days has n d e d courage and endurance. (Rwektron
14:12) hlltrue Chrlsdans need these qualities.
1.3 k1ah's visionary watchman sees a war charfatactvanclng. What I s the newd "He begon to speak up md soy:
The has faiIenl w
n has b h , and a# the
images of her p&
he hns broken b tke d f ' " (lsuhh 21:
Pb) What a t h r l h g report! At last, this mcherws des p h r of God's people has fallen! Inwhat sense,though,

'Isrrlah's prqphccy wwrdlng bbylanJsMI i s so atmuate th& same

Dlbh critlcs hnw theorlzttd that Lt must haw k n writtcn after the
m n t . But as H c b m scholar F. Nitzsch notes, such speculatlon is
unnmsary If we ampt that a prophet might be impbxl t~ foretell
m n t s hundnds of years In advancc.

12. Isalah's vl~lonarywatchman dbplays what qualttiea and who

need thcse ualldes today7
13, 14, (A) ow d m anrlcnt Babylon fare, and in what mse
hw idols broken?(b) How and when dld Babylon the Great saffer a
simllar $111

"i'lflhylon Hns FfillenS"

are Babylon's graven images and idols broken? Will the

Medo-Persian invaders march into Babylon's temples and
smash the innumerable idols? No, nothing of the sort ir
needed. Babylon's idol gods will be broken In that they are
exposed as potverless to protect the city And Rabylon will
e~periencea fall when she hecomes unahlc to m~~tlnuc
oppressing God's people.
14 What of Babylon the Great? Ry engineering the oppression of God's people during World War I, she eff~ctively held them in exile for a time. Their preaching work
was virtually brought to a halt. The president and other
prominent officers of the Watch T m r Socicty were imprisoned on false charge?. But I919 saw an astounding reversal. 'The officers were released Ervm prison, the headquarters office was reopened, and the preaching work was
recommenced. Thus, Babylon the Great fell in that 11cr
hold over God's people was broken." In Revelation, this
fall is twice heralded by an angel uslng the words of thc
announcement at Isaiah 21:9.-Revelation 143; 18:2.
1s Isaiah concludes this prophetic message on a noic
of compassion toward his own people. 1-le says: ''0 my
threshed onex and the son of my threshing floor, what I
have heard from lehovah of armies, the God af Israel, /
how reported to you people." (Isaiah 21:10) In thc nit-rle,
threshng often symbolizes the disciplining and refin inx
of God's people. God's covenant peopte will bemrnc "sons
of the threshing floor,' where wheat is forcibly separated
from the chaff, leaving only the refined, desirable grains,
Isaiah is not gloating over this discipline, Rather, he has
compassion for these future 'sonsof the threshing floor,'
-

See Revelation-Tts Grand Clin1n.x A t Hand!, p a p s 164-9.

15, 16. In what sense are Isaiah's p p l e "threshcrl ones," and what
can r w learn from Iraiah's attitude ton,arrl them?

225

some of whom will spend their entire l k s as captives in a

forcign land.
16 This may sene as a usefuI reminder to d
Iof us. In the
Christian congre~ationtoday, 'some may be inched to
lose thcir compassion for wrongdoers. And those who receive discipllnc may of ten be prone to resent it- However,
If we keep in mind that Jehwah disciplines his people in
order to refine them, we will neither belittle the discipline
ant1 those who humbly undergo it nor resist it when if
comes our way. Lct us accept godly discipline as an expression of C d ' s love.-Hebrew 12:6,

Inquiring of the Watchman

17The seconcl prophetic message of Isaiah chapter 21

brlngs the figure of the watchman to the fore. It begins: 'me pmnormcement ogrrinst Dumah: To me there
is one calllng out from Seic 'Watchman, what about the
night? Watchman, whut crbouf the night?" (Isaiah 21:11)
Whrse Is t hl5 Dumah?Tl-rcrewere eviclently several towns
wllh that llnme in nlble times, but none of them are inte~~derl
here, Durnah is not found in Seir, which is another
name f-or I:,dorn. However,"Dumah"means "Silence."So
It seems that, a$ was the case In the previous pronouncemcnt, the region is given a name suggestive of its future.
Morn, long a vindictive enemy of Cod's people, will end
rip in sllcnm-the silence of death. Hefore that happens,
though, some will anxiously inquire about the future.
1fl At the time of the writing of Isaiah, Edom lies in
the path of the powerful hsyrian army. Some in Edom
yearn to know when the night of oppresion will end for
thcrn. "I'heanswer? m e watchman said: 'The morning has
I?. Why ir F h m approprlntcly termed "Dumah"?
18. I hlw Is t hc pront ~unct~nirnt,
"TEic ~nnrningliar tfl mme, and also
tlrr night," iulhllril upon ;I rlcicnt I'do~n?

"Babylon Has r*llenl"

night."'(l~iohZl:7Zo) 'a+---.---7irT
Things do not bode well
far Edom, A glimmer of morning will show on the horimn, but it will be brief, Illusary. Night-anather dark time
of oppression-will follow quickly on the heels of morning. What an apt picture of Edorn's futufe! The Assyrian
oppresion wjll end, but Babplon will succeed Assyria as a
world power and will decimate Edom. (Jeremiah25:17,21;
272-8)This cycle will be repeated. Babylonian oppression
will be hllowed by Persian and then Greek oppression,
There will then be a brief "morning" during Roman times,
when the Herods-Edomite in origin-gain power in Jenssalem. But that "morning"will not last, Finally, Edam will
descend permanently into silence, vanishing from history.
The name Dumah will fittingly describe her at Iast,
19 The watchman concludes hls brief message with the
19. When the watchman says, "lf you people would inquire, m i r e .

Come again!"what may he mean?

wads: "Ifyou people would inquire, inquire. Come again I"

(Isaiah 21: Y2b) The expression "Came again!" may refer
to the endless successtan of "he'
ahead of Edam. Or bemuse the expression may also be txamlated "return," the
prophet may be suggestingthat any Edomites who want to
escape the nation's doom should repent and "return" to
Jehovah. In either case, the watchman invites further inquiries.
This short pronouncement has meant a great deal to
Jehovah's peopIe in modern times." We understand that
m&nd is deep into the dark night of spiritual blindness
and alienation Etom God that wiIl lead to the desmction
of this system of things, (Romans 13:12; 2 Corinthians
4 4 ) Dwring this nahttirnq any glimmerings of hope that
rnanhnd can somehow bring about peace and security are
like those iIlusory gleadngs of dawn that are followed
only by still, darker limes. A genuine dawn is approaching
-the dawn of Christ's Millennld R e i p over this earth,
But as long as the night lasts, we must fallow the lead of
the watchman class by staying spiritually alert and murageously announcing the nearness of the end of this carrupt system of things.--1 Thessalonians 56.

Might Fails on the Desert Plain

21The final pronourrCernen-t of Isaiah chapter 2l is directed against "the desert plain." It hegins: 'me pronouncement against the desert plain: In the forest in the
* During the first 59 p a r s of its publicafion, the Watchtower ma a
zinc featu&d Isaiah 21:11 on its C m r . The same scripture povi&i
the theme d t h e last written sermon of Charles T.Russell, the Watch
Tower Satiety's first pmidem. [See illustrati~nan preceding page.)
28. Why i s the mnouncernent recorded at baiah 21:11, 12 dgnif-

imnt to Jehovah s people taday?

21. (a) What play on words may be intended hi the phrase "the pmnouncement . dnut the desert plaln"?(b) What are the caravans of
mnl of Dedan.

Y'

228

Isaiah's Prophecy-Light for All Munkind I

"Babylon Hns Fallen! "

desert plain you will spend the night, 0 caravans o f men

of Dedun." (Isaiah 21:73) The desert plain referred to is
evidently Arabia, for the pronouncement is directed at a
number of Arab tribes. The word for "desert plain" is
sometimes rendered "evening," a very similar word in Hebrew. Some suggest that this is a play on words, as if a dark

evening-a time of trouble-is about to fall upon this region. The pronouncement opens with a nocturna1 scene
featuring caravans of men of Dedan, a prominent Arab
tribe. Such caravans follow trade routes from one desert
oasis to the next, bearing spices, pearls, and othcr treasures. But here we see them forced to leave their welIbaveled tracks to spend the nights in hiding. Why?
22 Isaiah explains: 'To meet the thirsty one bring water. 0 you inhahftantr of the land of Tema, confront the
one fleeing away with bread for him. For because of the
swards they have fled away, because of the drawn sword,
and because of the bent bow and because of the heaviness of the war." (Isaiah 21:14, 15) Yes, the crushing burden of war will fall upon these Arab tribes. Tema, located on one of the most mll-watered oaes in the region, is
forced to bring water and bread to the hapless refugees of
war. When will t h s trouble come?
23 Isaiah continues: 'This is whot]ehovah has said to me:
'Within yet a year, according to the years of o hired iaborer, all the glory o f Kedar must wen come to its end. And
the ones remaining over of the number of bowmen, the
rnightymen of the sons of Kedar, will become few, forjehovah himself, the God of Israel, has spoken it"' (Isaiah 21:
16, 17) Kedar is so prominent a tribe that it is sometimes
used to represent all of Arabia. Jehovah has determined
that the bowmen and rnlghty men of this tribe will dwin22, 23. (a) What crushing b u d e n is about to befa11 the Arab tribes,
and with what effect upon them? (b) How soon will this disaster
mrne, and at whose hands?

1
I

I'

224

dle in number to a mere remnant. When? "Within yet a

year," no more, just as a hired laborer works no more than
the amount of time for which he is paid. Precisely how
all of this was fulfilled is uncertain. Two Assyrian rulers
-Sargon II and Sennacherib-claimed credit for subjugating Arabia. Either may well have decimated these proud
Arab tribes, as foretold.
24 We can be sure, h o m e r , that this prophecy was fu1filled to the letter. Nothing can make that point more
forcefully than the closing words of the pronouncemmt:
vehhrsvah himself, the God of Israel, has spoken it." To
people in Isaiah's day, it may seem unlrkely that Babylon
will ascend above Assyria and then be toppled from power
during the debauched merrymaking of a single evening. It
may seem equally unlikely that powerful Edom will end
up in deathly silence or that a night of hardship and privation will fall on the wealthy Arab tribes. But Jehovah says
it will,and so it happens. Today, Jehovah tells us that the
world empire of false religion will come to nothing. This is
not just a possibility; it is a certainty. Jehovah himself has
spoken it!
25. Let us, then, be like the watchman. Let us remain vigilant, as if posted on a lofty watchtower, scanning the horizon for any sign of impending danger. Let us ally ourseIves
closely with the faithful watchman dass, the remaining
anointed Christians on earth today. Let us join them in
courageously calling out just what rve see-the overwhelming evidence that Christ is ruling in heaven; that he
will soon bring an end to mankind's long, dark night of
alienation from God; and that thereafter he wdl usher in
the @uedawn, the Millennia1 Reign over a paradise earth!
24. How can we be sure that Isaiah's prophey against Arabia was fulfilled?
25. How may we imitate the example of the watchman?

When Zedekiah flees,

he is captured and
blinded

Lessons About Unfaithfulness

found today among

many who claim ta
worship Gad.

Isaiah 22:l-15

IMAGJNE what it was lile to be in arm ancient dty under

siege. Outside the walls is the emrn-stmng and ruthless. Y w know that other cities haw ahady fallen to him.
Now he is determined to conquer and plunder your city
and r a p and ~ L its
U inhabitants. The enemy armies are far
tau powerful to confront directly in combat; you ou only
hope that the walls of the city will keep them out. As you
look out over the walls, you can see siege tawers brought
by the enemy, They alsa haw siege engines apable of
hurling boddm to smash your defenses, YOU see their battering ram and scalhg ladders, their archers and &aiots,
their hordes of soldiers. What a terrifying sight!
2 In Isaiah chapter 22,we read about such a siege+ siege
ag@mtJerusalem. When does It happen? It is di@mItto
pinpoint m y one siege in which irll the features described
are fdHled. Evidently,the prophecy is best undestood as
a generic descpipticm of the various sieges that will befall
Jerusalem, a general warning of what lies ahead,
3 In the face of the siege that Isaiah describes, what are
the inhabitants af Jemalm doing? As Cad's menant
peaple, are they eryirpg out to Jehovah fa save them? No,
thry are showing a wry W
e attitude, one like that

A City
Under Siege
4 In chapter 21 of halah, each af the three
judgment messages was
Introduced with the
expresstan "The pronouncement." (Isaiah
21:1, 11, 13) Chapr 22
opens the same way:
%re p r o n w m e n t of
the valley of the vision:
Whet IS b e maiter with you, thenpthat you haw gone up
in p u r e n t i m lo the roofs?" (Isaiah 2 2 1 ) 'The ~ k of y
the vision' refers to JerusaIem.The city is call& the vallq
because even though elevated, it is surrounded by higher
muntaim.It is asuciaredwfth '#thevision' bemuse m y
&vine visions and fY!velati~ns
are @wnthere. For thh reason, the city's inhabitanb should pay h d to Jehovah's
words. Instead, theyhave ignored him andhave strayed into
false worship. The enemq besiglng the atPj b m in9tmmmt qf God's judgrnmt against his mywadpeople,-Deut e r m w y 28:45,49,50,52

1. What might it have been like t~ be insi@ an ancient city under

siege?
2. When dws t
h siege d ~ c r i h idn Isaiah chapter 22 happm?
3. Haw are Jerusalem's inhab~tantsremng to the Uege that Csaiah

describes?

4. [a,) W M is "the valley of the vision,"md why does it have thia

name? ($1 Wkmt is the spiritual mndltlm of the i n h a b i m ofJP
rusalem?

h o n s About lfPt~lth#L~ln#ss
5 Notice kbat thehhaWmb of Jmsdmhave 'gone up
hth&m~btfied'ofrh&h~*Inmde~t
times, the m& of Emelite homes wme Bat and fmiW
often c m p j p d - t h e r e . hhhdmnottefl why they&
so on tW,6wskn, but his words indicate d b q p m a l .

LU&yIthen,they4avegnetotherm5toappdto~

~g~Thlsis~~mfntheyear~leadIngupto
the m c t i o n of J d e m in 607 B . U - j e 19:
13; Zephaniah 1:s.

233

Multitudeshavedocked tothedty, and it is tntumotl. Fkb

pie in the meets are noiq and fearfuL Some, though, are
exulthg,pathapsbec~use~W~mthq~
that the dsurget ispssing.*Zbexuitatthisdme, lmwewr, O
fooirsh.Mqiathedtymgodfigtodkadeathfarmore
cxuel than by& edge of the sword.A dtyunder siege is art
offrnoutSidesaurcesbf~S~**~
dwindle. S u w h g people and cnrppded mdithslead to

epldemlcs.MangInJ~aiemwillthusdeby~eand
ptilence. This h a p bath In 6W B.CE and in 70 CE
-2 K h @ 25:3; W b t h t i 4:9,10.*

'In 66 C,L, marry Jmw l t e d when the Itoman amlW Wqhg

f w Wwtthdrpw,
Wrdlng to ftmt-ou~tutyhi!mri~
Jowphua, in 70 CB.,
tamhe fn
Phs* W u so scwra Wt M e ate Te&thertgrass, aad -.,la, one
~ l n r t u s e e , a ~ ~ a n d a t e b e r o w n ~

234

Isnitth's Prophecy-Light far AII ,Wnnkind 1

7 In this crisis, what Iead do Jerusalem's rulers give? Isaiah answers: "Allyourdidotors themselves have fled at one
time. Without n e d of o bow they h m b m taken prisoner. All those of p u who have been found haw been to&en prisoner together. Far off they had run away," (Isaiah
22:3) The rttlecs and the rni~htymen run away and are
then caught! Without ewn a bow bending against thm,
they are captured and ledl off as prtsoners, This l~appens
in
607 D.C.B. After Jerusalem's wall Is breached, King Zedekiah flees by night with his rnlghty men. The encIny learns
of this, pursues them, and catches up with them on the
plains of Jericho, The mighly men scarier. Zedeklah is
seixed, blinded, bound in copper fetters, and dragged off
to Babylon. ( 2 Kings 2527)What a hagic conseqtlence of
his unfaithfulness?

Dismay at the Calamity

8 This prophecy mows Isaiah deeply. He says: "Turnp u r
guze away from me. I will show bitterness In weeping. Do
not you people insist an comforting me over the despoiling af the daughter of my people." (/mioh 224) Baiah
grieved over the pmphesiecl fate of Moab and Babylon.
(Isaiah 16:11; 21:3) Now his dismay and lamentation are
even more intense as he contemplates the dlraster coming upon his own people. We Is inconsolable.Why? "Forit
is the day of confusion and of downtreading and of confounding that the Sovereign Lord, jehowh of armies, has in
the valley of the vision. There is the demoiisher of the wIi,
and the cry to the mauntoin." (Isaiah 22:5)Jerusalemwill
be filled with i d d confurion, I'eople will wander about
panic-stricken, without purpose, As the etlerny hegins to

7. What doJerusalem's rulers do during thesiege, and what happens

to them?
8. (a) How does Isaiah react to the prophecy foretelling calamity
upon Jerusalem? (b) What wlll be the scene In Jeruralcm'l

break through the city walls, there will be a "cry lul the
mountain," lion this mean that the city's inhabltanls wlll
cry out to God in his holy temple on Mount Moriatl? krhaps. In view of thcir unfaithfulness, however, it probably
means no mom than that their cries of terror will ccho in
the sumtrnrllng mountains.
9 What sort of enemy is threatening Jemsalcm? Isaiah
tells us:"Elam itselfhas token up the quiver, in the warchariot of earthling man, with steeds; and Klr itself has uncovered
the shield." (lsdah 22:d) Thc Arcs itre fully armvd. 'l+httv
have arcllem whnqe qujwrs arc filled with arrtms. Wnrriors are retldylrlg their shields fur I3aLtle. There arc chariots
and hatlle-traincd horses. 'l'he army includes solctiers from
Elam, locatcd north of what i s now the Persian C;ulf, and
from f i r , probably located close to Elam. Mention of those
lands indiciltcs the great dista!~n. fl-ornwhlch the lnvsdcrs
come. It also indicates that Elarnltc archers may haw bccn
in the army threateningJerusalcm In Hezekiah's day.

Attempts a t Defense
10 Isaiah clescrrbes the developing situation: "It will occur that the choicest of your law plains must become full
of war chariots, and the very steeds must without fail set
themselves in position at the gate, and one wlll remove
the screen of fuduh." (Isaiah 2 2 2 80) Chariots and Iqorses crowd tllc plains outside thc city of Jerusalem and position il~cmsclwsta attack the ga:es of the city. What ls
"thescreen of Judah"that i s removed?Likely, it is a gate of
the city,the capture of which bocles ill for the defenders."
' Alternattwly, "the screen of Judah" mlght refer to something e l ~ e
that protwks the city, such as fortresses wliere arm5 arestorctt iinrt soldiers quartcml.

9. Dacrfbe the army threatening Jerusalem.

10. What davcluprnent bodes 111 for the city?

236

Isaiah's Prophecy-lfglit fi)r A l l Mnnklntl I

When this defensive screen is removed, the city is open to

Its attackers.
11 Isaiah now focuses on the attempts by the people
ta defend themsdves. Their first thought-weapons! "Yov
will look in that day towgrd the armory of the hwse of the
f a r e and you people will certainly see the very brwclies
of the City of David, for they will ochfally be many. And you
wiII collect the wakn of the lower pool." (Isaiah 22:8br9 )
Weapons are stored in the armory of the hourc of thc forest. This armory was built by SoIomon, Sinrr- it was constructed of cedars from Lebanon, it b m m e known as "the
House of t h e For& of Lebanon." (1 Kings Z 2 5 ) Breaches
in the wall are examined. Water Is collected-an important
measure of defense. The people need water to Itw. Without it, a cjty cannot stand. Notice, though, that nothing
Is said of their looking to Jehwahfor deliverance, Rather,
they rely on their own resources. May we newr make that
mistake1-Psalm 127:1,
12 What can be done about those breaches in the city
wall? 'The houses of jenrsalem you wlll actually count. You
will also pull down the houses to make the wall unattuinable." (Isaiah 22:10) Houses are evaluated to see whlch
ones might be demolished to provide materials for repalring the breaches. l h s is an effort to prevent the enemy
from gaining complete control of the wall.
A EaitMess People
wit! be o coIIecSing basin hat p u must mcrke
between the hwdls for she W e 0 of the old p o d
And you will certainly not look at the gmnd maker of it,
13 There

11, 12. What defemiw measures do the Inhabitants of J e r l ~ ~ l e m

take?
13. How do the people try to ensure a supply of water, hut whom do
they forget?

and the one forming lt long ago you will certainly not see. "
(Isaiah 22:1 7 ) 'I'he efforts to collect water, described both
here and in verse 9,remind us of the action King Hezekiah took to protect the city against the Invading Assyrians. (2 Chronicles 32:2-5) FIowever, the people of the aty
in this prophecy of Lsatah are absolutely faithless. As they
work on the defense of the city, they give no thought to
the Creator, unlike H e ~ k i a h .
14 Isaiah continues: 'The Sowmin Lord, Iehmb of armies, will call in that day tofor weeping and for mournIng and lor boldness and for girding on sackcloth. B a
look! exultation and rejoicing, tlte killing of cottfe and the
sloughrering of sheep, the eating of flesh and the drinking
of wine, ' l e t there he eating and drinking, for tomorrow
we shall die.' " (Isaiah22:12, 73) The inhabitants of JerusaIrm show no remorse for their rebellion against Jehovah.
'I'hey do not wecp, mt their hair, or wear sackcloth as a
sign of repentance. Tf thcy were doing so, likely Jehovah
would spare them the coming horr~rs.Instead, they abandon themselves to sensual enjoyment. The same attitude
exists today among many who do not put faith in God.
Rccausc they have no hope-either of a resurrection from
the dead or of life in the fiiture Paradise earth-they pursue lives of self-indulgence, saying: "Let us eat and drink,
for tomorrow we are to dle." (1 Corinthians 1532) How
shortsighted! If only they would put their trust in Jehm
vah, thry would have a lasting hope!-Psalm 46-8; Rwerhs 1 :33.
15 The 'beslegcd Inhabitants of Jerusalem will not h o w

14. DcsplteJehmtah'swr~rnlngrncssage, what unwise attitude do the

1wople have?
1.5. (a) What Is Jehovah's judgment rnessapy against Jerusalem, and
wlro crarrlus out his (udplrncnz?(b) Why wit1 CIhristendom suffer a
farc rlmilnr to that of Icrzisnlcm?

Le59dns A b u t Unfaithfilnw

mrlty. Isaiah ays: "In my eon /ehorr$l of mler has a

wuld hlm& '7hls m r will not be atoned Ibr In p r
Ma#
until you papk die,# the M g n hd, jehovak
of m l e ~h, a said," { b d ~ 22:
h 14)
of the hadheartednessof the pople, there will be no pardan. Without fail, death will mme. This is a certainty, The Swereign Lord, Jehovahofa d = , has said it, In fulfdhent of
Isaiah's prophetic words, damity comes twlce upon unfaithfulJ e d e m . it is
by the arrnics of w o n
and law by those of Rome. So, too, calamity will come
upan unWthfu1 C W s t e n l i o ~whose mernhrs claim to
worshtp God but actually disown him by their works. (Titus 1:16) The sins dChrt&&m, along Wth those Of the
world's other rd@iornthat flout Gd's righteous mys,
have "massedtogether dear up to heaven? Like the error
of a p t a t e Jerusalem,their error is too great to k atoned
br.-Rw&doa 18:s 8,21.

A Selfish Stewerxld
14 The prophet now turns his amtion from an u
nfaiaful people to an unfaithful indMdual, Isaiahwrites: %Is Ar
what the kwdgn Lorb, ] a h of o m k , has suki: 'Go,
en& In b thls
uShsbna, who is owr the h a m ,
&Whatk tbm of interest to yrw he* and who is them of
i n & m s t b p h , thatphmhewdouthrpu~df
here a burJaI pime?"or a height he Is h w h g outhis burial
piace; In a uag he is wl#q aut a residence hr H m K ' "
-422:IStM.
17 Shebna is ' s t m a d mw the house,' pmbably the house
of KIng H W a h . As nrch, he has an M1uenU podtlon,
second only to the king. Much is errpaed of him, t l Cb
16, 17, la) Who now wceiws a warning message Erom Jehovah,
~ n dwh 7 (b) Because of frls Idiy aspirations, whni wlll happen m

Skebna

dnthhm 42) Yet, when

he should be gMng fitrst
attention b the a&in
of the nation, Shebat is

pttrsuing glory for himself, He Is having a rumrIous tom&compmble

to that of a
or himself Mgh on a
crag. Jehovah, obwrvin& thlts, inspires Isalab
10 warn the unfafsteward: "Look! ~&
k hurfing you down with
Writ hurling, 0 ubkbodled man, and g m p Incr mu W b k W I W

die, and there t

kchariotssfywrglory will be the d/shono r o f t h e h o u s e o f p u r ~ . A n dwlllpushpcnwy
!
b m your podtion; a d Iiom pw OW
standing one
dl1 l r
down." {lsakrh 22:17-79)B e a of~ his AfCenWness, Shebnawill nothave even an ordinarytomb
in Jerusalem,Instead, hex411be hurled like a ball, to die in
a distant land In this t
h
e is alirfardng to all of those entnxsted with authofiq among God's people. Abuse of
powa will lead to the loss ofthat authority and possibly
to lmnhlment.
18Hav, though, wilI Shebna k r e d horn his
18, Who wlll re Iaw Shebna, andwhat dws it mem that this me
wlil receive ~hefna'soffrcid garments and the key of the hwss of
David?

240

isfijah'sPreph~r~pLight
for All M ~ n k l n dI

Lessons Abau t (Infiithfiltrcss

241

be mmd, and it
no] that & d r h n In a Irrsdng place
must behewn down undibil, and the h a d thotisupon it
must bs cut off, I b r j h w h himself hos spoken &'"-4mioh 22:23-25,
l s h c r l l ~ b l ~ ~ ~ a r n d h e r n ~ ~ m e u ~ e 20
r In
b thse vmm the first peg is Eliakim H e will bemme
fhe I n k b h n t o P I m m b und tO thehouse of]udph.And
'a throne of dory" to the house of his father, Hilliah
Iwirrputthe~oftheh~ofPQYIdup~nhlsshwldw,
UnWle Shebna, he will not &grace his father'shouse or
andkmrrstqmwirtrwt~e'sshutdng,~dkrnust
repulatlon, Elialdm WU
be a l a m support ta household
shut mwt~rlpo's
p i ~ . (" m a h 22:a24 ~eplacwsels, that Is, to others in the ldng9 service (2 ThoingSbebaa, E b k h w i l lbe given the mard*somal garthy 220,211 In contrast, the second peg refers to Sheb
ments dong with the keyof the house of David. The Bible
m.Thoughhemayseemwcm, h e w i l l b e m d . A n y
usa the tarn
to symbolize authority, govmment,
who continue to look lnhim will fall.
or
(Campre Matthew X19.) In andent times, a
21 Shebna's experience reminds us that
lang's aatviser, emmmd with the keys, might haw general
among those who daim to worship
supemhion af the myal dmnks, m n deddhg on anGod, those who accept privilege
didata for the lang's sewice,(Compare Rewlath 3:7,8.)
of semlce should use them
Thus, the ofice of steward is Important, and much is ato serve others and to
paed of whoever s a w s in it. (Luke 12:48) Shebna may
21, In mbdern times,
be capable, but because he is unfaithful, Jehavah will rewha, Ilke %b&na, Was
place him.
repiad, why, and try
positton?Though bhh,lehavah c t x p k *ltmJtoccur
in WdcryhtI Wlcaflnrysmwnt, ,
EliaWm the
son of HIIkioh. And I wlfl clothe him d t h p u r robe, d
pursashlshrrCI~Bind~thlm
rrndyourdomlnion
,

whom?

'Xlvo Symbolic Pegs

19 Pfnall~Jdmahuses

symbolic hgmge to d e s d x

the tramfa of powex from Shebna to IWdm.

He states:

"1 wM d& Aim [EfiaWm] in as a p g in a /&g place,

a n d h e m u s t h m e a s a throne ofgbtyb the house
of his Itrther. And thq must h g u p hlm all the giory d the house ofhis Wq ahe m n t s and the offshoo& all the *& ofthe small W the =& of the
b o w l x o r t c n w e l l m a l l t h e ~ ohelugejam.
f
IntM
day,' is the uttemnce af wowh of uwnies, 'the p g [Sheb19, 20. (a) Haw will Elialdm prove to be a blesslug tp his people?
(b) What will happen to thaw who mllnue to look to Shebnal

Uke Shebna, m n y
of C h r ~ d o m ' s
leaders how
brought dishonor
on #e W m rby
u d n g rkhes

BEhakim replacedshebmwhen Sennachertband bis

horde wwe threaanhg Janrsdem. SMMy, #the f%ith-

In modem times a
Rulthful steward dass
has been appoimted
over ]esus* househofd

Nsteward,~~one,"hasbeenqpolntpdtn
during the thne of the end, whi& will come to a con-

bring praise $0 J&m&

They W d nat abuse
their psitlon in order
to @nrlch themselva or
@inpersonal pminenm. For example,
Chrlsmdom has 1 q promuted herself ,
as an appointal steward, the earthly representadw of JwClhrlst. Howw~er,just
as Shebna brought dlshofim on his father by seeking Mo o m gtoq Christen.
domls kadm have bmught dlshmor on
the -tor
by amassing tlcha and power forth-.
HenceJ when the tlme of fudgment "to
start with the b e of God" m e in 1918, Jehovahremoved Christendom. Anothe~steward was i d e n a d
-"the faithful stm-4,the dkaet o n e M 4apphted
mer Jesus'
housebold (1 R k r 417; Luke 1242
44) Thls m r l l p a t e h has shown wwo*hyofshouldertng the royal ''key" of the hwse of David, Like a trustworthy "peg,"it has proved to be a reliable support br all
the different "vessels; minted Chrlstlm with m n t
fpspomiblISdeswho 'took to it for spiriw sustenance. The
" d msheep" too, like 'the allen mident within the gates'
of andent Jerudm, depend on this
the modemdg EUaldm.-John 1&16; DeuQronomy 514,

I-

''ma

dM~nwhenSawnandhisSO~~e~mmbOrafIIlal
on W e Israel of W 1
and their other 8cornpani~ll~
[Grslatlans 6:16) lls in HsmIclah1sd&y, that am&will end
In dWmUon for the enemies of r i g h w n e s ~Those
~
wkr9 support themselves on the "peg in a hstlng placqQ
the W
m
t s w a r d , rnsurvive, lust as fatthful ma bit^
mfs ofJerusalemm
d the hs@m Irwasia ofludab
Hm~,then,not~clhgtothe~ted"peg*
ChriSmldomI
a Whathappenst~Shebna?Wehmeno recordofhaw
the prophecg abwt him, m r d d at Isaiah 22:18, w fulfilIed.When he exalts h h l f and Is then disgmd,he rexmbh Christendom, but he may have Iemed b m the
discipline. In this, he Is very differentfrom Christendom.
Wen the Myrian Rabshuh demands Jmusalem's sur.
ren&r, HaekIahk ssteward, BlW,leads k h d e l e tianthatgces cut tomeet him,However, Shebnais at his
sldeassemmytotheMng, Evidently, ShebnaIsstlllin
the king's sewice. (bhh36:2,22) What a 6m bsm for
time who lose pwltlons of h c e in G a l ' s orgadmuon!
Rather than b e .bitter and repwtul,they are w k to
continue sewing Jehovahin whatever c 8 p a d ~he allows.
[Hehews 186) By sa do@ they will m i d the diwm
that wilt ,Mall Christendom, They wlll enjoy God's faand blessing k u g h o u t eternity,

a. W

Why ms the

of Shebna tta stmhrd timely? fb) In

of "the faithful stemrd, t h e

modem times, v&y wnS the appoint@

&smw one; tlmeiy?

23. ~ e v m t u U y b a p p e m t b S h e h & a n d ~ c a a w l e m ~
tMs?

l~lravrllr Prnfirn~s~ I I PPride of p r f

CHAPTER NINETEEN

declares: "Howl, you ships of Tarshlsh! for it has been despoiled from being (I por& from being a place to enter in. " (lmiah 23:7 a) Tarshish is Ewl i e v d to haw been a
part of Spain, far frornTyre in the eastern Mediterranean."
51111, the Phoenicians were expert seamen, and their rhips
were l a r h ~and seaworthy. Some hlstoriatls b c l i w that the
I'l~ornlcians were the first to notice the link between the
tnonn and the tides and to use astronomy as a navigational aid. So the long distance from Tyre to Tarshish was no

Jehovah Profanes
the Pride of Tyre
Isalah 23:l-18

SHE was "perfect in beauty" and abundant In "wealth of

cvcry kind." (Ezekiel 27:4, 12, An Amrricnn 7h~tslation)
I-ler large fleet of ships sailed across the sea to faraway
places. She became "very glorious In the heart of the open
S C ~ , "and with her "valuable thlngs," she "made e a M s
kings rich." (Ezekiel 2225, 33) In the seventh century 12.C,E., such was the stahre of Tyre-a Phoenician city
on the eastern end of the Meditetmnean.
2 Yet, destruction was in the ofling for '@. Some 1W
years before Ezekiel described her, the prophet Isalah foreLolcI the downfall of this I'hoenician stronghold and the
grlef of those depending upon hcr. Isalah also prophesicd that after some time God would turn hls attention to
tlic city, granting her rencwcd prosperity. How were the
prnplret's words fulfilled? And what can we learn from
all that happened to V e ? Havinx a clear understanding of what befell her and why such things happened w d
strengthen our faith in Jehwah and his promises.

"Howl, You Ships of Tarshishiv

3 Under the tide, " f i e pronouncement of Tyre," Isaiah
1, 2. (a) What kind of dky was ancient 9 r e 7 (11) What did Isaiah
prophr~yfor 'I'yre?
.I, 4, (a) Whew was TarshIsh, and what WiH the relationship betwern 'lyre and Tanhish? (b) Why wlll thc sailor% trading with 'l'ara l l l s h have reason to "howl"?

245

obstacle for them.

4 In Isaiah's day, distant Tarshish fs a market for T~E,perhaps the main source of her wealth during part of her history, Spain has mines rich with deposits 01' silver, Iron, tin,
and other metals. (CompareJeremiah 109; Ezekiel 27:12.)
"Ships of "lrshish," likely ships from 'l'yre trading wJth
Tnrshish, will have good reason b "howE,"lamenting the
destruction of their home port.
5 How will mariners at sea learn of the downfall of me?
Xsalah answers: "From the land of Kittim St has been revealed to them." (Isaiah 23:7b) "The land of Kittim" likely refen to the island of Cyprus, about 60 miles west of the
ITihenidan coat. This is the last stop for thc eastbound
ships from Tarshish before they arrive at Tyre. Hence, the
sailors will receive news of the overthrow of their beloved home port when they make I? stopover in Cyprus,
What a shock for them! Grief-stricken,they will "howl"in
dismay,
6 Dismay will aIso be felt by the people of the fioenjrian
* Some scholars have identified Tarshish with Sadlnla, an island in
thc wmtcrn Mediterranean Sardinia too was far Irnm

'lw.

5. Wherc will mariners corning born Tarshlsh

Tyrc'/

learn nf the fall of

6. Vfscrlhc the relationship between lyre and Sldon.

246

seacoast. The prophet says: "Be silent, you inhabitants of

the coospfand. ? 3merchanfs
~
h m Sidon, the ones cmssing over the sea-they haw filled you. And an many waters
has been the seed of Shihos, the harvest of the Nile, her revenue; and it came to be the profit of the nations."(Isaiah
232, 33 'The "inhabitants of the coastland"-Tyrc's neighbors-will be silent jn utter amaze~nentat the calarnltous
fall of Tyre. Who are "the merchnntr fmm Sicton" who
"haw filled" thcse inhabitants, making them rlch? 'lyre
was nriginaIly a colony of the seaport city o l Sldon, just
22 rnlIes to the north. On her coins, SirIon clcscrlbes herself as the mother of T)w. Althou#h 'I'yre has ectlpsed SIdon in wealth, she is still a "dauglrter ol Sldnn," and her
inhahitam still call themselves Sidonians. (lsaiah 23:12)
Hence, the expmsion "the merrrllants from Sidon" pmhably refers to the commercial inhahitants of I@.
7 Engaging in commercial entcrprlse, the wealthy Sldonlan merchants traverse the Mediterranean Sea. 'l'hey carry to many places the seed, or grain, of Shlhor, the easternmost branch of the Nile Rives In the rlelta r~gianof Emt,
(Compare Jeremiah 2:18.) "Ti-te harvest of thc Nlle" also
Inclucles other produce from Egypt. Trading and bartering
In such gmds is highly ptofrtablc for thew seafaring merchants as well as for the nations with which they dd business. The Sidonian traders 611 me wlth revenuc. Indeed,

they will grieve at her desolation!

lsaiah next addresses Sidon wlth the words: "Be

ashamed, 0 Sidan; because the sea, O you stronghold of
the sea, has said: '1 have not had birth pains, m d 1 have
not given birth, nor have I brought up young men, mised
up virgins,"' {lsaioh 23:4) After the deftructlon of Tyr~,
-H

7. Mow have Stdonian merchants spread wealth?

8. What effectwill -@re's

Jehovah Profanes the Prldc of Qre

Isainlt's S r u p l ~ c r y - t l ~ hfur
t All Mcr t~k l ~ r I~ l

destrurtlon have on Sidan?

the coastline where the dty formerly stood wlll look barren and desotate. The sea will appear to cry out In anguish, like a mother who has lost her children and is so
distraught that she now disclalrns w e r having had them.

