Isaiah 34:4 - Exposition

All the host of heaven shall be dissolved . A dissolution of the material frame of the heavens, in which the moon and stars are regarded as set, seems to be intended (comp. Matthew 24:29 ; 2 Peter 3:10 ). The slaughter of God's enemies is here connected with the cud of the world, as in the Book of Revelation ( Revelation 19:11-21 ). The heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll ; literally, as a book . Ancient books were written on long strips of paper or parchment, which, when unrolled, extended to many yards in length, but which might be rolled together "by means of one or two smooth round sticks into a very small compass." Such a rolling together of the widely extended heavens is here intended, not a shriveling by means of heat (comp. Revelation 6:14 ). All their host shall fall (comp. Matthew 24:29 , "The stars shall fall from heaven").