CALVARY PANDAN Him. Evil men and women will be punished and become a thing of the -PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH past. They will receive their just reward. The judgment and the DHW BIBLE CLASS righteousness of the LORD will cover the face of the earth. Safety and peace LESSON 32 will permeate all the earth. The world will then know who the LORD is and CHAPTER 32 who His people are. Quietness and assurance will prevail and there will be fruitfulness throughout the earth. Theme: “When the LORD reigns!” Drought and famine will no longer exist. Why did the LORD reveal this to THEME VERSE His people? Because His people are Isaiah 32:3-4 (KJV) “And the eyes of the only ones who will listen and take them that see shall not be dim, and the heed of the blessed hope. In times of ears of them that hear shall hearken. 4 darkest trials, they must remain firm The heart also of the rash shall and stand true to their faith and not understand knowledge, and the tongue waver or give up. of the stammerers shall be ready to In the past two chapters of speak plainly “.” Isaiah, had been told to turn to the LORD and not to Gentile nations

for help. There is no use in trusting INTRODUCTION nations who worship idols for they are Isaiah 32 jumps from the present like the idols they worship-- with hands to the future perspective. This is how that cannot help, eyes that cannot see prophecy is written on many and mouths that cannot speak! occasions. Isaiah 32 is about the shift The LORD is the One living and from the darkest pit and hopeless state true God who can help. The promise of to a mountaintop experience and the power of the LORD reigning in the glorious hope. future should put some backbone to The LORD’s kingdom will reign the faithless Israel of the present. This for it is only a matter of time when this is what prophecies of hope and glory is glorious day will be upon us. All things meant to do for the people of God. will be transformed for the world to Knowing the end serves to guide and behold. At this moment, the children of control the present and point the God are despised and their future people in the right direction of manifestations are hidden from the obedience, faith and trust in God. This naked eyes. They are persecuted and is what the LORD desires of every forsaken by the world. believer today as they read and study When the LORD comes, He will Isaiah 32. reign and His children will reign with DHW LESSON 32 ISAIAH 32

OUTLINE is the judgment of God. The only way Christ can be a refuge to anyone is 1. Impact of the LORD’s kingdom through salvation grace where the when it comes (vv.1-8); righteousness of Christ is imputed to 2. Grievous desolation is coming! the sinner and he is transformed into a (vv. 9-14); saint. Christ will also be a cover or a 3. Blessed restoration follows! (vv. protection from the tempest i.e. a 15-20). storm that includes gushing flood waters. Not even a massive flood will be able to hurt those who belong to COMMENTARY Christ. Impact of the LORD’s kingdom To those who belong to Christ, when it comes – 32:1-8 He will be like rivers of water in a dry From despair to blessed hope place. This refers to the great was how the LORD lifted up the spirit sufficiency of His grace in the lives of of His people. Isaiah 32 begins on all His children. They will never lack such a hopeful note! Behold a king anything ever again. Christ is also shall reign in righteousness! The likened to the shadow of a great rock identity of this king has to be the Lord in a weary land. This refers to the Jesus Christ. There is no one who fits great comfort and solace that belong this prophecy other than Christ. The to those who are in Christ. A land is characteristic of His reign on this earth said to be weary when the scorching is that of righteousness which is what heat of the sun beats relentlessly upon is absent on this earth today and it. Christ is like the shadow of a great throughout the ages. Our current world rock casting a huge and deep shadow ruled by many kings and presidents is in this weary land providing shade to a world of unrighteousness and all who come to Him. wickedness. One day, in the near He who has spiritual sight will future, all this will change forever. never be dim again (same strength of Christ will rule on earth in prohibition as the Decalogue). He will righteousness. Princes will rule with see with spiritual eyes forever. This Him in judgment. These princes refer does not refer to physical sight. The to believers who will judge the world ears that hear (Hebrew is “shamar”) and the angels (1 Corinthians 6:2-3). will be able to understand and obey They will rule with Christ and, like forever. The word for “hear’ means Christ, rule in righteousness! What a “obey” whenever it is used with glorious day it will be! reference to the LORD urging Israel to The detailed description of this hear His Word (see Deut 6:4). He will rule is found in the next seven verses. no longer struggle to understand the A man shall be as a hiding place from Word of God. He who is “rash” i.e. the wind. This “man” is none other hasty will be able to understand than Christ the king Himself. He will be knowledge. He does not need to pay like a refuge from the wind. The wind close attention or focus very hard in

