Isa 29:1 | KingComments | STEP | While the king of the North is in Egypt, restoration will take place in Israel with the return of the remnant from the two tribes – and later from the ten tribes ( ). Through the intervention of the LORD, the enemy moving against Israel at that time will be destroyed and Israel will be redeemed. Historically, a preliminary fulfillment and also illustration of this takes place through the miraculous destruction of the army of Assyria and later through the death of Sanherib, the king of Assyria ( ). In the beginning of Isaiah 28 Samaria is compared with a fading crown of flowers. This chapter begins with the announcement of a “woe” to “Ariel”, which is Jerusalem ( ). Ariel means “lion of God”. Ariel is also translated as ‘[fire] hearth of God’ with the connotation ‘altar of God’. In that case it also means Jerusalem, but then seen as a place of sacrifice where the fire burns in the new temple ( ). ‘Lion of God’ points to the great power of the Lord Jesus as King ( ) which He will use to rule from Jerusalem. He is then the “Lion of the tribe of Judah” ( ). The ‘altar of God’ ( ; ) points to Jerusalem as the future center of service to God. The nations will come to worship the LORD there in the new temple. The LORD denotes Jerusalem as “the city [where] David [once] camped”. This indicates His intimate connection with it and also points to the future when the great Son of David will dwell and reign there. Then the LORD will be for that city, but now He must turn against that city to purify it. The reason is their religiosity, which is still a purely formal matter, in which nothing is for Him. He says in a mocking tone that they should continue with their formal religious obligations by observing their annual feasts. The expression ‘year to year’ makes it clear that these feasts have become a habit, yes, a rut, no more than a formal handling. To place their trust in this is foolish (cf. ). He Himself will bring distress to them ( ). Ariel is not yet a lion here, but a hearth of massacre. Jerusalem undergoes a deeply humiliating treatment here, under the fire of God’s anger. The LORD shall besiege the city, a siege which He shall cause to take place by the enemy armies in the end time ( ). This is about the second siege of the Assyrians of Jerusalem in the end time. When the king of the North is in Egypt he will hear rumors from the east and from the north and therefore return from Egypt to Jerusalem ( ). The festive bustle and party cheer in the city of Jerusalem (cf. ) will turn in agony and deep mumbling over the disasters that are now imminent ( ).

‏ Isaiah 29:1

Introduction

While the king of the North is in Egypt, restoration will take place in Israel with the return of the remnant from the two tribes – and later from the ten tribes (Mt 24:31). Through the intervention of the LORD, the enemy moving against Israel at that time will be destroyed and Israel will be redeemed.

Historically, a preliminary fulfillment and also illustration of this takes place through the miraculous destruction of the army of Assyria and later through the death of Sanherib, the king of Assyria (Isa 37:36-38).

The Siege of Jerusalem

In the beginning of Isaiah 28 Samaria is compared with a fading crown of flowers. This chapter begins with the announcement of a “woe” to “Ariel”, which is Jerusalem (Isa 29:1). Ariel means “lion of God”. Ariel is also translated as ‘[fire] hearth of God’ with the connotation ‘altar of God’. In that case it also means Jerusalem, but then seen as a place of sacrifice where the fire burns in the new temple (Eze 43:15-16).

‘Lion of God’ points to the great power of the Lord Jesus as King (Mt 28:18) which He will use to rule from Jerusalem. He is then the “Lion of the tribe of Judah” (Rev 5:5). The ‘altar of God’ (Isa 31:9; Eze 43:15-16) points to Jerusalem as the future center of service to God. The nations will come to worship the LORD there in the new temple.

The LORD denotes Jerusalem as “the city [where] David [once] camped”. This indicates His intimate connection with it and also points to the future when the great Son of David will dwell and reign there. Then the LORD will be for that city, but now He must turn against that city to purify it. The reason is their religiosity, which is still a purely formal matter, in which nothing is for Him.

He says in a mocking tone that they should continue with their formal religious obligations by observing their annual feasts. The expression ‘year to year’ makes it clear that these feasts have become a habit, yes, a rut, no more than a formal handling. To place their trust in this is foolish (cf. Jer 7:4).

He Himself will bring distress to them (Isa 29:2). Ariel is not yet a lion here, but a hearth of massacre. Jerusalem undergoes a deeply humiliating treatment here, under the fire of God’s anger. The LORD shall besiege the city, a siege which He shall cause to take place by the enemy armies in the end time (Isa 29:3). This is about the second siege of the Assyrians of Jerusalem in the end time.

When the king of the North is in Egypt he will hear rumors from the east and from the north and therefore return from Egypt to Jerusalem (Dan 11:44). The festive bustle and party cheer in the city of Jerusalem (cf. Isa 22:2) will turn in agony and deep mumbling over the disasters that are now imminent (Isa 29:4).