God’s unstoppable might clears every obstacle so that His redeeming plan will prevail.
“I will lay waste the mountains and hills And wither all their vegetation; I will make the rivers into coastlands And dry up the ponds.” (Isaiah 42:15)
In these words, the LORD displays His absolute power over all creation. The phrase I will lay waste the mountains and hills evokes a dramatic picture of God removing every obstacle that stands in His redemptive path. Mountains and hills, often symbolic of strongholds or barriers, will be decimated at His command. This alludes to the LORD’s commitment to fulfill His purposes, regardless of the apparent immovability of earthly powers. The text continues with wither all their vegetation, signifying that even the lush growth of nature must yield before the Creator’s might, underscoring that nothing in the physical universe can resist Him.
The declaration I will make the rivers into coastlands And dry up the ponds depicts a striking transformation of terrain. Rivers, a source of life and prosperity, can be turned into parched land at His word. Where water once flowed, the LORD can form dry banks—referred to as “coastlands” elsewhere in Isaiah 42, which Matthew interprets as a broader symbol for Gentile nations (see commentary on Isaiah 42:1-4 in Matthew 12:18-21 for an example of this interpretation). Such reversals point to God’s limitless authority to shape and reorder the world in service of His plan. This same chapter introduces the LORD’s chosen Servant, who will bring justice to all these coastlands, affirming that the transformation of nature parallels His plan to redeem the nations through His Messiah.
Just as the New Testament reveals Jesus calming the seas or commanding nature to obey (Mark 4:39), Isaiah’s words in verse 15 anticipate the unstoppable might of God. The very forces that sustain or threaten life—mountains, rivers, vegetation—must bow before Him as He prepares the way for His people’s deliverance and His Servant’s work of justice. His power here is not destruction for its own sake, but rather a holy act of clearing aside every barrier, ensuring that His purposes for salvation will be accomplished.
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Isaiah 42:15 meaning
“I will lay waste the mountains and hills And wither all their vegetation; I will make the rivers into coastlands And dry up the ponds.” (Isaiah 42:15)
In these words, the LORD displays His absolute power over all creation. The phrase I will lay waste the mountains and hills evokes a dramatic picture of God removing every obstacle that stands in His redemptive path. Mountains and hills, often symbolic of strongholds or barriers, will be decimated at His command. This alludes to the LORD’s commitment to fulfill His purposes, regardless of the apparent immovability of earthly powers. The text continues with wither all their vegetation, signifying that even the lush growth of nature must yield before the Creator’s might, underscoring that nothing in the physical universe can resist Him.
The declaration I will make the rivers into coastlands And dry up the ponds depicts a striking transformation of terrain. Rivers, a source of life and prosperity, can be turned into parched land at His word. Where water once flowed, the LORD can form dry banks—referred to as “coastlands” elsewhere in Isaiah 42, which Matthew interprets as a broader symbol for Gentile nations (see commentary on Isaiah 42:1-4 in Matthew 12:18-21 for an example of this interpretation). Such reversals point to God’s limitless authority to shape and reorder the world in service of His plan. This same chapter introduces the LORD’s chosen Servant, who will bring justice to all these coastlands, affirming that the transformation of nature parallels His plan to redeem the nations through His Messiah.
Just as the New Testament reveals Jesus calming the seas or commanding nature to obey (Mark 4:39), Isaiah’s words in verse 15 anticipate the unstoppable might of God. The very forces that sustain or threaten life—mountains, rivers, vegetation—must bow before Him as He prepares the way for His people’s deliverance and His Servant’s work of justice. His power here is not destruction for its own sake, but rather a holy act of clearing aside every barrier, ensuring that His purposes for salvation will be accomplished.