Isaiah Lecture
Isaiah 28-35 Lecture #
I. Introduction: Overview:
Many see Isaiah 28-35 as a unit. It has similar themes that role through out these chapters. They seem to be answering a possible question some of the promises of chapters 13-27 raised. There the purpose of God was revealed and some of the prophesies or promises seemed to be impossible to believe. The two great super powers of Egypt and Assyria are prophecies to come under the sway of the Lord as King (19:24-25 and 27:13) so an approach of “interim fulfillments” or “down payments” are shown in chapters 28-35. In other words, God shows the prophet’s audience in a concrete historical example, the pattern that will be fulfilled in the latter days. The interim fulfillment is meant to build confidence in the eschatological promises.
Q Has God ever given you a “foretaste of fulfillment” or an interim fulfillment? Has He given you a concrete sign in your daily living so you can see what is to come and that His promises about the future will come about?
An = An example of this pattern is in Luke 21:20-24. These five verses predict specific events that the audience would historically experience and then the more eschatological promises of 25-28 can be seen in light of the pattern of the interim fulfillment of 21:20-24. Paul says the Holy Spirit is a down payment of the glory we will know in the courts of heaven. We sense just a touch of His presence now, so as to give us hope for the later and greater fulfillment.
Finally, if there is an organizing pattern to these chapters it could be seen in the series of six woes: 28:1, 29:1, 29:15, 30:1, 31:1, and 33:1. The first three stress divine principles and the second three give matching historical applications (interim fulfillments) that serve as a foretaste of coming end times (eschatology).
Three divine principles
#1: In 28:1, the principle is that if you reject His Word (28:9-15) then judgment will follow.
# 2: In 29:1, the principle is that disaster and deliverance will come. However, historical deliverance (interim fulfillments) did not change people spiritually and so there is the need for further divine action.
Note: A good example of this from the New Testament is the raising of Lazarus in John 11:43-50 where the raising of this man from the dead did not convince the leaders to believe in Jesus. They received an interim fulfillment, but did not believe. Then they plotted to kill Jesus setting up the later and greater fulfillment of Jesus rising from the dead and breaking the grip of death for us all. However, those who disbelieved the first, interim fulfillment missed the greater event.
#: 3 In 29:15, the people think they can run the world without God (29:15), but He will accomplish His will of establishing a truly renewed people.
Three applications to history and eschatology
# 1b: In chapter 30, refuge is sought in Egypt (30:1-12) but God will still accomplish His purposes (30:13-33).
# 2b: In chapter 31, scorn is shown for those who go to Egypt for help, but God will transform His people (32:1-8). The pattern of being overthrown (32:9-14) and the transformation taking place (32:15-20) is demonstrated.
# 3b: In chapter 33:1 treachery may seem to rule (33:1, 8), but God’s sovereign rule remains in tack (33:3, 10), the Kingdom of God will be established (33:13-24) and the enemy will be destroyed (34) but the redeemed will be gathered (35).
God wants us to have faith in the immediate circumstances that we find ourselves in and that will help us set up to handle successfully the future (eschatology). Paul reminds us in I Corinthians that “faith abides”, it sticks with us. It is worth acquiring in the difficulties we find ourselves presently in.
II. Details: Looking at some of the passages in greater detail.
A. Chapter 28 and 29:
>>>> Let us read together 28:1.
The first woe is aimed at those who get drunk who are in leadership. Being a drunkard is a metaphor for decadence.
Q What is another metaphor for decadence that would fit our culture here in America?
An = It could be materialism or the over spending due to the need to buy things. A leader can not be decadent and let physical drives control him or her.
>>>> Let us read Isaiah 5:22-23 together. This theme is mentioned here as well. It seems being controlled by alcohol or material desires blinds us to doing what we should be doing in a leadership position. In this text, the decadence blinds the person with power from doing their duty and bringing justice because they are driven by a bribe.
>>>> Let us read together Proverbs 31:4-5. Again, the role of leadership implies a strict discipline lest we forget why we have such a position. It is not “nice” of us to be fair to those who are vulnerable, it is the very reason we have the position.
>>>> Let us read further in the chapter: 28:2-4.
Q What is lost, according to verses 3 and 4 without discipline? In verse 2 there is a promise of judgment on such leaders. They will be destroyed and thrown down in a fashion similar to the mighty violence and destruction one experiences in a storm.
