Tyndale Open Study NotesIsaiah 28

The glory of Samaria, capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, is here contrasted with the glory of the Lord. This section represents the first of the six woes (Woe to...).

This section is connected by a series of six threats of judgment or woes (compare Isaiah 5:8–23). After the initial address to Samaria in Isaiah 28:1–13, the rest of the section addresses Judah. This is mainly because Judah tends to trust Egypt to save them from Assyria (Isaiah 30:2).

• The drunkards of Israel showed pride, spiritual laziness, and disrespect for God and his commands.

• Unlike Jerusalem, Samaria was in a fertile valley.

• the Lord has one who is: The covenant God will act against his own people, whose behavior had effectively disqualified them as God’s people (see Hosea 1:9).

• one who is strong and mighty: This refers to the Assyrians, who destroyed Samaria in 722 BC.

In the future, after God’s judgment has purged his people, he will restore a righteous remnant, transforming the desires and character of his people. Samaria will no longer be the source of Israel’s pride. Instead, they will glory in the Lord, their true crown.

The focus shifts back to the unfortunate current situation in Israel (and Judah). The leaders and people will be trapped by their own plans.

• The priests and prophets led the people astray.

• Intoxicating beverages such as wine and alcohol were prohibited for priests while fulfilling their duties (Leviticus 10:9).

The people had become resistant to God's message (1 Corinthians 14:21).

• God will communicate through situations like hardship, exile, and death to reach his stubborn people.

• foreign tongues: In the New Testament, Paul used this text to describe the spiritual gift of tongues as a sign of judgment for unbelievers (see 1 Corinthians 14:21–22).

If his people had listened, God's revelation would have led them to rest (see Isaiah 48:18–19). However, they did not listen because of their stubborn hearts (Isaiah 65:12).

line on line, line on line; a little here, a little there: The Hebrew text is hard to understand. The words might be intentional nonsense to illustrate the point that the people were so spiritually blind that God’s clearest revelation was nonsense to them (see Isaiah 6:9–10).

After giving judgment on Samaria (Isaiah 28:1–13), Isaiah now judges Jerusalem. He accuses Judah's leaders of being as blind as those in Israel's northern kingdom.

• have made a covenant with death … fashioned an agreement with Sheol: There are two possible interpretations:

  1. The people had pledged themselves to the Canaanite god of death, Mot, for his supposed protection.

  2. The prophet was sarcastic. The people believed their political and economic actions ensured their safety, but they had actually harmed themselves.

• lies … and falsehood: The leaders did not see themselves as deceptive, but they were.

The Lord is the dependable cornerstone in Jerusalem, a valuable foundation stone of God's true city. There would be real hope in Jerusalem if the leaders and people turned to Him. By trusting in God, they would be safe during the worst storm or earthquake (see Isaiah 8:14; Psalm 118:22; Matthew 7:24–27; 21:42; see the application to Jesus Christ, Romans 9:33; 10:11; 1 Corinthians 3:11; Ephesians 2:20; 1 Peter 2:4–7).

The Lord judges people based on their actions, which show if they have true faith (for justice and righteousness, see Isaiah 1:21–23).

the bed … the blanket: The leaders were not ready for God's judgment.

• as at Mount Perazim: See 2 Samuel 5:20.

• God rescued Israel with a hailstorm at Gibeon (Joshua 10:10–12), but now he would oppose them.

Listen: he analogy that follows was written as a wisdom poem, with Isaiah calling on his audience to pay careful attention and to discern what is right.

A farmer knows that there are right and wrong ways to do things, but the leaders of Judah were not that intelligent.

The Lord uses different tools, such as a heavy sledge or a light stick, to achieve his goals. There are different levels of judgment.

it is not endlessly threshed: This process would end. After judgment would come redemption.

wonderful in counsel (see Isaiah 9:6): God’s people should learn wisdom about God’s ways, as the farmer has done.