Isaiah 28:7-19
Summary for Isa 28:7-13: 28:7-13 a 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 b 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 c).
Summary for Isa 28:9-10: 28:9-10 d The people had become hardened to God’s revelation (1 Cor 14:21 e).
28:11 f 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 g).
28:12 h Had his people listened, God’s revelation would have led them to rest (see 48:18-19 i). But they would not listen because of their hard hearts (65:12 j).
28:13 k 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 l).
Summary for Isa 28:14-22: 28:14-22 m After having pronounced judgment on Samaria (28:1-13 n), 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 o 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 p 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 q; Ps 118:22 r; Matt 7:24-27 s; 21:42 t; see the application to Jesus Christ, Rom 9:33 u; 10:11 v; 1 Cor 3:11 w; Eph 2:20 x; 1 Pet 2:4-7 y).
28:17 z The Lord judges people on their works, which reveal the presence or absence of living faith (for justice and righteousness, see 1:21-23 aa).
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