Do not Add or Take away

Isaiah 11:11-16

One of the dangers in reading the prophet is adding or taking away from what has been said, and today I’m at that point.  The verses above are pointing to a time, it seems, that has not yet taken place, so I’ve looked at what others have stated, and have ask the Holy Spirit to keep me from error.  When I quote a source, it is an opinion of that person, and if you look at many sources you will find they do not all agree. 

Isaiah tells us on that day, so it is a day in the future, the Lord will extend His hand a second 

time to recover His people.  And then we have a list of the nations, where they will come, 

and the Holman Standard Bible has this footnote on page 1147; “This list of nations in this 

verse probably should not be taken as literal reference as if God’s people would return from 

all of these nations, but from all directions.”  In verse 12 the ESV refers to God who will raise 

a signal, your version may say banner.  It was a standard around which an army rallied.  If 

you go back to Isaiah 5:26, “He will raise a signal for nations far away, and whistle for them 

from the ends of the earth; and behold, quickly, speedily they come!”           

We know from history these armies were Assyria and Babylon.  The time being addressed 

in 11:12 is a rallying point for the nations to assemble to attack God’s people.  But this is a 

rallying point for the regathering of the remnant.

Isaiah is telling the people of God to look to a day where there is no political division 

between Judah and Ephraim.   Isaiah is projecting a future to look forward to where the 

hostilities end and the people of God are united in verse 13.

In verse 14, we have the united Israel attacking Edom, Moab, and Ammon; these were 

the small nations who harassed Israel when they could.  And in verses 15-16, we have 

the return of the remnant from Assyria.  It seems God will do to the Euphrates River what 

He did to the Red Sea, but in this case it will be split into seven parts.

When reading the Scripture and especially the prophets whose prophesy is still future, it 

should draw us to new insights into the nature of our great God and our relationship with 

Him.  You and I will read Isaiah looking forward to Christ’s return, but we should not add to 

or take away, and often all we can do is pray for the Spirit to open our eyes to what He 

has said.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice