THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS
This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.
Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.
Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may contact us and request that devotion. Please send your request, along with $.50 (p&handling) for each page to:
Bruce McGee,Pastor
205 Adams
Columbia, LA 71418
We have a great friend in Gary Godard. He has set up an archive page. To view ALL the prior devotions by Scripture, just clik
Bro. Bruce's commentaries for
the books of Genesis through 2Kings are
now available in hard copy for $7.50. Just mail your request for
COMMENTARY ON (BOOK NAME) to the address above.
Isaiah
CHAPTER 28
1 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! 2 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. 3 The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet: 4 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.
Isaiah uses the nation of Israel as an example to the nation
of Judah.
Twice the terms "crown of pride" and "drunkards
of Ephraim" are used. Isaiah prophesies that the ten tribes
of Northern Israel (Ephraim) will be destroyed because of their
pride and drunkenness.
Verse 2 tells them that God has prepared a very strong enemy
which will tear Israel down, and also Judah.
But pride closes the heart to hearing reproof and instruction.
Drunkenness avows pleasure better than reproof and instruction.
Because of this they will be caught by the enemy as a
"fading flower" or as a "hasty fruit." They
will be overcome very quickly.
5 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, 6 And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate. 7 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. 8 For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.
But praise God, He will leave a "residue" of His
people. To them, He will be a "crown of glory" and a
"diadem of beauty."
He will also be "a spirit of judgment." The
ones who have loved God will be judged as DELIVERED. But the ones
who have refused through pride and drunkenness have gone wrong.
They had no vision, and could not make good decisions (verse 7).
The drunkenness of Israel is described as being so bad that
there was "no place clean" on the tables of their
parties. It was all full of VOMIT!
Even the priests were participating in the drunken
parties!
9 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. 10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: 11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. 12 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. 13 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.
The pro-Assyrian people of Israel and Judah responded to
Isaiah's preaching as some people do today. They called it
something which should be taught children (verce 9), but not
appropriate preaching for adults.
God has made the truth so simple even a child can understand
it. Only pride and arrogance would make an adult think he doesn't
NEED that truth!
They were angry at Isaiah for teaching with repetitiveness:
"precept upon precept; line upon line.." (verse 10).
They were sure that these were the rantings of an unlearned man
and certainly not appropriate for those of high intelligence!
These same arguments are brought against the preaching of the
gospel today!
But God would answer their rebuff of His prophet and prophecy.
He would answer them with a "stammering tongue," or the
Assyrian tongue. It was a language they did not understand.
Take careful note of 1Corinthians 14:21-22. Paul quotes Isaiah
28:11 in a context of reproof against unbelievers. Paul said that
"tongues" were a reproof against those who refused to
believe. But prophesy is educational to those that do
believe.
Therefore, if a church is filled with those speaking in tongues
it is filled with people speaking against one another in
reproof! The church is a place for believers and needs
prophecy for edification and education.
And even if God did send an unbeliever into a church filled
with people speaking in tongues, that unbeliever would be so
confused he would never hear the GOSPEL in order to be saved!
(See 1Corinthians 14:23)
Isaiah was speaking God's prophecy in SIMPLE truth and in an
understandable language, but the people would not listen.
Therefore God would send them a nation of people who would speak
to them in a language that was not understandable. And that
nation (Assyria) would come against them hammering out the truth
of reproof "precept upon precept; line upon line." God
would assault them time and again by the Assyrians; one blow
after another.
14 Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem. 15 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: 16 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. 17 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. 18 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.
The high-ranking officials of the government would not listen
to Isaiah. They are called "scornful men" because they
refused God's prophecy through Isaiah (verse 14).
Instead they "made a covenant with death, and with
hell..." (Verse 15). They had made treaties with the very
nation (Assyria) which would bring death and destruction to their
country.
Verse 16 is a prophecy of the coming Messiah. He is a SURE
foundation. That old song tells the truth "on Christ the
SOLID ROCK I stand." He is a TRIED stone. Jesus was tried
with temptation and trial but never sinned. He is a PRECIOUS
corner-stone. Jesus is the ONLY perfect stone for the beginning
of the church of believers. Paul quotes this verse in Romans
9:33. Peter quotes it in 1Peter 2:6.
Jesus Christ is that "corner-stone." His truth is
simple enough for a child to understand. He was God INCARNATE,
totally perfect in wisdom and intelligence. Yet He spoke in terms
ANYONE could understand. And His judgment will be final and
ultimate for all mankind.
Jesus IS the judgment of all men. He is the perfect
"plumbline." By Him will all men be judged as to
character and integrity.
And the "refuge of lies" (verse 17) which mankind
has heaped to himself will become dredge in the flood of truth
when Christ appears for judgment.
Those who have trusted in people and things will find their
"covenant" has been with DEATH!
19 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. 20 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. 21 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. 22 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. 23 Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.
Isaiah reiterates his plea for the nation to hear his prophecy
as it is: God's WORD!
The "bed" which they have made in the treaty with
Assyria will be TOO SHORT for the judgment God is sending against
them.
Mt. Perazim was where David routed the Philistines. God's
power would come in judgment to totally rout the nation because
they would not listen to His call.
But the call and plea of God through Isaiah reflects God's
mercy and grace. He would even be willing to receive them NOW, if
they would repent (verses 22-23).
24 Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground? 25 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 rie in their place? 26 For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him. 27 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. 28 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. 29 This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.
God will use the Assyrians and Babylonians as the farmer uses
instruments in farming. He PLOWS the ground. He uses
"threshing" instruments for the grain to separate the
"fitches" from the grain itself.
God uses these techniques today. When His people refuse to
listen, God "chastens" them for reproof to repentance.
If God threshes his spiritual children in order to set them on
the right path, we should take a lesson as we instruct our
physical children. It is only through disciplinary means that the
"foolishness" of sin is purged.
"Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him." (Proverbs 22:15)
God's intention by allowing Assyria to be the "rod of His
punishment" is to lead those who WILL listen to Him, and to
"thresh out" the chaff (those who do not listen).
This speaks to us of another JUDGMENT DAY. It will be the day
when Christ sits on the throne of judgment for all men, ALL
men! All the dead will be raised. Every person who has ever lived
will be brought before Jesus the "plumbline" (verse 17)
of perfection!
The threshing of eternity will begin
that day. Those who have LISTENED to God's Word and trusted Jesus
for salvation will be considered GRAIN and kept in His storage
forever. Those who did NOT listen, will be considered CHAFF, and
will be blown into an eternal hell.
PLEASE CONTINUE IN BIBLE STUDY WITH US TOMORROW.