The Prophet and His Day: Isaiah 1-39 - Free Bible Commentary

(3) The Sibylline Oracles III, IV, V(4) The Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs(5) The Psalms of Solomon(6) The Assumption of Moses(7) The Martyrdom of Isaiah(8) The Apocalypse of Moses (Life of Adam and Eve)(9) The Apocalypse of Abraham(10) The Testament of Abraham(11) II Esdras (IV Esdras)(12) Baruch II, III9. There is a sense of duality in this genre. It sees reality as a series of dualisms,contrasts, or tensions (so common in John’s writings) between:a. heaven – earthb. evil age (evil men and evil angels) – new age of righteousness (godly menand godly angels)c. current existence – future existenceAll of these are moving toward a consummation brought about by God. This is notthe world God intended it to be, but He is continuing to play, work, and project Hiswill for a restoration of the intimate fellowship begun in the Garden of Eden. TheChrist event is the watershed of God’s plan, but the two comings have broughtabout the current dualisms.WORD AND PHRASE STUDYNASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 24:1-61Behold, the LORD lays the earth waste, devastates it, distorts its surface and scatters itsinhabitants. 2 And the people will be like the priest, the servant like his master, the maid like hermistress, the buyer like the seller, the lender like the borrower, the creditor like the debtor. 3 Theearth will be completely laid waste and completely despoiled, for the LORD has spoken this word.4The earth mourns and withers, the world fades and withers, the exalted of the people of the earthfade away. 5 The earth is also polluted by its inhabitants, for they transgressed laws, violatedstatutes, broke the everlasting covenant. 6 Therefore, a curse devours the earth, and those who livein it are held guilty. Therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left.24:1 “the LORD lays the earth waste” Verses 1 and 3 use a series of strong VERBS to describeYHWH’s judgment on the earth (not “land” here because of parallel to “world” [BDB 385, cf. 14:16-17;34:1; Jer. 10:12; 51:15], see Special Topic following).1. lays. . .waste, v. 1, BDB 132, KB 150, Qal ACTIVE PARTICIPLE, cf. v. 3; Nah. 2:22. devastates, v. 1, BDB 118, KB 135, Qal ACTIVE PARTICIPLE, cf. Nah. 2:103. distorts (lit. “twists,” cf. NRSV), BDB 730, KB 796, Piel PERFECT4. scatters, v. 1, BDB 806, KB 918, Hiphil PERFECT5. completely laid waste, v. 3, BDB 132, KB 150, Niphal INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and IMPERFECTVERB of the same root denote intensity236