Great Isaiah Scroll Directory - documenta-catholica.eu

Commentary Isaiah 14 - 18where many of the bodies were burned. For a play on words involving Tophet see Isa30:32. However in this passage, verse 6 below would indicate that many of the bodiescould not be gathered for burning and were left in the open fields and were eaten byvultures and wild beasts and that this feast lasted for some extended period of time.This event would have made a great impact (called an ensign for all the world to see inverse 3 and a blast on a trumpet for all, but particularly for the Ethiopians, to hear) andwould certainly reverberate among the people of the world. The angelic visitation anddestruction of Sennacherib's military might was just such an ensign to the world systemand a Trumpet blast to the observant among the nations. It is no wonder so muchscripture is given to this event in many chapters in Isaiah and 2 Kings and 2Chronicles. The completion of the incredible deliverance resulted in a revival ofworship and praise and devotion among the surviving inhabitants of Jerusalem and inEthiopia. This period of devotion and worship is outlined by Isaiah in later chapters (30- 34) further on but is introduced here in verse 7 as the result of the termination of thesiege (lopping off the branches for the fowl of the air to eat.)Verse 7 reveals that the news of the Divine intervention reached as far as theEthiopians which sparked a spiritual response of worship among them. Were thereJews among the Ethiopians? The Falashiym claim a traditional link to the antiquity oftheir Judaism with Solomon and Sheba. This of course can not be established withhistorical certainty but the Ethiopians had precipitated the retreat of Sennacherib'sarmies from Egypt which just preceded his arrival at Jerusalem to view the destructionof his army and hear the elaborate account of the angelic visitation. The news of theevent, without doubt, would have reached the regions of Ethiopia and would havecaused a season religious revival among those related to Jewish tradition. Pardon myspeculation here but it is reasonable. So, now read the chapter, with these things inmind.Isaiah 181. Woe to the land of [shadowing] reverberating wings, which is beyond the rivers ofEthiopia: 2 That sends ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of papyrus upon thewaters, saying, Go, swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a peopleterrible from their previous beginning; a nation meted out and trodden down, whoseland the rivers have spoiled! 3 All you inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on theearth, see, when he lifts up an ensign on the mountains; and when he blows atrumpet, hear. 4 For so the LORD said to me, I will take my rest, and I will considerin my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heatof harvest. 5 For before the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape isripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and takeaway and cut down the branches. 6 They shall be left together to the fowls of themountains, and to the beasts of the earth: and the fowls shall summer upon them,and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them. 7 In that time shall the presentbe brought to the LORD of hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a peopleterrible from their previous beginning; a nation meted out and trodden under foot,http://www.ao.net/~fmoeller/14-18.htm (10 of 11)2006-08-01 11:50:25