Isaiah 34-35

Why is Edom and its important city Bozrah singled out in Isa. 34, a chapter about judgment on all nations?  For one thing, Edom was seen frequently in the prophetic writings as deserving of judgment (e.g. Ezek. 35; Obadiah 1).  As Ezekiel pointed out, these descendents of Esau had harbored an ancient hatred of Jacob/Israel.  Even more than Israel’s other neighbors the Edomites made things difficult.  The last straw came when the Babylonians carried Judah into captivity.  As Ezekiel points out, the Edomites concluded that God was finished with Israel and that the land was theirs for the taking.  That may be one reason for Edom’s place in Isaiah’s prophecy.

But there may be another reason.  In Isa. 63:1-6 there is a Messianic prophecy that pictures Him coming from Edom and Bozrah with His garments stained with blood from treading the winepress of His fury, language reminiscent of Revelation (Rev. 14:17-20; 19:17-21).  Christ’s first action, when He returns, is to judge the nations who rejected Him and have gathered to make war.  Apparently this event involves Edom, in which case, Isa. 34-35 are connected; the judgment of the nations pictured in 34 leads to Messiah’s Kingdom in 35.

Isa. 34:1-4 speaks of the heavens being rolled up like a scroll which is also consistent with the zeal of the LORD involved in bringing salvation to His people.  Powerful events in the heavens occur around the time of His return (Cf. Ps. 102:25-26; Isa. 13:13; Ezek. 32:7-8; Joel 2:31; Mt. 24:29; 2 Pt. 3:10-13).  That day will be an intense day of the LORD’s vengeance (34:8-15) and the closing verses of Isa. 34 make a strong statement: this will absolutely happen.

In contrast to Edom’s desolation when Messiah comes, Israel’s desolation will give way to a wasteland (the Southern desert) that flourishes in a way that rivals some of Israel’s most abundant areas, such as the north near Lebanon, the slopes of Mt. Carmel and the coastal Plain of Sharon.  35:3-4 says that God will answer the cry of His people in Isa. 33: YOUR GOD WILL COME!  What powerful and comforting words.  There will be streams in the desert, the lame will be healed (v5-7) and the dispersed will return on a highway of holiness (v8-10).  The earthly ministry of Christ anticipated this with the healing ministry as well as the gospel of the Kingdom He preached to call men to follow Him.

These chapters conclude the prophetic passages of Isa. 1-39.  The next 4 chapters are a record of events that are critical to the transition from the Assyrian time to the Babylonian time that is the historical context of Isa. 40-66.  Those chapters will highlight the faithfulness of God to abundantly restore Israel to the land and to bring them to salvation.  Thus we can see that today’s passage has a strong connection with the last half of Isaiah’s prophecy.  The time will come when God’s faithfulness will be most clearly evidenced by His deliverance of Israel in the time of Messiah’s return in power and great glory.