Season 6, Podcast 49, Isaiah 5:24-30, “An Ensign to the Nations.”

Season 6, Podcast 49, Isaiah 5:24-30, “An Ensign to the Nations.”The House of Judah is under threat of war from Ephraim (the Ten Northern Tribes) and Syria, but their real dangers are with Assyria and Babylon, two very large kingdoms. Previously Isaiah described the effects of the Babylonian captivity which will occur if they don’t repent. In the following Isaiah continues to describe how complete that devastation will be and why. Isaiah is speaking of an event that has not happened and need not happen if they repent. Isaiah 5:2424 Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.Obviously the harvest is over. The images suggest there will not be another harvest. The stubble is burned right after the harvest. The flames consume the chaff. The chaff refers to the husks that are separated from the grain. Everyone will suffer, but the chaff refers to the wicked. Isaiah suggests that the wicked will be destroyed. Even their roots shall be rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust, meaning they won’t reseed. This refers to the more wicked of the House of Judah because they cast away the law of the Lord, meaning the Ten Commandments and the law of Moses. They also despised the words of Christ or Jehovah. In other words, the more wicked part of the house of Judah will be destroyed at the roots because they turned their backs on Jehovah. That leaves the better ones to be taken away captive into Babylon. Remember that in Babylon we meet Daniel, the Prophet, and Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego. Isaiah 5:2525 Therefore is the anger of the Lord kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.It is going to be a prolonged battle. Isaiah speaks of the devastation of war: The hills did tremble because of the thundering sound of horses and chariots going into battle. “Their carcases were torn in the mist of the streets refers to the horrible deaths from battle. For all this his anger is not turned away suggests that their punishment will be prolonged. Even after the horrible devastation of war, “his hand is stretched out still” refers to their captivity in Babylon which lasts a lifetime, 70 years. In other words, when they return to Jerusalem none of the old guard will be left. Those who do return will have known nothing but captivity. It is very much like the Children of Israel going to the Promised land from Egypt. Because of their wickedness the Lord kept the Israelites in the wilderness unto all those who came out of Egypt died except for a few who were righteous.In the above Isaiah speaks of the scattering of the House of Judah. Following the scattering, he speaks of the gathering of the House of Judah, only the gathering Isaiah is talking about does not refer to the Jews returning from Babylon. He is referring to the time over 2500 years in the future, just prior to the Second Coming of Christ and the Millennium. None of the images below fit Isaiah’s day. They only fit in the day of modern technology. Isaiah 5:2626 And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth: and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly:During the time Isaiah is speaking of, none of the Children of Israel have yet been scattered. The tribes split between the Ten Tribes in the North and the Two Tribes in the South, but they still live in the Promised Land.