Isaiah 28: 1 – 29
Law And Order – Part 1
1 Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower which is at the head of the verdant valleys, to those who are overcome with wine! 2 Behold, the Lord has a mighty and strong one, like a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, like a flood of mighty waters overflowing, who will bring them down to the earth with His hand. 3 The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, will be trampled underfoot; 4 And the glorious beauty is a fading flower which is at the head of the verdant valley, like the first fruit before the summer, which an observer sees; He eats it up while it is still in his hand. 5 In that day the LORD of hosts will be for a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty to the remnant of His people, 6 For a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and for strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate. 7 But they also have erred through wine, and through intoxicating drink are out of the way; The priest and the prophet have erred through intoxicating drink, they are swallowed up by wine, they are out of the way through intoxicating drink; They err in vision, they stumble in judgment. 8 For all tables are full of vomit and filth; No place is clean.9 “ Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts? 10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.” 11 For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people, 12 To whom He said “This is the rest with which You may cause the weary to rest,” and, “This is the refreshing”; Yet they would not hear. 13 But the word of the LORD was to them, “ Precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little,” that they might go and fall backward, and be broken and snared and caught. 14 Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you scornful men, who rule this people who are in Jerusalem, 15 Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we are in agreement. When the overflowing scourge passes through, it will not come to us, for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood we have hidden ourselves.” A Cornerstone in Zion. 16 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “ Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; whoever believes will not act hastily. 17 Also I will make justice the measuring line, and righteousness the plummet; The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters will overflow the hiding place. 18 Your covenant with death will be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol will not stand; When the overflowing scourge passes through, then you will be trampled down by it. 19 As often as it goes out it will take you; For morning by morning it will pass over, and by day and by night; It will be a terror just to understand the report.” 20 For the bed is too short to stretch out on, and the covering so narrow that one cannot wrap himself in it. 21 For the LORD will rise up as at Mount Perazim, He will be angry as in the Valley of Gibeon— that He may do His work, His awesome work, and bring to pass His act, His unusual act. 22 Now therefore, do not be mockers, lest your bonds be made strong; For I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts, a destruction determined even upon the whole earth. Listen to the Teaching of God. 23 Give ear and hear my voice, listen and hear my speech. 24 Does the plowman keep plowing all day to sow? Does he keep turning his soil and breaking the clods? 25 When he has leveled its surface, does he not sow the black cummin and scatter the cummin, plant the wheat in rows, the barley in the appointed place, and the spelt in its place? 26 For He instructs him in right judgment, His God teaches him. 27 For the black cummin is not threshed with a threshing sledge, nor is a cartwheel rolled over the cummin; But the black cummin is beaten out with a stick, and the cummin with a rod. 28 Bread flour must be ground; Therefore he does not thresh it forever, break it with his cartwheel, or crush it with his horsemen. 29 This also comes from the LORD of hosts, Who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance.
In today’s study we are going to uncover a second round of ‘watch out’s!’ or ‘Woe’s’. Our Precious Holy Jehovah Gmolah – The God of Recompense – instructs mankind that if we proceed on a path of rebellion against His Laws, there are serious consequences that these sinful ways will occur. In His Mercy He puts these potential devastations down on paper for all to see.
Back in chapter 5 we witnessed the first tsunami hit with six major waves. These ‘Woe’s’ from God’s servant Isaiah were;
1. Woe on those who have brought up or seized by force the fields of people, so as to form for themselves large estates. These actions will bring desolation on them [verses 8 – 10].
