The Serpent's Root and the Secure City Text: Isaiah 14:28-32
Introduction: The Geopolitics of God
We live in an age that is drunk on politics. Men follow the rise and fall of nations, the shifting of borders, and the machinations of rulers with a kind of religious fervor. They place their hope in this party or that candidate, or they fall into despair over the latest outrage from the other side. They act as though the evening news is the ultimate reality, and that the fate of the world is being hammered out in Washington, or Brussels, or Beijing. But the Bible teaches us a different kind of geopolitics. It is the geopolitics of God.
The prophets of the Old Testament were not political commentators in the modern sense. They were not pundits offering their hot takes on current events. They were ambassadors from the court of the heavenly King, delivering His decrees to the petty tyrants of the earth. They spoke of Assyria, Babylon, Egypt, and Philistia, not because these nations were intrinsically important, but because God was using them as chisels, hammers, and saws in His grand project of redemption. The nations are but dust on the scales, a drop in the bucket (Isaiah 40:15). Their pride, their military might, their apparent sovereignty, it is all a passing shadow. The only thing that gives their history any meaning at all is how it intersects with the history of God's covenant people.
This oracle against Philistia is a case in point. It comes in the year that King Ahaz of Judah died, a time of political transition and uncertainty. The Philistines, perennial enemies of Israel, see an opportunity. The "rod" that struck them, likely a powerful Assyrian king like Tiglath-Pileser III, who had subjugated them, is now broken, or at least weakened. They are tempted to rejoice, to think that their moment of freedom and ascendancy has arrived. They are making the classic mistake of all godless nations: they are looking at the horizontal plane and ignoring the vertical. They are analyzing the shifting powers of men and utterly failing to reckon with the fixed power of God.
Isaiah is sent to correct this nearsightedness with a blast of divine reality. He tells Philistia not to rejoice, because God's purposes are not contingent on the health of any one emperor or the strength of any one army. God is not reacting to history; He is writing it. And in this short oracle, He lays out the fundamental contrast that governs all of history: the fleeting, doomed arrogance of the godless city versus the eternal, founded security of Zion, the city of God. This is not just an ancient warning to a long-gone people. It is a timeless lesson for every generation that thinks it can build a secure future apart from the God who holds the future in His hands.
The Text
In the year that King Ahaz died this oracle came:
“Do not be glad, O Philistia, all of you, Because the rod that struck you is broken; For from the serpent’s root a viper will come out, And its fruit will be a flying fiery serpent.
And the foremost of the poor will eat, And the needy will lie down in security; I will put to death your root with famine, And it will kill off your remnant.
Wail, O gate; cry, O city; Melt away, O Philistia, all of you; For smoke comes from the north, And there is no straggler in his ranks.
How then will one answer the messengers of the nation? That Yahweh has founded Zion, And the afflicted of His people will take refuge in it.”
(Isaiah 14:28-32 LSB)
From Bad to Worse (v. 28-29)
The oracle is precisely dated and addressed. This is not a vague religious sentiment; it is a direct message from the throne of Heaven to a specific people at a specific time.
"In the year that King Ahaz died this oracle came: 'Do not be glad, O Philistia, all of you, Because the rod that struck you is broken; For from the serpent’s root a viper will come out, And its fruit will be a flying fiery serpent.'" (Isaiah 14:28-29)
The Philistines are celebrating. The great power that oppressed them, the "rod" of Assyria, appears to be broken. Some commentators think this refers to the death of Tiglath-Pileser, others to a more general weakening of Assyrian control. The specifics are secondary to the principle: the Philistines are basing their hope on the decline of their enemies. Their joy is purely circumstantial, purely political. They think a change in the human power structure means their troubles are over.
But God tells them their celebration is premature and foolish. Why? Because they fail to see who is truly in charge. They think they are dealing with a succession of human kings, but God reveals they are dealing with a succession of divine judgments. The imagery here is potent and reptilian. You rejoiced because the serpent is dead? From that same root, a viper will come. And if you think you can handle the viper, its fruit will be a "flying fiery serpent." This is a proverbial way of saying, "You think you had it bad before? You have no idea what's coming." The next Assyrian king, whether it was Shalmaneser V or Sargon II, would be far more ruthless and destructive to Philistia than the last one. History bears this out; Sargon II crushed a Philistine revolt and deported many of its people.
This is a fundamental lesson in the sovereignty of God. Men who do not fear God are always looking for a human savior or celebrating the demise of a human tyrant. But God is the one who raises up kings and brings them down (Daniel 2:21). He has an inexhaustible supply of "rods" to accomplish His purposes. If you rebel against His chosen instrument of judgment, He will simply reach into His toolbox and pull out a bigger hammer. The problem for Philistia was not Assyria; the problem was their rebellion against the God of Israel. Until they dealt with the root issue, which was their sin, getting rid of one oppressor would only invite a worse one.
We see this principle played out in our own day. Our nation is under judgment, and men scurry about, thinking that if they can just vote out the "serpent" in office, all will be well. But they fail to see that the serpent is just a symptom. The root of the problem is our national apostasy. And if we do not repent, God will simply replace the serpent with a viper, and the viper with a flying fiery serpent. Political solutions are rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. The only solution is national repentance.
A Tale of Two Roots (v. 30)
Verse 30 presents a stark and glorious contrast. While Philistia's root is being judged, God is tending to a different root altogether.
"And the foremost of the poor will eat, And the needy will lie down in security; I will put to death your root with famine, And it will kill off your remnant." (Isaiah 14:30 LSB)
Here we have the great reversal of the gospel. While the proud and self-sufficient Philistines are being utterly destroyed, God is providing for "the foremost of the poor" and "the needy." Who are these people? In the immediate context, they are the faithful remnant in Judah, the afflicted ones who trust not in political alliances or military strength, but in Yahweh alone. While Philistia faces famine, they will eat. While Philistia melts in terror, they will lie down in security.
