Reading

• Isa. 29:22-24; 27:2-13; 32:12-20; 33:2-24; 22:15-25

Devotional

Today’s reading contains promises from GOD about a spiritual awakening that would come for Israel:

²² Therefore thus says the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob: “Jacob shall not now be ashamed, Nor shall his face now grow pale; ²³ But when he sees his children, The work of My hands, in his midst, They will hallow My name, And hallow the Holy One of Jacob, And fear the God of Israel. ²⁴ These also who erred in spirit will come to understanding, And those who complained will learn doctrine.”
(Isa. 29:22-24 NKJV)

² O LORD, be gracious to us; We have waited for You. Be their arm every morning, Our salvation also in the time of trouble. ³ At the noise of the tumult the people shall flee; When You lift Yourself up, the nations shall be scattered; ⁴ And Your plunder shall be gathered Like the gathering of the caterpillar; As the running to and fro of locusts, He shall run upon them. ⁵ The LORD is exalted, for He dwells on high; He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness. ⁶ Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times, And the strength of salvation; The fear of the LORD is His treasure. ⁷ Surely their valiant ones shall cry outside, The ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly. ⁸ The highways lie waste, The traveling man ceases. He has broken the covenant, He has despised the cities, He regards no man. ⁹ The earth mourns and languishes, Lebanon is shamed and shriveled; Sharon is like a wilderness, And Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits.

¹⁰ “Now I will rise,” says the LORD; “Now I will be exalted, Now I will lift Myself up. ¹¹ You shall conceive chaff, You shall bring forth stubble; Your breath, as fire, shall devour you. ¹² And the people shall be like the burnings of lime; Like thorns cut up they shall be burned in the fire. ¹³ Hear, you who are afar off, what I have done; And you who are near, acknowledge My might.” ¹⁴ The sinners in Zion are afraid; Fearfulness has seized the hypocrites: “Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?” ¹⁵ He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, He who despises the gain of oppressions, Who gestures with his hands, refusing bribes, Who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed, And shuts his eyes from seeing evil: ¹⁶ He will dwell on high; His place of defense will be the fortress of rocks; Bread will be given him, His water will be sure.
(Isa. 33:2-16 NKJV)

The punishment GOD is bringing about because of Israel’s wickedness will ultimately yield fruit and bring a remnant of them back to Himself. To the righteous this prophecy must have been bittersweet. Because they were part of a wicked people, they knew GOD’s punishment would affect them as well. However, the prophecy of the future awakening that would come surely must have given them a renewed sense of hope.