Isaiah 34:1-17 Bloody Sword
Isaiah speaks to ALL the nations of the wrath of God wielded by a bloody sword. This is the final judgment of all who rejected Him. The price of sin; their own blood.
This time is still to come. It is no a prophecy for only the nation of Edom. It is for all the nations, all the people, and all the heavenly hosts. It is judgment day. Time to separate the wheat from the chaff. Heaven or Hell hangs in the balance. Where you land depends on who pays for your sins.
My bible helps tells me that the name Edom is used because they were “the antithesis to God’s people” (ESV note on Isaiah 34:5-7). ALL nations are coming under judgment even though only the name of Edom is given. The whole earth will be covered with blood and corpses.
Even heaven is judged at this time. I believe this includes all the spiritual forces and not the birds of the air. I could be wrong but the birds are mentioned later as inhabiting the ruins that remain. The “skies roll up like a scroll” (verse 4b) may be referring to the stars we see in the skies. God created them, so only He knows how to judge them. Is there life out there that He placed on other stars? I don’t know but, if so, it sounds like this is their judgment time too. He may be speaking though of final judgment for Satan and all the hosts of heaven that followed him when he fell.
This time will follow the final war with Satan after he is released from the bottomless pit. It will NOT be right after the battle of Armageddon. And judging by the amount of blood, there will be many who still refuse Jesus even while He reigns as King here on earth. I want to cry out, HOW!!! HOW can man continue to reject Jesus when He stands before them? How can they deny His deity when He rules the WHOLE earth and eliminates war? What emptiness their hearts must have.
Something that has been percolating in my spirit is the time that is BRIEFLY spoken of in Revelation. When Satan will be released from the pit and his chains when “he must be free for a while” (Revelation 20:3b). How long is “a while”? Apparently, it is enough time for the earth to be populated again with MANY who choose to follow Satan. We are given very little information on “this time.” We see plenty of what happens at the end of that time, but next to nothing about that time itself. Will we learn of that time and what to watch for during the millennial rule of Jesus? I cannot imagine the people not being prepared for what is to come. During that time, people will return to their old ways that have angered God. It takes a while for Him to go from disappointed to full out vengeful. Israel and Judah demonstrated His patience during their centuries of disobedience before God finally put His foot down and stopped them in their tracks.
Bottom line here is that, no matter what time we live, sin has a cost. That price is death. From the blood of the lion in the garden of Eden to Jesus’ death on the cross, to the hills flowing with blood; sin requires recompense. For ALL who have accepted Jesus’ free gift of forgiveness for our sins, HIS blood paid that price. He paid for ANY & ALL who would choose to accept His work on their behalf; past, present, and future. For those who refuse His substitution work, they will pay for their own sins with their own blood. This is the blood we see flowing all over the earth in Isaiah’s prophecy. DO NOT BE FOOLED! Sin HAS a price. Before God closes the books on the whole world, ALL sin will be paid in full by One party or another. There will be nothing left hanging or to carry over to the new heaven and earth God will create.
Father God, I’m SO GRATEFUL there is a ‘flip side’ to this prophecy. The side that speaks of what awaits those who put their trust in Jesus, Your Son. I’m looking forward to the day when NO sin touches anyone’s life of those who have given You their hearts. There will be NO mistakes made in judging either.
THANK YOU JESUS FOR YOUR BLOOD!!! Thank You for sealing me with a promise that this will Not be my life. I will praise You forever and beyond as You welcome me to Your home for eternity.