Sidon will be ashamed at what happens to her daughter.

will cause wide9 Yes,the news of the destruction of
spread grief. Isaiah says: "just as at the report pertaining r~
Egypt, people will likewise be In severe pains at the report
on Tyre.'' (Isaiah 235) 'The paln of the mourning ones
will be comparable to that ltsululnng horn the report about
Egypt. Which report does the prophet mean?Possibly the
fulfdhent o E his eadler "pronouncementagainst Egypt."'
(Isaiah 191-25) Or perhaps the prophet means the report of the destruction of Pharaoh's army in Moses' day,
which caused widespread consternation. (bodus 154, 5,
1416;Joshua 29-11)In any case, those hearing the report
of 'T)m's destruction will be in severe pains. They are invited to flee to distant 'I'arshlsh for refuge and are commanded to make a noisy expression of their gdeE "Cross
over t~ Tarshish; howl, you inhobitan& of the coastland."
-Isaiah 23:6,

ExuItant "From Her Early Times"

10is an ancient city, as Isaiah reminds us when he
asks: "is this y w r city hat WQS exultant from duys of Eong
ago, from her w r l y times?" (Isaiah 23:7a}Vre's prosperous history extends at least as Jar hack as Joshua's time.
(Joshua 19:29) Over the years, T p has become famous
as a manufacturer of metal objects, glassware, and purple
* See Chapter 15,pages 200-207,of thls book.
9. The grfef of the people follawlng the fall of % will be compa&1e to the consternation following what othct cwnts?
10-12. Describe the wealth, antiquity, and influence of T p e .

7
248

JsalaR's Proplr~cy-Ltqr'rt fur A / / Motrkit~rlI

Jehovah PrnfFlnes thc Prldr of ' V W

dye. Robes of m a n purple command the highest prices,

and Tyre's costly fabrics aR sought after by tho nobility,
(Cornpare Ezekiel 27:7'24.1 'Ifw is also a hading ccntcr for
wedand caravans as well as a great Import-export depot.
11 Mureover, the city is militarily strong. L. Sprape
de Camp writes: "Although not espedally warlikc-they
were businessmen, not soldiers-the I'hoenlcians dcfcnded their cities with fanatical courage and stubbornness,
These qualities, as well as their naval might, enabled the
Tyrlans to hold out against the Assyrian army, the strongest ofits time."
12 Indeed, Tp~emakes her mark on the Mediterranean
world. "Her feet used to Mng her fur away to reside as an
alien.."(lsaiuh23:7b) Phoenicians travel to distant places,
setting up trading posb and ports of call, which In some
Instances grow into colonies. For example, Cnrthage, on
the north coast of Africa, Is a colony of vre,In time, it will
surpass Tyre and rival Rome for influtrnm In the Mediterranean world.
Her Pride Will Be Profaned
13 In view ofW
s antiquity and wealth, the next quation is fitting: W h o is it that has gEwn this c o w
sel q ~ J n sTp,
l bhe besbwer of cmwns, whose merchants
were princes, whose tmdesrnen w w the honorabk ones
of the earth?" (Isaiah 23:8) Who dares to sprak againrt
the city that has appointed powerfi~lindtviduals to positions of high authorjty in her colonii~sand elsewhere
-thus becoming "the bestower of crowns"? Who dares to
speak against the metropolis whose merchants are princes
and wtlose tradesmen are honorable ones? Sald Maurice
23. Why is the question raised as to who d a m to pronounce turdg.
ment agarnst Tpe?

Chehab, former director of antlqultIes at the National Museum of Refrut, Lebanon: "From the ninth to the slxth
century R.C.,T)w retained the position d imprtance
known to London at the lqinninl: of the twentieth century.''SO who dares to speak awinst this city?
J4 The inspired reply wlll cause consternation in 'lfw. lsaiah says: 'Tehowh of armies himself has g;ven this counseh
to prokne the pride of 01, beoub to treat wjtth contempt
all the honorable ones of the earth.' (Isaiah 2 3 9 ) Why
dms Jehovah pronounce jurlgment agalnst this wealthy,
ancient city? B It because its inhabitants are worshipers of
the false god Baal? Is If k a u s e of '1)w's relationship with
Jezebel-the daughter of King Ethl~aalof Sidon, including w - w h o married King Ahab of Israel and massacred
the prophets of Jehovah? ( 1 Kin@ 16:29, 31; 18:4,13,19)
The m w e r to both questions Is no.
is condemned because of her arrogant pride-she has grown fat a t the expense of other peoples, including the Israelites. h the
ninth century B,C,F,,, through the prophet Joel, Jehovah
said to IIf.re and other cities: "The sons of Judah and the
sons of Jerusalem you haw sold to the sons of the Greeks,
for the purpose of removing them far from their own territory." (Joel 3:6) Can God owrtook WS
heating his menant people as mere trading commodities?
fi The passing of a hundred years will not change Tpe.
When the army of Ktng Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon destroys Jerusalem In 407 B.C,E,,
we will exult: "Aha! She
[Jerusalem] has been broken, the clours of the peoples!
The trend will certainly be to me,1 shall be filled-she
has been devastated." (Ezekiel 26:2) 'I)w will rejoice, expecting to benefit fromthe destruction ofJerusalem.With

lw

m,

14. Wha pronounces judgment qalnst

and why?
15. Hmr will T p react when Jcrusatem falls to Ncbuchadn-r?

I
I

je)twuA Profanes, the FMt of

5re

251

the Judean capital no longer a mmpedtor, she will a@

more trade for hemelf. Jehovahwill treat with contempt
self-proclaimed Y h o n ~ b lones,"
e
who pridefully stand
with the enemies of his pople.
16 Isaiah continues Jehovah's condemnatTon of
T m s OW y ~ u Eand
r
/Hoe the Nile Rlw4 0 duughter of TarshM. l%erre is rna ship@ any
Hh hand he h a

m:

*.

~outowrthesecr;heh~WngdomBnk
agltohd, j&mh hl&
has g h u command against
Phmklb, f# r m n I h l h her$t?wngM.And h e w : 'Xw
m u s t ~ u p l exad&
n Ooppresfed om, the vlrgn daughaproflydon.Wyl, c r w r o w & M r n i t s e I I I E
m Ehera!k
will not be mi#Wfw yw.' *A& 23:TO- 12.
17 Why IS
r)H?called the '/daughterof TmhhhT Perkaps

because after the defeat aim, TarsMsh will k the more

powerful of the two." The inhabitants of W d Tpe WU
be scattered like a rhnr h flood, its banks bmken d m
and its waters m r f l o w i q into all the nelgbbtlm plains.
IsnlahJsmessage to the "daughkrofm s h "undmmws
the severity of what will happen to me.Jehovah h i d
stretches out hls hand end gives the wmmd. No me
can alter the outcome.
as ""the vhgh daughter of
18 Isaiah a h speaks of

AitHnati~ly,the 'nda~ghtwof TafsMsh" may refer to the -itantJ of lbrshtsh. One &erence w r k -: The nattveg o f l h h h
a r e n o w ~ w w m l m d ~ & ~ ~ ~ t ~ N I k w h e
all dlrectlons." Wl, the emphasb b on the dmHc rep%trussionsof
the fall of Tyro.

16, 17. What d U happen to the Inhabitants of ?pre when the dty
falls? (See foomote.)
18. Why L
caU4 "the vlan daughter of Sidon,"and how d
l

her state change?

T)mwould submit h Bubyion, not Assyrtu

252

Isainh's I'ropl~rry-1.1,qllt fur A l l Mnnkind I

Sidon,"indicating that she has not previously been seized

and ravished foreign conquerors and still enjoys an unsubdud state. (Compare 2 Kings 1921; Eralah 472; Jere
mlnh 46:ll.)Now, though, she is to be annihilated, and
llkc refuges, some of her resicicnts wlll cross over to the
Phoenician colony of Kildrn. Nevertheless, l~avinglost
their cconornic power, they will find no rest there.

The Chaldeans Will Despoil Her

Ig Which political power will execute Jehovah's judgment upon Tyre?Isaiah procIaims: "Lookl The land of the
Chaldeans. This is the people-dssyria did not pmve to be
the one-they founded her for the desert haunters. They
hove erected their siege towers; they haw stripped bare
her dwelling towen; one has set her us a crumbling ruin.
Howl, you ships of Tbrshish, br your stmnghold has k e n
despoiled." (Isaiah23:73, T4.4)The Chaldcnns-trot she Assyrlans-will conquer vre,They MI1 erect thelr siege t c w
ers, lcwl the dwelling places of 'lyre, and make that
stronghold of the ships of Tarshlsh s crumbling heap
of rulns,
20 Truc to the pmphecy, not long after the fall af Jemsalem, 'l)m rebels against Babylon, and N e h u c h a d n w
lays siege to the dty. Bellevlng herself impregnable, Tyre
wsists. In the course of the siege, thc heads of Babylon's
soldiers are "made bald" from the chafing of their helmets
ancl thelr shoulders are "rubbed bars" from carrying materials used in the consmalon of sjegwnsks. (Ezekiel 29:

38) The siege is costly to Nebuchadnezlar. 'The mainland

city of 'l)w is deswoyed, yet its spoil eltides him. The bulk
of the treastm of Tyre have been transferrer1 to a small is-

19, 20. Who Is prophesied to be the conquerur of Qre, and how is

that plnphecy fulfilled?

land about half a mile from the shore. Lading a fleet of

ships, the Chaldean king is unable to take the i5lantl. A h
1.7 years, Vre capitulates, but she wilt survive and see the
hdfr Ilmcnt of further prophecies.

"She Must Return to T-Ter HireN

21 lsa l ah goes on to prophesy: "It must occur in that day
thot Tyre must be Forgotten seventy years, the same as she
days of one king." (Isaiah 23:tSa) Following the destructint1 nf the mainland city by thc Babylonians, the islandclty of 7yre will "be forgotten," True to the prophecy, for
thc duratlon of "one kingu-the BalyZonlsn [:mplsc-the
island-dty of Tyre will not be an Important financial pawcr. Jchovah, through Jeremiah, includes Vre among the
nations that will be singled out to drink the wine nf His
rafie, I ie says: "These nations will have to scrvc the king
nT Rahylan swenty years." (Jeremiah25:R-17,22, 27) True,
t hc Is Innrl-clty of Tyre is not subject to Babyion for a full 70
years, since the Babylonian Empire falls In 539 O.C.E, EvIrlently, the 70 years repreqenh the pcrlocl nl' Babylonia's
grcntrst domination-when the Dal7ylonian royal dynasty hoasts wl having lifted it., throne even above "tl'lrstars
of God." (Isaiah 14:13) Different nations comc under that
darnlnaklon at different times, But at the end of70 years,
that clomination will crumble. What wil! then happen
to ? y e ?
22 lsalah cnntinues: "At the end of seventy years it will
happen to Tyre as in the song of a prostitute: 'Take a harp,
go oround the city, O forgotten prostitute. Do your best at
playing on the swings; make yaur songs many, in order
that you may be remembered.' And ir must occur at she
21. In what way Is 'Qw"forgotten,"and for how lflrlg?
22, 23. What wlll happen to'ryrc when a l ~ rcomes o u t frnrn under
Ilnl,y ll~nlandomination?

end of seventy yeam that jehovah wiil turn his attention to

Tyre, and she must return b her hire and commit prostitution with alF the kingdoms of the earth upon the surfoce of
the ground."-Isaiah 23: t5b- 1Z
2 3 FoElowing the fall of Babylon in 539 B.C.E., Phoenlcia
becomes a sattapy of the Medo-Persian Empire. 'l'he Persian monarch, Cyms the Great, is a tolerant ruler. Under
this new rulership, Tyre will resume her former activity
and try hard to regain recognition as a world cornmercial center-just as a prostitute who has been forgotten and h a lost her clientele seeks to attract new clicnts
'by going around the dty, playmg her harp and singing
her songs. Will Tyre succeed?Yes,Jehovah will grant her
success. In time, the islandsity will become so prosperous
that toward the end of the sixth century R,C,E.,the prophet Zechariah will say: "Tyre proceeded to bulld a rampart
for herself, and to pile up silver like dust and gold like tlie
mire of the streets."-Zechariah 9:3.
'Her Profit Must Become Something Holy'
24 How remarkable are the following prophetic words1
"Her profit and her hire must become something holy to
lehowh, It will not be stored up, nor be laid up, because
her hire will come to be for those dwelling behm jehovah,
foreating to satisfaction and for elegont covering." (/miah
23:18) H m Fdoes Tyre's material profit hecome somet tiing
hoIy?Jehomhmaneuvers matters so that it is used accorcling to Ms will-for the eating to satisfadon of his people
and for their covering. This comes about following thr Esraelites' mturn from Babylonian exile. The people oi 'Vre
assist them by supplying cedar timbers for rehuildlng the
24, 25. [a) How does VR'sprofit becornc somethln~holy to lchw
\,ah? (b) Despite Tyw's helping W ' s people, what prophecy doer Jehovah inspire regarding her7

temple. They also resume trade with the city of Jerusalem.

- b r a 3:7; Nehcrniah 13:lh.
25 Despite this, Jehovah Inspires a further pmnouncement against l)m. Zechariah prophesies concerning the
now wcalthy island-city: "laok!Jehovah himself will disr
possess her, and Ento the sea he will certainly .strike down
her military force; and in the fiw she herself will be dewurecl." (Dcharlah 9 4 ) This Is fulfilled inJuIy 332 B.CE.
when Alexander the Great demolishes that proud mistress
of Zhc sca.
Avold Materialism and Pride

26 J e h m h cnndcrnned 5 r e for her pride, a characteris

tic that he despiser. "l.ofty eyer" are listed first among the
srven things that Jehovah hatcs. (l'roverbs 6:16-19) Paul
assodatcd pride with Satan the Devil, and Ezekiel's description of proud Tyrc has elements that describe Satan himself. (Ezekjcl 28~13-15;1 Timothy 3:h) Why was
lyre proud? kcklcl, addresshng
says: "Your heart be-

we,

gan to be haughty 11eca~:ause

ofyour wealth." (Ezehe128:5)
The city was dedicated to trade and the amassing of maney. rffre's success In this made her unbearably haughty. Through bekiel, Jehovah said to "the leader of T ' " :
"Your heart has hecome haughtyl and you keep saying, 'I
am a god. In the seat of god I have seated myself.'"
-F~~kict
28:2.
27 Natlens can succumb to pride and a wrong view of
wealth-and so can individuals. Jesus gave a pafable that
s h o d how subtle this snare can be, H e spoke of a rich
man whose fields produced very well. Delighted, the man

TLfF?

26. Why did Gad mndcrnn

27. 28. Whni rnp can humans fall Into, and how dld Jesus illusbate
I his?

2,56

Esrrfah's Pmph#pL&ht fir All. Matrkfwcl'i

p l a n n e d t o b u i l d ~ s ~ m ~ h i 3 ~ o l n d
hstppiIylaokd69mtardsoalonglifeofcomfiort,Butthis
did not happen Gad said to hlm:"Umewnable one, this
nighttheyarrdemar?rdfngpursoulh m p u Who, then,
is to kthe things you stored up?" Ya, the man did,
and his d t h d e d him nothing,-tulPe a16-20.
28 Jesus condudd the m
e,s
a
w
.'So It goa wlth
tStemm~tI~up~uteh~1lhtisnotrIchb
mrd God." (Luke 12213 3% wealthy was not wrong in
&elf, and h m a g d harvest was no sin. The man's erroriqfnhUs~tbethemalnthhgsInhislilrsHls
whole confidence was in his r i a , When looking b the
future,he didnut takeJehovahCud into mount
coin ctspkthg Melka*
chief deiv of WM

d-

Modal of a

5#
mJames wry strongly made the swne pht He said:
Tome, mw, you who
T&ay or tomorraw we win
iDumey eo this dty and wlll spend a y
m themland we will
engage in busin- and m& profitsI'whereas you do not
lmow what your Ufe will be tornorm. For you are a mist
a p p d q Eos a little while and then dhppearhg. Instead,
you mght bO say 'If Jehovah~ U Swe
, shaII live and alW
dofiis or that,' Uamw 4: 13-15) Then,James showed tbe
relationship between math md pride when he cantlslued,
"You take pride fn your s a - a s s m b g brags.
Al3 such taking of pride is Wckd."-James 4:16.
Again, do@ bushes Is not a sln, The sin is tbe pride,
the arroganceIthe coddmce in self that gaining wealth
can -dm.
W y , the mdent proverb s a M "Give me
neither pverty nor rlches."
can &lifie ~ rbit-y
ter. But riches can lead a person ao "deny [Call and say:
'Wha IS J&ovah?' "-Proverbs 30:8,9,
31 We llue in n world where many have fallen a
i
m to
greed and sdbhness. Bemuse of the prwaiMg comercraI ciimnate, much emphasis is pl~cedon d t b . HemeI
a Chrlstlan does well to examine himself to be sure W
he is not falling Into the same trap that ensnared the mmrn&
dty of Tyre. Does he spend so much of his tbne
JePPgwh Prsfanss the M d t of

andenergyinma~~tsthatheis,iufaa,a
of rich=? (Matthew 6:24) Is he envlow of some who mag
haw m o or~better possessions than he ha57 ( G a l a m 5:
26) If he happens to be Wthy,does he p d y feel that
he desmes more atteation or prlvlIega than others do?
(Campam James%I-9,)If he Is not rich is he "
d
e
ta k IS&," whatever the cost? (I Thothy 6 9 ) 1s he so
occupied with business mattas that he leaves only a v q
29, 30. Hew did James warn @mt reba on
31. Wrhat q u d o n s does a ChMhn do well to ask kimself?

258

Isaiah's Prophecy-Light for All Mankind I

CHAPTER TWENTY

small corner in his life for serving God? (2 Timothy 2:4)

Does he become so consumed with the pursuit of wealth
that he ignores Christian principles in his business prac-

tices?-1 Timothy 6:lO.

32 Whatever our economic situation, the Kingdom
should always have first place in o w lives. It is vital that
we never lose sight of the words of the apostle John: "Do
not be loving either the world or the things in the wodd.
If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in
him." (I John 2:15) True, we have to use the world's
economic arrangements in order to survive, (2 ThessaIonians 310) Hence, we 'use the world1-but we do not use
it "to the full." (1 Corinthians 7:31) If we have an excessive love of material things-the things in the world-we
no longer love Jehovah. Chasing after "the desire of the
flesh and the derire of the eyes and the showy display of
one's means of life" is incompatible with doing the will of
God." And it ir doing the will of God that leads to eternal
life.- 1John 2:16, 17.
33 The trap of putting the pursuit of material things
ahead of all else ensnared
She was successful in a
material sense, became very proud, and was punished for
her pride. Her example stands as a warning to nations
and individuals today. How much better to folluw the admonition of the apostle Paul! He urges Christians "not to
be high-minded, and to rest their hope, not on uncertain
riches, but on God, who furnishes us all things richly for
our enjoyment."-l Timothy 6:17,

m.

"Showy display" is a translation of the Greek word a.ln.zo.ni'a,

which is descr~bedas "an impious and empty presumption which
trusts in the stability of earthly things."-?l?e New Tliqcr's GreekEnglish Lexicon.
32. What warning did John give, and how can we apply it?
33. How can Christians avoid the trap that ensnared Tyre?

Jehovah Is King

1
1

1
I

BABYLON, Philistia, Moab, Syria, Ethiopia, Figypt! Edom,

Tyre,Asryria-all will experience Jehovah's wrath. Isaiah

has foretold the calamities that wdl befall these hostile nations and cities. What, though, of judah? Will the inhabitants of Judah be exempt from punishment for their sinful
ways? The historical record answers with a resounding no!
2 Consider what happened to Samaria, the capital of the
ten-tribe kingdom of Israel. That nation did not keep its
covenant with God. It did not keep separate from the lewd
practices of the nations round about. Instead, the inhabitants of Samaria "kept doing bad things to offend Jehovah
. . . Therefore Jehovah got very incensed against Israel, so
that he remwed them from his sight." Forcibly removed
from its land, "Israel went off its own soil into exile in
Assyria." (2 Kings 129-12, 16-18,23; Hosea 4:IZ-14)What
happened to Israel bodes ill for her sister lungdorn,]udah.

Isaiah Foretells the Desolation of Judah

Some kings of Judah were faithful, but most were not.
Even under a faithful king, such as Jotham, the people
did not turn completely away from false worship. ('2 Kings
15:3335) A climax in the wickedness of Judah is reached
during the reign of bloodthirsty King Manasseh, who according to Jewish tradition, murders the faithful prophet
3

1, 2 . (a) Who will experience Jehovah's wrath? (b) Will Judah be

exempt fram punishment, ancl how do we know?
3. (a) Why does Jehovah forsake the two-tribe kingdom of Judah?
(b) W h a t i?
Jehovah determined to da?

260

Isnfalr's Pmplrtbry-Li.ylrl f i ~ All

r

Mitriklt~df

Isaiah by commanding that he be sawed apart, (Compare Hebrews 11:37.) This wickcd king "kept ?;ecEuclngJudah and the inhabitants of Jes~lsalen~
to (lo worse than
the nations that Jehnvah had annihilated from lwffirc the
sons of Israel." (2 Chronicles 33:9) Under Manasseh's rule

the land becomes even more polluted than when the CAnannites controlIed it. Hence, Jehovah declares: "l-lere I am
Ixinglng a calamity upon Jerusalem and Judah, of which if
anyone hears both his ears will tingle, , , 1 shall simply
wipe JcrusaIem clean just as one wipcs the hanclleless bowl
clean, wiping it clean and turning it upside clown. And t
shall indeed forsake rhe remnant of my Inheritance and
give them into the hand of thekr enemies, ancl they will
simply become plunder and pillage to al E their cnernies, for
the reason that they did what was bad in my eyes ancl were
continually olTend'ig me."-2 Kings 221:ll-15.
4 Like a bowl that is turned upside down, allowlng all its
contents to spill out, the land will Ile cmptled of Its I~uman
inhabitants. This coming desolation of Judnh and Jcrusa!em is again the subject of prophecy hy Isalah. He hcgins:
"Lookl jehovah ir emptying the /and and laying If waste,
and he has twisted the face of it and scattered Its Inhabitants." (Isaiah 24: 7) Thi5 prophecy is lullillcri when Jerusalem and i & temple are destroyed by the lr~vndingt L ~ h
ylonian armies under King Nehuchadne~jsarand whcn the
inhabitants of Judah are decimated by sword, famine, and
pestilence. Most of the Jewish survivors are taken captive
to Rnbylon, and the few left behind flee to Ekwt. Thus
the land ofJudah is wrecked and completely depopulated. Not even domestic animals remain. 'lhe descrtcd land
becomes a wilderness with dreary ruins inhabited only by
wlld beast5 and birds.
5 Will anyone in Judah recelve preferential treatment

4. What wUJehovahdnto Judah, and how ts thts pro hcty fulhltedl

5. Will anyone be exempt from Jehovah'r jtrtlgrnent tlxplnln.

Jehovah Is King

261

during the coming judgment? Isaiah answers: 4f must

c a m to be the same for the people as for the priest; the
same for the serwrnt 05 for his master; the same for the
maidserwrnt as for her mistress; the stme for the buyer as
for the seller; the some for the lender as for the borrower; the same for the interest toker as For the one puyhg She
interest. Without fail the land wlll be emptied, and without fail it will be plundered, for jehovrrh himself has spoken this word." (Isaiah 242, 3 ) Wealth ancl privileges of
temple service will rnnke t ~ odllTcrence, No exceptions will
be made. The land is so corrupted that evcryonc survlvlng
-priests, servants and mastcrs, buyers and sellers-must go
into exile.
6 In order that there be no misunderstanding, Isaiah describes the completeness of this corning disarter and explains the reason for it: "The land has gone to mourning,
has faded awuy. The productive land has withered, has faded oway. The hlgh ones of the people of tile land haw
withered. And the very land has been polluted under its
inhabirants, for they have bypassed the laws, changed the
regulation, broken the indefinitely lasting covenank. That is
why the curse ItreH hcfs eaten up the land, and those inhabiting it are held guilty, That Is why the in habitants of the
land hove decreased in number, and very few mortal men
have remained over." (Isaiah 24:4-6) When the Israelites
weregiven the land oi Canaan, they found It to be "a land
flofiing with milk and honey." (Dcutcronomy 27:3) Still,
they continued to bo dependent on jchovah's blessing. If
they faithfully kept Ills sia2utcs and commandments, the
land would "give its yielrl," but If thcy hypasscd his laws
and commandments, thrir cl'forts to cultivate the land
would bc "expended for n d h l n g " and thc earth would
"nut give its yield." (Levitlms 265-5, 14, 15, 20) Jehovah's
curse would 'eat up the land.' (Deuteronomy 28:15-20,
6. W l y does jehwah wtthdnw t ~ blessing
l ~
Fmm the land?

M Q IS
W
m~~

263

~ f T O m f R e l a n d , N o m e r c y w l l l b e s h I nthearm
Jng. judgmemt. Amow the fmt to 'wlthd haw ofJewithdnwing ids protdlon and favor wlll lx "the
high om," the 110bUty. In MHIment of this, as the ds
s t r w t i m of Jausdem approachesI Hrst the
tbm the Bslbyloh make Judean M n g i
SubsequentI5 KtngJehoWn and other members of the
@r
family are amang the &st ones taken Into BabyloxrEaPl&plVrty1-2 Qmnlctes 36!4,9,10,

%esd

Music and rejoicing will no lot~ger

h.heard iff the land

33-42,62,63)Judah mmt naw q x c t oc, experience that

Curse.

7 Some 800 years before Isaiah's day, the Israelites will.

lagly entered into a covenant r~latlonshfpwlth J e b
mh and qpxd to abide by it. (Wus249-8) The terms
of t h t Zrmw covenant stlpulated that if they obeyed J+
hwahYsc o ~ n ~ nthey
b w
, d d experience his rich
blessing but If W y
the covenant,they wwld lose
htrs biasing and be taken a* by their enemies. (b
dus 19:5,6; Dwtemmmy 2fk1-68) This bw covenant, given though Moses, was toremain in iozce foran Indehik,
unspedfied time. If would safeguadthe IsmeUtes until the
apparanm of the MessIah.-GaIatians 3:19,24.
8 But the people bave "broken the L n W t e l y lasting
covenant." They haw b p m d the dlvlnely given laws, ignoring them
have "changedthe regulaUonlHfollowing legal p m W s &rent horn those that Jehmh gm.
(Exodw 32:2Si &&id a121 Hence, the people will be re-

3.

now wwld the h w -t

be a Uesshg for the Israellm?
How have the p p l e m s e d the lawsu and ' c h r q d the

8. (a)

regulation'? (b) Jn what ways are 4he high onu" the bnt a, 'with-

er'?

Rejoicing Leaves the band

9 Themtion of Israel la an agriculhtrd sod* Frpm the
t h e that the Israelites entered the Pmmhd W,
tbq
havesettleridowntoallEeohdttMthg~ywandherdXsg
livW&~Thus, agrlcultum m p k an importantptaSe in
tlw hgkhtlon g
imrn Isml. A compuIsMy sabbathmsl Es
~ d e d E a E ~ ~ d ~ ~ t
ltp'm k m w d to the mil. ( W u s 23;10,11; Lmittcus
255-aThe t h e e annud tkfitiwls that the mtlan L mnlrnto celebsate are timed-to d n & e wlth agfiCulklral ~ ~ m . - & ~ d 23:14-16.
us

IQVhqards are common throughout the W The

S c r p w list Nne, a p&a

of the vine, as a gift horn

the heart of mortal man rejoice."( W m
1W15)F
&I one 'sitking under hls awn vine and fig We,*
denotes pros^, peace, and securlq under God's righ
mus rule (1 Khgs 42.5; Micah 4A) A sucwsful vintage
sexan is mnslded a Mmlng and is a cause for singtng
mdrepidq, audges 927; Jeremiah 2330) The
3s d30me, When the v h a ~ 4 t or
h produce
~
no p a p s
and tly$59aep& bccome dadate wastes ,of tho- it B
e
s
?
m
tbi lEh0vah h~ wlthdr8m his bhSW+
ofp a t wlmwGod that

9 1k (a) What role doa

h n c e of each om 'ri*

sulhur! lay in Ism17 (b) W W Ls the

underh own vtnr md 8g mem?

264

Isaitrh's IJmplt~cy-Lklrtfor A l l M l r t ~ k l r ~I d
Some will survlve jehovoh's
judgment, justas fruit
remains on a tree after the
harvest

11 Appmpriatelv, then, Isaiah uses vineyards and thelr

produck to illustrate the conditions resulting from Jehcr
vah's withdrawing his bkrsing from thr. land: "The new
wine has gone to mourning, the vine hus withered, all
those glad at heart hwe gone to sighing. The exultation
of the tambourines has ceased, the noise of the highly cloted ones has discontinued, the exultation of the t w r p hm
ceased. It is with no song fhot they drink wine; the intoxicating liquor becomes bitter to those drinking it. 'She deserted town has been broken down; every house has been shut
up from entering. There is an outcry in the streeB for wont
of wine. AN rejoicing has passed awoy; the exultation of the
lond has departed. !n the city on astonishing condition has
been left behind; the gate has been crushed to a mere rubble heap."-lsuiah 24:7-72.
12 The tambourine and the harp are pleasant jnstsuments
used to praise Jehovah and express joy. (2 CElronicles 29:
25;Psalm 81:Z) Their music will not be heard at this ti~nc
of divine punishment. There will be no joyfill grape hnrvests. There will be no happy sounds in the dvsolatcd rulnr;
ofJerusalem,with its gate "crushed to a mcrc rubble heap"
and its l~ouses"shut up," so that no onc can enter. What
grim prospeck for inhabitants ol a land that by nature hiis
been so fertile!

A Remnant "Cry Out Joyfully"

13 In order to harvest dives, the Ismelites bcak the t r m
with rods so that the fruit will fall. Accorcling to I~orl'slaw,
1 I. 12. la) Hmv does lwiah illustrate the conditions that will rC~tilt
from Jehovah's ludgmc-t? (b) What grim pro~pcc-tsrloc~Iralah dcsr~ibe?

13, 14. (a) What are Jehmqh's laws on hnrvcstin~?(I,) l Inw clot%
I<aiah use the Inws on haw~stingto jllurlr.?tc that rtlrnc rvHI F U X V
jehmah's judgment? (c) Although there ate dark 5r:lwlns of trlal
coming, of what can faithful Judeans be crrtiliri?

~ ~

they are forbidden to go

over t hc ho~lghsof the trees
to collect the remainiw dives. Nor should they gather
thc Icftover grapes after harvesting their vineyards. The
remnants of thc harvest are
to be left for the poor-"for
the alien resident, for the fatherless boy and for the widow"-to glean. (Deuteronomy 24:19-21) Drawing on
these well-known laws, Isalah Illustmtes the comfortiilg ti~ctI h;~ I l1c.r~will hc survivors of Jehovah's corning
jutl~mcnl:"Th~aIt will become In the midst of the /and,
In among the peoples, like the beating off af the olive tree,
llke rhe gleaning when the grape gathering has come to
an end. They themselves will mise lhek voice, they will cry
olr t joyfully, tn rhe superiority of jehowh they will certainly cry out shrilly from the sea. That is why in the region of
light they must glorify jehovwh, in the islands of the sea the
name of jehovah, the Cod of Isroel. from the extremity of
the land there are rnelodier that we haw heard: 'Decoration to the Righteous One!' "-Esoiah 24: 13- 160.
14 Just as some fruit rcmains on the tree or vine a f
ter harvesting, so thcrc will k some who are left aver after Jehovah's cxccution or judgmcn t-"the gleaning when
I hc grape #atherin~has comc to an end." As secorded in
versr 6 , the prophet has already rpokcn of these, saying

1~8rrh'sJ'mplteq-Llg4t f i r All Mrurk4md f

that * w y ewmortal men have remained OWL" Still, &w

asthey are, t h e r e m t o b e ~ r s o thedatrucUmof
f
JmuaIern andJudah, and later a remnant will returnfrom
ct@Ivfty to ~ p p ~ t
&kf laid, (hatah 42, 33; 14:l-S)
T h g h righthe~tedsrw will e p d w dark sehsons
trial, the c a n b e ~ t h & ~ w U l b e d e l t ~ c c a n d f ~
ahead Tie S N ~ W O CwiU
S seeJehovah's prophetic word uuMdandwlll tealhe WIsafahhas beenatruepphetof
G a t They wiil be filled with joy as they witness the ful~entofthe~~n~.mOmwhereverthey
have ken xatkmd4eit the blands of the Me&aerr~neaul
h the WestI Babylon h ''the regfun of lfght" (the sun*$
or the hf),
or any ~aerdistant place-they vvfll prGod bemuse they have beenpreserved, and they will siryF
Qecm&tionto the Bightems OneEY

No &+apeFmm Jehovah's Judgment

1s For now, tho-,
repicing is p t u r e , hgJahbrings

his contempor&& back to the present gating: "ButI s q ~

'For ma them is lrnnmf fir me them Is Ie~nnwdWoe &I

and it must HI, so that it

wlll nab a up @n. "-ha-

iah 24: 1 6 2 0 ,
16 Isaiah fs ftIled wlth grief
m r what wlll befall his
people. The state of &airs
around hlm atuses feelings
of d ~ k n and
a woe. 7 h d 1 emus ones abound and
cause dread to the inhabitants of the Imd. When jehmah withhaws hb proteF
tion, unfaithful hihabitan&
of Judahwlll experienceter-

ror both day and night.

They will be uncertain of
their Ihres. There will be no
escapfng the d h t w that
will befall them for hrsak-

ing Jehovah's carmmdE

m
w l t l l ~ t k ~ d e a l e r s h m ~ t ~mats and Ignoring gadly
wisdom. (
m
r
b
s1:2427)
~~.'~~dtheho#owdthsimpmuponymr,
Calamity
will
come
wen
puinha#tmtdf~~.Anditrnustmurthatanptw
Ona In 'hiah lr illled
~ 1 S w t r i h e ~ ~ ~ h d o f t h e d ~ t M n g w I b J 1 h ~ though hchm
the la@ ww to
ha
and a n p mming
~
up irom !nMe the hoUow
what vNl &&/I his peopl~
the people that everything
will be cau h t h thew,For the wry WdgoCs b t ~higk
will k all right, use fahehad and deceit:to l e d them on
wlll uctuo$ be o m , a d he Wc1Llwu of W km8
a course to destruction. ( J e r e W279-15) Enemles from
dt rock. Ihe dpnd has a8s&te& &mt cryla@ the land has
outside watt come In md plunder them and wry them
&duaely h
up, the I d h a absdaway aptlw. AU of this is m y & w i n g to Isaiah.
sent m n g . The hnd &dutel)l mom unstmd& I l k
ackunhmcm, a t t d i t h a s ~ & a n d h w I / k a l a d r 17 Yet, the prophet Is bmd to declare that there will be
met The M e r o u s t h k h m dgalt W&mw&

outhrrtAdrtsmlqn?s.slonhm~mh~uponit

15, 14. In1 How d w Idatah E$$l qbWt what will httppen to h14 ao@el t b ) What wfll b W t k uunRiW inhahicant3 d the land!

17. (a) Why wM no escape k posibk? (b) When Jehrwah%judgmtnt p m r ir released from the h a m s , what wlll happen to th
land?

