God Summons The Instruments of His Wrath (Isaiah 5:26-30).
‘And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far,
And will whistle for them from the end of the earth,
And behold they will come swiftly with speed,
None will be weary or stumble among them,
None will slumber or sleep,
Nor will their belts become loose,
Nor their shoe fasteners be broken.'
When God in His wrath raises His banner the nations will flock to do His will. They are there awaiting His call. At this time Assyria was ‘the ends of the earth' to Jerusalem and Judah, for they were a ‘far off' nation with which they had had little to do. But when Yahweh calls they will come.
However we interpret Isaiah 5:25 these verses are clear indication of a powerful invasion. For the enemy will come, summoned by Yahweh, responding to His whistle (‘hiss') and they will come quickly with nothing to hinder them, not even a broken belt or shoe fastening. They will be tireless and their approach inexorable, wide awake, alert and with no faltering.
‘Whose arrows are sharp,
And all their bows bent.
Their horses hooves will be accounted as flint,
And their wheels like a whirlwind.
Their roaring will be like a lion,
they will roar like young lions,
Yes, they will roar and lay hold of the prey,
And carry it away safe, and there will be none to deliver.
And they will roar against them in that day,
Like the roaring of the sea,
And if one look to the land, behold, darkness and distress,
And the light is darkened in its clouds.'
The powerful intermingling of a description of an invincible enemy and awesome natural forces is again repeated. Their ferocity and speed of approach is emphasised. Their arrows are sharp and their bows ready for war, the hooves of their horses are sharp and strong, their chariot wheels whirl at frightening speed. And as they come they yell their battlecries like young lions in their strength roaring at their prey, and then they will pounce and seize the prey, growling their satisfaction, and none will be able to prevent it.
For the One Who could prevent it is the One Who has summoned them to the task. And those others that Israel and Judah had previously looked to for help will be unable to give it. Indeed the approach will be like that of the beating of a powerful sea against the storm battered shore, and against equally storm-battered ships; while turning landwards for relief will provide none, for it will be equally shrouded in the same fearful heavy-clouded storm.
So do we come to the end of his first section of Isaiah in which he has been concerned to lay down the basis of his message without specific historical application. He has revealed the extent of the sinfulness of those who claimed to be His people. He has demonstrated that only those who respond to Him are truly His people. He has declared the glorious future that God has prepared for those who are truly His, and the judgment that awaits those who are not. And has clearly indicated that that glorious future will be shared with some from the peoples of all nations. In the end all the glory will be His.