Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine!
Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand.
The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet:
And the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up.
In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people,
And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.
But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.
For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.
Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
Wherefore hear the word of the Lord, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.
Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.
From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.
For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.
For the Lord shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.
Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord God of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.
Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.
Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground?
When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rie in their place?
For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him.
For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.
Bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen.
This also cometh forth from the Lord of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.
Isaiah 28 offers a complex message, speaking judgment and hope to both the northern kingdom of Israel (Ephraim) and the southern kingdom of Judah. It's a chapter that resonates with warnings against complacency and false security, while simultaneously pointing to the enduring foundation found only in God. Let's explore the nuances of this powerful chapter.
Woe to Ephraim's Drunkards (Isaiah 28:1-4)
Isaiah’s message, though primarily directed toward Judah, also addresses the northern kingdom of Israel in its final years before its destruction by the Assyrians. The prophet begins with a "woe" pronounced against the leaders of Israel, specifically those in Ephraim, a prominent tribe representing the northern kingdom. Their condition is described as disgraceful, characterized by drunkenness and a false sense of security. Isaiah 28:1 vividly depicts "the majestic crown of the drunkards of Ephraim" and "the fading flower of its glorious beauty." This imagery highlights the fleeting nature of their power and splendor, which is undermined by their intoxication. The leaders are so consumed by wine that they are oblivious to the impending danger. This impending danger is the Assyrian invasion, which is likened to "a devastating hail storm, like a storm with strong flooding water" (Isaiah 28:2). This is not merely a natural disaster, but a divine judgment, with God using the Assyrians as "the rod of his anger" (Isaiah 10:5).
Hope for the Faithful Remnant (Isaiah 28:5-8)
Amidst the pronouncements of judgment, a word of comfort emerges for those who remain faithful to God. While the nation as a whole faces decline, God promises to be "a crown of beauty and a diadem of splendor to the remnant of his people" (Isaiah 28:5). This offers hope that even in times of national crisis, God will sustain and beautify those who remain loyal to Him.
However, the chapter quickly returns to a somber tone, focusing on the spiritual leaders of Israel – the priests and prophets. Instead of providing guidance and upholding righteousness, they are depicted as staggering drunks, incapable of fulfilling their sacred duties (Isaiah 28:7). Their tables are "covered with vomit" (Isaiah 28:8), a graphic illustration of their moral and spiritual decay. Those chosen to minister in God's holy temple and magnify His glory have sunk to an unspeakable low. This corruption within the leadership further underscores the depth of Israel's spiritual crisis.
Scoffers and the Foreign Tongue (Isaiah 28:9-13)
The spiritual depravity is compounded by the people's arrogant rejection of Isaiah's message. They mock the prophet, dismissing his words as simplistic and childish. They are offended that he speaks to them "line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, there a little" (Isaiah 28:9-10), as if they were infants needing basic instruction.
But God turns their mockery back upon them. Because they refuse to listen to God's message of warning and judgment delivered through Isaiah, they will hear it from a people whose language they do not understand – the Assyrians. Isaiah 28:11-13 makes it clear that the Assyrian invasion will be a direct consequence of their refusal to heed God's word. The very message they scorn will be forced upon them through the harsh reality of foreign occupation.
Judah's False Security (Isaiah 28:14-15)
The focus shifts to Judah, particularly its rulers in Jerusalem. They have made a boastful and dangerous claim: "We have made a covenant with death, and with the grave we are in agreement. When the overwhelming scourge passes through, it will not touch us, for we have made lies our refuge and falsehood our hiding place" (Isaiah 28:15).
This statement reveals a profound spiritual delusion. The leaders of Judah are placing their trust in a false sense of security, likely based on political alliances with Egypt or a reliance on false gods. They believe they can outsmart death and the grave through their own cunning and deceit. The reference to a "covenant with death" may also reflect their belief in pagan deities associated with the underworld.
