This is the burden against the beasts of the Negev: Through a land of hardship and distress, of lioness and lion, of viper and flying serpent, they carry their wealth on the backs of donkeys and their treasures on the humps of camels, to a people of no profit to them. This is an oracleThe term "oracle" in Hebrew is "מַשָּׂא" (massa), which often denotes a burden or a prophetic message. In the context of Isaiah, it signifies a divine revelation or pronouncement from God. This oracle serves as a warning or a message of impending judgment, emphasizing the seriousness and weight of the prophecy. It reminds us of the responsibility to heed God's word and the consequences of ignoring His guidance. concerning the beasts of the Negev
The "Negev" refers to the desert region in the southern part of Israel. The "beasts" symbolize the caravans and the burdens they carry, possibly representing the futile efforts of Judah seeking help from Egypt. Historically, the Negev was a harsh and arid land, underscoring the futility and danger of relying on human alliances rather than trusting in God. This phrase challenges believers to consider where they place their trust and to rely on God's provision rather than worldly solutions. Through a land of hardship and distress
This phrase paints a vivid picture of the difficult journey through the desert. The Hebrew words for "hardship" (צָרָה, tsarah) and "distress" (צָרָה, tsarah) convey a sense of adversity and trouble. The imagery of a treacherous path serves as a metaphor for the spiritual journey of those who turn away from God. It is a call to recognize the trials that come from straying from God's path and the peace that comes from walking in His ways. of lions and roaring lions
Lions in the Bible often symbolize danger and power. The repetition of "lions" and "roaring lions" emphasizes the threat and the fearsome nature of the challenges faced. In a spiritual sense, it can represent the overwhelming obstacles and spiritual battles that believers encounter. This imagery encourages Christians to be vigilant and courageous, trusting in God's strength to overcome the adversities of life. of vipers and darting snakes
Vipers and snakes are symbols of deceit and danger. The Hebrew word for "vipers" (אֶפְעֶה, eph'eh) and "darting snakes" (שָׂרָף, saraph) highlight the hidden and sudden threats that can lead to spiritual downfall. This serves as a warning against the subtle temptations and deceptions that can lead believers astray. It is a reminder to seek wisdom and discernment from God to navigate the spiritual dangers of the world. the envoys carry their wealth on the backs of donkeys and camels
The "envoys" represent the leaders of Judah who sought alliances with Egypt, carrying "wealth" as tribute. Donkeys and camels were common beasts of burden, symbolizing the reliance on human strength and resources. This phrase critiques the misplaced trust in material wealth and political alliances instead of God's provision. It challenges believers to evaluate where they place their security and to prioritize spiritual riches over earthly possessions. to a people who will not profit them
This phrase underscores the futility of Judah's alliance with Egypt. The Hebrew word for "profit" (יָעַל, ya'al) means to benefit or gain. Historically, Egypt was unable to provide the security Judah sought, illustrating the emptiness of relying on human solutions. It serves as a powerful reminder that true profit and security come from God alone. Believers are encouraged to seek God's guidance and trust in His promises, knowing that He alone can provide lasting peace and prosperity. Persons / Places / Events 1. The NegevA desert region in southern Israel, known for its harsh and arid conditions. It symbolizes a place of difficulty and challenge. 2. Lions and Roaring LionsThese represent danger and threat, often used in Scripture to symbolize powerful adversaries or challenges. 3. Vipers and Darting SerpentsSymbolic of deceit and sudden danger, these creatures add to the imagery of peril in the journey described. 4. Donkeys and CamelsAnimals used for carrying burdens, representing the effort and resources expended by the people in their futile mission. 5. A People Who Will Not Profit ThemRefers to Egypt, whom the Israelites sought for help, but who ultimately could not provide the security or aid they desired. Teaching Points Futility of Misplaced TrustTrusting in worldly powers or alliances, like the Israelites did with Egypt, often leads to disappointment and failure. Our ultimate trust should be in God alone. The Cost of DisobedienceThe journey through the Negev, fraught with danger and hardship, illustrates the consequences of not following God's guidance. Disobedience can lead to unnecessary struggles. Spiritual DiscernmentJust as the Israelites failed to discern the futility of their alliance with Egypt, we must seek God's wisdom to discern the right paths and partnerships in our lives. The Burden of Worldly PursuitsThe imagery of carrying wealth on donkeys and camels highlights the burdens we bear when we pursue worldly solutions instead of seeking God's provision. Bible Study Questions 1. What does the Negev symbolize in your own life, and how can you navigate through it with God's guidance? 