Matthew Henry Commentary Isaiah 33:1-14

"Woe to thee that destroyest, and thou wast not destroyed; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! When thou hast ceased to destroy, thou shalt be destroyed; and when thou hast made an end of dealing treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee. O Jehovah, be gracious unto us; we have waited for thee: be thou our arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble. At the noise of the tumult the peoples are fled; at the lifting up of thyself the nations are scattered. And your spoil shall be gathered as the caterpillar gathereth: as locusts leap shall men leap upon it. Jehovah is exalted; for he dwelleth on high: he hath filled Zion with justice and righteousness. And there shall be stability in thy times, abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge: the fear of Jehovah is thy treasure. Behold, their valiant ones cry without; the ambassadors of peace weep bitterly. The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth: [the enemy] hath broken the covenant, he hath despised the cities, he regardeth not man. The land mourneth and languisheth; Lebanon is confounded and withereth away; Sharon is like a desert; and Bashan and Carmel shake off [their leaves]. Now will I arise, saith Jehovah; now will I lift up myself; now will I be exalted. Ye shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble: your breath is a fire that shall devour you. And the peoples shall be as the burnings of lime, as thorns cut down, that are burned in the fire. Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; and, ye that are near, acknowledge my might. The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling hath seized the godless ones: Who among us can dwell with the devouring fire? who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings?" — Isaiah 33:1-14 (ASV)

Here we have the proud and false destroyer justly reckoned with for all his fraud and violence. The righteous God often pays sinners in their own coin. Those who by faith humbly wait for God will find Him gracious to them; as the day is, so may the strength be. If God leaves us to ourselves any morning, we are undone; we must every morning commit ourselves to Him, and go out in His strength to do the work of the day.

When God arises, His enemies are scattered. True wisdom and knowledge lead to strength of salvation, which makes us steadfast in the ways of God; and true piety is the only treasure which can never be plundered or spent. The distress Jerusalem was brought into is described. God's time to appear for His people is when all other helpers fail.

Let all who hear what God has done acknowledge that He can do everything. Sinners in Zion will have much to answer for, more than other sinners. And those who rebel against the commands of the Word cannot take its comforts in time of need. His wrath will everlastingly burn those who make themselves fuel for it.

It is a fire that will never be quenched, nor will it ever go out by itself; it is the wrath of an ever-living God preying on the conscience of a never-dying soul.