The Sure Foundation in Zion (Isaiah 28:16)
In stark contrast to Judah's false security, God offers a true and lasting foundation: "Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: 'See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic'" (Isaiah 28:16). This "stone in Zion" represents God's unwavering faithfulness and His plan for salvation. It is a promise of a secure foundation for those who trust in Him.
The Apostle Paul identifies this cornerstone as Jesus Christ (Romans 9:33), the one upon whom believers can build their lives without fear of being put to shame. Although many will stumble over Him, those who believe in Him will find true and lasting security.
Judgment Inevitable (Isaiah 28:17-22)
Despite God's offer of a sure foundation, judgment remains inevitable for those who cling to their false security. The Lord declares that Judah's "covenant with death will be annulled; your agreement with the grave will not stand" (Isaiah 28:18). Their attempts to escape judgment through lies and alliances will ultimately fail.
Instead of avoiding the coming flood, they will be swept away by it. God will act in unexpected ways, performing His "strange work" of severe judgment (Isaiah 28:21). This underscores the seriousness of their rebellion and the certainty of God's justice.
God's Wisdom and Restoration (Isaiah 28:23-29)
The chapter concludes with a word of hope, reminding both Israel and Judah of God's wisdom and his ability to bring about restoration. Isaiah uses the analogy of a farmer who knows how to plant and harvest different crops at the right time. Just as the farmer uses specific methods for each crop to achieve the best harvest, so God knows how to deal with His people to bring about restoration. Isaiah 28:29 emphasizes that "all this also comes from the Lord Almighty, whose plan is wonderful, whose wisdom is magnificent." God's methods may seem perplexing at times, but they are always guided by His perfect wisdom and aimed at ultimate restoration.
Isaiah 28 calls us to examine where we place our trust. Are we relying on fleeting pleasures, political alliances, or our own cleverness? Or are we building our lives on the sure foundation of God's word and the person of Jesus Christ? The chapter reminds us that true security and lasting hope are found only in Him.
Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine!
Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand.
The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet:
And the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up.
In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people,
And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.
But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.
For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.
Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
Wherefore hear the word of the Lord, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.
Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.
From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.
For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.
For the Lord shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.
Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord God of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.
Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.
Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground?
When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rie in their place?
For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him.
For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.
Bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen.
This also cometh forth from the Lord of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.
Isaiah 28 offers a complex message, speaking judgment and hope to both the northern kingdom of Israel (Ephraim) and the southern kingdom of Judah. It's a chapter that resonates with warnings against complacency and false security, while simultaneously pointing to the enduring foundation found only in God. Let's explore the nuances of this powerful chapter.
Woe to Ephraim's Drunkards (Isaiah 28:1-4)
Isaiah’s message, though primarily directed toward Judah, also addresses the northern kingdom of Israel in its final years before its destruction by the Assyrians. The prophet begins with a "woe" pronounced against the leaders of Israel, specifically those in Ephraim, a prominent tribe representing the northern kingdom. Their condition is described as disgraceful, characterized by drunkenness and a false sense of security. Isaiah 28:1 vividly depicts "the majestic crown of the drunkards of Ephraim" and "the fading flower of its glorious beauty." This imagery highlights the fleeting nature of their power and splendor, which is undermined by their intoxication. The leaders are so consumed by wine that they are oblivious to the impending danger. This impending danger is the Assyrian invasion, which is likened to "a devastating hail storm, like a storm with strong flooding water" (Isaiah 28:2). This is not merely a natural disaster, but a divine judgment, with God using the Assyrians as "the rod of his anger" (Isaiah 10:5).
Hope for the Faithful Remnant (Isaiah 28:5-8)
Amidst the pronouncements of judgment, a word of comfort emerges for those who remain faithful to God. While the nation as a whole faces decline, God promises to be "a crown of beauty and a diadem of splendor to the remnant of his people" (Isaiah 28:5). This offers hope that even in times of national crisis, God will sustain and beautify those who remain loyal to Him.
