Isa 32:1-2 | KingComments | STEP | The beginning of this chapter describes the situation following the deliverance of the previous chapter, where Christ has come to save His people. Now follows the meeting with Christ personally and the prophecy of Christ’s personal, millennial reign ( ; cf. ; ). The remaining people of Israel will take to heart the exhortations of the previous chapter and repent. Now Christ can make Himself known to His people, just as the viceroy of Egypt, Joseph, did to His brothers after they have repented. This will be very personal, without the presence of others (cf. ). This can never refer to the current time. The Lord Jesus does not rule in righteousness now. How anyone can assume that seeing all the wars and all the misery on earth, is incomprehensible. The world is still full of injustice. When He reigns, there will also be “princes” who will “rule” under Him ( ; ; ; ). The kings of this world, such as the antichrist and the king of the North, can be compared to beasts, dragons, predators, against whom the people must protect themselves. On the other hand, Christ, the King, is painted in this verse as the good Shepherd, the Sovereign Who dedicates His life to the good of the people. He is the Shepherd Who gave His life for the sheep, the Son of Man Who came, not to be served, “but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” ( ). Christ – He is meant with “a man” ( , Darby Translation) – will personally be the protection and refreshment for those who, at the beginning of the realm of peace, are still threatened by hostile powers from the far north (Ezekiel 38-39). It is possible that this protection and refreshment will also be given by the princes who rule with Him at that time ( ). From the rulers in the prophet passes to the people ( ). Christ makes Himself known to His people in His Divine omnipotence when He heals the blind and deaf ( ). At the same time we see His compassion in this. Nowhere in the Old Testament do we read that a blind man is healed. Healing a blind man is therefore seen by the Jews as the ultimate sign of the Messiah. In what the Lord Jesus says to the disciples of John the baptist about Himself being the Messiah, He mentions in His evidence as the first point that He heals the blind ( ). He does not only work physical healing. Being able to see and hear again has a spiritual counterpart. The inability to understand God’s thoughts is gone ( ; ). The judgment of hardening has been lifted. They have insight and knowledge. And now that their ears are opened, they can hear what God is saying and are also able to give a clear testimony of the greatness of the LORD without stammering. Blindness and deafness are also the spiritual characteristics of the people of Israel ( ; ). A servant who is blind and deaf is not fit for any task. But Christ, the perfect Servant of the LORD, has come to heal the blind and deaf servant Israel.

‏ Isaiah 32:1-2

The Realm of Peace

The beginning of this chapter describes the situation following the deliverance of the previous chapter, where Christ has come to save His people. Now follows the meeting with Christ personally and the prophecy of Christ’s personal, millennial reign (Isa 32:1; cf. 2Sam 23:3; Jer 23:5). The remaining people of Israel will take to heart the exhortations of the previous chapter and repent. Now Christ can make Himself known to His people, just as the viceroy of Egypt, Joseph, did to His brothers after they have repented. This will be very personal, without the presence of others (cf. Gen 45:1).

This can never refer to the current time. The Lord Jesus does not rule in righteousness now. How anyone can assume that seeing all the wars and all the misery on earth, is incomprehensible. The world is still full of injustice. When He reigns, there will also be “princes” who will “rule” under Him (Rev 5:10; Mt 19:28; 2Tim 2:12; Rev 20:6 ; Rev 22:5).

The kings of this world, such as the antichrist and the king of the North, can be compared to beasts, dragons, predators, against whom the people must protect themselves. On the other hand, Christ, the King, is painted in this verse as the good Shepherd, the Sovereign Who dedicates His life to the good of the people. He is the Shepherd Who gave His life for the sheep, the Son of Man Who came, not to be served, “but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mt 20:28).

Christ – He is meant with “a man” (Isa 32:2, Darby Translation) – will personally be the protection and refreshment for those who, at the beginning of the realm of peace, are still threatened by hostile powers from the far north (Ezekiel 38-39). It is possible that this protection and refreshment will also be given by the princes who rule with Him at that time (Mt 19:28).

From the rulers in Isa 32:1-2 the prophet passes to the people (Isa 32:3). Christ makes Himself known to His people in His Divine omnipotence when He heals the blind and deaf (Mt 11:2-6). At the same time we see His compassion in this. Nowhere in the Old Testament do we read that a blind man is healed. Healing a blind man is therefore seen by the Jews as the ultimate sign of the Messiah. In what the Lord Jesus says to the disciples of John the baptist about Himself being the Messiah, He mentions in His evidence as the first point that He heals the blind (Mt 11:5).

He does not only work physical healing. Being able to see and hear again has a spiritual counterpart. The inability to understand God’s thoughts is gone (Isa 32:4; Isa 6:9-10). The judgment of hardening has been lifted. They have insight and knowledge. And now that their ears are opened, they can hear what God is saying and are also able to give a clear testimony of the greatness of the LORD without stammering.

Blindness and deafness are also the spiritual characteristics of the people of Israel (Isa 42:19 ; Isa 6:9-10; Acts 28:27). A servant who is blind and deaf is not fit for any task. But Christ, the perfect Servant of the LORD, has come to heal the blind and deaf servant Israel.