Ron Halbrook

Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun,

and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days,

in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people,

and healeth the stroke of their wound (Isa. 30:26).

Isaiah prophesied in the 700’s B.C. before Israel (the northern kingdom) had fallen to Assyria and before Judah (the southern kingdom) was delivered from Assyria’s hand but later fell to Babylon.  Israel fell to Assyria in 722/721 B.C. and Judah fell to Babylon in 586 B.C.

In vv. 1-7 the prophet rebuked God’s people for trusting in the military power of Egypt to deliver them from the danger of invasion by Assyria.  They did not trust in God or seek Him for deliverance.

In vv. 8-17  the prophet convicts the people of rebelling against God by rejecting His Word and asking the prophets to speak “smooth things” (i.e., do not condemn sin, just teach pleasant positive things). Therefore, God determined to judge and punish them like a high wall which is confident it can stand but it develops a bulge which suddenly bursts open causing the wall to collapse.  The pieces will shatter like a clay pot which shatters into pieces so small that no piece remains large enough to scoop up small coals of fire or a small amount of water in it (vs. 14).  God had promised to deliver them if they repented of their sins, but they rejected His appeal and trusted in the horses and chariots of Egypt, the greatest military power of that time (vv. 15-17).

In vv. 18-26 the prophet appeals to God’s people to learn from the judgment and chastisement they will suffer at the hand of God.  They must learn to “wait for him,” i.e., to trust Him to fulfill His own purpose in the history of His people.  After they will later suffer in Babylonian captivity, God will restore them to the land (which is fulfilled in Ezra and Nehemiah) and subsequently the Savior will come to establish the kingdom of God for the salvation of the world.

He pictures the full spiritual blessings of the Gospel Age in terms to which they can relate.  Instead of suffering the “bread” and “water of affliction,” they will hear the gospel message guiding them in the way of salvation (vs. 21).  Imagine the light of the sun and the moon united as one, and seven days of light concentrated into one brilliant day!  The Savior and the gospel message will shine as a sevenfold light, “as the light of seven days,” i.e., the light of seven days combined and concentrated into one!  Seven days of bright light would scorch the earth and destroy life if literal, but it is actually the beauty and brilliance of the spiritual light of the Messiah (see Jesus as the bright and brilliant light in passages such as Jn. 1:1-9).

In vv. 27-33 God promises to destroy Assyria in His own time and in His own way (see vs. 31).  If only the people will learn to trust in God, there is no reason to fear Assyria.