2. How can the imagery of lions and serpents in this passage help you identify and confront the dangers in your spiritual journey? 3. In what ways are you tempted to rely on "Egypt" in your life, and how can you shift your trust to God? 4. Reflect on a time when you experienced the futility of misplaced trust. What did you learn, and how can you apply that lesson today? 5. How can you ensure that your pursuits and efforts are aligned with God's will, rather than being burdensome and unprofitable? Connections to Other Scriptures Exodus 14The Israelites' reliance on Egypt is reminiscent of their past bondage and the futility of seeking help from former oppressors. Jeremiah 2:18This verse questions the wisdom of seeking alliances with foreign nations like Egypt, highlighting the futility of such actions. Psalm 20:7Contrasts reliance on worldly powers with trust in the Lord, emphasizing where true security lies. People Assyrians, Egyptians, Isaiah, Mash, Pharaoh, Rahab, SaraphPlaces Egypt, Hanes, Jerusalem, Lebanon, Negeb, Rahab, Zion, ZoanTopics Adders, Adversity, Anguish, Animals, Asses, Backs, Beasts, Bunches, Burden, Burning, Camels, Carry, Darting, Distress, Donkeys, Envoys, Fiery, Flying, Grief, Hardship, Hump, Humps, Lion, Lioness, Lionesses, Lions, Nation, Negeb, Negev, Oracle, Profit, Profitable, Riches, Saraph, Serpent, She-lion, Shoulder, Shoulders, Snake, Snakes, South, Stores, Treasures, Trouble, Unprofitable, Viper, Voice, Wealth, Whence, WingedDictionary of Bible Themes Isaiah 30:6 4687 snake
5127 back
5307 envoy Isaiah 30:6-11 1421 oracles Library 'Quietness and Confidence'
'In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength.'--ISAIAH xxx. 15. ISRAEL always felt the difficulty of sustaining itself on the height of dependence on the unseen, spiritual power of God, and was ever oscillating between alliances with the Northern and Southern powers, linking itself with Assyria against Egypt, or with Egypt against Assyria. The effect was that whichever was victorious it suffered; it was the battleground for both, it was the prize of …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureGod's Waiting and Man's
'And therefore will the Lord wait, that He may be gracious unto you, and therefore will He be exalted, that He may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgment: blessed are they that wait for Him.'--ISAIAH xxx. 18. God's waiting and man's--bold and beautiful, that He and we should be represented as sharing the same attitude. I. God's waiting, 1. The first thought is--why should He wait--why does He not act at once? Because something in us hinders. We cannot enter into spiritual blessings …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture The Voice Behind Thee
The word behind us which is spoken of in the text is mentioned as one among other covenant blessings. No "if" or "but" is joined to it. It is one of those gracious, unconditional promises upon which the salvation of the guilty depends. There are many comforts of the new life which depend upon our own action and behaviour, and these come to us with "ifs"; but those which are vital and essential are secured to the chosen of God without "but" or "peradventure." It shall be so: God declares it shall, …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 28: 1882 My God Will Hear Me
"Therefore will the Lord wait, that He may be gracious unto you. Blessed are all they that wait for Him. He will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when He shall hear it, He will answer thee."--ISA. xxx. 18, 19. "The Lord will hear when I call upon Him."--PS. iv. 3. "I have called upon Thee, for Thou wilt hear me, O God!"--PS. xvii. 6. "I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me."--MIC. vii. 7. The power of prayer rests in the faith …
Andrew Murray—The Ministry of Intercession With a Heart Full of Anxious Request,
"In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength." -- Isaiah 30:15. With a heart full of anxious request, Which my Father in heaven bestowed, I wandered alone, and distressed, In search of a quiet abode. Astray and distracted I cried, -- Lord, where would'st Thou have me to be? And the voice of the Lamb that had died Said, Come, my beloved, to ME. I went -- for He mightily wins Weary souls to His peaceful retreat -- And He gave me forgiveness of sins, …
Miss A. L. Waring—Hymns and Meditations But Though Prayer is Properly Confined to Vows and Supplications...
