[A]. DESOLATION AND RESTORATION
We have a remarkable passage of scripture before us in Isaiah. For those unfamiliar with prophetic writings, there is one aspect to note. In the books of the prophets, Major and Minor, time jumps are very common. In a few verses, the writer may skip from his time back to the past, then right across time to two or three thousand years in the future. The chapter we look at today does that very thing.
Before us is a picture of destruction, or of desolation if you like, for Judah and Jerusalem. The 6 verses are self-evident:
Isaiah 32:9 “Rise up you women who are at ease and hear my voice. Give ear to my word, you complacent daughters.
Isaiah 32:10 Within a year and a few days you will be troubled, O complacent daughters for the vintage is ended and the fruit gathering will not come.
Isaiah 32:11 Tremble, you women who are at ease. Be troubled, you complacent daughters. Strip, undress, and put sackcloth on your waist,
Isaiah 32:12 Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine,
Isaiah 32:13 for the land of my people in which thorns and briars shall come up; yea, for all the joyful houses, and for the jubilant city.
Isaiah 32:14 Because the palace has been abandoned, the populated city forsaken. Hill and watch-tower have become caves forever, a delight for wild donkeys, a pasture for flocks.”
[B]. THE SELF-COMPLACENT WOMEN are addressed in verses 9 to 12. It is always a sign of carelessness when people are occupied only with their own luxury and selfishness and have no concern for themselves or others, or for the future. We see much evidence of that very thing in society today.
Verse 9 calls for listening and action, very much in line with what Isaiah, and especially Jeremiah, did through the Spirit of God. Every time, the message was scorned and rejected by a stiff-necked people. Stephen summed it up well:
Acts 7:51-53 “You men who are STIFF-NECKED AND UNCIRCUMCISED IN HEART AND EARS ARE ALWAYS RESISTING THE HOLY SPIRIT. You are doing just as your fathers did. Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? and they killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become – you who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it.”
[C]. VERSES 13 AND 14 FORM THE PICTURE OF DESTRUCTION, for fruitfulness and society are destroyed and left desolate. Consistent language of destruction is used here – thorns, caves, wild animals, and abandoned. This same description is used in Isaiah about the nations around and of Babylon, which God destroyed. Yet here, it is the city of the great King that suffers this destruction, an inconceivable fact to the irreligious population. God is not mocked.
[D]. WHEN DID THIS DESTRUCTION AND DESOLATION HAPPEN? I would suggest it was not just one destruction over time, but actually three. Probably the primary one in context was what happened under Nebuchadnezzar. I have completed a commentary on Lamentations, examining the book in detail, but we set that aside and just take up the first few verses:
Lamentations 1:1-3 “How lonely sits the city that was full of people. She has become like a widow who was once great among the nations. She who was a princess among the provinces has become a forced labourer. She weeps bitterly in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks. She has none to comfort her among all her lovers. All her friends have dealt treacherously with her. They have become her enemies. Judah has gone into exile under affliction, and under harsh servitude, she dwells among the nations, but she has found no rest. All her pursuers have overtaken her in the midst of distress.”
The Babylonian army was fierce and cruel. They were ruthless and went way beyond the rod of God given to Babylon for the punishment of Judah. And for that reason, God ended up judging Babylon. Jeremiah 50:29 “Summon many against Babylon, all those who bend the bow. Encamp against her on every side. Let there be no escape. REPAY HER ACCORDING TO HER WORK; according to all that she has done, so do to her, for she has become arrogant against the LORD, against the Holy One of Israel.”
THE SECOND EVENT that could qualify was the overthrow of Israel and Jerusalem by the Romans in A.D. 70 and 135. Under the Babylonians, that desolation lasted for 70 years, but under the Romans, it was from A.D. 135 until maybe 1947/48. Since 597 B.C. until 1948, the Jews have never had full sovereignty over their land.
By the way, have you noticed the WOKEness beginning to be expressed in dates? Some sites and organizations and people are not using B.C. and A.D. anymore. We know the Jews have always done that with BCE (before the common era), but WOKEness is using CE, meaning “common era,” instead of A.D. It is just one more endeavor to throw God out of society and eliminate Christ.
THE THIRD DESTRUCTION is yet future. It too will be awful but short-lived. Here is that description: Zechariah 12:1-2 “The burden of the word of the LORD concerning Israel. Thus declares the LORD who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him, ‘Behold, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that causes reeling to all the peoples around; and when THE SIEGE IS AGAINST JERUSALEM, it will also be against Judah.’”
