These are the original teaching notes from this passage.
- Woe to Ephraim…
- Having given the TEN burdens concluding with the Apocalypse [final judgement]
- Isaiah turned again to His people – and gave the FIRST of SIX woes…
- WOE [הוֹי] – a Hebrew interjection that often precedes a pronouncement of JUDGMENT…
- EPHRAIM [Northern Kingdom] had been a beautiful flower in a lush garden…
- But a STORM was coming [Assyria] – that would trample them underfoot…
- Yet a REMNANT would survive – and they would look to the LORD as their CROWN!
- The Warning…
- The PROPHETS and PRIESTS who were all DRUNK [vomiting on the tables]
- Questioned the LORD – because He treated them like CHILDREN…
- Command after command – line after line – step by step [as if they were immature]
- Yet they had REFUSED the WORD of the Lord to give them REST…
- So instead He would send ASSYRIA to command them in a language they did NOT understand!
- The Cornerstone…
- This was a LESSON the rulers of Jerusalem needed to listen to…
- Because they made a COVENANT [בְּרִית] with Egypt to escape DEATH and HELL [Assyria]
- But Egypt would FAIL them – they could NOT cover [כָּפַר] them…
- The real answer was in the CORNERSTONE God would lay in ZION – I Peter 2:6
- All who put their TRUST in Him [Jesus] would NEVER be put to SHAME…
- Because God does UNUSUAL acts [Perazim – Gibeon] – Assyria would be NO problem for Him!
- 1st – Woe to Jerusalem… vs. 1-8
- 1st – Lion of God… vs. 1
- City of David…
- Woe to Ariel – to Ariel the city where David dwelt!
- SECOND of the SIX woes [הוֹי] – was to the Southern Kingdom…
- ARIEL [6x in OT] – the LION [אֲרִי] of God [אֵל]
- A name given to the people of Jerusalem [city of David] – II Samuel 5:7
- Judah – the main tribe of the Southern Kingdom – was known as the LION – Genesis 49:9
- Because it was from Judah that the KINGS of Israel came…
- Pointing to Jesus – who is the LION of the Tribe of Judah – Revelation 5:5
- Feast of Israel…
- Add year to year let feasts come around!
- God taunts the city of KINGS [lion] to keep their FEASTS going [jussive]
- All the Jews had to go to Jerusalem to worship God – Psalm 122:1
- Because all SEVEN feast of Israel centered around sacrifices at the TEMPLE – Leviticus 23
- Yet the people had lost sight of their MEANING – it had become EMPTY ritual!
- There is always a danger of getting into a ROUTINE in our Christian walk…
- We do things out of HABIT – and forget the meaning behind them…
- We attend Bible studies – partake of communion – have fellowship…
- But overlook these things are meant to help us GROW in Jesus!
- 2nd – Humbled… vs. 2-4
- Distress… vs. 2
- Yet I will distress Ariel. There shall be heaviness and sorrow and it shall be to Me as Ariel!
- [Sequential] because the people had LOST the meaning of the FEASTS…
- God would bring [hiphil] TROUBLE on Jerusalem [mourning and weeping]
- They would be LIKE [כַּ] their name ARIEL [אֲרִיאֵל]
- Which may be a play on words for the similar sounding word ALTER [הַרְאֵל] – Ezekiel 43:15
- The people who were the LION of Judah – who offered EMPTY sacrifices to the LORD…
- Would instead themselves be put upon the ALTAR of sacrifice!
- Siege… vs. 3
- I will encamp against you all around. I will lay siege against you with a mound.
- And I will raise siegeworks against you!
- God would CAMP all around the City of Jerusalem – He would BESIEGE it…
- He would set up [hiphil] siege towers to break through the walls…
- The wording is especially terrifying – it does NOT say a foreign enemy would do this…
- It would be the LORD who would come against the CITY [by sending Assyria]!
- I Peter 5:5 – “God resists the proud!”
- RESISTS [ἀντιτάσσω] – to intensely oppose [often used of armies going to war]
- Our circumstances are NOT the problem – our struggles are NOT what we can see…
- God is the one behind out struggles – He is working against us – to get our attention!
- The dust… vs. 4
- You shall be brought down. You shall speak out of the ground.
- Your speech shall be low out of the dust. Your voice like a mediums out of the ground.
- And your speech shall whisper out of the dust!
- [Sequential] God went to WAR with Jerusalem to HUMBLE them…
- They would be brought LOW [שָׁפֵל] – from the DIRT they would cry out [piel]
- As they lay FLAT [niphal] on the ground – their voice like [כְּ] a Medium who WHISPERS [אוֹב]
- They would go from a ROARING lion – to a WHIMPER [like a little bird] – Isaiah 8:19
- God will allow us to be CRUSHED – brought LOW – down to the DIRT…
- Because God is NOT looking for us to ROAR in our own power…
- He wants us to learn we CANNOT trust in anything other than the LORD…
- And the good news is God hears WHISPERS – He pays attentions to PLEAS…
- All we need to do it cry out to Him – and He is there to HELP!
