33:1. “Woe to
thee that spoilest, and thou wast not spoiled; and dealest treacherously,
and they dealt not treacherously with thee! When thou shalt cease to spoil,
thou shalt be spoiled; and when thou shalt make an end to deal
treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee.”
It is generally agreed
that the reference here is to the pronouncement of God’s anger against
Assyria for having invaded Judah in Hezekiah’s day, and for her unprovoked
attacks on other nations, frequently in treacherous violation of peace
agreements, see 2 Kings 18:14-36; but a day was coming when she would become
the victim of similar treachery. God was about to weaken her so that she
could no longer spoil other nations or violate peace treaties, or be able to
retaliate when she herself became the victim of similar perfidy.
Few will have difficulty
seeing in this a foreshadowing of God’s response to the activity of the
Beast in the Great Tribulation.
Since however, Satan is
the unseen evil power operating in opposition to God behind every earthly
government, the ultimate assurance is that in a day now imminent, the
Millennium, he, Satan, will be imprisoned in the bottomless pit, and denied
any activity, hence the universal felicity of that glorious era.
33:2. “O Lord,
be gracious unto us; we have waited for thee: be thou their arm every
morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble.”
This is the cry of the
believing remnant.
To be gracious is to
extend undeserved blessing, so that this plea is also the tacit
acknowledgement of Israel’s unworthiness to receive the blessing sought. If
they were to be blessed, it must be because God is gracious.
The context indicates that
“their arm” would be better rendered “our arm every morning.”
The plea is for God to use His omnipotence on their behalf.
“... we have waited for
thee” implies acknowledgment of their own weakness, and confidence in God’s
omnipotence. We would enjoy a fuller measure of peace were we to emulate
their conduct, and trust in our Father’s infinite power to deliver us in
every time of trouble.
33:3. “At the
noise of the tumult the people fled; at the lifting up of thyself the
nations were scattered.”
The thunder of God’s voice
was once so terrible that it caused the people to flee in panic. How much
greater is the need of penitent reverential fear when His voice is followed
by the stroke of His anger! But man has long since ceased to stand in awe
of God, so that the conduct of a rebel world confirms the truth declared in
Job 33:14, “For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.”
He is a wise man whose ear is attuned to hear and obey “the still small
voice” of God directing his steps, for that man will be blessed; but he who
ignores it will be compelled to obey when that same God thunders the rebel’s
condemnation, and banishes him to hell and the eternal torment of the lake
of fire.
33:4. “And
your spoil shall be gathered like the gathering of the caterpillar: as the
running to and fro of locusts shall he run upon them.”
The Amplified Bible’s
rendering of this verse is, “And the spoil [of the Assyrians] shall be
gathered [by the inhabitants of Jerusalem] as the caterpillar gathers: as
locusts leap and run to and fro shall the Jews [spoil the Assyrians’
forsaken camp as they] leap upon it,” and Taylor’s translation reads,
“Just as locusts strip the fields and vines, so Jerusalem will strip the
fallen arm of Assyria.”
33:5. “The
Lord is exalted; for he dwelleth on high: he hath filled Zion with judgment
and righteousness.”
This is translated in
The Jerusalem Bible as, “Yahweh is exalted, for he is enthroned above,
and fills Zion with justice and integrity,” while Taylor translates
it, “The Lord is very great, and lives in heaven. He will make Jerusalem
the home of justice and goodness and righteousness.”
33:6. “And
wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of
salvation: the fear of the Lord is his treasure.”
The American Standard
Version reads,
“And there shall be stability in thy times, abundance of salvation, wisdom,
and knowledge: the fear of Jehovah is thy treasure,” while The Jerusalem
Bible translates it, “Your continuance is assured; wisdom and knowledge
are riches that save, the fear of Yahweh is his treasure,” the last two
words meaning “His treasure which He gives to you in response to
believing faith,” the “treasure” being His gift of eternal life.
33:7. “Behold
their valiant ones (heroes) shall cry without: the ambassadors of peace
shall weep bitterly.”
Taylor’s
translation of this verse reads, “But now your ambassadors weep in bitter
disappointment, for Assyria has refused their cry for peace.”
This was the result of
Israel’s folly in having made an ally of helpless Egypt instead of relying
upon Jehovah to deliver them out of the hand of Assyria which was now about
to exact vengeance. The lesson being taught is that it is futile to place
trust in anyone or anything except God, but rather, in every seeming adverse
circumstance of life, to obey the injunction of 1 Peter 5:6-7, “Humble
yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in
due time: casting all your care upon him; for He careth for you.”
33:8. “The
highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth: he hath broken the covenant,
he hath despised the cities, he regardeth no man.”
So perilous had the times
become that the highways had fallen into disrepair from lack of use because
Assyria had broken its peace promises, and no one dared to travel except for
dire necessity.
33:9. “The
earth mourneth and languisheth: Lebanon is ashamed and hewn down: Sharon is
like a wilderness; and Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits.”
The cessation of commerce
had brought desolation in its wake, the once cultivated fields and orchards
having reverted to their original wild state from lack of cultivation.
All of this foreshadows
what will be during the coming Great Tribulation.
33:10. “Now
will I rise, saith the Lord; now will I be exalted; now will I lift up
myself.”
It is tragic when men’s
wickedness forfeits God’s blessing, and compels Him to vindicate Himself in
judgment, and display His power in the ultimate consignment of unbelievers
to the eternal torment of the lake of fire.
