Isaiah 26-30
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Chapter Review 26-30
Chapter Review 26-30
Chapter 26
The third (3) of four (4) chapter describing God’s victory over all His enemies ( 24:1-27:13 ). This section describes the the song that Jerusalem will sing, a song of Salvation when their enemies are vanquished. The city of God is compared to those who are lofty, they will be made low, the lowly people of God will be exalted. Even when grace is extended to the wicked they will not have it.
Chapter 27
In the millennial kingdom the nation of Israel is restored. We again revisit the vineyard but this time it is a good vineyard and produces good fruit. Israel’s mission of being a light to the world is restored.
Chapter 28
In Chapter 28 God declares judgment on the Northern Kingdom and then returns his focus on Judah. A familiar pattern. He then finishes with a message of hope. Isaiah also introduces the verse again about God’s cornerstone in contrast to the leaders of Judah. But a secondary meaning is that this is Christ the promised Messiah. Christ attributes this to Himself, He will cause many to stumble. Daniel completes the picture in Dan 2:45. The stone that made you stumble will break into pieces the nations of the earth
Chapter 29
The second warning of God’s wrath went to Jerusalem (the people of the southern kingdom of Judah, identified as Ariel) for embracing the outward signs of worship without any real emotion from the heart ( 29:1-14 )
In the third warning about other nations , Isaiah condemned those who “work in darkness” and “try to hide things from the LORD.” ( 29:15 )
Chapter 30
God always acts purposely ( 28:23ff ). Here His immediate purpose is with Egypt ( 30:1-7 ), Judah ( 30:8-17 ) and Assyria ( 30:27-33 ). And right in the middle is a glorious picture of Christ ( 30:18-26 )
Chapter 26
Chapter 26
Overview
The third (3) of four (4) chapter describing God’s victory over all His enemies ( 24:1-27:13 ). This section describes the the song that Jerusalem will sing, a song of Salvation when their enemies are vanquished. The city of God is compared to those who are lofty, they will be made low, the lowly people of God will be exalted. Even when grace is extended to the wicked they will not have it.
Security in Peace (26:1-4)
( 26:1-4 ) In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city; God will appoint salvation for walls and bulwarks. 2 Open the gates, That the righteous nation which keeps the truth may enter in. 3 You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. 4 Trust in the Lord forever, For in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength
Q: What are some of the things that they will be sung in Judah (26:1-4)?
Strong City
( 26:1 ) In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city;
— A strong city because the Lord is the author of salvation ( 25:9 )
— That’s Christ (cf. Heb 12:2 )
2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Walls
( 26:1 ) God will appoint salvation for walls and bulwarks
— He is the author of our salvation and His saving power surrounds the city
— Like walls and ramparts (NIV)
Open the gates
( 26:2 ) Open the gates, That the righteous nation which keeps the truth may enter in
— Only righteous Israel can enter Jerusalem in the future
— The redeemed remnant from other nations will also come (Zech 14:16-19)
— They are right with God but not perfect
— ( 26:16 ) They receive discipline
Peace
( 26:3 ) You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You
— A peace the wicked will never know ( 48:22; 57:21 )
— Isaiah repeats this twice (2x)
Peek Ahead
— The wicked will never know this peace
— “There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked.” ( 48:22 )
Christ is our peace
— Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace ( 9:6 )
— “For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation” ( Eph 2:14 )
— “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” ( John 14:27 )
Rock of Ages
( 26:4 ) Trust in the Lord forever, For in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength
— Lit. “Rock of Ages”
— A cliff where we can seek shelter, find refuge
Security in Peace > High and Low(26:5-9)
( 26:5-9 ) For He brings down those who dwell on high, The lofty city; He lays it low, He lays it low to the ground, He brings it down to the dust. 6 The foot shall tread it down— The feet of the poor And the steps of the needy.” 7 The way of the just is uprightness; O Most Upright, You weigh the path of the just. 8 Yes, in the way of Your judgments, O Lord, we have waited for You; The desire of our soul is for Your name And for the remembrance of You. 9 With my soul I have desired You in the night, Yes, by my spirit within me I will seek You early; For when Your judgments are in the earth, The inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness
Q: What will God do to those who live in the lofty City? 26:5?
Make them low
( 26:5 ) For He brings down those who dwell on high, The lofty city; He lays it low, He lays it low to the ground, He brings it down to the dust
— The arrogant inhabit the lofty city
( 26:1 ) The foot shall tread it down— The feet of the poor And the steps of the needy.”
— The poor / humble inhabit the strong city (cf. James 1:9,10)
9 Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, 10 but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away.
God’s People
— ( 26:6 ) God’s people are poor
— We contribute nothing to God’s victory
John Goldingay
“I took part in interviewing a prospective new faculty member… the interviewee referred to forwarding God’s kingdom, and it reminded me that the Bible never talks about our having that responsibility. One reason we take it on is that we can’t see God doing so. Like much of Isaiah 24-27, it presupposes a time in Israel’s life in or after the exile where people have been waiting for God to act but can’t see God’s activity either in restoring them or in putting down the superpower.”
Q: How is the way of the just described in vv 7-9?
Straight
( 26:7 ) The way of the just is uprightness;
— The path of the righteous is level (NIV)
Level
— How those who are right with God look at life
— The path is smooth, level. A link between His nature and the planned pathway
Make level
( 26:7c ) O Most Upright, You weigh the path of the just
— weigh is to “make level”
— In a land of hills and windy roads, he spoke of a straight and level path for the poor and needy (Isa 26:5)
Waited for You
( 26:8 ) Yes, in the way of Your judgments, O Lord, we have waited for You;
— The key to the future remnant’s redemption / salvation is their complete dependence on God
— Patience - God’s people wait for God to act
As the Deer
( 26:8 ) The desire of our soul is for Your name And for the remembrance of You
— “As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God.” (cf. Ps 42:1 )
Night … early
( 26:9 ) With my soul I have desired You in the night, Yes, by my spirit within me
— The pious long for God all the time
Your Best Time
( 26:9b ) I will seek You early;
— Whether early morning is your best time or late afternoon, give the Lord your best time each day
Punishment
( 26:9c ) For when Your judgments are in the earth, The inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness
— When God punishes, it leads sinners to repentance
Security in Peace > High and Low > Impenetrable Blindness (26:10-11)
( 26:10-11 ) Let grace be shown to the wicked, Yet he will not learn righteousness; In the land of uprightness he will deal unjustly, And will not behold the majesty of the Lord. 11 Lord, when Your hand is lifted up, they will not see. But they will see and be ashamed For their envy of people; Yes, the fire of Your enemies shall devour them
Q: What happens when grace is shown to the wicked? Isa 26:10-11
Turn their backs
( 26:10 ) Let grace be shown to the wicked, Yet he will not learn righteousness; In the land of uprightness he will deal unjustly, And will not behold the majesty of the Lord
— God shows his love, mercy but the wicked turn their backs to it
— Even when God shows himself to the wicked, they recognize God, but He remains
— marginal
— incidental
— insignificant
— A checkbox in polite ( or political ) conversation
They will envy
( 26:11 ) Lord, when Your hand is lifted up, they will not see. But they will see and be ashamed For their envy of people; Yes, the fire of Your enemies shall devour them
— When God lifts His hand in judgment against them, the wicked, they will recognize His compassion for the remnant and feel ashamed
— They will envy God’s people
Security in Peace > High and Low > Impenetrable Blindness > Peace by God’s hand (26:12-15)
( 26:12-15 ) Lord, You will establish peace for us, For You have also done all our works in us. 13 O Lord our God, masters besides You Have had dominion over us; But by You only we make mention of Your name. 14 They are dead, they will not live; They are deceased, they will not rise. Therefore You have punished and destroyed them, And made all their memory to perish. 15 You have increased the nation, O Lord, You have increased the nation; You are glorified; You have expanded all the borders of the land
Divinely Ordered
( 26:12 ) Lord, You will establish peace for us, For You have also done all our works in us
— Lord, you will establish peace for us
Foreigners Dominated
(26:13) O Lord our God, masters besides You Have had dominion over us; But by You only we make mention of Your name
— many countries dominated Israel:
— Assyria
— Egypt
— Babylonians in the future
In the past
( 26:14 ) They are dead, they will not live; They are deceased, they will not rise. Therefore You have punished and destroyed them, And made all their memory to perish
— Now a thing of the past
— The overlords are a thing of the past in the Millennial kingdom
— They are dead, destroyed
Israel enlarged
( 26:15 ) You have increased the nation, O Lord, You have increased the nation; You are glorified; You have expanded all the borders of the land
— By divine action, God made Israel stronger, larger
— And this glorifies God
— Isaiah sees this as if it has already happened
Security in Peace > High and Low > Impenetrable Blindness > Peace by God’s hand > Out of the dust (26:16-19)
( 26:16-19 ) Lord, in trouble they have visited You, They poured out a prayer when Your chastening was upon them. 17 As a woman with child Is in pain and cries out in her pangs, When she draws near the time of her delivery, So have we been in Your sight, O Lord. 18 We have been with child, we have been in pain; We have, as it were, brought forth wind; We have not accomplished any deliverance in the earth, Nor have the inhabitants of the world fallen. 19 Your dead shall live; Together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust; For your dew is like the dew of herbs, And the earth shall cast out the dead
A contrast
— A contrast between what the people have done ( 16-18 ) vs. what the Lord has done ( 12-15 )
Prayed
( 26:16 ) Lord, in trouble they have visited You, They poured out a prayer when Your chastening was upon them
— Trouble…chastening
— Israel’s experiences drove them to prayer
Experiences
( 26:17-18 ) As a woman with child Is in pain and cries out in her pangs, When she draws near the time of her delivery, So have we been in Your sight, O Lord. 18 We have been with child, we have been in pain; We have, as it were, brought forth wind; We have not accomplished any deliverance in the earth, Nor have the inhabitants of the world fallen
— Israel’s tumultuous history is compared to a pregnant women
— Israel has suffered greatly but also tried to free themselves from their afflictions
— OT imagery of Israel (cf. 66:7-9; Jer 4:31, 13:21;Rev 12:1-2)
Resulted in nothing
( 26:18 ) We have not accomplished any deliverance in the earth
— All that work and no baby!
