Isaiah 34

4. The consequences of Israel’s trust chs. 34-35

This section concludes the major section of Isaiah that deals with God’s sovereignty over the nations of the world (chs. 13-35). Here the lessons stand out clearly. Pride leads to humiliation, whereas trust in the Lord results in exaltation (cf. Matthew 23:12). Chapters 34-35 bring to a head chapters 28-33, just as chapters 24-27 topped off chapters 13-23.

"In both instances the special prophecies connected with the history of the prophet’s own times are followed by a comprehensive finale of an apocalyptic character." [Note: Ibid., 2:66.]

"These two chapters form a fitting climax to the judgment and salvation motifs which have been spoken of extensively by Isaiah. . . . Discussion of the judgment on Assyria (Isaiah 30:27-33; Isaiah 31:8-9; Isaiah 33:1; Isaiah 33:18-19) naturally led to a discussion of God’s judgment on the whole world in the Tribulation. God’s vengeance on the world will be followed by millennial blessing on His covenant people, Israel." [Note: J. Martin, p. 1084.]

These themes of judgment and blessing, of course, were prominent in the sixth "woe," so there is a strong connection with what precedes in chapter 33. Chapters 34 and 35 present the contrasting images of a productive land turned into a desert (ch. 34), and a desert turned into a garden (ch. 35).

"To align oneself with the nations of the earth is to choose a desert; to trust in God is to choose a garden." [Note: Oswalt, p. 609.]

Yahweh’s day of judgment ch. 34

This poem depicts the effects of Yahweh’s wrath on the self-exalting nations. His judgment will be universal (Isaiah 34:1-4). Isaiah particularized it with reference to Edom, a representative nation (Isaiah 34:5-17; cf. Isaiah 25:10-12).

"Here we have depicted the scene of carnage that will ensue upon the Battle of Armageddon." [Note: Archer, p. 633.]

"This chapter is remarkable for its combination of the general and the particular, the universal and the local. It reminds us of the Greek word hekastos (’each one individually’) used in so many descriptions of judgment in the NT." [Note: Grogan, p. 217.]

"There are many passages in Jeremiah (viz. ch. xxv. 31, 33, 34, xlvi. 10, l. 27, 39, li. 40) which cannot be explained in any other way than on the supposition that Jeremiah had the prophecy of Isaiah in ch. xxxiv. before him." [Note: Delitzsch, 2:67.]