Isa 32:19 | KingComments | STEP | Then the hopeful “until” sounds again ( ). From this verse Isaiah looks again forward to the situation that will be there in the millennial realm of peace. Through the word “us” the prophet identifies himself with the redeemed people, that is the remnant. It begins with the outpouring of the Spirit ( ; ; ; cf. ) on this believing remnant of Israel. The Bible teaches not only a first and a second coming of the Lord Jesus, but also a first and a second coming of the Holy Spirit. Through the first coming of the Holy Spirit, the church came into being, God’s heavenly people, the body of Christ, in which the Spirit has dwelt since that event ( ; ). The people coming into being by the second coming of the Holy Spirit are an earthly people who are the core of the people who will acknowledge the Lord Jesus as Messiah and receive His blessing. With this second outpouring of the Holy Spirit will come an abundance of fertility ( ), righteousness ( ), and peace, quietness and confidence ( ). We must remember that this is not about the indwelling of the Spirit, but about the working of the Spirit in this redeemed people. What is a wilderness becomes a fertile field. What is a fertile field will become even more fertile. Justice will “dwell” [that is “to tabernacle”, “[dwelling] in tents”] in the realm of peace in the wilderness, which means that it will have its rest there ( ). Justice will be administered everywhere in a perfectly righteous manner. As a result, there will be peace, for which the nations have labored in vain for so long ( ), for peace is based on righteousness. From this will flow again “quietness and confidence” which will have no end. This people that live in peace will still be attacked by Gog ( ). This will have no effect on their quietness at all because the LORD will bring this enemy to the land to exterminate him there. In the Spirit searches, as it were, for words to describe how great the benefit is of living on earth then. There is no longer any fear of a hostile power, for the hail of God’s judgments will fall upon them, the forest (cf. ), and cause the city to sink into the depths ( ). The seed sown by the waters will produce abundant fruit ( ). The yield from the soil will be so great that the farmer will not have to feed his working animals with straw in their stalls, but can drive them to the abundance that has risen along the waters to take of it as much as they want. There is also a spiritual application of the latter verse. Sowing besides all waters indicates the complete freedom to sow and teach God’s Word throughout the world. Whoever does so is called “blessed”. Sowing besides the waters indicates that it is also necessary to preach the gospel in the realm of peace, because every person who is born is born a sinner and must repent. “The ox and the donkey” are symbolic of being busy in the service of the Lord, both in the preaching of the gospel and in the teaching of the church of God (cf. ; ).

‏ Isaiah 32:19

Once More the Realm of Peace

Then the hopeful “until” sounds again (Isa 32:15). From this verse Isaiah looks again forward to the situation that will be there in the millennial realm of peace. Through the word “us” the prophet identifies himself with the redeemed people, that is the remnant. It begins with the outpouring of the Spirit (Eze 36:25-27; Joel 2:28; Zec 12:10; cf. Acts 2:1-4 ; 16) on this believing remnant of Israel.

The Bible teaches not only a first and a second coming of the Lord Jesus, but also a first and a second coming of the Holy Spirit. Through the first coming of the Holy Spirit, the church came into being, God’s heavenly people, the body of Christ, in which the Spirit has dwelt since that event (Acts 2:1-4; 1Cor 12:13). The people coming into being by the second coming of the Holy Spirit are an earthly people who are the core of the people who will acknowledge the Lord Jesus as Messiah and receive His blessing.

With this second outpouring of the Holy Spirit will come an abundance of fertility (Isa 32:15), righteousness (Isa 32:16), and peace, quietness and confidence (Isa 32:17-18). We must remember that this is not about the indwelling of the Spirit, but about the working of the Spirit in this redeemed people.

What is a wilderness becomes a fertile field. What is a fertile field will become even more fertile. Justice will “dwell” [that is “to tabernacle”, “[dwelling] in tents”] in the realm of peace in the wilderness, which means that it will have its rest there (Isa 32:16). Justice will be administered everywhere in a perfectly righteous manner.

As a result, there will be peace, for which the nations have labored in vain for so long (Isa 32:17), for peace is based on righteousness. From this will flow again “quietness and confidence” which will have no end. This people that live in peace will still be attacked by Gog (Eze 38:11). This will have no effect on their quietness at all because the LORD will bring this enemy to the land to exterminate him there.

In Isa 32:18 the Spirit searches, as it were, for words to describe how great the benefit is of living on earth then. There is no longer any fear of a hostile power, for the hail of God’s judgments will fall upon them, the forest (cf. Isa 10:18), and cause the city to sink into the depths (Isa 32:19). The seed sown by the waters will produce abundant fruit (Isa 32:20). The yield from the soil will be so great that the farmer will not have to feed his working animals with straw in their stalls, but can drive them to the abundance that has risen along the waters to take of it as much as they want.

There is also a spiritual application of the latter verse. Sowing besides all waters indicates the complete freedom to sow and teach God’s Word throughout the world. Whoever does so is called “blessed”. Sowing besides the waters indicates that it is also necessary to preach the gospel in the realm of peace, because every person who is born is born a sinner and must repent.

“The ox and the donkey” are symbolic of being busy in the service of the Lord, both in the preaching of the gospel and in the teaching of the church of God (cf. 1Cor 9:9-10; 1Tim 5:17-18).