Isaiah 42:15
I will lay waste the mountains and hills and dry up all their vegetation. I will turn the rivers into dry land and drain the marshes.
I will lay waste
This phrase signifies a divine act of judgment and transformation. The Hebrew root for "lay waste" is "שָׁמֵם" (shamem), which conveys desolation and ruin. In the context of Isaiah, this reflects God's sovereign power to bring about change, often as a response to idolatry or disobedience. Historically, this can be seen as a warning to nations that oppose God's will, emphasizing His ultimate authority over creation.

the mountains and hills
Mountains and hills in biblical literature often symbolize strength, stability, and permanence. They are also places of worship and encounter with God, as seen in the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai. The mention of these being laid waste indicates a profound upheaval, suggesting that even the most stable and revered aspects of creation are subject to God's will. This serves as a reminder of the transient nature of earthly power compared to the eternal nature of God.

and dry up all their vegetation
Vegetation represents life, sustenance, and prosperity. The Hebrew word for "vegetation" is "עֵשֶׂב" (esev), which encompasses all plant life. The drying up of vegetation symbolizes a withdrawal of God's blessing and provision, often as a consequence of sin. This imagery would resonate with an agrarian society that relied heavily on the land for survival, underscoring the seriousness of turning away from God.

I will turn the rivers into dry land
Rivers are sources of life and fertility, essential for agriculture and daily living. The transformation of rivers into dry land signifies a dramatic shift from abundance to barrenness. In the biblical narrative, water is often a symbol of life and divine blessing, as seen in the Garden of Eden and the Promised Land. This phrase highlights God's control over the natural world and serves as a metaphor for spiritual drought resulting from disobedience.

and dry up the pools
Pools, like rivers, are sources of refreshment and life. The drying up of pools further emphasizes the theme of desolation and judgment. In the ancient Near East, water was a precious commodity, and its absence would be devastating. This imagery reinforces the message that reliance on anything other than God leads to emptiness and ruin. It calls believers to trust in God's provision and to seek spiritual renewal through obedience and faithfulness.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Isaiah
A major prophet in the Old Testament, Isaiah is the author of the book that bears his name. He prophesied during the reigns of several kings of Judah and is known for his messages of both judgment and hope.

2. Mountains and Hills
In biblical literature, mountains and hills often symbolize strength, stability, and sometimes the presence of God. Here, they represent obstacles or entities that God will overcome or transform.

3. Rivers and Pools
These are symbols of life, sustenance, and prosperity. Their drying up signifies judgment and the removal of life-giving resources.

4. Judgment
The act of God bringing justice and correction, often through transformative or destructive means, as a response to sin or disobedience.

5. Restoration
Although not explicitly mentioned in this verse, the broader context of Isaiah includes themes of restoration following judgment, highlighting God's ultimate plan for redemption.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty Over Creation
God has absolute control over the natural world. He can transform landscapes to fulfill His purposes, demonstrating His power and authority.

Judgment as a Path to Redemption
God's acts of judgment are not merely punitive but serve a greater purpose in His redemptive plan. They are meant to lead people back to Him and prepare the way for restoration.

The Impermanence of Earthly Stability
Mountains and rivers, often seen as permanent and reliable, can be altered by God. This reminds us not to place our ultimate trust in earthly things but in God alone.

The Call to Repentance
Recognizing God's power to bring both judgment and blessing should lead us to examine our lives, repent of sin, and align ourselves with His will.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding God's sovereignty over creation impact your view of current environmental or natural events?

2. In what ways can the imagery of mountains and rivers being transformed by God encourage you in times of personal trial or uncertainty?

3. How can the theme of judgment leading to redemption be applied in your personal spiritual journey or in the life of your community?

4. What are some areas in your life where you might be placing too much trust in earthly stability rather than in God?

5. How can you actively respond to God's call for repentance and alignment with His will in your daily life, considering the themes of Isaiah 42:15?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Isaiah 41:18
This verse speaks of God providing water in the wilderness, contrasting with Isaiah 42:15, where He dries up water sources. Together, they illustrate God's sovereign control over creation, able to both provide and withhold as He sees fit.

Jeremiah 4:23-26
Jeremiah describes a scene of desolation similar to Isaiah 42:15, emphasizing the theme of divine judgment upon the land.

