July 22 A READ ISAIAH 28–30
A Painful Example
OVERVIEW
Isaiah now declares a series of specific woes upon Israel and Judah. Targeting his messages for the capital cities of Samaria and Jerusalem (much like a modern reporter would speak of Washington, D.C., or Moscow), Isaiah declares that destruction is imminent. For “the drunks of Israel” (the northern kingdom, 28:1), it is too late to repent; judgment is inescapable. But Jerusalem can still learn from the fate of its neighbor to the north. Lulled into a false sense of security by empty ritualism, Jerusalem must awake from spiritual stupor. Otherwise, it will follow Israel’s fatal error of substituting foolish alliances for faith in God.
MY DAILY WALK
When was the last time you tried to help God solve one of your problems? After all, you probably reasoned, God must not know how desperate my situation really is. If he did, he would come to my rescue. But since I don’t see him working, I’d better get in there and give him a helping hand. Right?
Wrong. That was precisely the mistake Judah made. To prevent the onslaught of Assyria, Judah looked to their pagan neighbors for alliances to offset Assyria’s mighty armies. Look at 29:15-16 and you’ll see that Judah thought they were doing this without God’s knowledge. But God compares Judah’s self-help program to a lump of clay trying to aid the potter who is shaping it.
Carry a piece of string with you today as a constant reminder of the danger of pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps. Rather, “in quietness and confidence is your strength” (30:15).
WALKING BY FAITH MEANS BEING PREPARED TO TRUST WHERE WE ARE NOT PERMITTED TO SEE.
INSIGHT
The Farmer’s Hand | Isa. 28:23-29
Isaiah illustrated his predictions with a parable (28:23-29). Farmers use a variety of methods to get the best results from their crops, and they apply appropriate force to separate the good from the bad. God deals with his people the same way. Sometimes his discipline is light, and sometimes it is severe—but it’s always the right amount.
INSIGHT
A Fitting Title for Judah’s Capital | Isa. 29:1
Ariel, literally “hearth of God” (29:1), refers to Jerusalem. It could also be translated “altar,” an apt description of the city where the Ark of God’s presence resided and where all too soon the fire of God’s judgment would fall with devastating fury.
A Message about Samaria
1What sorrow awaits the proud city of Samaria—
the glorious crown of the drunks of Israel.*
It sits at the head of a fertile valley,
but its glorious beauty will fade like a flower.
It is the pride of a people
brought down by wine.
2For the Lord will send a mighty army against it.
Like a mighty hailstorm and a torrential rain,
they will burst upon it like a surging flood
and smash it to the ground.
3The proud city of Samaria—
the glorious crown of the drunks of Israel*—
will be trampled beneath its enemies’ feet.
4It sits at the head of a fertile valley,
but its glorious beauty will fade like a flower.
Whoever sees it will snatch it up,
as an early fig is quickly picked and eaten.
5Then at last the LORD of Heaven’s Armies
will himself be Israel’s glorious crown.
He will be the pride and joy
of the remnant of his people.
6He will give a longing for justice
to their judges.
He will give great courage
to their warriors who stand at the gates.
7Now, however, Israel is led by drunks
who reel with wine and stagger with alcohol.
The priests and prophets stagger with alcohol
and lose themselves in wine.
They reel when they see visions
and stagger as they render decisions.
8Their tables are covered with vomit;
filth is everywhere.
9“Who does the LORD think we are?” they ask.
“Why does he speak to us like this?
Are we little children,
just recently weaned?
10He tells us everything over and over—
one line at a time,
one line at a time,
a little here,
and a little there!”
11So now God will have to speak to his people
through foreign oppressors who speak a strange language!
12God has told his people,
“Here is a place of rest;
let the weary rest here.
This is a place of quiet rest.”
But they would not listen.
13So the LORD will spell out his message for them again,
one line at a time,
one line at a time,
a little here,
and a little there,
so that they will stumble and fall.
They will be injured, trapped, and captured.
14Therefore, listen to this message from the LORD,
you scoffing rulers in Jerusalem.
15You boast, “We have struck a bargain to cheat death
and have made a deal to dodge the grave.*
The coming destruction can never touch us,
for we have built a strong refuge made of lies and deception.”
16Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says:
“Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem,*
a firm and tested stone.
It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on.
Whoever believes need never be shaken.*
17I will test you with the measuring line of justice
and the plumb line of righteousness.
Since your refuge is made of lies,
a hailstorm will knock it down.
Since it is made of deception,
a flood will sweep it away.
18I will cancel the bargain you made to cheat death,
and I will overturn your deal to dodge the grave.
When the terrible enemy sweeps through,
you will be trampled into the ground.
19Again and again that flood will come,
morning after morning,
day and night,
until you are carried away.”
This message will bring terror to your people.
20The bed you have made is too short to lie on.
The blankets are too narrow to cover you.
21The LORD will come as he did against the Philistines at Mount Perazim
and against the Amorites at Gibeon.
He will come to do a strange thing;
he will come to do an unusual deed:
22For the Lord, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies,
has plainly said that he is determined to crush the whole land.
So scoff no more,
or your punishment will be even greater.
23Listen to me;
listen, and pay close attention.
24Does a farmer always plow and never sow?
Is he forever cultivating the soil and never planting?
25Does he not finally plant his seeds—
black cumin, cumin, wheat, barley, and emmer wheat—
each in its proper way,
and each in its proper place?
26The farmer knows just what to do,
for God has given him understanding.
27A heavy sledge is never used to thresh black cumin;
rather, it is beaten with a light stick.
A threshing wheel is never rolled on cumin;
instead, it is beaten lightly with a flail.
28Grain for bread is easily crushed,
so he doesn’t keep on pounding it.
He threshes it under the wheels of a cart,
but he doesn’t pulverize it.
29The LORD of Heaven’s Armies is a wonderful teacher,
and he gives the farmer great wisdom.