Study notes

Isaiah 33

Introducing IsaiahWho wrote it, when, why, and what to look for as you read

28:1–39:8 Section

More of Isaiah’s messages of judgement and hope are recorded in these chapters. These judgement messages were against the northern kingdom, the southern kingdom and other nations. The main problem was that God’s people didn’t have respect for the Lord. They didn’t worship only God but also worshipped false gods.

God wanted to be their Teacher but they didn’t listen to his teachings. They made fun of God’s rules instead of obeying the Mount Sinai covenant. They wanted peace and rest but didn’t ask God for help when enemies attacked them. Instead they trusted other nations like Egypt to protect them.

Because of all this God would allow the covenant curses to come to his people. He would use other nations to bring his judgement against them. Later he would punish those other nations for being proud. Isaiah urged God’s people to return to the Lord. This meant to turn away from their sin and repent. It meant obeying God and doing what was fair and right. By doing this, God’s people would find peace and rest.

Peace and rest were part of the messages of hope. The messages of hope described a wonderful time in the future. God would be honoured and respected and his people would enjoy the covenant blessings. The Holy Spirit would be poured out on God’s people. That described how close they would be to God. God would be present with them and everyone would see God’s glory and beauty. People’s bodies would be healed and made strong. They would be safe and protected. They would have everything they needed to live well. They would live as wise and holy people who had respect for God.

The story about Assyria attacking Jerusalem is an example of what Isaiah’s prophecies were about. This story is also recorded in 2 Kings chapters 18 to 20 and in 2 Chronicles chapter 32. Assyria was God’s tool for bringing judgement against the southern kingdom. But Assyria’s leaders were proud and made fun of God. King Hezekiah and Jerusalem’s leaders made themselves humble. They cried out to God to save them. God saved them from the Assyrian army. The southern kingdom had peace and rest. But Isaiah’s messages of hope weren’t completely fulfilled at that time. Isaiah announced that one day Babylon would take control of the southern kingdom.

33:1

  • This was the sixth warning of woe (see study note on Isaiah 28:1–33:24).

  • Although the Hebrew text does not specifically name Assyria as the object of the prophecy in this chapter, Isaiah likely referred to Assyria. They were the destroyer closest at the time the prophecy was written. The prophecy applies to anyone who tries to destroy God's people, including the Babylonians (see Isaiah 13–14).

  • When you have finished betraying: Wicked nations often break political agreements when these deals no longer benefit them.

33:2

The faithful community prayed for God to be merciful in response to the promise of Isaiah 30:18.

33:9

Sharon, Bashan, and Carmel were all fertile areas. Their desolation represents the destruction Assyria had caused in Israel.

33:11

In most passages, the Assyrians reduced other nations to worthless dry grass and stubble (see Isaiah 17:13; 29:5; 40:24; 41:2). Here, ironically, they experience the same fate.

33:14

  • The godless were people who lived without considering God and his laws.

  • The image of a consuming fire comes from God’s judgment of wrongdoers during the wilderness journey (Exodus 24:17; Deuteronomy 4:24). God still expects people to worship him with respect and awe (Hebrews 12:29).

33:17

  • The king is the human representative (32:1) of the Great King, God himself (33:22).

  • The land belonging to God’s people would appear to be without borders because the foreign enemies had been judged (54:3).

33:17–24

This vision is about God’s reign in Zion.

33:18

Assyrian officers brought great terror to Judah when the Assyrians defeated various cities around Jerusalem (2 Kings 18:13).

33:19

The strange, unknown language was the language spoken in Assyria and later in Babylon (see Isaiah 28:11).

Verse notes: Adapted by Mission Mutual (Aquifer Open Study Notes) from Tyndale Open Study Notes © 2023 Tyndale House Publishers. CC BY-SA 4.0. Section notes: Biblica Study Notes © 2023 Biblica, Inc. CC BY-SA 4.0, via BibleAquifer. About the sources