Revelation 16:12
The drying up of the Euphrates River in Revelation parallels the imagery in Isaiah, symbolizing preparation for significant divine intervention.
Behold, My ServantF. B. Meyer, B. A.Isaiah 42:1-17
Christ Delighted in by the FatherH. Melvill, B. D.Isaiah 42:1-17
Cyrus and the Servant of JehovahProf. G. A. Smith, D. D.Isaiah 42:1-17
God's Programme for the WorldS. Chadwick.Isaiah 42:1-17
Jehovah and Jehovah's ServantProf. G. A. Smith, D. D.Isaiah 42:1-17
Messiah and His WorkOriginal Secession MagazineIsaiah 42:1-17
Purpose and Method of the RedeemerR. R. Meredith, D. D.Isaiah 42:1-17
Silent Spread of ChristianitySermons by the Monday ClubIsaiah 42:1-17
The Coming SaviourSermons by the Monday ClubIsaiah 42:1-17
The Coming SaviourHomiletic ReviewIsaiah 42:1-17
The Dignity of ServiceJ. Parker, D. D.Isaiah 42:1-17
The Ideal IsraeliteB. H. Alford.Isaiah 42:1-17
The Ideal Servant JehovahE. H. Plumptre, D. D.Isaiah 42:1-17
The Ideal Servant's WorkProf. S. R. Driver, D. D.Isaiah 42:1-17
The Mediator is the CentreF. Delitzsch, D. D.Isaiah 42:1-17
The Servant of JehovahProf. T. K. Cheyne, D. D.Isaiah 42:1-17
The Servant of JehovahAnon.Isaiah 42:1-17
The Servant of JehovahJ. A. Alexander.Isaiah 42:1-17
The Servant of the LordA. Maclaren, D. D.Isaiah 42:1-17
The Servant, First Israel as a Whole, Then Israel in PartProf. G. A. Smith, D. D.Isaiah 42:1-17
The Service of God and ManProf. G. A. Smith, D. D.Isaiah 42:1-17
The Servitude of JesusJ. Vaughan, M. A.Isaiah 42:1-17
The Trinity in UnityW. Cadman, M. A.Isaiah 42:1-17
Who is the Servant of JehovahProf. T. K. Cheyne, D. D.Isaiah 42:1-17
A New Song to JehovahE. Johnson Isaiah 42:10-25
People
Isaiah, Jacob, Kedar
Places
Jerusalem, Kedar, Sela
Topics
Coastlands, Destroy, Dry, Drying, Herbage, Herbs, Hills, Islands, Isles, Lay, Mountains, Plants, Ponds, Pools, Rivers, Turn, Vegetation, Waste, Wither
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Isaiah 42:15

     4819   dryness

Library
Christ the Arrester of Incipient Evil and the Nourisher of Incipient Good
'A bruised reed shall He not break, and the smoking flax shall He not quench.... He shall not fail nor be discouraged.'--ISAIAH xlii. 3, 4. The two metaphors which we have in the former part of these words are not altogether parallel. 'A bruised reed' has suffered an injury which, however, is neither complete nor irreparable. 'Smoking flax,' on the other hand--by which, of course, is meant flax used as a wick in an old-fashioned oil lamp--is partially lit. In the one a process has been begun which,
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

How to Make Use of Christ as the Truth, when Error Prevaileth, and the Spirit of Error Carrieth Many Away.
There is a time when the spirit of error is going abroad, and truth is questioned, and many are led away with delusions. For Satan can change himself into an angel of light, and make many great and fairlike pretensions to holiness, and under that pretext usher in untruths, and gain the consent of many unto them; so that in such a time of temptation many are stolen off their feet, and made to depart from the right ways of God, and to embrace error and delusions instead of truth. Now the question is,
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life

Jesus, the Mediator of the New Covenant
"I give thee for a covenant of the people."--ISA. xlii. 6, xlix. 8. "The Lord shall suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in."--MAL. iii. 1. "Jesus was made Surety of a better covenant."--HEB. vii. 22. "The Mediator of the Better Covenant, established upon better promises . . . The Mediator of the New Covenant. . . Ye are come to Jesus, the Mediator of the New Covenant."--HEB. viii. 6, ix. 15, xii. 24. WE have here four titles given to our Lord Jesus in
Andrew Murray—The Two Covenants

Words of Counsel.
"A bruised reed shall He not break."--Isaiah xlii. 3; Matt. xii. 20. It is dangerous for those who are seeking salvation to lean upon the experience of other people. Many are waiting for a repetition of the experience of their grandfather or grandmother. I had a friend who was converted in a field; and he thinks the whole town ought to go down into that meadow and be converted. Another was converted under a bridge; and he thinks that if any enquirer were to go there he would find the Lord. The best
Dwight L. Moody—The Way to God and How to Find It

