THE LORD HAS A PLAN

Passage: Isaiah 14:24-32

Key verse: 24

NIV

24 The Lord Almighty has sworn,(A)

“Surely, as I have planned,(B) so it will be,
    and as I have purposed, so it will happen.(C)
25 I will crush the Assyrian(D) in my land;
    on my mountains I will trample him down.
His yoke(E) will be taken from my people,
    and his burden removed from their shoulders.(F)”

26 This is the plan(G) determined for the whole world;
    this is the hand(H) stretched out over all nations.
27 For the Lord Almighty has purposed,(I) and who can thwart him?
    His hand(J) is stretched out, and who can turn it back?(K)

A Prophecy Against the Philistines

28 This prophecy(L) came in the year(M) King Ahaz(N) died:

29 Do not rejoice, all you Philistines,(O)
    that the rod that struck you is broken;
from the root of that snake will spring up a viper,(P)
    its fruit will be a darting, venomous serpent.(Q)
30 The poorest of the poor will find pasture,
    and the needy(R) will lie down in safety.(S)
But your root I will destroy by famine;(T)
    it will slay(U) your survivors.(V)

31 Wail,(W) you gate!(X) Howl, you city!
    Melt away, all you Philistines!(Y)
A cloud of smoke comes from the north,(Z)
    and there is not a straggler in its ranks.(AA)
32 What answer shall be given
    to the envoys(AB) of that nation?
“The Lord has established Zion,(AC)
    and in her his afflicted people will find refuge.(AD)”

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ESV

An Oracle Concerning Assyria

24 The Lord of hosts has sworn:
(A)“As I have planned,
    so shall it be,
and as I have purposed,
    so shall it stand,
25 that (B)I will break the Assyrian in my land,
    and on my mountains trample him underfoot;
and (C)his yoke shall depart from them,
    and (D)his burden from their shoulder.”

26 This is the purpose that is purposed
    concerning the whole earth,
and this is (E)the hand that is stretched out
    over all the nations.
27 (F)For the Lord of hosts has purposed,
    and who will annul it?
(G)His hand is stretched out,
    and who will turn it back?

An Oracle Concerning Philistia

28 In the year that (H)King Ahaz died came this (I)oracle:

29 Rejoice not, (J)O Philistia, all of you,
    that (K)the rod that struck you is broken,
for from the serpent's root will come forth an adder,
    and its fruit will be a (L)flying fiery serpent.
30 And the firstborn of (M)the poor will graze,
    and (N)the needy lie down in safety;
but I will kill your root with famine,
    and your remnant it will slay.
31 (O)Wail, O (P)gate; cry out, O city;
    melt in fear, (Q)O Philistia, all of you!
(R)For smoke comes out of the north,
    and there is no straggler in his ranks.

32 What will one answer the messengers of the nation?
(S)“The Lord has founded Zion,
    and in her the afflicted of his people find refuge.”

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. A plan for the whole world (24-27)

The most powerful enemy of God's people during Isaiah's lifetime was Assyria. Assyria planned to conquer the whole known world. But God had his own plan for the world. He wanted to remove the yoke of oppression from his people, and someday to remove the burden of sin from all mankind.

2. The Lord has established Zion (28-32)

The Philistines were the first to rejoice at the news of the coming destruction of the Assyrian Empire, for they had felt the rod of Assyria. But the Philistines were also enemies of God's people, and under the wrath of God. The good news for all the world is: 'The Lord has established Zion.' This means that in the ebb and flow of human history, God's own people, a people who can obey him and testify to his redemptive work, will be established.

Prayer: Lord, I believe you are the Sovereign Lord of all the earth and ruler of my life. Use me as a part of your redemptive plan.

One Word: God has a plan for the world