In this chapter, we see that God avenges His people. These verses speak of a warning to those, that is, the nations, who hate God’s people, Isaiah 34:1. It’s possible that this prophecy had its fulfilment in the great desolations made by the Assyrian army at first and later, by Nebuchadnezzar’s army.
All nations should hearken to the voice of God in peace and tranquillity but they will hearken to that voice in judgement, Isaiah 34:1. When the angel killed one-hundred and eighty-five thousand of the Assyrian army, 2 Kings 19:35-27 / Isaiah 37:36, there would have been dead bodies lying around everywhere, Isaiah 34:2.
Before the Jews had a chance to burn them, Isaiah 14:19, the stink would have been awful, Isaiah 34:3. When the burning of the bodies was completed, the result of their destruction would be forever, Isaiah 34:4 / 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9.
The sun, moon, stars, and physical universe are transitory and temporary, Isaiah 34:4 / Isaiah 13:10 / 2 Peter 3:10-12 / Revelation 6:13, when compared to God, their Creator, who is eternal. The heavenly bodies often represent kings and princes, Isaiah 24:21.
Here we read that God’s tempered sword is used to judge, Isaiah 34:5 / Isaiah 27:1 / Jeremiah 46:10 / Revelation 19:21. All who ‘take the sword shall perish with the sword’, Isaiah 34:5 / Matthew 26:52. The Edomites, Isaiah 34:5 first showed themselves enemies of Israel when they refused to allow the Israelites, under Moses to pass through their land, Numbers 20:14-21. Notice that ‘the sword of the LORD is bathed in blood, with the blood of lambs and goats’, Isaiah 34:6.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The idea here is taken from the notion of sacrifice, and is, that God would devote to sacrifice, or to destruction, the inhabitants of Idumea. With reference to that, he says, that his sword, the instrument of slaughter, would be satiated with blood. ‘It is made fat with fatness.’ The allusion here is to the sacrifices which were made for sin, in which the blood, and the fat were devoted to God as an offering, Leviticus 7.’
Bozrah, Isaiah 34:6, was the main stronghold of Edom in its north, bordering southern Palestine, Isaiah 63:1. The wild oxen, bull claves and great bulls, Isaiah 34:7, all represent the government officials of Edom, Revelation 19:18, who will come down to judgment, along with the land itself, Revelation 17:6. The KJV renders Isaiah 34:7 as follows, ‘and the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness.’
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following, concerning the unicorn.
‘This was evidently an animal well known in Palestine, since it is frequently mentioned in the Old Testament, Numbers 23:22 / Deuteronomy 33:17 / Job 39:9-10 / Psalms 22:21 / Psalms 29:6 / Psalms 92:10, in all which places it is translated unicorn. The derivation of the word is uncertain, and it has been regarded as doubtful what animal is intended.’
God avenges Zion because He is not to be mocked, Galatians 6:7-8. The long-delayed retribution comes at last to those who refuse to obey God, Isaiah 34:8-9. Notice ‘it will not be quenched’, Isaiah 34:10. In other words, the judgment would simply intensify, not in reference to burning heat but in the fact that they would be destroyed from the presence of God, Isaiah 34:9 / Zephaniah 1:1-3 / Matthew 25:41 / 2 Thessalians 1:6-9.
Judgement has come upon the people as the land is seared and burned, the smoke rises forever, Isaiah 34:10 / Revelation 14:11 / Revelation 18:9 / Revelation 18:18 / Revelation 19:2-3. The nation and land of Edom become a wilderness and no longer has a king to rule over it, Isaiah 34:10. Isaiah tells what kind of life now fills Edom, Isaiah 34:11-15 / Ezekiel 35:10. The destruction would be complete, with consequences that would not be changed.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The idea here is, that there would be a great and awful a destruction as if the streams everywhere should become pitch or resin, which would be set on fire, and which would fill the land with flame. This image is very striking, as we may see by supposing the rivers and streams in any land to flow not with water, but with heated pitch, turpentine, or tar, and that this was all suddenly kindled into a flame. It cannot be supposed that this is to be taken literally. The image is evidently taken from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Genesis 19:25-28, an image which is more fully used in reference to the same subject in Jeremiah 49:17-18.’
God’s scroll serves as a memorial as well as a warning. As every creature has his or her mate, so the mate of prophecy is fulfilled, Isaiah 34:16. What Isaiah has written in the scroll will be fulfilled. One of the main purposes for the writing of prophecy is to allow readers to have the evidence to read for themselves that what was written was accurate and has been accurately fulfilled.
Hailey, in his commentary, says the following concerning Isaiah 34:17.
‘Jehovah himself has cast the lot determining that this land shall belong to the wild animals or demons. ‘They shall possess it forever, Isaiah 34:17. For lo these two thousand years the land of Edom has been the possession of creatures that inhabit the desert and ruins left by man.’