Isaiah 34

Isaiah 34 offers a vivid portrayal of divine judgment against the nations, particularly Edom, as a symbol of God's wrath against all who oppose Him. The chapter proclaims God's wrath, emphasizing the destruction that will come upon the wicked and the ultimate restoration of His people. The imagery used is stark and powerful, conveying the seriousness of God's judgment. It serves as a warning for all nations that oppose God's will and highlights His sovereignty over all creation.

Isaiah 34:1-4 (NKJV)
1 Come near, you nations, to hear;
And heed, you people!
Let the earth hear, and all that is in it,
The world and all things that come forth from it.
2 For the indignation of the Lord is against all nations,
And His fury against all their armies;
He has utterly destroyed them,
He has given them over to the slaughter.
3 Also their slain shall be thrown out;
Their stench shall rise from their corpses,
And the mountains shall be melted with their blood.
4 All the host of heaven shall be dissolved,
And the heavens shall be rolled up like a scroll;
All their host shall fall down
As the leaf falls from the vine,
And as fruit falling from a fig tree.

God calls the nations to witness His judgment. His anger is directed at all rebellious nations and their armies, predicting their total destruction. The graphic description of dead bodies, blood, and cosmic upheaval reflects the scale of divine wrath. Even the heavens will be affected, symbolizing the completeness of this judgment. It warns all people of the consequences of defying God.

Isaiah 34:5-7 (NKJV)
5 “For My sword shall be bathed in heaven;
Indeed it shall come down on Edom,
And on the people of My curse, for judgment.
6 The sword of the Lord is filled with blood,
It is made overflowing with fatness,
With the blood of lambs and goats,
With the fat of the kidneys of rams.
For the Lord has a sacrifice in Bozrah,
And a great slaughter in the land of Edom.
7 The wild oxen shall come down with them,
And the young bulls with the mighty bulls;
Their land shall be soaked with blood,
And their dust saturated with fatness.”

Edom, a long-time enemy of Israel, is singled out as a representative of the nations under God's judgment. The imagery of God's sword drenched in blood signifies His fierce and decisive justice. The reference to Bozrah, a key city in Edom, points to a specific location of judgment. The mention of animals in sacrificial terms underlines the finality and severity of the judgment upon Edom and its people.

Isaiah 34:8-10 (NKJV)
8 For it is the day of the Lord’s vengeance,
The year of recompense for the cause of Zion.
9 Its streams shall be turned into pitch,
And its dust into brimstone;
Its land shall become burning pitch.
10 It shall not be quenched night or day;
Its smoke shall ascend forever.
From generation to generation it shall lie waste;
No one shall pass through it forever and ever.

This is the "day of the Lord’s vengeance," a time when God repays the nations for their treatment of Zion. Edom’s destruction is described in apocalyptic terms—its rivers will become pitch, and its land will burn eternally. The smoke that rises forever emphasizes the eternal desolation that awaits Edom, serving as a warning to any nation that opposes God's people.

Isaiah 34:11-13 (NKJV)
11 But the pelican and the porcupine shall possess it,
Also the owl and the raven shall dwell in it.
And He shall stretch out over it
The line of confusion and the stones of emptiness.
12 They shall call its nobles to the kingdom,
But none shall be there, and all its princes shall be nothing.
13 And thorns shall come up in its palaces,
Nettles and brambles in its fortresses;
It shall be a habitation of jackals,
A courtyard for ostriches.

The imagery of wild animals inhabiting Edom after its destruction shows how complete the desolation will be. No people or rulers will remain, only creatures of the wilderness. This conveys how utterly abandoned and desolate Edom will become—a stark contrast to its former prominence.

Isaiah 34:14-17 (NKJV)
14 The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the jackals,
And the wild goat shall bleat to its companion;
Also the night creature shall rest there,
And find for herself a place of rest.
15 There the arrow snake shall make her nest and lay eggs
And hatch, and gather them under her shadow;
There also shall the hawks be gathered,
Every one with her mate.
16 “Search from the book of the Lord, and read:
Not one of these shall fail;
Not one shall lack her mate.
For My mouth has commanded it,
And His Spirit has gathered them.
17 He has cast the lot for them,
And His hand has divided it among them with a measuring line.
They shall possess it forever;
From generation to generation they shall dwell in it.”

The final verses describe how the land, after God’s judgment, will be entirely taken over by wild animals, illustrating its total abandonment by humans. God’s decrees are certain, and none of His words will fail. The repeated mention of the animals emphasizes the enduring nature of the desolation and God's absolute sovereignty over the fate of nations.