As never before, we as a nation are being confronted by “the raging of the nations.”  There have been riots, violence, and protests in the past, but due to the current conflict between Israel and Hamas, “the rage” has begun to dominate the news cycle daily. We have to ask, “Who actually rules the world and whose purposes will in the end by accomplished?”  The nation of Judah was surrounded by larger nations seeking to dominate it.  But the prophet Isaiah declares it unnecessary to be frightened by the raging of the nations, for they will soon be gone. 

Chapters 13-23 of Isaiah declare God’s judgment on the surrounding nations. Judah was being constantly tempted to look for political and military alliances with surrounding nations for its security.  Isaiah reminds the people who really rules the world. In 17:1-11, the prophet warns his people of relying on the nations with their fortress cities (17:9).  They “will be like places abandoned to thickets and undergrowth.  And all will be desolation” (17:9). The people of Israel had forgotten to make the Lord their fortress. “You have forgotten God your Savior; you have not remembered the Rock, your fortress” (17:10). 

In words reminiscent of Psalm 46, the prophet compares the nations to “the raging sea.”  Isaiah reminds the people that the power of man is helpless before the Lord.  “Hear the roar of many people, roaring like the roaring seas! Hear the surge of mighty nations like the surge of many waters! They may roar like roaring waters, but the Lord has but to speak against them and they are scattered far and wide, driven like chaff before the wind on the mountains, swirling like dust before the storm – terrible to behold in the evening and gone without a trace in the morning!  Such is the fate of those who plunder our goods, such is the lot of those who steal our wealth!” (17:12-14).

This brings to mind Psalm 2, where God “laughs” at the arrogance of earthly rulers. The Psalmist asks, “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?” (Ps. 2:1).  He replies, “The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.  Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, ‘I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill'” (Ps. 2:6).  As the kings of Assyria consolidate more land and people, with their multi-national armies, the smaller nations such as Judah felt the threatening winds of the conquering armies.  Their agitation is compared to the roaring of waters.  In the Old Testament the image of social and religious chaos is often depicted as roaring waters (Ps. 18:16; 29:3; 32:6).  This is a vivid image of world history as we have come to know it. 

The roaring of the nations in Isaiah 17:12 is in marked contrast with verse 13 where the nations are driven away like chaff by the wind, swirling like the dust in a storm.  The Lord spoke against the nations with all their roaring.  “Woe to the peoples who roar – they roar like the roaring of great waters!” (17:12).  God’s rebuke blows away the tumultuous nations.  As the wind blew, the lighter chaff was blown away.  Chaff is a picture of a speedy and total dispersal involving swift judgment.  There is no hope for the victims.  God’s wind will treat the nations like dust, easily blown away and forgotten. 

God’s judgment comes quickly. It is “terrible to behold in the evening,” but will be” gone without a trace in the morning.” (Is 17:14). I take comfort in the contrast made by Isaiah.  There will be a time when all the rage of nations will be silenced by the Lord of Hosts.