Isaiah 34:17

And he hath cast the lot for them, and his hand hath divided it unto them by line: they shall possess it for ever, from generation to generation shall they dwell therein. HE HATH CAST THE LOT - as conquerors apportion lands by lot, so Yahweh has appointed and marked out ("divided") Edom for the wild beasts (; Joshua 18:4). Remarks: Not one of the prophecies concerning Israel's unnatural enemy, Edom, has failed to take effect. What God's 'mouth hath commanded,' and what has been by inspiration written in "the book of the Lord," has been brought to pass by "His Spirit." The "line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness" have been for long 'stretched out upon' Edom. Its capital, Petra, has been for ages the haunt of the wild birds and beasts of the desert, and it...

17._And he hath cast the lot for them. _He says that to those wild beasts and monsters there hath been granted a secure and permanent habitation, from which they cannot be easily banished or driven out; because God hath allotted it to them as.their portion by inheritance. This means that the whole of Idumea is at the disposal of the Lord, to drive out the inhabitants, and to grant possession of it to whomsoever he pleases, either wild beasts, or birds, or monsters. Hence infer that it is vain for men ever to promise themselves a permanent abode, unless so far as every person has obtained his place “by lot,” and on the express condition that he shall instantly leave it, whenever God calls. We lead a dependent life wherever he supports us; and either on our native soil, or at a distance from our fatherland, we are strangers. If he shall be pleased to give us a peaceable habitation for a lo...

9-17 Those who aim to ruin the church, can never do that, but will ruin themselves. What dismal changes sin can make! It turns a fruitful land into barrenness, a crowded city into a wilderness. Let us compare all we discover in the book of the Lord, with the dealings of providence around us, that we may be more diligent in seeking the kingdom of God and his righteousness. What the mouth of the Lord has commanded, his Spirit will perform. And let us observe how the evidences of the truth continually increase, as one prophecy after another is fulfilled, until these awful scenes bring in more happy days. As Israel was a figure of the Christian church, so the Edomites, their bitter enemies, represent the enemies of the kingdom of Christ. God's Jerusalem may be laid in ruins for a time, but the enemies of the church shall be desolate for ever....

AND HE HATH CAST THE LOT FOR THEM - He hath assigned to them the land of Edom to be occupied by them as their portion. This language is taken from the fact that countries were commonly apportioned, particularly among conquerors, by the lot. In this way Judea was divided among the tribes of Israel Numbers 26:55. HIS HAND HATH DIVIDED IT UNTO THEM BY LINE - He has marked out, as a surveyor does, the land of Edom as the dwelling-place of the beasts of the forest. A land was usually surveyed and divided into proper parts or portions before the lot was cast Joshua 18:4. THEY SHALL POSSESS IT - The wild beasts mentioned in the previous verses. The testimony of all travelers demonstrates that thu

SECTION 11. THE DIVINE JUDGMENT ON THE WORLD, AND THE GLORY OF THE CHURCH CONSEQUENT UPON IT (Isaiah 34:1; Isaiah 35:1.). EXPOSITION Isaiah 34:1 and Isaiah 35:1. are generally recognized as constituting a distinct prophecy, complete in itself, and only slightly connected with what precedes. The passage is, as Bishop Lowth observes, "an entire, regula

AND HE HATH CAST THE LOT FOR THEM,.... The Targum adds, "by his word:'' AND HIS HAND HATH DIVIDED IT UNTO THEM BY LINE; the same adds, "by his will.'' The allusion is to the dividing of the land of Canaan by lot and line, to the children of Israel, for their inheritance and possession; and in like manner, it is suggested, shall Rome and its territories be distributed to those wild beasts and birds of prey, and everyone shall know and take its proper place and portion: THEY SHALL POSSESS IT FOR EVER; as their inheritance, allotted and appointed to them: FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION SHALL THEY DWELL THEREIN: Isaiah 34:10 where Jarchi, out of the Derash, has this note, "this is the curse of Moses; the war of the Lord against Amalek, from generation to generation; from th

CHAPTER 34 The Day of Jehovah 1. _Addressed to the world: Jews and Gentiles involved (Isaiah 34:1)_ 2. _The shaking of the earth and the heavens (Isaiah 34:2)_ 3. _The day of vengeance (Isaiah 34:9)_ This is one of the darkest Chapter s in the Bible. A worldwide judgment is described such as has never taken place in the history of the world. The indignation of the Lord is then upon all nations and upon their armies. Like chapter 33, it tells of the great judgments to come....

Edom is near to the Dead Sea, and the country is volcanic, and these facts suggest this lurid picture of judgment. Edom's rivers will be turned to pitch, its dust to brimstone, the land shall be a smoking, desolate wilderness for ever and ever. Pelican and bittern (Isaiah 14:23 *), owl and raven, shall dwell in it; it shall be reduced to utter chaos. Satyrs shall dwell in it, its rulers shall be destroyed. The palaces will be overrun with thorns and thistles, and be the dwelling-place of wild beasts and uncanny monsters. Let those who read this book verify the description for themselves, for Yahweh has allotted Edom to these creatures as their promised land, just as He allotted Canaan to the tribes of Israel. ISAIAH 34:11_ b_. CONFUSION AND EMPTINESS are the words which describe the prime

The fate of the land of Edom is next represented under two incompatible images, first that of a perpetual conflagration (Isaiah 34:9), and second that of a dreary solitude, peopled only by "doleful creatures" (Isaiah 34:11 ff.)....

SEEK YE OUT OF THE BOOK, &C.— This period contains the confirmation of the preceding sentence; wherein the prophet, to convict the hypocrites, and confirm the pious, assures them of the certain completion of this prophesy. The scene of his discourse is so constructed, as if the prophesy was now fulfilled; when the prophet, supposing that his prophesy would still be extant at the time of the completion, invites all men of doubtful faith to seek into and consider this book or prophesy in all its parts, and to compare it with the completion. This is the sum of the period, which should be rendered, _Search ye from the whole of the book of the Lord, and read; not one of these things shall fail:_ [no, not so much as the minutest circumstance, even respecting the impure beasts;] _one shall not want the other; because the month of Jehovah hath commanded and his Spirit shall gather them._ REFLEC...