Isaiah 28

CHAPTER 28

Woe to Ephraim (28:1–29)

1–4 In Isaiah Chapters 28–35, the prophet again returns to the subject of God’s people Israel, including both Ephraim (the northern kingdom) and Judah (the southern kingdom); his main focus, however, is on Judah and Jerusalem. In these chapters Isaiah presents a series of woes, or judgments (Chapters 28–33), followed by a judgment against the nations and a song of joy celebrating the redemption of God’s people (Chapters 34–35).

The first “woe” concerns the wreath of Ephraim’s drunkards (verse 1)—that is, Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom. It was a beautiful and prosperous city, but its inhabitants had become drunkards (verse 1)—especially its leaders (verse 7). See, says Isaiah, the LORD has one who is powerful, the king of Assyria; he will throw Samaria to the ground (verse 2)—and “swallow” it¹²⁵ (verse 3).

5–6 Even as Assyria was invading Ephraim—and later Judah—God was preserving a remnant of His people; for them God would be a crown, their ruler, their glory (verse 5). He would also be for them a spirit of justice and source of strength (verse 6). Even in the midst of judgment, Isaiah promises blessing to the remnant of God’s people.

7–10 Isaiah continues his description of Ephraim’s leaders (and by implication, Judah’s leaders as well). They mock Isaiah: “Who is it he is trying to teach?” (verse 9). They accuse him of babbling at them as if they were children.

11–13 Therefore, says Isaiah, since you think I am babbling, God will send you some real “babblers”; He will send you people with foreign lips and strange tongues—namely, the Assyrians! The Lord had given His people a resting place (the promised land), but they would not listen to Him (verse 12). So He will “speak” to them through the Assyrians, who will “injure” and “capture” the unbelieving Ephraimites¹²⁶ (verse 13).

14–15 Here Isaiah turns his attention directly to the leaders in Jerusalem; he rebukes them for their arrogant self confidence. They were confident that nothing bad could happen to them; it was as though they had made a bargain (a covenant) with death, according to which death would agree not to touch them! (verse 15).

16–22 The Lord says to them: “I lay a stone in Zion (Jerusalem), a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation” (verse 16). The leaders of Jerusalem had placed their confidence in themselves and in their political alliances; such was their “foundation.” But the only sure foundation is that which is laid by God. The Apostles Paul and Peter taught that the “foundation”—the “stone”—that God laid was none other than Jesus Christ (see 1 Corinthians 3:11; 1 Peter 2:4–8).

In verse 17, God says that the standards He will apply are justice and righteousness; anything that does not meet those standards will be swept away—and that includes the false “foundation” of Jerusalem’s leaders. They will be ill-equipped to resist the nations (Assyria and Babylon) that God will send against them: figuratively speaking, their bed will be too short and their blanket too narrow (verse 20). Just as the Lord fought against Israel’s enemies at Mount Perazim and in the Valley of Gibeon (see Joshua 10:1012; 2 Samuel 5:20), so He will fight against Israel itself. When God fights against His own people, it is called His strange work (verse 21). Here the “strange work” will be the destruction of the whole land, both Ephraim and Judah; Isaiah says that the Lord Himself has decreed it (verse 22).

23–29 Here, by means of a parable, Isaiah teaches that the Lord chooses the right instrument and the right time to carry out His judgments. Just as the farmer employs different methods for the various crops and various seasons, so the Lord has a special plan for each nation, for each generation, and for each person.