Someone on another post starting mocking what I referred to from Isaiah 28 about studying God's Word line upon line, precept upon precept, showing they haven't really understood what God was revealing there about disciplined Bible study, and those who refuse to do it. So here's the whole Isaiah 28 chapter, which even by itself is still not the whole Message of what He was saying there either.
PREPARATION: Even though much of the chapter's content is historical, it also has many things still in effect for today, and all the way to the end. This Isaiah 28 chapter is about being established per God's foundation vs. a false foundation.
Isa 28:1-29
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!
God speaking through His prophet Isaiah, this is about Ephraim as the head tribe over the ten tribed kingdom in the northern holy lands, with its capital city at Samaria. They are overcome with wine, which has made their glory fade.
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:
Because of how the ten tribed northern kingdom of Israel under Ephraim went into rebellion against God with doing false worship and allowing the prophets of Baal to take hold with the history of Jeroboam's golden calf idol worship, God would bring the kings of Assyria upon them and remove them out of the land, captive to Assyria (see 2 Kings 17).
But the metaphors God uses here about the Assyrian coming to destroy "as a flood of mighty waters overflowing" is also the same metaphor of Isaiah 8 also used about the dragon of Rev.12:7-17. So we should take note of these events in Isaiah as serving as a type of ensample upon God's people for the last days also.
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.
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.
The idea of "hasty fruit" is put for the early fig, the winter fig. The winter fig grows in the winter and falls off in the spring. That subject is a whole other Bible study in itself, since our Lord Jesus used the idea of the fig tree in parable and with the untimely figs of Rev.6.
When God brought the kings of Assyria upon Ephraim (ten tribes) and Samaria to take them captive out of the land, the "house of Judah" only was left in the holy lands, south at Judea-Jerusalem. That's the "residue" He speaks of here, and in the next verses.
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.
This "they" is put for Judah, the "residue" that was left in the land at Jerusalem-Judea in the southern lands after God had finally removed the ten tribes by the kings of Assyria (around 7th century B.C.). Judah would err into false worship also, and God would then bring the king of Babylon upon them to take them captive to Babylon for 70 years. There was a difference of around 120 years between the ten tribes being taken captive by the Assyrian and Judah's later captivity by the king of Babylon. Thus two separate captivities of two separate branches of the two different branches of Israel to two separate locations of captivity. In Ezekiel 23, God uses the idea of two harlot sisters applied to these events about His people falling away from Him.
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.
Remember in Hebrews 5 how Apostle Paul was admonishing those who refused to mature that were still in need of "milk" of The Word instead of maturing to the "strong meat". He said when they ought to have become teachers they were instead of need to learn the first principles of the oracles of God again. So the "strong meat" of God's Word is what those in Christ are to mature to, and not just keep on the milk bottle instead. Think Paul was referring back to this Isaiah idea here? No doubt he was.
10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
This "For" (Hebrew kiy) is in causual relation, like 'because since, nevertheless..'. It's like, 'For they say precept must be upon precept...'. God is using it as their own mocking against staying in His Word with discipline.
And who did the previous verses point to with this? To Judah, the residue left at Jerusalem after God removed Ephraim and the ten tribes from the land. They were going into the same fallen state that Ephraim had done. God is using this as a mocking against them like they're the ones saying it. In the Hebrew it is...
'For it is zav lazav, zav lazav, kav lakav, kav lakav, z'er sham, z'er sham.'
Imagine God saying that in mocking way like a little child's mocking. He's applying that to Judah's attitude against staying in His Word with that expression.
11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will He speak to this people.
This is what they were to receive instead because of their attitude against staying in His Word. They wouldn't listen to Him in His Word, so God said He would bring upon them one speaking a foreign language to them, which would be the king of Babylon (Nebuchadnezzer). Paul quoted this in 1 Cor.14:21 about the idea of foreign languages.
Think again if you believe this matter was historical to Isaiah and Israel in OT times only. It still applies today for Christ's Church.
