Neville Goddard on Isaiah 33:1-12 - Mystical Bible Interpretation

Read Isaiah 33 in context

Scripture Focus

1Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou wast not spoiled; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! when thou shalt cease to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled; and when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee.

2O LORD, be gracious unto us; we have waited for thee: be thou their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble.

3At the noise of the tumult the people fled; at the lifting up of thyself the nations were scattered.

4And your spoil shall be gathered like the gathering of the caterpiller: as the running to and fro of locusts shall he run upon them.

5The LORD is exalted; for he dwelleth on high: he hath filled Zion with judgment and righteousness.

6And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD is his treasure.

7Behold, their valiant ones shall cry without: the ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly.

8The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth: he hath broken the covenant, he hath despised the cities, he regardeth no man.

9The earth mourneth and languisheth: Lebanon is ashamed and hewn down: Sharon is like a wilderness; and Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits.

10Now will I rise, saith the LORD; now will I be exalted; now will I lift up myself.

11Ye shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble: your breath, as fire, shall devour you.

12And the people shall be as the burnings of lime: as thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire.

Isaiah 33:1-12

Biblical Context

Isaiah 33:1-12 speaks of judgment, rescue, and the quiet power of divine order. It calls the faithful to seek God's strength, wisdom, and return to covenant in their inner life.

Neville's Inner Vision

Viewed inwardly, the 'woe' and 'spoil' are the ego's bargaining and fear moving in my own consciousness. When I stop preying on others in thought and stop letting the world prey on me, the reversal occurs not by changing people, but by changing my state. The Lord is spoken as 'my arm every morning' and 'my salvation in trouble' because the I AM that I am is my constant posture. As I lift up this awareness, the tumult fades and nations scatter within my mind, while wisdom and knowledge become the stability of my times. The fear of the Lord becomes my treasure, a reverent attitude that anchors judgment and righteousness in Zion - my inner center. Vacant highways, broken covenants, and barren lands describe my former patterns breaking away. The Lord declares, 'Now I rise' within me, lifting up my true nature. My breath is fire, burning away chaff and stubble; I am the lime and thorns purged by light. I am not destroyed but refined into life and strength.

Practice This Now

Imaginative act: I assume, 'The Lord is my arm this morning; salvation is mine now,' and feel that strength filling my chest. I stay with the sensation until it becomes my immediate reality.