1
I

mi&$Pruphap-Llght

fir All Marakknd J

no e s a Wherever
~
p q i e try t~ Bee, they will be caught.
Some m2ip &ape atme calamityI but they will be caught In
another-there will be no security. It wiIl be just as with
ahunted~that~fallingintoapitodyto
b~ aught In a snare. (Compare Amos 5:18,19.) Jehmah's
judgmeutpwrwiIIbedeasdbmtheheavwlsandwlll
sbalcethe~ery~datlmsofthetand.Ltlrea~
man, the land reel5 and falls, heavy with guilt and unable
Qo rfse again (kmos 52)JehcPPah's judgment is h

a l Utter

datmctloa and ruin wilI bddlthe land

Jehovah Will Reign in Glory

Isaiab's p m p h e n
~ow takes on a greater scope, polnth g to the final outmMng of Jehovah's purpose: "It must
mcurin thtltdaytbt@&
wHI tum hisatention upon
the umy of the w
h
t in fivehefghl; aml u p r ~the kings
of the ground upon the ground. And tfrey wlN certainly be
g a M d wlrh a g d n d n g as of p r k w Into the plb and
be shut up In the dungme md &r an abundance of days
they wlil be g/wn Wentftm. &d the full moan h become
ahhad, and tke glowing sun has fiecome ashmed, fw
jehowh of amfa has become Mng In Moun! Zion and In
lerusuh and h front of hk el&@ men with glory.''-I~~~

!ah M21-23.
19 "The army of the hmay refer to the demonic
"worldrulers &f this
.. .the wi&d spirit forces
In the heavenly p W - "(Fphesians5:12) These 4ave had a
powwfd iduence on thew odd^. (Daniel 10:13,20;
1John 519)Their goal is to tutn people away frwr Jehe
vah and his pure worship. Haw well they succeed in seduc-

~~

ing Istad to f
-

a h the corrupt practices of the nations that

18, 19. (4 TO what may She army of the heighr refer, m d how
are thea gathtmd "in the dunpn'? (b) Llkty, how will "the army
of the h e m f be @ven a t m t l o n 'after an abundance of days"?
(c) HOW
dwsJehovahgive attention tr, "the kings of the ground*?

Nsither tfra sun nor the moon wlll match jehovoh in gJory

surround them and thw merit God's divine judgment!

But Satan and his demons must answa to Gad when he
finally tums hh attention to them and to the rulexs on
earth, "theIdngs of the grwnd upon the ground," whom
they haw Muendto turn agahst God and t~ trslnsgress
his laws. (Rwehtlon 16:U1
14) Sywaklng symboHdy, I&hh says that they will be gathered and "shut up in the
dungeon.* "After an abundance of Clap,' perhaps when

Satan and his demons (but not "the kings of the ground
upon the ground") are temporarily released at the end of
the Thousand Year Reign of Jesus Chrlst, God will b r l q
upon them the h a 1 punishment they deserve.-Revelatian 203, 7-10.
20 T h i s part of Isaiah's prophecy thus left the Jews with
a wonderful assurance. In Jehovah9 due timc, he would
bring about the fall of ancient Babylon ancl restore the
jcws b their homeland. In 537 B.C.E., when he demonsbates his power and sovereignty in this way in khalf of
his people, it could truly be said to them: "Your God has
become king?"(Isaiah 527) In modern times,Jehovah 'hecame king in 1914 when he installedJesusChrist as Klng
in His heawnly Kingdom. (Balm 96:10) I-le also "became
king' in 1919when he demonstrated the power of his kl ngship by liberating spiritual Israel fmm bondage to Rabylon
the Great.
21 Jehovah will again "become king" when he brings an
end to Rabylon the Great and the rest of this wicked system of things, (Zechariah 14:9; Kwelation 19:1,2, 19-21)
Afterward, Jehovah's Kingdom rule will be so magnificent
that neither the gleaming full moon at night nor the
glowing sun at hlgh noon will match it in glary, (Compare Revelation 22:5.) They wlEI be ashamed, so to speak, to
compare themselves to the glorious Jehovah of armies. Jehovah wifl reign supreme. Hls almighty pmwr and glory
will be manifest to all. (Revelation 4:Rll; 513, 14) What
a marvelous prospect! At that time, the call of balm 97:E.
wlll resound throughout the earth in its grandest fulfi tirnent: "Jehovahhimself has become king! Let the cart h tw
joyful. k
tthe many islands rejoice!'
20. In both ancient and modern times, how and when does Jehw
vah "become king"?
21. (a) How will 'the full moon become abashed and the glowrng
sun become ashamed'? (b) What mounding ~ 3 1 1wlil have Itc grandest fulfillment?

p
p

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Jehovah's Hand Becomes High

h x dmp love for Jehovah and delights in prais
in^ him. I-le crEcs out: '"'0jehowfi, you one my Cod. I exalt
you, I laud your name." What hclps the prophet to haw
such fine npprcciatiun for hi5 Creator? A major factor is his
knowledge of Jel~ovnhand of his activities. Isaiah's next
words rrvcal this knowledge: "For you have done wonderful things, counsels from early times, in faithfulness,
in trustworthln~ss."(Isaiah 25: 7) Like Joshua hefore him,
lsala h knows that Jehovah ir taithful and trustworthy
and that all his "coun~e1s"-the things he purposes-come
trt~c.-Joshua23:14.
2 The counsels of Jehovah Include his Iudgment declarations against Ismel's enernles, Isaiah now pronounces one
of t h e x : "You haw made a dty o pile of stoner, a fortified
town o crumbling nrin, a dwelling tower of stranger5 to be
no city, which will nor be rebuilt even to t h e indefinite."
(lsdah 2532) What is this unnamed city?Isaiah may be referring to Ar of Moab-Moab has long been at enmity with
C~CKI'CPCOPIC.*
Or he may be referring to another, stronger
city-Rnby Ion,-Isaiah 15~1;
Zephaniah 2:8,9
3 How will Jehovah's enemies react when his counsel
ISAIAH

1
I

1
1

' Tlie nallie Ar pmhahlv means "City."

3 . Why does lsalali haw appreciation b r J e h m h ?

2. What ~rn~nxci
of Jeliwnh does lralah now pronounce, and what

may ~ I Pthe ~>l>jrct

nf t hls C O ~ I ~ ~ C I ?
1. In whnl way do ,Ichtwiih's crlemles glorify him?

against their strong city comcs true? "Those who are a

strong people will glorfw you; the town of the tymnnical
nations, they will fearpu." (lsabk 293) It is undc~tnndalsle that the enemies of the almighty Cbd will fcnr him.
How, though, do they glorify him? Will thcy ahantton
t hcir false gads and adopt pun worship? i laaclly! Ratl~cr,
like Pharaoh and Nebuchadne7mr, they glorify jchovah
whcn they are compelled to recngnlxe tiis clvtlrwhclming
superiority.-hodus 10:16, 17; 12:30-,33; ll~nlel4::37.
4 Today "the town uE T11c tyrannical natlnns" Is "(he great
city that has a kingdom over the k i n g of the earth,"
namely, "Babylon the Great," the world cmpir~of lnlsc religion. (Revelation 17:5,18) The principiil part oi this cmpire Is Christendom. How do tlle religious Imtlcn of
Christendom glorify Jehovah? By bitterly conceding the
wonderful Ehings he has accomplishcri in bchall a l his
Witnesses. Particularly in t919 when Jehovah rcstorcd his
servants to dynamic activity after their release from spiritual captivity to Babylon the Great, t h e ~ elealrlars "l~evnrne
frightcncd and gave glmy to the God of heaven."-I<e17rlntion I 1 33."
5 Although fearsome when viewed by hls cncmles, J e h ~
vah is a refuge to the meek and humble who want to s c m
him. Religious and political tyrants may try cv~rylhlngto
break the faith of m e
hut tl-rqt hi1 bccausc
these have ahsolute confidence inJehovah.i:vcntually, he
casi 1y siIcnccs his opposers, doing sn as it he were covering
thc burning desert sun with a cloud or blocking thc forw
of a rainstorm with a walI.-Read Isaiah 254, 5.

.* See l<rwlntiotr-ftF Granil C ~ ~ H AtHt/tsd!,

ICIX
p a ~ 170.
~!

4. What "town of the tyrannical natluns" cxl\t\ todny, ant! 11nw rlr>e<
even she have tn glorify Jehovah?
5. 1Imv doer Jehovah pmtect t l l o s ~who hnw ahsnlutr rulnfirlcncc In

him?

'A Ranquct for A l l the I'eoples'

1
I

1
I

6 Like a loving father, Jehovah not only protgcts but also

feeds his children, especially in+aspiritual way. After liberating his people in 1!)19, hc set Ixfnrc?them a victory banquet, an abundant supply of spiritual fond: "khomh of
armies will certainly make far all the peoples, in this mountain, a banquet o f well-oiled dishes, a banquet of wine
kept on the dregs, of well-oiled dishes fl,eNed with marrow,
of wine kept on the dregs, filtered."-lsalah 256.
7 The banquet is spread in Jchovah's "mountain." What
is this mountain? I1 Is "thc matintain of the house of Jehm&" to which all nations stream "In the final part
of the days." It is Jchovnli's "holy mountain," where his
faithful worshipers do no harm and cause no ruin. (Isaiah
22; II:Y) In this elevated placr o l worship, Jehovah
spreads his lush hanquet for faithful ones. And the spiritual good things now supptled so ~encmuslyforeshadow the physical good thitlgs that will l ~ cp w i d r d when
God's Kingdom becom~sIhe solc ~ovcrnmcntof manhnd. 'I'hen hungr will be no rnclrc. "There will come to
be plenty of grain on the earth; on the top of tile mountains there will be an ovetflow."-Psalm 72:8,16.
8 Those who now partake of th@divlnely prodded spiti b a l feast have gloriuus prospects. Listen to Isaiah's next
words. Comparing sin ancl death to a nlffocating "woven
work," or "enwtopment," he says: "In this mountain Ljehovak] wif\certainly swnjlow up the face of the envelopment that is enveloping over all the peoples, and the woven wark that is interwoven upon all the nations, He will
actually s wa/lolow irp death forever, and the Sovereign lord

6, 7. (a) What kind of iensl doe5 Jellovah spwad, ancl for whom?
(b)What does the banquet 11mplrerl~~2
by l ~ a i a l itc)rcshaduw?
8, 9. [a) What t ~ r o~ r t ' ~r !nI e ~ ~ inl
l ern:!nklnd
~
wlll I>crc~novd?Explain. (b) What will Litxi do to rwllnve Ihc rel~roachof his people?

274

&~lak"sPmphap-Ltght for All MaPjgitd I

wiCl certaJfi& wipe the mr3 hrn dl hmx"-holah 2% 8a.

9 Yes,n~m m sin md'death! (Rmlatron21:3,4) MOP
am, the lying @p& t h a t ~ sm
~m
~* Iras
endudfar ~ ~ o f y e a r s W
~ bme d o n e a w q w l t h .
mempmach of his p p l e be will bk oway h n all the
earthDhr Jskowak h i d fm qmken it*(ImW 25:8b)
HmPvJnfbis happa?Jehcwabwillrmnmthe mrce of
that mpach, Man a& hts seed. (Redation UI:1-3) little wonder th& Galr%people wlll be moved to exclaim:
%&I 7hkIxoui.W. We haw hopdin him, a d h e will
save LIS. n
k
i is J&whh W lime hoped In him, let us k
&& *
hWW by hM."-l~dEoh 25:9.
@@I and
The Hiaugbq M e A b e d
10
~f hi$
Who -st
huI
T
&
@
.
,
H
Brael'spqg@ImMwb b mud,an8 jeh W detests pride @W
16;1@)
W
Mg&
I,
B
therefore, fs
slated for humfii&m. '?he hand of jewlA settle
down on o f r i s m a r m ~andMoab
~
must be tmdhn down
in Ib plow w when a ~~p
h t d d e n downln a mu~fum~e,&dherni&~potrshis~&
fieb m&&
af It us wheh a swimerslaps &em out to swimt and he
m a t 0Its bughihas
the Mcky m
wmenEsof
hls hmds.And the fbrHYer4 c& W pur high Wh of sew*, he must lay low; k rnustahe tt,
it I n f con~
tact with the d#
tD the dld W-ha 25:to.12.
11 Jehmhls b a d will 'settle dawnn on the mountain
~fMoab.Therqult?HaugWyMoabistobe
slappedand
tdden d m as "in a manm place: In I+hWs timeD
sm~~strampZdinto~ofdungtomak~~~w
-wh

10,U. Wbat hash wtment dioE?sJehovah m m for Moab?

"A bmguet of weII~iled#&esa

276

Imhh's Prophecy-~ighr far All Mankind 1

Isal& fowkelb hufntliation for Moab, despite her high*

snemjngiy secure walls.
12 Why does Jehovah single out Mmb for such harsh
counsel? 'Ilw Moabltes are desmximts Of Lut, the nephew of&Pibraham and a worshiper ofS&QV&. Thus, they axe
not mly neighbors of God's w * m t nation but also relatives. Despik this, thq haveadopted falsegods and manifested hard-set e n m i 9 toward Brad They deserve their
fate. In this, Modb is E ~ the
P enemies of Jehovah's servants today. She is especialIy like Christendom, which
claims ta have mots in the first-century Christian coqregation but which, as seen edier, is the printipaI part of
Babylon the Gteat

definite." (Isaiah 26:3, 4) "The inclination" Jehovahsuppats is the desire to obey his righteous principles and to
trust in hlm,not in the floundering commercial, political, and religious systems of the world. "Jah Jehovah"is
the only reliable Rack of security. Those having full confidence in jehwah receive his protection and enjoy "continuous peace."-Proverbs 35, 6; Philippians 46, 7.
15 What a contrast to what happens t
a the enemies
a God's people! "He has laid low those inhabiting the
height, the elevated mwn. He abases it, he abases it to
the earth; he Brings it in touch with the dust The h o t will
tmmpfe it down, the feet o f the afflicted one, the steps
of the lowly ones." (Isaiah 26:$ 6) Again, Isaiah may
be here referring to an "elevatedtown" in Moab, or he
may mean some other sty? such as Babylon, which is certainly elevated in haughtiness. Whatever the case, Jehevah has turned the tables an "theelevated tom," and his
'lowly and afflicted ones' trample it. Today this prophecy aptly fits Babylon the Great, particuIarly Christendom. Tn 1919 this "elevated town" was forced to release
Jehovah's people-a humiliating fall--and they, in

A Song of Salvakion
a What of God's peqle? Thrilled to have Jdwah's favor and protection, t&y raise their v~icesIn sang. "in that
this song will be sung in the blrd of fudah: 'We haw
a strong ci& He sets salvatfofl itreif fbr walls and rumpart Open the gates, p u men, that tk righteous nation
thaf s; keeping faithfrrI conduct may enter."' (Isainh 26:
3,Z) While these words no doubt had a fulfillment In ancient times, they also ha& a dear fulfillmenttoday. Jehcm h ' s "righteous nation;' spiritual Esmljis endowird with
a Str~ng,citylike urganimtim. Wiat a cause for rejoicing,
far song!
14 What kind of people come into this "city"?The song
gives the answer: 'me hciination throt is well ruppo&ed
you [q
will satkguurd in continuouspeacq because if k
in you that ons i5 made to trust. Trust in jehowh, pu peapled for ail times, for in]oh jehowh is the Rock oftimes in12. Why is Moab .singfed out fer Jehovah's judgment decIaration?
today, and who
13! 14. What "8imng cityRdoes God's people
am allowed to enter it?

pling upon their old cap

tor. (Revelation 148)How?
By publicly announcing
15. How has "the elevated
town" been abased todq*and in
what way do "the feet of the afRi~tedone" tfampk it?

Babylon is trampled under

the feet of those who were
prisoners

7
1

Jed's a
m v q e a n c e upon h e r . - 8~ : ~~
U;9:14-19.

~Aftm~Mumphtintsoag,
IsaiahrwealstbedPgffi
of his mdWQblonPlnd the reward$ of sewing khe God
of righhou~ness~
(Read lsalah 26:7-9,) The prophet p ~ > .
pf&s a We example of 'haping inJtW&h'
and aP hayiqe d q d& for Jehwah's
and "memorm#IIU
What is JehavahSmemorhl? W w 3:IS ays: ?elm&

...&mynarne&~eIrldeMte,andtbijfsthememw

dal of me a0 meration atag~neradon,~

blab &&haJefrovaht5name and alt that it stands h,hdudhq Ms
smW and ways. Thosewho d t f v a t e a &mihr b e .EbrJehovahrn a~rmFedof his bking.-R&n 5 4
25:4,5; 135:13; H m 125
17Nrjt: dl),h o r n , -1
J&W&
low
&I&. (&@dkduh 2b:ll),)The w l c W men when bvitd,s t t r b w *fuse to l w n r@teowness in ordm to ent e r % e f a d a f ~ ~ h ~ ~ Y t t r eql Pa enddb y
Jehmh'smotally and sfltually str4ghtfmvardsewants.
m u e n t l y , the w k k d
not sse the eminence of]&
l a o h ' They MInot live b enjay the blwhgs that will
f h w to mankind after Jehovah's name has been sand6ed E m inthe new wndd, when the whole enrth will h
a 9 d o f , f ~ e s s ~ s o m e m a ) r k i l t a
taJ&mh's lovhpktndness,The names of su& oneswill
not be
in the book of life,-Isaiah 652% RweIrttbu 2O:IZ, 15,

~~

-7

16. What hne example of r i m t h a b n Ixalab set?

ZX W t p~~
will be withheld from the wiW?

#Enifitinto your intwlw moms"

280

Isaiah's Prophecy-Light for All Mankind I

18 "0 lehovah, your hand has become high, but they do

not behold it. They will behold and be ashamed at the zeal
for yourpeople. Yes, the very fire for your own adversaries
will eat them up." (Isaiah 26:11) In Isaiah's day, the hand
of Jehovah has shown itself to be exalted when Jehwah

protects his people by acting against their enemies. But

most have not recognized this. Such ones, spiritually blind
by choice, will eventually be forced to "behold," or acknowledge,Jehovah when they are eaten up by the fire of
his zeal. (Zephaniah 1:18)God later says. to Ezekiel: "They
will have to know that I am Jehovah."-Ezekiel 38:23.

"Whom Jehovah Loves He Disciplines"

19 Isaiah knows that any peace and prosperity that his fellow countrymen enjoy is due to Jehovah's blessing. "0jehovah, you wiiI adjudge peace to us, because even all our
works you have performed for us." (Isaiah 26:72) In spite
of this and in spite of Jehovah's having set before his people the opportunity to become "a kingdom of priests and
a holy nation," Judah has had a checkered history. (Exodus
196) Repeatedly, her people have turned to the worship
of false gods. As a resuIt, time after time they haw been
disciplined. Such discipline, however, is evidence of Jehcvah's love because "whom Jehovah loves he disciplines."
-Hebrews 1 2 4 ,
20 Often, Jehovah hsciplines

his people by allowing oth-

er nations, "other masters," to dominate them. (Read Isa-

iah 26:13.) In 607 B.C.E, he allows the Babylonians to

take them into exile. Does this benefit them? Suffering
in itself does not benefit a person. However, if the sufferer learns from what happens, repents, and gives Jehovah
18. In what way are some in Isaiah's day blind by choice, and when
will they be forced to "behold" Jehovah?
19, 20. Why and how has Jehovah d~sciplinedhis people, and who
have benefited from such discipline?

Jehovah's Hand Recowres I-lixIi

281

exclusive devotion, then he benefits. (Deuteronomy 4:2531) Do any Jews show godly repentance? Yes! Isaiah says
prophet-ically: "By you only shall we make mention of your
name."After their return from exile in 537 B.C.E., the Jews
often need discipline for other sins, brut they never again
fall prey to worshiping gods of stone.
21 What of Judah's captors? Ympotent in death, they
will not rise up. Therefore yo~thave turned your attention
that you migb t annihilate them and destroy all mention of
them." (Isaiah 26:14) Babylon will suffer for the cruelties
visited upon Jehovah's chosen nation. By means of the
Medes and the Persians, Jehovah Wll overturn proud Babylon and free his exiled people. That great city, Babylon,
will be rendered impotent, as good as dead. Eventually,
she will cease to exist.
22 In the modern fulfillment, a remnant of chastened
spiritual Israel was set free from Babylon the Great and
restored to Jehovah's service in 1919. Revitalized, anointed Christians threw themselves into their preaching work.
{Matthew 24:14) In turn, Jehwah has blessed them with
increase, even bringing in a great crowd of "other sheep"
to serve with them. (John 10:16) "You haw added to the
nation; 0 Jehovahtyou have added to the nation; you have
glorified yourself. You have extended afar all the borders of
the land. 0lehovuh, during distress they have turned their
attention to you; they have poured out a whisper ofprayer
when they had your disciplining."-Isaiah 26:15, 16.

"They Will Rise Up"

23 Isaiah returns to the situation facing Judah while she
21. What will happen to thow who have oppressed God's people?
22. In modem times, how have God's people been blessed?
23, (a) What outstanding demonstration of Jehovah's power occurs in 537 R.C.E.? (b) What similar demonqtration occurred in
1919 C.E.?

282

Isalah4 Propllccy-L1.yIiL

filx

A l l Mon kltrd I

is still captiw to Babylon. He compares the nation to a

woman who is in Iabos but who withnut help is unable
to give birth. (Rend Isaiah 26:Iz 18.) Thal help coma
in 537 R.C.E, and Jehovah's ~'eoplereturn to h c i t homeland, eager to rebuild the temple and restore true worship.
In effect, the nation is raised from thc dcad. "Your dead
ones will live. A corpse of mine-they will rise up, Awake
and cry out joyfully, you residents in the dust! For your
dew is as the dew of mallows, and the earth Itself will let
even those impotent in death drop in birth," (tsalah26: 19)
What n demonstration of Jehovah's powccl I:urther, what
a great dernomtration there was when thcsc words were
hifrlIed in a spiritual sense in 1913! (Revelation t l:7-11)
And how we look fomrd to the timc whcn these words
are fizlfilled in a literal way In the new worlcl and thaw lrnpotent in death 'hear Jesus' voice and come nut' from the

memorial tombs!-John 5:28,29.

24 However, if faithful ones are to enjoy the splrllual
blessings promised through Isaiah, lhey mtnt o h ~ y
Jehovah's commands: "Go, my people, enter Into your interlor roams, and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourself
for but a moment until the denunciation passes over. For,
look! jehovoh is coming forth from his place to call to account the error of the inhabibnt of the land ogainsl him,
and the land will certainly expose her bloodshed and will
no longer c o w over her killed ones." (Isoiah 26:20, 21;
compare Zephaniah 1:14,) -llzis passam may have ;In h i tlal fulfillment when the Medes anci Ihc I1crslanr, led hy
King Cyrus, conquer Babylon in 539 R.C.II. Acm~ulingto
the Greek historian Xenophon, wlien Cyrt~senters Iinb24, 25, la) How may theJews In 539 tl.l:.I:. h a w nheytct sc21ovah's
commi~nrlto hide themselves? (hl What ma): t h e "lnrcr lor roorn~''
polnt tn in ntodem times, and what altltuile, nw,t wc citltlvate I&
ward these?

Jehovah's Iinnd BPCOVIPS

lflrh

I
I

283

ylon, he commands everyone to stay In their homes because his cavalry has "orders to cut down all whom they
found out of doors." Tarlay, the "interior rooms" of this
prophecy could be closely linked with the tens of thousands of congregations of Jehovah's people around the
world. Such rongregatlnns will continue to phy a key role
in our lives, even through "the great tribulation."(Revelation 214) How vltal thi~twe maintain a wholesome attitude toward the congregation anci regularly associate with
it!-Hebrews 10:24,25,
25 Soon the end will come for Satan's world. How Jehcvah WlI protect his people during that fear-inspiring time,
we do not yet know. (Zephaniah 2 3 ) However, we do
know that our suwival will depend on our faith in Jehovah and OUT loyalty and obedience to him.
26 LOOkjng w a r d that time, Isaiah prophesies: "In that
day [ehovah, with his hard and great and strong sword,
will turn his attention to Leviathan, the gliding serpent,
even to Leviathhan, the crooked serpent, and he will certuinly kill the seo monster that is in the sea," (Isabh 2Z 1 )
In the initial fulfillment, "Leviathan" refers to the countries to which IsraeE hnr becn scattered, such as Babylon,
Egypt, and Pssyria. Thme countries wiEl k unable to PITvent the seturn of Jehovah's people to their homeland at
the proper time. Who, though, i s the mdernday Lmiz
than? It appears lo be Satan-"the original swpemw-and
his wicked system of thinas here on earth, his tool for WTring against spiritual Israel. [Rcvelatlon 12:9,10; 13:14,16,
17; 18:24) "1~vlathan"lost his hold on God's people in
1919, and soon he will disappear altogether when Jehovah
will "certainly kill the sea monster." Meantime, nothing
26. What Is "Leviathan" In IsaIahla day and In our day, and what
happens to this "sea monster"?

CchmA's Hand B a r a m High

"A Great Horn" Heralds Llberty

In 607 B,C.E, ludah's+painsIncrease when jehovah
dlsclpllnes hP waywad natlan wkh the stroke of axlle.
(Read Isaiah 2E7-11.)The nation's error b too gmt: to
be atoned for by animal d H c e s . So, as one rnlght scatter sheep or p t r with scam uy' or might Y M s f '
leaves away with a mang wind, Jehovahexpels Israel from thelr homeland. Thereafter, wen weak popler,
symbolized by the feminine sex, ern able to exploit what
rsmnlns In the land,

"LeviathanNmay by to do qplrtst Jehovah's popk will

h m r@d
SUCI:~SS.-~&5
~ B 17,

now beautifully illustmtes

the hidulness of Jehovah's freed people: "In W day
27 With another smq Idah

27, 28. (a) With what ha5 Jehwahrsvheylvd fiHed the whale
esrth? (b) How d m Jehovah p-ct
hb vineyard7

However, the tlme c o r n s for Jehovahto delivet hls

people from captivity. He h s them as a farmer might
free o l l w held prisoner, w to speak, on trees. "It must
occur In that day that Iehwrrh wlll baat off the h
tk,
fmm h e M n g sham of he R i m [EupbW] to the
Wmnt wfley of Eg~lpflrnd so p u purseks will be
plcksd up one after the o t h q 0 sons of kruel, And It
must occur In that dcy that hem wlll be a bkwhg on a
great hom, and thaw who am perishing In the hnd of
Aosyrlrr and those who are dhperred In the /and of Egypt
wlll ettdnly mme and bow down to lehowh In the
hdy mountcrin in) m l e m . " (Isabh 2E 12,13) Following his victory in 539 6-CE, Cyrus Issues er decree freeing
all the jews in his empjre, h i c h includes those In Assyrla and Egypt. (Ezra 1 :I-4)It Is as If "a great horn" saunded, echoing the anthem of M o m for Cod's people.

shg to her, yw popk: 'A v+

l
of lbcrmlng wImI
I, Mowh, am safeguarding her. E w y m o m t I shall
W hsr. in & titat no one m y turn hls attention
agatrtst hw, I shall s g f i r b her m night and dtry.'"
(Isaiah 27:& 3) The mn.nant of spiritual Israel and their

2AS

--

IsuinI~'sFroph~cy-l,l,~ht
for All Mankind

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

hardworking associates have indecd filled the entire earth

with spiritual produce. What a cause for celebration-for
song! All m d i t goes toJehovah, the one tovtngIy attending to hls vineyard.-Compare John 15: 1-8.
28 Truly, Jehovah's earlier anger has been replaced by joy!
"mere is no rage that I have. Who will give me thornbushes and weeds in the battle? I will step on such. 1
will set such on fFre uf the same t h e . Otherwise let him
take hold of my stronghold, let him make pwce with me;
peace let him make with me." (lsuiuh 2Z4, 5 ) To ensure that his vines continue to pmduce an abundance of
"foaming wlne," Jehovah crushes and consumes as with
fire any weedlie influence that could corrupt his vineyard. Hence, let no one endanger the we1fare of the Christian congregation! Rather, let all 'take hold of Jehovah's
stronghold,' seeking his favor and pmtectlon. In so doing, t h y make peace with God-something so Important
that lsaiah mentions it Lwlce. The result? ''in the coming
days lacob will take mot, Israel wlll put forth bEossoms and
actually sprout; and they will simply fill the surface of the
productive land with produce." (Isaiah 27:6$* What wonderful evidence of Jehovaha<
power the fuifillment of this
vcnc is! Since 1919, anointed Christianr have filled the
earth with "produce," nourishing spirlh~aIfood. As a Esult, they have come to be joined by millions of loyal other sheep, who together with them "arcrendering [God] sacreci service day and night" (Ilevelation 7: IS) In the midst
of a corrupt world, these joyfully maintain his elevated
standards. And Jehovah continues to blcss them with increase. May we never lose sight of the grancl privilege of
partaking of "produce"and s t~arlngit wlt h others through
our own shout of praise!

* Isaiah 27:7-131s discussed in thc box on pngc 285.

Isaiah Foretells Jehovah's

'Strange Deed'

1
I
I
I

FOR a brief moment, Tsrael and Judah feel secure. Theit

leaders havc forged political alllances wlth larger, more
powcrl'ul nations, in an effort to find safety In a dangerous
world. Samarla, the capjtal of Israel, has turned to neighhnrlng Syria, while Jerusalem, the capital of Judah, has
rested her hope on ruthless Assyria.
2 In addition to putting their trust in new political
allies, some in the northern kingdom may expect Jeh*
vah to protect them-despite their continuing to use golden calvcs in worship, Judah is llkewlsc convi nccd that she
can cou nl on Jehovah's protection. Aftcr all, Is not Jehav a h ' ~temple located in Jerusalem, their capltal city? Hut
there are unexpected events alread for tmth natlons. jehovah inspircs Isaiah to foretell devcloprnenh that will seem
trirly stranh~tuhis wayward peoplc. Ancl his words contain
vital lersnnt for everyone today.

"The Drunkards of Ephralrn"

:3 Isaiah begins his prophecy with startling words: "Woe
to the emlnent crown of the drunkards of Ephraim, ond
the fading blossom d itr decomtion of beouly Chat is
upon the head of the M l e vulley of those overpowered
by wine! Look!jehowh hos someone strong crnd vigorous.
Like a thundernus storm of hail, . . he will certainly do
.

1, 2 , Why do Israel and Jltdah fccl sccuwl

3, 4. Clf what Is the northern k i ~ l g d o ~ofn lsrncl prfll~dl

hilrrk's Piopkcy-tight for All Mankjlnd I

a casting down to the earth with M e , Nth the k t the

eminent crowns ofthe pksrnko& of Ephralrn wlll be h m Ned h.ly-4sc1iah28:1-3.
4 Ephralm, the mast prominent of the ten northern
tribes, has come to stand for ttte entirr lungdom of Israel, Its capital,
enjoys a beautiful and commanding lacation at "the bead of the M e valley." Qhraim's
leaders are prwd of their "eminent mu
of independence tam the Dmidic w h i p in Jerusalem. But they
are 'drunkard," spiritually iaebdated because of their alliance with Syria agaht Judak EErergthing they cherish is

about toh trampIedunderthefmtofinvaders.-pare

lsaiah 299.
3 Qhrah d m not
its p m a m u s pitlon. Isaiah
continua: %e Wing ffoww of its dmmtfon of bwutyfhatisqwn the W o f the W!evufkymupt k c o m
ilk the wrty fig before summer, that when the seer sees
14 while It b yet ifi 4b palm, he swallows it down," (haIdh 28AJ Ephrairn will &I1 into the hand of dssprla, a

sweet morgei to h consumed in a single Wte. 1s t h w no

hope?then7 We& a& sa often khe me, Wah's judgment
prophecies are tempered with hope. Even though the naffon falls,faithful individuals will mrcrive, wlth Jehovah's
help. *jehwoh of m i e s will Become ar a m w n ddemtwtion d m a w a n d of b q t o ones miningo m
ofhkpmplq undm asjdrftofjusih to lkonesittlng In
thejudgment, and w mightinas b those tumlng away fhe
bat& Itwn bhe @&."--Is~frh 28:5,6.
"IThey Have Gone Astraf
6 The day ofe n i n g for Samaria comes In 740 B.CE,
5. What is Ismi's prmmicus pos&n, but what hope d m lsdnh
hold out?
6. When does lmel meet her demise, but why should Judah nut

gbt?

