Isaiah 34 - Printer Friendly

This chapter is a sentence announced by the Lord against Gentile nations for rejecting Him and oppressing His people. The scenes presented are set near the end of human history, also known as the "end times." This is when God will defeat all His enemies, everyone who stands against Him, before taking the throne on earth as Israel's king and ruler of the world.

Isaiah calls for the world to hear this dire message. God's patience will one day run out (Romans 2:4; Revelation 10:5–6), and His wrath will fall on those who have rejected Him. The Lord is angry. In fact, He is enraged against the world which has turned away from Him. God's plans for judgment involve absolute destruction. Those slaughtered will be left to rot and stink and soak the mountains with their blood. The judgment won't stop with humans. The "host of heaven," will dissolve from the skies like falling leaves., as the sky itself disappears. Translators struggle to interpret precisely what this means. Commentators suggest this is the Lord's judgment of demons and evil spirits. Or, this may be symbolic of God's final defeat of the idols worshiped by humanity instead of the Lord (Isaiah 34:1–4).

The description of God's impending wrath then shifts focus to a specific nation: Edom. This was the people descended from Jacob's twin brother, Esau (Genesis 25:23–26). Israel descended from Jacob (Genesis 32:28) and Edom came from Esau (Genesis 36:1). The Edomites were frequent enemies of Israel. They would even help Babylon capture fleeing Jews during the invasion of Jerusalem (Obadiah 1:10–14). Edom's territory was southeast of the Dead Sea. The Lord promises to turn from judging the world to punishing Edom. Not even their fortified city of Bozrah will keep them safe (Isaiah 34:5–7).

The land itself will be ruined and uninhabitable. Only wild animals will be there. They will be the only rulers of what used to be Edom's kingdom. God's terrible vengeance is part of an established plan. This is not a random act. Nor it is a preventable disaster. Even the specific animals which will live there are part of God's sovereign judgment. Edom's fate is sealed (Isaiah 34:8–17).

The Lord is enraged against the godless nations who have rejected Him. In the end times, He will devoted all the unbelieving peoples of the earth to destruction and slaughter (Revelation 19:15–18). After judging heaven and earth, God will turn His wrath on Edom. They will be destroyed as thoroughly as if they were animals sacrificed on an altar. Even the land and soil will be ruined so no one dares even cross the territory. Only animals will live there. This is all part of the Lord's divine plan and purpose.

This is part of an announcement of the Lord's judgment against the pagan, godless nations of earth (Isaiah 33). This passage focuses specifically on Edom (Genesis 36:1). God's bloody sword of judgment will turn to Edom and utterly destroy it. Even the environment will be spoiled. None will even dare cross the territory, other than the various animals God will allow to reclaim the land., This matches descriptions of Christ's return and millennial rule (Revelation 19:15–18).

Isaiah is among the most important prophetic books in the entire Bible. The first segment details God's impending judgment against ancient peoples for sin and idolatry (Isaiah 1—35). The second part of Isaiah briefly explains a failed assault on Jerusalem during the rule of Hezekiah (Isaiah 36—39). The final chapters predict Israel's rescue from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 40—48), the promised Messiah (Isaiah 49—57), and the final glory of Jerusalem and God's people (Isaiah 58—66).