AND ALSO – Zechariah 14:2-3 “For I will gather all the nations AGAINST JERUSALEM to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished, and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city. Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle.”
This happens right at the end of the Tribulation, just a little before Armageddon (verse 3), and then applies the verse Zechariah 14:4 “And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which . . .”
(E). THE IMMEDIATE FOLLOW-ON:
Verse 15 of Isaiah 32 immediately connects with verse 14, but there is a time gap of over 2,500 years between the two verses.
Verses 15 to 20 are a description of the Millennium that will be set up after the Second Coming (Armageddon):
Isaiah 32:15 “UNTIL THE SPIRIT is poured out upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field is considered as a forest.
Isaiah 32:16 Then JUSTICE will dwell in the wilderness and RIGHTEOUSNESS will abide in the fertile field.
Isaiah 32:17 The work of righteousness will be peace, and the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.
Isaiah 32:18 Then my people will live in a peaceful habitation and in secure dwellings and in undisturbed resting places,
Isaiah 32:19 and it will hail when the forest comes down, and the city will be utterly laid low.
Isaiah 32:20 How blessed will you be, you who sow beside all waters, who let out freely the ox and the donkey.”
From those verses:
(a). The Spirit is poured out (Joel 2:28).
(b). In Messiah’s reign, Israel (and the earth) will be wonderful (Isaiah 11).
(c). Justice and righteousness are often descriptions of the Lord’s reign on Earth (Isaiah 11:4-5).
(d). Peace, righteousness, quietness and confidence will be features of Messiah’s reign (Isaiah 11:1-10).
(e). All Nature will be at peace. The restoration of Nature and the earth (Romans 8:19-23).
ISRAEL, IRAN AND PEACE
I have said it before, and will say it again, there will be no peace in the Middle East before the Rapture. I don’t like saying this, but I fear the problems with Iran are going to unsettle the Trump Administration, and that will usher in the Democrats again, but they will not be as the Democrats of old. The USA will get authoritarian, ruthless socialists and Communists who will take control and bring in horrific legislation like we can now see in Australia under the same socialists and Communists.
I have said it before, but I repeat it because of new readers. No one will solve the peace problem in the Middle East, but one will, and it will be after the Rapture, not before. Daniel 9:27 “and he will make A FIRM COVENANT with the many FOR ONE WEEK, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering, and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.” That is the coming world ruler (Antichrist) who will broker peace with Israel for 7 years in a covenant, but traitor that he is, it is broken halfway through.
Iran is the master at stalling and cunning behavior. The Iranians try to fool Trump into thinking they are working towards peace, and stretch out all the negotiations. It is a game, BUT the whole time they are stalling and continue to rebuild the nuclear facilities as rapidly as they can. The USA has been fooled over and over.
Let me give one example of encroaching government. I do not know if the USA has this (yet), but I would like to know. In my Australian State (and others as well), the Government brought in a “Blue Card” for all those who work with children. The idea of that is to protect children from sexual predators, and on face value, that is fine. It applied to those working directly with children. It involves extensive police checks (the “Police State” matter).
In November 2025, the Government of my State (supposedly a conservative Government) drastically altered that legislation and added extra legislation to include people on Committees and in associations where children might be present. It specifically applies to churches. Yes, this is designed against churches and Christian organizations! If anyone has had some allegation made against them or a conviction for some sexual offence in the past, even 40 or more years ago, even very minor, that person is denied a Blue Card and cannot be, for example, an elder or pastor or Committee member in a church setting if there are children.
This is a direct interference in churches and abolishes the distinction between Church and State. If a man has a conviction of some sexual nature against his name for some offense, then is converted to become a new person in Christ, then that conviction forbids him from holding a Blue Card. And because children are at a church, then he would most likely not be allowed to be a pastor or elder. It is a draconian attack against what Christians stand for. We are under attack.
Christians already have legislation against them, forbidding them to be anywhere near an abortion clinic, or for speaking out against homosexuality. Under the new “Hate Laws,” perverted practices are accepted, and any opposition to those is deemed hate speech with associated penalties. Our legislators and politicians from 50 years back would have been horrified if they knew what was happening now.