Christendom has relied on aillances wtth human rulers

mmcr *an on God
when the Assyrians devastate the land and the northern
kingdom ceases tio exist as an independent natloh What
about JudahlHer land will be inby Assyria, and later Babylon will &shy her capital dty. But dh
MI'SIlktime, Judah's temple and prksthml will rernain
In opera~onand her prophets wlll continue m prophesy.
ShouldJudahgloat wer the comlng d e m k ofher &
ern neighhr? CeMblp not! Jehovah will atSO settle am wlth Judah and her leadm for their dlso?mlbmce
and lack of faith,
7 D h c @ hjs -age
to Judah, Isaiah cmtbues: "And

7. In~twrryateJudsh'sleadmdrunlr,andwirhwhtresdts?

~e~ofwinetheyhuwgdnerrstrayan
beurweofhtordcatkrgilquorthqhaw~Irbout.
Ptiest and pphet--they h m gone artray becaw of ini w h i k y Iiqw, they haw bsnmls cmhed as a muk of
thewhe, t k y h ~ ~ a b w t c r s r r ~ u A ~ f
tmkdng liqmc t h ~ gpns
h mfrayln Wseeitg,
thy
have reeled as to k h l o n . For the W s themsek haw
a/! k a m e full of fl/thy vomit--thm Is no pkrce without
k" (lsalah28:Z 8 ) Haw disgusting1 Literal
in
W s h o w wlould h bad enough,liut these priests and
prophets am spiritually intoxicated-thelr minds becloudoud
ed by overconfidence in human alllanaes. They have d e
c e i w l themselves Into t h h h g that thdr cwrse is the
only p d d one, pimps believing that they now haw
a b d q plan in case Jehovah'5 protecdofi prows inade
qua&. In th& splrltually inebriated state, these re.I@ous
leadm spew wt molting, undean expressions that betray
their g i m w kck of genuine faith In W ' s pmmks.
8 How do Judah's leaders react to Jehovah's warning?
They mock Isaiah, accuslng him of speaking to them as
if they wax Wants: "Whom will one insmct En krPowG
etige, and whom wlll orme mke u-nd
what h a
~kad?fhorewho~been~liwntfwm
~m&dc~wayfromthabrevrstz?hrlt&'m
m a d upon cmnmnd command upon comnmnd meawdng line upon -ring
/Ins, mmuring Une upon
n?etmdng
h m a little, them a fit&,'" (Isaiah 28:9,
10)Hnv npetrtious and strange Isaiah sounds to them! He
keeps w
: hImsdf, sayfw This is what Jehmh has
commanded1 This is what Jehovah has comrnandedl Thts

~~~

8. Wbat b the mpnse to W h ' s

rn~~~age?

j&dcrh carries out his 'strange deed' when he aIlom

EabyIon in destroy jeru~olem

w
292

Isaiah Forete11s Itlhovah 3 'Strange Deed'

Isaiah's Pmphecy-Light for All Mankind I

is Jehovah's standard! This is Jehovah's standard!'" But Jehovah will soon "speak" to the inhabitants of Judah by
means of action. He wiIl send against them the armies of
Babylon-foreigners who really do speak a different language. Those armies will certainly c q out Jehovah's
"command upon command," and Judah wiIl fall.-Read
Isaiah 28: 71-73.

mock them. Like the Jews of Jesus' day, they do not want
God's Kingdom nor do they want their flocks to hear about
it. (Matthew 23:13) Hence, they are put on notice that Jehovah will not always speak by means of his harmless
messengers. The time will come when those who do not
subject themselves to God's Kingdom will he "broken and
ensnared and caught," yes, utterly destroyed.

Spiritual Drunkards Today

9 Were Isaiah's prophecies fulfilled only on ancient Israel
and Judah? By no means! Both Jesus and Paul quoted his
words and applied them to the nation of their day. (Isaiah
29:10, 13;Matthew 15:8, 9; Romans 11:s) Today, too, a situation has arisen like that of Isaiah's day
10 This time, it is the religious leaders of Christendom who put their faith in politics. They stagger about
unsteadily, like the drunkards of Israel and Judah, interfering in political matters, rejoicing at being consulted by the
so-called great ones of this world. Instead of speaking pure
Bible truth, they speak uncleanness. Their spiritual vision
is blurred, and they are not safe guides for mankind.-Matthew 15:14.
11 How do the leaders of Christendom react when Jehovah's Witnesses draw their attention to the only true hope,
God's Kingdom? They do not understand. To them, the
Witnesses seem to be babbling repetitiously, like babes.
The reliflous leaders look down on these messengers and

"A Covenant With Death"

12 Isaiah continues h s pronouncement: "You men have
said: 'We have concluded a covenant with Death; and with
Sheol we have effecikd a vision; the overflowing flash flood,
in case it should pass through, will not come to us, for we
have made a lie our refuge and in falsehood we have concealed ourselves.' " (Isaiah 28:14, 75) Judah's leaders brag

' In the original Hebrew, Isaiah 28:lO is a repetitious rhyme, rather

like a child's nursery rhyme. Thus, rsaiah's message sounded repetitious and childish to the religious leaders.
9, 10. When and how have Isaiah's words had meaning for later generations?
11. How do the leaders of Christendom react to the good news of
God's Kingdom?

1
I

that their political alliances insulate them from defeat.

They feel that they have made "a covenant with Death" to
leave them alone. But their hollow refuge will not shield
them. Their alliances are a lie, a falsehood. Similarly today,
Christendom's close relationship with the leaders of the
world will not protect her when Jehovah's time for her accounting comes. Indeed, it will prove to be her undoing.
Revelation 17.16,17
13 Where, then, should these religious leaders be looking? Isaiah now records Jehovah's promise: "Here / am
laying as a foundation in Zion a sfone, a tried stone,
the precious comer of a sure foundation. No one exercising faith will get panicky. And I will make justice the measuring line ond righteousness the leveling inrtmmeni and
the hail must sweep away the refuge of a lie, and the wuten themselves will flood out the very place of concealment" (Isuiah 28: 16, 1 7 ) Not long after Isaiah speaks these
12. What is Judah's supposed "covenant with Death"?
13. Who is the "tried stone," and how has Christendnrn reje~teed
him?

294

Isnia h Foretells Jehova h's

Isaiah's Prophecy-Light for All Mankind I

words, faithful King Hezelciah is enthroned in Zion, and

his kingdom is saved, not by neighboring allies, but by Jehovah's intervention. Huwever, these inspired words are
not fulfilled in Hezekiah. The apostle Peter, quoting Isaiah's words, showed that JesusChrist, a distant descendant
of Hezekiah, is the "tried stone" and that no one exercising faith in Him need have any fear. (1 Peter 2:6) How sad
that the leaders of Christendom, while calling themselves
Christian, have done what Jesus refused to do! They have
sought prominence and power in t h s world rather than
wait on Jehovah to bring about his Kjngdom under Jesus
Christ the King.-Matthew 4:s-10.
14 When ?he overflowing flash flood of Babylon's armies passes through the land, Jehovah will expose Judah's political refuge as the lie that it is. "Your covenant
with Death will certainly be dissolved," says Jehovah. '7he
overflowing flash flood, when it passes through-you must
also become for it a trampling place. As often as it passes
through, . . . it must become nothing but sr reason for quoking to make others understand what has been heard." (Isaiah 28:18, 19) Yes, there is a powerful lesson to be learned
from what happens to those who claim to serve Jehovah
but who instead put their confidence in alIiances with the
nations.
15 Consider the position in which these leaders of Judah
now find themselves. "The couch has proved too short for
stretching oneself on, and the woven sheet itselfis too narrow when wrapping oneself up." (Isaiah 28:20)It is as if
they were to lie down to take their ease, but in vain. Either
their feet stick out in the cold or they pull up their legs and
the cwer is too narrow to wrap up in to keep warm. This
was the uncomfortable situation in Isaiah's day. And it is
14. When will Judah's "covenant with DeathNbe dissolved?
15. How does Isaiah illustrate the inadequacy of Judah'sprotection?

'

'Stmtge Deed'

295

the situation today for any who put their trust in Christendom's refuge of a lie, How disgusting that as a result of involving thernseIves in politics, some of Christendom's religious leaders have found themselves implicated in such
terrible atrocities as ethnic cleansing and genocide!

Jehovah's 'Strange Deed'

16 The final outcome of affairs will be completely conhary to what Judah's religious leaders are hoping for. Jehovah will do something strange to the spiritual drunkards
of Judah. ")ehovoh will rise up just as uf Mount Pemzim, he
will be agitated just as in the low plain near Gibeon, that
he may do his deed-his deed is strange-and thar he may
work his work--his work is unusual.'' (Isaiah 28:21) In the
days of King David, Jehovah gave his people notable victories over the Philistines at Mount Perazirn and on the low
plain of Gibeon. (1 Chronicles 14:lO-16) In the days of Joshua, he wen caused the sun to stand still over Gibeon so
that the victory of Israel over the Arnorites could be campIete. (Joshua 10:8-14)
That was most unusual! Now Jehovah will fight again but this time against those who profess
to be his people. Could anything be more strange or unusual? Not in view of the fact Mat Jerusalem is the center of
Jehovah's worship and the city oilehovah's anointed king.
Up to now, the royal house of David in Jerusalem has never been overthrown. Nevertheless, Jehovah will surely carry
out his 'strange deed.'-Compare Habakkuk 15-7.
17 Therefore, Isaiah cautions: "Da not show yourseiws
scoffers, in order that yaur bonds may not grow strong, for
there is an extermination, even something decided upon,
that I haw heard o f from the Sovereign Lord, jehovah of
armies, for 011 the land." (Isaiah 28:22) Although the
16. What Is Jehovah's 'strange deed,' and why i s this work unusual?
17. What effect will scoffing have on the fulfillment of Isaiah's
prophecy?

296

Isaiah's Pmphe~y-Liglit ror Anll Mf8r!klr1tlI

but Jehovah takes no pleasure in their worship. [Hosea 6:6)

Rather, hc decrees that the city itself is to become an "altar
hearth" in a different sense. Likc an altar, it will run with
bloorl and be suh]ectedto hre. Jchovah even describes how
t t ~ sf wi l I happen: "I must encamp on 011 ssides against yorr,
and I must lay s i q t~o you with a polisode and mise up
agafnstp u slegeworks. And you musr become low so thcrt
you will s p w k from the very earth, crnd us h r n the dust
your suying will sound low." (Ssaiah 29:3, 4) This is fulfrllcd forJudnh and Jerusalemin 607 R.C.1:. when Lhe Babylonlan army besieges and destroys the city and burns the
tcmplc. Jerusalem i~brought down as low as the ground
on which she war built.
20 Rcfore that fateful time, Judah does from time to time
have a king who obeys Jehovah's Law. What then? J e h ~
vah fights for his people. Even though the enemy may COVer rhc land, they become llke "fhepowder" and "chaff."
In his w n due time, Jehovah disperses them "with thunder m d with quaklng and with a great sound, storm wind
and tempest, and the flame of a devouring fire."-lsaiah
295, 6,

leaders scoff, Isaiah's message is M e . He has heard it from

Jehovah, with whom those leaders are in a covenant relationship. Similarly today, the religious leaders of'Chrbtendom scoff when they hear of JehovaPtJs"trangcr deed.' They
even r a t and rave. But the rnmsag Jehovah's Wihresrcs
proclaim is true. Et is found in the Rible, a book that thore
leaders claim to represent.
18 As for sincere individuals who do ncrt follow those !cadas,Jehovahwill readjust them and restore them tu his favor. (Read Isaiah 2893-29.)Just as a farmer uses gentles
methods to thresh a more delicate grain, such as cumin,
so Jehovah adjusts his discipline according to the individual and the circumstances. He b never arbitrary or heavyhanded but actI with a view to the potential rehabilitation
of erring ones. Yes, if indiduals respond to jehwah's appeal, there is hope. Similarly today, while the fate of Christendom as a whole is sealed, any Individual who subjects
himself to Jehovah's Kingdom can avoid the comim adverse judgment.

Woe to Jerusalem!
19 What, though, is Jehovah now speaking about7 "Woe
to Ariel, to Ariel, the town where D ~ v i dencamped! Add
yeor upon year, you people; let the festivals run the round.
And 1 hwe to make things tight for Arie!. and there must
come to be mourning and lamentation, and she must become to me as the altar hewrth of Cod." (lsaiuh 29: 1, 2 )
"ArieF" possibly means "The Altar Hearth of Gocf," and
here it widentlyrefers toJerusalem.That is where the temple with i t s altar of mxifim is located. The Jews Follow the
routine of holding festivals and offering sacrifices there,
18. How does Isaiah illushate Jehovah's balance when adrninlskring discipline?
19. In what way is Jerusalemto hecome an "altar hearth: and when
and how does this take place?

21 Hostlle armies may eagerly anticipate sacking Jerusalcm and gorging themselves an the spoils of war. But they
are in for a rude awakening! Like a starvlng man who
dreams that he is feasting and then wakes up as hungry
as ever, the enemies of Judah wlll not enjoy the feast that
they so eagerly ant lcipate. ( R e d Isaiah 29:z 8.3 Consider what happens to the Assyrian atmy under SennacherIb when It threatens Jerusalem En faithful King Hez&ah's
day. (lsalah, chapters 36 and 37) In one night, without a
human hand being raised, the fear-inspiring Assyrian war
machine is turned back-l8S,Q00 of its valiant warriors

20. Whnt will be the ultkmate fate of God's enemies?

21. Fsplaln the illu~tratlonat Isalah 29:?,8 .

2M

Isa &h's h p k ~ y - L f g h t f i r All hfu~&lttd

I

dead1 Drkams ofmaquest wili again be frwated when

the war m a t h h e 09 Gag of M a p g gears up @nst jeha
vah's p p l e in the near future.-We1 38:101& 39:6,7.
22 At the W e that lhbh utters this pottion of Ms praphecy, the leaders ofJudahdo not have faith like that of Hez.
&ah They haw dnmak t h e m e l m into a spiritual stupor
by meaas of their alIianca with ungodly nations. "Unpr,
yar men, ahd be unwed; Mind p u s e i w q and bs M i d

d.~ h ~ ~ ~ i n ~ b u t n o t w t t l rthqr
w k r e ;
haw mawti umtadiifi But not because of InBwlcahg /Iquor." (Tswah29:9)Spiritdy drunk, these leaders are unable b discem the h p r t of the
given bJehovahJs
true pmphet. Is&
states: "Ujm pw men j e h o h I#rs
~ r r s p i r i t o f & p ~ ; u n d h e d o s m y w r the
~,
pmphb, mu! he has covered evm pur he&, the VfsIonA.
h d Ibr yw
the Won of wetything bmmer

2% HOW
does Judah'rs spiritual drunkenness a&&

These who u d to be
s p i r ~ r ~ deaf
e / / ~c9n *%ear"the Ward of God

her?

Isalfllr ForntcHl$ jehovah's 'Strange Deed'

299

like the wards of the bDok that has h e n sea/& up, whkh
hey give to $omeone knowin the writfq, ,saying: VetId
chis out loud p h e , ' and he as to say: 7 om unable, lbr
it Ir seaid up'; and the
must be gircen to someone
that dOBS not h w wrldna somebody s w g : 'Rwd thrs
outloud, pktase,'rmdhe hlrv bsay:'/& &know w d h g
at all.' n-4saI& 29:tG72.
23 Judah's religious leaders profess to k spiritually discreet, but they haw left Jehovah. They teach instead their
om twhkd Ideas of rlght and m n g , jwtifpng their
falthles and immoral acdvltles and their leading the POple into God's dlshwr. By means of usorn&hg wonderhlN-hls 'strange deed1-Jehovahwill d
l them ta account
for their hyprIsy, He says: "%r the msm &at this p e ~
ple haw come near with Wlrmouth, und they haw glotifled me mete& wlth tMr I@, rrnd they h m r e m w d their
heart IEreIf Ibr awrry from me, and W r ikur toward me
b m m a men's cmmundment that & being taught themhre hen 1am, the One that will& m d e r h l l y again 4
t
h
this people, In a wonderful marmet and with something
wonderful;and the wlsdom of their wise men must perish,
and the very understundng of rhelr dlsmet men will QO~P
cwl /twilF." (Isahh 29:13, t4) Judah's self-wedwisdom
and understanding will perish whm Jehovahmanmmrs
things for her en- apostate religious sptem to be wiped
out by the 3abylonttln World Rwer. T h same thmg hap
pened In the 6rst century after the self-styld wise leaden
of the Jews led the natlon asbay. Smsimilar wilI
happen in our orm day to Qlristendom.-Matthew W:8,9;

Romans 11:8,
U For now, hmwwI the bragging leaders of Judah beU r n that they are clever enough to get away with their
perwrsion of true mrship. Are they? Isaiah t a n 0%their

23. Whywlll ehovahcaUJwlahtoamunt,dhowmlUhe&so3

24. How do t e Judam &tray thelr lack of godly fear?

300

Isntair's Prophecy-l,l,yl~t for All Monklnd I

Isaiah Foretells Jehovah's 'Strotig Deed'

mask, e x p i n g them as having no genuine fear of Cad

wisdom: "Woe to those who an? going
very deep iit concealing munrelfromjebovab hlmsdf, nnd
whose deeds have occurred in a dark place, while they ray:
'Who is seeing us, and who is knowing of us?' The ptversity of you men! Should [he pofrer himself be accounted
Just like the clay? For should the thing made say respecting
its maker: 'He did not make me'? And does the very thing
formed uctually soy respecting its former: 'He showed no
understanding'?" (Isaiah 29:73, 16; compare I%lm I I I :
10.) No matter how well mncealerl, they think they are,
they stand "naked and openly expoqed" to the eyes of God.

which help us to have a spirthiat vlewpofnt of all things.

White Christians are properly subject to governmental authorities and look to them to provide certain services, salvation comes, not from the secular world, but from Jeh*
vaZl W.Also, we must never forget that like the judgment
on apostate Jerusalem, God's judgment on this generation is inescapable. With Jchwah':, help we can continue
to proclaim his warning desplte opposition, as did Isaiah.

and, thus no true

27

-Hebrews 4:13.

"Deaf Ones Will Certainly Hear"

25 Havever, there is salvation for Individuals who rrxcrcise faith. (Read tsaiah 29:77-24; compare Luk 722.)
"Deuf ones" will "hear the words of the book," thc message horn God"s Word. Yes, this is not a Ilealing of ~llysical
dcnfness. It is a spiritual healln~,lsalah oncc a ~ a i npoints
forward to the establishment of thc Messlanlc Klngdom
and the restoration of true worship on earth by the Messiah's rule. This has taken place in our time, and millions
of sincere ones are allowing themselves to bc corrected by
Jehovah and are learning to praise him. What a thrilling
fulfillment! Wltimately, the day will come when everyone,
every breathing thing, will praise Jehwah ant1 sanctify his
holy name.-kalm 150:6.
26 What do such "deaf ones"who hear Cad's Word today
learn? That all Christians, especially those tn whom the
congregation looks as examples, must scrupulously avoid
'going astray because of intoxicating Ilquor,' (Isaiah 28:7)
Further, we must nwer tire oE hearing God's reminders,
In what sense wilE "deaf ones" hear?
26. What spiritual reminders do 'drat oncs" hear today?
25.

Elders and parents wn learn from the way Jehwah ad-

ministers discipline, always sccklng to restore wrongdoers

to God's favor, not merely to punish them. (Isaiah 28:2629; compare Jeremiah 3&1l.) And all of us, including
young people, are remlnrld of how vital It is to be serving
Jehovah from the heart, not Justgoing thmugh the mosions of being a Christian in order to please men. (Isaiah
29:13) We must show that unlike the faithless Inhabitants
of Judah, we have a wholesome {car of Jellovah and a prcfound respect for him, (Isaiah 29:lh) Moreover, we need to

show that we are wllllng tu bc corrected by and to learn

from Jehovah,-Isaiah 29:24,
28 How Important It Is to have faith and confidence In
Jehovah and in his way of doing things! (Campare Psalm
146:3.) To most, the warning rnerwge we preach will
sound childish. The pxorpectivc cleszrt~czlonof an organization, Christendom, that claims to serw G d is a strang,
an unusual, concept. Rut Jehovah will accomplish his
'strange deed.' Of that, there can be no doubt. Hence,
through the last days of this system of things, God's servants put full trust In his Kingdom and in his appointed King, Jesus Christ, They know that Jehovah's saving
ads-performed along with his 'unusual work'-will bring
eternal blessings to a l l obedient mankind.

27. What lessons can

Chrlsttaas learn ltom Isaiah's pmphecy?

28. How do Jehovah's scrvants view his saving acts?

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Keep in Expectation
of Jehovah
-lsaiah 30:l-33
I

TN ISAIAH chapter 30, we read further divine pronouncements against the wicked. Yeverrheless, this part
of Isaiah's prophecy highlights some of Jehovah's heartwarming qualities. In fact, Jehovah's characteristicsare described in such vivid termsthat we can, as It were, see his
comforting presence, hear hs gulding voice, and fcel his
healing touch.-Isaiah 3020,21, 26.
2 Even so, Isaiah's counbymen, the apostate inha111tan ts
of Judah, refuse to return to Jehovah. Instead, they put
their trust in man. How does Jehov~ahfeel about this? h d
how does thEs part of Isaiah's prophecy help Christians today t~ keep in expectation of Jehovah? {Isaiah 30:18) Let
us find out.

Folly and Fatality

3 For some time the leaders of Judah have been ~ h e r n ing in s e a & to h c l a wsjto avoid corning under the yoke
ofAssyria. how eve^ Jehovah has been watchlq. Now he
exposes their scheme: "Woeto the stubborn sons,' is the
utterance of jehowh, 'those disposed to carry out counsel,
but not that from me; and to pour out a libation, but nor
1, 2. (a) What does Fsaiah chapter 30 rontajn? (bf What qucstlons
will we now consider?
3. What scheme is exposed by Jehovah?

with my spirit, in order to add sin to sin; those who are setting out ta go down to Egyptn'"-/miah 30:1,2a,
4 What a shock for those scheming leaders to hear their
plan revealed! Trawling to F@pt in order to make an aIliance wlth her I s more than hostile action against Asyna;
it Is rebellion againstJehovahGod. In the time ofKing D+
vid, the nation looked to Jehovah a a stronghold and
took refuge "n the shadow of his wings.'((Psalm 221; 3 6 3
Now r hey "takeshelter in the smnghold of Pharaoh" and
"toke refuge in the shadow of Egypt." (Isaiah 30:2b) They
have put II~,ypt,tnthe place of God! What treason!-Read
I~tl!~h
30:3-5.
5 As If to answer any suggestion that the mission to Egypt
Is merely a msual visit, Isaiah glws mare details. '7he pronouncement against the bwstt of the south: Through the
land of dlstmss and hard condltlons, of the lion and the
leopard growling, o f the viper and the flying fiery snoke,
on the shoulders o f full-grown asses they carry their resources, and on the humps of camels their supplies," (lsa/ah 30:drr) Clearly, the jnurney is well planned. Envoys
organize a caravan of camels and asses, which they load
with costly goads and lead down to Egypt through a barren wllclerness infested with growling lions and venomous snakcs. Finally, the envoys reach their destination and
hand thelr treasures to the Egyptians. They have bought
protection-or so they think. However, Jehovah says: "In
behalf of the people they wjtl prove of no benefit. And
the Egyptians are mere wnity, and they wiFE help simply
for nothing. nerefore I how catled this one: %hob-ifiey
a# for sitthg stilt."' ((Isaiah 30:&b, 7) "Rahab," a "sea

How have Cod's rcbelllour vmple put Egypt in the place of God?
5, 6. (a) Why Is the alliance with Egypt a fatal mistake? (b) What
carller journey madc by God's people highlights the foolishness of
tlils trlp to Egypt?
4.

m o ~ l came
" to $ p b o l w Egypk (Isaiah S1:9,10) She

p m W e w y h h g btrt d m nothing. Judah's allfahce

withherha fatal misbk.
6 A g ~ ~ ~ * j s u m f f 3 F O f t h e ~ , ~ 1 i 5
tenexs may mmemk a shdar journey made in the

daysofMblos.Tbeir-M-thatvery
same "fear-Insplring wflderness." (Deutmnomy 8:1416)
In Mosesr day, however, dw h & a d hwere traveling away
fnmnEgypt and out of bondqp This time the envoys travel ta F,gyp and, diahdy, fnto subl&on. What M y 1
May we never mak suEh a bad dedsion and exdung~our
spiritual k d o m far s~~~
Watians 5:l.

Oppasitlon to the Prophet's Message

7-j
tells Isaiah to write dawn the mesage that he
has pst ddtvered sa that "it m y s e iw~a f u b dayI
~
1&lr a wIbms to t h e hid&trddedeu(hulah 30:8)Jehmah4s
disapproval af p ~ n aWnm
g
Wth m m a b m reliance
on Htm must be mded fnr the Wn&t of httm genemtlons-fnciuchg QUF gmerathyltoday (2 Pew 3:1-4) But
thereisamoreimmediate~lf!edfaawrit&n
record. "fils a

"""N'""r@

e,m~btrlsmq~omwhohm~un~
M n g b ear the &w objdmmh," (IsaM 30:9) The p m
ph have
God3 dmd.Hence, It must be written
down 50 that hat they cannot deny that they meived a

w *.-28:9; IsW&1,2
8 Isaiah now offen an example af the peopIe's rebelbus

att#ude.They%awdgnt&onerse&n&'YbumuFtlwt
7. whydoe~JebEmahhaveIsaiahwrite&mHtJ~mJudsh?
8, 9. (a) In what way do the h r k of~J u W hy to rvwru Jehe
a ' s pmp-7
(b) H a r doa Bahh dunonsnare tbrt he d n o t b.

intlmldated?

In Moses' day, the Isdim 01caped from Egypt

h Isaiah's dapt Iudah goes fu Egypt for help

see,' and to the ones having visions, 'You must not envision for w any straightforward things. Speak to us smooth
things; envision deceptive things.' " (Isaiah 30:10) By ordering faithful prophets to stop speaking what is "straightforward," or true, and to speak instead what Is "smooth"

ralsed woil, the breakdown of which

may come nrddeniy, in an instant." (Isaioh 30:13) Just as
a grow in^ ht12gein a high wall will eventuaLly cause the
out in a hltghly

wall to callap~c,ro the Increasing rebelliousness of Isaiah's

cnnternpcirarlc.r wl1l causc the collapse of the nation.

and "deceptive," or false, the leaders of Judah show

that they want W h e their ears tickled. They want to
be praised, not condemned. In their opinion, any prophet not willing to prophesy according to their taste should
"turn aside from the wafi deviate from the path." (lsuiah
30:Jlo) He should either speak ear-pleasing thing or stvp
preaching altogether!
9 Isaiah's opponents insist: "Cause the Holy One of Ismel to cease just on account of us." (Isaiah 30:716) Let
Isaiah stop speaking in the name of Jehovah, "the Holy
One of Israel"! This very title irritates them becausc Jchavah's exalted standards show up their contemptible condition, Haw does Isaiah react? Hc declares: "This is what the
Holy One of Israel has said. " (Isaiah 30: 12a) Without hesitation, Isaiah speaks the very words his opposers haw tn
hear, H e will not be intimidated. What a fine example for
us! When it comes m procIaimfng God's message, Chrlstians must never compmrnise. (Acts 5:27-29)Llke Isaial~,
they keep on proclaiming: 'This is what Jehovah has said'!

The Consequences of Rebellion

lo Judah has rejected God's word, trusted f n a lie, and relied upon "what is dwiour." (lsaiah 30:1%) What will be
the consequences? Jehovah, instead of leaving the scene
as the nation wishes, will cause the nation to cease to exist! This will happen suddedy and mmpfetely, as Isaiah
stresses with an ilI-on.
The rebelliousness of the nation is like "a broken sdon about to fdl down, a swelling
10, 11. What wllt be the comquencxs of Judah's mwlt?

11 With another Illustration Isaiah s h m the completeness ofthe corn in# deshuction: "One will certaidy bmk
It a$ in the brwking of a Iuqe jor of the potters, crushed
to pieces wjthout one's sporing it, so that there connot be
found among its crushed pieces a fragment of earthenware with which to mke the fire from fhe fireplace or to
skim woter from o marshy pbce." (Isaiah 30:14) Judah's
clcstructinn will be so cmnlplcte that nothing of value will
remain-not even a potsher~lhlg enough to scoop hot ashes from a firuplace or to skim water from a marsh. What a
sharncful cndl 'I'he corning destruction of those who rebcl against true worship today will be equally sudden and
camplctc,-I-lebrews 6:4-8;
2 Peter 21.

Jehovah's Offer Rejected

12 Fur Isalah's llstencrs, though, destruction is not inwItable. There is a way out. 7Xe prophet explains: "Thir is
what the Sowwiqn Lord jettomb, the Holy One of Jsmel,
has said: 'By corning back and resting you people will be
s a ~ d Your
.
rnlgl~tinesswill prow to be simply in keeping
trndlsturbed and in trustfulness.'" (Isaiah30: 750)JehovaIz
is re&dyto saw Ills peoplc-if they show faith by "resting,"
or refraining from trying to secure dvation through human alliances, and by "keeping undisturbed,"or demonstrating trust in God's protective power by not giving way
to fear. "But" haiah tells the people, "puwere not will-

ing"--/mkh 30:fSb.
12. How can the people of Judahavoid destruction?

308

Isaiah's kaphecy-Lixht for All Mlit~klndI

13 Isaiah then eIaboratm: "Andp u proceeded to say: 'No,

but on horses we shali flee!' That is why you will flee.
'And on swift horses we shall ride!' That is why those pursuing you will show themselves swift." (Isaiah 30: 16) The
Judeans think that swift hmes, rather than Jehovah, will
mean their salvation. (Deuteronomy 17:16; Proverbs 21:
31) However, counters the prophet, their trust will be an
illusion beause their enemies wiIl overtake them. Even
large numbers will not help them. "A thousand will tremble on account of the rebuke of one; on account of the rebuke of five you will flee." (Isaiah 30: 17a) The armies of
Judahwi1I panic and flee at the shout of just a handful of
the enemy."In h e end, only a remnant will remain, left
alone, "'likea mast on the top of a mounruln and like a signo1 on a hill." (Isaiah 30:77b) True to the prophecy, whcn
Jerusalem is desboyed in 607 B.C.E., only a remnant survive.-Jeremiah 25:s-11.

Comfort Amid Condemnation

14 While these sobering words are still echoing In the
ears of Isaiah's listeners, t h e tone of his message changes. Threat of disaster gives way to a promise of blessings.
merefore Jehovahwill keep in expectation of showing you
favor, and thereforehe will rise up to show p u mercy. For
jehomh is a Cod ofjudgment Happy are a//those keeping
in expectdon of him." (fsaicrh 30:18) What heartening
words! Jehovahis a compassionate Father who yearns to
Note that if Judah had been faithful, the very opposite could hme
happened.-Leviticus 26:7,8.

13. In what do the leaders otJudah put 'thdrmnfidence,and is such

confidence justified?
34, 15. What comfort do the words of Isaiah 3W18 offer to the Inhabitants of Judah in ancient times and to true Christians today?

help his chlldren. He delights In showlng mercy.-PsaIm

103:13;baiah 557.

15 Thcse reassuring words apply to the Jewish remnant who are mercifully allowed to survive the destruction of jerusalern In 607 B.C.E. and to the few who return
to the I'rornbcd Land in 537 B.C.E. However, the prophet's wads also comfort Christians today. We are remindrrl that Jehovah will "rise up" in our khalf, bringing an
end to this wickecl world. Faithful worshipers can be confident t ' t ~ iJehovah-"a
~t
Gad of /udgmentM-willnot allow
Satan's world to exist far one day longer than justice requires. Tl~crcfore,"those keeping in expectation of him"
h a v ~much reason to he happy.

Jehovah Comforts His People

l ~ yAnswering Prayers
16 Same, though, may kc1 discouraged because deliverance ha? nnt conle as soon as they had hoped, (Prwerbs
23:12; 2 Pctcr 3:9) May they draw comfort from Isaiah's

1
I
I

next worils, which highlight a spedal aspect of Jehovah's

personality. "Wiwn the very people In Zion will dweN in lerusaiem, you wii/ by no means weep. He will without fail
show you favor at the sound of your outcry: as raon os he
Irears ir he will actually answer you." (Isaiah 30: 19) Isaiah
conveys tcnrlernesr in these wordr by switching frum the
plural "ynu" in verse t 8 to the singular "you"in verse 19.
When Jehovah comforts distressed ones, he Was each
person IndtvIduaEEy. As a Father, he does not ask a disco~rragedson, 'Why can't you be strong like your brother?'
(Galatians 6:4) Instead, he listens attentively to each one.
In [;la,
"as soon as he hears It he will actually answer."
What reassuring words! Discouraged ones can be greatly
strengthened if they pray to Jehovah.--Psalm 652.
16. Haw doe?Jehwah comfort discouraged ones?

Isainh's ProghecpLight for All Mankind I

Hear God's Guiding Voice by bading His Word

17 AS Isaiah continues hs address, he reminds his listeners that distress Wl come. The people will receive " b e d
in the bm of distress and water in the form of appssion,"
(lsaiah 30:2Qa)The distres and oppression that they will
experience when under siege will become as familiar as
bread and water, Even so, Jehavah is ready to come to t h e
rescue of rightheartedones. "Ymr Grand Instructor will no
longer hide kimselt a d your eyes must become eyes seeing your Grand instructor. And p r own ears will hear u
word behind you saying: n t i s is the way. Walk in i t you
peaple,'in case you people shouldgo ta the right ar in case
you should go to the /eft."-iraiah 30:20b) 27.'
18 Jehovahis the "Grand Irntr~ctor.~
He has no equal as
a teacher. How, though, can people 'SEE' and "hear"him?
Jehovah reveals himself through his prophets, whose
words are recoded in the Bible. (Amos 3 6 , 7) Today,
when faithful worshipers read the Bible, it is as if God's
fatherly voice is telling them the way to go and urging
them to reildjust thetr course of conduct so as to walk in
it. Each Chrktian should Listen carefully as Jehovah speaks
through the pages of the Bible and though BibEe-based
publications provided by "the faithful and discreet slave."
(Matthew 2445-47) Let each one apply himself to Bible
reading, for "it means hs Me.'-Deuteronomy 32:46, 47;
Isaiah 48:17.
Contemplate Future Blessings
19Those responding to the voice of the Grand In-

"This is the only place in the Bible where Jehovah is called "Grand

Instruaor!'
17, 18. Even in diF~cuIttimes, haw does Jehwah provide guidatice?
19, 20. What blessings are h store for those who respdnd 'to the
voice of the Grand hstrurtor?

"Upon every ekvated kill there must come to be streams"

sbuctor will scatter their graven images, viewing them as

something disgusting. (Read Isaiuh 30:22.) Than, those
respowive ones will enjoy wonderful blessings, These are
described by Is&, as recorded in Isaiah 3023-26 a deUgbtful restoration prophecy that has its initld fulMlment when a Jewish e m k t rerjrhs b m captivity in
537 B.C.E. Todax this prophecy help wta see the marvelcnrs blethat the Messiah brings abmt fn the qiritud paradise now and the libral Paradise to come.
20 "He wjjl certoinlygive the rain for p u r seed with which
you sow the ground, and us the produce of the ground
bread, which must become fof artd oily. Yow livestock will
graze in that day Jn a spadwspasture. And the cattle and
the fuII-growtt asses cultiwfing the gmund wi# eat Fodder
4easmed w i h sorrel, which was winnowed with the shavel and with the fork." (lsaiah 30523, 24) *Fat and ci11.Y
bread-had rich in nourishment-will be man" s l y staple. The Land will prOdu# so abundwy that wen the animals will benefit. Westock will he fed "fodder seasoned
with sorrel"-tasty fddet mewed far rare oclcasiam. This
f ~ o dhas wen been "winnowedn-a Watment aarnrally

resend h~ grain intended for human consumption.

What delightful diet& hiah p e m t s here to illustrate
the f l c b w o f J e h M sb h h g s an faithful mankind!
u~ewyh~mwrrtahunduponemyelevated
MI1
mmf cwm to be stmrw* (I&
30:2Su)' haiah pram& an apt word picbe emphasMng the mpletam ofJehmahlsblasiqp. No shoaage of water-a
pcedous rommodity that will flow not only in the lawlands but an wery mwntaln, men *upon every high
mountah d u p n every elwabed hilLR Yes, hunger wlll
be aof the pa$t (Psalm 72: 16) Further, the prophet's

' I-

XkZSlr w d % *in theday ofthe bkg slaughter when the taw611."In t l ~ efnltiaJ fdllheut thb may refer ta the fall of Bab-

em
don, which operued the way Ear I s m l to enjay the blbrePotd
at blah 30:1%26. @ee pagraph 1%)It may also refer tothe delltrue.
tim at r4rm@ldon, whim will make p s ~ t b l ethe g m & t hIMI.
merit of thw biessi rigs In the new wM,

21. DesafbP the cam~&m&ssof the bledngs to come.

jehovoh wlll come "with his anger and w M heavy cloudsW

