You shall have a song as in the night when a holy feast is kept, and gladness of heart, as when one sets out to the sound of the flute to go to the mountain of the LORD, to the Rock of Israel. And the LORD will cause his majestic voice to be heard and the descending blow of his arm to be seen, in furious anger and a flame of devouring fire, with a cloudburst and storm and hailstones. The Assyrians will be terror-stricken at the voice of the LORD, when he strikes with his rod. And every stroke of the appointed staff that the LORD lays on them will be to the sound of tambourines and lyres. Battling with brandished arm, he will fight with them. For a burning place has long been prepared; indeed, for the king it is made ready, its pyre made deep and wide, with fire and wood in abundance; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of sulfur, kindles it.
Most of Isaiah is somewhat dark and gloomy. Israel has rebelled against God and God has sent Isaiah, the prophet, to proclaim His displeasure and coming judgement on them for this turning away from Him. There are prophecies against Jerusalem (the capital of Judah ... the remaining tribe of Israel) as well as the nation, as a whole. There are also prophetic utterances over the nations that have either fought against Israel, or simply not come to their aide. This is a doom and gloom message.
But, throughout the book we have what we read in the above passage. Isaiah makes it clear that their WILL BE a remnant of believers who do turn to God and remain faithful. The above passage speaks to them. It also speaks to the nation God has sent to discipline the majority of the nation, Assyria. God has used them for His discipline over His people, but He will also not allow their wicked behavior to flourish. God will protect the remnant. How? With His “majestic voice” and by the “descending blow of his arm.” He will save the remnant by the voice of His power; characterized by, “furious anger and a flame of devouring fire, with a cloudburst and storm and hailstones.”
When God speaks, that is the imagery we should ponder over. Mankind often thinks of God in different terms and images. They don’t often think of Him in the way that Isaiah is speaking. But, in the above text not only do we see these word pictures created, but we see that God is going to pour out His wrath. Not only is His wrath poured out, however, God is also going to take away joy and laughter. Note that Isaiah states, that the very voice of God will be to the background of a feasts with singing and music. Isaiah is telling us that the Assyrians will be in the midst of either worship or celebration when God voice speaks destruction over them. The world can try to drown out the voice of God through parties and entertainment, but, in the end, it will be the voice of Jesus that seals their fate:
They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
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