Isaías 29

1 ¡Ay, Ariel , Ariel la ciudad donde acampó David! Añadid año sobre año, celebrad las fiestas a su tiempo.

2 Y traeré angustias a Ariel, y será una ciudad de lamento y de duelo; será para mí como un Ariel.

3 Acamparé contra ti rodeándote, pondré contra ti vallas de asedio, y levantaré contra ti baluartes.

4 Entonces serás humillada, desde el suelo hablarás, y desde el polvo donde estás postrada saldrá tu habla. Tu voz será también como la de un espíritu de la tierra, y desde el polvo susurrará tu habla.

5 Pero la multitud de tus enemigos será como polvo fino, y la multitud de los crueles como paja que se va volando; sucederá en un instante, de repente.

6 Serás castigada por el SEÑOR de los ejércitos con truenos y terremotos y gran ruido, con torbellino y tempestad y con llama de fuego consumidor.

7 Y será como un sueño, una visión nocturna, la multitud de todas las naciones que combaten contra Ariel, todos los que combaten contra ella y su fortaleza, y los que la afligen.

8 Y será como cuando un hambriento sueña, y he aquí, está comiendo; pero cuando despierta, su hambre no ha sido satisfecha. O como cuando un sediento sueña, y he aquí, está bebiendo; pero cuando despierta, he aquí, está desfallecido, y su sed no ha sido aplacada. Así será la multitud de todas las naciones que combaten contra el monte Sion.

9 Deteneos y esperad, cegaos y sed ciegos. Se embriagan, pero no con vino; se tambalean, pero no con licor.

10 Porque el SEÑOR ha derramado sobre vosotros espíritu de sueño profundo, El ha cerrado vuestros ojos: los profetas, y ha cubierto vuestras cabezas: los videntes.

11 Y toda la visión será para vosotros como las palabras de un libro sellado, que cuando se le da al que sabe leer, diciéndole: Lee esto, por favor; y él dirá: No puedo, porque está sellado.

12 Entonces el libro será dado al que no sabe leer, diciéndole: Lee esto, por favor; y él dirá: No sé leer.

13 Dijo entonces el Señor: Por cuanto este pueblo se me acerca con sus palabras y me honra con sus labios, pero aleja de mí su corazón, y su veneración hacia mí es sólo una tradición aprendida de memoria,

14 por tanto, he aquí, volveré a hacer maravillas con este pueblo, prodigiosas maravillas; y perecerá la sabiduría de sus sabios, y se eclipsará el entendimiento de sus entendidos.

15 ¡Ay de los que van muy hondo para esconder sus planes al SEÑOR, y realizan sus obras en tinieblas y dicen: ¿Quién nos ve, o quién nos conoce?

16 ¡Qué equivocación la vuestra! ¿Es acaso el alfarero como el barro, para que lo que está hecho diga a su hacedor: El no me hizo; o lo que está formado diga al que lo formó: El no tiene entendimiento?

17 ¿Acaso no queda ya muy poco tiempo para que el Líbano se convierta en campo fértil, y el campo fértil sea considerado bosque?

18 En aquel día los sordos oirán las palabras de un libro, y desde la oscuridad y desde las tinieblas los ojos de los ciegos verán.

19 Los afligidos aumentarán también su alegría en el SEÑOR, y los necesitados de la humanidad se regocijarán en el Santo de Israel.

20 Porque el violento tendrá su fin, el escarnecedor será acabado, y serán cortados todos los que se desvelan por hacer el mal;

21 los que hacen que una persona sea acusada por una palabra, tienden lazos al que juzga en la puerta, y defraudan al justo con vanos argumentos.

22 Por tanto el SEÑOR, que redimió a Abraham, dice así acerca de la casa de Jacob: Jacob no será ahora avergonzado, ni palidecerá ahora su rostro;

23 porque cuando vea a sus hijos, la obra de mis manos, en medio suyo, ellos santificarán mi nombre; ciertamente, santificarán al Santo de Jacob, y tendrán temor al Dios de Israel.

