Jesus stops the weapon (Isaiah 54:16-17)
Historical context: Isaiah is speaking during the time of the divided Kingdom.
- Israel has divided into two nations Juda and Israel.
- Isaiah is a prophet to Both nations.
- The book of Isaiah was written around 740-681BC.
- The context of chapter 54 is God is acknowledging His past anger at the people of Israel.
Verse 54:16 God starts by saying that he is the one who creates the Blacksmith and gives him his skills.
- God also says in this verse that he is the One who created the destroyer.
- Some have wanted to read the devil into the destroyer here. But that is a real stretch of the Hebrew language used here.
- Several other English translations use the word Armies in instead of destroyer.
- These are the armies God raised up to punish Israel for their disobedience.
- The people of Israel wanted to blame the surrounding enemy nations for their troubles. But God is saying, “no that was all me. I Made those armies.”
Verse 17 The Hebrew word translated as weapon here is the Hebrew word “kel-ee”
- Almost all Hebrew lexicons define the word as “article, utensil, vessel.”
- Almost all English bibles translate it as “weapon.”
- In the 29 other times the Hebrew word kel-ee is used in the OT it is usually translated as vessel or article.
- These concepts of article, utensil or vessel could be related to the tools a blacksmith would use.
- So this word could refer to the tools of a blacksmith.
- They could also be referring to the items used by the priests performing the sacrifices in the Temple.
- So this word could also refer to the tools used by the priest in the temple preforming a sacrifice.
- So why do all the English translations translate it as weapon here in this verse?
- Context, because of the language of verse 16, which is war and destruction imagery.
- This whole section is a prophetic statement about Jesus.
- Therefore, it would it make more sense to see this in a spiritual sense.
- So the “weapon” of verse 17 is a spiritual attack.
- Triple fulfillment.
- For the people of Isaiah’s day this meant that the attack from the enemy nations would stop.
- For Jesus this meant death would not have the final answer.
- For us it means we no longer have to endure God’s punishment, because of Jesus.
- Remember God was the one bringing the punishment.
- Continuing in the verse and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.
- The idea of a tongue or word being spoken against here is rooted in the idea of judgement in the Hebrew.
- Many English translations include the word judgment.
- Apparently, the people of Isaiah’s day were also coming under slanderous and judgmental attacks.
- But the point here seems to be that God will give them the words to respond to these attacks.
- This is also a prophetic statement about Jesus.
- As Jesus refuted every false judgment made against Him.
- Then the promises of the first part of verse 17 are for the inheritance of God’s people.
Take aways:
- The weapons formed against the people of Isaiah’s day were actually formed by God to deal with their sin and disobedience issues.
- God in his great Mercy found a better way to deal with Humanity’s sin.
- For us, Jesus will become our righteousness
- Jesus will take the punishment those weapons were created for.
- The enemy can make no accusations of judgment against us. We can simply respond with the name Jesus.
- It basically means that no judgement can come against you.
So verse 17 isn’t a prayer of protection, It’s a statement about the person of Jesus.