The Blessed Journey
Gerhard Ter Steegen Is. xlii. 16 Let Him lead thee blindfold onwards, Love needs not to know; Children whom the Father leadeth Ask not where they go. Though the path be all unknown, Over moors and mountains lone. Give no ear to reason's questions: Let the blind man hold That the sun is but a fable Men believed of old. At the breast the babe will grow; Whence the milk he need not know.
Frances Bevan—Hymns of Ter Steegen, Suso, and Others

China Evangelized.
China Evangelized. "The Lord of hosts mustereth the host of the battle."--Isa. xlii. 4. PART I. PART II. PART III. Lift up your heads, ye gates of brass! Ye bars of Iron! yield; And let the King of Glory pass,-- The Cross is in the field. That banner, brighter than the star, That leads the train of night, Shines on their march and guides from far His servants to the fight. A holy war those servants wage; --Mysteriously at strife, The powers of heaven and hell engage For more than death or life.
James Montgomery—Sacred Poems and Hymns

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

Prayer Taught and Encouraged.
(Probably Judæa.) ^C Luke XI. 1-13. ^c 1 And it came to pass, as he was praying in a certain place, that when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, even as John also taught his disciples. [Jesus had already taught his disciples how to pray in the Sermon on the Mount. This disciple probably thought that the prayer already taught was too brief to be sufficient, especially as Jesus often prayed so long. It was customary for the rabbis to give their disciples forms
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Book ix. Epistle i. To Januarius, Bishop of Caralis (Cagliari).
To Januarius, Bishop of Caralis (Cagliari). Gregory to Januarius, &c. The preacher of Almighty God, Paul the apostle, says, Rebuke not an elder (1 Tim. v. 1). But this rule of his is to be observed in cases where the fault of an elder does not draw through his example the hearts of the younger into ruin. But, when an elder sets an example to the young for their ruin, he is to be smitten with severe rebuke. For it is written, Ye are all a snare to the young (Isai. xlii. 22). And again the prophet
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

"But if we Walk in the Light, as He is in the Light, we have Fellowship one with Another, and the Blood of Jesus Christ His
1 John i. 7.--"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." Art is the imitation of nature, and true religion is a divine art, that consists in the imitation of God himself, the author of nature. Therefore it is a more high and transcendent thing, of a sublimer nature than all the arts and sciences among men. Those reach but to some resemblance of the wisdom of God, expressed in his works,
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

"And He is the Propitiation,"
1 John ii. 2.--"And he is the propitiation," &c. Here is the strength of Christ's plea, and ground of his advocation, that "he is the propitiation." The advocate is the priest, and the priest is the sacrifice, and such efficacy this sacrifice hath, that the propitiatory sacrifice may be called the very propitiation and pacification for sin. Here is the marrow of the gospel, and these are the breasts of consolation which any poor sinner might draw by faith, and bring out soul refreshment. But truly,
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The Introduction, with Some General Observations from the Cohesion.
Doubtless it is always useful, yea, necessary, for the children of God to know the right way of making use of Christ, who is made all things to them which they need, even "wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption," 1 Cor. i. 30. But it is never more necessary for believers to be clear and distinct in this matter, than when Satan, by all means, is seeking to pervert the right ways of the Lord, and, one way or other, to lead souls away, and draw them off Christ; knowing that, if he prevail
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life

1872-1874. Letter from Rev. A. M. W. Christopher --Letter from Gulf of St. Lawrence-Mrs. Birt's Sheltering Home, Liverpool --Letter to Mrs. Merry --Letter from Canada --Miss
Letter from Rev. A. M. W. Christopher--Letter from Gulf of St. Lawrence-Mrs. Birt's Sheltering Home, Liverpool--Letter to Mrs. Merry--Letter from Canada--Miss Macpherson's return to England-- Letter of cheer for Dr. Barnardo--Removal to Hackney Home. Though human praise is not sought, we cannot but feel peculiar pleasure in giving the following testimony from a servant of the Lord so much revered as the Rev, A. M. W. Christopher of Oxford:-- "Of all the works of Christian benevolence which the great
Clara M. S. Lowe—God's Answers

