Isaiah 30

God Calls Out the Rebellious Children

1 Woe to you all rebellious children, says the Lord, the ones making moves I did not tell you to make, forming plans that is not from My Spirit, stacking sin on top of sin.

2 You all run down to Egypt without even asking Me first, thinking Pharaoh is going to cover you, trusting in Egypt’s shade for protection.

3 But that Pharaoh protection is going to leave you embarrassed, and that Egypt trust is going to have you looking stupid.

4 Your leaders already chilling in Zoan, and your ambassadors reached Hanes.

5 But all of them is going to be disappointed by a nation that cannot do anything for them, no help, no strength, just shame and disgrace.

Egypt’s Help Is Worthless

6 This is the message about the animals of the desert: through a land of pain and trouble, where lions and vipers live, you all carrying your riches on donkeys and camels to a nation that will not help you.

7 Egypt’s help is worthless and empty, that is why I call her “Rahab the Do-Nothing.”

A Stubborn Generation

8 Now go write this down on a tablet; put it in a book so it will be remembered forever.

9 Because these are rebellious people, lying children who do not want to hear the Lord’s instructions.

10 They tell the prophets, “Stop seeing visions!” and say to the seers, “Stop showing us what is right! Tell us something nice, something soft, give us lies we like to hear!”

11 “Turn off that path! Stop reminding us about the Holy One of Israel!”

12 So this is what the Holy One of Israel says: “Since you all rejected My word and depend on lies and schemes,

13 This sin will hit you like a cracked wall ready to fall, collapsing in an instant, fast and hard.”

14 “It will break into pieces like shattered pottery, so busted you cannot even scoop coals from the fire or water from a pot.”

God Offers Rest, but They Refuse

15 This is what the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, says: “If you just came back to Me and rested, you would be saved. Quiet trust in Me is your strength.” But you all said, “Nah, we got this, we will ride our horses and dip out.”

16 So God said, “Aight, run then! But the ones chasing you are going to run faster.”

17 A thousand of you all will run from one enemy; five of them will make all of you scatter, until you are left standing like a flag on a hill all alone.

God Still Waiting to Bless You

18 But the Lord still waiting to show you grace. He is going to rise up to show mercy. He is a just God, blessed are the ones who wait on Him.

19 People of Zion, living in Jerusalem, you will not cry forever. When you call out, He is going to hear you and answer.

20 Even though He gave you the bread of trouble and the water of sorrow, your teachers will not hide anymore, you will see them with your own eyes.

21 And your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn right or left.

22 Then you will toss out all your silver idols and gold statues like filthy trash, saying, “Get outta here!”

God’s Blessings on His People

23 The Lord is going to send rain for your crops, and the food from your land will be rich and full. Your animals will eat well in wide pastures.

24 The oxen and donkeys that work your land will eat seasoned feed, winnowed with shovel and fork.

25 When that day of destruction comes, when the towers fall, streams will flow on every mountain and every high hill.

26 The moon is going to shine like the sun, and the sun will shine seven times brighter, like a whole week’s worth of light, when the Lord heals His people and covers their wounds.

God’s Judgment on Assyria

27 Look, the Lord is coming from far away, His anger burning hot. His words like fire, His breath like a flood reaching up to the neck, shaking up nations.

28 He is going to sift the nations with destruction, putting a bridle in their jaws to make them follow His path.

29 You all are going to sing like it is a holy party night, hearts full of joy as you go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the Rock of Israel.

30 The Lord will make His mighty voice heard, His arm coming down in fire and storms and hail to strike His enemies.

31 At the sound of His voice, Assyria is going to panic, every strike He lands will make them shake.

32 Every hit from His punishing rod is going to come with tambourines and harps, God Himself fighting to the rhythm of war.

33 Topheth has been ready for the king for a long time, deep, wide, full of fire and wood. The Lord’s breath, like a stream of burning sulfur, sets it all on fire.