Page 71 - Isaiah Student Worktext

10.3 Chapter 34 - Main Idea: God warns the nations on earth of His coming judgment on the
whole earth and on all the armies of the earth, with Edom as a symbolic representative of
God’s enemies.

V. 1-4 So much of Isaiah has been directed against specific nations who were enemies of
Israel, therefore enemies of God. But here He says that the warning, the ‘indignation’ is
against ALL nations, ALL armies.

The wrath of God is directed, not necessarily against all nations, but all sin. “There is not
one righteous nation on earth whose leaders and policy makers exist for and render all
decisions simply for the glory of God and of Christ”. This is a quote from the book I used by Andrew
Davis. “Has there ever been a nation wholly devoted to the glory of our Lord? Even Israel never truly
devoted themselves fully to the glory of God.”

This passage is a very graphic depiction of the destruction. Piles of corpses, mountains washed away
with blood, the heavens being ‘rolled up like a scroll’. Hebrews 1: 10-12

The verses have a contemporary meaning as well. God has not tolerated wickedness from the very
beginning. He has often used one wicked nation to destroy another, for example the Soviet Union being
used to defeat Nazi Germany. But of course, the ultimate fulfillment is the Second Coming of Christ.

V. 5-7 The focus shifts from ‘all nations’ to a specific nation, Edom. Edom had long been a foe of Israel,
in fact from its very beginning. Edom was the nation descended from Esau while Israel was descended
from Jacob. Although Jacob and Esau had reconciled, Genesis 32 and 33, there was still great enmity
between their descendants.

Even though much of this focuses on Edom, they are symbolic of wickedness wherever it shows up.

This section speaks of great destruction and bloodshed. There must be blood to atone for sin, either the
sinner’s blood or the blood of Christ.

V. 8-12 The ‘day of the Lord’s vengeance’ is the fulfillment of His long time promise to punish evil. We
may wonder why He tarries so long, but we should also praise Him that He tarried long enough for us to
come to Him.

In V. 9-10 we see a description of hell: brimstone, burning pitch, not quenched day or night forever.

The pelican, porcupine, owl and raven are all spelled out as ‘unclean’ creatures in the Book of Leviticus.
Uncleanness will surround those who have chosen to be unclean.

They will call out to their leaders to save them, but no one will be able to save them at that point. They
have missed their opportunity.

V. 13-15 Further description of the uncleanness and chaos that will reign. The gruesomeness of this
chapter is further described with the coming of the hawks and jackals, which eat the flesh of corpses.

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