An = The glory of an undisciplined leader fades. This is true whether the leader is a political one, a pastor or a parent.
>>>> Let us read together 28:5-6.
These two verses take the situation of poor leadership and apply it in an eschatological manner. Despite the poor leadership present there is still hope in the future because God will act in the future. He, Himself, will someday wear the crown, and He will be true justice and strength to those who need to face difficult situations. These two themes are found in 28:1-6 and through out Isaiah: judgment on evil doing but salvation for the remnant. Isaiah is aware that many will not heed his preaching but that does not mean God’s will not ultimately come to pass. Human beings are given free will to act as good pastors, good politicians, and good supervisors at work, good teachers or good parents but if we chose to be blind and deaf to God’s Word, He will step in.
Those who reject the truth when in leadership will mock the words of God’s prophets. As spokesman we must expect such mocking. Even the greatest of all teachers and prophets was mocked. Moses was mocked in Exodus 5 by Pharaoh and even Jesus was mocked (Luke 16:14). Decadence or greed can blind a leader and such leaders do not like being told the truth about themselves. This mocking is implied in 28:9-10 by the leaders whose inebriation is described in 28:7-8. Those who are blind will mock, but those who mock will be judged. Their judgment is described in 28:11-14.
>>>> Let us read together 28:15-21. Leaders who do not control their drunkenness (whatever form that takes) know they are vulnerable and so they will seek security in other areas. They cannot put their faith in God’s protection because it is the very principles of God that they have trampled on. So in 28:15 we see that the leaders in Isaiah’s time had made another covenant to gain protection. The covenant promises they had heard from Moses would not apply to them so they sought security elsewhere. Here they seek security in a covenant with death. There are two ways to understand what this “covenant with death” is. One is to see it as a reliance on Egypt who had “death gods” in their pantheon, but another way to see this is that these leaders had dabbled in the occult. They have turned to witch craft of some kind. Many will seek the occult as society crumbles or circumstances crumble (Hartley) as Saul did because he was estranged from God. When we lose our obedience, we will be tempted to seek the occult. Church people do this as well as secular people. We here in America have thrown off the restrains of God’s Word and the occult is more popular than ever. We do not know for sure if the “covenant with death” is a reference to the occult, but whatever form this “covenant with death” took for them in Isaiah’s time or whatever form it takes in our time, it will fail. Isaiah calls such seeking of security a bold move to seek safety in lies and falsehood.
Isaiah’s first answer to such falsehood is to offer the alternative: the truth (28:16). There is a place of true safety, and it is in God’s action: His giving of a precious cornerstone. Whoever trusts in what God provides will not be brought to despair. The second part of Isaiah’s answer is announcing the destruction that will come to those who trust in false securities (28:17-21). They will fail not only because they are false, but it will be the deliberate action of God that will destroy such inappropriate methods of finding security. God, Himself, will be active (28:17, 21). He usually rises up to act to save 28:21), but in the face of false securities He will rise up to judge His own people. Isaiah calls it a “strange” or “alien” task.
Many people see God as a petty jealous power who judges with the same motives that we have. Isaiah knew better. God judges His very own people because He loves them. He wants them to stop doing the behavior they are presently engaged in. They are to stop their mocking (28:22) or it will get worse. The prophet then showed them from a metaphor that they could understand. Isaiah used metaphors from agriculture. The judgment is violent, just as the plowing of the earth violently disturbs and turns up the earth. However, a good farmer does not continually plow (28:24). He plows in order to plant and to plant a beautiful and skillfully chosen variety (28:25-27) of items. God is even extending His love in His judgment. Even in judgment Isaiah saw the deliberate actions of God as “wonderful in counsel and magnificent in wisdom”.
Q Have you been judged in your past and now you see the wisdom and love of God?
Q Can you see that maybe this is what God will have to do to you or to your loved ones to bring about their best end?
Note: A good farmer does not plow forever and God is the best of farmers.
