Isaiah 34 a Running Commentary, Verses 9-17, Six specific Points, Point 1

Verses 9-17

Point One

The country shall become like the lake of Sodom

Isaiah 34: 9-10, "Edom’s streams will be turned into pitch, her dust into burning sulfur; her land will become blazing pitch! It will not be quenched night or day; its smoke will rise forever. From generation to generation it will lie desolate; no one will ever pass through it again." The streams, the water of the land, the water that quenches thirst and refreshes individuals, the very source of life itself and a metaphor for the water of life himself, the almighty, shall now be withdrawn. It will be turned into pitch. 

Pitch in the Bible is asphalt or bitumen in its soft state, called "slime" as well, it was found in pits near the Dead Sea. It was used for various purposes, as the coating of the outside of vessels and in building. The streams of life now become their polar opposite basically. The shall be blocked up, they shall look black, they will move slowly or not at all. The dust of this material shall be turned into brimstone (sulphur), so ignitable has sin made the land that it shall take fire at the first spark of God's wrath when struck upon it. And when this fire has taken hold? It shall become burning pitch, the fire will be universal, not a house, or town on fire but a whole country and I love this cause I say it all the time, "and it shall not be in the power of any to suppress or extinguish it'. You can not fight the supernatural with the physical! Well how long does it burn? It shall burn continually, it shall burn perpetually and it will never be quenched night or day. 

The torment of those in hell, or that have a hell within them in their own consciences, is without interruption. It is the smoke of this fire that goes up forever. As long as there are provoking sinners on earth, from one generation to another, an increase of sinful men, to add to the fierce anger of the Lord? Numbers 32:14,  “And here you are, a brood of sinners, standing in the place of your fathers and making the Lord even more angry with Israel." There will be a a righteous God in heaven to punish them for it. And as a people keep up a succession of sinners? God will have a succession of plagues for them. Nor will any that fall under the wrath of God ever be able to recover themselves. It will be to late in other words. People have their chance. It's here. Right now. No matter how much light man may make of it? It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. If the land itself be doomed to destruction? None shall pass through it. Travelers will choose rather to go a great way around, than to even come within the smell of it.