— All their effort resulted in ZERO because they didn’t depend on the Lord
Resurrection
( 26:19 ) Your dead shall live; Together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust; For your dew is like the dew of herbs, And the earth shall cast out the dead
— Corporate resurrection
— Those who placed their trust in Him will live
— Ezek 37 - dead bones
— Individual resurrection (Dan 12:2)
J Vernon McGee
Today we live in a cemetery. Dead people everywhere. In the future the world will never have a dead person.
— The earth will be gone
— Great white throne judgment (Rev 20)
Security in Peace > High and Low > Impenetrable Blindness > Peace by God’s hand > Out of the dust > Security in Wrath(26:20-21)
( 26:20-21 ) Come, my people, enter your chambers, And shut your doors behind you; Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, Until the indignation is past. 21 For behold, the Lord comes out of His place To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; The earth will also disclose her blood, And will no more cover her slain
Come…shut your doors
( 26:20 ) Come, my people, enter your chambers, And shut your doors behind you
— Security in peace ( 1-4 ) matched by security in wrath ( 20-21 )
Hide for a moment
( 26:20c ) Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, Until the indignation is past
— Be patient
— Continue praying until God’s judgment is over
God will judge
( 26:21 ) For behold, the Lord comes out of His place To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity;
The victims
( 26:21c ) The earth will also disclose her blood, And will no more cover her slain
— The victims will testify against their murders
— Concealed sin long covered will be exposed
— The victims will be resurrected too along with their slayers
Chapter 27
Chapter 27
Overview
In the millennial kingdom the nation of Israel is restored. We again revisit the vineyard but this time it is a good vineyard and produces good fruit. Israel’s mission of being a light to the world is restored.
— Some things that can only happen in the millennial kingdom (cf 27:5 )
The Leviathan (27:1)
( 27:1 ) In that day the Lord with His severe sword, great and strong, Will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan that twisted serpent; And He will slay the reptile that is in the sea
Q: What is the Leviathan described in 27:1 and what will God do to it?
Leviathan
— Some large sea creature (Job 41:1)
— It can overwhelm man, but not God
Satan
— Some think that this refers to Satan because it says: Leviathan that twisted serpent
— The serpent is Satan
— Revelation calls him a dragon and a serpent (Rev 12:17)
OT.
— But when the OT refers to the Leviathan, it refers to it as a water beast, real or imaginary
— Put a hook in its mouth (Job 41:1)
— Broke his head and feed people like feeding people fish (Pss 74:14)
— He swims in the ocean where sailors journey (Pss 104:26)
— A sea-going dinosaur
( 27:1 ) the reptile that is in the sea
— Here described as a twisted serpent in the sea
God is greater
— God is greater than His creation
— The Leviathan can conquer man but he cannot conquer God his creator
— He will punish the Leviathan, the fleeing serpent
The Lord’s sword
His sword is:
— Fierce
— Great
— Powerful
It matches the description of His enemy (serpent… serpent… monster)
Q: What is the sword of the Lord? Is it the Word of God?
Christ as the Word
— if the Lord created the world with His Word alone, He can surely judge it (cf. Rev 19:15; John 1:1; Eph 6:17)
15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
— Christ is judge (John 5:22, 27; 9:39; Acts 10:42; 17:31 )
The Leviathan > The Lord’s vineyard (27:2-6)
( 27:2-6 ) In that day sing to her, “A vineyard of red wine! 3 I, the Lord, keep it, I water it every moment; Lest any hurt it, I keep it night and day. 4 Fury is not in Me. Who would set briers and thorns Against Me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together. 5 Or let him take hold of My strength, That he may make peace with Me; And he shall make peace with Me.” 6 Those who come He shall cause to take root in Jacob; Israel shall blossom and bud, And fill the face of the world with fruit
This vineyard bore fruit
( 27:2 ) In that day sing to her, “A vineyard of red wine!
— Unlike the vineyard of (5:1-7) this vineyard bore fruit
— What a contrast
The Vine
— Imagery portrayed Israel as God’s vine (cf. Ps 80:8)
— Jeremiah said that Israel was the channel through which God’s covenant blessings would flow (Jer 2:21)
— But Israel was fruitless
— Hosea lamented (Hos 10:1) (cf. Isa 27:2-6, Jer 12:10-13; Ezek 15:1-8, 19:10-14; John 15:1,5)
— Jesus said in John, I am the vine, the last of 7 “I AM” statements in John 15
Q: What will Go do for His vineyard in the Millennial kingdom (vv2,3)?
Water it
( 27:3 ) I, the Lord, keep it, I water it every moment; Lest any hurt it, I keep it night and day
— Tend it, water it
— Watch over it day and night
Guard it
( 27:4 ) Fury is not in Me. Who would set briers and thorns Against Me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together
— Zealously guard it
Make peace
( 27:5 ) Or let him take hold of My strength, That he may make peace with Me; And he shall make peace with Me.”
— This is the only place in the bible that says man can make peace with God
— This is in the Millennial
— Christ made peace with God on our behalf
— “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” ( Rom 5:1 )
— God has declared Himself to be at war with men because of our rebellion (cf. Rom 1:18, 5:10, 8:7; Ex 22:24; John 3:36; Eph 5:6, Deut 32:21,22, Pss 7:11)
Restored Israel
( 27:6 ) Those who come He shall cause to take root in Jacob; Israel shall blossom and bud, And fill the face of the world with fruit
— Israel shall blossom and bud
— Fill the whole world with fruit
— The whole world becomes the Lord’s vineyard
— This has always been the Lord’s intention
The Leviathan > The Lord’s vineyard > The Lord dealings with his people (27:7-11)
( 27:7-11 ) Has He struck Israel as He struck those who struck him? Or has He been slain according to the slaughter of those who were slain by Him? 8 In measure, by sending it away, You contended with it. He removes it by His rough wind In the day of the east wind. 9 Therefore by this the iniquity of Jacob will be covered; And this is all the fruit of taking away his sin: When he makes all the stones of the altar Like chalkstones that are beaten to dust, Wooden images and incense altars shall not stand. 10 Yet the fortified city will be desolate, The habitation forsaken and left like a wilderness; There the calf will feed, and there it will lie down And consume its branches. 11 When its boughs are withered, they will be broken off; The women come and set them on fire. For it is a people of no understanding; Therefore He who made them will not have mercy on them, And He who formed them will show them no favor
Q: In Isaiah 27:7 the question is asked, why does God punish Israel more than the other nations?
( 27:7 ) Has He struck Israel as He struck those who struck him? Or has He been slain according to the slaughter of those who were slain by Him?
Light creates responsibility
— More light, more responsibility
— The more you know about the bible the stricter the judgment
— “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment” (cf. James 3:1 )
John Gresham Machen
In one of His sermons the theologian John Gresham Machen once said, “I wish I hadn’t told you, the fires of hell will burn that much hotter”
Measured
— His punishment was sever but He did not destroy Israel like he did other nations
— They were sent into captivity
WAIT! Is this teaching that God takes away our sins by punishing us? If so, Rome is right, we must satisfy God
Q: How is Israel’s punishment described in vv9-11?
Remedy
— God uses punishment as a remedy to cure us of our diseases otherwise we will abuse His mercy, goodness, patience
— They are not to cause God to reward us because we’ve somehow satisfied God
Repentance
— The result should be repentance
— Chastisement is life fire, it purifies us
— “For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined.” ( Ps 66:10 )
— “Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding;” ( Prov 3:12 )
Fruit
( 27:9 ) Therefore by this the iniquity of Jacob will be covered; And this is all the fruit of taking away his sin:
— Fruit follows repentance
( 27:9b ) When he makes all the stones of the altar Like chalkstones that are beaten to dust, Wooden images and incense altars shall not stand
— They have smashed their altars
— wooden idols
— incense
— Everything beaten to dust
Rest of the world
( 27:10 ) Yet the fortified city will be desolate, The habitation forsaken and left like a wilderness;
— Yet the fortified city will be desolate
— Some city, not the remnant
— But some unidentified city will be desolate
— Overthrow of the world city
Q: What do you see in Isa 27:10-11?
Desolate
— The fortified city will be desolate like a wilderness
— Grazing cattle
( 27:11 ) When its boughs are withered, they will be broken off; The women come and set them on fire
— The women set the withered boughs on fire
— No need for soldiers, women will do the work of setting these withered boughs on fire
— They execute God’s judgment
No understanding
( 27:11b ) For it is a people of no understanding
— It is a people of no understanding (cf. Prov 1:7)
— Is this all taking place in the millennial?