24 Los descarriados de espíritu conocerán la verdad, y los murmuradores aceptarán instrucción.

Isaías 29 Commentary

Chapter 29

Judgements on Jerusalem and on its enemies. (1-8) The senselessness and hypocrisy of the Jews. (9-16) The conversion of the Gentiles, and future blessings for the Jews. (17-24)

Verses 1-8 Ariel may signify the altar of burnt-offerings. Let Jerusalem know that outward religious services will not make men free from judgements. Hypocrites never can please God, nor make their peace with him. God had often and long, by a host of angels, encamped round about Jerusalem for protection and deliverance; but now he fought against it. Proud looks and proud language shall be brought down by humbling providences. The destruction of Jerusalem's enemies is foretold. The army of Sennacherib went as a dream; and thus the multitudes, that through successive ages fight against God's altar and worship, shall fall. Speedily will sinners awake from their soothing dreams in the pains of hell.

Verses 9-16 The security of sinners in sinful ways, is cause for lamentation and wonder. The learned men, through prejudice, said that the Divine prophecies were obscure; and the poor urged their want of learning. The Bible is a sealed book to every man, learned or unlearned, till he begins to study it with a simple heart and a teachable spirit, that he may thence learn the truth and the will of God. To worship God, is to approach him. And if the heart be full of his love and fear, out of the abundance of it the mouth will speak; but there are many whose religion is lip-labour only. When they pretend to be speaking to God, they are thinking of a thousand foolish things. They worship the God of Israel according to their own devices. Numbers are only formal in worship. And their religion is only to comply with custom, and to serve their own interest. But the wanderings of mind, and defects in devotion, which are the believer's burden, are very different from the withdrawing of the heart from God, so severely blamed. And those who make religion no more than a pretence, to serve a turn, deceive themselves. And as those that quarrel with God, so those that think to conceal themselves from him, in effect charge him with folly. But all their perverse conduct shall be entirely done away.

Verses 17-24 The wonderful change here foretold, may refer to the affairs of Judah, though it looks further. When a great harvest of souls was gathered to Christ from among the Gentiles, then the wilderness was turned into a fruitful field; and the Jewish church, that had long been a fruitful field, became as a deserted forest. Those who, when in trouble, can truly rejoice in God, shall soon have cause greatly to rejoice in him. The grace of meekness contributes to the increase of our holy joy. The enemies who were powerful shall become mean and weak. To complete the repose of God's people, the scorners at home shall be cut off by judgements. All are apt to speak unadvisedly, and to mistake what they hear, but it is very unfair to make a man an offender for a word. They did all they could to bring those into trouble who told them of their faults. But He that redeemed Abraham out of his snares and troubles, will redeem those who are, by faith, his true seed, out of theirs. It will be the greatest comfort to godly parents to see their children renewed creatures, the work of God's grace. May those who now err in spirit, and murmur against the truth, come to understanding, and learn true doctrine. The Spirit of truth shall set right their mistakes, and lead them into all truth. This should encourage us to pray for those that have erred, and are deceived. All who murmured at the truths of God, as hard sayings, shall learn and be aware what God designed in all. See the change religion produces in the hearts of men, and the peace and pleasure of a humble and devout spirit.

Footnotes

• [a]. I.e., Len de Dios; refirindose a Jerusaln

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 29

This chapter contains a prophecy concerning the destruction of the temple and city of Jerusalem by the Romans; the character and condition of the people of the Jews, previous to it; the calling of the Gentiles, by the preaching of the Gospel; the ruin of antichrist, and the conversion of the Jews, in the latter day. The siege and destruction of Jerusalem are described in Isa 29:1-6 the disappointment of their enemies, notwithstanding their taking and destroying it, Isa 29:7,8 the stupidity, judicial blindness, and hardness of the Jews, which brought on their ruin, are predicted, Isa 29:9,10 the ignorance of their learned, as well as of their unlearned men, with respect to the Scripture, and the prophecies of it, Isa 29:11,12 their hypocrisy and formality in worship, Isa 29:13 a blast upon all their wisdom and prudence, who thought to be wiser than the Lord, and too many for him, whose folly and atheism are exposed, Isa 29:14-16, and a great change both in Judea and the Gentile world, by the removal of the Gospel from the one to the other, Isa 29:17 the effects of which are, deaf sinners hear the word, dark minds are enlightened, and joy increased among the meek and poor, Isa 29:18,19 the fall of the Jews, or else of antichrist, is foretold, Isa 29:20,21 and the chapter is closed with a promise and prophecy of the conversion of the seed of Abraham and Jacob, Isa 29:22-24.