This morning our family was reading Isaiah 30 as a part of the chronological reading plan we began as a church back in 2019, and I was struck by the sudden shift from a message of judgment for Israel’s blatant rebellion to one of mercy and divine grace.
Chapter 30 begins with a dire message: “Woe to the rebellious children!” This is not an oracle of hope and peace, but of judgment and destruction. Yahweh lays out his case against his chosen people in the first part of the chapter. They are self-willed, carrying about their own plans rather than God’s (v.1), seeking protection in the strength of man, i.e. Pharaoh, rather than in Yahweh (v.2). They are rebellious children who refuse to listen to God’s voice (v.9), who tell God’s prophets what kinds of messages they will accept, namely ones of peace and comfort and not of sin and judgment (v.10-11). In other words, they are just like so many today who want to hear preachers say, “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life,” but have no time whatsoever for those who say, “You have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.”
Yahweh has told them repeatedly how they will be delivered from their enemies: by returning and resting (v.15), in other words, by turning back to God and trusting in him. But they are unwilling, choosing rather to trust in fast horses and large armies. So Yahweh tells them that however fast they ride, their pursuers will be faster, and however large an army they amass, they will be turned to flight by even a handful of troops. He concludes in v.17 by likening Israel to a “solitary pole on a mountaintop or a banner on a hill.” This is all that will be left of the nation of Israel, when they experience God’s righteous judgment for their sins. No matter how hard they try to save themselves or what human means they rely on to protect themselves from harm, they cannot escape the judgment of God.
But what caught my attention this morning was the suddenness of the very next verse: “Therefore Yahweh is waiting to show you mercy, and is rising up to show you compassion, for Yahweh is a just God. All who wait patiently for him are happy.” Did he just say that? How in the world can he shift gears so fast? How can the prophet Isaiah tell the people of Israel in one breath that Yahweh will leave them like a tree stripped bare on a mountaintop and in the next that he is waiting to show them mercy and compassion?
This verse conveys two complementary aspects of God’s disposition toward his people. The first is that Yahweh is waiting to show mercy, that is, Israel must endure the consequences of her sin and rebellion. God will not intervene to short-circuit his justice which he has promised, and those who reject him will indeed be cut off. His mercy does not overlook or dismiss sin, as if it were of no consequence, and so he will wait. Indeed, as Harry Bultema says, “this long waiting of God is a terrible chastisement to Israel,” but Yahweh’s waiting also means that Israel is not cut off forever from his grace, rather he is waiting with the intention of intervening at some future point for their salvation. “He waits that He may be gracious; that is both His desire and, in view of the Cross, His ability,” says F. C. Jennings. “But still He must wait till penitent faith in those atoning sufferings shall permit the righteous exercise of that grace.” In other words, Yahweh’s judgment is coming in the present time [of Isaiah], and it will continue while he waits for his people to repent and believe. But once they do, he will be quick to show mercy and pour out his grace on them in abundance.
Still, we must ask, what is the basis for this gracious promise? He tells us right there in v.18: “For Yahweh is a just God. All who wait patiently for him are happy.” It is his nature to be just, to do that which is right according to what he has promised. All of this is consistent with his covenant relationship to the children of Israel; Yahweh will indeed keep his promises, but in doing so he will not compromise his righteous character. To show mercy to rebellious Israel while they continue to stubbornly go astray and refuse to repent would not be just, and so he will wait for them to turn from their sins and trust in him.
And while national repentance on the part of Israel may seem to be unlikely at best, Yahweh declares plainly that it will indeed happen. The evidence of their future repentance is found in v.22 where they take their idols of gold and silver and cast them away, saying, “Get away!” The sin that had so longed plagued them, they would someday repudiate and reject, and instead of following their own plans they will hear in their ears the word of the Lord, “This is the way. Walk in it” (v.21). The blessings of Yahweh will be poured out on them, so that they will never weep again (v.19), the produce of the ground will be rich and plentiful (v.23), their cattle will graze peacefully (v.23), and eat seasoned food (v.24). Who ever heard of giving oxen and donkeys salt with their food? Yet this is God’s promise concerning the nation of Israel. Truly this speaks of a day of great blessing, and even the sun and moon will be affected (v.26) when the creation is restored to its original glory.
This chapter is such a wonderful reminder of Yahweh’s grace. His favor cannot be earned in any way but is given freely to those who, as v.18 says, “wait patiently for him.” We who have trusted in him experience right now a measure of his compassion and grace even while we await Israel’s repentance and the restoration of all things. Some day all Israel will turn to him in faith and the world will experience the overflowing abundance of his kindness and love. This Yahweh will do, because he is a just God.