What does Isaiah 27:7 mean?

Those in Judah during Isaiah's time may have wondered about their sufferings as compared to those of enemy nations. Isaiah said that, in the days to come, Israel will blossom like a thriving vineyard and fill the entire world with her fruit. As he wrote it, though, Judah found itself in the crosshairs of one empire after another, each larger and more powerful than the last. It seemed unlikely they would avoid extinction, let alone survive to bless the world.

Here, Isaiah contrasts Israel's experiences with the fate of nations and empires that oppressed Israel. Those other nations suffered—or would suffer—far worse fates. In the end, they were struck harder and decisively wiped out. God used judgment to refine Israel, and the nation endured. Other nations were erased.

Many of Israel's enemies had not yet been removed when Isaiah wrote these words. But prophetic oracles against them (Isaiah 13—23) showed they would be. God used those nations to bring judgment on His own people, but then He brought judgment on them as well. Those in Judah should not doubt that the Lord is able to completely restore and bless His people when the time is right.

Modern readers can see this more clearly. The Assyrians, Babylonians, and other oppressors have vanished or been replaced by other cultures which occupy their lands. Israel remains.