— At the end of the millennial is judgement
( 27:11c ) Therefore He who made them will not have mercy on them, And He who formed them will show them no favor
— Because they lack understanding (cf. Isa 5:13, Prov 29:18, Hos 4:6), God their creator withholds his mercy
No Favor
— Tragically, they have put themselves beyond the reach of His favor
The Leviathan > The Lord’s vineyard > The Lord dealings with his people > The Lord’s harvested people (27:12-13)
( 27:12-13 ) And it shall come to pass in that day That the Lord will thresh, From the channel of the River to the Brook of Egypt; And you will be gathered one by one, O you children of Israel. 13 So it shall be in that day: The great trumpet will be blown; They will come, who are about to perish in the land of Assyria, And they who are outcasts in the land of Egypt, And shall worship the Lord in the holy mount at Jerusalem
Q: What happens next ? vv12-13
Gathers the remnant
( 27:12 ) And it shall come to pass in that day That the Lord will thresh, From the channel of the River to the Brook of Egypt; And you will be gathered one by one, O you children of Israel
— God gathers His remnant
— Judgment of Israel’s enemies is complete
— End of Daniel’s 70th week
— The faithful remnant of Israelites will return to the land (Matt 24:31)
— The great trumpet (cf. 1 Cor 15:52, 1 Thess 4:16, Zech 9:14)
Blessings
— The user of historical names (Assyria, Egypt) here is like the user of Moab in ( 25:10 )
— Just as eschatological judgement fall on real people, so here does eschatological blessings
Ends of the earth
( 27:13 ) So it shall be in that day: The great trumpet will be blown; They will come, who are about to perish in the land of Assyria, And they who are outcasts in the land of Egypt, And shall worship the Lord in the holy mount at Jerusalem
— The trumpet will call to the ends of the earth
— Egypt and Assyria in particular were used ( 19:23ff; 27:13 ) to signify the incoming of the nations into a single people of the Lord
Chapter 28
Chapter 28
Overview
Isaiah 28 is a new section. Isaiah 24-27: prophecies that were entirely future (great tribulation). Is 13-23 were judgments / burdens for the immediate future, largely fulfilled. Isaiah spoke both - into the immediate future and the distant future. Now in 28-35 you have the immediate and the far brought together. The present that has been fulfilled will illustrate that yet to be fulfilled (McGee)
In Chapter 28 God declares judgment on the Northern Kingdom ( Ephraim ) and then returns his focus on Judah. The northern kingdom of Israel has fallen to the Assyrians, leaving a lesson for Jerusalem under similar circumstances to learn about foreign alliances. He then finishes with a message of hope. Isaiah also introduces the verse again about God’s cornerstone in contrast to the leaders of Judah. But a secondary meaning is that this is Christ the promised Messiah. Christ attributes this to Himself, He will cause many to stumble. Daniel completes the picture in Dan 2:45. The stone that made you stumble will break into pieces the nations of the earth
Fly over
( 28-35 ) God’s people have failed under pressure, deserted faith for political expediency but the Lord’s promises do not fail. The King will reign ( 31:1 ). His redeemed will enter the city with joy ( 35:9-10 ). The six woe’s culminate in the great tribulation ( chapter 34 )
Poems
Remember the Genre of these messages. This section is poetry in the original Hebrew. They have rhyming patterns. These chapters were probably messages that Isaiah preached. Either he arranged them into this book or someone else did. But they weren’t written all at the same time and they weren’t delivered like an epistle (letter).
Ephraim: and end and a beginning (28:1-6)
( 28:1-6 ) Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, Whose glorious beauty is a fading flower Which is at the head of the verdant valleys, To those who are overcome with wine! 2 Behold, the Lord has a mighty and strong one, Like a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, Like a flood of mighty waters overflowing, Who will bring them down to the earth with His hand. 3 The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, Will be trampled underfoot; 4 And the glorious beauty is a fading flower Which is at the head of the verdant valley, Like the first fruit before the summer, Which an observer sees; He eats it up while it is still in his hand. 5 In that day the Lord of hosts will be For a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty To the remnant of His people, 6 For a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, And for strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate
Q: Isaiah starts with judgment, he announces “woes” Whom does he judge in Isa 28:1?
Ephraim
— Northern kingdom, also called Israel
— Ephraim was one of the 12 tribes
— Ephraim means “being fruitful”
— Together with the tribe of Manasseh it formed the house of Joseph
— Ephraim, Joseph, Israel used interchangeably
Crown of Pride
( 28:1 ) Woe to the crown of pride
1st Woe
— Puffed up with Pride
— God had given them much fruit
— It should have been a crown of praise, instead it became a crown of pride
— Those that are rich in this world can easily become prideful ( 1 Tim 6:17 )
17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.
Samaria
— The capital city of Ephraim was Samaria
— On a hill, like a crown, overlooking a beautiful lush valley
In decline
( 28:1b ) Whose glorious beauty is a fading flower Which is at the head of the verdant valleys
— God can easily take away their beautiful valley, corn and grain, their riches
Hosea
— Hosea, a contemporary (like Amos and Micha) who lived in Ephraim
— He said the same thing
— “Therefore I will return and take away My grain in its time And My new wine in its season, And will take back My wool and My linen, Given to cover her nakedness” ( Hosea 2:9 )
It all belong to Him anyway
Don’t hold on to anything too tightly
Q: How does he describe them in vv1-8?
Drunkards
( 28:1,3 ) to the drunkards of Ephraim
— This could be literal drunkenness or a combination of wealth and pride, a deadly combination
— They despised men and God
— high on their hill, they were like drunkards oblivious to any danger
Stagger Stumble
— They are in ministry the same way they are in private
— They are good for nothing because they have lost their “salt” effectiveness, their witness (cf. Matt 5:13)
13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
Swallowed up
— What they swallow is in reality swallowing them up
Priest and Prophet
— Their leaders
— Drunkenness has infected even their leaders
— The result is false spiritual guidance
No place is clean
— When the leaders wallow in filth, what hope is there for the nation
Q: How is the judgement described (vv2-4)?
mighty waters
( 28:2 ) Behold, the Lord has a mighty and strong one, Like a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, Like a flood of mighty waters overflowing,
Assyrians come
— The Assyrians will come upon the Northern Kingdom like a flood of mighty waters
— Overflowing and carrying everything away
God has determined
( 28:2 ) Who will bring them down to the earth with His hand
— He will throw it forcefully to the ground (NIV)
— He has determined to do it
Hand/Foot
( 28:3 ) he drunkards of Ephraim, Will be trampled underfoot
— God will use His hand and foot
— He will use all available means
— He will pull out all the stops
Swift Punishment
( 28:4 ) Like the first fruit before the summer, Which an observer sees; He eats it up while it is still in his hand
— He eats the fruit so fast it doesn’t even get to his mouth
— Like me at Krispy Kreme or with my wife at breakfast, she asks me, “Did you eat yet?”
A promise 28:4 His punishment will be swift
A true crown
( 28:5 ) In that day the Lord of hosts will be For a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty To the remnant of His people
— Replace the false crown of Ephraim ( 28:1 ) with the crown of the Lord ( 28:5 )
— Replace the fading with the eternal
The Remnant
— Again the remnant
— Following judgment comes the promise: The remnant of His people
Personal
( 28:6 ) For a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, And for strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate
— God will be personally involved
— His spirit will be given to Him who sits in judgment, Christ (11:2)
— And His strength will be given to those who are in battle
— Messiah is given a spirit of might ( 11:2 ) and he does not judge with the eyes ( 11:3 )
Counsel/Strength
— A civil government requires two things:
— Counsel
— Strength
— The Lord will provide both
Ephraim: and end and a beginning > An introduction (28:7-8)
( 28:7-8 ) But they also have erred through wine, And through intoxicating drink are out of the way; The priest and the prophet have erred through intoxicating drink, They are swallowed up by wine, They are out of the way through intoxicating drink; They err in vision, they stumble in judgment. 8 For all tables are full of vomit and filth; No place is clean
— Drunkenness has infected the spiritual leadership of the nation
— The result is false spiritual leadership
( 28:8 ) For all tables are full of vomit and filth; No place is clean
— tables full of vomit… no place is clean
— When this picture depicts the nation’s leaders, what hope is there for the nation?
— Jesus predicted that there would be false teachers/prophets (Matt 7:15)
— The book of Jude is all out false teachers and apostasy
— OT false teachers (Jer 23:14; Ezek 13:4; Mic 3:11; Zeph 3:4)
Ephraim: and end and a beginning > An introduction > The inescapable word (28:9-13)
( 28:9-13 ) “Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts? 10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little.” 11 For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people, 12 To whom He said, “This is the rest with which You may cause the weary to rest,” And, “This is the refreshing”; Yet they would not hear. 13 But the word of the Lord was to them, “Precept upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little,” That they might go and fall backward, and be broken And snared and caught
Q: How do the people view God’s message ? vv9,10
Context
— Here the context is so important
— So easy to take this out of context.
— I would like to interpret this another way but the context matters
Often interpreted as such:
— There is no short-cut to the Christian life
— It is spending time in the bible every day, daily grind, precept upon precept, line upon line
Mocking
( 28:9-10 ) “Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts? 10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little.”
— This is the drunkard’s sarcastically mocking response to Isaiah’s corrective advice
— Against Judah ( what advice ? )
— That they are like drunkards who have turned their back on God
Young
The Book of Isaiah: Volume 2, Chapters 19–39 1. Samaria Ripe for Judgment (28:1–29)
To stress the utter depravity of those to whom he speaks, Isaiah introduces them as mocking him. Far from being a nation devoted to God, Judah was a wicked nation, whose wickedness was even willing to express itself in mockery of the prophet. These words are difficult, but we would paraphrase the thought as follows: “Whom does he think he is teaching; to whom does he think he is explaining God’s revelation? Let him search as widely as he wishes, he will not find any who is in need of such teaching. Is it to those who are weaned from milk and who are old and no longer need their mother’s breasts?” This question would then demand an answer such as, “We know what we are doing, and we do not need wisdom such as this prophet is seeking to give us.”
