A new, worldwide flood—not of water but of fire—will be as destructive of men and beasts as in the days of Noah. By comparing the Assyrian archtyrant and his alliance of nations to the sea in commotion and a river in flood, Isaiah draws on ancient Near Eastern mythology to tell us that the new flood will be as devastating as the old and serve a similar purpose. Beginning with his own people, God allows the powers of chaos to rule until the earth is cleansed of wickedness.
Isaiah 8:7–8My Lord will cause to come up over them
the great and mighty waters of the River
the king of Assyria in all his glory.
He will rise up over all his channels
and overflow all his banks.
He will sweep into Judea [like] a flood
and, passing through, reach the very neck;
his outspread wings will span the breadth of your land,
O Immanuel.
Isaiah 28:2, 17–18My Lord has in store one mighty and strong:
as a ravaging hailstorm sweeping down,
or like an inundating deluge of mighty waters,
he will hurl them to the ground by his hand. . . .
A hail shall sweep away your false refuge
and waters flood the hiding place.
Your covenant with Death shall prove void,
your understanding with Sheol have no effect:
when the flooding scourge sweeps through,
you shall be overrun by it.
Isaiah 17:12Woe to the many peoples in an uproar,
who rage like the raging of the Sea—
tumultuous nations, in commotion
like the turbulence of mighty waters!
Isaiah 5:30He shall be stirred up against them in that day,
even as the Sea is stirred up.
And should one look to the land,
there [too] shall be a distressing gloom,
for the daylight shall be darkened
by an overhanging mist.
Isaiah 66:16With fire and with his sword shall Jehovah
execute judgment on all flesh,
and those slain by Jehovah shall be many.