Corruption of Israel
December 6, 2020
Commentary
In the next three chapters Isaiah pronounces five woes on those who scorn God’s word. Interspersed with these “woes” of judgment are promises of restoration and glory. Isaiah is addressing the leaders of both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms for their failure to heed God’s word. The first “woe” is pronounced on the crown of pride and the drunkards of Ephraim (vv. 1-4). This refers to Samaria. The Northern Kingdom was throwing away the blessing of God as a drunkard throws away his money trying to obtain more drink (vv. 5-13). The people were weary of hearing from Isaiah the one rule and one standard repeatedly. They had never learned to obey the one who is the source of all standards. Isaiah told them that if they wouldn’t listen to his “lecturing” then they would be forced to listen to the “lectures” of their foreign conquerors.
Judah, like their northern neighbor, was guilty of scoffing at Isaiah’s words (v. 14). The people of Jerusalem had made a covenant with death and hell (v. 15). The enemy was going to come in like a storm and a whip and there would be no escape. They failed to trust the Lord (v. 16) and were guilty of sin (v. 17). Sennacherib’s Assyrian army trampled Judah, destroying forty-six towns and villages (vv. 18-19). All of Judah’s resources were lost (v. 20). It’s delusional to believe the Lord won’t judge you (vv. 21-29). The plowman does not plow just for the sake of plowing, but he plows that he might sow and reap a crop (vv. 24-28). Like the farmer, the Lord is not just going through the motions, but He intends to harvest a crop (v. 29).
Application
I should never live on the false hope that I am exempt from His judgment for what I do in this body because I have trusted in Jesus. I will one day stand before the "Judgment Seat of Christ" to give an answer for what I have done in this body (II Cor 5:10).
Isaiah 28:1–29 (NET)
1 The splendid crown of Ephraim’s drunkards is doomed, the withering flower, its beautiful splendor, situated at the head of a rich valley, the crown of those overcome with wine.
2 Look, the Lord sends a strong, powerful one. With the force of a hailstorm or a destructive windstorm, with the might of a driving, torrential rainstorm, he will knock that crown to the ground with his hand.
3 The splendid crown of Ephraim’s drunkards will be trampled underfoot.
4 The withering flower, its beautiful splendor, situated at the head of a rich valley, will be like an early fig before harvest— as soon as someone notices it, he grabs it and swallows it.
5 At that time the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will become a beautiful crown and a splendid diadem for the remnant of his people.
6 He will give discernment to the one who makes judicial decisions, and strength to those who defend the city from attackers.
7 Even these men stagger because of wine; they stumble around because of beer— priests and prophets stagger because of beer, they are confused because of wine, they stumble around because of beer; they stagger while seeing prophetic visions, they totter while making legal decisions.
8 Indeed, all the tables are covered with vomit, with filth, leaving no clean place.
9 Who is the Lord trying to teach? To whom is he explaining a message? To those just weaned from milk! To those just taken from their mother’s breast!
10 Indeed, they will hear meaningless gibberish, senseless babbling, a syllable here, a syllable there.
11 For with mocking lips and a foreign tongue he will speak to these people.
12 In the past he said to them, “This is where security can be found. Provide security for the one who is exhausted. This is where rest can be found.” But they refused to listen.
13 So the Lord’s message to them will sound like meaningless gibberish, senseless babbling, a syllable here, a syllable there. As a result, they will fall on their backsides when they try to walk, and be injured, ensnared, and captured.
14 Therefore, listen to the Lord’s message, you who mock, you rulers of these people who reside in Jerusalem.
15 For you say, “We have made a treaty with death, with Sheol we have made an agreement. When the overwhelming judgment sweeps by it will not reach us. For we have made a lie our refuge, we have hidden ourselves in a deceitful word.”
16 Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord, says: “Look, I am laying a stone in Zion, an approved stone, set in place as a precious cornerstone for the foundation. The one who maintains his faith will not panic.
17 I will make justice the measuring line, fairness the plumb line; hail will sweep away the unreliable refuge, the floodwaters will overwhelm the hiding place.
18 Your treaty with death will be dissolved; your agreement with Sheol will not last. When the overwhelming judgment sweeps by, you will be overrun by it.
19 Whenever it sweeps by, it will overtake you; indeed, every morning it will sweep by, it will come through during the day and the night.” When this announcement is understood, it will cause nothing but terror.
20 For the bed is too short to stretch out on, and the blanket is too narrow to wrap around oneself.
21 For the Lord will rise up, as he did at Mount Perazim; he will rouse himself, as he did in the Valley of Gibeon, to accomplish his work, his peculiar work, to perform his task, his strange task.
22 So now, do not mock, or your chains will become heavier! For I have heard a message about decreed destruction, from the Sovereign Lord of Heaven’s Armies against the entire land.
23 Pay attention and listen to my message. Be attentive and listen to what I have to say!
24 Does a farmer just keep on plowing at planting time? Does he keep breaking up and harrowing his ground?
25 Once he has leveled its surface, does he not scatter the seed of the caraway plant, sow the seed of the cumin plant, and plant the wheat, barley, and grain in their designated places?
26 His God instructs him; he teaches him the principles of agriculture.
27 Certainly caraway seed is not threshed with a sledge, nor is the wheel of a cart rolled over cumin seed. Certainly caraway seed is beaten with a stick, and cumin seed with a flail.
28 Grain is crushed, though one certainly does not thresh it forever. The wheel of one’s wagon rolls over it, but his horses do not crush it.
29 This also comes from the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, who gives supernatural guidance and imparts great wisdom.
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