-*

sttentlon shifts to things even higher than the m

%elightdWfulYmoonmwtMeartJleIj#tb%fPe
gIbwIng sun; md the uwy light of the glowing sun will become sewn times m much, lik the fight of
in
the day thatjehmwhbindsup the brwkdown ofhis people

dheals~ths~rwrund~ltingftwntk
by him." (lsaloll 3096) What a thdhg climax to tbh
btllllant prophecy1 The glory of God will sbine brth in all
its splendor, The blessings In st= for God's faithfulm r shtpeft wlll exceed vastly-seven59ld-anyth1ng that thq

have experienfed beSam.

Judgment and Joy

22 The tone of Isaiah's rnasag~
changes again."LookI" be
says, as if to get hls listmew' attention.V r e n~meofW*
wh b m l n g h m far a w w ~burnhg with hls u n v rrnd
with heavy clouds. k iiw hh I& they hdw k c o m fadl
of denunciation, and hJs tongue Is ilk a demurlng k."
{Isaiah 30:27) Thus far, Jehavah has stayed m y YU Q W ing the enemies of his people to follow their mmure
Now he draws closer-like a steadfly apptoacMng t h d m storm-to execute judgment. %h spirit is ii&ea 8 d i n g

twPrmtfhot1~1chescleartoths~bsw~ng&

t o a n d h dth adeveof Whmess;andabrMladHrt

crrusesoneap wnderrrbout d b e h trPejamdtMpeopk." ClmM 30:28) &nernies of God's people will be endrdad by "a flooding torrent,u violently
% and
fm with m sieve," and reined in with bridkRThey will
be

23P;gainIsaiah'stmechangesashed~thebapW

condition of faithful worshipers who will o m day rebun

22, la contrastwlth the bLesslagstacohe dot the faithfcrL what does

Jehovahh m in smn far the wlckd?
23, What Fauser "mloiclng of heart" for Christians Way'!

314

K C T ~111 l < , v p c 8 r t r ~ ~o l/ o' ]~i ~) l ! t ~ u t ~ l ~

Isnitllfs Pt'opltrcy-l.i,ylr t thr A l l httu~llt~

k / ~ ; dI

to their land. "You people will come fo hove cr song like

that in the nisht that one sanctifies oneself for Q fesliwrl,
and rejoicing Gf heart like that of one walking with a fluti
to enter into the mountain of jehowrh, to the Rock of Ismel." (Isaiah 30:29)True CIzris%anstoday ex jreriencc a si tnilar "rejoicing of l-~eatt"
as they conternplate the judgment
of Satan's world; the pmtechon extended to them hyjehcr
vah, the "Rock of salvation;" and the Kingdom hlcssir~gs
to crime,--Psalm 95:1.

this expression of gladness, Isaiah returns 10 t l ~ r

theme of judgment and idcntilies the objea oC G d ' s
wrath. 'Yehovah will certainly make the dignity of his voice
to be heard and will make the descending of his arm to be
seen, in the raging of anger and the flame of a devouring
fire and clorrdburxt and rainsrom and hailstones. For because of the voice af)ehovak Assyria will be struck with terror; he will strike it even with a staff." ((Isaiah30:30, 3 7 )
With this gaphic description, Isaiah ernphaitrs [he renlity of God's judgment of hssyria, In eflccl, Arsyrin stands
before God ancl trembles at the s i ~ hol
t his 'descendinji
arm' of judgment.
as Thc prophet continues: "Ewryswing of his rod of chartiFernent that lehovah will cause to settle down upon Assyrio will certainly prove to be with tambourines and with
harps; ond with baffles of brundishing he wiN acl.ually
fight against them. For his Topheth is set in order from recent times; it is also p r e p a d for the king himself. tie
has mode its gife deep. Fire ond wood are in abunrlance.
771ebreeth of jehomh, like .a torsent of sulphur, is burning agoinst iL" (lsaioh 3032, 33) Tophet !I, in thc ValIcy of Hinnom, is used here as a figurative place L~urnin~
with fire. By showing that Assyria wiI1 end up there, Iw-

Ish str~sresthe suddcn and c o ~ n ~ ~ ldestruction

etc
that is to
cumc uvon that nntlon.-Campare 2 K l n-~ 23:
s 10,
26 Althartgh this judpyment mcssagc :cis directed against
Aqsyrla, the slgnlficar~uco f IsaIah'r prophe~ygoes furthcr. (llomiin~15:4)lchorah wil I again, as t L wrtre, come
lrom afar tu floorl, h a k e , ancl bridle all thore who o p
press hir people. (rzckicl 38:18-23;2 Rter 37; Revelalion 1O:ll-21) M y that day come quickly! Meanwhile,
Christians ca~crlv
, await the dav ofdeliverance. Thw derivc stretlgth trom rcllc.ctin#ulkn thc vivid W O T ~ Srecordcrl In Isniilli chapter 30.Thcse word$encourage Gad's servant~lo trcasurc the privilege of prayer, apply themselves
tu Ritlle study, and mcdit;ite upot~the Kingclom Messings
to comc. (I'r;alm 42:1, 2; I'roverhs 21-6; Romans 1212)
'Ihuq I~alah'sw o ~ l hell?
s all of us to keep In expectation of
3 .

2.1 After

24, 2s. 1-101' does Isaiah's prophecy empha~izrthe rcallly nl' AwyrLa's comlng judgment?

315

Jehovah,
26. (a) Jchovalt'a ~ ~ r c ~ c l n m a t against
l ( ~ i ~ s Arsyrla have what modernday upill [cat l o l l ? (11) I low ilo (:llrlal Lana torlay kc[) In exl~ebalionof

llil

.
-

N o Kelp

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

No Help From This World

Isaiah 31 :7 -9

JERUSALEM'S inhabitants are terrified-and with p o d

reason! Assyria, the mightiest emplrc of the day, has attacked "all the fortified clties of Judnh and proceeded to
seize them." Now,Assyria's milltary machine i q thrcatening the capital city of Judah. (2 Kl nas 18: 1 3,17) What rvll1
King Hezekiah and the rest oIJerusalern1sfnhahitants do?
2 Since the other cities of his land haw already fallen,
I-lezekiah knows that Jerusalem is no match for Assyrja's
powerful military force. Moreover, tllc Assyrian5 have an
unparalleled reputation for auelry and violence. That nntlon's army is so fear-inspiringthat opponents somdlmcs
flee without even a fight! In view ol' Jcrusalcm's dlre circumstances, where can her inhabitants turn for hclp? 1s
there any escape from the Aqsyrlan army? And how did
God's people get Into such a sitriation? To answer these
questions, we haveta look back and see how Jehovahdealt
with his covenant nation in earlier years.

Apostasy In Israel
3 From the time that Israel left Epypt until the death of
Davld's son Solomon-a period of just over 500 pars-the
1, 2. (a) Why are Jerusalem's inhabitants terrified? (b) In vbw of
Jeru3alemdspredicament, what questions are fitting?
3, 4, (a) When and how was the nation of I~ractdlvlded Into two
kingdoms? (b3 What bad start did Jeroboarn ~ l v cthe northern tcntribc kingdom?

From Thls World

317

12 tribes of Israel were u n i t 4 as one natlon. Ntw the

death ofSolomon, Jeroboam led the ten northern tribes
in rebellion against the house of David, and from then on
the nation w 3 5 divided into two kingdoms. 'Tltis was in the
year 997 B.C.E.
4 Jemboam was the first king of the northern kingdom
of Israel, and he 11x1his suhlects on the path of apostasy
by replacing the Aamnic priesthood and the lawful worship of Jehovah with an illegitimate priesthood and a system of calf worship, (1 Kings 1225-33) This was abhorrent to Jehovah. (Jeremiah 32:3R, 35) Par this and other
reasons, he allowed A5syrla tcr subjugate Israel. (2 Kings 15:
29) King Hoshea tried tu break the hrsyrlan yoke by conspiring with Egypt, but the rchemc failed.-2 Kings 124.

Israel Turns to a False Refuge

5 Jehwah wants to bring the Israeljtes back to their senses." So he sends the prophet lsalah with the follawing
warning; "Woe to those going down to Egypt for assistance, those who rely on mere horses, and who put their
trust in war chariots, because they are numerous, and in
steeds, because they are very mighty, but who have not
lmkd to the Holy One of lsmel and have not scorched for
Jehovah himseff," (Isaiah 3 I : t 3 I low tragic! Ismel places
greater t r u s t in horrcs and in war cliariats than In the living God, Jehwah. To Isracl's fleshly way of thinking,
Egypt" horses are numerous and mighty. Surely Egypt will
be a valuablc ally against thc Assyrian army! I-Iowwer,
the Israelites will soon find that thelr fleshly alliance with
Egypt is futile.

GY,
the hrst three verses of lrninll chapter 31 are dl&ed
Iy to 1srael.The final slx verses seem to apply to Judah.

5. To whom does Israel turn for help?

main-

318

h i a h ' s Propimy-tight fur Al!

MdnMnd I

6 Thmgh the Law cwmmit, the bhab1tmts of both 1%

rad arid J u d ate h~a dedicated relatiomhip wiih Jehc
vzlh. @ x d m 24:= 1 M d a I6:15-17)By tuning to
Egypt for help, Israel m d s a lack offaith InJehovah and
n disregard fw the laws that are part of that holy cove
nant. Why? &cause induded in the k m s of the covenant
is Jehovah's pramhe to protect his people if they render
dusi~e
to bim ~ ~ I Q
26.3-8)
I STrUg fO that

pro*,
Jehavahhas~tedly~tabeaHfo~in
the time of dlstms.' [Psalm 3739;2 Chmnides 1&2,9-12;
17;3-5,lO)Moreovq through Moses, the m d t o r of the
Law cwlenaat, Jehwahtold future kings of Israel not to insxease horses for thernse1~.(Deuteronomy 17:16) Obedia c e to this qplation would show that these kIngsl look
to "theHoly Qne.ofTsraeI" ibr-on.
Sadly, the rulers
ofIsm1do ndt have that kind of Mtk.
7There is a k m i in Ws fm ChWam ?mday. brael baked to &IMe s u p m from
t rather than to the
hr more povmh1 mppxrt that Jc m h provides, tlkewise tO&x ChrMa135:may be tempted to place!theit con&
den@ in fleshlys o m s nfsecurfty-bk accwnts, social
posittan, c ~ ~ inothe WOIM-rather
m
than in Jehovah. Grant& CM*
family heads take s&mSmy their
resp0rl~bWyto provide materially for their w e ,
they do not put their faith In mami(1 Timothy S:@
al tbfngs. And they gu& against "aery sort of cwetousm."
(Lulpg 12:13-21)The orply "WCUE height h ~ Cof S
d i s ~ ' is
' JehQvahGad-Psalm 9 9 ; 54:7.
8 wah, in e m , m& the
leaders who uaft-

ed the treaty with Egypt, saying "He Is also wise ctnd will
brlng k what is mIamItous, and he hnr not caIM Back
his own wv&i and he d l certain4 rise up against the
house of &Idom and aguIg the dstwnce d tho^
m n g what b hurtfu1." (isahh 372) k d ' s
leadm may think that they are wise. But is not
the (;reator of the unlwm supremely wise7
By all appearances Ismel's scheme ta seek
help from Egypt Is StrateIglcallysound.
Nw~rtheles5,forming such a political alllance consUtuta spiritual
Tkose who put thelr
Crust in mottdal thhgs
wlll be dlsappolnted

T?

6. why d m Israel's wrn@ to Fgypt ktmy a blatant lack of falth

InJehwah?

7. Wbat rn Cbbtbns W a y -1
h m Israel's lack of faith?
8, 9. (a) AIttmughIsmeYs pkns may seem shateglcallysouad, what
will be the outcame, and w4yl M What Is the diEmnce
htrman pmmtres miJ e h M ' s pmmlm1

7'

320

tsainh'.~Prophecy-Light fir All Mrrnklnll I

adultery in Jehovah's sight. (Ezekiel 239 -10) As a result,

Isaiah says that Jehwah will "brlng in what is calarnltnus!'
9 Arrrnan promises are notoriously unreliable, and human protection is uncertain. Jehovah, on the other hand,
does not need to 'call back his ownwords! He will without
fail do what he promises. His word does not return to him
without d b . - I s a i a h 55:10,11; 14:24.
10 WilI the Egyptians prove t~ be a reliable protection for
Israei? No. Isaiah tells issaeI: T h e Egypfiuns, though, ure
earthling men, and not Cod; and their hones are flesh,
and not spirit, And Jehowh himself wi!l stretch out his
hand, and he ilSot is offering help will have to stumble, and
he that is being helped will hove to Foil, and at the some
time they will all of them come lo on end," (Isaiah 33:3)
Both the helper (Egypt) and the helped (Israel) will stumble, fall, and come to their end when Jehovah stretches
out his hand to execute his judgment by mtlans of Anyrla.

Sarnaria's Pall
11 In his mercy Jehovah repeatedly sends prophas to cncourage lsrael to repent and return to purc worship.
(2 Kings 1Z13)Despite this, Israel adds to its sin sf calf
worship by engaging in divination, IrnrnoraI Raal worship, and the use of sacred poles and high places. The
Israelites even malw "their sons and thelr daughters pass
through the h,"
sacrificing the h i t of their own flesh
to demon gods. (2 Kings 17:14-17; Psalm 106:36-39;Amos
2:s) To bring an end to Israel? wickedness, Jehwnh decrees: "Sarnaria and her h g will certainly be silenced, ll ke
a snapped43 twig on the surface of waters." (Hosea IO:
10. What will happen to both Egypt and Israel?
11. What record ofsin has Jsrael amassed, and what I5 t hc end mu It?

/1
'

1, 7) [n 742 R,C.E.,
Assyrian forces attack Samaria, the capltal clty of Israel. After a threeyear siege, Samaria falls, and
In 740 B.C.E., the tcn-trlhe kingdom ceases to exist.
12 Fn our clay Jehovah has commfsstoned a worImYide
preaching work I.o warn "mankind that they should all
cv~rywhcrcrcpcnt." (Acts 17:30; Matthew 2414) Those
who rcjcr? Gotl's means of salvation will become lie "a
snapped-off twig,"destroyed Iike the apostate nation of lsracl. On thc other hand, those hoping in Jehwah "will
possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it."
(Psalm 37:25)) How wlse, then, to avoid the mistakes of
the ancient:kingdom of Isracl! k
t us put our whole mnfidrncr in Jehovah for ralvabun.

Jehovah" Saving Power

13 Siiuated a few milcs frum Israel's southern border is Jerusalem, the capital city of judah. The inhabitants of Jerusalem are only too aware! of what has happened to Samarla. Now they find themselves threatened by the same
terrifying enemy that brought about the end of their
narthcrn neighbor. Will they learn horn what befell
Sarnarla?
14 Isaiah's next words are comforting to Jerusaiem's residents. He assures them that JehovahsW lwes his covenant people, saying: '7hb is whot Jehomhhas said fo me:
')mt as the IIon gm wts, m n the maned young lion, o w its
prey, when there Is caited out against it fuEE number of
shepherds, and in spite of their voice he wit! not be terrified and in spite of their commotion he wilj not stoop; in

12. What work has Jehovahcornmlssionedtoday, and what happens

to thme whn tllsrqatd the warnlngl
13, 14. What comfnrtlng words does Jehovah have for Zion?

Isaiah's Propphecy-Light for All hfrnkir~d

she same way jehovah of armies will come down to wage

war over Mount Zion and over her hill.'" (Isaiah 37:4) Like
a young lioll standing over its prey, Jehovah will jealousIy protect his holy city, Zion. No boa~ting,no threatening
words, nor any other commotion by Assyrian troops wiIl
turn Jehovah from his purpose.
Like a lion guardfng
its prey, lekovah will protect his haly city

7
I

No Help From Thilis World

15 Notice, now, the tender and cornpassior~ateway that

Jehovah will deal with the inhabitants of Jerusdem: 'Like
birds flying, jehovah of armies will in the same way defend jerusalem. Defending.her, he will also certuinly deliver
her. Sparing her, he must also cause her to escape." (Isaiah
375) A mother bird i s ever vigilant to delend her young.
With outstretched wings she hovers above her brood, and
with watchful eyes she searches for any sign of danger. If a
predator comes near, she quickly swoops down tn defend
her chicks. In a similar way, Jehovah will tenderly rare
for the inhabitants of Jerusalem because of the invading
Assyrians.

"Return, You People"

16 Jehovah now reminds his people that they have
sinned and encourages them to abandon their erring
ways: "Return, you people, to the One against whom the
sons of Israel have gone deep in their revolt."(Isaiah 375)
The ten-tribe kingdom of Israel has not bcen alone in her
rebellion. The people of Judah, also "sons of Israel," have
gone "deep in their revolt." This will be especialiy evident
when, shortly after Isaiah concludes his prophetic message, Hezekiah's son Manasseh becomes king. According
to the Bible record, "Manasseh kept seducing Judah and
the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do worse than the nations
that Jehovah had annihilated." (2 Chronicles 3319)lmagine that! Jehovah annihilates pagan nations because they
are disgusting in their filth, yet the inhabitants of Judah,
in a covenant relationship with Jehovah, are even worse
than the people of those nations.
15. How does Jehovah deal tenderly and compassionately with the
Inhabitants of Jerusalem?
16. {a) What lavlng appeal does Jehovah make to his people?
(b) When does the revolt of the people of Judah become especially
evident? Explain.

No Help From 7'hls MFarld

17 At the dawn of the 2 1 g t cent-,
conditions are similar in many reSpert~to tho* In Jmhh in the d a p of Mamob The world is' lnCreasihglypd-ed by reI@bns, radal, m d ethrtic hatreds. Horrific acts of Murder, torture,
1%In, Whnt way ace mhdlblobs W a y corflganble to t h w in JUeh
under Mamseh?

The world h poldrleed by dIgi0613,

racial,,and ethnic hatreds

325

rape, and so-called e t h c cleansing have victimized millions. Without a doubt, p~opleand nations-especially
the natbns of Christendom-have gone "deepIn their rev&" We can he cerbin, ~ o w e ~ ethat
r , Jehovah will not allow wickedness to continueindefinitely.Why? Because of
what took place in Isaiah's day.

Jerusalem Delivered
18 Assyrian kings gave uedit ta their gads for victory an
the battlefield. The book Andent Near Emtern Textr contains writings of Ashurbanipal, m Assyrian monarch who
claimedthat he was guided "by Ashur, Bel, Nebo, thegreat
gods ws] lords, who (always) march at [his] side, [when
he] defeated the battle (qxperienced)soldiers .. . in a @eat
open battle." In Isaiah's day, Rabshakh, who repxesenb
King Sennacherib of Assyria, shows a sisnliar belief in t h e
invaIvement of gods in human warfare when he addresses King Hezehdah. He warns t h e Jewish king against ~ l y ing on Jehovahfar salvation and points out that the gods
of other nations have been ineffdve in piatecling their
people agmst the mighty Assyrian war machhe.-2 Kings
18:33-35.
19 How does King Hezeldah react? The Bible account
says: "As soan as King Hezekiah heard, he immediately
ripped his garments apart and covered himself with sackcloth and came into the house of Jehovah."(2 Fmgs 19:1)
He&ah recognizes that there is only One wRo can help
him in this frightening situation. He humble$himself and
looks to Jehovah for direction.
Jehovah gives the sought-for direction. Through the
prophet Isaiah, he says: "In that day they will reject each

18. What warning does Rabshakeh give to Hezekiah?

19. How does HmeEriah react to Rabshakeh's bunts?:
20. How will Jehovah act in behalf of the inhabitants of Judah, and
what should they learn from this?

--

4aid..,

Ma H d p

From T?t!s World

onebis ~ k g d o f d l w r a n d h l sWuekssgudsd
goid, h t your hart& haw mOde Ibr youas a sin."
(wah 3f:n When Jehavah fights for his people, Sennacherfb's gods wlll be
for what they are-~wrthless. This Is a -.1
that the inhabitants of JudaR
shwld take to hem. Desplk the fai#hfulnessof King Hez&ah, the h d of Judah,like [srwl, has bwn hlled with
id&. (hiah 2:s-8) For the Inhabitants dJudah, ~ h l l d ing their rdattonshlp with Jehovahwill require repenting;
of th& skis and rejecting "each one his worthless gods."

Exodus 34:14.
now prophetically d d k s Jehovah's execudonal acts agdnst Judah'sf e m m e enemy: T w Assyrian
-See

21 Isaiah

~~bythe~notdtcrtofamcm;andas~~~~
thut of earthling man, will devrrur him. And he must &

b;emuseofthesmrd,mdhlsownpungmmwillmmeb
be fw b e d labor W,#
(Isaiah 31:8) When the showdown comes, Jerusdem's inlwbitanb do not even ktc~
draw their swords from their sheaths, The cream of AssyriaJs Mops are dmured, not by the swords of men, but
hy tlw sword of Jehavah.As for ~ i a Wng
n Smnacherib, "he must flee becaw of the mrd!'After the death of
285,000 of hh warriors at the hand of Jehwah'sangel, he
return home. Later, while bowing to his god NIsmch, he
is assassinated by his own sons.-2 KSngs 19:35-37.
ZZNP one, including Hezeldah, could foresee how JehcPPah wwld deliver Jenwalem from the h s ~ l a n
my.
MmrEheless, Hetekiah's way of d d n g wlth the crisis
21, How dae~raalah prophetically describe Jehovah's exeatkana1
aas against the BissyrfanT
22. What mW t i a n a today leam from the m
t
sinvoMng Heekiirh and the hssyrlan army?

Hezekiah went to the house of lehovoh br help

-1
328

Isalnh'J I'roplrecy-lf,ylrt f i r All Mlrrrklrtrl I

provides an excellent exampIe for those who face trlals

today. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18) In view of the terrifying
reputation of the Assyrians threatening Jerusalem,I-[ezekiah understandably was afraid. ( 2 Kings 193) Still, hc had
faith in Jehovah, and he sought His guidance, not man's.
What a blessing for Jerusalem that he did! God-fearing
Christians today may also experience intense ernotior~
when under s t m s . In many situations, fear is undcrstandable. Yet, if we 'throw all our anxiety upon Jehovah,' he
will care for us. [I Peter 5:7) He wjH help us overcome our
fear and will strengthen us to cope with the situation that
is causing stress.
2-3 In the end, it is Sennacherib, not Hezekiah, who Is left
with fearful emotjons. To whom can he turn? Isaiah f o w
tells: "'His own crag will pass uwuy out of sheer fight,
and because of the signal his princes must be terrified,' is
the utterance of fehovah, whose light is in Zion and whose
furnace i4 in Jerusalem."(Isaiah 3 1 9 ) Sennachcril~~s
gods
-his "crag," the refuge in which he lras trusted-fail him,
They "pass away out nf sheer fright," as it w r e . Moreavcr,
even Sennacherib's princes are of Httle help. 'They too arc
struck with terror.
24 This part of Isaiah's prophecy pmvides a clear message
for any would-be opposer of God. There is no weapon,
no porn, no device that can Frustrate Jehovah's purposes. (Tsaiah 41:11,12) At the same time, those who clat rn ta
serve Gad yet turn away from hlm to seek security in fleshly things will meet with disappointment.Any who "have
not looked to the Holy One of Tsmel" will see Jehuvat1
"bring in what is calamitous." flsaiah 31:1, 2) Truly, the
only real and lasting refuge is Jehovah Cod,-Psal m 37:s.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

The King and His Princes

--

lsaiah 32:l-20

TOWARD the end of the lWQ's, a remarkable collection

of scrolls was found In caves located near the Dead Sea,
In Palcstinc. Thcy became known as the Dead Sea Scrolls
and art! heliwcd to have been written sometime between
2(X) Ii.C.L and 70 CE,Best known among them is a smIl

nf Isaiah written In Hebrew on durable leather. This scroll

I s almost complete, and its text differs very little from
that of manuscripts of the Masoretic text dated about
1,000 years later. 'Thus, t h e scroll demonstrates the accurate transmlsslon of thc Bible text,
2 A noteworthy detall about the Dead Sea Scroll of Isaiah
I$that the portion making up what is today known as Isalah chaptcr 32 Is marked with an "X" scrawled in the margin by a scrlhe, We do not know why the scribe made such
a mark, hut we do know that there is something special
nbottt thls portion of the Holy Bible.
Rtlllng for Righteousness and Justice
Isaiah chaptcr 32 opens with a thrllIing prophecy that is finding rcrnarkabte fulfillment in our day: "Look!
A king MtE' reign for righteousness Itrdt and as wspecB
princes, they will rule os princes for justice itself." (fsoiah
32:l) Yes, "Look! " "This exclamatloo calls to mind a similar
3

23. Inwhat way is Sennacherib, not He~xkiah,left with fearful ern*

tions?
24. What clear message can he learned from what happened tn the

1, 2. What can he salt1 about the text of the Dead Sea Scroll of Isaiah?
It, What adminlstntlon Ir prophafed in the books of Isaiah and Rev-

Assyrian?

clatlon?

Isatah's Pmkhccy-Light far All Mankind I

exhatian fwnd in the lerst prophetic book of the Bibie:

"The One seatedan the throne said: W k ! I rn making all
things new!" (FhvdAion 215) The Bible books of Isaiah
and Malion, written snm@ 9W years apwtl both present
a glowing -#on
of a n@w adminishatimQnYanew
he-*
composedof the
ChristJaus,enthroned ln
the hemem in 1914, and 144,000 wrulers "bought from
among mankhdua@er with "a new earth; a global, wild human society." (Rmhdm 141-4; 21:l-4;halah 65:17-25) This entire ammgemmtis made e b l e by
~sransomsacrlfrce
~Adterseelng~~nthefmal~oftheselMlOOO
calm,the apakJohar p r k "Isaw, and, lwkl a great
ctwvwd, W n o m u w a s able to number, out ofall nations anxt t r l h and peoples and toques, stankfure
the throne and k f m e the Lamb." Here Is the nudws of
thenewe*th-agreat~nownumberlngtntothe~born, who h m bem @herd ta the dde of the few, most1y elderly m i n i n g ones of the M4,If0;0. This great crnvd
will survive the fastMapba&ngp a t tfibulatlan and in
the m s e earth will be joked by resurrected faithful
ones and bflllom of athers who vsfli be @tpen the appor~tyto~~AUwhodosowillkblessd~th
ewxasting life.-rnbtiorn z4,$17'.
5 H m e v a , as Img as the present hate-med world ex#,m~afthr!gmtnawdneedpr~m.Inlarg@
*The"klngLIn~32:1~~hadap~Wry~ncem
King Hemkiah. Nmwmr, the mhm a l r l e r ~otf Isaiah chapter 32 b
fnretatbIllDtheKing, QuMJesus.

6 Whatnueleusof thene~eaahisnawpresent?
5-7. What role do the -Id
'princes' play In God% s?

In the Deud Seu Scrdls, /miah chapter 32

is m k e d with an "X"

~ t h i s i s p ~ d d b y t h e " p r l n c e s * w h o " m,,for

le~
justfce itself:' W t a grand amqementl These "princes*
are desaied further in the glowing words of Idah's
pmphq:"EuchmemustpmwtobekoMdngpkrr;e
h r n thewindadaphce efcomwiMentliom t h e d n storm, I
k shams of vvrtlter in o wtaks country, like
the shardow of u heavy crag in an ahmhd kmd."--Is~Icrh

322.
6 Right now in this time of worldwide distreis, there is a
need for "pdmq" yes, elders who will "pay attentton to
all the flacaring
w for Jehmah'ssheep and adrnhlstdng justice in harmowwithJehwah'srighteous prlndples. (Am2U28)Such "princes"must m e t the q u a l l b tiom set out in1Tmothy 327 and TlW 1:6-9.
9 In his great prophecy desrr&fog the dlstresshl "condusiaa of tbe $yskmof things: Jesus said: 'See that you are
not terriftatN (Ma&ew a:=)
Why are JesustblIowers
not W W hy today's d q p o u s W d condtlms?One
reason 4 that the "prima"-whether they be anointed or
"other sheep"-are loyally prokkiq the flock. (John 10:
16)They W4ssXp cape fw their brothers and shters, even
in the face 6f such humors as e t h i c wan and genadde, h
a spiritually exhausted w d d , they see to # that depressed
souls are rekbed by the upbuilding truths of W ' s
Word, the Bible
8 Duhgthe past sDyem, the "princeuhawmmckrlylntnvim. Vdnmnwho are oftheather sheep are being Wried as a d e d q b g "chieftainH d~ so that after
the great tribulation, qualified onesamong them wlll

...

8. How Is lehavah W
n
i gand using the "prhmuwho are of the
athw sllwp?

Each 'pdn~e'is like a hidng piwe fmm the wind, shdbr

kom the rain, water in the daert, and shade from the sun

334

Isaiah's Prophecy-Lilphf for/lll Mankind I

be ready for appointment to serve in an administrative capacity in the "new earth." (Ezekiel 44:2,3;2 Peter 3:13) By
providing spiritual guidance and refreshment as they take
the lead in Kingdom service, they are proving themselves
to be "like the shadow of a heavy crag," bringing relief to
the flock in its realm of worship."
9 In these perilous last days of Satan's wicked world, dedicated Christians sorely need such protection. (2 Timothy
3:1-5, 13) Smng winds of false doctrine and twisted propaganda are blowing. Storms are raging in the farm of
wars between and within nations as well as direct assaults
against faithful worshipers of Jehovah God. In a world
parched by spiritual drought, Christians badly need the
streams of water of pure, unadulterated buth in order to
quench their spiritual thirst. Happily, Jehovah has promised that his reigning King, through his anointed brothers
and supportive "princes" of the other sheep, will provide
encouragement and guidance to despondent and discouraged ones in this time of need. Jehovah will thus see to it
that what is righteous and just wiII prevaiI.

Paying Attention With Eyes, Ears, and Hearts

10 How have the great crowd responded to Jehovah's
theocratic arrangement? The prophecy continues: "The
eyes o f those seeing will not be pasted together, and
the very ears of those hearing will pcry attention." (Isaiah 3233) Over the years, Jehovah has provided for the instruction and bringing to maturity of his precious servants.
The Theocratic Ministry School and other meetings oper* See The Watchtowq March 1, 1999, pages 13-18, published by the
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Sew York, Inc,

9. What conditionr show the need for "princes" today?

10. What provisions has Jehovah made so that his people can 'see'
and 'hear' spiritual things?

Ute King and His Princes

335

atjlng in the congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses worldwide; the district, national, and international conventions;
as well as the specialized training of the "princes" to treat
the flock with loving care have al I contributed to the building up of a united, global brotherhood of millions. Wherever these shepherds are on earth, their ears are wide open
to acljustments in understanding of the advancing word of
truth. With Bible-trained consciences, they are ever ready
to hear and to obv,-Psalm 25:10.
1 1 The prophecy then cautions: 'The heart itself of those
who are overhasty will consider knowledge, and even the
tongue o f the stammerers will be quick in speaking clear
things." (Isaiah 32:4) Let no one be overhasty in drawing
conclusions about what is right and what is wrong. The Rible says: "Haw you beheld a man hasty with his words?
There is more hope for someone stupid than for him."
(Proverbs 29:20; Ecclesiastes 5:2) Before 1919, even Jehor
vah's people were tainted with Babylonish ideas. But starting in that year, Jehavah has given them a clearer understanding of his purposes. They haw found the truths
he has revealed to be, not overhasty, but well thought out,
and they are now speaking with the certainty of belief, not
stammering with uncertainty.

"The Senseless One"

12 Isaiahts prophecy next draws a contrast: 'The senseless
one will no longer be called generous; and as for the unprincipled man, he will not be said to be noble; because the
senseless one himself will speak mere senselessness." (Isaiah 3.25, 6a) Who is "the senseless one"? Ar if for emphasis, King David mice supplies the answer: "The senseless
11. Why are God's people now speaking with confidence, not stammering with uncerta~nty?
12. Who are 'the senseless ones' today, and in what way do they lack
generosity?

336

Isaiah's Prophecy-Light for A11 Manklrrd I

fl

one has said in his heart: 'There is no Jehovah.' They have

acted ruinously, they have acted detestably in their dealing. There is no one doing good." (Psalm 14:1; 53:l) Of
course, confirmed atheists say that there is no Jehovah. In
effect, so do "intellectuals" and others who act as if there
were no God, believing that they are accountable to no
one. The truth is not in such ones. There is no generosity in their hearts. They have no gospel of love. In contrast with genuine Christians, they are slow to provide for
needy ones in distress or fail to do so entirely.
13 Many such senseless ones come to hate thosc who
champion God's truth. "His very heart will work at what
is hurtful, to work at apostasy and to speak against Jehovah what is wayward." (Isaiah 32:6b) How true this is
of modern-day apostates! In a number of countries in Europe and Asia, apostates have joined forces with other opponents of truth, speaking outright lies to the authorities,
with a view to having Jehovah's Witnesses banned or restricted. They manifest the spirit of the "evil slave," of
whom Jesus prophesied: "If ever that evll slave should say
in his heart, 'My master is delaying,' and should start to
beat his fellow slaves and should eat and drink with the
confirmed drunkards, the master of that slave will come
on a day that he does not expect and in an hour that
he does not know, and will punish h m with the greatest
severity and will assign him h s part with the hypocrites.
There i s where his weeping and the gnashing of his teeth
will be."-Matthew 24:48-51.

the meantime, the apostate causes "the soul of the

hungry one to go empty, and he causes even the thirsty one
to go without drink itself. (Isaiah 32:6c) Enemies of truth
14 In

13, 14. (a) Bow do modern-day apostates work what is hurtful?

(b) Of what do apostates try to depnve the hungry and the thirsty,
but what will be the final outcome?

The King and His Princes

337

try to deprive truth-hungry people of spiritual food, and

they try to keep thirsty ones from dridung the refreshing
waters of the Kingdom message. But the final outcome d l
be what Jehovah declares to.his people through another
of his prophets: "They will be certain to fight against you,
but they will not prevail against you, for 'I am with you,' is
the utterance of Jehovah, 'to deliver you.' "-Jeremiah 1:19;
Isaiah 54:17.

1s From the middle years of the 20th century, imrnorality has openly run riot in the lands of Christendom. Why?
The prophecy foretold one reason: "ds for the unprincipled
man, his instruments are bad; he himself has given counset for arts of loose conduct to wreck the afflicted ones
with false sayings, even when someone poor speaks what is
right." (Isaiah 32:7} In fulfillment of these words, many of
the clergy in particular have adopted a permissive attitude
toward prernasi.tal sex, cohabitation of the unmarried,
hornos-&uality-indeed, "fornication and uncleanness of
every sort." (Ephesians 5 3 ) Thus, they "wreck" their flocks
with their false saylngs.
16 h cantrast, how refreshing is the fulfillment of the
prophet's next words! '
'
A regards the generous one, it is
for generous things that he has given counsel; and in favor of generous things he himself will rise up*"(Isaiah 32:8)
Jesus himself encouraged generosity when he said: "Practice giving' and people will give to you. They will pour into
your laps a fine measure, pressed d m , shaken together
and overflowing. For with the measure that you are measuring out, they will measure out to you in return." (Luke
6:38)The apostle Paul too pointed to the blessings that
come to generous ones when he said: "Bear in mind the
15. Today, who particularly are "unprincipled," what "false sayings"
have they promoted, and with what result?
16. What makes genuine Christians happy?

The King ond 11% Prlt~crs

339

in. Tremble, you women who aw at ease! Be agitated,

you careless ones!" (haioh 329- l F a) 'I'hc attitude of these

A Christian finds great

happiness in sharing the good newr with atlrers

words of the Lord Jesus, when hc hirnscll sald, "l'here i s

more happiness ingiving than thew is in rccclvlng! " (Actr
2035)Gcnuine Christians are made happy, not by ga:nlnlng
material weaIth or social promincnc~,but hy being generuus-in the same way that their I;(uI, JehovaIr, is grncrous.
(Matthew 544,451 Their greatest happiness is fot~ndin doing God'swill, in genemusly giving of thcmselvcs in order
to make known to others "the gloriuus good IIPWS of the
happy God."- 1 Timothy 1:11.
17 Isaiah's prophecy continues: "YOU women who are at
ease, rise up, listen to my voke! You careless daughters,
give ear to my saying! Within a year and some days you
careless ones will be agitated, because the grope picking
will have come to an end but no fruit gathering will come
--

17. Who Nday are like the "carelew dau~htcrr"rcf~rredtn by I5~11111'

women rnay rcrninrl us of those totlny who claim to s e m

God but who an. not 7~alnwin his scrvicc. Such ones are
found in the rell~ionsof "Hsl)ylan the G m t , the mother
of the harlo~.''(Itcvclalion 1 7:s)1:o~cxample, members of
Christendom's rpligions a r c w r y much as lsaiah describes
thece "women."'rhcy arc "at c.;iscIwcomplacent as to the
judgment ancl agitiit-ion tllal wl ll soon c n ~ l lrlthem.
18 The call aoes fortlil then, ta hlac religion: "Undress
and make yourselves nuked, and gird sackcloth upon the
loins. Beo t yourselves upon the breasts in lumen takion over
the desirable fields, over the fruit-hearing vine. Upon the
ground of nty people merely thorns, spiny bushes come
up, for they are upon all the houses of exulhtion, yes,
the highly doted town." [isuioh 32:17 b-73) 'Shc expression
"Undress and makc y n u r s e l ~ ~nakccl"
s
cloes not appear to
