Isaiah 28
I. (1-39) Condemnation
A. Chapters 1-12 - Prophecies against Judah
B. Chapters 13-23 - Prophecies against the Nations
C. Chapters 24-27 - Prophecies of the Day of the Lord
D. Chapters 28-35 - Prophecies of Judgment and Blessing - This section
is unique in that it bounces back and forth in three areas, fom
blessing to judgments, from the present time and to the future,
and from God destroying Israel to Him defending it.
1. \\#28:1-29\\ Ephraim’s Future
1. \\#28:1-29\\ Ephraim’s Future
a. \\#1-8\\ Ephraim’s Sin
(1) \\#1\\ We note first who the prophecy is directed to, that
is, Ephraim. This is the name of one of the tribes of the
northern kingdom.
(2) Then we note two sins for which God sends the judgments.
(a) \\#1, 3\\ Pride - Not only is pride mentioned these Jews
are called the "crown of pride," obviously meaning they
have taken pride to a whole new level and have become the
the supreme beings filled with pride.
(b) \\#1\\ Drunkenness - The northern kingdom had given itself
over to a drunken lifestyle.
(c) \\#7-8\\ Their lifestyle is described.
i. They are consuming "strong drink," which means
fermented drink.
ii. Not just the common man, but the priest and prophet are
also consuming it.
iii. The people are drinking so much that the Bible says
they are being "swallowed up" by the wine!
iv. The wine is causing them to err in their vision and to
stumble.
v. Their tables are full of vomit and filthiness because
of their drunkenness.
(3) \\#1, 4\\ This sin and its results, has caused the beauty of
Ephraim to depart. It is probably a safe bet to say Israel has
only been beautiful to the Lord, but now, even God sees no
beauty in them.
(4) \\#2, 5-6\\ So the Lord will judge them.
(a) \\#2\\ God will be like a destroying storm and a flood of
many waters.
(b) \\#5\\ But to the residue (those that are left), the Lord
will be "crown of glory" and "a diadem of beauty." The
Bible doesn’t give us much insight into the spiritual
condition of Israel after Assyria defeated them. Perhaps
there was a small spirit of repentance but we know from
\\#2Chron 30:1-10\\ that it did not last for long for
when King Hezekiah (who ruled from 7 to 29 years after
Israel was defeated) sent to the residue of Israel to come
celebrate the Passover with them, he was derided and
mocked.
(c) \\#6\\ But for any of those who were righteous, they knew
what happened was in keeping with God’s spirit of justice
and judgment.
b. \\#9-13\\ God’ Instruction to Ephraim
(1) \\#9\\ God is asking who in the northern kingdom could He
teach His word to?
(a) Obviously not to those drunken priests and prophets.
(b) God is searching for one who is "weaned from the milk."
In other words, they need some spiritual savvy for God
to teach them.
Hebrews 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that
one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and
are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for
he is a babe.
(2) \\#10\\ Isaiah then explains how God reveals truth.
(a) It is not all at once and not always in plain language.
(b) But rather, it is "line upon line, precept upon precept…
here a little, and there a little."
(c) God speaks in small increments and builds on what He has
already said.
(3) \\#11\\ But to "THIS PEOPLE," these proud drunks, God will
speak with "stammering lips" and "another tongue."
(a) STAMMERING means mockingly.
(b) ANOTHER means unfamiliar.
(c) The idea is that God will not even try to teach them any
longer.
(4) \\#12\\ Why?
(a) Because they had been promised His rest and refreshing,
but they would not hear (listen, obey, or take God
seriously).
(b) To whom much is given, much is required. \\#Luke 12:48\\
(5) \\#13\\ But God HAD sent His word to them, just as He always
does, "line upon line, precept upon precept."
c. \\#14-29\\ So what is left? JUDGMENT
(1) \\#14\\ Notice that God now directs His words of judgment
to the rulers of Jerusalem, perhaps because Judah was just as
bad as Ephraim. (King Ahaz was Judah’s king during the last
days of Israel.)
(2) \\#15\\ Judah thought it was exempt from the Assyrian scourge,
as if they had an agreement with death and hell; but it was
a self-deception of "lies" and "falsehoods."
(3) \\#16\\ A Prophecy of Christ - It is strange how God inserts a
single verse of distant prophecy about His Son and immediately
returns to the near-at-hand destruction of the nation.
(a) "Therefore" - Because of the corruption of Israel.
(b) God will "lay in Zion… a stone" - This is a reference to
Christ.
1. The stone will be "for a foundation"; that is, God
will be able to build upon it.
Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock
I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
2. The stone will be "tried." The word means tested.
3. The stone will be "precious."
4. The stone will be "sure." The word seems to mean
"well-laid or founded." Perhaps the idea is that
God will bring His Son at the time and to the place
that will be best.
(c) "He that believeth shall make haste" - The one who believes
on this Stone will not be acting rash or foolishly.
(4) \\#18\\ God promises a righteous judgment against Israel.
This returns to near-at-prophecy and will show the people that
they had no exemption covenant from death.
(5) \\#19\\ Once begun, it will be consistent ("morning by morning")
and severe (so much, "it shall be a vexation only to understand
the report" of what is happening).
(6) \\#20\\ It will be like the frustration of a man sleeping in a
bed too short for him and having cover to narrow to cover
himself.
(7) \\#21\\ Both Mount Perazim and the Valley of Gibeon are near
Jerusalem. The events referred to are not certain most agree
that they were conquests of the Lord by King David’s hands.
(8) \\#21\\ God’s "strange act" must be to judge His own people
by the hands of a wicked and hated enemy.
(9) \\#22\\ Isaiah challenges the people not to be foolish but to
start preparing for the inevitable judgment that was coming.
(10) \\#23-29\\ Isaiah closes with a parable that seems to have
several applicable thoughts:
(a) \\#25-26\\ Does the plowman not plow to sow seed?
i. Fitches, cummin, wheat, and barley are all seeds that
have to be sowed.
ii. Perhaps this is a reference to the fact that God has
been plowing Israel and He will soon sow the seeds of
judgment.
(b) \\#27-28\\ These verses are difficult to understand
but seem to refer to each crop having its own particular
way of getting the fruit out of the shucks. Some with a
threshing instrument (The New Manners and Customs of the
Bible calls this a threshing sledge), some with a cart
wheel (cart pulled by livestock which rolled over the
harvest beating the fruit out), some with a rod (take a
stick and beat it out). So God has the proper judgment
for Israel and Judah.
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