Welcome to afaithtalk’s Quick Study of Isaiah. This chapter is a warning Judah against alliances with Egypt. But God’s promises for not aligning themselves with anyone else are more than we can dream of.
Before we start, let’s pray:
Lord Jesus, help us to be expectant and anticipatory in our wait for Your return. Help us Trust You in every moment of our days and help us hear. For Your glory, Lord. Amen.
Isaiah 30:18-21 – Amplified Bible
God Is Gracious and Just
18 Therefore the Lord waits [expectantly]
and longs to be gracious to you,
And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you.
[d]For the Lord is a God of justice;
Blessed (happy, fortunate)
are all those who long for Him [since He will never fail them].
19[e]O people in Zion, inhabitant in Jerusalem, you will weep no longer. He will most certainly be gracious to you at the sound of your cry for help; when He hears it, He will answer you. 20 Though the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of oppression, yet your Teacher will no longer hide Himself, but your eyes will [constantly] see your Teacher. 21 Your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left.
Look at the promises. Long for Him. Anticipate Him, Look forward to His arrival.
Footnotes
- [d] Isaiah 30:18 The ancient rabbis posed the question of why God waits to bring in the kingdom, if both He and Israel desire it. Their answer was that God’s attribute of justice delays it, i.e. that Israel is not yet deserving of it. Nevertheless, they maintained, it is meritorious to look forward to it, and those who do will be blessed (rewarded).
- [e] Isaiah 30:19 MT reads For a people will dwell in Zion, in Jerusalem.