Weaned
— The drunkard leaders resented it when Isaiah treated them as toddlers by reminding them of elementary truths
— What they mocked is what Isaiah wanted to achieve - understand the basic truth
Babbling
The drunkard’s sarcastic mocking used baby talk
— Precept upon precept, there a little - monosyllables
— sav iasav, sav iasav, kav iakav, kav iakav, ze’er sham, ze’er sham
Judgment
( 28:11 ) 11 For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people
— Since Judah would not listen to God’s prophet
— they would listen to a foreign invader who would speak to them in a tongue they would not understand
— When the simple clarity of God’s Word is rejected God judges them with that which is unintelligible
A sign
— God would use foreigners speaking in another language as a sign to Judah
— Quoted by Paul (cf. 1 Cor 14:21)
— Centuries later Paul says, God used unknown languages as a sign to unbelieving Israel
— These were a cursing, blessing and authority
A cursing
— This was a cursing because God would use the Assyrians to judge the Southern Kingdom (Judah)
— The leaders thought Isaiah’s words were too simple and rejected them
— A time would come when Judah heard the Assyrians and did not understand them
Jeremiah too
— Jeremiah lived after Isiah and witnessed the Babylonian judgment against Judah
— He said something similar to Isaiah (cf. Jer 5:15)
15 Behold, I will bring a nation against you from afar, O house of Israel,” says the Lord. “It is a mighty nation, It is an ancient nation, A nation whose language you do not know, Nor can you understand what they say.
MacArthur
Judgment again. When the apostles spoke at Pentecost in all these foreign languages (Acts 2:3-12) the Jews should have known that the judgment prophesied and historically fulfilled first by the Assyrians and then by the Babylonian captivity was about to fall again on them for their rejection of Christ, including the destruction of Jerusalem (AD 70) as it happened in 586 BC under Babylon
A Blessing
Tongues
— Speaking in Tongues was a blessing in that it reached non-Jews including Gentiles
Authority
A sign
— The sign of tongues also gave authority to those who preached judgment and blessing (cf. 2 Cor 12:12) including Paul (1 Cor 14:18)
Simple language
( 28:12 ) To whom He said, “This is the rest with which You may cause the weary to rest,” And, “This is the refreshing”; Yet they would not hear
— God offered them rest but they would not listen
— Yet, they would not hear
( 28:13 ) But the word of the Lord was to them, “Precept upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little,” That they might go and fall backward, and be broken And snared and caught
— The Lord imitates the mockery of the drunkards in jabber they could not understand
A Promise 28:13 He will trample His enemy underfoot
Ephraim: and end and a beginning > An introduction > The inescapable word > The Security that Failed (28:14-19)
( 28:14-19 ) Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you scornful men, Who rule this people who are in Jerusalem, 15 Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death, And with Sheol we are in agreement. When the overflowing scourge passes through, It will not come to us, For we have made lies our refuge, And under falsehood we have hidden ourselves.” 16 Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily. 17 Also I will make justice the measuring line, And righteousness the plummet; The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, And the waters will overflow the hiding place. 18 Your covenant with death will be annulled, And your agreement with Sheol will not stand; When the overflowing scourge passes through, Then you will be trampled down by it. 19 As often as it goes out it will take you; For morning by morning it will pass over, And by day and by night; It will be a terror just to understand the report.”
Q: How did God describe the rulers of Jerusalem — accuse them of doing (vv14,15)?
Covenant with Death
( 28:15 ) Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death And with Sheol we are in agreement
— They made a covenant with death
— Isaiah names no names, but they signed their own death warrant
— You can imagine the envoys returning from Egypt waiving a piece of paper - Peace! Peace!
— Judah was afraid of the Assyrians as well
— Hezekiah made an alliance with the Egyptian Pharaoh Tirhakah against Assyria (2 ki 19:9, Isa 37:9)
— God would cancel the agreement
— The Egyptians would be of no help
APPLICATION
APPLICATION
Is it worth selling out for temporary protection? There is only one who can save us from eternal death
Is it worth selling out for temporary protection? There is only one who can save us from eternal death
Between the line
Read between the lines
— Like his father before him, Hezekiah found the lure of politics and militarism too strong
— His envoys signed the Egyptian alliance
— The king of Assyria Sennacherib turned towards Judah and Hezekiah found that he conceived a baby that was not strong enough to bring to birth (Isa 37:3)
Underestimated
( 28:15 ) When the overflowing scourge passes through, It will not come to us,
— They totally underestimated what was about to happen
— It will not come to us
— overflowing scourge (NKJV)
— overflowing whip (ESV)
— you might survive one but not both
Expediency
( 28:15c ) For we have made lies our refuge, And under falsehood we have hidden ourselves.”
— The leaders did what was expedient
— Without admitting it, they had taken refuge in deceit, lies and falsehood
God’s way
( 28:16 ) Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily
— In contrast to the false security in foreigners, God’s way is a cornerstone, a sure foundation
— His Word, His promises are sure
— His faithfulness, His covenant with Abraham
A tried stone
— It is tried - the saints have depended on it and it has never failed
Quoted in the NT ( Acts 4;11, Rom 9:33, 1 Peter 2:6-8 )
A Promise 28:16 He would be their Rock and their Cornerstone
Q: This cornerstone also has another meaning. What is it?
Messiah
Coming of the Messiah (cf. Matt 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; Rom 9:33; Eph 2:20; 1 Peter 2:6-8, 8:14,15; Pss 118:22)
In ( 8:14 ) this was a stone of stumbling, a stone of offense (1 Pet 2:6-8)
6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.” 7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,” 8 and “A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense.” They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.
Peter says
— Here, Peter says that the cornerstone is the cornerstone of God’s spiritual house
Elect
— God chose the stone
Precious ἔντιμος (entimos)
— unequal in value, irreplaceable
— Those who believe in Christ will never be disappointed in Him
Israel Rejected
— When Christ came Israel rejected Him
— “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone.” (cf Ps 118:22 )
Stumbling
— Some will stumble over Christ
— They would not believe
Offense
— It was a rock of offense because it condemned works (cf. Matt 21:42)
Applied to Christ
— The Lord Jesus applied Pss 118:22 to Himself
— He is the one who Israel rejected
— In an earlier parable about the Landowner and the vine growers killing the Son, Jesus said I am the son you killed, I am the cornerstone you rejected
Daniel
— Daniel completes the picture in Dan 2:45
— The stone that made you stumble will break into pieces the nations of the earth
God’s plumb line
( 28:17 ) Also I will make justice the measuring line, And righteousness the plummet; The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, And the waters will overflow the hiding place
— God will make righteousness and justice his measurement for justice against scoffers
— measuring line = horizontal
— plumb line = vertical
28:15 rebutted
( 28:18-19 ) Your covenant with death will be annulled, And your agreement with Sheol will not stand; When the overflowing scourge passes through, Then you will be trampled down by it. 19 As often as it goes out it will take you; For morning by morning it will pass over, And by day and by night; It will be a terror just to understand the report.”
— A point by point rebuttal
— ( 28:18a ) They made a covenant ... it will be annulled
— ( 28:18d ) It will not come to us… you will be trampled down by it
—( 28:19 ) made lies our refuge … For morning by morning it will pass over, And by day and by night
— in other words, the attacks will come all day and all night without stopping
— No refuge
— ( 28:19 ) they mocked Isaiah’s words… it will be a terror just to understand the report
Ephraim: and end and a beginning > An introduction > The inescapable word > The Security that Failed > A strange deed (28:20-22)
( 28:20-22 ) For the bed is too short to stretch out on, And the covering so narrow that one cannot wrap himself in it. 21 For the Lord will rise up as at Mount Perazim, He will be angry as in the Valley of Gibeon— That He may do His work, His awesome work, And bring to pass His act, His unusual act. 22 Now therefore, do not be mockers, Lest your bonds be made strong; For I have heard from the Lord God of hosts, A destruction determined even upon the whole earth
Inadequate plans
( 28:20 ) For the bed is too short to stretch out on, And the covering so narrow that one cannot wrap himself in it
— Their plans ( a military alliance with Egypt ) are completely inadequate
— Bed is too short
— Blanket is too narrow
Alliance
— The word for “alliance” is translated here as blanket or covering
God will rise up
— God will judge His own people like he did against His enemies
Unusual
( 28:21 ) For the Lord will rise up as at Mount Perazim, He will be angry as in the Valley of Gibeon— That He may do His work, His awesome work, And bring to pass His act, His unusual act.
In sum, the God of the Bible is a loving God who is also a God who judges. However, the Lord would rather not judge people. Indeed, judgment is His “strange” work. Isaiah 28:21 (KJV) 21 For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.
— His strange work (NIV)
— alien in His work (NRSV)
— His strange act (ASV)
John Goldengay
Yahweh is capable of making himself act in judgment but it is his “strange work” (cf. Ezel 33:11)
Q: What lesson should people learn? v22?
They could escape
— God has determined something strange
— judgment on His own people
— But they could escape if they repented
Young
The Book of Isaiah: Volume 2, Chapters 19–39 1. Samaria Ripe for Judgment (28:1–29)
The punishment of the theocracy is an event of such strangeness that it causes one to pause and meditate. God appears to be destroying His own work. He had promised that salvation would come through the theocracy. Yet now He is about to destroy that theocracy. Is not that going against His own purposes? Surely this would appear to be a strange work, one foreign to what God usually does!