Something horrible is happening in Australia. All over the place, Jews are attacked, and there is a vile hatred for Israel. BUT the federal Government and the police do nothing about it, generally. The Federal Government (Prime Minister Albanese), with great help from the media ABC (wicked organization run by taxpayer’s money), is bringing in actions against Islamophobia!! You cannot speak out against Islam. What about the Jews? What about Christians? The Committee that was set up to look at this were Moslems, and they drew up the report the Government accepts. Where is the fairness in that? What have we become? Every bit of wickedness this Government is doing. It is horrible.
We are in the last days, as we know, according to 2 Timothy 3:1-5 and 2 Timothy 3:13.
As I said, once the Democrats gain control, then the USA is heading for terrible times, even civil war or civil violence, at least if the Rapture is delayed. I won’t say more against the US, but it has infected the world with materialism and greed in spite of the good things done. I also believe the hand of the Lord in judgment is withheld because of the Christians in the United States.
MARY IN NIGERIA, AND ISLAM
Do not be deceived. Islam is the most satanic movement the world has known. It is not a religion of peace, as it promotes in its own lies. In its very beginnings in the 600s, it raised money for its warfare by raiding the caravans on the caravan routes through Mecca and the Middle East and killing the traders, stealing their goods. It has not changed.
It has not changed, and any observer can see Islam in operation today. The name Allah was derived from one of the Baal gods, so it is the same sort of religion as that of the heathen nations that persecuted Israel of old, and especially the Philistines (olden-day Palestinians).
The cruelty and slaughter from Islam is satanic. They torture, mutilate, and kill in the name of Allah, but of course, Satan was a murderer from the beginning. Anyone who bothers to follow the situation of Christians in Africa will be shocked at the slaughter of and cruelty against African Christians. The worst places are Nigeria, Sudan, and Congo. Some others are bad also. Hundreds are murdered each week now in these places. They are our fellow believers.
What do the church leaders say aloud about this? Nothing! The Pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury? Nothing! What does the UN say? Nothing! What about the WHO? Nothing! And the leaders of Europe? Nothing! Australia? Not a thing! But the Government continues to flood the nation with Islamic militants from these places and ignores the plight of suffering Christians. God will repay all this in the Tribulation to come. The world is heaping up judgment for itself.
Just two days ago, I heard about Mary through the Barnabas Fund. She is a lovely Nigerian Christian who is just one of the suffering thousands because of satanic Islam. The Islamic terrorists are pushing south from the northern regions into the central parts with violence and hatred and murder in their push south and slaughtering all before them.
They came to Mary’s village, killing all they found. Mary pleaded with them not to harm her husband and two sons. They pushed her aside and shot them in front of her. Then she tried to shield her baby she held in her arms, and with a machete, they hacked off her lower arm. She fainted, and when she woke up, there was her baby cut up into pieces. They are the actions of “peaceful Islam.” We in the West are fools for allowing this great evil to come to our nations in immigration.
Mary’s friends are now caring for her. May the Lord in His mercy and compassion take Mary up in blessing and all the other suffering Christians.
A TERRIBLE MOVE IN INDIA
The Prime Minister of India – Modi – is a radical Hindu and works with radical Hindus. He is going to bring in legislation (or has already) that would prevent any foreign money from Christian missions (and I think other sources) entering the country. In fact, he will seize it all to deny its use among the people. The Barnabas Fund estimates that around 100 million of the poorest underprivileged people of India will be affected by this and face starvation and awful added problems to what they already have.
The Prime Minister sees himself as a god, a popularist man, and a hater of Christian churches. India is another nation of severe persecution of Christians. Some will know what this expression means, “It’s not cricket!” That applies to Modi.
ONE MORE MATTER – THE LANGUAGE OF HEAVEN
There are hundreds of languages spoken on Earth. The most numerically native spoken language is Chinese (Mandarin), and the most widespread language is English. What language will we all speak in heaven and from then on? Well, it won’t be the language of angels, whatever that is. I think we need to go back to Genesis.
Genesis 11:1 “Now the whole earth used THE SAME LANGUAGE and the same words,
Genesis 11:7-9 ‘Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language that they may not understand one another’s speech,’ so the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of the whole earth, and they stopped building the city. Therefore, its name was called Babel because there the LORD confused the language of the whole earth, and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of the whole earth.”
Different languages mean separation. Sin is separation. Sin caused the distribution of language, so what about when all come together again as the Body of Christ? Will there be a new language? The Lord will heal the rift sin caused in language, but I don’t know how.
This is just another speculation, but I leave it to your thoughts. Time has run out. God bless.