Isaiah29

Isaiah pronounces woe upon Ariel (Jerusalem), predicting distress and siege, yet promises that its enemies will suddenly vanish. He condemns the people's spiritual blindness and hypocrisy, likening their understanding to a sealed book and their worship to lip service. However, the chapter concludes with a promise of future restoration, where the deaf will hear, the blind will see, and those who erred will gain understanding, as God performs a marvellous work among His people.

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Woe to Ariel: Jerusalem Under Siege

Ho Ariel, Ariel, the city where David encamped! add ye year to year; let the feasts come round:

then will I distress Ariel, and there shall be mourning and lamentation; and she shall be unto me as Ariel.

And I will encamp against thee round about, and will lay siege against thee with posted troops, and I will raise siege works against thee.

And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust; and thy voice shall be as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust.

But the multitude of thy foes shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones as chaff that passeth away: yea, it shall be in an instant suddenly.

She shall be visited of Jehovah of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with whirlwind and tempest, and the flame of a devouring fire.

And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, even all that fight against her and her stronghold, and that distress her, shall be as a dream, a vision of the night.

And it shall be as when a hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion.

Spiritual Blindness and Stupor

Tarry ye and wonder; take your pleasure and be blind: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.

For Jehovah hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes, the prophets; and your heads, the seers, hath he covered.

And all vision is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee; and he saith, I cannot, for it is sealed:

and the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee; and he saith, I am not learned.

Hypocrisy Condemned

And the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw nigh unto me, and with their mouth and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment of men which hath been taught them;

therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.

Woe unto them that hide deep their counsel from Jehovah, and whose works are in the dark, and that say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?

Ye turn things upside down! Shall the potter be esteemed as clay; that the thing made should say of him that made it, He made me not; or the thing formed say of him that formed it, He hath no understanding?

The Promise of Future Renewal

Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest?

And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness.

The meek also shall increase their joy in Jehovah, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

For the terrible one is brought to nought, and the scoffer ceaseth, and all they that watch for iniquity are cut off;

that make a man an offender in his cause, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just with a thing of nought.

Therefore thus saith Jehovah, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob: Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale.

But when he seeth his children, the work of my hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my name; yea, they shall sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall stand in awe of the God of Israel.

They also that err in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmur shall receive instruction.

Study Notes for Isaiah 29

Verse 1

Ariel, meaning 'Lion of God' or 'Hearth of God,' is a symbolic name for Jerusalem. The oracle warns the city, where David established his capital, that its continued religious activity ('kill sacrifices') will not save it from impending judgment.

Verse 3

This verse describes the typical elements of Assyrian siege warfare: camping around the city, building a siege mound (mount), and erecting siege towers (forts).

Verse 4

The image of speaking 'out of the ground' signifies utter humiliation and defeat. The weak, whispering voice is compared to that of a necromancer (one that hath a familiar spirit), emphasizing Jerusalem’s reduced state.

Verse 7

After describing Jerusalem's severe judgment (vv. 1-6), the prophecy suddenly reverses. The great armies of the nations that attack Ariel will themselves vanish, illustrating God's ultimate protection of his city.

Verse 8

This vivid simile emphasizes the illusory nature of the enemies' victory and hope. Their expected triumph over Zion will prove to be empty and unsatisfying, like a dream of food or drink.

Verse 9

The focus shifts from external threat to internal spiritual decay. The people are 'drunken' not with literal wine, but with spiritual stupor poured out by the Lord as a judicial act of hardening.

Verse 10

God has poured out the spirit of deep sleep, demonstrating divine judgment. This willful spiritual blindness affects all levels of society, including the prophets and rulers who should be providing guidance.

Verse 11

The 'sealed book' symbolizes the incomprehensibility of God’s revelation. Because their hearts are hardened, the prophetic vision is useless to both the learned and the unlearned (v. 12).

Verse 13

This critical verse, later quoted by Jesus (Matt. 15:8-9), defines the people's hypocrisy: outward ritualistic devotion divorced from genuine inward commitment. Their religious practice is based on human tradition rather than divine reverence.

Verse 14

The 'marvellous work' is a paradoxical judgment and restoration. God will confound the wisdom of the world by destroying the understanding of the proud and initiating a new work of redemption.

Verse 15

This woe is directed against those who attempt to conduct political or moral schemes in secret, foolishly believing they can hide their plans and works from the omniscient God.

Verse 16

Using the potter and clay metaphor, Isaiah condemns the arrogance of those who deny God's sovereignty. They have 'turned things upside down,' acting as if the creation can dictate terms to the Creator.

Verse 17

This verse introduces a radical transformation. Lebanon (often symbolizing pride and the wicked elite) will become a fruitful field (Carmel), signifying a total reversal of social, spiritual, and moral conditions.

Verse 18

The spiritual blindness described earlier (vv. 9-12) will be reversed. The deaf hearing and the blind seeing symbolize the spiritual awakening and understanding that will accompany God's redemptive work.

Verse 20

The restoration is accompanied by the elimination of the wicked. The 'terrible one' (oppressor) and the 'scorner' (cynical unbeliever) will be brought to nothing.

Verse 21

This describes the specific injustices practiced by the wicked who will be cut off, including malicious prosecution and the perversion of justice in public forums ('in the gate').

Verse 22

By referencing the LORD 'who redeemed Abraham,' Isaiah grounds the future hope in God’s covenant faithfulness. Jacob (Israel) will no longer face the shame and fear of divine judgment or foreign oppression.

Verse 23

The restored community will recognize themselves as God's creation ('the work of mine hands') and respond by sanctifying His name, replacing hypocrisy with genuine reverence.

Verse 24

The chapter concludes with the ultimate result of God's redemption: spiritual clarity. Those who were previously confused or rebellious ('erred in spirit' and 'murmured') will finally achieve true understanding and accept divine instruction.

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Isaiah29

Woe to Ariel: Jerusalem Under Siege

Spiritual Blindness and Stupor

Hypocrisy Condemned

The Promise of Future Renewal

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