( 28:22 ) Now therefore, do not be mockers, Lest your bonds be made strong; For I have heard from the Lord God of hosts, A destruction determined even upon the whole earth
— Do not be mockers exhorts repentance
— The only thing resistance will do is make the bonds stronger
Ephraim: and end and a beginning > An introduction > The inescapable word > The Security that Failed > A strange deed > Discrimination in sowing and reaping (28:23-29)
( 28:23-29 ) Give ear and hear my voice, Listen and hear my speech. 24 Does the plowman keep plowing all day to sow? Does he keep turning his soil and breaking the clods? 25 When he has leveled its surface, Does he not sow the black cummin And scatter the cummin, Plant the wheat in rows, The barley in the appointed place, And the spelt in its place? 26 For He instructs him in right judgment, His God teaches him. 27 For the black cummin is not threshed with a threshing sledge, Nor is a cartwheel rolled over the cummin; But the black cummin is beaten out with a stick, And the cummin with a rod. 28 Bread flour must be ground; Therefore he does not thresh it forever, Break it with his cartwheel, Or crush it with his horsemen. 29 This also comes from the Lord of hosts, Who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance
Q: According to this parable, what does the plowman do (vv23-29)?
( 28:23 ) Give ear and hear my voice, Listen and hear my speech
— Give ear underlines the lessons of judgment
( 28:24-25) Does the plowman keep plowing all day to sow? Does he keep turning his soil and breaking the clods? 25 When he has leveled its surface, Does he not sow the black cummin And scatter the cummin, Plant the wheat in rows, The barley in the appointed place, And the spelt in its place?
— Farmer does the right tasks at the right season and in proportion. Not one size fits all. His purpose is not to destroy His people
— Farmer’s intention is not to destroy his crop
— The Lord’s work is purposeful shows that the Lord doesn’t plow for the sake of plowing
( 28:27-28 ) or the black cummin is not threshed with a threshing sledge, Nor is a cartwheel rolled over the cummin; But the black cummin is beaten out with a stick, And the cummin with a rod. 28 Bread flour must be ground; Therefore he does not thresh it forever, Break it with his cartwheel, Or crush it with his horsemen
— Caraway and cummin had to be threshed by hand and with a rod and stick
— A cartwheel or sledge would destroy the crop
— You have to be careful with soft grains
— The individual will determine what kind of judgment you get
APPLICATION
APPLICATION
The farmer uses special tools to plant and harvest tender herbs so he will not destroy them. He takes into account how fragile they are. God takes all of our individual circumstances and weaknesses into account. He deals with each of us sensitively. We should follow His example when we deal with others. Different people require different treatment. Be sensitive to the needs of those around you and the special treatment they may need (Application bible)
The farmer uses special tools to plant and harvest tender herbs so he will not destroy them. He takes into account how fragile they are. God takes all of our individual circumstances and weaknesses into account. He deals with each of us sensitively. We should follow His example when we deal with others. Different people require different treatment. Be sensitive to the needs of those around you and the special treatment they may need (Application bible)
The Future
— At this point the future of Israel is an open question
— We will come back to this in Chapter 30 and settle the question
Chapter 29
Chapter 29
Overview
The second warning of God’s wrath went to Jerusalem (the people of the southern kingdom of Judah) for embracing the outward signs of worship without any real emotion from the heart ( 29:1-14 )
In the third warning about other nations , Isaiah condemned those who “work in darkness” and “try to hide things from the LORD.” ( 29:15 )
Q: Against whom does God pronounce a Woe in 29:1,2?
The second woe: The City of Ariel (29:1-2)
( 29:1-2 ) “Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! Add year to year; Let feasts come around. 2 Yet I will distress Ariel; There shall be heaviness and sorrow, And it shall be to Me as Ariel.
Jerusalem
Woe to Ariel
— “Ariel” could mean “lion of God” (cf. 1 Chron 11:22, 2 Sam 23:20)
Lion
— Lion like heroes of Moab (NKJV)
— Two sons of Ariel of Moab (ASV)
— Describes these mighty warriors as lion like
— David is from the tribe of Judah and Jesus is described as the Lion of Judah
Altar
- “Ariel” could mean altar
— Ezekiel uses this term in Ezek 43:15
— The chief defense of the city was the altar
— They had walls and towers but they considered their greatest asset God, which is represented by the altar
— “Do not trust in these lying words, saying, ‘The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are these.’” ( cf. Jer 7:4 )
Woe
— A woe or judgment against Jerusalem
Distress
( 29:2 ) Yet I will distress Ariel; There shall be heaviness and sorrow
— God will distress not destroy the city
— Armies will surround the city but it will be God who directs them
Slaughter
( 29:2b ) And it shall be to Me as Ariel
— if we replace “Ariel” with “altar” it could be a picture of blood and sacrifice as the people were slaughtered by the Chaldeans (Babylonians) and many no doubt were killed by the Assyrians
OR
— REPENT and turn back to God
— Return Jerusalem to a holy city
The second woe: The City of Ariel > Divine Humbling (29:3-4)
( 29:3-4 ) I will encamp against you all around, I will lay siege against you with a mound, And I will raise siegeworks against you. 4 You shall be brought down, You shall speak out of the ground; Your speech shall be low, out of the dust; Your voice shall be like a medium’s, out of the ground; And your speech shall whisper out of the dust
3 I will encamp against you all around, I will lay siege against you with a mound, And I will raise siegeworks against you. 4 You shall be brought down, You shall speak out of the ground; Your speech shall be low, out of the dust; Your voice shall be like a medium’s, out of the ground; And your speech shall whisper out of the dust.
A tool
( 29:3 ) I will encamp against you all around, I will lay siege against you with a mound, And I will raise siegeworks against you
— They are a tool, an instrument in the Lord’s hand
— God used first the Assyrians (701 BC) and then the Babylonians ( 586 BC) against Judah (Jerusalem)
— He would whistle and raise a banner ( 5:26; 7:18 )
J Alec Motyer
Typical of the Bible, even when the action is mediated through earthly forces (5) it is still the direct action of the Lord. It is not that the Bible is ignorant of second causes or minimizes their culpability (see 10:5-15, Acts 2:23), but it refuses to allow us to live on earth as though we were dealing with second causes (in blessings as well as bane) by the Lord himself. We live by faith not by working the system
Brought Down
( 29:4 ) You shall be brought down, You shall speak out of the ground; Your speech shall be low, out of the dust; Your voice shall be like a medium’s, out of the ground; And your speech shall whisper out of the dust
— Reminds us of whisper and mutter ( 8:19 )
— People used spiritualist to communicate with the dead as King Saul did (1 Sam 28:3-20)
— The sin of necromancy, communicating with the dead
The second woe: The City of Ariel > Divine Humbling > Ariel delivered (29:5-6)
( 29:5-6 ) “Moreover the multitude of your foes Shall be like fine dust, And the multitude of the terrible ones Like chaff that passes away; Yes, it shall be in an instant, suddenly. 6 You will be punished by the Lord of hosts With thunder and earthquake and great noise, With storm and tempest And the flame of devouring fire
Q: What will happen to their enemies, v5?
Dust
( 29:5 ) “Moreover the multitude of your foes Shall be like fine dust, And the multitude of the terrible ones Like chaff that passes away; Yes, it shall be in an instant, suddenly
— Their foes will also be made like dust
— It will happen in an instant, suddenly
Earthquakes
( 29:6 ) You will be punished by the Lord of hosts With thunder and earthquake and great noise, With storm and tempest And the flame of devouring fire
— Punished … with thunder.. .earthquakes… fire
— Who is being punished here?
The second woe: The City of Ariel > Divine Humbling > Ariel delivered > A bad dream (29:7-8)
( 29:7-8 ) The multitude of all the nations who fight against Ariel, Even all who fight against her and her fortress, And distress her, Shall be as a dream of a night vision. 8 It shall even be as when a hungry man dreams, And look—he eats; But he awakes, and his soul is still empty; Or as when a thirsty man dreams, And look—he drinks; But he awakes, and indeed he is faint, And his soul still craves: So the multitude of all the nations shall be, Who fight against Mount Zion.”
Like a bad dream
— Isaiah describes all of Zion’s enemies like a bad dream
— you dream of eating but awake and are hungry
— You dream of drinking but awake thirsty
The second woe: The City of Ariel > Divine Humbling > Ariel delivered > A bad dream > Blindness and Illumination (29:9-14)
( 29:9-14 ) Pause and wonder! Blind yourselves and be blind! They are drunk, but not with wine; They stagger, but not with intoxicating drink. 10 For the Lord has poured out on you The spirit of deep sleep, And has closed your eyes, namely, the prophets; And He has covered your heads, namely, the seers. 11 The whole vision has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one who is literate, saying, “Read this, please.” And he says, “I cannot, for it is sealed.” 12 Then the book is delivered to one who is illiterate, saying, “Read this, please.” And he says, “I am not literate.” 13 Therefore the Lord said: “Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths And honor Me with their lips, But have removed their hearts far from Me, And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men, 14 Therefore, behold, I will again do a marvelous work Among this people, A marvelous work and a wonder; For the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, And the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden.”
Q: Why did the people not understand (vv9,10)?