33:11. “Ye
shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble: your breath, as fire,
shall devour you.”
This is true not only of
the Assyrian to whom it was first addressed, but of all who rebel against
God. All their schemes to enrich themselves will prove to be as worthless
as chaff and stubble when death translates them from time into eternity.
In the present context
“breath” means “your own spirit of anger.”
Breath is essential to
speech, and where there has never been confession of faith in Christ as
Savior that lack will result in God’s casting every unbeliever into eternal
torment, see Romans 10:9-10, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the
Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from
the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto
righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
There is no such thing as
a genuine believer who has never confessed his faith verbally.
33:12. “And
the people shall be as the burnings of lime: as thorns cut up shall they be
burned in the fire.”
The “burnings of lime”
refers to the ashy waste that remains after the calcining of limestone, the
description continuing to be of the Assyrians after God has dealt with them
for their wickedness.
33:13. “Hear
ye that are far off, what I have done; and, ye that are near, acknowledge my
might.”
God here commands nations
far and near to learn the lesson of His destruction of the Assyrians: all
who refuse to acknowledge His lordship will also be destroyed, the warning
being as applicable to today’s world as to the people of that distant day.
33:14. “The
sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who
among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with
everlasting burnings?”
Zion is a synonym for
Jerusalem, see 31:9, and here it
represents sinning believers, but the hypocrites are mere false professors.
Only born-again believers, i.e., those who possess God’s life and nature are
endowed with the ability to dwell in His presence.
33:15. “He
that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain
of oppressions, that shaketh his hands, from holding bribes, that stoppeth
his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;”
This describes the
character of the genuine believer: his life is marked by integrity; his
speech, by sincerity; he will not seek gain by oppression; he cannot be
bribed; he will have no part in the plotting of murder, nor will he be
enticed to do, or even acquiesce in wrong.
33:16. “He
shall dwell on high: his place of defense shall be the munitions of rocks:
bread shall be given him: his waters shall be sure.”
His dwelling on high
doesn’t refer to his eternal dwelling in heaven, but to his present life of
separation from this evil world: he dwells spiritually on a higher plain.
“Munitions” means
heights, fortress, stronghold, citadel, eyrie, and speaks of the
security in which the godly man dwells: even death can’t hurt him: it simply
transports his soul into the eternal bliss of heaven. God will supply his
“bread and water,” i.e., his food and drink, right to the end of his earthly
life, see Psalm 37:25, “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not
seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.”
33:17. “Thine
eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is
very far off.”
“Thine eyes” are the eyes
of every believer; and the promise is that they shall look, not on the
splendor of an earthly king, but eternally on the glory of the King of
kings, the Lord Jesus Christ, the far off land being not the earth to its
farthest extent, but heaven.
33:18. “Thine
heart shall meditate terror. Where is the scribe? Where is the receiver?
Where is he that counted the towers?”
Taylor’s translation of
this verse is, “Your mind will think back to this time of terror when the
Assyrian officers outside your walls are counting your towers and estimating
how much they will get from your fallen city.”
33:19. “Thou
shalt not see a fierce people, a people of a deeper speech than thou canst
perceive; of a stammering tongue, that thou canst not understand.
The AAT rendering of this
verse reads, “You will see no more the savage people, the people of obscure
speech, which you cannot grasp, of barbaric tongue, which you cannot
understand;” and Taylor translates it, “But soon they will all be gone.
These fierce, violent people, with a strange jabbering language you can’t
understand, will disappear.” This was God’s assurance that He Himself would
remove the invading Assyrian, Israel’s joy at that event foreshadowing the
joy that will be the portion of every believer in heaven.
33:20. “Look
upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a
quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the
stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof
be broken.”
As discussed already Zion
is the name connected with the city’s feasts of worship, as Jerusalem is
with her governmental activity. The reference here is clearly to Millennial
conditions, for the city has been sacked more than once in the past, and
will be attacked again in the Tribulation.
33:21. “But
there the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams;
wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass
thereby.”
In the Millennium the Lord
will cause the land to abound with fructifying rivers and streams upon which
no hostile vessel will ever sail, see Zechariah 14:8 “And it shall be in
that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them
toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and
in winter shall it be.”
33:22. “For
the Lord is our judge (governor), the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our
king; he will save us.”
No part of Israel’s life
was exempt from the government of God, nor should any part of our lives be,
for as another has well said, “If He isn’t Lord of all, He isn’t Lord at
all.”
33:23. “Thy
tacklings are loosed; they could not well strengthen their mast, they could
not spread the sail: then is the prey of a great spoil divided; the lame
take the prey.”
This describes the
inability of anyone to use those waterways for Israel’s harm; and any who
might dare to make such an attempt would, by God’s intervention, become prey
for His people. Even the physically handicapped Israelites would be enabled
to take their share of the spoil. Since God was for them, none could
successfully oppose them; and so is it with us: we enjoy the same Divine
protection.
33:24. “And
the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall
be forgiven their iniquity.”
In a general sense
sickness is the result of sin in the world, but this may not be taken to
mean that every case of sickness is the result of some particular sin in the
life of the afflicted individual. Consider for example the case of Lazarus,
relative to which the Lord declared, “This sickness is not unto death, but
for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby,” John
11:4, “
At the beginning of the
Millennium the population will be those who will have survived the terrible
Tribulation judgments: they will all be believers; but the children born in
the Millennium will be sinners just as is everyone born into this world, and
they will need to be born again to fit them for heaven.