This theme of judgment with the view of bringing about salvation dominates the next chapter as well. In 29:1-8, God’s strange or alien plans begin with a siege of Jerusalem, but the people do not get it, they are blind (29:9-12) and they are false, claiming to be serving God, but really they are relying on man-made doctrines (29:13-14). The leaders believe that they can hide their plans from God and that they are smarter than God. Many in leadership truly believe all they have to do is say the right words and placate the people, and it will fool God too. As foolish as this seems it is repeated done by leaders who live in falsehood (29:15-16). Jesus will quote Isaiah 29:13 when He refers to the blindness of the leaders of His day:
“These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips,
But their hearts are far from me.
Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.” (29:13)
In His mercy though, God will not leave them alone, but He will intervene (29:17-24). It is from the gloom that perception will come.
“In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll,
And out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see.” (29:18).
Isaiah has been given insight into the heart and into the goal of the actions of God, even His acts of judgment. Because of His great love, judgment must come, but from the gloom and darkness a remnant will survive and live (6:13). C.S. Lewis said in his time what Isaiah was saying in his: “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world” (The Problem of Pain, p. 93).
B. Chapters 30-31,
In chapter 31:1 the Israelites are confronted with another false security: seeking help from human resources. Chapter 31:3 is parallel to 30:1-5. 31:3 says:
“But the Egyptians are men and not God;
Their horses are flesh and not spirit.
When the Lord stretches out his hand,
He who helps will stumble,
He who is helped will fall:
Both will perish together.”
Again through the earlier chapter (30) Israel has refused to trust in God, and they demand that the prophets tell them only what they want to hear (30:10). They do not want to be confronted with the Holy One of Israel (30:11). They are warned that their action will lead to destruction, but typical of Isaiah, he did leave it there. He showed them the way to life:
“In repentance and rest is your salvation,
In quietness and trust is your strength,
But you would have none of it.” (30:15)
As in the earlier chapters there is an offer of salvation (30:15) followed with a threat of judgment (30:16-17) and yet followed again with a word of hope, usually for a remnant (30:18-26). Such promises of blessing are not to be seen as the only action of God. The chapter ends with a horrifying portrayal of God coming from afar (30:27) and as He nears fire and judgment ensure:
“The breath of the Lord,
Like a stream of burning sulfur,
Sets it ablaze.” (30:33).
In similar fashion, Chapter 31 is designed to persuade its audience to act (31:6-7) because their actions have failed (1-3) and God’s actions will not (31:4-5, 8-9). Isaiah calls them to return to One against Whom they have revolted. What is often beautiful in Isaiah’s call to faith was that he called them to blessed for “Blessed are all who wait for Him” (30:18) or he saw as parallel to a call to repentance the call to “rest in your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.” (30:15) Why does Isaiah call it rest or say the act of faith that God wants from us is to “wait”? These are strange words for super active Americans.
C. Chapters 32-35.
One of the most challenging promises for leaders to obtain is found in my opinion in 32:2:
“Each man will be like a shelter from the wind
And a refuge from the storm,
Like streams of water in the desert
And the shadow of a great rock in a thirty land.”
In chapter 32:1-8 great promises are made about what we can become. We can become strength for “others” and have lived our life in such a manner that others grew shelter from our very presence in their lives.
Isaiah’s concern was that they would not achieve this, and he saw one of the greatest enemies to such an amazing way of life in “complacency” (32:9-14). What should we hope for and how can we become “a shelter in the time of storm”? The prophet says we must be transformed and it will come from an outpouring of the Spirit of God (32:15). A true outpouring of the Holy Spirit will bring justice and righteousness (32:16-17) and then true blessing and security (32:18-20). This message is in contrast to the “covenant of death” that was bold lies and falsehood in chapter 28. For the Spirit of God brings justice and righteousness in leaders. It is justice and righteousness and not talent that make a leader become the needed refuge or refreshment (32:2) in a sin weary world. (This message is also the same message as chapter 3 of Isaiah.)
In the following chapters, judgment against the wicked is continued interspersed with promises of grace for the remnant after judgment has come. However, the section ends in joy. Isaiah saw most of those in leadership that he tried to persuade, for the most part, disregard his message. However, Isaiah knew God would triumph among some in the end. Some would listen. Some did listen and faithfully recorded Isaiah’s words (or we would not have them). So Isaiah ended with “say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, do not fear; your God will come….'”. People will come home, there will be Way of Holiness” and the wicked are not allowed on that Way but only the redeemed will be there and
“They will enter Zion with singing;
Everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them,
And sorrow and signing will flee away.” (35:10)