Isaiah 27:1
"In that day" God will slay Leviathan. This creature shows up in 4 other places in the Old Testament – Job 41:1; Job 3:8; Psalm 74:14; and Psalm 104;26. In Ugaritic texts, Leviathan is a mythical, seven headed sea monster with sever heads. It is thought to be symbolic of the dark and destructive water of the sea. It's chaos can rise up anyplace and anywhere and slay a man in multiple ways. This force, this Leviathan, is brought into subjection by Yahweh. As large and frightening as the Leviathan was, it was no match for God.
In Revelation 12, we see a 12 headed dragon as Satan himself as he is cast to earth. See also Psalm 74:14.
Note: In the Satanic Bible, Leviathan is listed as one of the Four Crown Princes of Hell.
Isaiah 27:2-6
See Is 5:1-7 as the Lord dealt with this unruly vineyard. In this day, on the heels of the final judgment, the Lord will keeps watch over His vineyard, which is Israel. The land of Israel is His vine. Israel will bud and blossom and fill the entire world with fruit. God keeps watch over it and protects it. Who would even think of bringing any opposition (briers & thorns)? There are 2 possible outcomes for this opposition:
- God would march through them; gather and burn them.
- Or they may repent, make peace with God and lay hold of Him.
There is no possible good outcome in maintaining opposition to the Lord or His vineyard.
The history of the land is amazing and the very existence of the country of Israel testifies to God. In that day, The Day of the Lord, Israel will be at peace with God and they will fill the face of the world with fruit. The fruit of the vine of Israel is Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 27:7-11
God struck Israel – but not nearly as harsh as those He used to strike Israel. God's judgment brought slaughter – but not nearly the slaughtering of those who did His slaughtering. God dealt with Israel by sending it away for its sins. They were removed from their country and taken to captivity. The time of their punishment would pass though.
The 'therefore' of verse nine looks past the judgment to the fruit. "By this" is a reference to the judgment; by this punishment the iniquity was removed. The fruit of the removal of their sin will be the altars beaten to dust. Some see this as God's altar broken down because there is no longer a need for it in that day. Others see it as the idolatrous altars as well as the destruction of wooden images and incense.
The fortified cities are those that oppressed Israel, the cities of the world's system. These cities would be forsaken and left uninhabited. They rose up and fell at the sovereign hand of God, for His purpose. Because these people had no understanding of Him, He will have no mercy on them on that day.
Isaiah 27:12-13
In that day the Lord will thresh, this is a shaking of the olive tree for harvest or a beating out of the grain. God will harvest what He has planted and cut down and burn everything else. Then, the remnant will be brought back to the land. The great trumpet will begin this be blown as a call to worship across all of time. See also Rev 8:7; Mat 24:31 and Joel 2 for more on the great trumpet. At that time, the whole world will worship the Lord at Jerusalem.
©2018 Doug Ford
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