The Credibility of Scripture Sufficiently Proved in So Far as Natural Reason Admits.
1. Secondary helps to establish the credibility of Scripture. I. The arrangement of the sacred volume. II. Its dignity. III. Its truth. IV. Its simplicity. V. Its efficacy. 2. The majesty conspicuous in the writings of the Prophets. 3. Special proofs from the Old Testament. I. The antiquity of the Books of Moses. 4. This antiquity contrasted with the dreams of the Egyptians. II. The majesty of the Books of Moses. 5. The miracles and prophecies of Moses. A profane objection refuted. 6. Another profane
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion

The Purpose in the Coming of Jesus.
God Spelling Himself out in Jesus: change in the original language--bother in spelling Jesus out--sticklers for the old forms--Jesus' new spelling of old words. Jesus is God following us up: God heart-broken--man's native air--bad choice affected man's will--the wrong lane--God following us up. The Early Eden Picture, Genesis 1:26-31. 2:7-25: unfallen man--like God--the breath of God in man--a spirit, infinite, eternal--love--holy--wise--sovereign over creation, Psalm 8:5-8--in his own will--summary--God's
S. D. Gordon—Quiet Talks about Jesus

How to Make Use of Christ, as Truth, for Comfort, when Truth is Oppressed and Born Down.
There is another difficulty, wherein believing souls will stand in need of Christ, as the truth, to help them; and that is, when his work is overturned, his cause borne down, truth condemned, and enemies, in their opposition to his work, prospering in all their wicked attempts. This is a very trying dispensation, as we see it was to the holy penman of Psalm lxxiii. for it made him to stagger, so that his feet were almost gone, and his steps had well nigh slipt; yea he was almost repenting of his
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life

Jesus Heals Multitudes Beside the Sea of Galilee.
^A Matt. XII. 15-21; ^B Mark III. 7-12. ^a 15 And Jesus perceiving it withdrew ^b with his disciples ^a from thence: ^b to the sea [This was the first withdrawal of Jesus for the avowed purpose of self-preservation. After this we find Jesus constantly retiring to avoid the plots of his enemies. The Sea of Galilee, with its boats and its shores touching different jurisdictions, formed a convenient and fairly safe retreat]: ^a and many followed him; ^b and a great multitude from Galilee followed; and
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Messiah the Son of God
For to which of the angels said He at any time, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee? T hough every part of a revelation from God must of course be equally true, there may be a considerable difference even among truths proposed by the same authority, with respect to their immediate importance. There are fundamental truths, the knowledge of which are essentially necessary to our peace and holiness: and there are others of a secondary nature, which, though very useful in their proper connection,
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2

God's Glory the Chief End of Man's Being
Rom. xi. 36.--"Of him and through him, and to him, are all things, to whom be glory for ever." And 1 Cor. x. 31--"Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." All that men have to know, may be comprised under these two heads,--What their end is, and What is the right way to attain to that end? And all that we have to do, is by any means to seek to compass that end. These are the two cardinal points of a man's knowledge and exercise. Quo et qua eundum est,--Whither to go, and what way to go.
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

"We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous. "
1 John ii. 1.--"We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." There is no settlement to the spirit of a sinner that is once touched with the sense of his sins, and apprehension of the justice and wrath of God, but in some clear and distinct understanding of the grounds of consolation in the gospel, and the method of salvation revealed in it. There is no solid peace giving answer to the challenges of the law and thy own conscience, but in the advocation of Jesus Christ, the Saviour
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Of the Unity of the Godhead and the Trinity of Persons
Deut. vi. 4.--"Hear, O Israel The Lord our God is one Lord."--1 John v. 7 "There are three that bear record in heaven the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost and these three are one." "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness," 2 Tim. iii. 16. There is no refuse in it, no simple and plain history, but it tends to some edification, no profound or deep mystery, but it is profitable for salvation. Whatsoever
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Covenanting Provided for in the Everlasting Covenant.
The duty of Covenanting is founded on the law of nature; but it also stands among the arrangements of Divine mercy made from everlasting. The promulgation of the law, enjoining it on man in innocence as a duty, was due to God's necessary dominion over the creatures of his power. The revelation of it as a service obligatory on men in a state of sin, arose from his unmerited grace. In the one display, we contemplate the authority of the righteous moral Governor of the universe; in the other, we see
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

Covenanting Adapted to the Moral Constitution of Man.
The law of God originates in his nature, but the attributes of his creatures are due to his sovereignty. The former is, accordingly, to be viewed as necessarily obligatory on the moral subjects of his government, and the latter--which are all consistent with the holiness of the Divine nature, are to be considered as called into exercise according to his appointment. Hence, also, the law of God is independent of his creatures, though made known on their account; but the operation of their attributes
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

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