Wail, O gate! Cry out, O city! Melt away, all you Philistines! For a cloud of smoke comes from the north, and there are no stragglers in its ranks. Wail, O gate!The term "wail" in Hebrew is "ילל" (yalal), which conveys a deep, mournful cry often associated with lamentation and despair. Gates in ancient cities were not only physical entry points but also symbolic of the city's strength and security. The call for the gate to wail suggests a profound breach in security and an impending calamity. Historically, gates were places of judgment and commerce, and their lamentation indicates a total disruption of societal order. Cry out, O city!
The phrase "cry out" translates from the Hebrew "זעק" (za'aq), which implies a loud call for help or a proclamation of distress. The city, representing the collective inhabitants and the heart of Philistine society, is urged to vocalize its impending doom. This reflects the historical context of cities being centers of power and culture, now facing divine judgment and destruction. Melt in fear, O Philistia, all of you!
"Melt in fear" uses the Hebrew "מוג" (mug), suggesting a complete dissolution of courage and strength. Philistia, a region known for its formidable warriors and opposition to Israel, is depicted as succumbing to terror. The phrase "all of you" emphasizes the totality of this fear, indicating that no part of Philistia will escape the coming judgment. Historically, the Philistines were a constant threat to Israel, and this prophecy foretells their downfall. For smoke comes from the north
"Smoke" in this context symbolizes destruction and the presence of an advancing army. The north often refers to Assyria or Babylon, powerful empires known for their military conquests. The imagery of smoke suggests an overwhelming force that brings devastation. Archaeologically, evidence of Assyrian campaigns against Philistia supports this imagery of impending doom from the north. and there is no straggler in his ranks
The phrase "no straggler" indicates a disciplined and relentless army. The Hebrew "בדד" (badad) implies unity and precision, suggesting that the invading force is well-organized and unstoppable. This reflects the historical might of empires like Assyria, known for their efficient military strategies. The absence of stragglers underscores the certainty and completeness of the judgment against Philistia. Persons / Places / Events 1. PhilistiaA region and people located on the southwestern coast of Canaan, known for their frequent conflicts with Israel. The Philistines were often adversaries of the Israelites throughout the Old Testament. 2. GateSymbolic of the place of authority and decision-making in ancient cities. The gate was where leaders met, and judgments were made. 3. CityRepresents the collective inhabitants and the societal structure of Philistia. The call for the city to cry out indicates impending disaster. 4. Smoke from the NorthSymbolizes an approaching threat or invasion. In the context of Isaiah, this often refers to the Assyrian or Babylonian empires, which were known for their military conquests. 5. No Straggler in His RanksIndicates a disciplined and organized military force, suggesting the inevitability and thoroughness of the coming judgment. Teaching Points The Certainty of God's JudgmentGod's pronouncements through His prophets are sure and will come to pass. The imagery of smoke and disciplined ranks underscores the inevitability of His plans. The Role of Fear in RepentanceThe call for Philistia to "melt in fear" serves as a reminder that fear of the Lord can lead to repentance. It is a call to recognize God's power and turn from wickedness. God's Sovereignty Over NationsThe prophecy against Philistia demonstrates God's control over all nations. No power is beyond His reach, and He uses nations to accomplish His purposes. The Importance of Spiritual ReadinessJust as Philistia was unprepared for the coming judgment, believers are reminded to be spiritually vigilant and ready for the Lord's return. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the imagery of "smoke from the north" help us understand the nature of God's judgment? 2. In what ways can the fear of impending judgment lead to positive spiritual change in our lives? 3. How does the prophecy against Philistia illustrate God's sovereignty over all nations, and how should this influence our view of current world events? 4. What lessons can we learn from the disciplined ranks of the approaching army in terms of our own spiritual discipline and readiness? 5. How can we apply the message of Isaiah 14:31 to our personal lives, especially in terms of recognizing and responding to God's warnings? Connections to Other Scriptures Jeremiah 47This chapter also prophesies against the Philistines, highlighting the consistency of God's judgment against them. Amos 1:6-8Amos speaks of God's judgment on Philistia, emphasizing the broader theme of divine justice against nations that oppose God's people. Zephaniah 2:4-7This passage predicts the downfall of Philistine cities, reinforcing the message of Isaiah regarding the fate of those who oppose God. People Ahaz, Isaiah, Jacob, Lucifer, SaraphPlaces Babylon, Lebanon, Philistia, ZionTopics Alone, Apart, Appointed, Cloud, Cry, Dissolved, Door, Fear, Gate, Gatherings, Howl, Keeps, Line, Melt, Melted, None, North, Nothing, O, Palestina, Philistia, Philistines, Places, Ranks, Smoke, Sorrow, Sounds, Straggler, Town, Troops, Wail, WhollyDictionary of Bible Themes Isaiah 14:31 4842 north
4848 smoke Library The victory of Life (Preached at the Chapel Royal. )
ISAIAH xxxviii. 18, 19. The grave cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. The living, the living, he shall praise thee. I may seem to have taken a strange text on which to speak,--a mournful, a seemingly hopeless text. Why I have chosen it, I trust that you will see presently; certainly not that I may make you hopeless about death. Meanwhile, let us consider it; for it is in the Bible, and, like all words in the Bible, was written …
Charles Kingsley—The Water of Life and Other SermonsThe Life and Death of Mr. Badman,
Presented to the World in a Familiar Dialogue Between Mr. Wiseman and Mr. Attentive. By John Bunyan ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. The life of Badman is a very interesting description, a true and lively portraiture, of the demoralized classes of the trading community in the reign of King Charles II; a subject which naturally led the author to use expressions familiar among such persons, but which are now either obsolete or considered as vulgar. In fact it is the only work proceeding from the prolific …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 The First Trumpet.