2. Woe on the drunken behavior and revelry of the people which finally result in their humiliation. [ 11- 17].
3. Woe on those who sin deeply, drawing sin with cart ropes and yet they cry out that they want to see God’s deliverance [ 18 – 19]
4. Woe on those who have twisted truth for their own purposes, calling evil good and good evil, darkness light, and light darkness, what is bitter – sweet, and what is sweet – bitter. [ 20]
5. Woe on those who are self-opinioned and self conceited. [ 21]
6. Woe on those who are heavy drinkers, resulting in injustice, and their despising the Instruction of our Adoni Yahweh. It will result in lives which produce only rottenness [22- 24]
Now due to after shocks we see another round of tsunami waves of ‘Woe’s’. Starting in chapter 28 through 33 we will read about the second group of ‘watch out’s’. These are;
1. [28.1] Woe against the drunken pride of the Northern Kingdom
2. [29.1] Woe against the spiritual blindness of Judah
3. [29: 15] Woe against those who seek to hide what they are doing from God.
4. [30: 1] Woe against those who look elsewhere for help other than looking to God.
5. [31:1] Woe against those who pursue Egypt to help
6. [33:1] Woe against those who have dealt treacherous to His people.
If you take a hard look at these two lists of Woe’s you will see a similar presentation. Isaiah begins with a rebuke to God’s people, then towards their enemies, and finishes off with a promise of restoration.
1 Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower which is at the head of the verdant valleys, to those who are overcome with wine! 2 Behold, the Lord has a mighty and strong one, like a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, like a flood of mighty waters overflowing, who will bring them down to the earth with His hand. 3 The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, will be trampled underfoot; 4 And the glorious beauty is a fading flower which is at the head of the verdant valley, like the first fruit before the summer, which an observer sees; He eats it up while it is still in his hand. 5 In that day the LORD of hosts will be for a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty to the remnant of His people, 6 For a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and for strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate. 7 But they also have erred through wine, and through intoxicating drink are out of the way; The priest and the prophet have erred through intoxicating drink, they are swallowed up by wine, they are out of the way through intoxicating drink; They err in vision, they stumble in judgment. 8 For all tables are full of vomit and filth; No place is clean.
So, what are we reading? Picture if you would a court room. The Judge Is Jehovah Elyon – The Lord Most High. The Judge instructs his spokesperson to read the criminal charges. It is a capital crime – The crown of pride of Ephraim.
You see the crime here is ‘Pride’. The people were depending on their self-sufficiency. They didn’t need God they thought. No, the truth was that the loving Judge and Ruler over all wanted his servant to tell the people that they are deceived. Their pride is taking them down a path of utter destruction in this lifetime and for eternity.
When you do a study of all the kings of the North you will not find even one good king.
Our Lord views these kings and their leaders as the after effects of a binge drinking party. The king is slumped dead drunk on his throne, his crown lying a strewn on his head – “1 Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower which is at the head of the verdant valleys, to those who are overcome with wine.”
However, instead of alcohol, these people are drunk in their pride and self-sufficiency of doing all things with God. They have a false view of life and of their own importance. They did not realize through this stupor that destruction was at hand.
Here is one point we all have to have nailed down and it is this – ‘Pride will destroy you’. It’s root is in self-righteousness as we learn form our Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospel of Luke chapter 18, “Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ 13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
In contrast to these proud fools is our Sovereign Lord’s powerful and strong instrument for casting these drunkards down. If you glance back to chapter 9 verse 12 you will see that our Holy Ruler used the armies of Syria and Philistia to chasten His rebellious people. Now our Lord has upped the anti using the Assyrian army, who is an even greater evil power.
This army will be like a tornado or hurricane at level 5 intensity – ‘2 Behold, the Lord has a mighty and strong one, like a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, like a flood of mighty waters overflowing, who will bring them down to the earth with His hand.’
Did you see the aftereffects of the tornado that swept through Joplin, Missouri? There was nothing left. We see the same thing happen here, everything is gone – ‘3 The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, will be trampled underfoot; 4 And the glorious beauty is a fading flower which is at the head of the verdant valley, like the first fruit before the summer, which an observer sees; He eats it up while it is still in his hand.’