But though prayer is properly confined to vows and supplications, yet so strong is the affinity between petition and thanksgiving, that both may be conveniently comprehended under one name. For the forms which Paul enumerates (1 Tim. 2:1) fall under the first member of this division. By prayer and supplication we pour out our desires before God, asking as well those things which tend to promote his glory and display his name, as the benefits which contribute to our advantage. By thanksgiving we duly …
John Calvin—Of Prayer--A Perpetual Exercise of Faith "Take My Yoke Upon You, and Learn of Me," &C.
Matt. xi. 20.--"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me," &c. Self love is generally esteemed infamous and contemptible among men. It is of a bad report every where, and indeed as it is taken commonly, there is good reason for it, that it should be hissed out of all societies, if reproaching and speaking evil of it would do it. But to speak the truth, the name is not so fit to express the thing, for that which men call self love, may rather be called self hatred. Nothing is more pernicious to a man's …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning The Girdle of the City. Nehemiah 3
The beginning of the circumference was from 'the sheep-gate.' That, we suppose, was seated on the south part, yet but little removed from that corner, which looks south-east. Within was the pool of Bethesda, famous for healings. Going forward, on the south part, was the tower Meah: and beyond that, "the tower of Hananeel": in the Chaldee paraphrast it is, 'The tower Piccus,' Zechariah 14:10; Piccus, Jeremiah 31:38.--I should suspect that to be, the Hippic tower, were not that placed on the north …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica Sennacherib (705-681 B. C. )
The struggle of Sennacherib with Judaea and Egypt--Destruction of Babylon. Sennacherib either failed to inherit his father's good fortune, or lacked his ability.* He was not deficient in military genius, nor in the energy necessary to withstand the various enemies who rose against him at widely removed points of his frontier, but he had neither the adaptability of character nor the delicate tact required to manage successfully the heterogeneous elements combined under his sway. * The two principal …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 8 How those are to be Admonished who have had Experience of the Sins of the Flesh, and those who have Not.
(Admonition 29.) Differently to be admonished are those who are conscious of sins of the flesh, and those who know them not. For those who have had experience of the sins of the flesh are to be admonished that, at any rate after shipwreck, they should fear the sea, and feel horror at their risk of perdition at least when it has become known to them; lest, having been mercifully preserved after evil deeds committed, by wickedly repeating the same they die. Whence to the soul that sins and never …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great Concerning Worship.
Concerning Worship. [780] All true and acceptable worship to God is offered in the inward and immediate moving and drawing of his own Spirit which is neither limited to places times, nor persons. For though we are to worship him always, and continually to fear before him; [781] yet as to the outward signification thereof, in prayers, praises, or preachings, we ought not to do it in our own will, where and when we will; but where and when we are moved thereunto by the stirring and secret inspiration …
Robert Barclay—Theses Theologicae and An Apology for the True Christian Divinity A Sermon on Isaiah xxvi. By John Knox.
[In the Prospectus of our Publication it was stated, that one discourse, at least, would be given in each number. A strict adherence to this arrangement, however, it is found, would exclude from our pages some of the most talented discourses of our early Divines; and it is therefore deemed expedient to depart from it as occasion may require. The following Sermon will occupy two numbers, and we hope, that from its intrinsic value, its historical interest, and the illustrious name of its author, it …
John Knox—The Pulpit Of The Reformation, Nos. 1, 2 and 3. The Evening Light
This chapter is an article written by the author many years after she had received light on the unity of the church. It will acquaint the reader with what is meant by the expression "evening light." "At evening time it shall be light." "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: but it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light" (Zechariah 14:6,7). The expression …
Mary Cole—Trials and Triumphs of Faith The Baptist's Inquiry and Jesus' Discourse Suggested Thereby.
