The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV

by John MacArthur

  19:25 My people…the work of My hands. Elsewhere Scripture uses these epithets to speak only of Israel (10:24; 29:23; 43:6, 7; 45:11; 60:21; 64:8; Pss. 100:3; 110:3; 138:8; Jer. 11:4; Hos 1:10; 2:23). In the future kingdom, Israel is to be God’s instrument for drawing other nations into His fold.

  Isaiah 20

  20:1 Tartan. The Heb. term is probably not a proper name, but a title designating a commander in the Assyrian army. Ashdod… Sargon. Ashdod was one of the 5 largest Philistine cities, all located SW of Jerusalem. Sargon, mentioned only here in the Bible, was Sargon II, king of Assyria from ca. 722–705 B.C. took it. The Assyrians captured Ashdod in 711 B.C., and so frightened the Egyptians that they backed away, thus teaching Judah the folly of reliance on a foreign power such as Egypt for protection.

  20:2 at the same time. Isaiah began his object lesson 3 years (v. 3) before his speech in vv. 3–6, which came just prior to the Assyrian attack in 711 B.C. sackcloth. This apparel may denote Isaiah’s mourning (Gen. 37:34; 2 Kin. 6:30) or it may signify his prophetic office (2 Kin. 1:8; Matt. 3:4). naked and barefoot. The Lord commanded stripping off all of his outer garments as an act denoting disgrace and humiliation.

  20:3 My servant. This designation places Isaiah among a select group: Others include: Abraham (Gen. 26:24); Moses (Num. 12:7, 8; Josh. 1:2, 7; 2 Kin. 21:8; Mal. 4:4); Caleb (Num. 14:24); David (2 Sam. 3:18; 7:5, 8; 1 Kin. 11:32, 34, 36, 38; 14:8; 2 Kin. 19:34; 20:6; 1 Chr. 17:4, 7; Ps. 89:3; Is. 37:35; Jer. 33:21, 22, 26; Ezek. 34:23, 24; 37:24, 25); Job (Job 1:8; 2:3; 42:7, 8); Eliakim (22:20); the Servant of the Lord (42:1; 49:5, 6, 7; 52:13; 53:11; Zech. 3:8; Matt. 12:18); Israel (41:8, 9; 42:19; 43:10; 44:1, 2, 21, 26; 44:21; 45:4; 48:20; 50:10; Jer. 30:10; 46:27, 28; Ezek. 28:25; 37:25); Nebuchadnezzar (Jer. 25:9; 27:6; 43:10); Zerubbabel (Hag. 2:23); and Christ’s follower (John 12:26). sign…wonder. Isaiah’s nakedness and bare feet symbolized the coming desolation and shame of Egypt and Ethiopia at the hands of the Assyrians (cf. 19:4).

  20:4 prisoners…captives. Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, fulfilled this prophecy in 671 B.C. (cf. 37:38; 2 Kin. 19:37; Ezra 4:2). Far from being a suitable object of Judah’s trust, mighty Egypt will go off in shame.

  20:6 how shall we escape? “We” refers to the people of Judah. Trust in Egypt has proven itself misplaced. Is there any adequate source of help?

  Isaiah 21

  21:1 Wilderness of the Sea. The prophet referred to an area of southern Babylon near the Persian Gulf known for its fertility. As whirlwinds in the South. The simile drew from the suddenness with which storm winds come from the Negev and sweep through the land of Israel. So sudden is to be Babylon’s overthrow.

  21:2 Elam…Media. The Elamites and Medes were part of the Persian army that defeated Babylon in 539 B.C.

  21:3, 4 pain…pangs…fearfulness…fear. The severity of the violence about which Isaiah must prophesy caused him extreme agitation.

  21:5 eat and drink…anoint the shield! This part of the oracle recalled Belshazzar’s feast in Dan. 5, when amid the celebration came a call to fight the attacking enemy invading the city.

  21:6 set a watchman. Isaiah stationed a watchman on the city walls.

  21:7 chariot…chariot…chariot. Isaiah heard the watchman warn of an approaching military force.

  21:8 he cried, “A lion, my LORD.” The Dead Sea Scrolls correctly read, “the watchman cried, my LORD.” The watchman whom Isaiah had stationed (v. 6) continued his report.

  21:9 Babylon is fallen, is fallen! The watchman proclaimed the tragic end of mighty Babylon, which initially fell to the Assyrians in 689 B.C. and again to the Persians in 539 B.C. Yet Isaiah’s prediction looked forward to the ultimate fall of the great enemy of God, as verified by John’s citation of this verse in Rev. 14:8; 18:2 (cf. Jer. 50:2; 51:8, 49).

  21:10 my threshing and the grain of my floor! The violent threshing of grain portrayed Babylon’s oppression of Israel, and the resultant grain was Israel’s deliverance by God. The concise saying offered God’s people hope.

