Isa 17:9 | KingComments | STEP | In these verses we see that while there is hope for a remnant, judgment will come on the apostate mass because they have forgotten the God of their salvation. Their strong cities, which they see as a fortress and in which they feel safe, will not be able to protect them from the enemy ( ). The cities will be overpowered by the king of the North and the inhabitants will be expelled. The cities will be deserted and become a desolation. They have planted ”delightful plants” – freely translated as ‘imported cuttings’ ( ). In a literal sense, this can refer to the transfer of, for example, vines from another country. In a spiritual sense it means that they have adopted the norms and values of heathen peoples and put their trust in them. For their prosperity they have adopted methods (altars) from the surrounding peoples and put their trust in their power, while ignoring God. If God is forgotten, the result is barrenness and fruitlessness. Whoever trusts in a human rock and forgets God as “the rock” of his “refuge”, is deceived. But “those who trust in the LORD are as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but abides forever” ( ). The same goes for the results of our work. There may still be so much activity, there will be no lasting fruit if we forget that we depend on Him for all good. If we lose sight of the Source of our strength, the Rock of our refuge or strength, we bring “sickliness and incurable pain” upon ourselves ( ). In the “incurable pain” we can see the remorse that we did not involve Him in our plans, while we knew well to Whom we had to go. It is the regret afterward of an irreversible decision. In the future God will have to judge them. That will happen by bringing this “day of sickliness and incurable pain” over His people, which happens when the hostile king of the North enters Israel like a dyke breakthrough. We see that in the following verses.

‏ Isaiah 17:9

Judgment on the Mass

In these verses we see that while there is hope for a remnant, judgment will come on the apostate mass because they have forgotten the God of their salvation. Their strong cities, which they see as a fortress and in which they feel safe, will not be able to protect them from the enemy (Isa 17:9). The cities will be overpowered by the king of the North and the inhabitants will be expelled. The cities will be deserted and become a desolation.

They have planted ”delightful plants” – freely translated as ‘imported cuttings’ (Isa 17:10). In a literal sense, this can refer to the transfer of, for example, vines from another country. In a spiritual sense it means that they have adopted the norms and values of heathen peoples and put their trust in them. For their prosperity they have adopted methods (altars) from the surrounding peoples and put their trust in their power, while ignoring God. If God is forgotten, the result is barrenness and fruitlessness. Whoever trusts in a human rock and forgets God as “the rock” of his “refuge”, is deceived. But “those who trust in the LORD are as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but abides forever” (Psa 125:1).

The same goes for the results of our work. There may still be so much activity, there will be no lasting fruit if we forget that we depend on Him for all good. If we lose sight of the Source of our strength, the Rock of our refuge or strength, we bring “sickliness and incurable pain” upon ourselves (Isa 17:11). In the “incurable pain” we can see the remorse that we did not involve Him in our plans, while we knew well to Whom we had to go. It is the regret afterward of an irreversible decision.

In the future God will have to judge them. That will happen by bringing this “day of sickliness and incurable pain” over His people, which happens when the hostile king of the North enters Israel like a dyke breakthrough. We see that in the following verses.