Drunk
— Like drunken men they do not know what to say or do
— God speaks to them, they don’t understand
— No judgment, no understanding (Spiritually blind)
Judicial Judgment
( 29:10 ) For the Lord has poured out on you The spirit of deep sleep, And has closed your eyes, namely, the prophets; And He has covered your heads, namely, the seers
— Those who reject the gospel, God allows them to be hardened
— They loved darkness instead of light, so God gives them over to sleep
— God has blinded them
Paul quotes
— Paul quotes this in reference to God’s judicial blinding of Israel
— “Just as it is written: “God has given them a spirit of stupor, Eyes that they should not see And ears that they should not hear, To this very day.” ( Rom 11:8 )
The Literate Man
( 29:11 ) The whole vision has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one who is literate, saying, “Read this, please.” And he says, “I cannot, for it is sealed.”
— I “could” but the book is sealed
The Illiterate Man
( 29:12 ) Then the book is delivered to one who is illiterate, saying, “Read this, please.” And he says, “I am not literate.”
A double illustration
— One who cannot be bothered and one who does not care
— Disinterested, Lazy (lethargic, indolent)
Q: What problem did they have in v13?
Talk
( 29:13 ) Therefore the Lord said: “Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths And honor Me with their lips, But have removed their hearts far from Me
— They talk a good talk but in their hearts they have no interest in the Lord
— Use all the correct words but no heart reality
— Empty ritualism does not bring you closer to God
Hypocritical
— They say one thing but think another
— Not sincere worshipers
Their terms
( 29:13c ) And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men
— They worship on their terms ; men’s commandments
— Worshiped him based on what they wanted
— false prophets
— idolatrous kings
— The tradition of elders were of more value than the revealed word of God
The Lord
The Lord applied this to the Jews of His time (cf. Matt 15:8,9; Mark 7:6)
Peter
— Peter says we were redeemed from our futile ( NASB), aimless ( NKJV ) , empty way of life handed down to us (NIV)
— “knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. ( 1 Pet 1:18-19 )
— vain, worthless existence
— Unredeemed men or women are living a futile life
— Religious tradition is a feature of sin’d bondage ( Matt 15:3, 6; Gal 1:14 )
APPLICATION
APPLICATION
The people claimed to be close to God but they were disobedient and merely went through the motions, therefore, God would bring judgment upon them. Religion had become a routine, instead of real. Jesus quoted Isaiah’s condemnation of Israel’s hypocrisy when He spoke to the Pharisees. We are capable of hypocrisy. Often when we slip into routine patterns when we worship and we neglect to give God our love and devotion. If we want to be called God’s people, we must be obedient and worship Him honestly and sincerely (Application bible).
The people claimed to be close to God but they were disobedient and merely went through the motions, therefore, God would bring judgment upon them. Religion had become a routine, instead of real. Jesus quoted Isaiah’s condemnation of Israel’s hypocrisy when He spoke to the Pharisees. We are capable of hypocrisy. Often when we slip into routine patterns when we worship and we neglect to give God our love and devotion. If we want to be called God’s people, we must be obedient and worship Him honestly and sincerely (Application bible).
Human wisdom fails
( 29:14 ) For the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, And the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden.”
— The wisdom of wise men shall perish
— Man’s wisdom will ultimately fail
— Isaiah’s prophecy will have it’s ultimate fulfilment in the Millennium when all human wisdom dies
Paul - Downfall
— Paul used this verse to comment on the downfall of Greek culture (cf. 1 Cor 1: 18-19 )
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”
The second woe: The City of Ariel > Divine Humbling > Ariel delivered > A bad dream > Blindness and Illumination > Spiritual Transformation (29:15-24)
( 29:15-24 ) Woe to those who seek deep to hide their counsel far from the Lord, And their works are in the dark; They say, “Who sees us?” and, “Who knows us?” 16 Surely you have things turned around! Shall the potter be esteemed as the clay; For shall the thing made say of him who made it, “He did not make me”? Or shall the thing formed say of him who formed it, “He has no understanding”? 17 Is it not yet a very little while Till Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, And the fruitful field be esteemed as a forest? 18 In that day the deaf shall hear the words of the book, And the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness. 19 The humble also shall increase their joy in the Lord, And the poor among men shall rejoice In the Holy One of Israel. 20 For the terrible one is brought to nothing, The scornful one is consumed, And all who watch for iniquity are cut off— 21 Who make a man an offender by a word, And lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate, And turn aside the just by empty words
The first transformation: the subverting of reason (29:15-16)
Q: What is the reason for the next woe in v15?
Hide
( 29:15 ) Woe to those who seek deep to hide their counsel far from the Lord, And their works are in the dark; They say, “Who sees us?” and, “Who knows us?”
— The folly of human wisdom is to try to hide from the Lord
— They think God doesn’t see what they are doing
— like making a secret pack with Egypt to protect them from Assyria
— This is Isaiah’s third warning about other nations (cf 29:15-24 )
— He condemned those who “work in darkness” and “try to hide things from the LORD.”
In the third warning about other nations (see Isaiah 29:15-24), Isaiah condemned those who “work in darkness” and “try to hide things from the LORD.” (Isaiah 29:15)
Who sees us
— “Who Sees us?” Lit. Who knows us?
— No Guilt, no guilty conscience
— Instead a determination to live life on their terms
— Masters of their own fate
Invictus, William Ernest Henley
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.
APPLICATION
APPLICATION
29:15 How strange that so many people think they can hide from God. In Ps 139 we learn that God has examined us and knows everything about us. Would you be embarrassed if your best friends knew your personal thoughts? God knows them all (Application bible)
29:15 How strange that so many people think they can hide from God. In Ps 139 we learn that God has examined us and knows everything about us. Would you be embarrassed if your best friends knew your personal thoughts? God knows them all (Application bible)
Q: How did the people have things turned around, v 16?
( 29:16 ) Surely you have things turned around! Shall the potter be esteemed as the clay; For shall the thing made say of him who made it, “He did not make me”? Or shall the thing formed say of him who formed it, “He has no understanding”?
Deny Uniqueness
—You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay ( NIV )
— How foolish can you be? He is the Potter, and he is certainly greater than you, the clay! ( NLT )
— Do they think that they are equal with God?
Deny Sovereignty
— They deny His sovereignty
— Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, “You did not make me”? ( NIV )
— Should the created thing say of the one who made it, “He didn’t make me”? ( NLT)
Deny His wisdom
— They deny His wisdom
— He knows nothing (NIV)
— Does a jar ever say, “The potter who made me is stupid” ( NLT )
Turned around
( 29:17 ) Is it not yet a very little while Till Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, And the fruitful field be esteemed as a forest?
— Things are turned around but in a good way
— Even the seemingly ordered creation is in fact upside down and needs to be put right
— Forests turned into fields
— fields turned into forests
The second transformation: coming world renewal (29:17-21)
Q: What benefits would people receive in that day, v18-19?
Different
— The world described here (29:17-24) will be very different under Christ’s rule
— No more violence, gloom
— Instead, joy, understanding, praise to God!
— And yet, some people will still reject the Lord
In that day
( 29:18 )In that day
— Just so you know that he is talking about the Millennial kingdom, Isaiah adds, “in that day”
( 29:18 ) the deaf shall hear the words of the book, And the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness
— They don’t understand Isaiah now but one day they will
— No more spiritual blindness ( or actual blindness? )
— They didn’t understand but the Gentiles did (cf. Acts 26:18)
— Jesus gave this extra meaning (cf. Matt 11:4-6 )
4 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: 5 The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”
Joy
( 29:19 ) The humble also shall increase their joy in the Lord, And the poor among men shall rejoice In the Holy One of Israel
— Those who are in trouble are joyous
— Their joy will be full
— The poor will also rejoice
Q: What happens to the wicked, v 20?
Brought to nothing
( 29:20 ) For the terrible one is brought to nothing, The scornful one is consumed, And all who watch for iniquity are cut off
— They are terrible, ruthless people
— They are served by the breakdown of law and order
A Promise 29:20 The wicked would be brought to nothing
Q: what kinds of things do these wicked people do, v21?
Three (3) abuses
False Witnesses
( 29:21 ) Who make a man an offender by a word,
— bear false witness by their words
Crooked Lawyer
( 29:21b ) And lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate
— defender, the one who reproves, stand up in court
— in the gate: where the cases were heard
Corrupt Judge
( 29:21c ) And turn aside the just by empty words
— the corrupt judge
The third transformation: the changed fortune of Jacob (29:22-24)
( 29:22-24 ) Therefore thus says the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob: “Jacob shall not now be ashamed, Nor shall his face now grow pale; 23 But when he sees his children, The work of My hands, in his midst, They will hallow My name, And hallow the Holy One of Jacob, And fear the God of Israel. 24 These also who erred in spirit will come to understanding, And those who complained will learn doctrine.”
Q: What shall be said about Jacob, vv 22-24?
Abraham
— Abraham was brought out of a pagan background
— The Lord brought him into the land of Canaan (cf. Jos 24:2-3)
No Shame
( 29:22 ) Will no longer be ashamed
— After the salvation of Israel in the end times (that day), the children of Jacob will no longer cause their forefathers to blush over their wickedness (MacArthur)
( 29:23 ) But when he sees his children, The work of My hands, in his midst, They will hallow My name, And hallow the Holy One of Jacob, And fear the God of Israel
— Will Hallow God’s name
( 29:24 ) These also who erred in spirit will come to understanding, And those who complained will learn doctrine.”
