Isa 17:7-8 | KingComments | STEP | For the gleaning, which is the remnant of , there is hope. This connects us again in a direct way to the distant future, the end time. This remnant will be like a man who, after much deviation, turns his gaze again to the LORD ( ). That will happen in its fullness when the Lord Jesus comes back and they will see Him “whom they have pierced” ( ). That is repentance. We see it with the prodigal son who, when he is with the swine in the deepest misery, comes “to his senses” and thinks of his father again ( ). He turns his back on his life in sin and goes to his father. A real return goes hand in hand with giving up idolatry ( ). Through the terror and the suffering of war, they will see that idols do not help. These idols are ‘made in Israel’ ( ) and find their climax in the image of the beast ( ). The contrast between “his Maker” ( ) and “that which his fingers have made” ( ) is striking. What the LORD has made, His people, remains; what man has made, his idol, shall perish. He will no longer look to it. How foolish man is to enter into a relationship with a god who is the work of his own hands. In our time we recognize this in modern theology.

‏ Isaiah 17:7-8

Conversion of a Remnant

For the gleaning, which is the remnant of Isa 17:6, there is hope. This connects us again in a direct way to the distant future, the end time. This remnant will be like a man who, after much deviation, turns his gaze again to the LORD (Isa 17:7). That will happen in its fullness when the Lord Jesus comes back and they will see Him “whom they have pierced” (Zec 12:10). That is repentance.

We see it with the prodigal son who, when he is with the swine in the deepest misery, comes “to his senses” and thinks of his father again (Lk 15:16-18). He turns his back on his life in sin and goes to his father. A real return goes hand in hand with giving up idolatry (Isa 17:8). Through the terror and the suffering of war, they will see that idols do not help. These idols are ‘made in Israel’ (Isa 2:8) and find their climax in the image of the beast (Rev 13:14-15).

The contrast between “his Maker” (Isa 17:7) and “that which his fingers have made” (Isa 17:8) is striking. What the LORD has made, His people, remains; what man has made, his idol, shall perish. He will no longer look to it. How foolish man is to enter into a relationship with a god who is the work of his own hands. In our time we recognize this in modern theology.