mean total disrohin~.'l'hc nncicnl citslom was to wear an
outer garment over nn ~ t l t l ~ r ~ n r m e'I'hc
n t . nuier garment
wa? often a means or idrnlll~catlon.(2 Kings 10:22, 23;
Revelation 7: 1.7, 14) ?'hc prnphccy b thus commanding
members of hlsc religions to renwve their outer garments
-their pretended ldcrrtity as scrvants of Gad-and to put
on instead garments of cnckcloth, symbols o l n~ourning
over their imminent jurlgment. (ltewlation 1 Zlh) No godly fruitfulness is to l#r found amon# the religious organizations of Christendclrn, whlcl~claim? to be God" ''highly elated m n , " or among tllc rest of the mernhert of the
world empire of false religion. 'l'hdr domain 01 operiiti~n
brings forth "mcrcly t h o r ~ l sspiny
,
busher" of neglect and
abandonment.
19 This picture of gloom extends to all parts of apostate
"JeerusaIem":"The dwelling tower itrelf has been forsaken,
18. Wha i x instruct4 ti) "glrd s;tcktloth upon thc loins." and why?
19. What ctlntlition nf apcrqlntu "Frrural~~n"
1% cxpnqed by Isaiah?

the very hubbub of the city has been abandoned; Ophel

and the watchlower themselves have become bare fields,
far time indefinite the exultation of zebras, the pasture of
droves." (Isaiah 32:74}Yes, even Bphel is included. Ovhel
is an devated part of Jerusalem that provides a strong ticfensive position. To say that Ophel become? a l~areheld
bespeaks complete desolation for the city. Isaiah's words
show that apostate "Jerusalem"-Christendom-1s not
watchful of doing God's will. It is brren spiritually, far removed from truth and justice-+eastlike in the extreme.

A Glorious Contrast!
20 Isaiah next presents a heartwarming hope for those
who do Jehuvah's will-Any desolation of God's own people will last only "'untilupon us the spirit Is poured out fmm
on high, and the wilderness will have become an orchard,
and the orchard i h l f is occounkd as a real forest,'' (Isaioh 32:75) Happily, since 1919, Jehovah's spirit has becn
poured out in abundance upon his people, restoring, a,s: it:
were, a fruit-bearing orchard of anointed Witnesses, to be
followed by an expanding forest of other sheep, l'rosperity
and growth are the keynotes of his organization on earth
today. In the restored spiritual paradise, "the glory of Jehovah, the splendor of our God," is reflected by hls people
as they proclaim his incoming Kingdom wor1dwlde.-lraiah 35:1,2.
21 W sen, now, toJ e h d s glorious promise: "in the witdemessjustice will certainly wide, and in the omhard rjghteousness itrelf wit! dwell. And the work of the true righteousness must become peace; and the sewice of the
true righteousness, quietness on$ security to time Indefinite." (EsaTah 32:T6, 77) How we1 l this describes I he q ~ri-i
20. What is the effect of God's spirit bring poured out upon his pmwle?
21. Where is righteousness, quietness, and security found today?

tual condltjon of Jehovah's people today! In contrast with

the rnajorlty of manklnd, who are divided by hatred, vialencc, aurl abject spiritual poverty, true Christians are gIobally united, even though thcy are "out of all natiom and
t r l tws anti pcoptcs and tongues." '['hey live, work, and serve
t n harmony with God's righteousness, ddng so in confidence of enioying, at last, true p i c e and security to lime
indcfinitc.-Rcvclation 79, 17.
22 In the spiritual paradise, lsalah 32:7& is already being
fulfilled. It says: "My people must dwell in o peaceful abiding place and In residences of full confidence and in undisturbed resting-places." lirui far the imitation Christians, "it
will certainly hail when the forest goes dawn and the dty
becomes low in an abased state." (Isaiah 32:79) Yes, like
a W r n ~ ~ ~ s t ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ h a Jehovah's
i l s l o r r njudgment
,
is p~ised
lo drikc tile counterfeit city o t false religion, debasing its
"forest" of wpporters, obliterating these for all time!
23 This portion of the prophecy concludes: "Happy are
you people who ore so wing seed alongside all waters, sendinq forth the feet of the bull and o f the ass." (Isaiah 32:20)
'1'l;e hull and the ass were beasts of burden used by God's
andent people in plowing fields and sowing seed. Today,
Jehovah'spcoplc use prlntiq equipment, elertronic tools,
modern hullclings aancl transport and, above all, a united,
theoctatlc organization to print and distribute biIlions of
Blblc pub1tc;ltions. Willing workers use these inshuments
to sow S C ~ of
S Kingdom truth throughout the earth, Iiterally "alangside all waters," Millions of God-fearing men
and worncn have already k e n harvested, and other multitudes are joining them. (Revelation 14:15, 16) All of them
arc indeed to bc counted "happy"!

22. What 1% the dl Reference between the condition of God's people

and that od those in falrc religion?
2.X. Wliat gloll:!lwork IF nenring complctlon, and hmv are those sharIng In ~t to Ilc counted?

"NUNcsirirnl Wlll Soy: 'll a Sick'*

CHATTER TWENTY-SIX

God's people, is now pursulng Its own greedy ambition

for world conquest. (Isaiah 1k7-11) Will Jehovah allow
Its brutal mbtr~atrnentof hls people to go unpunished?
Wilt there he a Ilealing of. the nation's spiritual illness?
Cn Isaiah chapter 33, we read Jehovah's answers to these

"No Resident Will Say:

'I Am Sick' "
- -.

queskions.
-

Despoiltng the Despoiler

4 Thc prophecy begins: "Woe to you who are despoiling,
without you pusself being despoil&, and tu you who are

Isaiah 3 3 1 -24

"ALL creation keeps on groaning t o ~ t h e and

r
helng in
pain together until now." So said the apostle Paul. (Romans 8:22) Despite advances in medical science, slckness
and death con-tinueto plague the human race. How wonderful, then, the promise that climaxes this part ofIsaiah's
prophecy is! Imagine the time when "no resident will say:
'I am sick' " gsaiah 3324) When and how will this promise be fulfilled?
2 Isaiah is writing at a time when God's cownatlt people are sick spiritually. (Isaiah 15, 6) They have plunged
so deeply into apostasy and immorality that they need scvere discipline from Jehovah Gad. Assyria serves as Jchovah's "rod" to administer that discipline. (Isaiah 7:17; 10:5,
15) Erst, the northern ten-tribe kingdom of Israel falls to
the A~syriansin the year 740 &.CEO12 Kings 17:l-18:18:9I 7 1 A few years later, King Sennacherib o fl Assyria lat~nches an d a t attack on the southern kingdom of Judah.
( 2 Kings 18:13; Isaiah 36:l) Bs the hsyrian juggernaut
sweeps though the land, Judah's complde annihilation
seems inevitable.
3 But Assyria, going beyond its mandate to discipline
1. Why are the words of lsaiah 33:24 comforting7
2, 3. (a) In what rray is the nation of lsnel sick? (b) How docs Assyria serve as God's "rod"of djscipljne?

I
I

I
I

dealing trwcherously, without others hovifig d d t trwckemusly with you l & soon as you hove finished as a despoilec you will be despotled. As soon as you hove done with
dealing trwchemusly, they will deal treucherorrsly with
you," (Isaiah 33: 1 ) Isaiah directly addresses the despoiler, Assyrin. At the peak of its power, that aggressive nation sccms unbeatable. It lzas 'despoiled without being despoiled,' ravaging the cities of jurlah, even stripping the
housc of Jchovah of its wealth-and dnlng so with seemIIIR impunity1 (2 K111gs18:14-16;2 Chmnicles 28:21) Now,
though, the tables will be turned. "You wllI he despoiled,''
Isaiah boldly rlcclarer. How comforting this prophecyir to

faithful ones!

ers af Jet~ovahwill need to turn to him fat heip. Isaiah thus prays: "0 jehowh, show us favor. tn you we h w e
hoped. Become our nrm [of strength and supporfl every
morning, yes, our soSvrrclon h the time of distress. At the
sound of tumoilr peoples how fled. A t your arising nations
have been dispessed." (Isaiah 332, 33) Appropriately, I=iah prays that Jchovah dclivcr His people as I-le has done

During that frightening period of time, Ioyal worship

4, 5. (a) Wlint rewrral tvlll Alsyrla experience? (b) What prayer

does Isaiah o R ~on
t I~chalfo l Jehovah's p p l e ?

"No Rcsir-lcrll lYill Sny: 'I t l ~ r .?Irk*"

l

345

many times in thc past. (l'~;ilm443; hX: 1 ) And no sooner

does Isaiah oncr this pravrr t tmn
Corrcltr;Jehovah's ansrwr to it!
6 "Thespoil of you peopl@ [the Assyrfnns] will actuol!y bbe
gafhered like the cockmnrches when gathering in, Iike the
o n m h of locust swarms that is nahitlg ogainst one." (lsniah 33:4) Judah is Iii~nilii~r
wll t i tlr>v;trti!llnxinsect invasions. This time, tticlt~gh,i l ir J~~tl;lh's
rnrrnic.~that will be
tlwastatecl. Assyria wl l l run'c~r'e htlrnilinti ng rlefcnt, and its
soldiers will he forceti tn flcc, lcnvinl: I~chlrida great spoil
for the inhabitantt; of Judnh to cc>llcci! It is only fitting
that A~svria,known for i l c crt~elty,will c x p r l c n m being
despoiled,-lsa iah 37:36.

The Modern-Day Assyrian

7 How does rsaiah's prophcr-y iipply In clttr day?She spiritually sick nalion of 1sr;ic.l can hc cr~mparcdto unfaithful Christendom. Jurt ;IS.lchrwah used Assyrln as a "rod"
to punish Isriicl, s o hr will usr ;I "rnrl" ((1 punish Christendom-as well as tlio ri*sl oC Ihc world crnllire of false
religion, "Bnbylon lllc (;r~;ll." ( I ~ o i a h10:s; licvelntion 18:
2-8) That "rorl" will hc mcrnhcr n;itic~njol'thc Ui~itcdNations-an organin~tinnp i c t ~ ~ in
r ~ Ilcvclntion
d
ns a sevcnheaded, ten-horned, scnrlrl-i.r~lc~rt~d
wilt! 11cnrl.-Rcvcla-

tion 123, 15-17.

8 When the modern-day Assysl;in rarnpnxcs ti~roughout
h. What will happcr~tn A ~ ~ ~ r ,inrl
l i l , rvlly Is this fttlr~$
7. (a) Who mtl;~y
Ilc cclrnlii~~r~tl
lo Illc qllrlturilly vlck natlon o [
Isracl? (b)Who wlll wruc af [cllnvill I,*: ''rtltl" Ir) rlclt rny ( :hrI~tcnclum?
8. (a) !A710 today can hc rotnl~ilrrtlIt)Sctin;~clicrll~?
(11) U'ho will the
moderndny Sennarticrlh 111, r~iil~r~ltlr~~r~cl
t<, nll:~t.Fi,
,Inti with what
outcome?

Isoioh pray3 confidently to Iehovoh

346

Isnlnh's Prtlplterqy-I,l,plr t /itr All Mrrrrklrtd I

the realm of false religion, It will appear to be unstoppable. With an attitude like that of Sennacherll~,Satan the
Llevil will 'be embsIdencrI to strike out-nol only against
apostate organizations deserving of punishment but also
against true Christians. AIongide the remaining ones
of Jehovah's anointed spiritual sons, millions who haw
come out of Satan's warld, which Includes Rallylon the
Great, take their stand for Jehovah'sKin~dom,
An~crcda t
the refusal of true Christians to pay him homage, 'the god
of this system of things," Satan, will launch :in all-out attack against them. (2 Corinthians 4:4; Fzektel38:lO-16) As
terrifying as this attack will no doubt hr, Jchwah's people will not need to cower in fear. (Isaiah t0:24,25) They
have assurance from God that he will Ix their ".mlvaSion
in the time of distress." He will intervene, I~ringingdevastation upon Satan and his crowd. IEzfkicl38:18-23)Just as
in ancient times, those trying to despoil God's people will
themselves be despoiled! (Comparc Proverbs 13:22b.) Jehovah's name will be sanctified, ancl survivors will be rewarded for having sought "wisdom ond knowledge [and]
the fear of ]ehovah."-Read Isaiah 335, 6.
A Warning to Faithless Ones
9 What, though, will be the fate of faithless ones in Judah? Isaiah paints a grim picture of their impending
doom at the hands of bssyria. (Read Isaiah 3393 Judah's
military "heroes" cry out-in fear at thc hs.;yrlan advance.
" ~ e s s & ~ e of
r speace,'' diplomats sent to negotiate peace
wit11 the warlike dssyrians, facc mockery and humlllatlon.
They will weep bitterly over their failure (Comparc Jeremiah 8:lS.)The brutal Assyrian wH1 not pity them. (Read
Isaiah 33:8, 9.) He will ruthlessly i p o r c covenants he har

9. (a] What wiII Jndah's "heroesi' and "messengem of peace" do?

(h) How will the Assyrian re~pondto peace lnltlat~vcsfrom Jurlab~?

#No Resident lYili Say: ' i Aal S l r k S u

'

1
1

made with the tnhabitant~af Judah. (2 Kings 18:14-16).

The Assyrian will 'contemn the dtEa' of Judah, viewing
them with contempt and scorn, having no regard for human life. The situation wlll be so devastating that the land
itself will, as it were, mourn. Lebanon, Sharon, Bashan,
and Carrnel will likewise mourn over I he dcsulation.
10 Similar rircumgtances will 110 doubt develop in the
near fuh~reas thc nalions hegin thelr assault on religion.
As in Hezekiah's day, pl~yslcalresl~tancetn these destructive forces will be futile. Chrlstendorn's "heroes"-is politicians, financiers, and other pople of In fluence-will be
unable to come tu her aid, I'otitlcal: and ftnancial 'cavenants,' w ageementq desijincd rn protect Christendom's
interests will be violated. (Isaiah 2R:lS-18)Frantic attempts
to stave off destruction by rliplomacy wlll fail. Commercial activities will come to a halt, as Christendom's properties and investments are cnnfiscated or dcst-royed, Any
who still have friendly fcclings toward Christendom will
do little more than stand at a safc dbtnncc and mourn
her parsing. (Revelation IR:9-19) Will true Christianity be
swept away with the false? No, fnr Jehovah himself gives
this assurance: *'Now I will rise up,'rays jehowh, 'now I
wifl exuk myselt now I will lift mysdf up.'" (lscrioh 33: 10)
Finally, Jehovah wit l intervene in hehiith of bit11ful ones,
like Hezekiah, and halt the Assyrinn'r advance.-Psalm
125.
11 The unfaithful cannot count on such protection.Jehovah says: "You people conceive dried gross; you will give
birth to stubble. Your own spirit, as a fire, will eat you
10. (a) How wlll Chrlslentlom's "hcrocs" prove to be Ineffective?
prntert genulnc Chrt6tlarrs dur lng Chrlstentlnm's day
of distress?
IT. 12. (a) When and how dn the word? of t~nlah33:ll-14 And hEfilirnentf ib) Jehovah's words ~ l v what
c
warnlng for toclay?

(I?) Who will

7
' N o Resident Will Srry: ' I A t n (Slrk'"

up. And peopler must k o m e as the burnirngs of lime.

As thorns cut
they wit/ be set obime even with fire.
Hear, you men who ore h r my,what I must do! And
know, you who are nearby, my migl~tiness.tn Zion the
sinners have come to be in dread; sI~iwringhas grubbed
hold of the opostoPs: 'Who of us can reside for any
time with a devouring fire? Who of us can reside fur any
time with long-lasting conflugrotionsf'" (lsclioh 33: 1 1 14)
'I'hese words evidently apply to the tlme whcn Judah facer
a ncw enemy, Babylon. After thc death of Hezckiah, Judah reverts to her wicked ways, 9wr the next few decades,
conditions in Judahdeteriorate to the pnlnt where the cntire nation has to suffer the fire of Cod's anger.-Ileuteronomy 32:22.

plans and schemes hntchccl by disobedient

ones to avert God's judgment provc to bc of no more s u b
stance than stubble. In fact, thc proud, rehelllflus ~piritof
the nation will actually trigger the events leading to its destruction. (Jeremiah 525-1 1) Wicked oncs wlll "bcmme
as t h e burnings of lime"-utterly dcsl~oycd1 As they contemplate this impending duom, the rcbelllc~usInhabitants
of Judah experience a sickening dread. Jehovah's worrls to
unfaithful Judah illustrate the sihtatlon OF C:hristcnrlurn's
members today. If they do not heed < ; d f s warning,a grim
future awaits them.
12 Wicked

"Walking in Continual Rightcousness"

13 By way of contrast, Jehovah next says: "mew is one
who is walking in conbrnual righteousness and speaking whot is upright, who is rejecting the unjust gain h m
fmuds, who is shaking his hands clear from taking hold on
a bribe, who is stopping up his ear from listening lo biood-

13. What prnrnire is made to one nwnlktng Ln continual righteousness,"and how was it fulhlled in Jercmlah'r msc?

'
1

shed, and who ir closing his eyes so as not to see what

is bad. He is the one that wiN reside on the heightr themsdves; his smuw height will be cmggy ploces dificult to
appmoch. His own bread will certninly be given him; his
water supply will be unfailing." (Isaiah 33: 15, 16) As the
apostle Peter latcr cxprcshes it, "Jehov;)hknows how to deliver people of godly devotion nut of trial, hut to reserve
unrighteuus people for the day of judgment to be cut
off." (2 Peter 2:9)Jcremiah expcrlcnccd such deliverance.
During the Rahylonlan sl~fic,pcople had to "eat bread by
weight and in anxious care." (C7xkicl 416)Some women
even ate the flesh of thcit own children. (Iarnentations 2:
20)Yet,Jeehovah saw to It that Jcrcmlah was kept safe.
14 Christians today must likewise 'walk In continual righteousness,'daily observingJehovah's standards. (Psalm 15:
1-5)They must 'speak what Is upright' and reject lying and
unmth. (Prowrbs 332) I:rat~dand hrlbcry may be common in many lands, but they are repugnant to one "walking in continual righteousness." Chrlslians must also keep
"an honest conscience" In hudness dealings, studiously
avoihng shady or fraudulent schemes. (Hebrews 1318;
1 Timothy 69, 10) Ant1 one who has 'stoppcd up his ear
from listening to bloodshed and closed his eyer so as not
to see what is bad' wlll he selcctlvc in his choice of music and entertainment. (I'salm 11937) During his day of
judgment, Jehovah will protect and sustain his worship
en, who live by such standards.-Zephaniah 2:3.

Beholding Thelr King

15 Isaiah next glves this #lowing glimpse of the future:

'54 king in his handsomeness Is what your eyes will behold;

14. How can Christians today keep J'walklngIn continual rfghteouqness"?

15. What promise will sr~slalnbtthful Jmlsh cxrles?

"hruResident Wll/ Sny: ' I A rfr S k k '

they will see rr /and fur away. Your own heart wlll comment in tow tones on o fn'ghtfd thing: 'Where is the secmtary? Where is the one that doer t h payEng
~
out? Where is
the one counting the towers?' No insolcnt people wil!
you see, a people too deep in Iunguage to /Wen to, of a
stommering tongue without your tmderstanding." (lsoiah
33337-79) The promise ol' the i'ilturc Mesclit~licKIlifi and
his Kingdom wdl sustain faithful Jcws duriug tlie l o i ~ j clci
cades of exile in Babylon, even though thcy can scc that
Kingdom only from afar. (Hehrews 13 :I 3) When Mesq1ah's rule finally becorner a rcality, the nalylonl;~ntynnny wlI1 he a distant memory. Stirvitnrs of t hc attack of the
Assyrian will happily ask: "Where arc the tyrant's officcrf,
who taxed us, charged us, took our tribute?"-Isaiah 3.7:
18, Mofi tit
16 Although Isaiah's words guarantw a restoration from
Plabylonian captivity, individual Jewish exller will have to
await the resur~ectionto enjay the mrnplctc fultill mcnt nC
this part of the prophecy. What al~outGod's servants today? Slnce 1914,Jehovah's people have hcen nblc to ?,chold," es discern, the Messianic Klng, Jcsi~sChrlst, I n all
hi5 spiritual beauty. (Psalm 452; 1lX:22-26) A? ;I wsult,
they have experienced deliverance from Ihc opprcsslon
and control of Satan's wicked system. Under Zion, the scat
of God's Kingdom, they enjoy true spirihlal security.
17 Isaiah continues: "Behold Zion. the town of our festo1 occmions! Your own eyes will s k ]erusalem an undizturbed abiding place, o k r ~that
t no one will pack up. Never wi/i its tent pins be pulled out, and none of its mpes will
16. Stncc when have God's peoplc been ablc tcr "hehald' the Mcsslnnlc King, and with what result?
17, (a) What promises are made regrcllnpl Zlon? (I,)Haw are Jehovah's promises regarding Zton futfillcd nn t hc Merslnnlc Klngdorn
and on Its supporters on earth?

"

351

be torn in two. But there the Mu/estlc One, jehowh, will

be for us ~crplace of rivenI of wide canals. On it no galley fleet will go, and no rnajmric ship wilt pass over it."
(isaiah 33:20, 27) I~aiaRassurvs u?;that Goti's Messianic Kingdom cannot bc upmoted or dertroyed. M o r m r ,
such protection clcarly ext~ntlstn faithful Kingdom s u p
porters on earth today, l:vei~ if marly Indivldusls are put
to severe tests, sub1ca.s of C;odls Kl ngdorn are assured that
no effort to destroy them as a conjircgatlon can possibly
succeed (Isaiah 54:17)Jehrrvah wlll protect his people in
the way that a moat or canal pmtccrs a city, Any enemy
coming up against them-cven one as powerful as a "galley fleet"or a "majesticship"-will face destruction!
18 Why, though, can Twcrs of God's Kingdom feel so
confident of divine protection? Explains Isaiah: "jehwoh
is our judge, lehovcrh is our Stotvtegives, jehowh is our
King; he himself will saw us." (baitrh 33:22) Jehovah accepts the responsil~ilityof prcltrctlrrg and directing his
people, who recognize 111s posll ion as Suprc~ncSovereign.
These willingly stil~rnltto his rule through his Messianic
King, recognlzlng that Jehovah has thc authority not only
to make lam but also to enforce thcrn. Flowever, because
Jehovah Is a I m r of righteousness and justice, his mle,
through his Son, is not a, burden to his wonhiprs. Rather, they 'benefit themselves' Iv submitting to his authority. (Isaiah 48;17) I le wiIl newr ahnndon his loyal ones.
--Psalm 3728.

Isaiah tells enemies of lchovah'q Faithful people: "Your

ropes must hang loose; their mast they will not hold firmly
erecl; they have not spread a sail. At that time even spoil
18. Whar responstblllty docs Jrhovah accept7
19. flow does I3al;th dchcrlbc tlic It~effrrlivencrsof enerntcs nf Jeh-

vah's faithful people?

in nbundame will have & k divided up; the lame ones

tfiemseltes wrfl &aI& mke a blg @underIM(Isaiah33:23)
Any appmadhq enemy will prow to be as ineffectve and
Mpless @mt Jehovahas a warship wlth loose rlgghg, a
wobbhg mast, and no d l . The destrudon of God's en&
mles will result in so much spoil that even disabled ones
will share in taking plunder. We can therefore be con&
dent that through the King Jents Qlrist, Jehrwah WIN tr1umph over hfs enemiesin the coming "great tribulation."

-Rewhtion 724.
20 Thls section of Edah's prophecy candudes with a
hmbvardng prom%- "No mident will
'1 am M,'
T h e p e o p k t h a f r w e ~ n g hhelrrndwillbethosepardo#d h r th& m ~(Isdiafi
" 33:24) The sickness that haMIsp& ofls primarily s@rItud,for It 1s m n n d with
sin, or "error," In the fmtappllcation of these words, jehovah promises that after t W ~Iem
from Babylonian captivfty, th@nation wlll be hded sp~tual1y.(Isaiah 35:5,6;
Jeremiah 5316; compare Psalm 1031-5,)Having been forgWn fart b i r f o m s i m , the mrniragJepvs will =stabk hpwe worship inJexwdem.
21 Howevm, I s i a W s prophecy has a modem fulfillment.
Jebwahspeople today have also enjoyed a spiritual healing. Tbey have been M e d frorrm such false teachings
m the immmtaliitp of the soul, the Trinity, and hellfire.
They receive moral gukkm, freeing them from immoral
20. W's psopie wU1 qmimce what klnd of Ileal& and when?
21. h what
do Jehovah'swonhfIwrs taday experience rplrltual Wlng?

Thanks to the mnsom sacdffce,

Jehovah'speopie A m o ckun stunding bdbm him

praetas and helping them to mak god dedrlons. And

thankstutheransomsacrlficeofJesusCMst,theyhma
clean standing -re
God and enlay a clan conscience
{Crr1@~iam
1:13,14; 1PeSer 824; 1John 4:lO) 'I?
spiritu&
al heabg has physical knefits. For example,miding immoral
and the use of bbacco p r o m pChisttm @nst sexually transmitted d k w s and cextaln
Iorms of cancer-1 Corinthians 6:18; 2 Corinthians 7:1.
22 Morewa, there wlll be a grander ~ ~ 1 r n
of m
the ~
wads of Wah 3324 after Armageddon, In W's new
wodd. Under the m1mWp of the M e d d c Kingdom,
humans will expdenm a peat phplcal healing along
with &efr Wttd h*.
( R ~ & t t ~ n214 4) Shortly
the &stman of Satan's system of
mhades &those thatJesus Wrmed whUe on earth will no
dauW take place on a global scale. The blind will see,the
deaf will hearJthe lame wlll w&! (Ism35:5,6) This will
qllm ;illsurvtvors of the gmt trlbulaUon to share In the
grand work of bringhg the earth to a pmadsalc condtan.
a Later, when the resumdon begins, tho% coming
bscktoUfemlllnodoubt be&withgoodhealthBut
as the value of the m m s a d c e is applied ta an increasing extent, more p
wW
t
s wlll m e , until
~is~tu~on.Tben,rlghbeousonesw
"comem ItfewIn the fullest sense, (Revelation %5,6) At
fiat Ume, in lwth a spMrual and a physical way, "Nomident will say 'Iam sick! ,,What an aCltIng promise! May
all lme wrshipers Way resalve to be mong thme who
w i l l ertperknm fulfilment!

22, 23. W What g r ~ MIiIlment

d
w l l huab 3324 hrwe in the future? (b) What Is the molw of true worshipers tdv?

- -

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
- -.

-I

Jehovah Pours Out Indignation

Upon the Nations

1
I

JEHOVAH GOD is patlent not only with his faithful scrvailtr but alsq when his purpwc warrants It, wlth hls enemies. (1Peter 319, 20; 2 Peter 3:15) Jc2hovnh's i~dvc*rsarirs
may not appreciate his patience and may vlmv Il as an inahllity ar an unwillingness to act, Stlll, ns thc 34th chap
kr of Isaiah shows,in the end Jehovah always demands ;in
accounting from his enemies. (Zephaniah 3 8 ) For a while,
God permitted Edom and other nations tu opposc his pet>
ple without hindrmm. But Jchwvah had his own due ti me
for retribution. (Deuteronomy 3235) Slmllarly, in hls appointed time, Jehovah will express hls vclngeailcc iiptsn all
clements nf the present wicked world thar dcly his sovcrcign ty.
2 'me primary purpose of Cod's cxecu(lngvengeance Is to
demonstrate his sovereignty and glclri* his nilme. (I'salrn
83:13-18] His retribution also vindicates his servnnk a5 heing truly h i s representatives and dulivcrs them from undcsirahle circumstances. Morctwcr, Jchovah'c; rrengeanceis always In f ~ l harmony
l
with his justice.-I1ssatm 58:10, 1l.
.3

Pay Attention, You Natiuns

Before focusing attention on retribution agalnrt Edom,

1, 2. (a) Rrgarding Jehovah's v~ngeance,of what can wc4ht* crrt:~lri?

(hl What doer God acco~nplislily rxccr~tlngZ~CII~~L',ITIC'L'~
3. What invitatiun does Jchwah through I<aloll cutctlt! to thr txr1 ion<?

Jehovah through Isaiah extends n solemn invltatlon to f1

nations: "Come up close, you nations, fo heor; and p u national groups, p y attention. Let the eurth and that which
fills it listen, the pmdactive land and all itr produce." (Isaiah 34: 1 ) Thc prophet hnr w~~catectlp
spokcn against ungodly nattons. Now l ~ is
e ahnut ta sttrnmi~rizcthe divine
denunciations against them. Ilo these warnings have any
meaning for our clay?
4 Yes. The Sovcre1gn of thc unlwrse has a controversy
with all segments of thir urlgodly systcm of things, 'l'hat
i s why the "national groups" i~nd" t h ~carth" are callled
upon to hear the 1Ublc-1~1sedmenage that Jehwah has
caused to he proclaimed wr~rlrlwitle.In language reminiscent of Psalm 241, Isaiah 5ayr thnl all thc carth will be
covered with this message-a pmphu~ythat has come true
in our time, when Jehovah's Wltnes~cspreach "to the
most distant part at t hc c?art.h."(Ads 1:8) 'l'he nations,
however, h a w not listened, They havc not tnkcn sexiously the warnlng aboul Ihclr forrhcoming clemlre. This, of
course, will not prcvcnt Jehovah from f~ilfilllnl:his ward.
5 The praphe~ynow descrtl~csthc dark outlook for ungoclly nations-a cnmplctc mnrraqt to the hrlght hope of
God's people that IF descrlhrrl later, (Isaiah 35:l-10) The
prophet states: "jehovuh has indignotion against o/l the
nations, and rage against all their army. He must devote
them to destruction; he must give them to the stuughter.
And their slain ones will be thrown out; and as for their
carcasses, their stink will ascend; and the mountafns must
melt because of their blood."-lsaiah 342, 3,

4. (a) What are thc natiims callctl upon In do, as wcosclcd at Isaiah
34:1? (b) Does jclinvnll'r rx[?re\(lnn of ]ucl#~nrnton tllc nation5
prove that he 15 a crud (roti?(See I ~ t oa n ~ l i l ~363.)
c
5, 6. (a) For what arr lhp r~atirtn\r,~llrtltdi . ~ ~ t n u rhv
i t God? (h) t lorv
i5 it m e that "thc mouritaliis milst tnrll lr~cnawof thcir tllmd"?

Iseiahk hphtty-Light. pr AA Mankind I

6 Attation is d r m to the bioudguilt of the nauons.

Today the nations of Chriskndorn have the most bloodguilt of dl,In twr, world wan and in m y smaller conf l i c t ~they
~ have soaked the earth with human blood.
Who should rightly d m m d justice h r all this bJoodguilt?
None other tkm the Creator, the gat W i v e r . (Psalm
969)Jehovah's law has set the standard: 'You must give
soul far soul." ( k ~ d u W:23-25;
s
Gr;eni~94-6) TIUE to
this lm, he will cause the bIood af the nations
flow
-to their death. The stench of their unburied, dead badips will fill the &-a buly h r n & u l death1 ( J e w 25:
33) The blood asked 4&&in &payment will l
x enough to
melt, or dissolve, as it were4the mountains. (Zephaniah 1:
17) With tlw complete damctlan of their military- forces,
the w r I 0 nationsd l see the fall of their governments,
wMch in3lleprophq are sometima pictured as mountains.-DanfeI 2:35,44,45; i ; n
129.
7 Again employing vlvLd imagery, Isaiah goes on to sy:
#All those of the army of the heawns must rot awv. And
the heavens rnwt be rolled upp@t lik a b m k $wIb and
their aany will all sh&el away,jusf a5 the 1-e
shdds
off the vine and like a shrided fg aff the fig W."(1st~iah 34:rl) The expression 'blI those of the army of the
heawnfl does not mean the lfte~d
stars and planets. Verses 5 arid 6 speak of a s w d of emtion king dmched
with Mwd in those "heayefls.''Hence, thh must be a qmlsal of something In the human realm. [l Co&Wans 15:
50) &cause of their loftfnes I superior authorities, the
gmernmnts of mankind are likened to h e a m d i n g
wa earthly human sodety, (Romans 13:1-41So the army
of the heaven? represents the combined armies of t h e
gawmmerrts of rnankhd,
7. What are 4he h w m , "aad what 4 "thearmy of the heavensf'T

Christendam has SWM

the eorth with blood

'

"I'

-.

F d k W P a m Out hrd&hation Upon tha Nnti~ns

gymmmmts must come

page of their

thdr end. ReacNng the final

m,they must be brought bo their W h

at Arm;rgeddanTh& hpmsbImklng ' d dn3IlhtJl

~ m a s w i t h ~ l ~ ~ o f f a g r a ~ m
f&'dropsoffafigtree.Th&thlewJLt.be~~
iW&ifion 6:1214.

m e hemns must be mHed up, just llke a book scroll"

a Thjs
win *rot away," molder, lik mmething
prishable. @ a h I W 5 ;is&h 51:6) 'R, the naked eye,

the Wal hawem

us appear c
u
mIik an andent
t m k m l l , t h e w r i ~ o f ~ w on
~ theinn ~ y
ner side, Weri themterlnrl written on the infiner side of a
scrollhas pwdb b the ey& of the nak, the finished
-1
is mltd up md put awayI,S-rly,
&the
must be rolled up, just Uke a book scroll,"in that human

~~

I.Huw do the w b U c hewm prow to be "jut Uh a l m k aaoll,"

md what happens m thdr 'armies'?

A Day of Retrlbutton
Naw the prophecy singles out a nation that exis% W
Isaiah's day-Mom. The E'domlWare descendants of E m
(Ekbm), who sold his bWMght to hifi W n,-b
Jacob,
b r W and lentil stew. (Genesis 25:24-34) Beanw Jamb
supplanted hlm h the birthrlght, Emu beam@Wedwith
hatcdforhisbmther. Lslter thenatlonof Edornandthe
nation of hael
mmlh, ~WIthwgh they descended
win m.mr this -9
agaimt
God's people, Edam has trxc11tEdthe wrath of
who naw s a p : Vn the h m n s my stlrord wlll c ~ & I n &
Iw d~enchd.h k l Upon Edom It will datent$ a d upon
tttep p I e devoted by ms ib deswdbn k jwtke. jehawh
haru~ltm~~tb8nnQdwi~M;'ICm~be
pmywinhtheApt wfththtrblaodufyoungmmsudh
gsats, wi& t f r e h t o f & e M n e y s o f r w r w . F $ r ~ h h a r
asadkein Bamrh, and ugmtsh@Wngin flrehd
of EdmnA4ahh34:S,b.

9-$,a) What is the gr4gln of B d m , find whnt relationship dewdoped

betwmb#el a d M ' l {b)Whatdoclibhawah b W ~ 3 n - b

W*n?
10. (a) Whom dDeS Jehwah bd tiown when he *Ids hfp sword
% does Edom display when J u M
@intnre havwrsn? (b) What

ts M by *Ion?

Iehowh hun Our tndtgmtlan Upom the NalJons

An Angry God?
Expressionssuch as those found at Isaiah 342-7 have
moved many to thhk that jahomh, as descrlbed In the
Hebrew Sdptures, is a crud, wrathful Gad, Is that so?

No. While God does at ~ r n e expms

s
his anger, such
anger is always justitid. It is always based on prlndple, not on uncontrolled emotion. Momwer, it is aC
ways dictated by the Creator's right to receive exclusive
devotion and his comtancy in upholding truth, Dlvlns
anger Is gwerned bath by God's tow of rlghteousn&a
and ty fils love %r those pmctldng dghteausners.lehovah sees all the issues invoid In a matter and has complete, unlimited knowledge of a situation. (Hebrews 4:
13) He reads the hearc he notes the degree of Ignorance, negligence, or wilhl sin; and he acts with impartlaliv.-Deutemnomymy 1017,18; 1 SamuJ 16:7; Acts
10:34,35.

However, JehovahGad ts "slow ta anger and ahndant in Iwlng-klmlnes." (Exodus 34:6) Those who b r
him and striw to work righteousness receive mercy, for
the Almlghty recognizes man's Inherited lmperfectlon
and shows mercy to him on th9 account, Today C d
does thh on the basis of Jesus' sacrifice, (Psalm 103:
13,141 At the proper t h e , Jehovah'sanger is r e m d
from those who a&nowledga their sln, repent, and truly serve him. (Isaiah 12:l) Fundamentally, jehwah Is
not an angry Cod but a happy God, not umpproadable but welcoming, peaeable, and calm bowad those
who properly approach him. (1 Tlrndhy 1:11) Thls Is R
sharp conhst to the merciless, cruel c h a r a ~ ~ t la
rss
c r l M to the false p i s of the pagans and portrayed in
images of those g&sS

364

Isnlalt's P'ropllecy-l,iylrt

011A l l MutrklfftI i

running for their lives and hands them over to the Rabylonians. (Obadiah 11-14) The Edornites plan to take ovcr thc
abandoned country of the Israelites, and they speak hnastfi11Iyagainst fehavah.-Ei!e!ae135:10-I5.
11 Dws Jehovah overlook t h i s unbrorhcdy conduct on
the part of the Edornites? No. Rather, he foretells of
Edorn: T h e wild bufls must come down with them, and
young bufis with the powrfuI ones; and their land must
be drenched with blood, and their very dust wlll be made
greasy with the fot" (Isaiah 34:J) Jehovah spcaks OF the
greater ones and the lesser ones in (he nation as symboIic
wild bulls and young bulls, as young rams and he-goate.
The land of this bloodguilty nation must he drenchcd
with the people's OMTI blood by means of thc cxccullonal
"sword" of Jehovah.
12 God purposes to punish Edom for what has maliciously been done to His earthly organization, called Zion. Says
the prophecy: "jehovah has a day of vengeance, a year of
retributions for the legal case over Zion." (Isaiah 34:8) Not
long after the destruction of Jerusalem in 607 R.C.B,,
Jchovah begins to express his righteous vengeieance upon the
Erlornites by means of the king of Babylon, Nebt~chadnczmr. (Jeremiah 2S:lS-17,21) When Dahylon's armics move
against F&rn, nohng can save the Edornites! It is "a year
of retributions" upon that mountainous land. Jehwah
11. Plow will Jehovah repay the Edornites for thclr tsfachernu~cnnduct?
12. ( a ) Whom clmlehmah use to bring p~nishmentupon F~lnrn?
Cb) What dm$the pophet Obadiah forelell rcganling II
^

Iorc tclls through the prophct Obadiah: "Because of the violence tu your hrnthcr Jacob, shame will cover you, and
ymr wlll have to bc cl~toff to tlme indefinite. . . . In the
way that you have danc, i l wi I l he done tn you. Your sort
of treatment wltl rcturn upor1 your own tread,"-Obadiah
10, 15; E:+~cklclZS:F2-14.

Chtistendnrn's Bleak Future

11 In modcrn lirncs, there exists an oqyaniration with a
rccorcl lik that sf Irdom. What organiziition? Well, who
in moclerrl times has taken the lead in miling and pene
cut in^ Jchnvnh'sservants? I.lar it no1 bcen Christendom,
throuqh its clergy class? Ycs! Christendom has elevated
hrrsclf to mountalnll kc l~cjghtsin the aRairs of this world.
S hc claim3 a lofiy positioll in mankind's sysWrn of things,
and l ~ c r~ligio~ls
r
form the dominant part of Babylon the
Grcat. Hut Jehovah has clccrccd "a year of rctribution~''
against tlils rnoclcrn-day I!dom for outrageous misconduct
towaiodHis people, I-lls Wllncsscs.
I
I

14 'hcrcfore, as we considcr the rest of this part of Isalah's prophecy, we think not only of anclent Edom but

--

13, Who totlay Is Hke Pdnrn, and why?

1-1, 15. (a) Wlrat wlll happen both tu the land of Edam and to Chrtstcnrlorn:t (17) What d c ~thr rcfc~nccstn hurnlng pitch and Indefinitety Iwllng ~ m n mean,
