Isaiah 3.2

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Isaiah 27-29

You see, the same imagery is used in Revelation: a city of God’s people who will be forever protected by YHWH. And the snake is defeated!

Isaiah 27:2–13 “2 In that day, “A pleasant vineyard, sing of it! 3 I, the Lord, am its keeper; every moment I water it. Lest anyone punish it, I keep it night and day; 4 I have no wrath. Would that I had thorns and briers to battle! I would march against them, I would burn them up together. 5 Or let them lay hold of my protection, let them make peace with me, let them make peace with me.” 6 In days to come Jacob shall take root, Israel shall blossom and put forth shoots and fill the whole world with fruit. 7 Has he struck them as he struck those who struck them? Or have they been slain as their slayers were slain? 8 Measure by measure, by exile you contended with them; he removed them with his fierce breath in the day of the east wind. 9 Therefore by this the guilt of Jacob will be atoned for, and this will be the full fruit of the removal of his sin: when he makes all the stones of the altars like chalkstones crushed to pieces, no Asherim or incense altars will remain standing. 10 For the fortified city is solitary, a habitation deserted and forsaken, like the wilderness; there the calf grazes; there it lies down and strips its branches. 11 When its boughs are dry, they are broken; women come and make a fire of them. For this is a people without discernment; therefore he who made them will not have compassion on them; he who formed them will show them no favor. 12 In that day from the river Euphrates to the Brook of Egypt the Lord will thresh out the grain, and you will be gleaned one by one, O people of Israel. 13 And in that day a great trumpet will be blown, and those who were lost in the land of Assyria and those who were driven out to the land of Egypt will come and worship the Lord on the holy mountain at Jerusalem.”

Then the vision pivots to this final image of chapter 27: God’s delight in his vineyard! He is it’s keeper, we’ve talked about this a lot over our Isaiah study. Look at v. 4: I have no wrath. Would that I had thorns and briers to battle!

I want to show you what’s going on. The enemies of God’s people are the thorns and briers, the unrighteous and unfaithful. God has no wrath for his vineyard so long as their are no thorns and briers. V. 4 seems to tell us he’s ready to go to battle against them! This is perfectly consistent with what we’ve seen in these sections.

But then look at v. 5: And then v. 5: Or let them lay hold of my protection, let them make peace with me. He is giving the opportunity for the weeds of the world to make peace with him! Again, this also is consistent in Isaiah, let the nations come to the Lord.

To make peace with God, it reminds me of our peace with God as described in Romans 5:1 “1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The nations of the world, that’s us, we can have peace with God through Jesus.

As we continue through 27: we see that Jacob will take root, Israel will blossom and fill the whole world with fruit. And how will we get there, again I go through this quickly because it gets at the major themes of Isaiah: V. 7-8, they are first truck, then exiled, removed, BUT they are not totally destroyed. Their guilt will be atoned for and there will be a removal of sin, a removal of their pagan altars, a removal of their asherim poles. And this seemingly fortified city will be laid bare.

Sin will be taken care of! Now, let’s not get confused, we see the language of fortified city and we immediately go back to the fortified city of salvation in chapter 26. This is meant to be a contrast, this is the city of the world and of sin and idolatry, this city will be destroyed (remember we’re in the present) and the future city will come.

The chapter ends with a rpomise that God will doa threshing work, pruning and purifying. And in that day even those in Assyria and Egypt will come to worship the Lord in Jerusalem (that good city of salvation!).

What for us?

Trust in that future salvation! Again and again, turn ourselves to that reality!

But also, take seriously sin. Let’s put it to death in us now, because if we don’t, God will later! That doesn’t mean we’ll be condemned! By no means, we are safe and secure in Christ. No, but all sin will be put to death.

Instead, let us do what it says in Isaiah 26:4 “4 Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.”

Now, 27 ends on a positive note of this future vision of the city of God. That really does conclude Isaiah’s section here that is sometimes called the apocalypse of Isaiah. The vision of the future in which God will bring his judgment to bear on this world and rescue His people. Now let’s tourn to 28 and move into a new distinct section of Isaiah, 28-35.