- I Peter 5:6-7 – “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you in due time. Casting all your care upon Him for He cares for you!”
- 3rd – Victory… vs. 5-8
- Suddenly… vs. 5-6
- Moreover the multitude of your foes shall be like fine dust.
- And the multitude of the terrible ones like chaff that passes away.
- Yes – it shall be in an instant – suddenly.
- You will be punished by the LORD of hosts with thunder and earthquake and great noise.
- With storm and tempest and the flame of devouring fire!
- [Sequential] the ENEMIES of Judah would slowly surrounded them…
- But they would be BLOW away like a pile of DUST – like the CHAFF in the wind…
- In an INSTANT the PROBLEM [Assyria] that TERRIFIED them would be gone…
- Because the LORD of Hosts [צְבָאוֹת] would VISIT [פָּקַד] their enemies…
- With THUNDER – an EARTHQUAKE – a great STORM – and a devouring FIRE!
- God would SEND one ANGEL – wipe out 185 thousands soldiers in ONE night – Isaiah 37:36
- This is at least the THIRD time God had told Judah this…
- God encouraged [jussive] Jerusalem to NOT fear Assyria – Isaiah 10:24
- He promised to remove the YOKE of Assyria from Judah – Isaiah 14:25
- God warns us that we will have TRIBULATION in life – John 16:33
- The important thing for us to REMEMBER what He said – He is greater than our TRIALS!
- Bad dream… vs. 7-8
- The multitude of all the nations who fight against Ariel.
- All who fight against her – her fortress – and distress her shall be as a dream of a night vision.
- It shall even be as when a hungry man dreams and look – he eats.
- But he awakes and his soul is still empty. Or when a thirsty man dreams and look he drinks.
- But he awakes and indeed he is faint – and his soul still craves.
- So the multitude of all the nations shall be who fight against Mount Zion!
- Like [כַּ] a bad DREAM – a VISION seen in the night…
- All [כָּל] of the NATIONS [הַגּוֹיִם] who fought against ARIEL [Jerusalem] would disappear…
- Like [כַּ] a DREAM of eating – only to wake up HUNGRY…
- Like [כַּ] a DREAM of drinking – only to wake up still faint from THIRST…
- So it would be [imperfect] for ALL the NATIONS [הַגּוֹיִם] who came against ZION [Jerusalem]!
- The TRIALS that come into our lives BUILD over time…
- God allows our TROUBLES to increase – because He is trying to get our attention…
- But just when the PROBLEM becomes more than we can bear…
- The LORD takes it away – in an INSTANT He gives us the victory…
- Like waking up from a BAD dream – we see there was NOTHING to fear…
- As we learn the LESSON – to put our TRUST in the Lord ALONE…
- We are no longer judged on the ALTAR [Ariel] – we have come the Mountain of God [Zion]
- 1st – Lion of God… vs. 1
- 2nd – Problem in Jerusalem… vs. 9-16
- 1st – Wrong questions… vs. 9-12
- Blind… vs. 9-10
- Pause and wonder! Blind yourselves and be blind!
- They are drunk but not with wine. They stagger but not with intoxicating drink!
- For the LORD has poured out on you the spirit of deep sleep.
- And has closed your eyes – namely the prophets. He covered your heads – namely the seers!
- God ironically says [imperative] – continue being STUNNED [hithpalpel] and AMAZED…
- Keep being DISTRACTED [שָׁעַע] so they would be spiritually BLIND [שָׁעַע]
- The people were acting like DRUNKS – but NOT [לֹא] because of ALCOHOL…
- But because [כִּי] the LORD had poured on them a SPIRIT [רוּחַ] of DEEP sleep…
- CLOSING [piel] the eyes of their PROPHETS – RULERS – and SEERS!
- Jerusalem was BUSY running around [chaotic] preparing for a WAR with ASSYRIA…
- Rather than asking the LORD – why was He allowing Assyria to come!
- When we FOCUS on the wrong things in life…
- When we look at the PROBLEM – rather than stop to ask WHY is there a PROBLEM…
- Then we are going to become SPIRITUALLY blind – and will STUMBLE [like a drunk]!
- Sealed… vs. 11
- The whole vision has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed.
- Which men deliver to one who is literate saying: Read this please.
- And he says: I cannot for it is sealed!
- The WORD [vision] of God had become to Israel like a SEALED [חָתַם] book…
- They were COMMANDED [imperative] to please [נָא] READ it…
- But they could NOT understand it [יָדַע] – because the Word was SEALED up to them!