This is a consistent theme throughout Scripture. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). He fills the hungry with good things and sends the rich away empty (Luke 1:53). This is not a call for class warfare or some kind of proto-Marxism. It is a spiritual principle. The "poor" here are those who know they are spiritually bankrupt and have no resources in themselves. The "needy" are those who recognize their utter dependence on God. It is to such people that the kingdom of God belongs (Matthew 5:3).
Notice the contrast of the roots. God says to Philistia, "I will put to death your root with famine." Their entire foundation, their source of life and sustenance, will be destroyed. Nothing will be left. He will "kill off your remnant." There will be no survivors, no hope for the future. But at the same time, God is nurturing the root of His own people. He is ensuring their security and their provision. This points us forward to the ultimate "root of Jesse," Jesus Christ (Isaiah 11:10), who is the true source of life and security for all of God's people. The world builds on roots of sand, roots of pride, roots of self-reliance. God will kill those roots. But those who are rooted in Christ will be fed and kept secure, even in the midst of collapsing empires.
The Northern Smoke (v. 31)
The judgment that was promised is now described as an imminent and unstoppable invasion.
"Wail, O gate; cry, O city; Melt away, O Philistia, all of you; For smoke comes from the north, And there is no straggler in his ranks." (Isaiah 14:31 LSB)
The time for celebration is over; the time for wailing has come. The gates and the city, the symbols of Philistine security and civic pride, are called to cry out in terror. The entire nation is to "melt away." This is the language of utter collapse, of a society dissolving in fear and defeat. Why? "For smoke comes from the north."
The "north" is the typical direction from which invading armies, particularly Assyria and later Babylon, would descend upon Palestine. The smoke represents the dust of a massive, approaching army and the burning cities it leaves in its wake. This is not some disorganized rabble. The prophet notes with chilling precision, "there is no straggler in his ranks." This is a disciplined, efficient, and relentless war machine. It is an army on a mission, and that mission has been assigned by God Himself.
The Philistines looked at the political situation and saw a broken rod. God looked at the same situation and saw a perfectly ordered army marching out of the north. They saw a vacuum of power; God saw the execution of His righteous judgment. This is the difference between a secular and a biblical worldview. The secularist sees only secondary causes, only human actors. The Christian sees the sovereign hand of God orchestrating all things, including the movement of armies, for His own glory and the fulfillment of His own purposes. There is no such thing as a stray bullet or a rogue nation in God's economy. All are servants of His will, whether they know it or not.
The Only Secure Answer (v. 32)
The oracle concludes with a question and a declaration. It moves from the particular judgment on Philistia to the universal principle of God's kingdom.
"How then will one answer the messengers of the nation? That Yahweh has founded Zion, And the afflicted of His people will take refuge in it." (Isaiah 14:32 LSB)
Imagine the scene. "Messengers of the nation," perhaps Philistine envoys, or emissaries from other small nations, come to Jerusalem. They are in a panic. The Assyrian war machine is on the move. They want to form an alliance, a coalition to resist the great power from the north. They come to the king of Judah with their frantic political proposals. "What is your plan? What intelligence do you have? Which faction will you support?" They are asking horizontal questions, looking for a horizontal solution.
And what is the answer to be? It is not a strategic military plan. It is not a savvy political calculation. It is a theological declaration. The answer to the panicked messengers of the world is this: "Yahweh has founded Zion."
This is the bedrock of all reality. While the nations melt away, while their cities are turned to smoke and rubble, there is one city that cannot be shaken. And it is not secure because of its high walls, or its strong army, or its clever politicians. It is secure because of its Founder. Yahweh laid its foundations. Man did not build it, and man cannot overthrow it. All the frantic efforts of the nations, their alliances and their wars, are utterly irrelevant to the security of Zion.
And who lives in this secure city? Who finds shelter there when the smoke is rising from the north? It is "the afflicted of His people." It is the poor, the needy, the humble remnant who have abandoned all trust in themselves and have fled to God for refuge. The proud Philistines, trusting in their own strength and political savvy, are destroyed. The humble of Judah, trusting in God's foundation, are safe. Security is not found in what you can build, but in what God has built. It is not found in resisting the rod of judgment, but in taking refuge in the Founder of salvation.
Zion's Foundation is Christ
As with all Old Testament prophecy, this oracle finds its ultimate fulfillment in the Lord Jesus Christ. Zion is more than just a geographical location in Jerusalem. It is the assembly of God's covenant people, the Church. And the Church has one foundation, and one founder. As the Apostle Paul says, "For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:11).
The world is still in a panic. The smoke is always rising from the north, in one form or another. Messengers from the nations are constantly running to and fro, peddling their political solutions, their economic plans, their five-point strategies for saving civilization. They come to the church and they ask, "What is your answer to this crisis? What is your political program?"
And our answer must be the same as Isaiah's. Our answer is not a new policy paper. Our answer is a person. "Yahweh has founded Zion." God the Father has laid a foundation, and that foundation is His Son. He is the cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20). The world, in its pride, rejects this stone. But God has made Him the head of the corner. And on this foundation, He is building His church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18).
Who finds refuge in this city? The afflicted. The poor in spirit. Those who have been crushed by the weight of their own sin and failure. Those who have stopped trying to build their own little Philistine fortresses of self-righteousness and have fled for refuge to the hope set before them in the gospel. We are the afflicted, and He is our refuge. The world thinks this is weakness. They see our trust in a crucified and risen Savior as foolishness. But while their proud nations rise and fall, while their empires turn to dust and smoke, the city founded by Yahweh stands secure. For its foundation is not the shifting politics of men, but the finished work of Jesus Christ.