The first trumpet of the seventh seal begins from the final disturbance and overthrow of the Roman idolarchy at the close of the sixth seal; and as it was to bring the first plague on the empire, now beginning to fall, it lays waste the third part of the earth, with a horrible storm of hail mingled with fire and blood; that is, it depopulates the territory and people of the Roman world, (viz. the basis and ground of its universal polity) with a terrible and bloody irruption of the northern nations, …
Joseph Mede—A Key to the Apocalypse The Evil of Sin visible in the Fall of Angels and Men.
1 When the great Builder arch'd the skies, And form'd all nature with a word, The joyful cherubs tun'd his praise, And every bending throne ador'd. 2 High in the midst of all the throng, Satan, a tall archangel, sat, Amongst the morning stars he sung [1] Till sin destroy'd his heavenly state. 3 ['Twas sin that hurl'd him from his throne, Grov'ling in fire the rebel lies: "How art thou sunk in darkness down, "Son of the morning, from the skies!" [2] 4 And thus our two first parents stood Till sin …
Isaac Watts—Hymns and Spiritual Songs Epistle xviii. To John, Bishop.
To John, Bishop. Gregory to John, Bishop of Constantinople [1586] . At the time when your Fraternity was advanced to Sacerdotal dignity, you remember what peace and concord of the churches you found. But, with what daring or with what swelling of pride I know not, you have attempted to seize upon a new name, whereby the hearts of all your brethren might have come to take offence. I wonder exceedingly at this, since I remember how thou wouldest fain have fled from the episcopal office rather than …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great Epistle xxi. To Constantina Augusta .
To Constantina Augusta [1593] . Gregory to Constantina, &c. Almighty God, who holds in His right hand the heart of your Piety, both protects us through you and prepares for you rewards of eternal remuneration for temporal deeds. For I have learnt from the letters of the deacon Sabinianus my responsalis with what justice your Serenity is interested in the cause of the blessed Prince of the apostles Peter against certain persons who are proudly humble and feignedly kind. And I trust in the bounty …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great That the Ruler Should Be, through Humility, a Companion of Good Livers, But, through the Zeal of Righteousness, Rigid against the vices of Evildoers.
The ruler should be, through humility, a companion of good livers, and, through the zeal of righteousness, rigid against the vices of evil-doers; so that in nothing he prefer himself to the good, and yet, when the fault of the bad requires it, he be at once conscious of the power of his priority; to the end that, while among his subordinates who live well he waives his rank and accounts them as his equals, he may not fear to execute the laws of rectitude towards the perverse. For, as I remember to …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great The Doctrine of Satan.
I. HIS EXISTENCE AND PERSONALITY. 1. EXISTENCE. 2. PERSONALITY. II. HIS PLACE AND POWER. 1. A MIGHTY ANGEL. 2. PRINCE OF POWER OF THE AIR. 3. GOD OF THIS WORLD. 4. HEAD OF KINGDOM OF DARKNESS. 5. SOVEREIGN OVER DEATH. III. HIS CHARACTER. 1. ADVERSARY. 2. DIABOLOS. 3. WICKED ONE. 4. TEMPTER. IV. OUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS SATAN. 1. LIMITED POWER OF SATAN. 2. RESIST HIM. V. HIS DESTINY. 1. A CONQUERED ENEMY. 2. UNDER ETERNAL CURSE. VI. DEMONS. THE DOCTRINE OF SATAN. Throughout the Scriptures Satan is set …
Rev. William Evans—The Great Doctrines of the Bible The Disciple, -- Master, Some People Say that the Comfort and Joy that Believers Experience...
