Paul speaks of how the gift of tongues is one more way God tried to speak to His people Israel, yet to no avail. He says tongues are for a sign to unbelieving Jews, and quotes Isaiah as proof. Isaiah adds that God would offer them rest from their weariness, also, “but they would not listen.” In the verses preceding and following this passage, Isaiah describes the type of lessons God has been trying to impart to His people. God speaks in simple precise statements, through miraculous tongues, through the giving of rest, but the hardened hearts remain.

33. Isaiah 29:1. Who/what is “Ariel”?

The name means “lion-like” (lion of God), or “heroic”. David, the great hero of Israel, once lived there. But “Ariel” is only a memory. Trouble is coming to the lion. Great distress. This can be none other than Jerusalem.

34. Isaiah 29:5ff. When shall the “Ariel” prophecies be fulfilled, or have they been already?

Jerusalem has been distressed and destroyed multiple times. One could find partial fulfillment of Isaiah’s words in every event. But in the final attack against the Holy City, a multitude of nations (verses 7-8) will be involved. Jesus spoke of it in His day as still future. But even the destruction in A.D. 70 cannot fulfill Jesus’ prophecy, for the text (Matthew 24 and others) flows from the destruction of Jerusalem to the return of Jesus. Once more, I must relegate the full fulfillment of this word to the very end of Earth’s history.

The promises that follow Ariel’s persecution and her persecutor’s downfall (17-24) are very specifically Millennial, with the “needy of mankind” rejoicing in the “Holy One of Israel” , and ruthless and scornful men “finished.” Definitely not in the age in which we live!

35. Isaiah 30:33. What or where is “Topheth” [or “Tophet”]?

From the text we glean that it has been ready a long time, prepared for a king. It is deep and large. It involves a stack of wood. And this wood will be set on fire simply by the Lord breathing on it!

This is the only time Isaiah uses the term, but the writer of II Kings mentions it once, and Jeremiah talks of it in two chapters of his prophecy.

The Kings passage is about the reforms of Josiah. (23:10) Valuable information here. Tophet is in the valley of Hinnom. In the New Testament, this is related to Gehenna, a word which we translate “hell.” It lay south of Jerusalem, and its perpetual burning fires in Jesus’ day, now a garbage dump and/or still a place of burning human victims, reminded Him of the place of punishment waiting for the Devil, his angels, and his people.

More: God’s people had picked up the ways of the pagans, who allowed their children to pass through the fires of Tophet and other fires, as a sacrifice to the god Molech. From this we get the meaning of the name, “the place of burning” [of dead children]. A fit type of hell, indeed.

Josiah “defiled” this site, meaning he made it unavailable for such practices, shut it down. This was after Isaiah’s time, as Jeremiah was the prophet of the day, probably assisting the young king in his zeal. A short interval of righteousness that dawned on Israel because of a righteous leader.

36. Isaiah 31. Again, clues that this prophecy is not yet fulfilled?

Don’t mean to sound like a broken record, but if we are going to be literal with the text, we might have to assume that this prophecy about Egypt is in the future still. Consider:

v. 5. “…like flying birds so the Lord will protect Jerusalem…” Seems to refer to armed aircraft of the modern era.

v. 7. All gold and silver idols will be thrown out, as Jesus comes to Mt. Zion (v. 4).

Not conclusive? More like the 6-day war? Possibly. Let’s be open, but not compromising or “spiritualizing.”

37. Isaiah 32:1-8. Who is the “King” prophesied here?