Page 65 - Isaiah Student Worktext

These last few chapters have dealt with a physical enemy, Assyria and the dangers of depending on
man’s solutions, Egypt.

In our own lives today, we will face various crises: health, finances, etc. We should never allow the
threat of these things to cause us to turn to things other than God. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t see
a doctor if we’re sick or be careful with our money. But the first place we should turn should be to the
Lord.

Chapter 32 Main Idea: God reveals His vision for a new society in which
kings and rulers, transformed by the Spirit, reign under Christ.

Like so many chapters in Isaiah, Chapter 32 resonates with the world today.
It deals with the corruption of rulers who use their positions of power for
selfish purposes. All over the world and throughout history, there are many examples of governmental
corruption.

But a second major theme of Chapter 32 is the power of the Holy Spirit to change everything and
everyone. Even corrupt leaders can become a Godly blessing to the Lord. It doesn’t happen often, and
no doubt people prayed for an intervention of the Holy Spirit in the life of Adolf Hitler. Rather, this is not
necessarily something that will happen in this lifetime but is a foretaste of the New Heaven and the New
Earth. Still it is a call for leaders, particularly Christian leaders, to use their positions to demonstrate
Christ to their people.

Proverbs 29: 2 The human heart has always been corrupt, but power gives an already wicked heart an
opportunity to increase the corruption.

As always, this chapter has contemporary and ultimate fulfillments.

V. 1-4 Who is this king? Who are the princes that will rule with justice? In all likelihood, this speaks to
the ideal society set up after the judgment. Still, it obviously is not the ‘perfect world’ because it still
speaks about the tempest, the weary land.

The ‘eyes of those who see’ refer to the prophets, and there will be no need of prophets in Heaven. So
this prophecy must be something of a mixture of past and future fulfillments.

V. 5-8 It’s hard to tell in this age who is genuine and who is not. Here, we are told that the foolish will
no longer be called generous…misers are not bountiful. Our eyes will be opened to the truth. When we
hear foolishness, we will recognize it as foolishness. Whereas the poor were neglected before, that will
no longer be the case.

A generous man will do generous things, as we are called to do.

V. 9-11 Before the new and perfect society can be put in place, the old and corrupt must be removed.
This addresses ‘complacent’ daughters or women…those who live in luxury and at ease. God tells them
here that in a little more than a year their luxury is going to be taken away. The ‘vintage’ or the crops
will fail, and they will end up naked, then clothed in the sackcloth of mourning.

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