Paul Kretzmann Commentary - Isaiah 14:23 - 14:32

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Paul Kretzmann Commentary - Isaiah 14:23 - 14:32


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Prophecies Against Assyria and Philistia

v. 24. The Lord of hosts,
the Commander of all the forces of heaven, hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, as He had disposed or planned, so shall it come to pass, this prophecy preceding that against Babylon in point of human time; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand, this prophecy being practically a continuation of 10:34;

v. 25. that I will break the Assyrian in My land,
overthrowing his power within the boundaries of Judah, and upon My mountains tread him under foot, for the turning-point in the Assyrian fortunes came at Libnah, in the foothills of the Judean mountains, with the destruction of Sennacherib's forces, 2 Kings 19. Then shall his yoke depart from off them, namely, the inhabitants of Judah, and his burden depart from off their shoulders, so that the design of the invader could not be accomplished.

v. 26. This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth,
in the counsel of the Lord, in whose hand is the government of the whole earth; and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations, and every decree of the Lord has significance for all men.

v. 27. For the Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it?
No power of the world can prevent its execution. And his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back? No man can turn Him aside from the acts which He has determined upon.

v. 28. In the year that King Ahaz died,
about 727 B. C. was this burden, this sentence of judgment upon the Philistines, who just at this time prepared to regain their ancient power:

v. 29. Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina,
that is, Philistia, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken, the Philistines being of the opinion that the alliance of Syria and the Northern Kingdom, as a consequence of which Ahaz and Judah had become vassals of Assyria, 2Ki_16:5-9, had resulted in breaking the power of Judah, which had only just before that been asserted by Uzziah, 2Ch_26:6; for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a cockatrice, that is, an adder, a still more poisonous serpent, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent, the reference probably being to Hezekiah, who promptly smote the Philistines and definitely brought about their destruction, 2Ki_18:8.

v. 30. And the first-born of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety,
that is, the inhabitants of Judah would enjoy peace and safety under the reign of Hezekiah, over against Philistia; and I will kill thy root with famine, thus eradicating the Philistines as a people, and he, Hezekiah, shall slay thy remnant, thereby carrying out God's punishment upon the ancient enemies of Judah.

v. 31. Howl, O gate!
the strong fortifications of the Philistine cities being meant. Cry, O city! Ashdod and Gaza having retained much of their ancient glory. Thou, whole Palestina, art dissolved, melting away to nothing; for there shall come from the North a smoke, namely, the Assyrian hordes with their ruthless devastations, and none shall be alone in his appointed times, literally, "and none is by himself in his armies," the Assyrian soldiers knowing neither weariness nor insubordination, but all filled with that one idea—the lust of conquest.

v. 32. What shall one, then, answer the messengers of the nation?
What answer do the messengers of the nation bring? What report did the ambassadors of various heathen nations make when they returned to their own countries after viewing the results of God's punishment of Philistia and His protection of Judah? That the Lord hath founded Zion, and the poor of His people shall trust in it, the troubled refugees being safe within its walls. In this way the Lord protects those who believe in Him against all enemies, He Himself being their Refuge and Strength.