But after the tempest has passed, the ‘Son’ will shine. The Character of Jehovah Sabbaoth – The Lord of Hosts will be rightfully exalted. Please notice how our Lord’s Identity is revealed – ‘5 In that day the LORD of hosts will be for a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty to the remnant of His people.’ Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Commander of Heaven’s host of angels. Remember back in the book of Joshua chapter 5 our Lord’s personal interaction with his co-shepherd of His people.
“And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, “Are You for us or for our adversaries?” 14 So He said, “No, but as Commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?” 15 Then the Commander of the LORD’s army said to Joshua, “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.” And Joshua did so.”
I love it when our Lord gives us these golden nuggets of His appearance in the Old Testament. Did you take note of the statement our Lord Jesus said to Joshua about taking his sandals off because where he stood was holy? Where else does this remind you of? I hope you guessed with Moses and the Burning Bush. You see it was our Lord Jesus Christ speaking to Moses. Look what it says in Exodus chapter 15, “Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. 3 Then Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.”4 So when the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” 6 Moreover He said, “I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God. 7 And the LORD said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. 8 So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites. 9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”
In verse 1 we read of a false crown – a crown of self – sufficiency due to mankind’s pride. Here we read in verse 5 of the true crown. It belongs on the Head of our Adoni Jehovah Tsidkenu – The Lord our Righteousness.
Here the captain of the Lord’s Host will sit as Judge over the guilty prisoners. Remember back in chapter 11 of Isaiah we read about this Judge’s characteristics, “There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. 2 The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD. 3 His delight is in the fear of the LORD, And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, Nor decide by the hearing of His ears; 4 But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, And decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. 5 Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, And faithfulness the belt of His waist.’
Thus it is so as verse 6 so declares of this just Judge – ‘6 For a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and for strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.’
But please take notice who are drunk with power and filled with their own worldly wisdom – they are the religious leaders. “7 But they also have erred through wine, and through intoxicating drink are out of the way; The priest and the prophet have erred through intoxicating drink, they are swallowed up by wine, they are out of the way through intoxicating drink; They err in vision, they stumble in judgment. 8 For all tables are full of vomit and filth; No place is clean.’
These religious false guides are not guiding the people by the Holy Spirit but by false spirits. The judgments of the priests and the visions of their prophets are all wrong. They spew out their false advice and are a stench to everyone they come into contact with.
9 “ Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts? 10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.” 11 For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people, 12 To whom He said “This is the rest with which You may cause the weary to rest,” and, “This is the refreshing”; Yet they would not hear. 13 But the word of the LORD was to them, “ Precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little,” that they might go and fall backward, and be broken and snared and caught. 14 Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you scornful men, who rule this people who are in Jerusalem, 15 Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we are in agreement. When the overflowing scourge passes through, it will not come to us, for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood we have hidden ourselves.” A Cornerstone in Zion.
In their spiritual drunken state the religious and government leaders deride Isaiah. They think themselves as wiser and know the best for themselves and their country. They were saying to each other, ‘who does this guy think he is? Who does he think he’s talking to? Some little 3 year old? He doesn’t say anything new, all he does is add a few new points here and there.’
Well, you know what, that is exactly what Isaiah is saying. It is the same message that we give to the world today. It is the Gospel folks. For our Lord Jesus Christ came to earth and died a violent death on a cross for you and me. He shed His precious blood for us. He arose again from the dead and He Is in Heaven now seated at the right hand of the Father. Yes, we will continue to give the same message - 9 “ Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts? 10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.” 11 For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people, 12 To whom He said “This is the rest with which You may cause the weary to rest,” and, “This is the refreshing”; Yet they would not hear. 13 But the word of the LORD was to them, “ Precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little,” that they might go and fall backward, and be broken and snared and caught.’
He wants everyone to turn to Him for Salvation. If they will not then they will bring upon themselves this judgment - 14 Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you scornful men, who rule this people who are in Jerusalem, 15 Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we are in agreement. When the overflowing scourge passes through, it will not come to us, for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood we have hidden ourselves.” A Cornerstone in Zion.’
Please turn to Him and live.