k
aitct what tln they not nlcan?

366

Isaiah's IWphfcy-Ll,rh t fir All Munkind I

also of Christendom: "Her torrents must be changed into

pitch, and her dust into sulphur; rrnd her land must become as burning pifcff.By night or by day it will no t be extlnguished; lo time indefinite Its smoke will keep ascendIng," (Isaiah 349, 100) The land of Edom becomes so
parched that it is as if the dust were sulfur and the torrent
valleys were filled, not with water, but wlth pitch. Then
tl~csehighly combustible substances are set afire!-Cornpare Rwelation 17:16.
1.5 Some haw viewed the mention

fur

of fire, pitch, and sul-

as evidence of the existence of a burnlng hell. But

Mom is not hurled into some mythical hellfire to burn

forever. Rather, it is destroyed, disappearing from the
world scene a if totally consumed wlth fire and sulfur. As
the prophecy goes on to show, the final result is, not everlasting torment, but "emptiness . . wasteness . noth1ng.l (Isaiah 3411, 12) The smoke 'nscertdlng ta time indefinite' vividIy flustrates this. When a house burns
dowt~,smoke keeps coming from the ashes for some time
after the flames have died down, pmviding onlookers
with evidence that there has been a conflagration. Since
Christians today are learning lessons fmm thc destruction
of Mom, the smoke of Edorn's burning is still, in a sense,
ascendt ng.
16 Isaiah's prophecy continues, fowklllng that Elom's
human population wlll be replaced by wlld animals, implying a corning desolation: "Fmm generution fo generation she will be parched; f o m and ever no one will
be passing across her. And the pelican and the porcupine
must take p o ~ s i o nof her, and long-eared owls and ravens themselves will reside In her; and he must stretch out
-

..

16, 17, What will Morn become, and how long will It continue in
such a state?

over her the measuring line of emptiness and the rtanes

of wsleness. Her nobles-there are none them whom key
d l / call to the kingship itself, and her very princes wil!
ail became nothing. On her dwelling towers thorns must
come up, nettles and thorny weeds in her fortified places;
and she must become on abiding place of jackals, the
courtyard for the ostriches. And haunterr of warerless regions must meet up with howling animals, and e m the
gont-shaped demon will colt Ca it4 compmion. Yes, there
the nightjor will cerCainIy take ib ease ond find far IBelf cr
resting-place, There the arrow snake has made Its nest and
lays eggs, "-lsoioh 34: lob-75.'
17 Ycs, Edom will become an empty land. It wlll become
a waslcland with only wild beasts, birds, and snakes in it.
'This parched state of the land will continue, as verse 10
says, "forrzwr and wer." There will be no restoratron.
-0badfah 18.

Sure Fulfillment of Jehovah's Word

1fi What a hopeless future this foreshadows far that
madern-day equivalent of Mom, Chr!stcntloml She has
provcrl herself to be a bitter enemy of Jehovah God, whose
Witner;sesshe viciously pesecutcs. Anri there is no doubt
that Jehovah will Fulfill his word. Whenevcr anyone cornpares the prophecy with the fuifillment, the two will be
found to colncide-just as surely as Fhc creatures that Inhabit the desolated Edom each 'have tl~cirown mate.'
" By Molachi7stime, this prophecy had been fulfilled. (Malachi 1:3)
M411i~chlr c p r t s that Edornjtes hoped to rcposcen thclr desolated
larlrl. (Malachl 1:4) However, this was not Jel~ovilli'swlll, and later anathcr pcoplc, the Nahataeans, took passcrsinn nl what l ~ a rheen
l
the
lattct ol Erlnrn.

18, 19. What Is 'Ithe book of Jehovah," and wliat Is rrscrved for
I:hrirtcntlom Irr this "book"?

w
368

-.-

I,rfliuh's Prophecy-Lixlrt for All Mcifiklrrrl I

Isaiah addresses future students of Bible prophecy, saying:

"Search for youpselves in the book of lehowh and read out
loud: nut one has been missing o f them; rhey octua//y do
not fail to have wch orre her mate, for it is the mouth of jehovoh that has given the commond, ond it is his spirit that
has coliected them together. And it is He that itrrs cost far
them the lot ond his own hand hos apportioned the place
to them by the measuring tine. To time indefinite they will
take possession of it; for genemtion after generution they
will resjde in it"--Isaiah 34: 76, TZ

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

19 The impending destruction of Christendom has; Imn

foretold in "the book ofJehovah.'' This "hookufgehwah"
details the accounts that Jehovah will settle with those
who are his implacable enemies and who ate unrepentant
oppressors of his people. What was written concerning
ancient Edom came true, and this strengthens our confidence that the prophecy as applying to Christenrlom, the
modern-day parallel of Mom, will likewise come t-suo.
"The measuring line," Jehrrvah'r; rule of action, guarantees
that tlus spiritually rnoribunrl organization wlll beconw a
desolate wasteland.

20 Christendom does dI she can to pacify her polltlcaI friends, but to no avail! According to Revelation chapters 17 and 18, Almighty God, Jehovah, will pitt It Into
their hearts to act against all of Babylon the Great, Including Christmdom. This wilI rid the whole earth of Fake
Christianity. Christendom's situation will become I i k t the
bleak condition dercribd in M a h chapter 34. Shc will
not even be on hand during the all-decisiw "war of the
p a t day of God the Almighty" ! (Revelation 16:14) Like
ancient Edom, Christendom will be totally cleared from
the surface of the earth, "forever and wcrr."

20. Like andent Edorn, Christendom will experience whal?

Paradise Restored!
"THEnostalgia for paradisc is among the powerful nostalgins that seem to haunt human beings. It may be the most
~mwesluland pcrslstcnt of all. A certain longing for par
i~ctiseis wiclenced at every 1~wl
of relipjou~life." So says
Tlrr EncyslopcIio of Rclgion, Such nostalgia is only natural, since the Iiihle tells us that l~urnanlife began in Paradlw-a beat~tlfulgarden free of dis~aseand death. (Genesis
28-15) It is not surprising that many of the world's reEgions lrold out the l l o ~ of
~ efuture life in a paradise of one
klnd or another.
2 In many parts of the Bible, we can read of the true
hope of thc futtire 17aradisc.(Isaiah 51:3) Por example, the
part of lsalah's prophccy recorded In chapter 35 describes
t l ~ cWanslbrmatlon of wilderness regions Inh gardenlike
parks and Iruitriil fields, '['he bllnd gain sight, the mute
can speak, and the deal can hear. [nthis promised Paradise, there is no grief or sighing, which implies that wen
death is no more. What a wonderful promise! How should
thcsc worcts be understood? Do they hold out hope for us
tc~day?A consEderalion of this chapter of Isaiah will prr,
vicle the answers to these qumtions.
3

A Desolate Land Rejoices

Isaiah's Inspired prophecy of Paradise restored h e n s

1, Why do manyrrllglons hold out thc hopeof life In a paradise?

2. Whcn. can wc find the trite hope of future Paradise?
3 . Accnrdlnp, to Iralah's prophecy, what h~nrformatbnwill the land
~~ndcr~o:p

Parudlse l?esfurcd/

371

with these wards: '7he w l i h e s r and the w a t e k regh

wlll emrlt)and the desertplaln will be)oyfuI and blossom atr
fhssdhn. W i t h o u t h i l I t w l l l W m , m d H w i l l d ~ b e
m
I wrth /oyorrwress and.with g M aylw wt 7k gCory

ofLebranoniMmusCbegkntoIZ ?heJprendwdtcmrmel

~dShm.Thtrewlllkthosswho~Hs~bhe~oryo
the splendor of olrr Cod."-&ahh 35: I, 2.
4 Isaiah w r l b these words about the year 732 B.CH
Some 125 pars later, the Babylonians destroy Jerusalem
and the people of Judah are sent Into exile. Their homeland ls left uninhabited,desolated. (2 KIngs 25:811,21-26)
In this way Jehovah's warnlng that the pople of hael
would go Inb exile if they pmml unfaithful Is ful6Iled.
(Deutemnomy 28.15,36,37; 1 Klngs 9:6-8)When the Hebrew natlon becomes captive In a foreign h d , their wellIrrigated fields and orchards are left unattended fur
70 p a r s and become I l k a wUdemess.-Batah 6410;Jee
miah 423-27; 9:10-12.
s However, Isalah's prophecy foreteUs that the land WI
not lie desolate forms. It will be restored to a writable p r adhe. #The glory of LebanonNand #the ~ p h d of
~ Carr
met and of Shuon" w U be given to it? How?U p fheir
return from a e , the Jews are agah able to cultiate and
Irrigatetheir fields, and their land returns to the rich fruitfulneis that It had before. For thls, mdit can go only to
j&&,

'The Wpturer de;ralbe andent Lebanon as a fruiW land with

luxuriant foreatr and malestlc cedars, comparable to the Ga&n of

Edeh (Psalm 29:s; 72: 16; Ezekiel 28:ll-13) Sharon was known for its
streams and oak fore&; h e 1 was famous for I t s vineyards, orchards, and flowerslopes.

4. When and h m dow the Jew' homeland take on the appearme

of a wlldernal?
5. (a) How are paradlsellke condltfons restored to the land? (b) In
what sense do people "see the glory of Jehovah"?

372

Piiradise Restored!

Isaiah's I'ropla~cy-Light for All Mankind I

Jehovah. It is by his will and with his support and blessing that the Jews get to enjoy such paradiselike conditions.
People are able to see "the gIory of Jehovah, the splendor
of [their] God" when they acknowledgeJehovah's hand in
the amazing bansformation of their land.
6 Nwertheless, in the restorcd land of Israel, there is a
more important fulfillment of Isaiah's words. In a spiriha1 sense, Israel has been in a dry, desertlike state for many
years, W h l e the exiles were in Rabylon, pure worship
was severely restricted. There was no temple, n o altar, and
no organized priesthood. Daily sacrifices were suspended.
Now, Isaiah prophesies a reversal. Under the leadership of
such men as Zerubbabel, Era, and Nehemiah, representatives from all 12 tribes of Israel return to Jerusalem, rebuild the temple, and worship Jehovah freely. ( E m 21, 2)
This is indeed a spiritual paradise!

Aglow With the Spirit

7 The words of Isaiah chapter 35 have a ring of joy.
The prophet is proclaiming a bright iuture or the repentant nation. Indeed, he speaks with conviction and optimism. Two centuries later, at the threshold sf their
restoration, exiled Jews need the same conviction and
optimism. Through Isaiah, Jehavah prophetically exhorts
them: "Strengthen the weak hands, you people, and make
the knees that are wobbling firm. Say to those who are
anxious at heart. 'Be strong. Do not be afraid. Look! Your
own Cod will come with vengeance ifself, Cod even with
a repayment. He himself will come and save you people.'"
-Isaiah 353,4.
8 The end of the long exile is a time for action. King Q6 What important Iurfillment of Isaiah's words is seen?
7, 8. Why dn the Jewish exiles need a positive attitude, and how do
Isaiah's words provide encouragement?

rus of Persia, the instrument of Jehovah's vengeance

against Babylon, has proclaimed that Jehovah's worship is
to be restored in Jerusalem. (2 Chronicles 36:22,23)Thousands of Hebrew families need to get organized in order to make the huardous trip from Babylon to Jerusalem.
When they arrive there, they will have to erect adequate
living facilities and prepare ht the rnonurner~taltask of rebuilding the temple and the city For some Jew in Babylon, all of this may yeem daunting. However, it is no time
to be weak or apprehensive. The Jews aTe to shengthen
one another and have confidence in Jehovah. He assures
them that they will be saved.
9 Those released from captivity in Babylon will have
good reason to rejoice, for a grand future awaits them
9 . What grand promise is held out to rmlrning Jews?

Baiak's Prophecy-Light

374

@I

AII Mankind J

upon their return to Jerusalem. Isaiah forelells: "At that

time the eyes af &e bflnd ones will be opened, and the very
e m af the deaf mes will he unstopped. At that t h e the
/ d mone w'il dimb up just as e stug does, and the torlgue
of the speeehka an&will cry out In ghdnes~.~-Isaiah
35:5,6a.
I.0Jehovah wldtntly

has in mind the spiritual condition

of his ptmpke. They have been punished with 70 years df

for their wliee apostasy. Wll, in administering his

discipline, Jehovah did not strike his people with blindness, deafness, lamenas, md muteness. Hence, restoring
the nation of Israel does not require the healing of
physical dhabilitia.Jehovah restores that which was lost,
namely, spitihral health.
11 Repentant Jew$ are healed in that tMy regain their
spiritual senses-their Spiritual *an and their nbiify to
hear, obey, and speak Jehovah'sword. They kcme aware
of tlleir need to stay close to Jehwah. By their %e canduct, they "cry out* in joyfulpaise of their God. The farmer@"lame one* k a m e s eager and enermc inhis wolship of Jehovah.Figuraave'I~he wII "clrmb up just as a
Wlk

stag d m . "

J&oVah Refreshes His People

12 It is difficult to imagine a pmdisc without water. The
orignal Paradii in E$en had an abundance of water.
[Gemis 2:10-14) The land gwen to Israelwas alsb "a land
of torrent valleys of water, springs and watery deeps issuing fasth." (Deuteronmy 89)App~opriat)t, then, Isaiah makes this refreshing promise: "In the wilderness MIQ,
10, 11.
Eturnhg Jews7why must Isaiah's words have a spirlual
meaning, and what do they imply?
12. TQwhat extent wiII Jehovah bles? the land with water?

have burst out, and torrents in the desertplain.

&r$
And the heat-parched ground will have become as a reedy
pod, and the thirrty ground as qwkigs of water. irt the
abiding place ofjackals, a resting-@ace for them, there will
be green gross with reeds abd papyrus plants, (Ispiah 35:
bb, 7) When the Israelites again care far the land,the desolate a m where )adds once roamed will be covered with
verdant, luxuriant vegetadon. D y and dusty ground will
be Imnsforrn~dinto "a !mampy place"where papyrus and
ather aquatic mds can @m.-Job 8:11.
13 More iqoftaot, though, is the spiritual water ~f
truth, which the repatriated Jews will enjoy in Amdance. Jehovah will provide knowledge, enmuragement,
and comfort through his Word. Moreover, faithful older
men and princes will be 'like stream of water in a waterless country." p$aiah321,Z)Those who prom* p u e
13. What &undqnt spiritual water will be milable to the ~ s w d
nation?

F
376

isainh's Prophecy-Light for AII Mankind I

Paradise Restored!

worship, such as Ezra, Haggai, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Zechariah, Zerubbabel, will indeed be living testimony to the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy.--Ezra 5:1,2; 7:6,10; Nehemiah 1247.

"The Way of Holiness"

14 Before the exiled Jews can enjoy such physical and
spiritual paradsaic conditions, however, they will have to
make the long and hazardous journey from Babylon to Jerusalem. Taking a direct route would mean crossing some
500 miles of arid, inhospitable terrain. A less-challengmg
route would involve travding 1,000 miles. Either journey
would mean spending months exposed to the elements
and in danger of meeting both wild beasts and beastlik~
men. Still, those who believe Isaiah's prophecy are not
overly concerned. Why?
15 Through Isaiah, Jehovah promises: "mere will certainly come to be a highway there, wen a way; and the Way
of Holiness it will be called. The unclean one will not pass
over it. And it will be for the one walkjng on the way,
and na foolish ones will wander about on it. No lion will
prove to be there, and the rapacious sort of wild beasts
will not come up on it None will be found there; and the
repurchased ones must walk there." (Isaiah 35:8,9) Jehovah has reclaimed his people! They are his "repurchased
onesI1handhe guarantees them safe conduct on their way
home. Is there a Literal paved, elevated, and fenced-in road
from Babylon to Jerusalem? No, but Jehovah's protection
of his people on their journey is so sure that it is as if they
were on such a highway.-Compare Psalm 91:1-16.

14. Describe travel between Babylon and Jerusalem.

15, 16. (a) What protection does Jehovah provide fox faithful Jews
on their journey home? (b) In what o t h e ~sense does Jehovah pm-

vide a safe hlghway for the Jews?

16 The Jews are also protected from spiritual dangers. The

figurative highway is "the Way of Holiness." Those who
disrespect sacred things or are spiritually unclean are not
qualified to travel on it. They are not wanted in the restored land.Approved ones are rightly motivated. They are
not returning to Judah and Jerusalem in a spirit of national pride or in pursuit of personal interests. Spirituallyminded Jews realize that the principal reason for their return is to reestablish the pure worship of Jehovah in that
land.-Ezra 1 :13.

Jehovah's People Rejoice

17 Chapter 35 of Isaiah's prophecy ends on a joyful note:
"me very ones redeemed by Jehovah will return and certainly come to Zion with a joyful c y and rejoicing to time
indefinite will be upon their head. To exultation and rejoicing they will atbin?and grief and sighing must flee away."
(Isaiah 35: 10) The captive Jews who have looked to this
prophecy for comfort and hope during their exile may

have wondered how its various details would be fulfilled.

Likely they have not understood many aspects of the
prophecy. Stdl, it has been crystal clear that they would
"return and certainly come to Zion."
18 Hence, in the year 537 B.C.E., some 50,000men {including more than 7,000 slaves and temple singers) along
with women and children make the four-month journey
back to Jerusalem, with full confidence in Jehovah. (Ezra
254, 65) Just a few months later, Jehovah's altar is rebuilt, setting the stage for a full reconstruction of the temple. The 200-year-old prophecy of Isaiah is fulfiltcd. The
17. How has the prophecy of Isaiah comforted faithful Jews during
their long exile?
18. In what way is grief and sighing in Babylon replaced by cxultation and rejoicing in the restored land?

3
'i

heard the rick,

both spiritually and

je-s

I physically

II
'

naticm's grief and

stgtiulg while in &bylon t% replaced by
exultatIan and rejofdng In the ~ s t ~ r e d
lmd,Jehovah has fhiNed his promise. Parzidi&-hth literal md
5

wm
1 r
e-

5Md!

1s Of course, 1t'l the

sixth mmy &C.E,,
t& u & ~ H of
x ~Bit-

*&aper
35 iskip
ited The p d i s a i c qmdlthnn enjoyed by the repatriated
Jews do flat Iwt. h time1~ s ~ ~ r rteachings
t f s and at^
tionaIsm cmtminak pure W Q I S ~ I ~SpirltwIt~
~.
the Jews
again expaimce grida d ; s i g h .~
~ wiwts them as his people, @&itthew k1:43j &came of rem d dk~bedfmce,their ~ejafcing& not permanent All
of th4a p~inBto a hrthef, greater h d f ~ & ~of&~SMI

c h a p f a 35.
20 In Jehovah's-due time, aa3utha Imd, a spiritual 9%
came into exist-,
(Fdatiaus 8:W) J e w set the qgf?
19. Why must it b~ said that h&Ws pwpheq l
w only a limited
blfilLmt ia the a r b century B-GET?
20. WhatIsxaei~cameinto e-lllswnteIn the hnt mitq C.L?

for the birth of this new Israel during his earthly mini$try,He restored pure worship, and with his teachings, waters of teuth began to flow ante again. He heated the sick,
bath physically and spiritually. A joyful q went forth as
the good news of God's Kingdom was prodaimed. Swen weeks after his death and resurrection, the glorified Jesus established the Christian congregation, a spiritual Tsrad made up ofJews and okh'er-5 redeemed by Jesus' shed
blood, begmen as Gad's spiritual sons and brothers of Jesus, and m i n t e d by holy spirit.-Acts 2: 1-4; Romans 8: 16,
17; 1Peter 1:18,19.
21 When writing to the members of spiritual Israel, the
apostle Paul referred to the wards of Isaiah 3 5 3 by saying
"Straighten up the h a & that hang down and the enfeebIed knees." (Hebrews 1262) Evidently, then, in the first
century C,E., there was a fuIfillmentof the words of Isaiah
chapter 35.In a literal sense,Jesusand his disciple$rnifaculody gave sight to blind on= and hearing to deaf on&.
They enabled 'lame ones' to walk and speechIess ones to
regain their swch. (Matthew 9:32;11:s; Luke 109)Mare
important, righthearted ones escaped from false religion
and came tia enj~y
a spiritual paradise within tire Christian
congregation. (Isaiah 5 2 1 1; 2 Corhthahs 6:17) As in the
these escapees
~case af the Jews ~returning from Babylon,
d
y
foundthat a positive, courageous splrit was e~5entml.-Romans 12:ll.
22 What af our day? Does the pr~pheeyof Isaiah have
another fulfillment, a more compIete one involving the
Christian congregation today? Yes. After the death of the
-

22. Regarding the first-century Christian congregation, what event5

fnay be viewed as a fulfillment:of certain features pf Isaiah's prop h-

eq?
22. How did sincere, truth-seeking Christiam in modern times come
inta Babylonjsh raptiviv?

380

Isfiiah's P r n p / ~ c c y - l . i , ~ Pjr
~ ~ tAll M c ~ ~ / k l1t ~ d

apostles, the number of true anointcd Chrlsttans greatly

diminished, and false Christians, 'wwds," flourished on
the world scene. (Matthew 1336-43;Acts 20:31F: 2 Pctcr 2:
1-3) Even when during the 19th century, sincere Individuals began to separate thernselvm lmln Christendom and
seek pure worship, their understanding rcrnnlned tainted with unscriptural teachings. In 1914, Jesus was cnthroned as Messianic King, lsut rnon thcrenft~r,thc situatlan looked bleak for thesc slncere truth seekers. In
fulfillment of prophecy, the nations 'made war with them
and conquered them,' and the attempts of these sincere
Christians to preach t h e good news were stifled. [n effect,
they went into Babylonjsh captivity.-Ilwtllatlon 1l:7,8.
23 In 1919, however, things cllanged. Jehwah brought
his people out of captivity. They b e ~ a ntn reject the klsc
teachings that had earlier corsuptcd I helr worship. As a rcsult, they enjoyed a healing, They came to he in I? spiritual
paradise, which even today continues to sprcad tlirnt~ghout the earth. In a spiritual sense, the hlind a r t learning to
see and the deaf, to hear-becornlng fiilly alert to the operation of God's hoIy spirit, constantly aware of the need
to stay close to Jehovah. (I Thwsalanlans 5:6; 2 Timothy
4:s) No tonger mute, true Christians arc eager to "cry out,"
declaring Bible truths lo othen. (Flornans 1 :15) Those who
were spirituallymak, or "lame," now display zeal and ioy.
Figuratively, they are able to "climb up lust as a stat: docs."
24 These restored Christians walk on "the Way of Hullness." This "Way," which leads nut of Ralylon the Grcat
into a spiritual paradise, i s open to all spirl Lually clean worshipers, (1 Peter 1:13-16) They can cu~intu n Jchmah for
protection and be confidertt that Satan will not stlcceed In
23, 24. FR whatway? haw Isatall's word? hrcn hITrllcrI among Ctui's

pcoplc since 1919T

'

his mimaIIstic attacks to elf mlnatc true worshlp. (L Peter

5:8) Disobcclient ones and any who hehave like rapacious
wild heasts are not allowed to corrupt those on Gacl's
highway of holines~(I Corlnthlans 5:Pl) Within this prm
tected envlronment, Jehovah's mlwmed ones-anointed
and "other sheep"-find joy in scrvlrr~the anly true God.
-John 10:16.
25 What of the filmre? Will lsalah's prophecy w e r be
fulfilled in a physical way'? Yes. T11r miraculous healings
by Jesus and his apostles In t l ~ cArst century demonstrated Jehovah's desire and ahlil ty to lxrform such healhgs
on a large scale in the future, The InspirccE Psalms speak
of everlasting life in peaceful conditions on earth. (Psalm
329, 11, 29) Jesus promisccl tile in I'ilrilrlice. (Luke 2343)
Down to its very last book, the Bible provides hope for a
literal paradise. At that time, the hllnd, the deaf, the lame,
and the speechless will hc healed pl~yslmllyand permanently. Grief and sighing wll l f l ~ caway. Rejoicing will indeed be to time Indcfinitc, cvcn forever.-Rcvclation 7 9 ,
16,17; 21:3, 4.
26 While true ChrbtLns awalt the rcstaration of the
physical earthly Paradlrc, m n now they enjoy the blessings of the splrittral paractbe. 'l'hey face trials and trib
ulations with optimism. With unwavering confidence in
JehovahIthey encourage one another, heeding the admonition: "Strengthen the weak hands, you people, and
make the kneer that are wobbling firm. Say to those who
are anxious at heart: 'Rc strong. i)o not he afraid.'" They
have complete trust I11 thc prophetic ~ S S U T ~ I ~ C"Look!
C:'
Your own God will comc with vnigeance Itsclf, God even
with a repayment. He hlmsclf will come and save you people."-Isaiah 35:.3, 4.

25. Will there he a phystcill Ikrlfitlrnrntof Isaiah chapter 35? Fxplain.

26. Hornbdo Isaiah% worrl%~lrcngtllrtlCl~rlqttanstoday?

A King's Faith Is Rewarded

Isaiah 36:l-398

HEZlXWI was 25 years old when he beam@king of Judah. What kind of nrlet would he be? Would he follow in t
k f m b k p s of his father, King Ahaz, and Induce
hfs subjects tr~follow after false gods? Or would he lead
the pwple in the worship of Jehovah, as did hls hrefather
King David?-2 Kings 16:2.
2 Soon a k H
M came to the throne, It became
clear that he fatended "to do what was dght In Jehe
vah's eyes." (2Kmp 1&2, 3) In his &st year, he ordered
Jehovah's temple repaired and temple servlces resumed.
(2 Chranicles 293,7,111Then he arganlaed a grand Passover debxatton ta which t h e entire nation was invited
-hdudtng the ten norttLern tribes of Israel. What an
uhrg@ttabk feast that was1 There had been none llke
it since the days of King Solomon.-2 Chronicles 38:
1, 25, 26.
3 At the conclusion of the Passover celebralion, those
in attendance ~ I E
m d to cut down the s a d pales,
break up the samd pillars, pull down the high plam
and the altars of their false gods, after which they rp
turned to their citia, deterdud to serve the true God.
1, 2. H m did Hezeklah ptove to be a better klng than Aha27
3. (a) What action was
by the lnhabimts of Israel and judah
who attendedthe Pasarranged by by~~zeHai17
{b) What do CM*
tlm today leamfrom the decblve action taken by those who attend-

ed that Passover?

King litweklrrh trusb In

Ithowh when ha face$ the
might of Assyrtu

(2 Cbronides 31:l) What

a contrast that was to
theh former nUglous attltudel True chrlstbm today rn learn from this
the Importance of 'not
forsaking the gatherhg
of themselves together.'

Such gatherings, whether

In local congregations ar on
a larger scale at assemblies and
conventions, play a vital role
in their wmMng enc~uragaent and bdng mwed by the brotherhood as -11 as by God's spirit to
"hateto low and fine works."-Heb~ews10:23-25.

-L-

Faith Put to the 'rest

4 Serious trlafs lie ahead for Je&em. HezeMah lzas bm
ken an alllance that hki faithless father, h,
conchrdd
with the Assyrians. He has even subdued the Philistha,
Wtao are allies of h y r h . (2 Kings 1&7, 8) This has anger& the Mng of AssyFia. Hence, we read: ultcameabout
In the -th
p r of King H m # a h t)pat %mwdm'b
the king o f h y d u tame up agulnst dl the
dti%r of

1, 5. (a) How has Hcmklah demonstrated bts L

a
m
brom
Aayda? (b) What milltary adon has Sennacherib taken against Judah, and what step doa Hcmklah t& ta m i d an Immdak aruult on Jerusalem?{c} How does HmUah pxepare to defend Jem-

mlem from the h!@alls?

A Kina's Faith fk m warded

Iu&h and pceeded b selre them." ( i d a h 36:1) Perhaps haptflg to protect Jerusalem from m W&k
satrlt by the dentless Assyrian armyI Hezeldah agrees tn
pay Smrmherlb an enornous tribute of 300 dmtalents
and 30gold talents.*-2 Hngs 18:14.
5 Since there is not enwgh gold and silver in the rqral treasury t~ pay the tribute, W emah retrieves what predou5 metals he can from the kmpte. He also cuts d m
the tanpie doors, which have been overlaid .dth goid,
and sends them to Sennscherib. This wtlsfia the Assyr3an,but s d y for a while. (2 Klngs 1&15,16) Evidently, HezeMah malks that the AssJrrlans wlll not leave Jerusdem
fom for Iong. T h d ~preparations
,
have to be made.
The people block up water soma that could supply water
to h m h g Assyrians. Hezeldah also sfrengthens the brbtfications of JwusaIem and builds an arsenal of weapons,
Muding "mtssilesin abundance and shields.*-2 Chranides 32:4,5.
6 However, He~lafahputs his trust, not in d m r war
mategla ox In br8fim~om,but ln Jehovah of a r m i ~ .
He ~
~ hls military
e chleb: 'sBe m u m p u s and
strong. Do not be a b i d nor be krrified because of the
ldngofAssyriaandonamuntofalithemmdtharis
withhim; brwithusthmare m o than
~ themare wlth
him. With b h therehian arm of flesh, but withusthm
is Jehovah our God to help w and to 6ght our battles."
B~~,mlveiy,
the people hgin
brace themselves upon
the mDds of Hezelcfah the ktng of Judith,"(2ChronEdes
327$f3]Visu&c the: exciting mnts that ~~ ntr chap
krs 36 to 39 of Isalatx's pmphcq are reviewed.

'Worth more than $9.5 mllllon IU.S.1 at current values.

6. In whom docs H u r W l put hll rmso

386

Isaiah's Prophecy-Liglrt for All Mankind I

Rabshakeh Presents His Case

7 Sennacherib dispatches Rabshakeh (a military title, not
a personal name) along with two other dignitaries to Jerusalem to demand the city's surrender. (2 Kings 18:17)
These are met outside the city wall by three of Hezekiah's
representatives, ELiakim the overseer of Hezekiah's household, Shebna the secretary, and Joah the son of Asaph the
recorder.-lsaiah 36:2,3.
8 Rabshakeh's aim is simple-convince Jerusalem to surrender without a fight. Speaking in Hebrew, he first cries
out: "What is this confidence in which you haw trusted?
In whom have you put trust, that you have rebelled
against me?" (Isaiah 36:4, 53 Then Rabshakeh taunt5 the
frightened Jews, reminding them that they are completely isolated. To whom can they turn for support? To that
"crushed reed," Egypt? (Isaiah 36x5) At this time, Egypt
does resemble a crushed reed; in fact, that former world
power has been temporarily conquered by Ethiopia, and
Egyptts present Pharaoh, King Tirhakah, is not an Egyptian but an Ethiopian. And he is about to be defeated by
Assyria. (2 h g s 19:8, 9) Since Egypt cannot save itself, it
will be of little help to Judak
9 Rabshakeh now argues that Jehovah will not fight for
His people because I-Je i s displeared with them. Rabshakeh
says: "In case you should say to me, 'It is jehovah our God
in whom we have trusted,' is he not the one whose high
places and whose altars Hezekiah has removed" (Isaiah 36.7) Of course, far from rejectingjehovah by tearing
down the high places and the altars in the land, the Jews
have actually returned to Jehovah.

...

7. Who i s Rabshakeh, and why is he sent t o Jerusalem?

8. How does Rabshakeh try to breakJerusalemlsresistance?
9. What evidently leads Rabshakeh to conclude that Jehovah would
forsake His people, but what are the facts?

i
1
1

A King's Faith Is Rewarded

10 Next Rabshakeh reminds the Jews that miIitarily they

are hopelessly outclassed. He issues this arrogant challenge: "ktme give you two thousand horses to see whether you are able, on your part, to put riders upon them."
(Isaiah 36:s)In reality, though, does it matter whether Judah's Wained cavalry are many or few? No, for Judah's salvation does not depend upon superior military strength.
Proverbs 21:31 explains matters this way: "The horse is
something prepared for the day of battle, but salvation belongs to Jehovah." Then Rabshakeh claims that Jehovah's
blessing is with the Assyrians, not the Jews. Otherwise, he
argues, the Assyrians could never haw penetrated so far
into Judah's territory.-Isaiah 36:9, 70.
11 Hezkiah'r representatives are concerned about the effect that Rabshakeh's arguments will have on the men
who can hear him from the top of the city wall. These Jewish officialr request: "Speak, please, to your servants in the
Syrian language, for we are listening; and do not speak to

us in the Jews' language in the earz of the people thar are

on the wall," (lstliuh 36:17) But Rabshakeh has no intention of speaking in the Syrian language. He wants to sow
seeds of doubt and fear in the ]em so that they will sur-

render and Jerusalem can be conquered without a fight!

(Isaiah 36:72) Hence the Assyrian speaks again in "the
Jews1language." He warns the inhabitants of JenrsaIem:
"Do not let Hezekiah deceive you people, for he is riot able
to deliver you." Following this, he tries to tempt those listening by painting a picture of life as it could be for the
Jews under Assyrian rule: "Make a capitulation to me and
10. Why does it not matter whether Judah's defenders are many or
few?
11, 12. (a) Why does Rabshakeh Insist on speaking in "the Jews'
language,"and how does he try to tempt the IisteningJews? (b) What
effect might Rabshakeh's worils have on the jews?

lunirrh'a Prophecy-Light fur All Maaklnd 1

come out ta me and eat each one frrun his own vine and
ecKh one fmrnhis own fig bee and ddnk e a d ~one the wu-

ter of his own cistern, until I came and cKtuaI& tuke you to
a Iand llke p u r own land, a h d o f w n und new wine,
rr land of bread and vineyar&. "4saluh 36: 13-17:
12 There will be no harvest fur the Jewsthis year-the Assyrian invasion has prevented them from plancraps.
The prospect of eating succulent grapes and of drlnklng
-1 water must be very appUng to the men listening
on the wall. But Rabshakeh has not yet finbhed trying to
w e d m the Jm.
13 Prom his arsenal of arguments, Rabshakeh draws an&a verbal a
He warns the Jews against believing
HezeMah should he say: "]&wuh h i d will ddIw us,"
h W h ~ & d stheJewsthatthe g d s of Samaria were
unabk to prevent the ten Mm from being overcome by
the Assyrians. And what of the gods of the other natlans
Assyrla has conquad? "Where are the gods of Humatbs
end ArpadT" he demands, ' M e r e ate the gods of Sephard m ?And have they &Ifwed Sumurla out of my hand?"
-Isaiah 38: f &2U.
14 Of course, Rahhakeh, a worshiper of false gods, does
not understand that there k? a b 4 dlfimce between
apostate Samaria and Jerusalem under Hezeldah. Samaria's Calse gods had no p w r to save the ten-& kingdom.
(2 Kings 1E7, 17, 18)On the other hand, Jerusalem under Hezekiah has turned its back bn fahe gods and has *
turned to SerVlngJdmah. Howwpr, the three Judeanrep
resentad= do not try to explain this to Rabshakeh. W~qr
mttnued to keep siht a d did me answer him o word,
hr the commandment of the king wws, saylng: %u must

I
The king sends emissar/es
to Isalah to hiear~ehovuh'scounsel

not answer him,'" (Isalrth 36:27) Ellakirn, Shebna, and

JoEih return to Hezeklah and make an aR&l report of the
words of Rabsshakhh.-Isd& 36:22.
Hezeklah Makes a Dedslon
15 King Hezebh now has a decision to make. WIIIJerusatem surrender ta the Assyrlm? join forces with F,gypt?
or stand her ground and fight? Heklah is under great
pmsure, He goes to Jehovah'stemple, while dispatding
Eliakim and Shebna, along with the older men of the
prlcsts, to Inquire of Jehovah t h u g h the prophet Isai&

(ISOM
327,2) Dressed in sackcloth, the king's a b a r i e s
-

13, 14. Despite Rabshakeb's arguments, why Is what happened to

Samaria IrreImt to ludah's situation?

IS. (a) What declslan now fafes Heeeklah? (b) How does jehmh
reassure his people?

IbMeanwhile, Rabshakh is called away to bk at Smnacherib's side while the king wages war at Libnah. Smnacherib willdeal. with Jemalem la&r. (&aiah 31&) SaI,
RabsW*Isdeparture brings no letup of pmure on Hez~ M a h .Sermachdb sends theaiming letters describing

what the inhabitants of j e d e m sari e q a t if they Bfuse to -surrender:'Taup & F

haw heurd whot fhe king$
o#&yrh did & all the lands by devoting them to destmctian, and wiii yau p d f be deli&?
Hwe the gods of
the ndons fiat my foefathem brought to ruin defIvePed
them?. , Whereis the king crf Hamath m d the king of drpad aod the king o f the ti@ o f ~ h ~ i m - Hena
o f and
of Iwah 7" (I~gIak379-73)Basically, the Asspian is a$ng
that it is m e l e s s to resist-resistance will onIy bring m o ~
trouble!
17 Deeply concerned a b u t the mmequenm sfthe dedsian he musf make, Hezefiah spreads Smmcheribisletters out before Jehovah in the temple, (isalah 37:I4) In
heartfelt prayer he implores Jehovah to give ex to the
14ssyrhVs threcits, mdudirr his payer with the WQT
Jr%zdnow, 0je#r~rnJ~
our Ca ,save us out of his hand, that
