Isaiah 5:25

The anger of the Lord. See on Judges 2:20; 2 Kings 13:3; 17:11. It is a fearful thing to stir up the anger of the Lord. The Lord God is “merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth” (Ex. 34:6). He ardently loves the sinner, but utterly abhors sin. He will not clear the guilty; in fact, He cannot do so and be consistent with His own character — unless and until the guilty person repents of his evil ways. When iniquity reaches a point beyond which there is no hope, divine forbearance ceases and the ministry of wrath begins (5T 208; 9T 13). At the time of Isaiah’s message the iniquity of Israel had almost reached such a pass.

The hills did tremble. Probably a reference to some terrible earthquake that must have wrought great destruction and was regarded as a judgment from Heaven. Such an earthquake apparently took place at some time during the reign of Uzziah, possibly during the latter part of his reign, a few years before his death. This may have been the earthquake not long before which the prophet Amos received his call (Amos 1:1). The memory of this earthquake was still vivid in the minds of the people when Isaiah delivered this message.

Torn. Literally, “as offal,” or “as refuse” (RSV). At the time the earthquake struck many fled into the streets, where they were killed and their bodies scattered about.

His hand is stretched out. That is, in judgment (see chs. 9:12, 17, 21; 10:4). For the turning back of God’s anger, see Ps. 85:4; Isa. 12:1; Hosea 14:4, and for His hand being stretched out to smite and destroy, see Ex. 3:20; 9:15; 2 Sam. 24:16; Isa. 14:27.