Isaiah 32, A King is Coming

In the previous chapter Isaiah chastised the leaders of Israel and Judah for their reliance on treaties. At the end of the chapter, he promised that Assyria will be brought down, not by physical forces but by God. After prophecies of judgment and punishment, Isaiah pauses to remind the people of a coming future king. Throughout the book, Isaiah interrupts dark prophecy with bright promises of a future hope; this chapter is such an interruption.

Isaiah 32:1-2, Cool shade

See, a king will reign in righteousness

    and rulers will rule with justice.

Each one will be like a shelter from the wind

    and a refuge from the storm,

like streams of water in the desert

    and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.

A coming day brings a righteous king, one who provides shelter from the wind and storm; one who is like flowing water in the desert or the cool shade of a large rock.

Isaiah 32:3-8, Wisdom in that day

Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed,

    and the ears of those who hear will listen.

The fearful heart will know and understand,

    and the stammering tongue will be fluent and clear.

No longer will the fool be called noble

    nor the scoundrel be highly respected.

For fools speak folly,

    their hearts are bent on evil:

They practice ungodliness

    and spread error concerning the LORD;

the hungry they leave empty

    and from the thirsty they withhold water.

Scoundrels use wicked methods,

    they make up evil schemes

to destroy the poor with lies,

    even when the plea of the needy is just.

But the noble make noble plans,

    and by noble deeds they stand.

In that future day, people will truly be able to see and hear wisdom. Fools will be dismissed; the wise will be respected.

Isaiah 32:9-10, A call to the women

You women who are so complacent,

    rise up and listen to me;

you daughters who feel secure,

    hear what I have to say!

In little more than a year

    you who feel secure will tremble;

the grape harvest will fail,

    and the harvest of fruit will not come.

Here, says Motyer, the women of Jerusalem are receiving the same call as given in at the end of the previous chapter, a call to return to YHWH. Else those who are arrogant and secure will soon be trembling.

Isaiah 32:11-14, Distress and captivity

Tremble, you complacent women;

    shudder, you daughters who feel secure!

Strip off your fine clothes

    and wrap yourselves in rags.

Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields,

    for the fruitful vines

and for the land of my people,

    a land overgrown with thorns and briers—

yes, mourn for all houses of merriment

    and for this city of revelry.

The fortress will be abandoned,

    the noisy city deserted;

citadel and watchtower will become a wasteland forever,

    the delight of donkeys, a pasture for flocks,

The women of Jerusalem (says Motyer) will soon be prisoners, stripped and wrapped in rags, carried away from their pleasant fields. Judah suffered under the invasion by Assyrian king Sennacherib (2 Kings 19) and a century later would be destroyed by Babylon. But throughout the book there are images of future catastrophe beyond these two events. Grogan suggests that this passage is just prior to Sennacherib's invasion in 701 BC.

Isaiah 32:15-17, Outpouring of the Spirit

till the Spirit is poured on us from on high,

    and the desert becomes a fertile field,

    and the fertile field seems like a forest.

The LORD’s justice will dwell in the desert,

    his righteousness live in the fertile field.

The fruit of that righteousness will be peace;

    its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.

But in that Day, the Holy Spirit will be poured out, the deserts become fertile and YHWH's justice, righteousness and peace will reign. (The pouring out of the Holy Spirit is described elsewhere:

Isaiah 44:3, Jeremiah 31:31-34, Ezekiel 36:26-28 and Joel 2:28-29.)

Verse 15 has the same message as 29:17. A desert will turn into a fertile field so that even the common fertile field looks, in comparison, as a wild forest.

Grogan points out the "intentionally illogical words 'a wasteland forever [verse14], ... till'." While verse 14 above paints such a dire picture, verse 15 jumps in to say "but wait!"

Isaiah 32:18-20, Peaceful dwelling places

My people will live in peaceful dwelling places,

    in secure homes,

    in undisturbed places of rest.

Though hail flattens the forest

    and the city is leveled completely,

how blessed you will be,

    sowing your seed by every stream,

    and letting your cattle and donkeys range free.

That final day will have peaceful dwellings, protected from all extremes.

Some Random Thoughts

I am reminded again -- throughout the book of Isaiah, the future days of the Messiah, including the Day of the Lord, are clearly described in physical terms of good crops, of justice, of peace, flowing streams. Isaiah has no image of people sitting on clouds in some faraway heaven.