- Illiterate… vs. 12
- Then the book is delivered to one who is illiterate saying: Read this please.
- And he says: I am not literate!
- [Sequential] – the BOOK had been given to those who were ILLITERATE [לֹא יָדַע]
- When they were COMMANDED [imperative] to please [נָא] READ it…
- They answered they could NOT – because they were ILLITERATE [לֹא יָדַעְתִּי]!
- Israel came to the WORD asking how to defeat Assyria [wrong question]
- What they should have been asking is how to get closer to God…
- Because they were asking the WRONG questions – the WORD did NOT given then answers!
- We know that if we want ANSWERS we need to get into the WORD [Bible]
- But if our perspective is WRONG – if we ask the WRONG questions…
- Then the WORD is NOT going to make any sense to us!
- 2nd – Wrong wisdom… vs. 13-14
- Commands of men… vs. 13
- Therefore the Lord said: Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths.
- And honor Me with their lips – but have removed their hearts far from Me.
- And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men!
- The Lord [אֲדֹנָי] knew what the PROBLEM was…
- [כִּי] Israel had all the right WORDS – they gave [piel] GLORY [כָּבַד] to Him with their LIPS…
- But [וְ] their HEARTS were FAR from Him…
- Their FEAR of the Lord was NOT because they KNEW His Word…
- But came from being TAUGHT [pual] the rules of MEN!
- Matthew 15:3 – “[Jesus] answered and said to them: Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?”
- The Pharisees came to Jesus and asked – why did His disciples break their TRADITIONS…
- They would NOT wash their hands [ceremonially] before they ate…
- Jesus quoted from Isaiah – the heart of the people were FAR from God –
- Because HYPOCRITES [Pharisees] taught as DOCTRINE the commandments of Men!
- Too many churches teach RULE rather than a RELATIONSHIP with a living God…
- They tell people that if they GIVE – READ – PRAY – God will bless their lives…
- So the people go through all the MOTIONS – but their HEART is far from the Lord…
- And when their lives fall apart [and they will] they do NOT understand why…
- Because they missed they were following the commands of men – not the Word of God!
- Marvelous work… vs. 14
- Therefore behold – I will again do a marvelous work among this people.
- A marvelous work and a wonder for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish.
- And the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden!
- Therefore [כֵּן] – God would AGAIN [not the first time] do a WONDER [פָּלָא] in Israel…
- He would RESCUE His people at the very last moment by His mighty power…
- This WONDER of wonders [2x] would put an END to the wisdom of wise men [sarcastic]
- The understanding [בִּין] of those who had knowledge would disappear!
- Job and his THREE comforters debated for 36 chapters…
- Until God showed up and SILENCED them all [where were you] – Job 38:2
- The GOOD news is that God still does WONDERS today…
- When we overwhelmed – when we are unsure and confused…
- He is active in showing people He is the answer we have been struggling to find…
- And when God shows up – it puts an END to all of the vain SOLUTIONS men!
- 3rd – Just pots… vs. 15-16
- Not Hidden… vs. 15
- Woe to those who seek deep to hide their counsel far from the LORD.
- And their works are in the dark they say: Who sees us? And: Who knows us?
- WOE [הוֹי] – a Hebrew interjection that often precedes a pronouncement of JUDGMENT…
- To those who seek to HIDE their PURPOSE from the LORD…
- Who try and do things in the DARK [so they cannot be seen]
- Who assume NO one can see [רָאָה] them – NO one knows [יָדַע]!
- The potter… vs. 16
- Surely you have things turned around. Shall the potter be esteemed as the clay.
- For shall the thing made say of him who made it: He did not make me.
- Or shall the thing formed say of him who formed it: He has no understanding!
- There was IRONY in this kind of thinking [hiding from the Lord]
- That is like [כְּ] saying – a POT equal to the POTTER who made it…
- Can the POT deny that it was [עָשָׂה] made by the POTTER…
- Can the POT say to the one who made him – You do not UNDERSTAND [בִּין]!
- Jeremiah 18:6 – “As the clay is in the potters hand so are you in My hand – O house of Israel!”
- God knows exactly who we are – He [potter] made us [clay]
- How foolish to think that we can HIDE our motives from Him…
- How dangerous [woe] to think that we know more than He does…
- We might NOT like our circumstances – we may NOT enjoy our trials…
- But we are WISE to trust the Lord knows what He is doing!
- 1st – Wrong questions… vs. 9-12
- 3rd – Restoration of Jerusalem… vs. 17-24
- 1st – Waiting… vs. 17-19
- Little while… vs. 17
- Is it not yet a very little while till Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field.