2 DHW LESSON 32 ISAIAH 32 order to understand. Everyone in In contrast, generosity will be Christ’s kingdom will be like geniuses. the conduct of the redeemed. By such He who stammers will be able to generosity, they shall stand forever. speak fluently. Everyone will have the This ought to be the conduct of gift of speaking in perfect syntax, tense believers right now. They should not and grammar. Everyone will be able to wait until the Lord returns before they express himself well and understand show generosity. others. Verse 4 emphasizes perfect Grievous desolation is coming! communication and perfect – 32:9-14 understanding. The focus on the women seems There will also be a perfect out of place. Some commentators sense of justice prevailing over Christ’s regard this passage as a euphemistic kingdom. Today, a vile person may be way of addressing the men who have mistakenly considered as liberal or become effeminate in their conduct magnanimous and a miserly person and lifestyle. Yet when the passage is may be thought of as generous. But carefully considered, it is the women, there will come a time when such not the men, who were being injustices and confusion of mind and addressed, chastised and warned. heart will no longer be present. Man These women depended on their men will be able to distinguish right from to protect and provide for them. They wrong and act accordingly. The reason thought they could do whatever they is that the vile person will speak wanted in life without the fear of being villainy and his heart will work iniquity. singled out by God for chastisement. He will practise hypocrisy and utter This was not so. error against the LORD. He will empty the soul of the hungry i.e. take away The heads of the houses In the bread of the hungry, and cause the Israel were soundly chastised. The drink of the thirsty to fail i.e. take away women did not fare much better as the drink of the thirsty. Such wicked revealed by the passage. The women behaviour will be no more when the were called to rise up as if they were in LORD reigns. a courtroom. They were the defendant and the LORD was the Judge who The instrument of the miserly commanded them to rise and give an person will also be evil. He resolves to account of what they had done. They do wicked deeds to destroy the poor. were charged with being at ease i.e. He lies and does not care about those haughty. They surrounded themselves in need. As long as he holds on to his with the fine things of life. They greed and wealth, he will ignore the thought that they were untouchable. needy around him. He will lie to take advantage of the needy. However, The LORD commanded them to when the LORD reigns, the miserly will hear the voice of God i.e. to obey the be no more. Word of God. They were described as “careless daughters” which meant “women with self-confidence” who did

3 DHW LESSON 32 ISAIAH 32 not have a care in the world. They be able to produce milk for their infants went about their life as if there was because of starvation. They shall nothing wrong. They did not care lament for the pleasant fields and about what God or anyone else fruitful vines which were now desolate thought of them! Using synonymous and empty. They would have nothing parallelism the LORD commanded but sorrow and more sorrow. They them to “give ear” i.e. to pay close would long for the good life which attention to what He had to say. would be out of their reach forever. Many days and years shall they Their land of milk and honey be in trouble i.e. so afraid that they would be turned into a land of thorns would tremble and quiver. Their care and briers. The phrase “the land of my free worldly life would disappear from people” was deliberate. God gave the their eyes. They would be so filled with land but He could also take it away! All care that they would tremble for days the houses in the city, probably and years! The LORD deliberately , would be in ruins. The called them careless women from palaces would be forsaken. The careless daughters! They would be multitude in the city would have fled disowned. Their good life would be leaving their belongings, homes and over soon. The vintage i.e. the everything else behind. vineyard would no longer bear the fruit This was the case in Israel! The of the vine. Their fields would be forts and towers, once places of high barren with no harvest to gather. They security, would become dens for would be destitute. Man’s utter and animals. Asses and flocks would find total dependence on the earth for pasture there. It would take a long time survival would be vividly felt by these for a city to be overrun by pasture, careless women. thorns and weeds. The description The word “tremble” is a stronger showed that the land of Israel would word than “trouble.” It literally means be left desolate because of the “to shudder with terror.” The same people’s sinful unrepentant ways. phrase that was used in verse 9 is The physical devastation would used again in verse 11. It refers to the drive God’s people back to Him. This same group of women. What would has been God’s approach for centuries cause them to shudder in abject as far back as the days of and terror? The verse says that the the global flood! careless ones would be stripped and made bare. They would be publicly God will use the same approach humiliated. They would be dressed in today to deal with sinful man. The sackcloth like mourners who had lost reason is that man is totally and loved ones. completely dependent upon the earth for his survival. Without earth, he will They shall lament i.e. beat their die! breasts and tear their hair! They shall lament for the teats i.e. they would not

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Blessed restoration follows! This work of righteousness – 32:15-20 would bring peace. The end result Isaiah prophesied that this would be that quietness and devastation upon the women of Israel assurance i.e. tranquillity and a deep would continue until the spirit was sense of safety would prevail across poured upon Israel. The spirit referred the land. God’s people would dwell in to the blessed Holy Spirit. peaceable habitations, secure and Man could never turn back to safe dwellings and quiet tranquil God without God’s enabling. On that resting places. This is a description of blessed day, the wilderness would be paradise! Everyone on planet earth turned to a fruitful field (the Hebrew longs for such a blessed hope and word is “Carmel”). The fruitful field eternal dwelling place. It is only would be counted for a forest. Some possible through Jesus Christ! commentators interpret this second What a wonderful perfect half of the verse to mean that the picture of the blessed state that God fruitful field would become a affords all men if only they will turn wilderness i.e. the “evil and wicked back to Christ in repentance. superpowers”. The problem with this The enemies of Israel would be interpretation is that the word for forest judged and punished by the LORD like is not wilderness. A better hail from heaven. The forest interpretation is that the fruitfulness represented the Assyrians who were, would become great and resemble a at the time, the superpower. Their forest! The thick lush growth of the large armies were like a forest fruitful field would be unlike anything especially when they marched toward that the Israelites had ever seen. their enemies to intimidate them! When that happened, the The city referred to Nineveh, the judgment of the LORD would remain in capital of the Assyrians. When the the wilderness and righteousness Assyrians were at the height of their would remain in the fruitful field. In power, the capital city was the centre other words when Israel become a of reign and conquest! The fame of the fruitful land, it would be filled with capital city had not changed. Likewise, righteousness. The people of Israel the capital city of Rome was the centre would live righteous lives. They would of the Roman vast empire. But when be born again and know Christ as their the Assyrian Empire fell, the capital Lord and Saviour. However, the city of Nineveh would also be brought judgment would remain in places low and destroyed by the judgment of where there was wilderness. This the LORD. verse captures perfectly the meaning The contrast was that God’s of the judgment of God and the people would live in peace and free blessing that come with repentance. from the fear and uncertainties that When Israel changed, the LORD’s come with being a vassal state of a dealing with Israel also changed foreign empire. Israel was called accordingly. blessed here as her people sowed

