Isaiah 17:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: In that day man will look to his Maker, and his eyes will look on the Holy One of Israel.

NIV: In that day people will look to their Maker and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel.

NASB: On that day man will look to his Maker And his eyes will look to the Holy One of Israel.

CSB: On that day people will look to their Maker and will turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel.

NLT: Then at last the people will look to their Creator and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel.

KJV: At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel.

NKJV: In that day a man will look to his Maker, And his eyes will have respect for the Holy One of Israel.

In this verse, Isaiah describes the purpose of the Lord's judgment on His people. Once they have been stripped of everything else, He wants them to turn back to Him. He wants them to put their faith and trust in Him to provide all they need and so much more. Following the Lord's harsh judgment through the Assyrians, the tiny remnant in Israel will finally look to their Maker. They will finally acknowledge the Creator of all things, the Holy One of Israel. Boiled down to its very essence, humility begins with the creature bowing before its creator. The core of humility is human beings bowing before the Lord who made the heavens and the earth and all that lives within them.

The Lord's desire for His people remains the same in this generation, as well. He continues to discipline those He loves, as a good Father, to turn our attention from worthless things and return our attention to Him. "For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it." (Hebrews 12:11)

Isaiah 17:1–14 begins as a prophecy of the destruction of Damascus, the capital of Syria. Israel will nearly be wiped out along with it. Survivors of both nations will exist on scraps. The remnant of Israel will finally look to their Maker for help instead of praying to false idols. This remnant will experience grief and pain because they have forgotten the God of their salvation. Still, the Lord God has the power to drive away enemies like dust against a strong wind.

What begins as an oracle against Damascus becomes a description of the consequences of Israel's faithlessness As well as the Lord's ability to save them. Damascus will become a heap of ruins. Ephraim will be nearly wiped out along with it. The glory of both will be wasted away like a once healthy man starving and living on scraps. Finally, Israel will look to their Maker instead of to idols they have made with their hands. They forgot the God of their salvation, the One who can chase away the storms of the enemy nations.

Prior chapters included prophecies against various nations, such as Assyria, Babylon, and Moab (Isaiah 13—16). Chapter begins as another oracle against one of Israel's hostile neighbors. However, this one is set much earlier in time. Damascus will become ruins and Israel will be nearly wiped out along with it. Survivors will gather scraps just to survive. The remnant in Israel will finally look to their Maker for help, instead of to idols. Still, the Lord can drive away the roaring nations who have come against Israel. Further oracles follow, beginning with a prophecy about Cush (Isaiah 18).

Isaiah is among the most important prophetic books in the entire Bible. The first segment details God's impending judgment against ancient peoples for sin and idolatry (Isaiah 1—35). The second part of Isaiah briefly explains a failed assault on Jerusalem during the rule of Hezekiah (Isaiah 36—39). The final chapters predict Israel's rescue from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 40—48), the promised Messiah (Isaiah 49—57), and the final glory of Jerusalem and God's people (Isaiah 58—66).

Accessed 5/7/2024 6:34:53 AM