27. Isaiah Chapter Twenty-Seven

Isaiah Chapter 27 In Isaiah 27:1 the leviathans (there are two, r.v.), the swift serpent and the crooked, or winding, serpent, and the dragon are doubtless symbolic both of the great world powers at the end of this age and of the evil one who will instigate them; he is spoken of both as the serpent and the dragon (Genesis 3:1; Revelation 20:2, Revelation 20:10), the latter of which foretells his punishment. The passages in Isaiah and Revelation are parallel as to the course of events: Revelation 19:1-21 corresponds to Isaiah 26:21, and Revelation 20:1-15 to Isaiah 27:1. For the third time a prophetic song hymns the happiness of redeemed Israel (Isaiah 27:2-5). There are four, but the first (ch. 5) was of a different character. Here Jehovah rejoices over His people. They are a vineyard of red (or fiery) vine (some manuscripts have "pleasant" cp. Amos 5:11), constantly kept and watered by Him. "Wrath have I none," He says. That will be a thing of the past for them. If enemies rise up against them again, they will be but thorns and thistles for the burning. Nay, let the would-be foe take the wise alternative, and take hold of His strength for protection, and make peace with Him. On the contrary, Israel is to take root, blossom, bud, and "fill the face of the world with fruit," thus becoming "the riches of the Gentiles" (Romans 11:12), Isaiah 27:6.

This, spiritually, is the Lord’s purpose and desire for believers during the present period till the Church is complete (John 15:1-16). Filling the earth with fruit is suggestive of the effects of missionary service in all nations. The Lord had to smite His people, but not as He smote their foes (Isaiah 27:7). How he smote Israel is now described (Isaiah 27:8-11) and all with a view to their restoration. His covenant promises remain unalterable. How God has, and will have, chastised His people is described in Isaiah 27:8, r.v.: "In measure [i.e., not in fullness of wrath, but by indignation tempered by forbearance] when Thou sendest her away, Thou doest contend with her: He hath removed her with His rough blast in the day of the east wind." He sifted His chosen people among the nations. He blew violently upon them, sifting them but not destroying them; and all this with a view to purging their iniquity (Isaiah 27:9). The fruit of God’s dealings is that the stones of idol altars are made like chalk stones broken in pieces. The images of Astarte and the sun images will never be set up again. These are suggestive of everything substituted for God. As it is the punishment which causes the sin of Israel to cease, the prophet now gives, as a warning, details of the nature of the punishment (Isaiah 27:10-11). Jerusalem, once so populous, would be left like a wilderness; animals would browse off the bits of foliage growing among the ruins, and their women would gather sticks for their fires, since the hostile armies, having accomplished their aim, would have left.

Yet mercy will rejoice against judgment, and Israel, repentant, shall be gathered. Just as in the year of jubilee, the trumpet sounded on the evening of the Day of Atonement, and every man returned to his own possession (Leviticus 25:1-55), so will scattered Israel return to worship at Jerusalem when the Lord gives His signal among the nations (Isaiah 27:13; cp. Isaiah 11:12).