Isaiah – The fifth Hebrew gospel – Chapter 33

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Woe to you that plunders, and you were not plundered; and deals treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with you! When you shall cease to plunder, you shall be plundered; and when you shall make an end to dealing treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with you.

The literal rendering confronts us with the principle of reciprocal justice. The destroyer and betrayer, in their ceaseless pursuits, are destined to encounter the consequences of their actions. 

Actions bear their own seeds of retribution.

“O יהוה, be gracious to us; we wait for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in the time of trouble.”

Isaiah implores divine intervention amid the chaos. The call for grace and strength in times of trouble signifies the perpetual human yearning for the Heavenly Father to guide us through life’s storms. 

“Our salvation in the time of trouble” paints a poetic picture of divine rescue. Salvation (יֵשׁוּעַ – yēšūa‘) reveals his very essence in Hebrew: a hand, teeth, and an eye. His salvation becomes the guiding hand, the protective teeth, and the watchful eye — a holistic deliverance in times of infirmity, in the time of our own tribulation.

Isaiah calls us to wait with anticipation, to draw strength in the morning hours, and to trust in the hand that guides, the teeth that protect, and the eye that watches over us. In these opening verses, a timeless invitation resonates: “O יהוה, be gracious to us; we wait for you.”

Strategic dependence: an acknowledgment of relying on the Most High in moments of vulnerability.

3 At the uproar of your army, the peoples flee; when you rise up, the nations scatter.

The verse make us consider the consequences of wielding power and the responsibility that comes with it. 

Isaiah gives insights into the consequences of misdirected power, unethical alliances, and the impact of such decisions on innocent lives.

A nation that places strategic interests over ethical considerations eventually brings about the judgment of יהוה upon itself is the message here. 

The mention of יהוה arising and lifting Himself up can certainly be interpreted as a call for divine justice. 

4 Your plunder, O nations, is harvested as by young locusts; like a swarm of locusts people pounce on it.

The imagery of locusts symbolizes a devouring force. Think about the fleeting nature of material gains and the spiritual implications of insatiable greed. What is the true cost of victory and gain? 

Isaiah calls for ethical conduct, reliance on the divine, and an awareness of the consequences of our actions.

5 vuvh is exalted; for He dwells on high: He has filled Tzion with mishpat and tzedakah. 6 And chochmah and da’at shall be the stability of your times, and the strength of Yahshua: and the fear of vuvh – that is His treasure. 7 See, their brave ones shall cry outside: the ambassadors of shalom shall weep bitterly. 8 The highways lie deserted, the wayfaring man ceases: He has broken the brit, he has despised the cities, he regards no man. 9 The earth mourns and languishes: Levanon is ashamed and cut down: Sharon is like a wilderness; and Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits. 10 Now will I rise, says vuvh; now will I be exalted; now will I lift up Myself. 11 You shall conceive chaff, you shall bring forth stubble: your breath, as fire, shall devour you. 12 And the people shall be as the burnings of lime: as thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire.

The prophecy portrays the consequences of power dynamics among nations. The imagery of burning thorns and being consumed by devouring fire symbolizes the destructive nature of human conflicts and יהוהs response to injustice.

Isaiah sees the collective nature of human behavior and its impact on the destiny of nations. The call to dwell in secure places aligns with the idea that equitable and ethical behavior leading to a stable and secure society.

13 Hear, you that are far off, what I have done; and, you that are near, acknowledge My might. 14 The sinners in Tzion are afraid; trembling has seized the heathen. Who among us shall live with the devouring fire? Who among us shall live with everlasting burnings? 15 He that has their walk righteously, and speaks uprightly; he that despises the gain of oppression, that holds back his hands from holding bribes, that stops his ears from hearing bloodshed, and shuts his eyes from seeing evil; 16 He shall live on high: his place of defense shall be the strongholds of rocks: lechem shall be given him; his mayim shall be sure.

3 things:

1. Divine judgment and restoration: the distress of sinners and the glory of the righteous. The imagery of Zion and Jerusalem – the spiritual center of יהוה’s people.  Look at the enduring struggle between righteousness and wickedness. 

2. Divine refuge: seek spiritual shelter in times of trouble, finding solace in the unwavering protection offered by יהוה.

3. Divine protection: the spiritual significance of Jerusalem – the transcendent nature of יהוה’s presence.

The letter “Tzadi” (צ) originally depicted a fishhook, symbolizing righteousness as a means of drawing and guiding.

17 Your eyes shall see the Melech in His tifereth: they shall see the land that is very far off. 18 Your lev shall ponder fear. Where is the Sopher? Where is the weigher? Where is he that counts the towers? 19 You shall not see a fierce people, a people of an obscure language that you cannot perceive; with astammering tongue that you cannot understand. 20 Look upon Tzion, the city of our moadim: Your eyes shall see Yahrushalayim a quiet home, a sukkah that shall not be taken down; not one of its pegs shall ever be removed, neither shall any of its cords be broken. 21 But there Majestic vuvh will be to us a place of broad rivers and streams; in which shall go no boat with oars, neither shall large ships pass by. 22 For vuvh is our Shofet, vuvh is our Torah-Giver, vuvh is our Melech; He will save us. 23 Your ropes are loosed; they could not well strengthen their mast, they could not spread the sail: then is the prey of a great plunder divided; the lame take the prey. 24 And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that live in it shall be forgiven their iniquity. 

Look at the transformation of Jerusalem from a place of fear to a secure and flourishing city. The imagery of Zion and the tent evokes a sense of divine protection and prosperity. 

The letter “Shin” (שׁ) originally depicted teeth, symbolizing sharpness and pressing. In this context,  Isaiah conveys the idea of יהוה ‘s sharp protection, ensuring the security of us, His people.