— They will come together and understand and learn doctrine
— They will exchange their stubbornness for true instruction
Chapter 30
Chapter 30
Overview
God always acts purposely ( 28:23ff ). Here His immediate purpose is with Egypt ( 30:1-7 ), Judah ( 30:8-17 ) and Assyria ( 30:27-33 ) And right in the middle is a glorious picture of Christ ( 30:18-26 )
Short Review
Short Review
Alliance / Threat
When Ahaz was the king, the threat was the Northern Kingdom (Ephraim or Israel or Jacob) and their alliance with Syria. Assyria was the Southern Kingdom’s (Judah) protector. By the time of Hezekiah, the Assyrians had dealt with Ephraim( Northern Kingdom, also called Israel ) and Syria, just as Isaiah said it would happen. Now, Assyria is a threat and has turned against Judah and Judah needs to make plans to protect itself by making an alliance with Egypt. The fourth “woe” is against God’s “stubborn children” of Judah for relying on foreign alliances.
Trust in the Lord
Isaiah has said many times that the Lord is the great planner in Judah’s world. it would be stupid to make plans without consulting Him first
Egypt - Irony
Its bad that they look to anyone for refuge but how ironic that they look to Egypt. Have they forgotten their own story? Isaiah will use two chapters to drive this point home (31,32)
Summary
God always acts purposely (28:23ff). Here His immediate purpose is with Egypt ( 30:1-7 ), Judah ( 30:8-17 ) and Assyria ( 30:27-33 ). And right in the middle is a glorious picture of Christ ( 30:18-26 )
Q: For what act of rebellion does God criticize His people? Why was it wrong (30:1,2)?
So you wanna go back to Egypt (30:1-7)
( 30:1-7 ) “Woe to the rebellious children,” says the Lord, “Who take counsel, but not of Me, And who devise plans, but not of My Spirit, That they may add sin to sin; 2 Who walk to go down to Egypt, And have not asked My advice, To strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, And to trust in the shadow of Egypt! 3 Therefore the strength of Pharaoh Shall be your shame, And trust in the shadow of Egypt Shall be your humiliation. 4 For his princes were at Zoan, And his ambassadors came to Hanes. 5 They were all ashamed of a people who could not benefit them, Or be help or benefit, But a shame and also a reproach.” 6 The burden against the beasts of the South. Through a land of trouble and anguish, From which came the lioness and lion, The viper and fiery flying serpent, They will carry their riches on the backs of young donkeys, And their treasures on the humps of camels, To a people who shall not profit; 7 For the Egyptians shall help in vain and to no purpose. Therefore I have called her Rahab-Hem-Shebeth
Woe
— The fourth (4th) of six (6) in this section
— against Ephraim ( 28:1 )
— Against Ariel ( 29:1 )
— Those who do not seek God’s counsel (29:15 )
— Rebellious Children (30:1)
— Those who go to Egypt for help (31:1)
— Assyria (33:1)
Not seeking God
( 30:1 ) “Woe to the rebellious children,” says the Lord, “Who take counsel, but not of Me
— They make plans but they are not my plans
Not my Spirit
( 30:1b ) And who devise plans, but not of My Spirit, That they may add sin to sin;
— They sought a covering other than the spirit. It was a deliberate act of sin
— They compounded their sin by heaping sin upon sin
Going back to Egypt
( 30:2 ) Who walk to go down to Egypt, And have not asked My advice
— The Lord said, don’t go back to Egypt
— “ But he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, for the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall not return that way again” (cf. Dt 17:16 )
— Now, they are making an alliance with Egypt
— Egypt was the place of death (Ex 1:22)
— What a place to expect life! (28:15)
Keith Green So you wanna go back to Egypt - by Keith Green
Strength
— ( 30:3 ) Therefore the strength of Pharaoh Shall be your shame, And trust in the shadow of Egypt Shall be your humiliation
— They didn’t care in the power of God
— The source of their strength was men
— They openly displayed their unbelief
— And to trust in the shadow of Egypt!
— Later, David would say that the Lord is my shade (cf. Pss 121:5,6)
5 The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade at your right hand. 6 The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night.
Q: Instead of strength, what will Egyptians turn out to be? vv3-5
Shame/humiliation
— Reaping shame
— disappointment
— feeling embarrassed
Assyrians
— The Assyrian army had already beaten the Egyptians, just 100 miles from the Egyptian border
No benefit
( 30:5 ) They were all ashamed of a people who could not benefit them, Or be help or benefit, But a shame and also a reproach.”
Zoan…Hanes
( 30:4 ) Zoan…Hanes Two (2) cities in Egypt
— Hanes was close to Memphis
— The emissaries had gone a long way into the heart of Egypt
— Only recorded here
Q: What dangers would they face (v6) and what help would they receive (v7) ?
( 30:6 ) The burden against the beasts of the South. Through a land of trouble and anguish, From which came the lioness and lion, The viper and fiery flying serpent, They will carry their riches on the backs of young donkeys, And their treasures on the humps of camels, To a people who shall not profit;
Lions, vipers
Isaiah threatens that the special vengeance of God
— God will send disastrous consequences
Herbert
Commentator Herbert suggests that in the interest of secrecy the ambassadors did not take the ordinary route through Philistia but the perilous route through a land of hardship and stress ( 30:6 ), i.e. the Negev desert. The irony would not have escaped the prophet. Now those who refuse security in a saving God, reverse the Exodus precisely !
Never mind them!
— The politicians were no doubt worrying about the ambassadors
— Isaiah suggests ironically never mind them, what about the pack animals?
— Their welfare is the only thing important
— Everything else is a waste of time
Q: What does Rahab-hem-Shebeth mean in v7?
( 30:7 ) For the Egyptians shall help in vain and to no purpose. Therefore I have called her Rahab-Hem-Shebeth
Rehab-Hem—Shebeth
— Egypt was unwilling to help, so Isaiah called them strength sitting idle, full of promise, but in the end do nothing
So you wanna go back to Egypt > The command to write and the first explanation (30:8-14)
( 30:8-14 ) Now go, write it before them on a tablet, And note it on a scroll, That it may be for time to come, Forever and ever: 9 That this is a rebellious people, Lying children, Children who will not hear the law of the Lord; 10 Who say to the seers, “Do not see,” And to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us right things; Speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits. 11 Get out of the way, Turn aside from the path, Cause the Holy One of Israel To cease from before us.” 12 Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel: “Because you despise this word, And trust in oppression and perversity, And rely on them, 13 Therefore this iniquity shall be to you Like a breach ready to fall, A bulge in a high wall, Whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant. 14 And He shall break it like the breaking of the potter’s vessel, Which is broken in pieces; He shall not spare. So there shall not be found among its fragments A shard to take fire from the hearth, Or to take water from the cistern.”
Q: What did Isaiah do in verses 8,9?
( 30:8 ) Now go, write it before them on a tablet, And note it on a scroll, That it may be for time to come, Forever and ever:
A record
— He made a permanent written record so that future generations could learn Israel’s folly of trusting Egypt instead of the Lord
( 30:9 ) That this is a rebellious people, Lying children, Children who will not hear the law of the Lord;
— Their rebellious attitude justified recording this record
— Refuse God’s word
— Children will not hear the law of the Lord
( 30:10 ) Who say to the seers, “Do not see,” And to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us right things; Speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits
— Replace it with a sugar coated message
Reject the Holy One
( 30:11 ) Get out of the way, Turn aside from the path, Cause the Holy One of Israel To cease from before us.”
— The rejection of the Holy One
Q: What is the consequence in vv12-13?
Collapse
(30:13) Therefore this iniquity shall be to you Like a breach ready to fall, A bulge in a high wall, Whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant
So you wanna go back to Egypt > The command to write and the first explanation > A second explanation (30:15-17)
( 30:15-17 ) For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: “In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” But you would not, 16 And you said, “No, for we will flee on horses”— Therefore you shall flee! And, “We will ride on swift horses”— Therefore those who pursue you shall be swift! 17 One thousand shall flee at the threat of one, At the threat of five you shall flee, Till you are left as a pole on top of a mountain And as a banner on a hill.
Refuse a specific message
— (30:15 ) God said in returning they would be saved, they would have strength in Him but they refused to listen
A Promise 30:15 If you trust Me, I’ll bless you (Speaking of moral Integrity)
Q: Actions always have consequences. What were the consequences in vv16-17?
Flee but they are faster
( 30:16 ) And you said, “No, for we will flee on horses”— Therefore you shall flee! And, “We will ride on swift horses”— Therefore those who pursue you shall be swift!
— You will flee your attackers but they will have faster horses
— You will put your trust in Egyptian horses but they will not save you
( 30:17 ) One thousand shall flee at the threat of one, At the threat of five you shall flee, Till you are left as a pole on top of a mountain And as a banner on a hill
— You may out number them 1000:1
— but just 5 of your enemy will strike terror in your hear and make you flee
Live by the sword
— Because they chose to live not by faith but by the sword, they would experience the truth of Matt 26:52
— “But Jesus said to him, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.” ( Matt 26:52 )
So you wanna go back to Egypt > The command to write and the first explanation > A second explanation > A ray of hope (30:18-26)
( 30:18-26 ) Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him. 19 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem; You shall weep no more. He will be very gracious to you at the sound of your cry; When He hears it, He will answer you. 20 And though the Lord gives you The bread of adversity and the water of affliction, Yet your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore, But your eyes shall see your teachers. 21 Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left. 22 You will also defile the covering of your images of silver, And the ornament of your molded images of gold. You will throw them away as an unclean thing; You will say to them, “Get away!” 23 Then He will give the rain for your seed With which you sow the ground, And bread of the increase of the earth; It will be fat and plentiful. In that day your cattle will feed In large pastures. 24 Likewise the oxen and the young donkeys that work the ground Will eat cured fodder, Which has been winnowed with the shovel and fan. 25 There will be on every high mountain And on every high hill Rivers and streams of waters, In the day of the great slaughter, When the towers fall. 26 Moreover the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, And the light of the sun will be sevenfold, As the light of seven days, In the day that the Lord binds up the bruise of His people And heals the stroke of their wound
Future Glimpse
— This section ( 30:18-26 ) gives us a glimpse into the future
— We see His glory
— Despite our unfaithfulness His purposes cannot be frustrated
— God always acts purposefully ( 28:23ff ) and here his immediate purposes with Egypt ( 1-7 ), Judah( 8-17 ), and Assyria ( 27-33 ) are blended with a vision of the future fulfillment of all He ever promised ( 18-26 )
Q: Despite the punishment of Judah (8-17) what hope did God give in vv18-19?
