What is the meaning of Isaiah 31:5, “As birds flying, etc.”?

Full Question

Answer

The Authorised Version here does not convey the full meaning of the original. Dr. Adam Clarke writes: “As the mother of birds hover over their young, so shall Jehovah God of Hosts protect Jerusalem; protecting and delivering, passing over, and rescuing her”; and states that, on account of the use in the original of the word for “passing over,” there is an inferred parallel to the angel of God passing over the blood-sprinkled doorways of the children of Israel when God brought them out of Egypt under Moses.

The use of the symbol of a mother bird hovering over her young to protect it against an attacking hawk or eagle was not new to Israel; see Deuteronomy 32:11 for example, and the remark of Boaz to Ruth, “The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust,” (Ruth 2:12).

The prophecy was uttered in the days of Hezekiah, when the powers of Assyria and Egypt were striving for mastery, and Israel had a strong tendency towards relying upon Egypt rather than upon the God of Abraham, who, through Isaiah, condemned them for their attitude, and announced what he would do, i.e. protect them from the attack of a destroying power. It is generally thought that there was a fulfilment of the prophecy a few years later, when the angel of God showed the divine power and protection of His people on the occasion of Sennacherib’s boastful taunting of the Israelites, and the destruction of his host. Close attention to details in the prophecy, however, shows that those events were more in the nature of a practical illustration than a complete fulfilment of the prophecy. The prophet in Isaiah 31 continues with an appeal and a statement of the conditions which should exist “in that day” (Isaiah 31:7), and these include not only the destruction of the Assyrian with the sword, not of man, but also the presence of an ensign whose fire is in Zion, and a king reigning in righteousness under such conditions as have never yet been seen (Isaiah 32).

The fulfilment of the prophecy, therefore, is in the future, the present writer’s conviction being that it is very near, for coming events are casting their shadows before. At this moment the Jews are placing their confidence in the British power, located partially in Egypt, whilst at the same time the nations of Europe are gradually drawing together into a great confederation which, as is quite clear from other Bible prophecies, will ultimately come to grips with the British Empire’s forces on the mountains of Israel (read Ezekiel 38, and Zechariah 14).

Then, as in Hezekiah’s days, the contest will be for the supremacy of the world between two mighty human powers, but God himself will intervene through the “King of the Jews,” Jesus Christ, who will become the ensign whose fire is in Zion. This is the one representative of God from whom Israel have deeply revolted. They said at one time, “We will not have this man to reign over us “but” they shall look on him whom they have pierced and mourn.” Utterly determined to sweep out of existence the little kingdom of Israel re-established in Palestine, the mighty Assyrian confederacy will be intercepted by God’s mighty ones, and so shall “Jehovah God of Hosts protect Jerusalem; protecting and delivering, passing over and rescuing her.”