Sermon notes

Sermon notes February 13, 2012

INTRODUCTION

Isaiah’s earlier series of woes against the nations climaxes with woes against the “cousin” nation Moab (Isaiah 25:10; cf. Genesis 19:30-38). His second series of woes climaxes with a prophecy against another close relative – Edom, the descendants of Esau (Isaiah 34:5-15). With Edom’s fall, a whole world collapses, making room for a new one.

THE TEXT

“Come near, you nations, to hear; and heed, you people! Let the earth hear, and all that is in it, the world and all things that come forth from it. For the indignation of the Lord is against all nations, and His fury against all their armies . . . .” (Isaiah 34:1-35:10).

HOLY WAR

Isaiah warns the nations that Yahweh is ready to carry out a war of utter destruction (Isaiah 34:2), like the herem war Joshua waged against the Canaanites. No one will be left to bury to dead (v. 3), and the destruction will be cosmic. Rulers write edicts that cover the world like a firmament, but the sky of the nations will roll up; the stars that rule the sky will fall like withered figs (v. 4). This is the end of a world. Some world is always on the brink of ending.

SACRIFICE OF EDOM

From verse 5, Isaiah gives particular attention to Edom (vv. 5-6). The sibling rivalry between Jacob and Esau had continued throughout Israel’s history, and when Israel suffered the Edomites rejoiced (Psalm 137:7; Lamentations 4:21). So, like the nations, Edom is “devoted to destruction” (v. 5). Edom is being slaughtered like the hundreds of oxen and sheep at a festival (vv. 6-7), as Yahweh takes His righteous vengeance against Edom (v. 8) and begins a year of recompense (cf. Leviticus 25). Edom’s cities will be empty, except for birds of the night, ground-dwellings, and scavengers (vv. 11, 13-15). Yahweh will stretch the line of formlessness and the measuring stone of emptiness to un-build the city (v. 11; cf. Genesis 1:2). Edom will become like an ark to which the Spirit gathers wild animals with their mates (v. 16). He will distribute the land of Edom to these beasts forever (v. 17).

WILDERNESS REJOICES

Edom plays a sacrificial role in this passage. Once Yahweh has sacrificed Edom, the Arabah, Lebanon, Carmel, and Sharon will bloom (35:1-2). Yahweh’s acts of destruction against Edom are reversed in relation to Israel. Edom is slaughtered like a sacrificial victim; Israel will blossom like a rose (35:1-2). Edom’s streams are turned to pitch and burning lava (34:9); water flows in the desert of Israel (35:6b-7). Edom’s cities will be inhabited with unclean birds and beasts and serpents (34:11-15); in Israel the jackals will be dispersed, and there will be no lions of vicious beasts (35:7, 9). Thorns will grow up in Edom’s towers (34:13); flowers bloom in Israel (35:1). Isaiah envisions a procession of beasts heading toward the cities of Edom; but once-disabled Israelites (35:5-6a) will join a great procession along the highway of holiness (35:8) toward Zion (35:10).

NEW EXODUS

Isaiah 35 is an exodus scene: Israel travels through the wilderness and it turns to a garden as they journey toward Zion. As in the exodus, the return of Israel to Zion depends on the death of the firstborn, in this case the firstborn son “Esau.” Jesus is the greater Esau, slaughtered to release Irael from bondage, sacrificed to make the desert glad.


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