  21:11 Dumah. This oasis in northern Arabia stood at the intersection of two important routes, one E-W from the Persian Gulf to Petra and the other N-S between the Red Sea and Tadmor. It was about 300 mi. S of Jerusalem. Seir. Another name for Edom—located S of the Dead Sea and the home of Esau’s descendants—this is the source of an inquiry directed to Isaiah. what of the night? How long was the Assyrian oppression to last?

  21:12 morning…night. The prophet promises a short-lived deliverance from Assyrian oppression, but quickly added the threat of Babylonian domination to follow soon.

  21:13 forest. “Thicket,” referring to scrub brush, is a better rendering since Arabia has few or no forests. Dedanites. Dedan was on the route to the Red Sea about 290 mi. SE of Dumah, in the northwestern part of the Arabian desert.

  21:14 Tema. Tema was on the Red Sea route about 200 mi. SE of Dumah, in the northwestern part of the Arabian desert. water… bread. The prophet indicated that those fleeing the Assyrian army will need supplies.

  21:15 they fled. The interior area of Arabia was a place of refuge for fugitives fleeing from the sophisticated armament of the Assyrians.

  21:16 Kedar. Kedar covers the area in the northwestern part of the Arabian desert. glory of Kedar will fail. This prophecy anticipated the conquest of the region by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon (Jer. 49:28).

  Isaiah 22

  22:1 Valley of Vision. This referred to Israel, since God often revealed Himself to Jerusalem in visions. However, the unrepentant inhabitants displayed a marked lack of vision in their oblivion to the destruction that awaited them. What ails you…? The prophet reproached the people for celebrating with wild parties when they should have been in deep repentance because of their sins. Apparently he anticipated a condition that arose in conjunction with Jerusalem’s fall to the Babylonians in 586 B.C. But similar incursions by the Assyrians in either 711 or 701 B.C., from which the Lord delivered the city, had prompted the revelry among the people.

  22:2 sword…battle. Death came through starvation or disease as the Babylonians besieged the city.

  22:3 rulers have fled. Rather than defend the city the way they ought, the leaders fled to save their own necks and in doing so, were captured (2 Kin. 25:4–7).

  22:4 weep bitterly. Isaiah’s pain was deep. He could not participate in the revelry because he saw the reality of the spiritual issues.

  22:5 day…LORD GOD of hosts. On a former occasion when the city was about to fall, terror had reigned among the citizens. It was to occur again, leaving no room for merriment.

  22:6 Elam…Kir. These lands had representatives in the Assyrian army that besieged Jerusalem.

  22:7 choicest valleys. Valleys lying both in and around Jerusalem are to be full of enemy troops.

  22:8 House of the Forest. Constructed by Solomon out of cedars (1 Kin. 7:2–6), the structure housed weaponry (1 Kin. 10:17) and other valuables (2 Chr. 9:20; Is. 39:2).

  22:9 city of David. Jerusalem bore this name (2 Sam. 5:6, 7, 9). See note on 29:1. lower pool. The pool of Siloam furnished the city’s water supply. Hezekiah’s lengthy underground conduit fed the pool from the Gihon Spring.

  22:10 fortify the wall. Hezekiah rebuilt the damaged wall (2 Chr. 32:5), but did so while trusting God. His faith contrasts with that of the people Isaiah currently addresses (v. 11b).

  22:11 old pool. This refers to the Gihon Spring, which the prophet sometimes referred to as the “upper pool” (7:3; 36:2; cf. 2 Kin. 18:17). did not look to its Maker. Preparations for the city’s defense were purely external. The people gave no thought to the Creator of the city, the pool, or the present crisis (cf. 31:1), against whom their physical defenses were useless.

  22:12, 13 sackcloth…joy and gladness. In the face of a crisis that required genuine repentance, the people responded with hilarity and self-indulgence. Contrast this spirit with the legitimate joy and gladness of God’s people in 35:10; 51:11.

  22:13 Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die! Paul cites the same philosophy (1 Co
r. 15:32): If there is no resurrection, enjoyment in this life is all that matters. It utterly disregards God’s eternal values.

  22:14 no atonement. The Lord’s prediction about the outcome of Isaiah’s ministry (6:9, 10) found fulfillment.

  22:15 Shebna, who is over the house. Possibly of Egyptian extraction, this man was second in authority only to the king. Other OT references to Shebna refer to him as a “scribe” (36:22; 37:2; 2 Kin. 18:37; 19:2), his position after his demotion from steward as prophesied by Isaiah (see v. 19).

  22:16 hewn a sepulcher. Shebna arranged construction of a tomb fit for a king as a memorial for himself, when he should have been attending to the spiritual affairs of Judah. The prophet condemns his arrogance.

  22:17 mighty man. Isaiah referred to Shebna’s glorious estimate of himself.

