Foreign Nations Will Attack
November 25, 2020
Commentary
This passage describes what God will do if the people disobey Him (Deut. 28). He will summon the Assyrian army and use it to chasten His people. This powerful aggressor did destroy the northern kingdom and scattered the people throughout its own empire. Isaiah injects a word of hope in the midst of his prophecy of doom. He speaks of raising a banner and whistling at the nations to come to do his bidding (v. 26). The banner is the declaration of war and invading nations are Assyria and Babylon which will eventually destroy Israel. The point of this statement is that the judgment of the nation of Israel is ultimately in the hands of God Himself and not in the nations.
When God’s judgment would come on Judah, the nations of Egypt and Assyria, and later Babylon would respond as if God had raised a banner as a signal for war (vv. 26-30). Those nations would seemingly come from the ends of the earth, a phrase Isaiah used frequently to suggest people everywhere. The soldiers, responding speedily, would be vigorous (v. 27) and well armed. Their chariots would be fast (v. 28). Ferocious like lions (v. 29) they would completely devastate Judah (v. 30). They would cover Judah like a sea and blot out the sun like the clouds, a picture of distress and gloom.
Sin has consequences. God was serious about Israel’s sins. Although judgment did not come to them immediately, eventually they were punished. Approximately one century later they were taken into captivity by Babylon. If they would not report and accept His offer of pardon (Phil. 1:18), then all He could do was send judgment.
Application
As stated above, sin has its consequences. God is longsuffering and it may appear for a long period of time that we are getting away with our sin. However we can be sure that there will be a pay day some day as R.G. Lee preached in his famous message, “Pay Day Some Day.” If I have sin in my life the best thing I can do is follow (l John 1:9) and confess it.
Isaiah 5:26– 30 (NET)
26 He lifts a signal flag for a distant nation, he whistles for it to come from the far regions of the earth. Look, they come quickly and swiftly.
27 None tire or stumble, they don’t stop to nap or sleep. They don’t loosen their belts, or unstrap their sandals to rest.
28 Their arrows are sharpened, and all their bows are prepared. The hooves of their horses are hard as flint, and their chariot wheels are like a windstorm.
29 Their roar is like a lion’s; they roar like young lions. They growl and seize their prey; they drag it away and no one can come to the rescue.
30 At that time they will growl over their prey, it will sound like sea waves crashing against rocks. One will look out over the land and see the darkness of disaster, clouds will turn the light into darkness.
Illustration: Confession is Not Saying I’m Sorry
“Confession is not saying, “I’m sorry"; it is openly admitting, “I did it.” (Neil Anderson, The Bondage Breaker).