5 DHW LESSON 32 ISAIAH 32 beside the waters. The land would be No man can escape! well watered and therefore fruitful. The There was no escaping the wrath Israelites would send their oxen and and judgment of God. All who lived a the asses to do the harvesting and the profligate lifestyle would be severely back breaking work of bringing the punished by God. harvest back to the barns respectively. The women who lived in luxury The route to blessing has not and cared not for their spiritual state changed. Man must come before God would regret their great folly for the in humble repentance of sin and rest of eternity. The LORD would not complete obedience to His perfect and spare them just because they are Holy Word. women. They would not be able to hide behind their fortified cities and PRACTICAL VALUE wealth. Sin will always be sin in the Godly Impact! eyes of the LORD regardless of who An empire will impact the world commit them. The LORD would deal under its rule. The kingdom of Christ with them accordingly. They would be will likewise impact the world. The humiliated and justly punished by God world will be dominated by the very for the many sins committed. Their presence of the LORD. His Word will homes and lands would be overrun by rule the world. There will be peace briers, thorns and animals. unlike any that the world has seen This is a warning to all sinners to before. The transformation of the world repent and turn from their lives of sin will be so overwhelming that the and luxury. It is foolish to think that presence of the LORD will not only be earthly wealth can protect them seen but felt throughout the four against the wrath of God Almighty! corners of the earth! This lesson and truth is very applicable Vegetation, topography and the today. geographical earth will be transformed Glorious restoration! back to its original state i.e. before the God never does anything in half fall of man, where there are no thorns measure. When He restores His or thistles. Evil and evil men will be people, it will always be on His terms. removed forever. Holiness and The people of God must repent of all righteousness will permeate their sins. They must approach God in throughout the length and breadth of righteousness and holiness. There is the earth. Bountifulness and safety will great blessing that come with be the norm throughout the earth. obedience. What a blessed earth awaits us all who Men turn to idols and they sin are in Christ Jesus! As children of the trying to get what only God alone can living God, we must walk in holiness give. The idols can never give peace and truth as we await the return of nor bring safety to Israel. The idols Christ, our Lord and Saviour. When cannot even defend themselves. They that day comes, all will be at peace! have eyes but they are as blind as a

6 DHW LESSON 32 ISAIAH 32 bat if not worse. They have hands but ______they can never help as they are made ______out of dead materials. They have feet ______that cannot walk as they are heavier ______than lead. On the other hand, the LORD is 2. Do you consider yourself a person the one living and true God who can with understanding - not the do all things. The “paradise” He wants understanding of the world but of to give to His people is amazing. the Word? If your answer is yes, Peace, quiet and assurance will then do you possess the belong to God’s people if only they will description in verses 3-5? Please trust and return to the LORD. It is only explain. a prayer away. Disobedience is the way of destruction and death. ______Obedience is the high road to ______heavenly peace and divine safety. ______Decide wisely. AMEN. ______DAILY READINGS & DISCUSSION ______QUESTIONS

3. Do you think that a luxurious Daily Readings lifestyle is a sinful lifestyle and an MONDAY: Isaiah 32:1-14 impoverished lifestyle is a holy TUESDAY: Isaiah 32:1-20 lifestyle? Please explain. WEDNESDAY: Isaiah 32:1-20 ______THURSDAY: Isaiah 32:1-20 ______FRIDAY: Isaiah 32:1-20. ______Discussion Questions ______1. Who is the ruler of this earth today? ______Who is the ruler of your life and the lives of your family? Please explain. 4. What kind of spiritual church is Pandan Church? Is it above ______average or below average? Please ______explain your criteria for evaluation. ______

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______5. Do you have a peaceful home? Are you happy at home? Is there any way you can help make your home happier? ______

6. Do you feel safe at home? What about in your work place or when you go out or come home late at night? Do you long for the kind of peace and tranquility that is described in Isaiah 32:15-20? Please explain. ______

7. What lessons have you learnt from this chapter about God’s Word and about yourself?

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