Isaiah 28: 1 – 29
Law And Order – Part 2
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.
Today we are going to pick up on where we left off. As a quick review we read about the # 1 thing that will cast people down and that is ‘Pride’. They say as rulers go, so go the nation. Therefore our Lord in verse 1 pointed out that the capital of Samaria was the leading source of Israel’s coming destruction. In case the people came up with any excuses or other possible reasons why they faced the wrath of the Assyrian Army our Lord pointed out in verses 2 through 4 that He was the One behind this invasion by a horrible enemy.
One way or the other the Lord will exalt His Holy Character. In verses 5 and 6 He will reveal His true Identity to a godly remnant as they witness His powerful influence during the pronounced judgment.
Do you want to face the Judgment of God, then do what the Israelites did and see what happens. In verses 7 and 8 we see their actions which caused our Holy Master to react. They were not representing Him to the world as they should have been. Their drinking, deception, and defilement could not be ignored by their Holy Father. In His love He would not tolerate His children in living such evil lifestyles.
Our Lord proclaimed over and over the need for the people to stop what they were doing, yet they would not heed.
Our Holy Adoni Jehovah Elyon – The Lord Most High – then taught us His Wonderful Precepts which if followed would allow blessings to future generations. In verse 9 we read of the importance of properly teaching our children.
Have you ever noticed in the bible how some things our Precious Holy Spirit seems to have repeated. He does this on purpose in order to drive home His important truth. We see His explanation of this instruction in verse 10. When you memorize something what do you do? – You repeat it over and over to yourself. If we fail to teach our children properly their will be some serious consequences that will come up in the future. Hence, our Lord’s warning in verse 11. If we just obey our Lord in faith that His rules our for our benefits then they will greatly impact us as verse 12 points out. Yet, again, our sinful desire causes us to turn to the dark side and ignore His instruction and as verse 13 points out what will happen if we refuse to obey Him.
Our Lord knows everything. He knows our future decisions so He now proclaims the fact that He knows that the people will not heed His message. He informs the people in verses 14 and 15 that their deception is not going to work.
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 notice our Lord’s charge in verse 14, ‘For this reason’. What reason? The people had accused our Holy Maker’s prophet of babbling and were unwilling to listen to his message from God. For that reason the sentence of judgment will be leveled against them.
Hey, they don’t need God. In their own wisdom they can come up with the solution to their problems, they will just made some ‘deals’ with their enemies. This is why Isaiah tells them that they have made a deal with death and the grave – ‘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.’
Do you all know what a cornerstone is? If you are in the construction business you do. Suppose you wanted to build a little shed in your back yard out of bricks or stones. The first one you put into position is the chief one. You will work your way from this one stone or brick in all the four corners and you will build up starting with this one key building block.
Isaiah told the people that they are lousy builders. They laid the wrong corner stone and therefore ultimately their building will collapse.
This is not the case, however, when you follow all the proper construction rules and lay down the right cornerstone. You will get a strong and secure building.
Can you now see how Great our Master and Lord Jesus Is? What was His occupation? – yes He was in construction as a carpenter. Our Precious Holy Father here is going to step forth and be the One Who will do the construction and He will also be the Chief Cornerstone to build upon.
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.
Look at the proper progression of this wonderful truth. It does not just come up once but our Holy God has introduced this fact over time. The first instance our Holy King used the oldest written record and that being the life of Job in chapter 38 verse 6, ‘To what were its foundations fastened? Or Who laid its cornerstone?’
We next see our Holy Master use the pen of His Beloved man David in Psalm 118 verse 22, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the Chief Cornerstone’
Then after using His prophet Isaiah our Wonderful Lord uses His prophet Zechariah in chapter 10, “2 For the idols speak delusion; The diviners envision lies, and tell false dreams; They comfort in vain. Therefore the people wend their way like sheep; They are in trouble because there is no shepherd. 3 “ My anger is kindled against the shepherds, and I will punish the goatherds. For the LORD of hosts will visit His flock, the house of Judah, and will make them as His royal horse in the battle. 4 From him comes the cornerstone, from him the tent peg, from him the battle bow, from him every ruler together.’
Our Lord Jesus as pointed out in the Gospels was pointing out to the people the He Is the Chief Cornerstone yet as we read in chapter 21 of Matthew these people also had no understanding of His message, ‘Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. 34 Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. 35 And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. 37 Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ 39 So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.40 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?” 41 They said to Him, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.” 42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘ The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD’s doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’? 43 “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. 44 And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.” 45 Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them. 46 But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet.
Now having laid His foundation our Majestic Sovereign Lord God now declares that He will use justice and righteousness as His tools in which to measure the people. 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.’
Please notice the reference to hail and floodwater. These are symbols of judgment that is used throughout the bible.
Our Merciful Lord God will not allow the leaders covenant with death to be imposed upon the people. Here in verse 18 He annuls their contract.
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.
The ‘scourge’ will be performed by the Assyrian army. Each day those in hiding will see and hear these brutal soldiers coming to seek victims.
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.
I’ll tell you something here that just amazes me. The scourge will exceed anyone’s expectation. It’s cruelty will continue to go on day after day with no relief. We read now in verse 20 about a bed and covering and first think what the heck is this here for? Yet, on pondering these words you see our Lord’s Awesome Wisdom. The people had rejected God’s resting place so now the ‘bed’ that they have made for themselves is distinctly uncomfortable. They have by their own acts prepared days and nights of long misery. Wow!
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.
It was on Mount Perazim that our Father God arose on behalf of His Beloved son – David and defeated the Philistines when he was first made king of all Israel. We find out this truth in the book of 1 Chronicles chapter 14, ‘Now when the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. And David heard of it and went out against them. 9 Then the Philistines went and made a raid on the Valley of Rephaim. 10 And David inquired of God, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?” The LORD said to him, “Go up, for I will deliver them into your hand.” 11 So they went up to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there. Then David said, “God has broken through my enemies by my hand like a breakthrough of water.” Therefore they called the name of that place Baal Perazim. 12 And when they left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire. 13 Then the Philistines once again made a raid on the valley. 14 Therefore David inquired again of God, and God said to him, “You shall not go up after them; circle around them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. 15 And it shall be, when you hear a sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall go out to battle, for God has gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.” 16 So David did as God commanded him, and they drove back the army of the Philistines from Gibeon as far as Gezer. 17 Then the fame of David went out into all lands, and the LORD brought the fear of him upon all nations.’
At Gibeon The Lord of Hosts again intervened on David’s behalf and defended the Israelites as we just read in verses 13 through 16 of 1 Chronicles.
But please notice the difference here. Our Holy Maker will arise and act again but not on behalf of His people but against them ‘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.’
Our Great Teacher is now going to use an illustration to bring home His point. In verses 23 through 29 He will use a Parable about a Farmer and his crops. In verses 23 through 26 it will describe ‘sowing’ and end with ‘reaping’ in verses 27 through 29.
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.
A wise farmer thinks carefully about what he does. He plans out well all necessary activities and considers the proper sequence of actions. He does not get bogged down in any one activity. He looks at the entire process and designs in his planning the right course of daily functions.
The leaders of Israel should also take a look at the whole process and how they have planned their country’s ways. They need to reconsider and put forth a new action plan. This plan has to come back and make God first and foremost in their lives.
The leadership was using the wrong instruments to solve their issues. They were turning to Egypt which as God points out is a worthless instrument that will not work - 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.’
Our Lord makes it pretty clear on how to do things properly. It all depends upon obedience to His directions.