The Disciple,--Master, some people say that the comfort and joy that believers experience are simply the outcome of their own thoughts and ideas. Is this true? The Master,--1. That comfort and abiding peace which believers have within themselves is due to My presence in their hearts, and to the life-giving influence of the fullness of the Holy Spirit. As for those who say that this spiritual joy is the result only of the thoughts of the heart, they are like a foolish man who was blind from his birth, …
Sadhu Sundar Singh—At The Master's Feet The Power of God
The next attribute is God's power. Job 9:19. If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong.' In this chapter is a magnificent description of God's power. Lo, he is strong.' The Hebrew word for strong signifies a conquering, prevailing strength. He is strong.' The superlative degree is intended here; viz., He is most strong. He is called El-shaddai, God almighty. Gen 17:7. His almightiness lies in this, that he can do whatever is feasible. Divines distinguish between authority and power. God has both. …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity Sargon of Assyria (722-705 B. C. )
SARGON AS A WARRIOR AND AS A BUILDER. The origin of Sargon II.: the revolt of Babylon, Merodach-baladan and Elam--The kingdom of Elam from the time of the first Babylonian empire; the conquest's of Shutruh-nalkunta I.; the princes of Malamir--The first encounter of Assyria and Elam, the battle of Durilu (721 B.C.)--Revolt of Syria, Iaubidi of Hamath and Hannon of Gaza--Bocchoris and the XXIVth Egyptian dynasty; the first encounter of Assyria with Egypt, the battle of Raphia (720 B.C.). Urartu …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 7 Use to be Made of the Doctrine of Providence.
Sections. 1. Summary of the doctrine of Divine Providence. 1. It embraces the future and the past. 2. It works by means, without means, and against means. 3. Mankind, and particularly the Church, the object of special care. 4. The mode of administration usually secret, but always just. This last point more fully considered. 2. The profane denial that the world is governed by the secret counsel of God, refuted by passages of Scripture. Salutary counsel. 3. This doctrine, as to the secret counsel of …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion The Holy War,
MADE BY SHADDAI UPON DIABOLUS, FOR THE REGAINING OF THE METROPOLIS OF THE WORLD; OR, THE LOSING AND TAKING AGAIN OF THE TOWN OF MANSOUL. THE AUTHOR OF 'THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS.' 'I have used similitudes.'--Hosea 12:10. London: Printed for Dorman Newman, at the King's Arms in the Poultry; and Benjamin Alsop, at the Angel and Bible in the Poultry, 1682. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. Bunyan's account of the Holy War is indeed an extraordinary book, manifesting a degree of genius, research, and spiritual …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Covenanting According to the Purposes of God.
Since every revealed purpose of God, implying that obedience to his law will be given, is a demand of that obedience, the announcement of his Covenant, as in his sovereignty decreed, claims, not less effectively than an explicit law, the fulfilment of its duties. A representation of a system of things pre-determined in order that the obligations of the Covenant might be discharged; various exhibitions of the Covenant as ordained; and a description of the children of the Covenant as predestinated …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting Opposition to Messiah in Vain
He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall have them in derision. T he extent and efficacy [effects] of the depravity of mankind cannot be fully estimated by the conduct of heathens destitute of divine revelation. We may say of the Gospel, in one sense, what the Apostle says of the Law, It entered that sin might abound (Romans 5:20) . It afforded occasion for displaying the alienation of the heart of man from the blessed God, in the strongest light. The sensuality, oppression and …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2 Isaiah
CHAPTERS I-XXXIX Isaiah is the most regal of the prophets. His words and thoughts are those of a man whose eyes had seen the King, vi. 5. The times in which he lived were big with political problems, which he met as a statesman who saw the large meaning of events, and as a prophet who read a divine purpose in history. Unlike his younger contemporary Micah, he was, in all probability, an aristocrat; and during his long ministry (740-701 B.C., possibly, but not probably later) he bore testimony, as …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Isaiah 14:31 NIVIsaiah 14:31 NLTIsaiah 14:31 ESVIsaiah 14:31 NASBIsaiah 14:31 KJV
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