So, isn't this just another happy passage? More words of judgment. This is the norm for us, and this is what we should expect in a book of prophecy. We've seen this as we've gone through some of the minor prophets. But here we're seeing this in a larger book, and it almost feels like it's unrelenting, right? That there's this constant idea of judgment. And we've seen in the last few chapters on these judgments on these different nations.

As we come to this oracle concerning Tyre and Sidon, we get a feel of the way in which the economic part of their existence is very important. They seem to be having all this economic success. They have done this by their own power, it would seem, but God is actually going to use that as a means of judgment against them. He's going to use this in that way. And we see here in verse 9 that the Lord of hosts has purposes it to defile the pompous pride of all glory to dishonored all the honored of the earth. Now, the idea that is being expressed to us here is that they have used these things for a terrible purpose.

This is a very interesting, prophetic word here, isn't it? Because we have seen the focus being other places on other nations. And now, Isaiah is turning it back around. God is speaking about the people of Jerusalem. And it's interesting what is done here in how Jerusalem is being spoken of. The oracle concerning the Valley of Vision. Wait a minute. Isn't Jerusalem on a hill? Well, the idea here is that they think they have vision, they think they can see, they think everything is fine, but their hill has become a valley. That's the idea being expressed here.

We get another glimpse at just how difficult all this language of judgment is for Isaiah here, don't we? You know, we have been looking at Isaiah and seeing how difficult these passages of judgment are and coming away with just this sense that this is a heavy weight, that this is judgment upon judgment. Now, there has been good news in there, there has been a lot of good things actually, amidst all this judgment, but it is continually heavy. And we see this in verse two when Isaiah says, a stern vision is told to me this is not a good thing, it is a hard thing. And notice what he says, the traitor betrays and the destroyer destroys.

Well, if the prophets of God don't find themselves in the most awkward of positions, often they are asked to do things that are a picture for the people of the circumstances that they will be in. Well, Isaiah is giving a picture to these people. It's a sign against Egypt and Kush that they're going to be led away. And as captives. This imagery here, you see, go lose the sack cloth from your waist and take off your sandals from your feet. The idea is that they're taking this off because, well, they are captives. They are being let away. They are at the mercy of someone else. God is speaking of this judgment that is to come.

So, the prophetic words continue to flow from the pen of Isaiah, as he is inspired by the Holy Spirit. They are oracles of judgment once again. We see this time that he is speaking Egypt, and there is some unbelievably powerful and vivid language in this statement to Egypt. I particularly like the second half of verse 1. The idol of Egypt will tremble at his presence, and the heart of the Egyptians will melt within them.

Well, even though we have had a few weeks off from dwell in the Word, we come back to Isaiah, and we are once again back to a passage of judgment. Are we surprised? No, this is what we have been seeing is we have been working our way through this book of prophecy. We see here that the language isn't quite as harsh, but yet it is very clear that this is about judgment, because we have this idea that Syria has come and has brought judgment on Israel, but then God is going to judge Syria as well

Another hard word of judgment. This is what we're coming to expect as we come to the Isaiah. We know that there are these oracles one after the other, and there is a lot of speaking of the judgment that is coming in the first few verses of this chapter, we see that there is a judgment from God in the screen of crops. The cities are going to have these issues. We read that further down as well. There's going to be... As I've been saying, as we've been going through these previous 15 chapters, it's always important for us to remember that there is an end goal to what God is doing in these judgments.

As we come to this passage, we again see another word judgment. These can be difficult. Because we just read a lot of text, I'm probably going to have limited commentary to keep this relatively short. But there's a few things that I wanted to speak about here. First thing that we see is this idea that he's gone up to the temple. The idea here is not that this the temple of the Lord, but this is pagan worship. Let's see here, as you probably know, a reference to the high places is a reference to pagan worship, male and actual worship, or whatever the God of the Moabites was, the false God of the Moabites was, they are filled with idolatry. We see here that there is also this idea of mourning.

This prophetic word that we keep seeing in the Book of Isaiah is always seeming to be one of judgment. This again can be hard to hear, but the overarching message is that God is in control. And for those who are his people, is that not a message of good news? Despite judgment that is coming, God is in control, and he is the one who is doing it. If we believe that God is good and that God is holy and that God is just, we know that His judgments are all of this. So here I want us to draw out some of the language that is used here, but the power and the Majesty and the certainty of God's plans.

We are back to talking about Babylon. We see here again that Babylon is going to fall. They have been the ones who have come and brought this judgment upon Judah because of their turning away from God. But they have come to believe that they are great. They have put themselves in the place of God, even though God has, in fact, been using them to judge Judah, their pride has gotten the best of them. They are not seeking God. They have become the instrument of God, but they are not God's people. We see that Jacob will restore, that Israel will come back to Judah, will return to God.

Well, if that isn't just sunshine, you need to start day. This is some pretty severe language, and there's hard parts. It was hard for me to read out loud, These parts down here, their infants will be dashed to pieces before their eyes. Their houses will be plundered and their wives ravaged. This is hard language. As we come to it, it's difficult for us to know what to do with this. We've been dealing with a lot of judgment here in Isaiah. I'm guessing, as we've been reading through it together, as you've heard it read aloud, you're having some of the same experiences that I am.

This is one of those passages that I read, and I just want to say, Well, I'm going to skip on the commentary today because it's just that good. You don't need me to add anything to it, but here we are. I'm going to do it anyway. We have this repeated statement here in the Psalm. You will say in that day, this idea of this is coming, that's repeated here in verse one and verse four, this idea that this is a coming thing and there is something that you are going to say, there is going to be something that is going to come out of you in praise to God. And we see what that is here, right? I'll give thanks to you, Lord.

As we move into chapter 11, we still have this idea of coming judgment, but here we see some good news. We have seen glimpses of good news as there is a promise of one who will come and restore things. But here we see something specific, and we see this idea that it is someone who is going to come from the royal line of David. And we see this here with this line in verse 1 that says, There shall come forth a shoot from the stub of Jesse, and a branch from his root shall bear fruit.

We should have known what to expect when we came to the Book of Isaiah. It's a prophetic book. It speaks of judgment, but it just keeps coming at us. Even when it talks about the judgment of Judah and of Israel, it then rebounds and there's a reversal where God is judging those that He used to judge Judah and Israel. There's judgment after judgment after judgment here. We see here, as we look at this text, that God is giving comfort to His people. He's saying, Yes, I am coming in judgment, but there will be a judgment on those that I used and those who came in and overtook you.

Another very harsh passage here in Isaiah. More words judgment. This time it's not on the people of God. It's not on the people of Judah or Israel. This time, the statement from God is against Syria. Now God is using Assyria to judge His people, right? He is sending in this godless nation to bring judgment upon them, to overtake them. And it's rather interesting, even the statements here are talking about the idolatry of Samaria and of the people of Israel and the people of Judah.

As we come to this passage, we see the people have had the beginnings of judgment, but they think that it isn't that big of a deal. We see this here in verse 10, The bricks have fallen, but we'll build with dressed stones, the sycamores have been cut down, but we'll put cedars in their place. Essentially, they see that this stuff has happened, but they're seeing it as an opportunity to rebuild better, to make things nicer. The fullness of judgment has not yet come

As we come to Isaiah 9 here, we see more words from Isaiah that we truly know. They're baked in us from Advent readings, perhaps, Christmas readings, obviously, and definitely from Handel’s, Messiah. These are the words of the prophetic promise of the Messiah that we probably know best. For to us a child is born, us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of peace. These are the things that are promised, and this one who's going to be around when things are restored. Now, remember, we've been looking at these prophetic words that are bringing judgment upon Judah.