(Galilee.) ^A Matt. XI. 2-30; ^C Luke VII. 18-35. ^c 18 And the disciples of John told him of all these things. ^a 2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent by his disciples ^c 19 And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them unto the Lord [John had been cast into prison about December, a.d. 27, and it was now after the Passover, possibly in May or June, a.d. 28. Herod Antipas had cast John into prison because John had reproved him for taking his brother's wife. …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel The Eternity of God
The next attribute is, God is eternal.' Psa 90:0. From everlasting to everlasting thou art God.' The schoolmen distinguish between aevun et aeternum, to explain the notion of eternity. There is a threefold being. I. Such as had a beginning; and shall have an end; as all sensitive creatures, the beasts, fowls, fishes, which at death are destroyed and return to dust; their being ends with their life. 2. Such as had a beginning, but shall have no end, as angels and the souls of men, which are eternal …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity How Christ is Made Use of for Justification as a Way.
What Christ hath done to purchase, procure, and bring about our justification before God, is mentioned already, viz. That he stood in the room of sinners, engaging for them as their cautioner, undertaking, and at length paying down the ransom; becoming sin, or a sacrifice for sin, and a curse for them, and so laying down his life a ransom to satisfy divine justice; and this he hath made known in the gospel, calling sinners to an accepting of him as their only Mediator, and to a resting upon him for …
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life The Prophet Hosea.
GENERAL PRELIMINARY REMARKS. That the kingdom of Israel was the object of the prophet's ministry is so evident, that upon this point all are, and cannot but be, agreed. But there is a difference of opinion as to whether the prophet was a fellow-countryman of those to whom he preached, or was called by God out of the kingdom of Judah. The latter has been asserted with great confidence by Maurer, among others, in his Observ. in Hos., in the Commentat. Theol. ii. i. p. 293. But the arguments …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament The Gospel Message, Good Tidings
[As it is written] How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! T he account which the Apostle Paul gives of his first reception among the Galatians (Galatians 4:15) , exemplifies the truth of this passage. He found them in a state of ignorance and misery; alienated from God, and enslaved to the blind and comfortless superstitions of idolatry. His preaching, accompanied with the power of the Holy Spirit, had a great and marvellous effect. …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2 "They have Corrupted Themselves; their Spot is not the Spot of his Children; they are a Perverse and Crooked Generation. "
Deut. xxxii. 5.--"They have corrupted themselves; their spot is not the spot of his children; they are a perverse and crooked generation." We doubt this people would take well with such a description of themselves as Moses gives. It might seem strange to us, that God should have chosen such a people out of all the nations of the earth, and they to be so rebellious and perverse, if our own experience did not teach us how free his choice is, and how long-suffering he is, and constant in his choice. …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning The Covenant of Works
Q-12: I proceed to the next question, WHAT SPECIAL ACT OF PROVIDENCE DID GOD EXERCISE TOWARDS MAN IN THE ESTATE WHEREIN HE WAS CREATED? A: When God had created man, he entered into a covenant of life with him upon condition of perfect obedience, forbidding him to eat of the tree of knowledge upon pain of death. For this, consult with Gen 2:16, 17: And the Lord commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity A Description of Heart-Purity
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8 The holy God, who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity' calls here for heart-purity, and to such as are adorned with this jewel, he promises a glorious and beatifical vision of himself: they shall see God'. Two things are to be explained the nature of purity; the subject of purity. 1 The nature of purity. Purity is a sacred refined thing. It stands diametrically opposed to whatsoever defiles. We must distinguish the various kinds …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12 Links Isaiah 30:6 NIVIsaiah 30:6 NLTIsaiah 30:6 ESVIsaiah 30:6 NASBIsaiah 30:6 KJV
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