Read
Jerusalem Will Be Safe
1You defeated my people.
Now you're in for trouble!
You've never been destroyed,
but you will be destroyed;
you've never been betrayed,
but you will be betrayed.
When you have finished
destroying and betraying,
you will be destroyed
and betrayed in return.
2Please, Lord, be kind to us!
We depend on you.
Make us strong each morning,
and come to save us
when we are in trouble.
3Nations scatter when you roar
and show your greatness.
4We attack our enemies
like swarms of locusts;
we take everything
that belongs to them.
5You, Lord, are above all others,
and you live in the heavens.
You have brought justice
and fairness to Jerusalem;
6you are the foundation
on which we stand today.
You always save us and give
true wisdom and knowledge.
Nothing means more to us
than obeying you.
The Lord Will Do Something
7Listen! Our bravest soldiers
are running through the streets,
screaming for help.
Our messengers hoped for peace,
but came home crying.
8No one travels anymore;
every road is empty.
Treaties are broken,
and no respect is shown
to any who keep promises.
9Fields are dry and barren;
Mount Lebanon wilts
with shame.
Sharon Valley is a desert;
the forests of Bashan and Carmel
have lost their leaves.
10But the Lord says,
“Now I will do something
and be greatly praised.
11Your deeds are straw
that will be set on fire
by your very own breath.
12You will be burned to ashes
like thorns in a fire.
13Everyone, both far and near,
come look at what I have done.
See my mighty power!”
Punishment and Rewards
14Those terrible sinners
on Mount Zion tremble
as they ask in fear,
“How can we possibly live
where a raging fire
never stops burning?”
15But there will be rewards
for those who live right
and tell the truth,
for those who refuse
to take money by force
or accept bribes,
for all who hate murder
and violent crimes.
16They will live in a fortress
high on a rocky cliff,
where they will have food
and plenty of water.
The Lord Is Our King
17With your own eyes
you will see the glorious King;
you will see his kingdom
reaching far and wide.
18Then you will ask yourself,
“Where are those officials
who terrified us and forced us
to pay such heavy taxes?”
19You will never again have to see
the proud people who spoke
a strange and foreign language
you could not understand.
20Look to Mount Zion
where we celebrate
our religious festivals.
You will see Jerusalem,
secure as a tent with pegs
that cannot be pulled up
and fastened with ropes
that can never be broken.
21Our wonderful Lord
will be with us!
There will be deep rivers
and wide streams
safe from enemy ships.
The Lord Is Our Judge
22The Lord is our judge
and our ruler;
the Lord is our king
and will keep us safe.
23But your nation is a ship
with its rigging loose,
its mast shaky,
and its sail not spread.
Someday even you that are lame
will take everything you want
from your enemies.
24The Lord will forgive your sins,
and none of you will say,
“I feel sick.”
Reflect
The southern kingdom of Judah is on shaky ground. With the fall of Samaria and the northern empire all but gone, King Hezekiah’s vast territory is now in the crosshairs of an Assyrian threat.
So Hezekiah – at the advice of his royal counselors – concocts a preemptive strike. His solution: Form a military alliance with Egypt and seize a chance to revolt. Big mistake. As Isaiah warns, turning to military hardware for protection isn’t the Lord’s approach. Instead of brute force, God wants repentance, peace, quietness … trust. (Flip back and reread Isaiah 30:1-5.)
In chapter 33, Isaiah offers a prayer to the one, true King: “Please, Lord, be kind to us! We depend on you. Make us strong each morning, and come to save us when we are in trouble” (verse 2). The prophet makes it clear that if Judah turns back to God, the Lord Almighty will save those who trust in him. Jerusalem will be besieged but not taken. “With your own eyes you will see the glorious King; you will see his kingdom reaching far and wide” (verse 17).
Sometimes believers are hardheaded. Sometimes we behave impulsively, taking matters into our own hands and thinking we know how to handle circumstances better than God. Yet deep in our heart of hearts we desire three things from the Lord: his grace, his strength, and his deliverance. God promises to give us all three – and many other spiritual blessings we don’t deserve. But we have to take the first step: surrender.
Respond
Almighty God, you are my Creator, the supreme Lord of the universe – the supreme giver. Sometimes I’m prideful and hardheaded, and desire to control my circumstances. Show me how to surrender to you. I long for your grace, strength, and salvation. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Mike Ross
Michael Ross is an award-winning journalist and former editor of Breakaway, a national youth magazine published by Focus on the Family. He is also the author, co-author, and collaborator of more than 36 books, including the bestseller What Your Son Isn’t Telling You (Bethany House). Today, Michael oversees Back to the Bible’s book publishing efforts. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Lincoln, Nebraska, with their son.