Isaiah 30:26

The new situation will affect even nature itself.

• God punishes. But he also cures (see Job 5:18; Hosea 6:1).

God will punish Assyria

v27 The *Lord himself is approaching from a distance. His anger is as powerful as a fire that burns. Thick smoke is rising. His words are very angry. His speech is like a fire that destroys all in its path. v28 He sends a powerful wind in front of him. It will act like a flood of water that carries off everything. He drags nations away from their own land.

v29 But you, God’s own people, will sing with joy, as on the nights of your great sacred ceremonies. You will be very happy as you play musical instruments on the way to the *Lord’s mountain. The *Lord is Israel’s defender. v30 And the *Lord will cause his people to hear his powerful voice. They will hear the heavy blows as his arm crashes down on Israel’s enemies. The *Lord will express his great anger by a great fire that burns everything. And by a huge flood of water. And by a fierce wind. And by a fierce storm. v31 The voice of the *Lord will fill the *Assyrian soldiers with terror. They will feel the great force of his punishment. v32 Every blow by the *Lord’s heavy stick (that is, the punishment) will beat upon them as if in time to drums and music. v33 In fact, long ago the *Lord prepared *Tophet for the king of Assyria. The hole for the fires is deep and wide. There is a fire and plenty of wood to burn. The *Lord’s breath will burst into flame and set (put) it on fire.