Isa 29:15-24 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Isa 29:15-24: 29:15-24 This threat of coming judgment is the third of the six woes (see study note on 28:1–33:24). It begins with judgment but moves to a vision of creation being renewed and of the wicked coming to an end. 29:15 Their plans might refer to the advice that royal counselors were giving Hezekiah, who at first attempted to free himself from Assyria by making alliances with Egypt (715 or 701 BC ). • The people were conspiring to commit evil deeds in secret, but God saw everything.

Summary for Isa 29:15-24: 29:15-24 ^a This threat of coming judgment is the third of the six woes (see study note on 28:1–33:24). It begins with judgment but moves to a vision of creation being renewed and of the wicked coming to an end. 29:15 ^b Their plans might refer to the advice that royal counselors were giving Hezekiah, who at first attempted to free himself from Assyria by making alliances with Egypt (715 or 701 BC).

• The people were conspiring to commit evil deeds in secret, but God saw everything.
29:16 ^c Potter ... clay: The Lord’s sovereignty is beyond challenge. Scripture does not discourage asking God hard questions, but there is no place for resistance to God’s will (see 10:15 ^d; 45:9 ^e; 64:8 ^f; Rom 9:20 ^g).

• He didn’t make me: Such claims against God demonstrate a total unwillingness to recognize God’s intimate involvement with every aspect of a person’s life.
29:17 ^h The forests of Lebanon are usually an image of luxuriant growth (see 2:13 ⁱ; 14:8 ^j), but here they represent desolation.
29:18 ^k The people were deaf and blind in heart and spirit (see 6:10 ^l; 42:18 ^m; 43:8 ⁿ). Yet humanity and all of creation would be renewed (see 35:1-5 ^o).
29:21 ^p The false testimony that led to the oppression of the poor through trickery in the courts of Isaiah’s era would end. Because of God’s work in their hearts, the people would turn from their sinful behavior of the past.
Summary for Isa 29:22-24: 29:22-24 ^q The prophecy of woe, which began at 29:15 ^r, now ends with a prophecy of salvation. 29:22 ^s Abraham was the father of all Israel (see Gen 12:1-3 ^t; see also Gal 3:29 ^u).

• Rescued from human abuse and God’s judgment, the people would no longer be ashamed; their disgrace resulted from the apparent failure of what they had trusted (see Ps 71:1 ^v; 1 Pet 2:6 ^w).