Isa 28 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Isa 28:1: 28:1–33:24 This section is connected by a series of six threats of judgment or woes (cp. 5:8-23 ). Apart from the initial address to Samaria in 28:1-13 , the remainder of the section is addressed to Judah, especially because of their inclination to trust Egypt to rescue them from Assyria (30:2 ). Summary for Isa 28:1-29: 28:1-29 The glory of Samaria, capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, is here contrasted with the glory of the Lord. This section represents the first of the six woes ( What sorrow ... ). 28:1 The drunks of Israel epitomized pride, spiritual complacency, and scorn for God and his commands. • Unlike Jerusalem, Samaria was in a fertile valley.

Summary for Isa 28:1: 28:1–33:24 ^a This section is connected by a series of six threats of judgment or woes (cp. 5:8-23 ^b). Apart from the initial address to Samaria in 28:1-13 ^c, the remainder of the section is addressed to Judah, especially because of their inclination to trust Egypt to rescue them from Assyria (30:2 ^d).
Summary for Isa 28:1-29: 28:1-29 ^e The glory of Samaria, capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, is here contrasted with the glory of the Lord. This section represents the first of the six woes (What sorrow ...). 28:1 ^f The drunks of Israel epitomized pride, spiritual complacency, and scorn for God and his commands.

• Unlike Jerusalem, Samaria was in a fertile valley.
28:2 ^g the Lord will send: The covenant God will act against his own people, whose behavior had effectively disqualified them as God’s people (see Hos 1:9 ^h).

• The mighty army is that of the Assyrians, who destroyed Samaria in 722 BC.
Summary for Isa 28:5-6: 28:5-6 ⁱ In the future, after God’s judgment has purged his people, he will restore a righteous remnant, transforming the desires and character of his people. Samaria will no longer be the source of Israel’s pride; instead, they will glory in the Lord, their true crown.
Summary for Isa 28:7-13: 28:7-13 ^j The focus returns to the lamentable present situation in Israel (and Judah). The leaders and people will be ensnared by their own schemes. 28:7 ^k The priests and prophets led the people astray.

• Intoxicating beverages such as wine and alcohol were prohibited for priests while fulfilling their duties (Lev 10:9 ^l).
Summary for Isa 28:9-10: 28:9-10 ^m The people had become hardened to God’s revelation (1 Cor 14:21 ⁿ).
28:11 ^o God will have to speak through circumstances such as hardship, exile, and death in order to get through to his hardened people.

• a strange language: In the New Testament, Paul applied this text to the spiritual gift of tongues as a sign of judgment to unbelievers (see 1 Cor 14:21-22 ^p).
28:12 ^q Had his people listened, God’s revelation would have led them to rest (see 48:18-19 ^r). But they would not listen because of their hard hearts (65:12 ^s).
28:13 ^t one line at a time, one line at a time, a little here, and a little there: The Hebrew here is difficult to understand. The words might be intentional nonsense to illustrate the point that the people were so spiritually blind that God’s clearest revelation was nonsense to them (see 6:9-10 ^u).
Summary for Isa 28:14-22: 28:14-22 ^v After having pronounced judgment on Samaria (28:1-13 ^w), Isaiah now pronounces judgment on Jerusalem. The leaders of Judah are accused of being as blind as those in the northern kingdom of Israel.
28:15 ^x cheat death (literally have made a covenant with death) ... dodge the grave: There are two interpretive possibilities: (1) The people had sold themselves to the Canaanite god of death, Mot, in return for his supposed protection. (2) The prophet was being sarcastic; the people thought their various political and economic moves guaranteed their personal security, but they had actually destroyed themselves.

• lies and deception: The leaders did not think of themselves as deceptive, but they were.
28:16 ^y The Lord himself is the reliable foundation stone in Jerusalem, a precious cornerstone of the true city of God. There would be real hope in Jerusalem if the leaders and the people would only turn to him. If they would trust in God, they would be secure in the most terrible storm or the most devastating earthquake (see 8:14 ^z; Ps 118:22 ^aa; Matt 7:24-27 ^ab; 21:42 ^ac; see the application to Jesus Christ, Rom 9:33 ^ad; 10:11 ^ae; 1 Cor 3:11 ^af; Eph 2:20 ^ag; 1 Pet 2:4-7 ^ah).
28:17 ^ai The Lord judges people on their works, which reveal the presence or absence of living faith (for justice and righteousness, see 1:21-23 ^aj).
28:20 ^ak The bed. ... The blankets: The leaders were ill-prepared for God’s coming in judgment.
28:21 ^al as he did ... at Mount Perazim: See 2 Sam 5:20 ^am.

• God had rescued Israel through a hailstorm at Gibeon (Josh 10:10-12 ^an), but now he would turn against them.
28:23 ^ao Listen to me: The analogy that follows was written as a wisdom poem, with Isaiah calling on his audience to pay careful attention and to discern what is right.
Summary for Isa 28:24-29: 28:24-29 ^ap A farmer knows that there are right and wrong ways to do things, but the leaders of Judah were not that intelligent.
Summary for Isa 28:27-28: 28:27-28 ^aq The Lord has a variety of means (a heavy sledge ... a light stick) for accomplishing his purposes. There are degrees of judgment.
28:28 ^ar he doesn’t keep on pounding it: This process would end; after judgment would come redemption.
28:29 ^as wonderful teacher (or counselor; see 9:6 ^at): God’s people should learn wisdom about God’s ways, as the farmer has done.