Isaías 29

1 Mensaje acerca de Jerusalén
«¡Qué aflicción le espera a Ariel,
la Ciudad de David!
Año tras año ustedes celebran sus fiestas.

2 Sin embargo, traeré desastre sobre ustedes,
y habrá mucho llanto y dolor.
Pues Jerusalén se convertirá en lo que significa su nombre, Ariel:
un altar cubierto de sangre.

3 Yo seré su enemigo,
rodearé a Jerusalén y atacaré sus murallas.
Edificaré torres de asalto
y la destruiré.

4 Entonces, tú hablarás desde lo profundo de la tierra;
tus palabras saldrán desde bien abajo, desde el polvo.
Tu voz susurrará desde el suelo
como un fantasma invocado de la tumba.

5 »Pero de pronto, tus despiadados enemigos serán aplastados
como el polvo más fino.
Tus numerosos atacantes serán expulsados
como la paja ante el viento.
De repente, en un instante,

6 yo, el Señor
de los Ejércitos Celestiales, intervendré a tu favor
con trueno, terremoto y gran ruido,
con torbellino, tormenta y fuego consumidor.

7 Todas las naciones que pelean contra Jerusalén
¡desaparecerán como un sueño!
Los que atacan sus murallas
se esfumarán como una visión en la noche.

8 La persona con hambre sueña con comida,
pero se despierta todavía con hambre.
La persona con sed sueña con beber,
pero cuando llega la mañana, sigue desfallecida de sed.
Así será con tus enemigos;
con los que ataquen al monte Sión».

9 ¿Estás asombrado y escéptico?
¿No lo crees?
Entonces adelante, sé ciego.
Eres necio, pero no por culpa del vino;
te tambaleas, ¡pero no por causa del licor!

10 Pues el Señor
derramó sobre ti un espíritu de sueño profundo;
ha cerrado los ojos de tus profetas y visionarios.

11 Para ellos, todos los sucesos futuros de esta visión son como un libro sellado. Cuando se lo des a los que sepan leer, dirán: «No podemos leerlo porque está sellado».

12 Cuando se lo des a los que no sepan leer, dirán: «No sabemos leer».

13 Así que el Señor dice:
«Este pueblo dice que me pertenece;
me honra con sus labios,
pero su corazón está lejos de mí.
Y la adoración que me dirige
no es más que reglas humanas, aprendidas de memoria.

14 Por esa causa, una vez más asombraré a estos hipócritas
con maravillas extraordinarias.
La sabiduría de los sabios pasará,
y la inteligencia de los inteligentes desaparecerá».

15 ¡Qué aflicción les espera a los que intentan esconder sus planes del Señor
,
a los que hacen sus malas acciones en la oscuridad!
«El Señor
no puede vernos —dicen—,
no sabe lo que está pasando».

16 ¿Será posible que sean tan necios?
¡Él es el Alfarero y, por cierto, es mayor que ustedes, el barro!
¿Acaso la cosa creada puede decir acerca del que la creó:
«Él no me hizo»?
¿Alguna vez ha dicho una vasija:
«El alfarero que me hizo es un tonto»?

17 Pronto —y no pasará mucho tiempo—
los bosques del Líbano se convertirán en un campo fértil,
y el campo fértil se convertirá en bosque.

18 En aquel día, los sordos oirán cuando se lean las palabras de un libro
y los ciegos verán a través de la neblina y la oscuridad.

19 Los humildes se llenarán de una alegría nueva de parte del Señor
;
los pobres se alegrarán en el Santo de Israel.

20 Los burlones ya no existirán,
los arrogantes desaparecerán,
y los que traman el mal serán muertos.

21 Los que condenan a los inocentes
con sus falsos testimonios desaparecerán.
Un destino parecido les espera a los que usan el engaño para pervertir la justicia
y mienten para destruir a los inocentes.

22 Por eso el Señor
, quien redimió a Abraham, dice al pueblo de Israel:
«Mi pueblo ya no será avergonzado,
ni palidecerá de temor.

23 Pues cuando vean a sus numerosos hijos
y todas las bendiciones que yo les he dado,
reconocerán la santidad del Santo de Jacob;
quedarán asombrados ante el Dios de Israel.

24 Entonces los descarriados adquirirán entendimiento,
y los que se quejan de todo aceptarán la 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.

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.