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.
Back in Isaiah 6 God showed how the ears of His people would be fat, the idea of their not hearing and understanding His Word with spiritual eyes and ears, and Isaiah asked how long. Because His Word was too hard or 'complex' in disciplined study they thought, they would stumble at His Word, and thus "fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken." That's the idea here.
14 Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.
So now God tells them, hear this you scornful men 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':
God is still mocking them here. They put their trust in a false foundation instead of His Word line upon line, and this is the type thinking they have fallen into. They're in the snare and don't even know it. So this is a direct comparison between the true foundation in God's Word line upon line vs. their trust in a false foundation, a "covenant with death"! That should be a pretty easy comparison to understand that our Heavenly Father made there.
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.
Our Lord Jesus Christ is that "stone" that will be laid in Zion in Jerusalem when He returns in our near future. The idea of "shall not make haste" means to be steady upon That Foundation Stone Jesus Christ. (Remember, the builders rejected That Stone, as that idea applies here with fallen Israel also).
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.
Whoah! Our Heavenly Father is saying a lot more here than just applied to that time of history. This is about the very end of this world also, the destruction at Armageddon and Ezekiel 38-39. That is when the fallen of Judah will have their "covenant with death" annuled by Christ's second coming. Once again, notice these metaphors about the "waters shall overflow the hiding place" and "when the overflowing scourge shall pass through". That's applied to what the dragon is to do per Rev.12 & 13 upon God's people for the end, the tribulation period with the "water as a flood" that comes out of the serpent's mouth after the symbolic 'woman' of God's people.
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.
This is about the event of God bringing the king of Babylon upon Jerusalem per history, destroying it and taking Judah captive to Babylon. It's also a type ensample for the last days when the Antichrist will appear in Jerusalem just prior to Christ's return to destroy him. God is saying that just 'hearing' about it coming will be like a vexation upon Judah, and also like trying to sleep on a bed that is too short, and with a blanket that won't quite cover the whole body.
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.
Perazim and Gibeon were about God's defeat of His enemies through Israel and Joshua (2 Sam.5:20 and Joshua 10:10). Perazim is put for the Baal-Perazim of 2 Sam.5. Do you see this in relation to the final day of this world too with God's wrath upon His enemies with Amageddon and the battle of Ezekiel 38-39? You should. That's when His 'strange work' will actually be finished, at Christ's return to this earth. So these few verses are pointing to more than just history in Isaiah's days.
23 Give ye ear, and hear My voice; hearken, and hear My speech.
Now our Heavenly Father is going to give a few lessons on how to teach His Word...
24 Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground?
When planting a crop, do you plow continually and never get to the sowing? No. Likewise those given to teach His Word are not to continuously plow and never get to the sowing of His Word in the mind. Plow the ground, then plant the seed.
With some today, they are ever plouging, and never really get to the seed planting, and that's why Paul gave the rebuke he did at the end of Hebrews 5 about their still being in need of milk instead being on the "strong meat" of God's Word. Line upon line Bible study and teaching, PREVENTS that ever ploughing problem.
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 the rie in their place?
Once the ground is leveled, don't you then set the rows for the different seeds, and plant the seeds?
26 For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him.
The word "discretion" is Hebrew 'mishpat', and it's concerning judgments, wisdom according to God's Ways per His Word.
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.
These agricultural ideas are about the proper ways to prepare certain crops. Fitches were a condiment used in ancient Greece and Rome. it was beaten with a large staff to separate the seed from the plant, and cummin seed separated using a smaller rod.
Bread corn is put for grain, and 'bruised' for the idea of it being ground. Threshing is the process of separating the edible part from the chaff around it. It old times the grain was ground by mules or horses walking on it, or stone wheels. You don't continually do that process or you'll wind up with nothing.
God is applying those agriculture terms to the idea of teaching. Not everyone is the same, so different techniques for different ones is required. Some are like cummin that need a large staff, others a little rod; some are like grain, etc., all applied in the metaphorical sense.
29 This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, Which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.
(KJV)
AMEN to that!
PREPARATION: Even though much of the chapter's content is historical, it also has many things still in effect for today, and all the way to the end. This Isaiah 28 chapter is about being established per God's foundation vs. a false foundation.
Isa 28:1-29
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!
God speaking through His prophet Isaiah, this is about Ephraim as the head tribe over the ten tribed kingdom in the northern holy lands, with its capital city at Samaria. They are overcome with wine, which has made their glory fade.
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:
Because of how the ten tribed northern kingdom of Israel under Ephraim went into rebellion against God with doing false worship and allowing the prophets of Baal to take hold with the history of Jeroboam's golden calf idol worship, God would bring the kings of Assyria upon them and remove them out of the land, captive to Assyria (see 2 Kings 17).
But the metaphors God uses here about the Assyrian coming to destroy "as a flood of mighty waters overflowing" is also the same metaphor of Isaiah 8 also used about the dragon of Rev.12:7-17. So we should take note of these events in Isaiah as serving as a type of ensample upon God's people for the last days also.
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.
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.
The idea of "hasty fruit" is put for the early fig, the winter fig. The winter fig grows in the winter and falls off in the spring. That subject is a whole other Bible study in itself, since our Lord Jesus used the idea of the fig tree in parable and with the untimely figs of Rev.6.
When God brought the kings of Assyria upon Ephraim (ten tribes) and Samaria to take them captive out of the land, the "house of Judah" only was left in the holy lands, south at Judea-Jerusalem. That's the "residue" He speaks of here, and in the next verses.
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.
This "they" is put for Judah, the "residue" that was left in the land at Jerusalem-Judea in the southern lands after God had finally removed the ten tribes by the kings of Assyria (around 7th century B.C.). Judah would err into false worship also, and God would then bring the king of Babylon upon them to take them captive to Babylon for 70 years. There was a difference of around 120 years between the ten tribes being taken captive by the Assyrian and Judah's later captivity by the king of Babylon. Thus two separate captivities of two separate branches of the two different branches of Israel to two separate locations of captivity. In Ezekiel 23, God uses the idea of two harlot sisters applied to these events about His people falling away from Him.
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.
Remember in Hebrews 5 how Apostle Paul was admonishing those who refused to mature that were still in need of "milk" of The Word instead of maturing to the "strong meat". He said when they ought to have become teachers they were instead of need to learn the first principles of the oracles of God again. So the "strong meat" of God's Word is what those in Christ are to mature to, and not just keep on the milk bottle instead. Think Paul was referring back to this Isaiah idea here? No doubt he was.
10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
This "For" (Hebrew kiy) is in causual relation, like 'because since, nevertheless..'. It's like, 'For they say precept must be upon precept...'. God is using it as their own mocking against staying in His Word with discipline.
And who did the previous verses point to with this? To Judah, the residue left at Jerusalem after God removed Ephraim and the ten tribes from the land. They were going into the same fallen state that Ephraim had done. God is using this as a mocking against them like they're the ones saying it. In the Hebrew it is...
'For it is zav lazav, zav lazav, kav lakav, kav lakav, z'er sham, z'er sham.'
Imagine God saying that in mocking way like a little child's mocking. He's applying that to Judah's attitude against staying in His Word with that expression.
11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will He speak to this people.
This is what they were to receive instead because of their attitude against staying in His Word. They wouldn't listen to Him in His Word, so God said He would bring upon them one speaking a foreign language to them, which would be the king of Babylon (Nebuchadnezzer). Paul quoted this in 1 Cor.14:21 about the idea of foreign languages.
Think again if you believe this matter was historical to Isaiah and Israel in OT times only. It still applies today for Christ's Church.
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.
