Temple themes in Isaiah 24-27

8/8/2019 Temple themes in Isaiah 24-27

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Chapters 24-27 are often called the

Apocalypse of Isaiah. Like much of Isaiah,

it alternates between prophecies of tribulation

and promises of salvation.The section begins with chapter

twenty-five describing the devastation of the

whole earth, both elites and commoners. In

this, a contrast is made between the elite

priests and the ordinary people (24:2), priests

being viewed as an elite social class. The

theme for Isaiahs entire book is found in the

explanation for Yahwehs anger (24:5, ESV):The earth lies defiled under its inhabitants;

for they have transgressed the laws,

violated the statutes,

broken the everlasting covenant.

The everlasting covenant (MDlwo tyrV;b = bert

lm) is an important concept. It is most

generally associated with Israel, but an

everlasting covenant was also established

with all Mankind through Noah (Gen 9:16).

The essential element of Noahs everlasting

covenant is that Whoever sheds the blood of

man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God

made man in his own image (Gen 9:6).

Temple Themes in Isaiah 24-27 1 Oct 5, 2010

Hamblin of Jerusalem http://hamblinofjerusalem.blogspot.com/

OUTLINE:

The Apocalypse of Isaiah

ISAIAH 24Devastation on the whole

earth (24:1-13); Rejoicing

in Yahweh (24:14-16);

Condemnation to the Pit

(24:17-20); Gathering to Mt

Zion (24:21-23)

ISAIAH 25

The Great Banquet ofYahweh (25:1-12)

ISAIAH 26

The apocalyptic final

victory of Yahweh

(26:1-27:1)

ISAIAH 27

Vineyard and restoration(27:2-6); condemnation of

idolatry (27:7-13)

Temple Themes in Isaiah 24-27

William J. Hamblin
http://hamblinofjerusalem.blogspot.com/http://hamblinofjerusalem.blogspot.com/http://hamblinofjerusalem.blogspot.com/


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Thus, war and murder among the nations

violates this universal everlasting covenant,

resulting in the Yahwehs curse on all

Mankind, devouring the whole earth (24:6).

The link to Israels own, more detailed

everlasting covenant to the temple is reflected

in Jer 50:5 and Ezek 16:60, where after the

destruction of the temple of Jerusalem, a new

everlasting covenant needs to be

established, since obeying the sacrificial laws

and statues of the covenant requires a temple.

Thus, for the new everlasting covenant to be

established, a new temple will be established

so God can

make a covenant of peace with them. It shall

be an everlasting covenantwith them. And I

will set them in their land and multiply them,

and willset my sanctuary in their midst

forevermore. (24:5)

Likewise, in Isaiah the violation of

this everlasting covenant of peace results in

devastating wars, while the renewal of the

everlasting covenant will occur at the temple.

for Yahweh of the armies will reign on

Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before his

elders he will manifest his glory [at the

temple] (Isa 24:23), a probable allusion to

the elders who accompanied Moses up Mount

Sinai and saw the glory of Yahweh (Ex 24);




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with the new everlasting covenant, the elders

see the glory of Yahweh on his new holy

mountain (27:13), the Temple Mount. These

elders who see the glory of God are probably

to be equated with the 24 elders of

Revelation.1

Chapter 25 begins with a psalm in

praise of Yahweh, culminating in the

prophecy of the great pilgrimage and temple

banquet of Yahweh on the temple mount.

Isaiah describes a great feast that Yahweh will

make for all peoples (25:6), not just Israel.

This is consistent with numerous statements

in Isaiah that all the nations will one day

come on the Great Pilgrimage to the temple

with Israel, where all nations will be Gods

people.2 There, God will swallow up death

forever ... [and] wipe away tears from all

faces (25:8), a sentiment reflected in Rev

7:17, 21:4, and seen by Christians as fulfilled

by the coming of the glory of Yahweh in the

form of Christ, who won victory over death.3

This passage in Isaiah becomes a major theme

for Christians in the great wedding supper of

the Lamb.4

Chapter 26 is a series of hymns

associated with Mount Zion. The context is

probably an ascent to the Temple Mount

(26:2), where the people would go in



1 Rev 4:4, 10, 5:8, 11:16, 19:4.

2 Isa 2:2-4, 4:2-6, 6:13, 11:2-12, 12:6, 19:18-25, 23:18.

3 Another temple metaphor is the hand of Yahweh will rest on this mountain (25:10), referring

to the presence of the awesome power of God at the temple.

4 Mt 22:1-14 = Lk 14:15-24; Lk 13:26-29 = Mt 8:11-12; Lk 22:18, 28-30; Rev 19:6-10; DC

58:7-12.


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procession through the gates of the temple

singing hymns to Yahweh.5

In preparation for the ascent to the

temple, Yahweh prepares a road:

The path of the Righteous One is level

The way of righteousness is clear (26:7).

This Way of Yahweh is the way the pilgrim

follows to the temple, and the Way John the

Baptist prepared for the coming of Jesus as

king to the temple.6 This Way of Yahweh

to the temple is the background for

Christianitys original name, the Way.7 An

essential element of this metaphor is that the

Way of Yahweh leads to the temple. In the

end, Yahweh comes out of his place (mwqV;m

maqm) (26:21)--that is the temple--to

punish iniquity and restore righteousness.

The last chapter, twenty-eight, again

uses the counter-point of desolation and

salvation. This passage describes

paradoxically how Israel will receive its

atonement (27:9):

Therefore by this the guilt of Jacob will be

atoned for:

and this will be the full fruit of the removal

of his sin:

when he makes all the stones of the altars

like chalk stones crushed to pieces,

no Asherim8 or incense altars will remain

standing.

Notice here that apostate Israel sought

salvation by worshipping at the altars of the

false gods, but real atonement can only come

when they cease worship at altars of the gods

of the nations, and return to the authentic

worship of Yahweh alone at the temple.

When this occurs, scattered Israel will

be gathered from Egypt and Assyria (27:12),

on the great pilgrimage to the feast of Yahweh

mentioned in 25:6-10.

And in that day a great trumpet will be blown,

and those who were lost in the land of Assyria

and those who were driven out to the land of

Egypt will come and worship Yahweh on the

holy mountain at Jerusalem (27:13).

The metaphor here is clearly an Israelite

pilgrimage festival to the temple ofJerusalem, perhaps the Feast of the Trumpets

(Lev 23:24; Num 29:1). The Second Temple

has a platform on the southwest corner where

a priest stood to blow the sacral trump,

indicating its importance in worship. Part of



5 Ps 24:7-10, 100:4, 118:19-20.

6 Isa 40:3, Mal 3:1, Mt 3:3, Mk 1:3, Lk 3:4.

7 Acts 9.2, Way of the Lord 18.25, Way of God 18.26, 19.9,23, 22.4, 24.14, 22; Christ as

the Way, Jn 14.6.

8 Asherim at the wooden images, poles, or trees venerated by devotees of Asherah, the fertility

goddess of the Canaanites. W. Dever,Did God Have a Wife?, (2008).


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this platform survives (see photo). Note also,

the Temple Mount is the holy

mountain (vdO;qAh rAh = har ha-qode); thus

not just the temple itself but the entire Temple

Mount is made holy by the presence of

Yahweh.

This sounding of the great trump in

preparation for the millennial return of the

glorified Christ to his temple is an important

New Testament theme as well.9



9 Rev 9:14; 1 Cor 15:52; Mt 24:31.

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Temple themes in Isaiah 24-27

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