Wait
( 30:18 ) Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him.
— The Lord will wait
— He may be gracious to you
— He may have mercy on you
Dwell in Zion
— ( 30:19 ) For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem
— Zion represents Jerusalem
— He repeats this intentionally
— The Lord laid a foundation cornerstone in Zion ( 28:16 )
— In the future, the culmination of promise will be enjoyed in Zion
A Promise 30:18 The Lord will wait and He will have mercy on you
Q: After a time of adversity, what blessings would they have, vv20
Adversity
( 30:20 ) And though the Lord gives you The bread of adversity and the water of affliction, Yet your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore, But your eyes shall see your teachers.
— bread of adversity
— After a period of judgment God will open their eyes
Open their eyes
— God will open their eyes to see the soundness of the message of the prophets (cf. 29:18,24)
Teacher
— Teacher is permissible; Prophets
— The time of divine revelation will be matched with the power to understand with eyes and ears
— The time of rejecting the Word of God will also be a time of the past
Rid Idols
( 30:22 ) You will also defile the covering of your images of silver, And the ornament of your molded images of gold. You will throw them away as an unclean thing; You will say to them, “Get away!”
— They will throw away their idols as unclean things
— You will say to them, Get away!
APPLICATION
APPLICATION
The Lord gave His people the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, but He promised to be with them, and guide them during hard times. God expects a lot from us, and many times following Him can painful; but He always acts out of His love for us. The next time you go through a difficult time, try to appreciate the experience and grow from it, learning what God wants to teach you. God maybe showing you His love by patiently walking with you through adversity (Application bible)
The Lord gave His people the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, but He promised to be with them, and guide them during hard times. God expects a lot from us, and many times following Him can painful; but He always acts out of His love for us. The next time you go through a difficult time, try to appreciate the experience and grow from it, learning what God wants to teach you. God maybe showing you His love by patiently walking with you through adversity (Application bible)
Q: How would God bless them, vv23-26?
Rain
— ( 30:23-25 ) Send rain and increase their bread
Cattle
— Healthy and fat cattle, food production will prosper, plenty of water
— Nature is redeemed
— Creation is released from bondage (Rom 8:19-21)
— Sin imposed a restraint on the productive forces of the earth
— Abundant food conflicts with the afflictive bread, bread of adversity (30:20)
More Light
( 30:26 ) Moreover the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, And the light of the sun will be sevenfold, As the light of seven days, In the day that the Lord binds up the bruise of His people And heals the stroke of their wound
— The light of the moon will be like the light of the sun
— The moon will be so bright that crops will continue to grow at night
To their benefit
— In the millennial kingdom, more light will not be harmful, but it was in the tribulation ( Rev 16:8,9 )
8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.
He will be our Sun / Moon
— The Lord will be our light ( 60:19:20 )
— The Lord’s glory will shame both the sun and the moon ( 24:23 )
So you wanna go back to Egypt > The command to write and the first explanation > A second explanation > A ray of hope > Imminent Future (30:27-33)
( 30:27-33 ) Behold, the name of the Lord comes from afar, Burning with His anger, And His burden is heavy; His lips are full of indignation, And His tongue like a devouring fire. 28 His breath is like an overflowing stream, Which reaches up to the neck, To sift the nations with the sieve of futility; And there shall be a bridle in the jaws of the people, Causing them to err. 29 You shall have a song As in the night when a holy festival is kept, And gladness of heart as when one goes with a flute, To come into the mountain of the Lord, To the Mighty One of Israel. 30 The Lord will cause His glorious voice to be heard, And show the descent of His arm, With the indignation of His anger And the flame of a devouring fire, With scattering, tempest, and hailstones. 31 For through the voice of the Lord Assyria will be beaten down, As He strikes with the rod. 32 And in every place where the staff of punishment passes, Which the Lord lays on him, It will be with tambourines and harps; And in battles of brandishing He will fight with it. 33 For Tophet was established of old, Yes, for the king it is prepared. He has made it deep and large; Its pyre is fire with much wood; The breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, Kindles it
The imminent Future
— This section turns from the future millennial kingdom to the imminent future
— Chapter 28 (farmer harvesting the crops) left the future of Israel an open question
— But there is no question what will happen to Assyria
— They are climbing up to Jerusalem, they are actually climbing their own funeral pyre!
Anthropomorphism
— This section abounds with Anthropomorphisms
— Words that bring something to life
— They give it human characteristics, so we can understand
— God isn’t like us, but sometimes the Bible describes Him in a way that we can understand
Q: Can you pick out the Anthropomorphisms in v27,28?
Name
— ( 30:27 ) Behold the name of the Lord comes from afar!
Anger
— ( 30:27b ) Burning with His anger
Lips
— ( 30:27c ) His lips are full of indignation
Tongue
— ( 30:27d ) And His tongue like a devouring fire
Breadth
— ( 30:28 ) His breadth is like an overflowing stream
— Spirit (NIV)
Neck
— ( 30:28b ) Which reaches up to the neck
Q: And verses 30,31?
Voice
— ( 30:30a ) The Lord will cause His glorious vice to be heard
Arm
— ( 30:30b ) And show the descent of His arm
Q: What is the point of all that?
God’s all in
He is fully involved in the history of men. He’s not a bystander watching history. He is pulling the strings. He is involved in action and reaction
Overview
— This section continues the imminent future envisioned by Isaiah
— Now the focus is the coming storm on Assyria
From Afar
( 30:27 ) Behold, the name of the Lord comes from afar
— It will come from afar
— A rising storm announced itself from afar
— You see them when they are still far away
— Ezekiel pictures the coming of the Lord like a great storm off in the distance that got closer and closer (cf. Ezek 1:4 )
4 Then I looked, and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
Smoke and Fire
( 30:27 ) Burning with His anger, And His burden is heavy; His lips are full of indignation, And His tongue like a devouring fire
— Smoke and Fire; These are Exodus symbol
Q: What do they represent?
— Smoke - presence (Ex 13:21)
— Fire - His holiness (Ex 19:18)
— The Lord doesn’t judge Assyria arbitrarily, but in accordance with what He said and His holiness
Rushing
— His breadth is like a rushing torrent (30:28, NIV)
— rushing, overwhelming (28:15), overflowing
Sieve
( 30:28 ) To sift the nations with the sieve of futility
— To sift the nations with the sieve of futility
— (destruction, NIV)
— God is discriminating when He judges
Bridle To control and correct
Q: When God’s anger came, how would the people react? vv 29,30
Song… Holy festival
— ( 30:29 ) The people conducted a joyful celebration, gladness of heart
— The people rejoiced
God’s involvement
( 30:30 ) he Lord will cause His glorious voice to be heard, And show the descent of His arm, With the indignation of His anger And the flame of a devouring fire, With scattering, tempest, and hailstones
— God’s personal involvement
— The descent of his arm, personal strength, action
— The victory belonged to the Lord
The punishment (30:31-33)
( 30:31-32 ) For through the voice of the Lord Assyria will be beaten down, As He strikes with the rod. 32 And in every place where the staff of punishment passes, Which the Lord lays on him, It will be with tambourines and harps; And in battles of brandishing He will fight with it
Rod
— He strikes with the Rod
— Staff of punishment
— Every time the Lord strikes with His rod, like music to the ears of Judah (tambourines and harps )
Established of old
( 30:33 ) For Tophet was established of old, Yes, for the king it is prepared. He has made it deep and large; Its pyre is fire with much wood; The breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, Kindles it
— Established from eternity
— Their destruction was planned from eternity past
— Don’t be rash to think God has forgotten
Pyre of Wood
— Marching to Jerusalem, actually climbing the pyre of wood for their own funeral ( 37:36 )
— Digging their own grave
Not surprised
— This section ends with the Lord’s divine sovereignty over history
— He is prepared beforehand to totally master the situation
— The Lord never reacts as if something has sprung up and surprised Him
— Because we don’t see God judging evil now, don’t be rash to think God has forgotten
A Promise 30:30 The Lord’s voice would be heard. You will see His personal involvement symbolized by His arm
Additional Resources
J Vernon McGee Isaiah 26:19 - 28:5: https://www.oneplace.com/ministries/thru-the-bible-with-j-vernon-mcgee/listen/isaiah-2619285-752234.html
McGee Isaiah 28:5 - 29:8: https://www.oneplace.com/ministries/thru-the-bible-with-j-vernon-mcgee/listen/isaiah-285298-752235.html
McGee Isaiah 29:5 - 31:9: https://www.oneplace.com/ministries/thru-the-bible-with-j-vernon-mcgee/listen/isaiah-295319-752236.html
Chuck Missler: Isaiah 24 - 27: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jD_N7uKuLs