Back in Isaiah 6 God showed how the ears of His people would be fat, the idea of their not hearing and understanding His Word with spiritual eyes and ears, and Isaiah asked how long. Because His Word was too hard or 'complex' in disciplined study they thought, they would stumble at His Word, and thus "fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken." That's the idea here.
14 Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.
So now God tells them, hear this you scornful men 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':
God is still mocking them here. They put their trust in a false foundation instead of His Word line upon line, and this is the type thinking they have fallen into. They're in the snare and don't even know it. So this is a direct comparison between the true foundation in God's Word line upon line vs. their trust in a false foundation, a "covenant with death"! That should be a pretty easy comparison to understand that our Heavenly Father made there.
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.
Our Lord Jesus Christ is that "stone" that will be laid in Zion in Jerusalem when He returns in our near future. The idea of "shall not make haste" means to be steady upon That Foundation Stone Jesus Christ. (Remember, the builders rejected That Stone, as that idea applies here with fallen Israel also).
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.
Whoah! Our Heavenly Father is saying a lot more here than just applied to that time of history. This is about the very end of this world also, the destruction at Armageddon and Ezekiel 38-39. That is when the fallen of Judah will have their "covenant with death" annuled by Christ's second coming. Once again, notice these metaphors about the "waters shall overflow the hiding place" and "when the overflowing scourge shall pass through". That's applied to what the dragon is to do per Rev.12 & 13 upon God's people for the end, the tribulation period with the "water as a flood" that comes out of the serpent's mouth after the symbolic 'woman' of God's people.
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.
This is about the event of God bringing the king of Babylon upon Jerusalem per history, destroying it and taking Judah captive to Babylon. It's also a type ensample for the last days when the Antichrist will appear in Jerusalem just prior to Christ's return to destroy him. God is saying that just 'hearing' about it coming will be like a vexation upon Judah, and also like trying to sleep on a bed that is too short, and with a blanket that won't quite cover the whole body.
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.
Perazim and Gibeon were about God's defeat of His enemies through Israel and Joshua (2 Sam.5:20 and Joshua 10:10). Perazim is put for the Baal-Perazim of 2 Sam.5. Do you see this in relation to the final day of this world too with God's wrath upon His enemies with Amageddon and the battle of Ezekiel 38-39? You should. That's when His 'strange work' will actually be finished, at Christ's return to this earth. So these few verses are pointing to more than just history in Isaiah's days.
23 Give ye ear, and hear My voice; hearken, and hear My speech.
Now our Heavenly Father is going to give a few lessons on how to teach His Word...
24 Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground?
When planting a crop, do you plow continually and never get to the sowing? No. Likewise those given to teach His Word are not to continuously plow and never get to the sowing of His Word in the mind. Plow the ground, then plant the seed.
With some today, they are ever plouging, and never really get to the seed planting, and that's why Paul gave the rebuke he did at the end of Hebrews 5 about their still being in need of milk instead being on the "strong meat" of God's Word. Line upon line Bible study and teaching, PREVENTS that ever ploughing problem.
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 the rie in their place?
Once the ground is leveled, don't you then set the rows for the different seeds, and plant the seeds?
26 For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him.
The word "discretion" is Hebrew 'mishpat', and it's concerning judgments, wisdom according to God's Ways per His Word.
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.
These agricultural ideas are about the proper ways to prepare certain crops. Fitches were a condiment used in ancient Greece and Rome. it was beaten with a large staff to separate the seed from the plant, and cummin seed separated using a smaller rod.
Bread corn is put for grain, and 'bruised' for the idea of it being ground. Threshing is the process of separating the edible part from the chaff around it. It old times the grain was ground by mules or horses walking on it, or stone wheels. You don't continually do that process or you'll wind up with nothing.
God is applying those agriculture terms to the idea of teaching. Not everyone is the same, so different techniques for different ones is required. Some are like cummin that need a large staff, others a little rod; some are like grain, etc., all applied in the metaphorical sense.
29 This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, Which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.
(KJV)
AMEN to that!