However, the chapter quickly returns to a somber tone, focusing on the spiritual leaders of Israel – the priests and prophets. Instead of providing guidance and upholding righteousness, they are depicted as staggering drunks, incapable of fulfilling their sacred duties (Isaiah 28:7). Their tables are "covered with vomit" (Isaiah 28:8), a graphic illustration of their moral and spiritual decay. Those chosen to minister in God's holy temple and magnify His glory have sunk to an unspeakable low. This corruption within the leadership further underscores the depth of Israel's spiritual crisis.
Scoffers and the Foreign Tongue (Isaiah 28:9-13)
The spiritual depravity is compounded by the people's arrogant rejection of Isaiah's message. They mock the prophet, dismissing his words as simplistic and childish. They are offended that he speaks to them "line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, there a little" (Isaiah 28:9-10), as if they were infants needing basic instruction.
But God turns their mockery back upon them. Because they refuse to listen to God's message of warning and judgment delivered through Isaiah, they will hear it from a people whose language they do not understand – the Assyrians. Isaiah 28:11-13 makes it clear that the Assyrian invasion will be a direct consequence of their refusal to heed God's word. The very message they scorn will be forced upon them through the harsh reality of foreign occupation.
Judah's False Security (Isaiah 28:14-15)
The focus shifts to Judah, particularly its rulers in Jerusalem. They have made a boastful and dangerous claim: "We have made a covenant with death, and with the grave we are in agreement. When the overwhelming scourge passes through, it will not touch us, for we have made lies our refuge and falsehood our hiding place" (Isaiah 28:15).
This statement reveals a profound spiritual delusion. The leaders of Judah are placing their trust in a false sense of security, likely based on political alliances with Egypt or a reliance on false gods. They believe they can outsmart death and the grave through their own cunning and deceit. The reference to a "covenant with death" may also reflect their belief in pagan deities associated with the underworld.
The Sure Foundation in Zion (Isaiah 28:16)
In stark contrast to Judah's false security, God offers a true and lasting foundation: "Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: 'See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic'" (Isaiah 28:16). This "stone in Zion" represents God's unwavering faithfulness and His plan for salvation. It is a promise of a secure foundation for those who trust in Him.
The Apostle Paul identifies this cornerstone as Jesus Christ (Romans 9:33), the one upon whom believers can build their lives without fear of being put to shame. Although many will stumble over Him, those who believe in Him will find true and lasting security.
Judgment Inevitable (Isaiah 28:17-22)
Despite God's offer of a sure foundation, judgment remains inevitable for those who cling to their false security. The Lord declares that Judah's "covenant with death will be annulled; your agreement with the grave will not stand" (Isaiah 28:18). Their attempts to escape judgment through lies and alliances will ultimately fail.
Instead of avoiding the coming flood, they will be swept away by it. God will act in unexpected ways, performing His "strange work" of severe judgment (Isaiah 28:21). This underscores the seriousness of their rebellion and the certainty of God's justice.
God's Wisdom and Restoration (Isaiah 28:23-29)
The chapter concludes with a word of hope, reminding both Israel and Judah of God's wisdom and his ability to bring about restoration. Isaiah uses the analogy of a farmer who knows how to plant and harvest different crops at the right time. Just as the farmer uses specific methods for each crop to achieve the best harvest, so God knows how to deal with His people to bring about restoration. Isaiah 28:29 emphasizes that "all this also comes from the Lord Almighty, whose plan is wonderful, whose wisdom is magnificent." God's methods may seem perplexing at times, but they are always guided by His perfect wisdom and aimed at ultimate restoration.
Isaiah 28 calls us to examine where we place our trust. Are we relying on fleeting pleasures, political alliances, or our own cleverness? Or are we building our lives on the sure foundation of God's word and the person of Jesus Christ? The chapter reminds us that true security and lasting hope are found only in Him.