Q,'Ithe kingdom of the eartk M a y know that y t u ~ ,0 jehovah, are Cod &ne." (l$uiah3E 15-20)From M s it h dear
that Hezekiah Fs primarily c~mmed,not with his o m
ddivemnce, but witb the reproach that will be heaped
upon Jehovah's m e tf m i a dekab Jerusalem.
IBJdwvaJY3 answer to Hez&iahts pager c a m tlxough
Isaiah. Jerusalem must xlat swerider to &y&;
sh
must stand her ground. Speaking as ta Sennacherib, Isaiah boldly states Jehwah'srnessa&e to the Asyrian: 'Ww
virgin daughter OF Ziw has d~xpicedyou, she has held

approach Isaierh, saytug: %is day iy u day d d i W s and

of rebuke and of xornibj Insofence
Perhaps Ietrovah
Fur Cod will hear the words of R ~ b s f i & & ~ whom the
king a f k y r i a his lord sent to taunt the living Wtand he
wii! ~~ttuully
call h h to account for the words h t jehuvlrh your Cod ha5 heardrd"
[Miah 37:3-5) Yes, the Assyrians are challqhg the limg God! WillJehovah give attention to their taunts?Though Isaiah, Jehovah reassures
the Jam "Donot be ahid bemuse offhewords thdt you

. ..

have heard with whish the rrttendants of the king of ksyrof me. Here I m putttng a spi& in him,
ar?d he must heat n report mid return to his own /and; and
I shall ceEarhly cause him fo fall by the sword in his own
land.Y-lwiah B:d, i!

io $pokeubu&e&

16. Wh+t letters are sent by SpnnacheriM

1 18, (a] What i5 Rezekiah's motive in asking Jehovah for proteed
ttun?@j How W J&ovah through Islah,mmr the ksyriu?

A King? Fnith Is Rewarded

you in derision. Behind you the daughter of Jerusalemhas

wagged her head [mockingly]." (Isaiah 37:21, 22) Jehovah then aclds, in effect.: 'Who are you to taunt the Holy
One of Israel? I know your deeds. You have great ambitions; you make great boasts. You have trusted in your military power and have conquered much land. But you are
not invincible. I will frustrate your plans. I will conquer
you. Then I will do to you as you have done to others. I
will put a hook in your nose and lead you back to Assyria!'
-Isaiah 37:23-29.
"This Will Be the Sign for You"
guarantee does Hezekiah have that Isaiah's
prophecy will be fulfilled? Jehovah answers: 'This will be
the sign for you: There will be an eating this year of the
growth from spilled kernels, and in the second year grain
that shoots up o f itselc but in the third year saw seed, you
people, and reap, and plant vineyards and eat their fruitage." (Isaiah 37:30) Jehovah will provicle food for the
trapped Jews. Although unable to plant seed because of
the Assyrian occupation, they will he able to eat from the
gleanings of the preceding year's harvest. The following
year, a sabbath year, they must let their fields lie fallow,
despite their desperate situation. (Exodus 23:11) Jehovah
promises that if the people obey his voiw, enough grain
will sprout in the fields lo sustain them. Then, in the following year, men will sow seed in the usual way and enjoy
the fruitage of their labor.
20 Jehovah now compares his people to a plant that cannot easily be uprooted: "Those who escape of the house of
judah . . . wiEi certainiy take root downward and produce
19 What

19. What sign doesJehovah grve Hezekiah, and what does ~tmean?
20. In what way will those who escape the Assyrian attack "take mot
downward and produce fruitage upward"?

393

fruitage upward." (kaiah 3Z3 T, 32) Yes, those who trurt

in Jchwah have nothing to fear. They and their offspring
I

will remain firmly established in the land.

21 What of the Assyrian's threats against Jerusalem? Jehovah answers: ' H e will not come into this city, nor will
he shoot an arrow there, nor confront it wit11 a shield,
nor cast up a siege rampart against i t By the way by
which he same he will return, and in to this city he will not
21, 22. (a) What is rophes~edconcerning Sennacherib? (b) I-low
and when arc ~ehovaE'swords about Sennachcrib fulfilled?

lehovah's angel strikes down 185,000Assyrians

391

IsuiaI~'sPropliecy-Ligrit Tor A!! Mankind I

come." (Isaiah 37:33, 34) There will be no battle between

drsyria and Jerusalem after all. Surprisingly, it wdl be the
Assyrians, not the Jews, who are defeated without a fight.
22 True to his word, Jehovah sends an angel who strkes
down the cream of Sennacherib's troops-185,000 men.
This apparently happens a t Libnah, and Sennacherib himself wakes up to find the leaders, chiefs, and mighty nlen
of his army dead. Shamefaced, he returns to Nineveh, but
despite his resounding defeat, he stubbornly remains devoted to his false god Nisroch. Some ycars latcr, while worshiping in the temple of Nisroch, Sennacherib is assassinated by two of his sons. Once again, lifeless Nisroch
proves powerless to save.-Isaiah 37:35-38.

Hezekiah's Faith Is Further Strengthened

23 About the time that Sennacherib first comes up
against Judah, Hezekiah falls gravely ill. Isaiah tells him
that he i s going to die. (Isaiah 38:T) The 39-year-old king
is devastated. His concern i s not only for his own wellbeing but also for the future of the people. Jerusalem and
Judah are in danger of being invaded by the Assyrians. If
Hczekiah dies, wlto will lead the fight? At that time, Hezekiah has no son to assume the rulership. In fervent prayer
Hezekiah begs Jehovah to show him mercy.-Isaiah 38:
2, 3.
24 Isaiah has not yet left the palace courtyards when Jehovah send5 him back to the stricken king's bedside with
another message: "I have heard your prayer. I have seen
your tears. Here !am adding onto your days fifteenyears;
23. What crisis does Hezekiah face when Sennacherib first comes up
against Jndah, and what are the i~nplicationsof t h cri~is?
~
24, 25. (a) HOWdoeb Jehovah graciously answer Hezekiah's prayer?
(h) What miracle does Jehovah perform, as described at Isaiah 38:

7, 87

A King's Faith

Is Rewardt*d

385

and out of the palm of the king of Assyria I shall deliver

you and this city, and I will defend this city." (lsaiuh 38:4-6;
2 Kings 20:4,S) Jehovah will confirm his promise with an
unusual sign: "Here I am making the shadow o f the steps
that had gone down on the steps of the stairs of Ahm by
the sun retrace backward ten steps."-Isaiah 38:z 8a.
25 According to the Jewish historian Josephus, there was
a staircase inside the royal palace, probably with a column
near it. When the sun's rays hit the column, they cast a
shadow on the stairs. One could measure the time of day
by observing ihe progress of the shadow on the steps. Now
Jehovah will perform a miracle. After the shadow drifts
down the steps in the usual way, it will retrace its path
backward ten steps. Who ever heard of such a thing? The
Bible states: "Andthe sun gradually went back ten steps on
the steps o f the stairs that it had gone down." (Isaiah 38:
86) Shortly thereafter, Hezekiah recovers from his illness.
News of this spreads as far as Babylon. When the king of
Hahylon hears it, he sends messengers to Jerusalem to obtain the faas.
three years after Hezeluah's miraculous recovson, Manasseh, i s horn. When Manasseh
grows up, he does not show appreciation for God"s compassion, without which he would llot have been born!
Instead, during most of his lifetime, Manasseh does on a
large scale what is bad injehovah's eyes.-2 Chronicles 32:
24; 33:l-6.
26 About

ery, his first

A Lapse in Judgment
27 Like his forefather David, Hezelaah is a man of faith.
He treasures God's Word. According to Proverbs 25:1, he
arranged for the compiling of the material now found
in Proverbs chapters 25 to 29. Some believe that he also
26. What is om result of the lengthening of Hezekiah's life?
27. In what ways does Herekiah show apprec~at~un
forjchovah?

3516

~ S L I ~ U ',Is I P r i ~ ~ ~ ~ fi)r
~ ~A l~l M
~ I~I ~~I ~- /fI ;, C~I ~ ~ / ~ t

composed the 119th Psalm. The rnovlvtng song of gratitude

that f-iezekiah composts after recovcrtrrg from his illness
shows him to be a man of deep feeling. 1 le concluder; that
the most important thing in life is to IF ahlc to praise Jchovah a t His temple "oli the days of our life."(Isaiah 38:920) May all of us feel the samc way ahnu2 purc worship!
28 Altl~oughfaithful, Hezeklal~is Imperfect, I-lc makes a
serious error in judgment sometltne ;iftcr Jchwah heals
hlm. Isaiah explains: "At thnt time Merodaci~baladanthe
son of Baladan the king of Babylon sent letters artd a gift
to Hezekiah, after he heard that he had been sick but was
strong again. So Hezekiah began to rejoice over them and
proceeded td show them his tremum-house, the silver ond
the gold and the Bolsom oil ond the good oil and orlf his armory and all that was 50 be found in his treasures. Them
proved tu be nothing that Hezekioh did not stlow them in
his own house and in all his dominion,"-Isaiah 39: 1,Z. *
29 Even after the stinging defeat by Jehovah's angel, Assyrla continues to pose a thrcat to many nations, includIng Babylon. Hezehah may have wankd to Impress the
king of Babylon as a possible future ally. I-Imewr,Jehovah
docs not want the inhabitants of Judah to consort with
their enemies; he wants them to trurt In him! 'I'hrough
* After Sennacherib's defeat, surrounding notions brought gifts of
gold, sllver, and other precious thing- tn Iil*7cklah. A1 2 ( : h r o ~ j i c I ~
3 2 2 2 , 23, 27. we read that "Hezeklah a m c tu llrw r i c l i c ~and ~Iur)r
to a very gfiat amount" and that "hc camp to be cxnlrcrl In tllc eye%
nf all the natlons.'' These gifts may have nllowrrl hlrn Io rcl)lr~rlh his
treasure-house, which he had emptied when p e y l i l ~trll~utcIr) t h e A$syrlans.

28. What errnr in judgment doe5 Hezeklali make somct l mc artcr heIng miraculously healed?
2'1. (it) What may be the rnotlve of tlczeklah when he \t~nwshts
wealth to the Babylonian delegatton? Ib) Wlrat wtlt hc tltr conscqucncrs of Hezekiah's error in judgrncnt?

(
1

the prophet Isaiah, Jchovrth dlsclo~esthe future to Hezekiah: "Days ore coming, and aft that is in your own house
and thmt your foreforhers have stored up down to this doy
will octrrc~llybe curried to Batylon. Nothing will be left. . .
And some of your own sons that will come forth from you,
to whom you will become fnther, will themselves be taken and actually become court officials in the poloce of the
king of Babylon." (I5diah 3 9 3 - 7 ) Ycs the very nation that
Hezekiah sought to iinprcss will even tilally l~lunderJerusalem's treasures and rcbducc her cl tixens to slavery. Hezeluah's showing hls treasure to thc Ralsylonians only serves
to whet their greedy appcrltc.
30 Apparently referring to the incident In which Hezekiah showed his treasure to the Rahylonlans, 2 Chronicles
3226 states: "'HWekiah humbled llimself for the baughtiness of his heart, he and the Inhahitants of Jerusalem,and
Jehovah's indignation did not comc upon them in the
days of Hezekiah."
31 Despite his imperfcctlon, Hczcklnh was n man of faith.
He knew that his God, Jrhovat~,is a rcal person who has
feelings, When under pressure, Hczcklah pmyed ferventIy to Jehovah, and Jehovah answered hlm. Jehovah God
granted him peace for the re3t of his days, and for that,
Hezekiah was grateful. (Isaiah 3 9 8 ) Jehovah should k
just as real to us toclay. When prohlems arise, may we, like
Hezekiah, look to Jehovah for wisclom and the way out,
"for he gives genemusly to all and without reproaching,"
uames 1:s)If we continue to cndurc and to exercise faith
in Jehovah, we can be sure that l ~ will
e hecome "the rc
warder of those earnestly seeklng him," both now and in
the future.-Hebrews 11:6.
30. How did Hezekiah shown g u ~ attlt~tdel
l
31. How did things turn out for Hc7ekiah, and what d m this
teach us?

"Comfort My People"

CHAPTER THIRTY

"ComfortMy People"
lsaiah 40:l-31

JEHOVAH is 'the God who supplies comfort.' One way

that he comforts us is through the promises he has
had recorded in his Word. (Romans 15:4, 5) For example,
when faced with the death of someone dear to you, what
could be more comforting than the prospect of that loved
one's being resurrected in God's new world? (John 5:28,
29) And what about Jehovah's promise that he will soon
end wickedness and transform this earth into a paradise?
Is it not comforting to have the prospect of surviving into
that coming Paradise and never dying?-Psalm 37:9-11,29;
Revelation 21:3-5.
2 Can we really trust the pxomises of God? Indeed, we
can! The Maker of those promises is completely reliable.
He has both the capability and the will to carry out his
word. (Isaiah 55:10,11) This was powerfulIy demonstrated in connection with Jehovah's statement through the
prophet lsaiah that he would restore true worship in Jerusalem. Let us consider that prophecy, as it appears in Isaiah chapter 40, for doing so can strengthen our faith in Jehovah, the Fulfiller of promises.

A Comforting Promise
3 In the eighth century B.C.E., the prophet Isaiah records
1. What is one way that Jehovah comforts us?
2. Why can we t r w t the promises of God?
3, 4. (a) Isaiah records what worh of comfort that God's people

will need at a later time? (b) Why will the inhabitants of Judah and
JeruqaIem he taken into e x ~ l to
e Babylnn, and how long will their ser-

vitude last?

1
I

394

words of comfort that Jehovah's people will need at a later time. Immediately after telling King Hezekiah of the approaching destruction of Jerusalem and the deportation
of the Jewish people to,Rabylon, Isaiah sets forth Jehcvah's words that promise restoration: "'Comfofi comfort
mypeople,'says the God of you men, 'Speak to the heart of
lerusalem and call out to her that her military service has
been fulfilled,hot her error hm been poid off For from the
hand of Jehovahshe has received a full amount for all her
sins.'"-Isaiah 40:1, 2.
4 "Comfort," the opening word of Isaiah chapter 40, well
describes the message of light and hope contained in .the
rest of the book of Isaiah. For turning apostate the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem will be taken into exile to Babylon in 607 B.C.E. But those Jewish captives will not serve
the Babylonians forever. No, their servitude will last only
until their error is "paid off." How long will that be? According to Jeremiah the prophet, 70 years. (Jeremiah 25:
11, 12) After that, Jehovah will lead a repentant remnant
from Babylon back to Jerusalem. In the 70th year of Judah's desolation, what a comfort it will be for the captives
to realize that the time for their promised deliverance js at
hand!-Daniel 9:1,2.
5 The journey from Babylon to Jerusalem is 500 to
1,000 rmles, depending upon the route taken, Will the
long trip impede the fulfillment of God's promise? By no
means! Isaiah wdtes: '%sten! Someone is calling out ia
the wilderness: 'Clear up the way of jehovah, you people!
Make the highway for our Cod through the deserf plain
straight, l e t every volley be raised up, and every mountain
5 , 6 , (a) Why will the Iong journey from Babylon to Jerusalem not
impede the fulfillment of God's promise? (h) The restoration of the
Jews to their homeland will haw w h a t effect on other nations?

400

Isaiah's Prophecy-Light for AII Mankind I

and hill be made low. And rhe knobby ground must become /eve//on$,and the rugged ground a valley ploin, And
the glory of jehovah will certainly be revealed, and ali flesh
must see it together, for the very mouth o f Jehovah has
spoken it.'"-hiah 40:3-5.
6 Before embarlung on a journey, Eastern rulers would
often send out men to prepare the way by removing big
stones and even building causeways and leveljng hills. In
the case of the returning Jews, it will be as if God himself
is in the forefront, clearing away any obstacIes. After all,
these are Jehovah's name people, and fulfiIling his promise to restore them to their homeland will cause hrs glory
to be manifest before all the nations. Like it or not, those
nations urll be forced to see that Jehovah is the Fulfiller of
his promises.
7 The restoration in the sixth century B.C.E. was not the
only fulfillment of this prophecy. There was also a fulfillment in the first century C.E. John the Baptizer war the
voice of someone "crying out in the wilderness," in fulfillment of Isaiah 40:3. (Luke 3:1-6)Under inspiration, John
applied Isaiah's words to himself. (John 1:19-23) Starting
in 29 C.E., John began preparing the way for Jesus Christ*
John's advance procIamation aroused people to look for
the promised Messiah so that they, in turn, might listen
to him and follow him. (Luke 1:13-17, 76) Through Jesus,

'Comfort My People"

Jehovah would lead repentant ones into the heedom that

only God's Kmgdom can provide-liberation from bondage to sin and death. (John 1:29; 8:32) Isaiah's words had
a larger fulfiIlment in the deliverance of the remnant of
spiritual Israel from Babylon the Great in 1919and in their
restoration to true worship.
8 What, though, about those who are in line to benefit from the initial fulfillment of the promise-the Jewish
captives in Babylon? Can they really trust Jehovah's promise to return them to their beloved homeland? Indeed,
they can! With vivid words and illustrations taken from
everyday life, Isaiah now gives compelling reasons why
they can have complete confidence that Jehovah will
prove true to his word.

A God Whose Word Lasts Forever

9 First, the word of the One who promises restoration
lasts forever, Isaiah writes: "Listen! Someone is saying: 'Call
out!' And one said: 'Whar shall I call out?' 'dl/ flesh is
green gmss, and all their loving-kindness is like the biossom of the field. The gneen grass hos dried up, the blossom hos withered, because the very spirit of lehovah has
blown upon it. Surely the peopk are green gmss. The green
grass has dried up, the blossom has withered; but as for
the word ofour God, it will Iast to time indefinite.' "-Isaiah
40:6-8.

Isaiah foretells the preparing of the way before Jehovah. (Isaiah

40:3) However, the Gospels apply that prophecy to what John the
Baptizer did in preparing the way for lesw Christ The inspired writers of the Christian Greek Scripture5 made such application because
Jesus represented his rather and came in his Father's name.-John 5:
43; 8 2 9 .
7, 8. (a) The words of Isaiah 40:3 had what fuIfillment in the first
century C.E.? (b) Isaiah's prophecy had what larger fulfillment in
1919?

10 The Israelites well know that grass does not Iast brwer. During the dry season, the sun's intense heat changes
it from green to a parched brown. In some respects, man's
life is like grass-so temporary in nature. (Psalm 103:15,L6;
James 1:10,11) Isaiah contrasts the transitoriness of man's
-

9, 10. How doer lqaiah contrast the transitoriness of man's life with

the permanence of Gotl's "word"?

faxiah%l4Pyliacp-A#tt

for All kbankiad I

life Nththe permanem of GQ@SyrdI~

or 'stated ppose,
"he word 6 our Ga$? endues hwr.When
God spe& natcan muIMsw~rdsgl'pmtthem
f i n being fuKUed.-Joshua &:I4
11 Today we have Jehovah's skaknent ofpurjgse l
nwrit-

ten form inthe Bible. The Bible has h x d bittercppsitim

over the centuriest and hrlw &amtator$and others have
risked their hws W preserve it. YH, their e&rb alone do
not -I&
why It has mwiyed. Ail credit for Its s u v i v d
musk @ <Jehovah,
~
''the Iiving and endusfng Gad" and
the P m m iJf his W d .(1
1:2%25) Think &Gut
tm:5 W J e h o a hhas pres&rwdt& miiten Word, dannat trust him to fuIfiII the gmmi5Qsit cantaim?

A sttong G M wlm
Tenderly Cares for Hh Sheep
a Mab gives a second xwon why the pmds,eaf rest&
WRPrnbe m d . The One who makes the prod= is
a & m q Goel w h tmderlspmm
~
for his p q k . Isaiah mntinuex s:Mukpur way up ewn wntu a high mountain,
you woman bringingpod new hf am. R a f yuur
~
mire
e m wh%paw, p u woman bringing $4
news bjruswtpm. Raise it Do tmt,be&aid. S
w to the c i i oPlud&:
'Here is plrr God,' LcrokI f i e d o d i p LordMowk hims& wjit mme wen as B sttong one r&n mm&
WenM,"
fsmWJIand his arm w#Y!& rufhtgfw h*. iadd His reward b d f b him, and the w q e he p * ~& kfomhirn. Like
a skephprd he wi/l $ e m h$s
dm@. WE& his r r r ~
mst Jehomh,tgfulfill the promise3 m a l n M in
ki written Word?
12, 13. (a) Why a n t h e p m m k of restorafinn be trusted8 (b) What
p d news is there for the lmkh exflw, Md whycanthqhaw mnfdmP
11. Why tm W

fohn ~

~ Buptizer
l b
was a

vdce 'crying out h the wifderned'

hewlinc~~~ekrm~ondinhhbosomipewlll
uarry them. b g M g sudc he will d u c t with em.'
-450ioh 4O:Pf I*
13 In Bible times it was the custom for women to celebrate victories, aying out or singing the goad news of battla won or of coming relief. (1 Samuel IS:&, 7; Ralm 68:
11) Isaiah p p h e t i d y Indicates that there is good news
far the Jewlsh mils, news that can be k.wlevly
. +out&,

Jehovah, a Lovlng Shepherd

Isaiah compares j e h a h to a Iwlng shepherd who at-

ries his lambs In hls bosom. (IsaBh 40:1Q, 11) Isaiah wld d y basesthlS warm Ifluswatlonon the real-lk practicer
ad sh~phervfs,A madem-dw obsemr who waUd shep
he- on tM slopes of M m t Hemon in the Middle East
repom
shephrd watched Ms flock closely to see
hbw &+!y fared. When he found a nw~bornlamb he put
It in the fatds&Ofhjs.. gmat CDBC slnceItwld betoo bhie to bIIw the mother, When hi!i bosom was full, hk put
la& on his shoulders, hoMlng them by the feet or in a
bag or & a s k on the back of a donkey, unbll the flW e ones
were able to rollow the motherr," Is It not comfwtlng to
krww that we s m a God who has such tender concern far
hls pehpW

406

Isnia h's Prophecy-Light fur All Man kind I

even from the mountaintops-Jehovah will lead his people back to their beloved Jerusalem! They can have tonfidence, for Jehovah will come "even with strength." Nothing, therefore, can prevent him from fulfilling his
promise.
14 There is, however, a gentle side to this s b n g God. Isaiah warmly describes how Jehovah wdl lead his people
back to their homeland.Jehovah is like a loving shepherd
who collects his lambs togethm and carries them in his
"bosom." The word "bosom" here evidently refers to the
upper folds of the garment. This is where shepherds somerimes carry newborn lambs that cannot keep pace with
the flock. (2 Samuel 12:3) Such a touching scene from pastoral life no doubt reassures Jehovah's exiled peopIe of his
loving concern for them. Surely such a smng yet tender
God can be trusted to fulfill what he has promised them!
15 Isaiah's words are filled with prophetic meaning for
our day. In 1914,Jehovah came "'even with strength" and
established his Kingdom in the heavens. The 'arm that is
ruling for him' is hls Son, Jesus Christ, whom Jehovah
h a installed upon his heavenly throne. I n 1919, Jehovah
delivered his anointed servants on earth from bondage to
Babylon the Great and set about completely restoring the
pure worship of the living and b u e God. T h s is good news
that must be fearlessly proclaimed, as if by shouting b m
the mountaintops so that the proclamation carries far and
wide. Let us, then, lift up our voices and boldly l& others
know that Jehovah God has restored his pure worship on
this earth!
14. (a) How does Isaiah illustrate the tender way in which Jehovah
will lead his people? (b) What example illustrates how shepherds tenderly care for theit. sheep? (See box on page 405.)
15. (a) When did Jehwah come "even with strength," and who is
the 'arm that is ruling for him? (b) What good news must be fearlessly prodaimed7

"Comfort M y People"

'
1

407

words of Isaiah 40:10, 11 have further pramus today. It is comforting to note the tender
manner in which Jehovah leads his people. Just as a shepherd understands the needs of individual sheep-including the Little lambs that cannot:keep up with the rest-Je
hovah understands the limitations of each one of his
faithful servants. In addition, Jehovah, as a tender Shepherd, sets a pattern for Christian shepherds. Elders must
treat the flock with tenderness, imitating the loving concern shown by Jehovah himself. T h q must be ever rninclful of the way that Jehovah feels about each member of
the flock, "which he purchased with t h e blood of his own
Son."-Acts 20:28.
16 The

cal value for

All-Powerful, All-Wise
17 The Jewish exiles can have confidence in the pmmise of restoration because God is all-powerful and all-wise.
Says Isaiah. "Who has measured the wafers in the mere
hollow of his hand, and taken the pmportions of the heavens themselves with a mere span and included in a measure the dust of the earth, or weighed with an indicutor the
mountains, and the hills in the scales? Who has taken the
proportions of the spirit of Jehovah, and who 05 his man
o f counsel can make him know anything? With whom did
he consult together that one might make him understand,
or who teaches him in the path of justice, or teaches him
knowledge, or makes him know the very way ofreal understanding?c--lsah 40: 12-14.
18 These are awe-inspiring questions for the Jewish exiles
to ponder. Can mere humans turn back the tide of the
16. In what manner does Jehovah lead his people today, and what
pattern does this set?
17, 18. (a) Why can the Jewirh exiles have confidence in the promise of restoration? (b) What awe-inspiring questions does Isaiah raise?

408

Isaiah3 Prophecy-Light for All Mankind I

mighty seas? Of course not! Yet, to Jehovah, the seas that

cover the earth are like a drop of water in the palm of his
hand." Can puny men measure the vast, starry heavens or
weigh earth's mountains and hills? No. Yet, Jehovah measures the heavens as easily as a man might measure an
object with a span-the distance between the end of the
thumb and the end of the liffle finger when the hand is
spread out. God can, in effect, weigh mountains and hills
in a pair of scales. Can even the wisest humans advise God
what to do under present circumstances or tell him what
to do in t h e future? Certainly not!
19 What about the mighty nations of the earth-can they
resist God as he fulfills his word of promise? Isaiah answers by describing the nations as follows: "look! The nations are as a drop from a buckec and as the film o f dust
on the scales they have been accounted. Look! He lifts
the islands themselves as mere fine dust Even Lebanon is
not sufficient for keeping a fire burning, and its wild anirnorls are not sufficientfor a burnt offering. All the nations
are as something nonexistent in front of him; as nothing
m d on unreality they have been accounted to him."-isaiak 40: 75-IZ
20 To Jehovah, entire nations are as a dmp of water falling from a bucket. They are no more than the fine dust
that accumulates on a scale, without effed.*Suppose that
It has been calculated that "the mass of the oceans is approximately 1.35 quintillion ( 1 -35x 1018) metric tons, or about 1/4400of the
total mass nf the Earth."-Eptcartd 97 Encyrlopediu.
* TheExposEtor's Bible Cammentarynotes: "Near Eastern marketplace
commerce would take no account of the minute water drop in the
measuring bucket or a little dust on the scales when meat or fruit was
weighed."

19, 20. To emphasize the greatness of Jehovah, Isaiah uses what

graphic word pictures?

"Comfort My People"

someone were to construct a huge altar and use as firewood for the altar all the trees that covered the mountains
of Lebanon. Then suppose that he were to offer as sacrifices a l l the animals that roamed on those mountains.
Even such an offering would not be worthy of Jehovah. As
if the imagery used thus far were not suflicient, Isaiah resorts to an even stronger statement-all the nations are as
"less than nothing" in Jehovah's eyes.-Isaiah 40:17, New
Revised Standard Version.
21 To emphasize further that Jehovah is beyond compare, Isaiah proceeds to show the folly of those who make
idols out of gold, silver, or wood. How foolish to think that
any such idol could be a fitting representation of the "One
who is dwelling above the circle of the earth" and who
holds sway over its inhabitants!-Read Isaiah 40: 78-24.
22 AIl these vivid descriptions lead us to one conclusion
-nothing can prevent the all-powerful, all-wise, and incomparableJehovah from fillfilling his promise. How Isaiah's words must have comforted and skengthened the
Jewish exiles in Babylon who longed to return to their
homeland! Today we too can have confidence that Jchovah's promises for our future will become a reality.
"Who Has Created These Things?"
3 There is yet another reason why the Jewish exiles can
take heart The One who promises deliverance js the Creator of all things and the Source of all dynamic energy. To
stress his astounding capacity, Jehmh calls attention to
21, 22. (a) How does Isaiah emphasize that Jehovah is incornparable? (b) Isaiah's vivid descriptionslead us to what conclusion? (c) The
prophet Isaiah records what scientifically sound statement? (See box
on page 412.)
23. For what reason can the Jewish exiles take heart, and what does
Jehovah now stress about himself?

his ability manifest in creation: "To whom can yau people

liken me so that I should be mode his equal?'says the Holy
One. 'Raise your eyes high up and see. Who has creukd
ti~esethings? It is the One who is bringing forth the army of
them even by numbec all of whom he calls men by name.
Due to the abundance of dynamic energy, he also being
vigornus in powec not one of them is missing.'"-lsninh
40:25,26.
2-1 The Iloly One of Israel is; speaking for hlmsclf,
7b show that he is without equal, Jehovah directs atteution 20 thc stars of the heavens. Like a military mmmander able to marshal his troops, Jehovalz is in ut,mrnancl of t l ~ rstars. If he were tn muster them, 'not one o f
them would be missing.' Though the nurnher of the $tan
is grcat, he calls each one by name, either an indivir211a1 name or a namelike designation. Like obedient soldiers,
they keep their place and observe proper urdcl; for thclr
Leader ha$an abundance of "dynamic encrw" and is "vigorous in power."Therefore, the Jewish exilcs havc reason
for confidence. The Creator, who comrnanrls tllc slirrs, hiis
the power to support his servants.
25 Who uf us can resist the dlvlne invitatinn mcorcled at Isaiah 40:26: "Raise your eyes high up and see"?
'Shc discoveries of modern-clay astronomers have shown
that the starry heavens are even more awe-inspiring than
they appeased to be in Isaiah" day. .4stronomerr wire pccr
into the heavens with their powerful telesmpcs cstimnlc
that the observable universe contains as many as 125 billion galaxies. Why, just one of these--the Milky Way aal-

axy-cnntalns, occordlny:lo sotnc estimates, over 100 hilllon stars! Such knwlctlgc should awaken In our hearts
ruvclmcc for uur Crcntc)r i ~ n dcomplete trust In his word of

ctluaI?

promise.
26 Knowing that the years in captivity will dampen the
splriw of the Jwlhexlles, Jehovah Inspire3 Isaiah to record in advance these wards of reassurance: "For whatrwson do you soy, O jacob, and do y ~ specrk
u
out; 0 Isme!,
'My way has been concw/ed from lekovah, and justice to
me eludes my Cod himself'? Hove you not come to know
or have you not heard? Jehovrrh, the Creotor of the
extremities of the mrtl~,
is o God to time indefjnite. He does
-

25. t lrnv may we rpspond to the divine invitation recorded at IwIa h

W Z h , and with what effect?

26, 27. Hnw anbthc fccllnjir nl the exller in Babylon describe& ,md
what thlng~shoulrf they knwu!

24. Speaking for himself, holv docs Jchovah show that he J5 wtthnt~l

What I s the Shape of the Earth?

In ancient times humans In general believed that the

earth was flat As early as the sixth century B.CE, howerer, Creek philosopher Pylhagons h r l z e d that the
earth must be a sphere. Even so, two cenkrrles before
Pythagoms formulated hls theory, the prophet Isaiah
stated with extraordinary darity and certainty: "There b
One who lr dwelling above the slxje of the earth," (Isalah 40:22) The Hebrew word &ugh hare translated "drcle" may be rendered "sphere." Inhrestlngly, only a
spherlal object appears as a dde from @varyangle."
Far ahead of his the, then, the prophet tsaiah recorded
a statement that is sdentiflcally sound and fFee from andent myths.
"Technically ~ p e a h $ the earth Is an oblate sphemld. It is
slightly f l a t l e d at the poles.

not tim out orgmw w e u ~I,hmk no seurching out of his

~n&nimding.~-baIuh4O:U,28.*
h i a h mods Jehovah's words descrIblng the Wings
of the miles in Babylon, hadreds of mlles from their
homeland. Some think that their "way"-the M come
of their life-is unseen or unknown by their God. They
think tkat Jehovah b indifferent ro the t nfWcesthey suffer. They are remhded of thlxlp that they should know,
if not from personal experience, then at least b m W r W o n W has been handed down.Jehovah B able and
willing to Wver hls people. He is the eternal God and
the Chator of the m t i carth.
~
Hence, he still possesses the
he &played in mation, and not men mighty B&
gZon b beyond hts ma&, Such a God mnot grow ttred
and fail his pwple. They ought not to expect bo be able fully to %raspJehovah's doings, for hb understandmg-oz insight, discernment, and pemptIon-ls beyond their cornprehemion.
a Through Isaiah, Jehovah continues with encowagement fbr the despondent:exiles: "He is glvlng b the ~ e d
one
amd b the one wlthout dynamic energj, he
nwkes M1 rnlght abound, Boys will both the wt and gmw
w r y , and pung men themsdwts wlll Wctbout Mi stumble, buf
who
hoping In jehovoh will -In
power.They wlll mount up w M dngs like mgb. Thqr will mn
and notgrow w r y ; thg will wlk and not rite outm-/$ab h 402S37.
When speaking of the need to give to the Wed one

* fit kajah 40:28, the exprLtssisn "time Indcfinlk* means "forevex,"

for f e h w h Is "the Klng of etesntg"-l Timothy 1:17,
2a, 29. (a1 How does Jchwah wmind hLn people that he will come
m the aid of wary ones? (b) What lllustnrtlon Is used to show havv
Jehovah empowers trfs m t s ?

Tmnfart My People"

used to illustrate haw Jehovah empowers ht$ $manta*

With prci$pettsof such didfie supgort, the Jewish & l ~ s
have no muse for despdr.
WThsre dasinp, verses of Isaiah chapter 40 contain
words of romfort for true Chri$lims living in the last
days of khls wicked y9m.With so many pressurn and
problems that tend to dishearten, it is reassuing to know
that the hardships we endure and the injustices we suffer do not go unnoticed by our Gad. We can be sure that
the Crater of ail things, the One whose "understmding is w
and ~munting,"will mrect all injustlkes in h&
o v h time and way. (Psalm E4'J:5,6)Meanwhile) we need
ggt endure in our msWngth, Jehovah,wbase remmzs
are irmhausijble, can impart power-even "pmer b q n d
what 4 nn~ml"--tohis servants in t h e $ a~ a l , - 2 Ca-

p m r , Jehwah

have in mind the arduous journey

that the exiles WII Rave w make Worder b &n b m e .

Jehovah rm-drds his people that it is isrBLaractex#ic of him

to tome to the a16 of weary ones who b s k to him fm

support. Even the most vibrant of humans-"bqs" aad
"young menn-may be warn d m by fatigue and s t u n ble from eihwstioa. Yet, J e b d promises +a@ye power
-unwearied power to run and to walk-to thme who are
trus&ing in him. The seemingly cikrtless flight of the eagle, a powerful biid that rn soaT far hmrs at a time, is

rinthiam 8 3 .
31 Think of those Jewish captives in Babylon in the sixth
mtuqB,C.E.H u n d r e of miles away, their beloved Jerusalem lay desoIate, its temple in ruins. For them, Isaiah's
pxophecy mtained a comforting promise 01 light and
hope-Jehwah would retor& them to their homeIand ! In
537 B.E.E., Jehavabled his people home, proving that h@
is the Fulfiller of promises. We t
wcan have a b e k conticlence in Jehovah. His ~rzgdomnpromises, whirh xe $0
beautifully expressed in Isaiah's prophecy, MI become a
reali* That is indeed good news-a message of light for all
mankind1

* The eagle stays aloft with a minimum expenditureof enIt dues

ss by rnaWng skUfuI use af thermaIs, Or mIumns df ridng warm air.
SO. h w can true C k i s t i a a M a y draw camfort fmm the closing
verses of Isaiah chapter 401
31, What pmmhe of light did baiah's praphecy'cbntatnfat the Jew-

ish captive in Babylon, and In what can we have absa1dte cottfi-

dm&?

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