  22:18 large country…die…shame. Far from receiving a luxurious burial in Jerusalem, Shebna died a shameful death in a foreign country.

  22:19 drive you out of your office. Arrogance caused Shebna’s demotion from steward to scribe some time later in Hezekiah’s reign but before 701 B.C. (36:1, 2).

  22:20 My servant Eliakim. Eliakim, who replaced Shebna as steward or prime minister, was highly honored in being called “My servant” (see note on 20:3).

  22:21 father…Judah. The steward had supreme authority under the king’s oversight.

  22:22 key of the house of David. This authority to admit or refuse admittance into the king’s presence evidenced the king’s great confidence in Eliakim. Jesus applied this terminology to Himself as one who could determine who would enter His future Davidic kingdom (Rev. 3:7).

  22:23 a glorious throne. The “throne” symbolized the honor Eliakim was to bring to his family.

  22:24 hang on him. Returning to the figure of a peg (v. 23), Isaiah noted how Eliakim’s posterity will use him to gain glory for themselves.

  22:25 peg…removed. After a time of faithful service, Eliakim faltered and fell, and all “hanging” on him fell as well.

  Isaiah 23

  23:1 Tyre. A Phoenician seaport on the Mediterranean Sea, located about 35 mi. N of Mt. Carmel and 28 mi. W of Mt. Hermon, Tyre supplied lumber for King Solomon’s temple (1 Kin. 5:1, 7–12) and sailors for his navy (1 Kin. 9:26, 27). ships of Tarshish. Tarshish was most likely in Spain, so “ships of Tarshish” were large trading vessels capable of making distant voyages on the open sea all the way to the port of Tyre. The OT refers to them frequently (2:16; 60:9; 1 Kin. 10:22; 22:48; Ps. 48:7; Ezek. 27:25; Jon. 1:3). laid waste. Tyre was under siege 5 times between this prophecy and 332 B.C. Only the last of these attacks (in 332 B.C., by Alexander the Great) completely leveled and subdued the city. Ezekiel prophesied this destruction in Ezek. 26:3—27:36. no house, no harbor. Weary from their long, difficult journey, sailors would find no customary haven of rest upon arrival at their destination, Tyre. Cyprus. Upon reaching this island in the eastern Mediterranean, the seamen would learn of Tyre’s overthrow.

  23:2 Sidon. Sidon was the other important Phoenician seaport, along with Tyre. Here it represented the rest of Phoenicia as reflecting the country’s response to Tyre’s overthrow.

  23:3 Shihor…the River. Phoenicians carried much grain grown in Egypt—represented by “Shihor”—aboard their ships. They also bought and sold much of the commodity.

  23:4 labor…bring forth children. Isaiah spoke of barrenness, labor, and childbirth frequently (7:14; 8:3; 9:6; 26:16–18; 37:3; 44:3–5; 45:10, 11; 47:8; 49:21; 54:1–3; 66:9). Here the figure described Tyre, “the strength of the sea,” bemoaning her desolate condition.

  23:6, 7 Tarshish…far off to dwell. Tyre’s refugees had traveled throughout the Mediterranean world (see v. 1). They too lamented the city’s fall.

  23:7 from ancient days. Tyre was a very old city, dating from about two millennia before Christ.

  23:8 crowning city…princes…honorable. Tyre had very high international prestige.

  23:9 the pride of all glory. This furnished the reason the Lord of Hosts brought the overthrow of Tyre—their arrogance stemming from the city’s prestige. They were foolish to rely on human glory.

  23:10 no more strength. The oracle invited the colonies of Tyre to exercise their freedom in taking advantage of the city’s fall.

  23:11 the LORD has given a commandment against Canaan. The Lord had caused the downfall of the territory of Canaan, which included Tyre and Sidon.

  23:12 virgin daughter of Sidon. A city once noted for its freshness and revelry (cf. v. 7) will become like a used-up old woman, piecing together what is left. God used the Assyrians to crush her (contrast the virgin daughter of Zion in 37:22).

  23:13 Chaldeans…Assyria. The example of the Chaldeans, another name for the Babylonians, reminded Tyre of their hopelessness against Assyria. Assyria ravaged Babylon in 689 B.C.

  23:15 seventy years. The devastation of Tyre was not permanent. A little village remains on the site of the ancient city to the present day. The time frame of the 70 years is obscure.

  23:15, 16 song of the harlot…forgotten…remembered. Harlots sang to draw attention to themselves, attention not so hard to obtain in ancient days. Like those harlots, the people of Tyre were invited to sing songs drawing attention to their earlier prosperity.

  23:17 the LORD will deal. With God’s help, the city was to return.

  23:18 set apart for the LORD. Even Tyre’s sinful gain was to support Judah as her colonies once supported her.

