78. Come the the Saviour (1)

Hymns: RHC 184 Rock of Ages 45 We Gather Together 46 A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

Isaiah 28

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! 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: 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. 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. 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. ¹⁰ For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: ¹¹ For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. 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. ¹⁴ Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is 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: 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. 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. 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. 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. ²³ Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech. ²⁴ Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground? 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? ²⁶ For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him. 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. ²⁹ This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.

Come to the Saviour (1)

OUTLINE

• Awaken from Pride and Drunkenness (v1-4, 7-8)
• Hope for the Remnant (v5-6)
• God’s Good Word spurned (v9-15)

INTRODUCTION

This proverb aptly describes the people of Israel and Judah in the time of Isaiah the prophet who sought the people to come back to the LORD – Proverbs 13:18 (KJV) Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.

Here are two evils – poverty and shame set before the nations of Ephraim, the Northern Kingdom, and Judah, the Southern Kingdom. The first brings want and the second means having to hang our heads. There is a poverty from sacrificial giving that is a virtue. The poverty referred to here has its roots in stubborn pride that results from refusing reprove. Reprove may be a bitter pill to swallow, and most tonics are unpleasant, but we are usually better for taking them.

Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuses instruction. It emphasizes that Old Testament people didn’t find taking advice any easier than we do today. They, and we, are too proud! We both refuse direction because we think it reflects our ability or our self-proclaimed autonomy.

Both Israel and Judah made national treaties and relied on political alliances and not in God.

Isaiah 28:15 (KJV) 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:

Isaiah 28:18 (KJV) 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.

Isaiah 30:1-5 (KJV) Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin: 2 That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt! 3 Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion. 4 For his princes were at Zoan, and his ambassadors came to Hanes. 5 They were all ashamed of a people that could not profit them, nor be an help nor profit, but a shame, and also a reproach.

These covenants were deaths and hell, doomed to fail because God was not in them and with them.

Men would take offence, and would rather live and die in disgrace, despised by all, than change our ways. We are like the horse and mule which have no understanding.

Psalm 32:9 (KJV) Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.

This can only bring both poverty and shame. Poverty from want of material things bring many hardships, but poverty of soul is the greatest tragedy of all. The root meaning of the word “to refuse” is “be empty, vacant, unoccupied, to remove all restraint and hence to cause neglect”. This is what makes it shameful, the liberty of being left to our own choice.

This happens to many young people. Many parents are either too indifferent or reluctant or simply too afraid to set any restrictions on what their teenagers and youths do or where they go or with whom. Would not a timely “bitter pill” be better than a life of shame?

He that regards reprove is honoured. It takes humility to accept instruction and correction, but those who find honour in contrast to shame. The only dishonour here is in needing reproof, but refusing it. Such as are willing to mend their ways gain respect and avoid many unnecessary pitfalls.

To receive discipline is to find oneself on the path of true life and happiness.  

A man called on his bishop and criticised him quite sternly. Rather than showing him the door, the bishop calmly replied, “My dear friend, I do not wonder that they who witness the inconsistencies in my daily conduct should think that I have no religion. I often dear this myself, and I feel very grateful to you for giving me this warning.” This reply, made with such unaffected meekness and sincerity, caused the visitor at once to beg the bishop’s pardon, and always regarded him afterwards as the most Christ-like Christian he had ever known. “The lowliest Christian is the holiest Christian”. [Denis Gibson]

• Awaken from Pride and Drunkenness (v1-4, 7-8)

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! 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: 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. … 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.

Isaiah saw storm clouds coming to Jerusalem, his beloved city, the city where God swells, that the nation might turn to God in repentance.

He started his message by proclaiming the judgment of God upon Ephraim, so that it will serve as warning to them seeing the plight of their neighbour.

If Assyria will conquer Israel, Judah will be the next target. Judah will not be spared.

The Northern Kingdom was proud of its capital Samaria, that sat like a beautiful crown (or wreath) at the head of a fruitful valley. But their arrogance was detestable to God, for they thought their fortress city was impregnable. Samaria reigned in luxury and pleasure and had no fear of her enemies. The Lord was appalled by their drunkenness. Samaria was proud of her beauty but that beauty was fading like a cut flower. [Wiersbe]

(2) Hope for the Remnant (v5-6)

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,

Verse 5, “In that day” – This verse commences a new subject, and affirms that while the kingdom of Israel should be destroyed, the kingdom of Judah would be preserved, and restored.

Be for a crown of glory – He shall reign there as its king, and He shall guard and defend the remnant of His people there. This reign of the LORD shall be to them better than palaces, towers, walls, and fruitful fields, and shall be a more glorious ornament than the proud city of Samaria was to the kingdom of Israel.

And for a diadem of beauty – A beautiful garland. The phrase stands opposed to the wreath of flowers or the diadem which was represented (v1), (v3) as adorning the kingdom and capital of Israel. The LORD and His government would be to them their chief glory and ornament.

Unto the residue of his people – To the kingdom of Judah, comprising the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin. This doubtless refers to the comparatively prosperous and happy times of the reign of Hezekiah. [Barnes]

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.

Verse 6: And for a spirit of judgment – The sense of this passage is, that Jehovah would enlighten the judges of the land so that they should understand what was right, and be disposed to do it.

To him that sitteth in judgment – This is to be understood collectively, and means those who sat upon the bench of justice; that is, the magistracy in general.

And for strength to to them that turn the battle to the gate – That is, to the very gate of their enemies; who not only repel their foes from their own city, but who drive them even to the gates of their own cities, and besiege them there. [Barnes]

(3)God’s Good Word Spurned (v9-15)

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. ¹⁰ For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: ¹¹ For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. 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. ¹⁴ Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is 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:

The LORD’s Word came to His people through His prophet, and the words of instruction to build up their faith were spurned.

That sin was contempt for the manner in which God instructed them by the prophets, and a disregard for his communications as if they were suited to children and not to adults. [Barnes]

To be continued…