All peoples once scattered by sin will be welcomed by God’s grace to worship Him in unity.
“It will come about also in that day that a great trumpet will be blown, and those who were perishing in the land of Assyria and who were scattered in the land of Egypt will come and worship the Lord in the holy mountain at Jerusalem” (v.13). In this prophetic announcement, God promises a future gathering of His people from the far-flung regions where they have been oppressed. Assyria was located in the area of modern-day northern Iraq, northeastern Syria, and parts of Turkey, dominating the ancient Near East in the 8th century BC. Egypt, situated along the Nile River in northeastern Africa, had once enslaved the Israelites (Exodus 1:8-14). Isaiah, a prophet from around the 8th century BC, envisions a time when the exiles from both regions will be called back to the heart of worship at Jerusalem’s holy mountain, the Temple Mount.
By describing a “great trumpet” sounding, Isaiah portrays a decisive, unmistakable divine intervention. Often in the Old Testament, trumpets announced significant religious or military events (Exodus 19:16; Joshua 6:4). Here, the sounding of the trumpet signals that God Himself is calling His dispersed people home. In the broader biblical context, this gathering also foreshadows the Lord’s intention to bring salvation to all nations. Indeed, the New Testament identifies that partnership in the Messianic kingdom extends to Gentiles as well (Isaiah 27:13, 49:1, 49:6-7, 52:15; Matthew 8:5-12; Ephesians 3:6; 2 Peter 1:1-11). Thus, this promise not only brings hope for the Jewish exiles but points to God’s universal plan for redemption.
The city of Jerusalem, with its holy mountain, holds special significance as the center of devotion to the Lord. By gathering in worship there, these once-scattered groups display both God’s mercy toward His covenant people and His sovereignty over all nations. Their return suggests a new era of restored relationship with Him—a theme that resonates throughout Isaiah’s prophecies and is ultimately fulfilled in the Messiah’s work (Luke 4:18-21).
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Isaiah 27:13 meaning
“It will come about also in that day that a great trumpet will be blown, and those who were perishing in the land of Assyria and who were scattered in the land of Egypt will come and worship the Lord in the holy mountain at Jerusalem” (v.13). In this prophetic announcement, God promises a future gathering of His people from the far-flung regions where they have been oppressed. Assyria was located in the area of modern-day northern Iraq, northeastern Syria, and parts of Turkey, dominating the ancient Near East in the 8th century BC. Egypt, situated along the Nile River in northeastern Africa, had once enslaved the Israelites (Exodus 1:8-14). Isaiah, a prophet from around the 8th century BC, envisions a time when the exiles from both regions will be called back to the heart of worship at Jerusalem’s holy mountain, the Temple Mount.
By describing a “great trumpet” sounding, Isaiah portrays a decisive, unmistakable divine intervention. Often in the Old Testament, trumpets announced significant religious or military events (Exodus 19:16; Joshua 6:4). Here, the sounding of the trumpet signals that God Himself is calling His dispersed people home. In the broader biblical context, this gathering also foreshadows the Lord’s intention to bring salvation to all nations. Indeed, the New Testament identifies that partnership in the Messianic kingdom extends to Gentiles as well (Isaiah 27:13, 49:1, 49:6-7, 52:15; Matthew 8:5-12; Ephesians 3:6; 2 Peter 1:1-11). Thus, this promise not only brings hope for the Jewish exiles but points to God’s universal plan for redemption.
The city of Jerusalem, with its holy mountain, holds special significance as the center of devotion to the Lord. By gathering in worship there, these once-scattered groups display both God’s mercy toward His covenant people and His sovereignty over all nations. Their return suggests a new era of restored relationship with Him—a theme that resonates throughout Isaiah’s prophecies and is ultimately fulfilled in the Messiah’s work (Luke 4:18-21).