- And the fruitful field be esteemed as a forest?
- It would NOT take long – the deliverance was coming [certainty]
- God would HUMBLE those who were mighty [trees of Lebanon]
- And He would raise up those who were HUMBLE [grass] to be a MIGHTY!
- The hardest word for us to hear from the LORD – is WAIT…
- We do want the answer to come right NOW – not in a LITTLE while…
- But looking to the Lord as the answer includes waiting on His TIMING!
- Rejoice… vs. 18-19
- In that day the deaf shall hear the words of the book.
- And the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness.
- The humble also shall increase their joy in the LORD and the poor among men shall rejoice.
- In the Holy One of Israel!
- And in that DAY [בַיּוֹם] – the WORD of God would be OPEN…
- So that even the DEAF will HEAR it – and the BLIND we be able to see it…
- [Sequential] the HUMBLE [internal] will increase in the JOY of the LORD…
- And the POOR [external] will REJOICE in the Holy [קָדוֹשׁ] One of Israel!
- WAITING on the LORD may not be easy – but the results are worth it…
- Those who HUMBLY [internal] wait for God – will be filled with JOY…
- Because in His TIMING the Holy One will provide for our NEED [external] – Philippians 4:19
- 2nd – Validation…vs. 20-21
- For the terrible one is brought to nothing.
- The scornful one is consumed and all who watch for iniquity are cut off.
- Who make a man an offender by a word – and lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate.
- And turn aside the just by empty words!
- And in that DAY [בַיּוֹם] – when the LORD does a WONDER of WONDERS…
- He will put an END to the TERROR [עָרִיץ] that has come against Jerusalem…
- He will CONSUME those who are arrogant [Rabshakeh] – Isaiah 36:4
- He will KILL all those who PLOT evil [the Assyrian army]
- For the MAN who had used words to MOCK…
- The one who REBUKED the God of Israel at the gates of Jerusalem…
- Trying to TRAP [hiphil] the RIGHTEOUS and turn them from the LORD!
- Isaiah 36:20 – “Who among all the gods of these lands have delivered their countries from my hand that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem from my hand?”
- When the armies of Assyria surrounded the City of Jerusalem…
- King Sennacherib sent his spokesman the Rabshakeh to threaten the people [speaking Hebrew]
- He taunted them that NO god had been able to save their people from Assyria…
- And the LORD [יְהוָה] would be NO different – He could NOT save Israel…
- When Hezekiah heard these words – he went into the house of the LORD!
- Isaiah 37:6 – “Do not be afraid of the words which you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me.”
- We look at our PROBLEMS and the TRAP is to be AFRAID of them…
- They might taunt us – God is not able to save us from our TROUBLES…
- But it is our TRIAL that needs to be AFRAID – because the LORD is listening…
- And in the DAY when He moves – they are the ones who will be CUT off!
- 3rd – Not ashamed… vs. 22-24
- Like Abraham… vs. 22
- Therefore thus says the LORD who redeemed Abraham – concerning the house of Jacob!
- YES [כֵּן] – the same LORD who redeemed Abraham [first Jew]
- Would also redeem JACOB [his rebellious grandson]
- Abraham had been given a PROMISE from the LORD…
- He was told to go to a LAND that God would show him [Israel]
- But Abraham doubted in a FAMINE – and went to Egypt – Genesis 12:10
- Jacob had been given a PROMISE from the LORD…
- God would be with him – and would NOT leave him – Genesis 28:15
- But Jacob doubted when Esau came for him – and wrestled with God – Genesis 32:24
- God gives us PROMISES – but it is easy to DOUBT…
- We tend to look at what we can SEE – rather than what God SAID!
- Fear God… vs. 22-23
- Jacob shall not now be ashamed – nor shall his face now grow pale.
- But when he sees his children – the work of My hands – in his midst.
- They will hallow My name – and hallow the Holy One of Jacob – and fear the God of Israel!
- Jacob would NO longer be ASHAMED [בּוּשׁ] or TERRIFIED [pale faced]
- When they see their CHILDREN are saved by the HAND of God…
- [Sequential] they will [hiphil] revere [קְדוֹשׁ] the NAME of the LORD – the Holy one [קְדוֹשׁ]
- And for the right reason [not human commands] – FEAR the God of Israel!
- Understand… vs. 24
- These also who erred in spirit will come to understanding.
- And those who complained will learn doctrine!
- Those whose spirit had WANDERED [תָּעָה] from the LORD – will come to SEE [יָדַע]
- Those who COMPLAINED will LEARN the TRUTH [לֶקַח]
- Because when the SEA parts – when the ARMY falls – when God moves…
- They will see their TRIALS were never the problem – it was where they put their TRUST!
- 1st – Waiting… vs. 17-19