Isaiah 28:1–13 ESV

1 Ah, the proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim, and the fading flower of its glorious beauty, which is on the head of the rich valley of those overcome with wine! 2 Behold, the Lord has one who is mighty and strong; like a storm of hail, a destroying tempest, like a storm of mighty, overflowing waters, he casts down to the earth with his hand. 3 The proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim will be trodden underfoot; 4 and the fading flower of its glorious beauty, which is on the head of the rich valley, will be like a first-ripe fig before the summer: when someone sees it, he swallows it as soon as it is in his hand. 5 In that day the Lord of hosts will be a crown of glory, and a diadem of beauty, to the remnant of his people, 6 and a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate. 7 These also reel with wine and stagger with strong drink; the priest and the prophet reel with strong drink, they are swallowed by wine, they stagger with strong drink, they reel in vision, they stumble in giving judgment. 8 For all tables are full of filthy vomit, with no space left. 9 “To whom will he teach knowledge, and to whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, those taken from the breast? 10 For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.” 11 For by people of strange lips and with a foreign tongue the Lord will speak to this people, 12 to whom he has said, “This is rest; give rest to the weary; and this is repose”; yet they would not hear. 13 And the word of the Lord will be to them precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little, that they may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

Though this is a distinct, new section of Isaiah, much of the themes will continue that were started previously. One of the major distinction is this: much of chapters 13-27 were oracles concerning other nations and to showcase God’s supremacy over other nations, here the attention is focused on the specific political situation in Judah and, particularly, the way Judah engages with the nations around them.

The focus that is continued here is this: will Judah trust YHWH or not? This section also seems to be the fulfillment of what Isaiah had foretold in chapters 7-8. Remember back then that King Ahaz had aligned with Assyria as Judah was worried about Israel (Ephraim and Samaria), this seems to be the picture of Samaria’s fall and Israel’s fall at the hands of Assyria.

In the intervening years, Judah turned toward their alliance with Egypt and Isaiah seems to think this is even stupider than the alliance with Assyria, this is what we’ll come to over the course of these chapters, and what we’ll see is the repetition of the funeral cry—in Hebrew hoy—often translated Woe or Ah as it is here in the ESV, we’ll see this repeated. That word expresses lament and that’s what Isaiah is feeling in this season. This whole section then is a strong rebuke by the prophet.

V. 1-3—Isaiah starts his rebuke against the leaders of Israel, the northern kingdom—they are the drunkards that wear flower crowns whose beauty has faded in their revelry.

The proud crown is also said to be laid on the head of the rich valley, this would be a reference to Samaria. This proud people to busy in their drunkenness are unaware that the Lord has one who is “mighty and strong” ready to destroy then. This then would be Assyria.

Isaiah is saying: you foolish leaders, you foolish people, you drunk and distracted people. You people so caught up in your comforts and indulgences that you miss that the Lord is raising up someone against you. And what will be the result? The proud of the Israel will be trodden underfoot.

They will be like the first ripe fruit, snatched up and consumed!

One of the features we see of prophetic ministry in the bible and the bible in general is this: Isaiah understands that if anyone had actually listened to his message and heeded his warning, then these visions would not need to come to pass. It doesn’t have to be true! It doesn’t have to be like this. It’s like a parent telling their child what will happen if they continue on in their stupid or dangerous behavior…at some point if you jump off the couch you might break your hand! As happened to my son two years ago.

Isaiah also knows though that unheeding continuance will guarantee the visions he sees. He’s warning with all his might what is about to come! He’s saying, look: these dummies and ignorant folks in Samaria and Israel, they’re abotut to be destroyed, let this not happen to us as well.

V. 5-6 give us a picture of what could have been, with the Lord being a true crown of glory for the people rather than the fading crown that was trampled upon. And Isaiah does something here where it’s the what could have been—had you been obedient!—and the what definitely will be. The glory of God will reign, the glory of the lord will be placed on this remnant of his people.

Isaiah’s rebuke is again the national leaders and politics that have gotten thee nations into such a mess. Now in v. 7-13, Isaiah identifies the rot within even the religious leaders.

Look at v. 7: the image of the drunkard continues, but it is the priest and the prophet who reel with drink. They stumble and lack vision, they don’t give proper judgment, they lack disernment, they cannot lead their people!

And look at the attitude of v. 9: it’s as if to say: who are you to teach us? We’re old enough to tell right from wrong.

Which by the way is a major mistake that people make throughout the Bible, determining for oneself what is right and what is wrong. Ignoring the word of God through the prophet. They then mock the prophet further, oh you’re just putting laws and rules on us, it’s the same thing over and over and over. You’re so judgmental.

