Isaiah 29:1-12
Isa 29:1
Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David
dwelt! add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices.
In this chapter we have the destruction of Jerusalem in
view but it is not clear as to whether this is speaking about the siege of
Jerusalem under Sennacherib and the Assyrians or under Nebuchadnezzar and the
Babylonians. So I will remain
neutral on applying it to either and just focus on the fact that Jerusalem had
sinned greatly against the LORD and they were to face the consequences of their
actions. The name “Ariel” means
“lion of God” and is another name for Jerusalem as it points to David as the
king and where he dwelled.
Jerusalem was under the judging hand of God and here they are told that they can
continue their feasts and sacrifices but because of their sinful lifestyle, it
will be to no avail. It will not
stop the coming judgment.
Isa 29:2
Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness
and sorrow: and it shall be unto me as Ariel.
It does not matter how many sacrifices they perform,
their departure from the true God to idols will not be overlooked no matter how
many sacrifices they perform. It
would be like a bank robber who steals from a bank but gives some of it to his
church in hopes it would appease God yet they would not stop robbing.
This was the same attitude Jerusalem had, they thought for their many
sacrifices they would be immune to the judgments of God.
There will be great lamentation and sorrow that will pervade Jerusalem
when the invaders come in and sack the city, especially when the Romans will
completely wipe the city off the map in 70 A.D.
The name “Ariel” also has an alternative meaning which is “fire or altar
of God.” The city shall be burned
and the temple destroyed by the hands of God.
Isa 29:3
And I will camp against thee round about, and will lay
siege against thee with a mount, and I will raise forts against thee.
God will use the enemies of Jerusalem and Israel to come
against them and do the siege but the real one behind the armies will be the
LORD himself who will be directing the campaign.
Jerusalem will be completely surrounded by the Romans in 70 A.D.
For the days shall come upon thee,
that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and
keep thee in on every side, (Luke 19:43)
The siege that will be laid against Jerusalem with a mount is typical of
the Romans who would build mounds to allow the soldiers to get up and over the
walls. Rome used that type of
building to defeat Masada in 135 A.D.
The forts were types of strongholds which the enemy would pitch to
strengthen their positions of invasion.
Isa 29:4
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.
In ancient times, the heathens would have recognized this
type of speech. When the city will
be brought down and their speech shall be out of the ground and dust, it is an
allusion to the belief that they were hearing the voices of the dead as it
describes one who had a familiar spirit such as the witch of Endor who conjured
up a fake Samuel for Saul. It was
supposed that they would be hearing a disembodied soul speak to them from the
ground. It also alludes to the fact
that they will be brought down as low as the ground and they would speak so
softly that the enemy would not hear them.
Isa 29:5
Moreover the multitude of thy strangers shall be like
small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff that
passeth away: yea, it shall be at an instant suddenly.
Here is also a prophecy concerning those whom the LORD
used to come against Jerusalem.
They will not continue in their arrogance thinking that they were the ones who
initiated the thoughts of invasion.
The invaders whether it be Babylon or Assyria will become like small dust, that
is, they will also be brought so low that the wind will take them away.
Like chaff that blows away in the wind when it is tossed into the air.
Their destruction will not be something which will take a long time but
it will come quickly.
Isa 29:6
Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder,
and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of
devouring fire.
The LORD not only has at his disposal the armies of the
world but he can also use the natural forces which he created such as severe
thunder.
Lo, these
are parts of his ways: but how
little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can
understand? (Job 26:14) Then he
can use an earthquake as he did to free Paul and Silas in Philippi.
And suddenly there was a great
earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately
all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. (Acts 16:26)
Then there is the noise which is speaking about his voice.
Hear attentively the noise of his
voice, and the sound that goeth
out of his mouth. (Job 37:2)
Then a great storm which the Lord Jesus used to show his authority over the sea.
And there arose a great storm of
wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. (Mark 4:37)
Then God can use a great tempest which is a strong gale wind.
And we being exceedingly tossed
with a tempest, the next day
they lightened the ship; (Acts 27:18)
Then of course God can use a devouring fire as he used on Sodom and
Gomorrah.
Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon
Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; (Genesis 19:24)
In other words, the LORD has many assets at his disposal to reach and
discipline his people.
Isa 29:7
And the multitude of all the nations that fight against
Ariel, even all that fight against her and her munition, and that distress her,
shall be as a dream of a night vision.
Here in this verse is a primary allusion to Sennacherib
and the Assyrians. Even though
Assyria will invade Judah and will attempt to destroy the entire land, yet God
will protect Jerusalem at this time from them invading and destroying.
Although it was real at the time it happened yet when looked back upon
it, it will look only as if it was a passing dream in the night because the LORD
was totally in control of the Assyrians and they would not be able to cross any
boundaries set by the LORD. Just
like when we dream today, after we wake up we find that it does not affect our
reality, no matter how vivid it was.
Isa 29:8
It shall even be as when an 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.
Here those who came against Judah and Israel are just
like a hungry person who dreams that they are eating a feast but when they
awake, they find it was only dream and they are still hungry.
Then in like manner a person who is thirsty goes to sleep at night and
dreams that he has drunken much water to satisfy his thirst, awakens just to
find that it was only a dream and he is still thirsty.
In like manner so will all the nations be living a dream when they come
against mount Zion, it will be like they are in a dream being the invincible
victors but they will be the ones who will be vanquished, totally opposite of
their dreams. The same situation
applies who come against the true church of God, they may think they can silence
or even stop the church, but their efforts are nothing but a passing dream as
they will meet the fate of eternal damnation.
Isa 29:9
Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they
are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.
Now the prophet addresses those who still had a semblance
of understanding concerning those who were acting like they were drunk even
though they did not drink wine or strong drink.
Their stupor was brought about by something far worse.
Isaiah stands totally astonished as to how the good part of the nation
had degenerated into foolishness.
Isa 29:10
For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep
sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath
he covered.
Then the reason is given as to why they have become
spiritual dolts which is a very stupid person.
Since they had decided to depart from the LORD and follow false gods, the
LORD had given them the spirit of deep sleep.
They had staggered like they were drunk because the LORD had blinded them
to truth.
And for this cause God shall send them
strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: (2 Thessalonians 2:11)
God sending a strong delusion is not only a New Testament principle but
is apropos for all ages. Judah
wanted to depart from God so he sent them a deep sleep which means to keep them
from understanding the truth. He
has spiritually closed their eyes to truth which means they could no longer
recognize truth. God covered the
eyes of the prophets who should have known better along with the rulers of Judah
and those who proclaimed to be seers who were supposed to be those who sought
the wisdom and knowledge of the LORD.
(Beforetime in Israel, when a man
went to inquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for
he that is now
called a Prophet was beforetime
called a Seer.) (1 Samuel 9:9)
Isa 29:11
And the vision of all 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:
All that the LORD gave to them through the prophets and
even written down were no longer known and understood by them because they were
to them as if they were in a book that was sealed and they either could not open
those seals because of the spirit of slumber or they would not open the seals
because of their own rebellion.
Nevertheless the words of God was now unknown to them because they have rejected
him. Just like an unbeliever who
tries to interpret the word of God, will not be able to interpret it properly
because they do not have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them.
Isa 29:12
And the book is delivered to him that is not learned,
saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned.