ISAIAH CHAPTER 30

OBSERVATION STAGE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The purpose of the observation stage is to maintain focus on the text at hand within the normative rules of language, context and logic . .This limits the observer to the content offered by the book of Isaiah. This will serve to avoid going on unnecessary tangents elsewhere; and more importantly, it will provide the framework for a proper and objective comparison with passages located elsewhere in Scripture.

Remember that something elsewhere may be true, but in the text at hand it may not be in view.

I) [Isa 30:1-33]:

A) (1-7) WOE TO THE REBELLIOUS CHILDREN OF JUDAH FOR MAKING A TREATY WITH EGYPT INSTEAD OF SEEKING THE COUNSEL OF THE LORD. FOR THAT WOULD END IN FAILURE AND SHAME, REPROACH AND RICHES SPENT IN FUTILITY, FOR THE TREATY WITH EGYPT WOULD BE VAIN AND EMPTY

B) (8-17) THE LORD INSTRUCTED ISAIAH TO WRITE ON A TABLET AND A SCROLL TO PRESERVE THE MESSAGE FOREVER THAT THE CHILDREN OF THE LORD WERE REBELLIOUS, WOULD NOT HEAR INSTRUCTION FROM THE LORD, NOR ANYTHING OF HIM. THEY DEMANDED TO HEAR DECEITFUL "PLEASANTRIES," BUT NO VISIONS, AND TO SAY THINGS TO CAUSE THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL TO CEASE BEFORE THEM. THEY DESPISED THE LORD AND TRUSTED IN OPPRESSION AND PERVERSITY - REFERRING TO THEIR ALLIANCE WITH EGYPT. THEREFORE THE LORD SAID THAT DESTRUCTION WOULD COME UPON THEM SUDDENLY - COMPLETE AND WITHOUT MERCY. IN REPENTANCE AND REST WOULD HAVE BEEN THEIR DELIVERANCE, BUT THEY WERE NOT WILLING

C) (18-26) THE LORD IS WAITING TO SHOW MERCY AND COMPASSION, BUT JUSTICE MUST FIRST BE SATISFIED: HENCE JUDGMENT FOR REBELLIOUSNESS. NEVERTHELESS, THOSE WHO HAVE WAITED UPON HIM THROUGH IT ALL - THE REMNANT - WILL BE BLESSED. THE TIME WILL BE FUTURE WHEN THE PEOPLE SHALL DWELL IN JERUSALEM AND WEEP NO MORE. ALTHOUGH THERE HAD BEEN ADVERSITY AND OPPRESSION, THE LORD WILL BE GRACIOUS AND COMPASSIONATE. THE TEACHER WILL NO LONGER HIDE HIMSELF, BUT BE SEEN BY ALL, HIS WORD WILL BE HEARD EVERYWHERE. GRAVEN IMAGES WILL BE GONE - EVEN SILVER AND GOLD PLATED ONES. PROSPERITY WILL ABOUND - ABUNDANT CROPS AND LIVESTOCK. ON THE OTHER HAND THIS WILL ALSO BE THE DAY OF THE GREAT SLAUGHTER, WHEN THE NATIONS OF THE EARTH WILL FALL. THE LIGHT OF THE MOON WILL BE AS THE LIGHT OF THE SUN, THE SUN'S LIGHT WILL BE SEVEN FOLD, AND THE LORD WILL HEAL HIS PEOPLE

D) (27-33) VERSES 27-33 IN CHAPTER 30 RETURNED TO THE TIME OF ISAIAH WHEN THE PEOPLE OF ASSYRIA AND THOSE WHO JOINED WITH THEM MOVED AGAINST JERUSALM AND THE PEOPLE OF JUDAH. HENCE THE NAME OF THE LORD WOULD COME FROM AFAR WITH ANGER AND INDIGNATION TOWARD THOSE WHO OPPOSED HIS PEOPLE. HE SIFTED THOSE NATIONS AND DESTROYED THEIR VANITY - THEIR ARROGANCE. HE CAUSED THEM TO SELF-DESTRUCT. THERE WAS CELEBRATION BY THE PEOPLE OF THE LORD AT THE DESTRUCTION OF THEIR ENEMIES. TOPETH WITH ITS CONTINUALLY BURNING FIRES - A NAME FOR GEHENNA, THE AFTERLIFE FOR THE WICKED - WAS DECLARED AS PREPARED BY THE LORD TO BE THE DESTINY FOR THE KING OF ASSYRIA AND THE PEOPLE WHO MOVED TO DESTROY THE PEOPLE OF THE LORD

CONTINUE TO ISAIAH CHAPTER 30 .