But look at v. 13, Isaiah uses this mocking against them. Because of their hardness of heart, because they have ignored the Lord and refused to hear Him, then yes, His word appears to them not as a gentle invitation to repentance, but as harsh repetitive words. Isaiah owns their accusation but turns it back on them, it is no Isaiah’s fault, it is their own hardness!

God’s word is simple: listen and rest in me. But they keep seeking security and safety and rescue in other things and what do they find? They find no rest at all.

Isaiah 28:14–29 ESV

14 Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you scoffers, who rule this people in Jerusalem! 15 Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we have an agreement, when the overwhelming whip passes through it will not come to us, for we have made lies our refuge, and in falsehood we have taken shelter”; 16 therefore thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: ‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’ 17 And I will make justice the line, and righteousness the plumb line; and hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and waters will overwhelm the shelter.” 18 Then your covenant with death will be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol will not stand; when the overwhelming scourge passes through, you will be beaten down by it. 19 As often as it passes through it will take you; for morning by morning it will pass through, by day and by night; and it will be sheer terror to understand the message. 20 For the bed is too short to stretch oneself on, and the covering too narrow to wrap oneself in. 21 For the Lord will rise up as on Mount Perazim; as in the Valley of Gibeon he will be roused; to do his deed—strange is his deed! and to work his work—alien is his work! 22 Now therefore do not scoff, lest your bonds be made strong; for I have heard a decree of destruction from the Lord God of hosts against the whole land. 23 Give ear, and hear my voice; give attention, and hear my speech. 24 Does he who plows for sowing plow continually? Does he continually open and harrow his ground? 25 When he has leveled its surface, does he not scatter dill, sow cumin, and put in wheat in rows and barley in its proper place, and emmer as the border? 26 For he is rightly instructed; his God teaches him. 27 Dill is not threshed with a threshing sledge, nor is a cart wheel rolled over cumin, but dill is beaten out with a stick, and cumin with a rod. 28 Does one crush grain for bread? No, he does not thresh it forever; when he drives his cart wheel over it with his horses, he does not crush it. 29 This also comes from the Lord of hosts; he is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom.

The focus shifts now to Jerusalem. If a terriblef ate has befallen Samaria, the rulers of Jersusalem should be on guard, yet they are as senseless as the others. The therefore is a way to reiterate warning, look: destruction comes, take note!

Isaiah calls the leaders of Jerusalem scoffers. One scholar says that this term is the most negative term used for the wicked and sinners in scripture for it desribes someone who not only sins and does wicked, but they mock the righteous, they mock those who would choose the way of YHWH and are enticing them to their own way.

When scoffers are the leaders in the city, the people are in a dire situation.

And indeed they are, for the rulers of Jerusalem have entered into a covenant with death! This is not good.

Now, what’s going on? This is Isaiah’s way of referring to their refusal to trust in the Lord and instead to make a covenant with the pagan nations around them. Of course they didn’t set out to make a covenant with death, but in effect, this is what they’ve done.

And remember, we’ve seen this already throughout Isaiah, Death is the great enemy of God. So if God’s people have made a covenant with death, what should they prepare for? They should be prepared for God to do away His enemy. The promise of this section is that judgment is coming and they will feel it’s pain and feel the hurt.

God is laying the foundations, the cornerstone of a new city.

The Book of Isaiah, Chapters 1–39 (a) Covenant with Death (28:14–22)

The cornerstone may be the whole complex of ideas relating to the Lord’s revelation of his faithfulness and the call to reciprocate with the same kind of faithfulness toward him. That entire message would one day be summed up in Jesus Christ. The issue remains the same today as then: upon what shall we build our lives, human schemes or divine trustworthiness?

That cornerstone is Jesus Christ. This is our hope. And look at what it says of God: He will make justice the line, righteousness and obedience the plumb line and he will get rid of everything else such that their covenant with death will be annulled. I love this, this is great hope!

You’ve made a bad deal, you’ve refused me, you’ve turned from me…I will wipe it all away and I will get rid of this covenant you’ve made.

This whole section then concludes with a parable of a farmer. This simple farmer is contrasted with the leaders of Jerusalem, and what is the difference? The farmer is rightly instructed, he listens to the instructions of the Lord. But within this parable to we see the design of pruning, of crushing, of threshing. These things are a part of the process, Judah is going through that. We might go through that, but it will not last for ever.