Old Testament · Prophets

Isaiah chapter 30

“What a for these children,” declares Yahweh, “who carry out plans — but not mine, who weave alliances — but not by my , piling failure on top of failure.”They head down to Egypt without consulting me, looking for safety in Pharaoh’s , seeking shelter under Egypt’s wing.But Pharaoh’s protection will become your shame, and shelter under Egypt’s wing will be your humiliation.Even though their officials are in and their envoys reach as far as ,everyone will be put to shame because of a people who are useless to them — no help, no benefit, just shame and disgrace.An announcement about the animals of the : Through a land of hardship and distress, of lioness and roaring lion, of viper and darting serpent, they haul their wealth on the backs of donkeys, their treasures on the humps of camels, to a people who cannot help them.Egypt’s help is worthless, empty air. So I call her: “ Who Sits Still.”Now go, write it on a in their presence, and inscribe it on a scroll, so it will stand as a witness for days to come, forever and always.Because this is a rebellious people, children who lie, children who refuse to listen to the of Yahweh.They say to the , “Stop seeing!” and to the visionaries, “Stop giving us visions of what’s real! Tell us pleasant things. Give us .”“Get off the road! Move off the path! Stop confronting us with .”So this is what the One Like No Other in Israel says: “You reject this message. You trust instead in and and lean on them for support.”“this failure will be for you like a crack in a high wall, bulging out, about to break — its collapse comes suddenly, in an instant.”Its shattering is like the shattering of a , smashed without mercy, so that among its fragments not a single piece is found large enough to scoop coals from a fire or dip water from a cistern.Because this is what the Lord Yahweh, the One Like No Other in Israel, says: “In coming back and resting you will be . In staying calm and trusting is your strength.” But you refused.You said, “No! We’ll flee on !” So you will flee. “We’ll ride off at top speed!” So your pursuers will be faster.A thousand will flee at the threat of one. At the threat of five, you will all run, until what’s left of you is like a on a mountaintop, like a signal banner on a hill.And yet Yahweh is waiting to show you . He rises to show you compassion. Because Yahweh is a God of — everyone who waits for him.People in , who live in Jerusalem — you will weep no more. He will absolutely show you undeserved kindness at the sound of your cry. The moment he hears, he will answer you.Even though the Lord gives you the and the water of affliction, your will no longer hide himself. Your own eyes will see your Teacher.And your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the — walk in it,” whether you turn to the right or to the left.Then you will treat as garbage your silver-plated carved and your gold-covered cast images. You will throw them away like a used — “Get out!” you’ll say to them.He will send rain for the seed you plant in the ground, and the food the land produces will be rich and abundant. On that day your livestock will graze in wide-open pastures.The oxen and donkeys that work the soil will eat , winnowed with shovel and pitchfork.On every high mountain and every raised hill there will be streams of flowing water — on the day of the , when the towers fall.The moonlight will be as bright as sunlight, and the sunlight will be — like the light of seven days in one — on the day Yahweh the wounds of his people and heals the injuries his blows inflicted.Look — the of Yahweh comes from far away, burning with anger, heavy with rising smoke. His lips are full of fury, his tongue is like a consuming fire.His is like a flooding stream that rises to the neck, to sift the nations in a , and to put a bridle on the jaws of peoples that leads them astray.But you will have songs like the night , and gladness of heart like someone walking with a flute on the way to the mountain of Yahweh, to the .And Yahweh will make his majestic voice heard and reveal his coming down with burning anger and consuming flame, with cloudburst, downpour, and hailstones. will be shattered by the voice of Yahweh; he will strike them with his rod.And every stroke of the rod of punishment that Yahweh lays on them will be to the sound of , as he fights them with the sweep of his arm.For a has been prepared long ago; yes, it is ready — even for the king. He has made its fire pit deep and wide, with fire and wood piled high. The , like a stream of sulfur, sets it ablaze.