  Isaiah 24

  24:1—27:13 These 4 chapters give praise to God for His future victory over all enemies and the final deliverance of Israel in the Day of the Lord. The judgments in this chapter (24) look forward to the tribulation as described in Rev. 6ff.

  24:1 empty…waste, distorts…scatters. The prophet generalized and broadened the destruction about which he had written more specifically in chaps. 13–23. The Lord is to deal with the whole earth more severely than He did at the tower of Babel or through the Noahic Flood.

  24:2 people…priest…creditor…debtor. Neither rank, wealth, nor power were able to deliver from God’s judgment.

  24:3 the LORD has spoken. Isaiah used this expression or a comparable one 9 other times to emphasize the certainty of his predictions (1:20; 21:17; 22:25; 25:8; 37:22; 38:7; 38:15; 40:5; 58:14).

  24:4 haughty people. The prophet again called attention to pride as the reason for God’s judgment (cf. 23:9).

  24:5 everlasting covenant. Likely, this referred to the Abrahamic Covenant, frequently referred to as “everlasting” (cf. Gen. 17:7, 13, 19; 1 Chr. 16:15, 17; Pss. 105:8, 10; 111:5, 9), which contained devotion to God’s moral law and salvation by faith in Him.

  24:6 few men are left. This Gentile remnant differed from that of Israel. Presumably they will join in support of Israel when the Messiah returns.

  24:7–9 merry-hearted sigh. The future day of judgment will terminate all merriment derived from natural sources. Cf. Rev. 18:22.

  24:10 Every house. Houses normally provided security from outside harm, but they became inaccessible.

  24:13 shaking of an olive tree. The same figure spoke of leanness in the judgment against Ephraim in 17:6.

  24:14 lift up their voice…sing. The songs of the godly remnant (cf. v. 6), celebrating God’s righteous judgment, replace the drunken music (cf. v. 9).

  24:15 glorify the LORD. This call summoned all people worldwide to attribute to the Lord what was due Him.

  24:16 Glory to the righteous! “Righteous” refers to God. But I. Isaiah could not yet join in the celebration of God’s glory because he pondered the grief and corruption in the world before that final celebration of God’s victory.

  24:17, 18 pit…snare. The figure of an animal caught in a trap set by humans frequently symbolized the principle that life is a series of inescapable traps (2 Sam. 22:6; Job 18:8–10; 22:10; Pss. 18:5; 64:5; 106:36; 124:7; Jer. 48:43, 44; Lam. 3:47; Amos 5:19).

  24:18 windows from on high. In Noah’s day, God judged with a flood (Gen. 7:11). He will judge again f
rom heaven, but not with a flood. Cf. Rev. 6:13, 14; 8:3–13; 16:1–21. foundations of the earth. Unparalleled earthquakes will mark the future visitation during and after the fulfillment of Daniel’s 70-week prophecy (see note on 13:13; cf. Matt. 24:7; Rev. 6:12, 14; 8:5; 11:19; 16:18).

  24:20 drunkard…hut. Two more comparisons picture the ultimate collapse of the presumably strong and dependable planet earth: a staggering drunkard and a flimsy lean-to hut.

  24:21 the host of exalted ones…kings. In the climactic phase of the Day of the Lord, He will strike against rebelling forces, both angelic (Eph. 6:12) and human. See note on 2:12.

  24:22 shut up in the prison. The NT teaches more about the imprisonment of fallen angels before their final assignment to the lake of fire (2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6; Rev. 9:2, 3, 11; 11:7; 17:8; 20:1–10). It does the same regarding unbelieving humans (Luke 16:19–31; Rev. 20:11–15).

  24:23 moon…disgraced…sun ashamed. In the eternal state after Christ’s millennial reign, the glory of God and of the Lamb will replace the sun and moon as sources of light (Rev. 21:23). reign…in Jerusalem. In Rev. 11:15–17; 19:6, 16 (cf. Luke 1:31–33), John confirmed this clear prophecy of Messiah’s future earthly reign in Jerusalem.

  Isaiah 25

  25:1 wonderful things; Your counsels of old. Isaiah responded to God’s final judgment of the world (chap. 24) with praise to Him for planning His actions long before their implementation.

  25:2 a city a ruin…never be rebuilt. The prophet did not stipulate which city, but a prophecy of Babylon’s final destruction is in keeping with the context (21:9; cf. Jer. 51:37; Rev. 18).

  25:3 strong people…terrible nations. When Christ reigns on earth, nations from the whole world will glorify and fear Him (see 24:14–16).

  25:4 poor…needy. Another indicator of God’s worthiness to be glorified is His upholding of the oppressed (cf. 11:4; 14:32).

  25:4, 5 storm…heat. Two weather extremes of Judah’s climate illustrate how God will harbor the poor and needy: the sudden thunderstorm and the relentless heat.