Isaiah 28: Jerusalem's True and False Hopes

      Ephraim represents the Northern Kingdom of Israel, ruled over by a reign of evil kings. When Israel split into two following Solomon's reign, Jerusalem ended up in the southern kingdom. Leaders in the northern kingdom, wishing to remain completely separate from the south, set up idols in order to keep the people from going to worship in the Temple at Jerusalem. By these means the people in the north were led into idolatry, and Isaiah gives them this message to warn them, as well as urging Judah to encourage them to repent before being punished as the northern kingdom would be in the future.
      The people suffered the results of their pride, and arrogance, believing that they were being spoken down to, as a teacher to his pupils, and thought that they should make up their own minds. Isaiah prophesies that, because of this attitude, the Assyrians would teach them in an even more unpopular manner. Instead of placing their trust in God, the Judeans turned to other sources for security. God accuses them of making a covenant with death, possibly a reference to Hezekiah's alliance with Pharoah Tirhaka against Assyria (Isaiah 37:9).
      In verse 16 to 22 we find the promise of Jesus Christ as the only foundation of hope for escaping the wrath to come. Christ is the corner-stone, the foundation for all of our hope, just as applicable to us today. The only One who can assure us of lasting protection is God, which He doe through Christ. Isaiah warns that it is foolish to rely on your own righteousness because it will always fall short.
      The analogy is drawn in verses 23 to 29 between farming methods and the manner of caring for people. The farmer uses special tools both to plant and to harvest delicate herbs in order that they will not be damaged or destroyed, and in the same way God takes the individual weaknesses of people into account, dealing with each of us sensitively. The lesson for us is that we should be the same when we are dealing with other people, being sensitive to their individual needs and the special treatment that those needs demand if we are to treat others in the correct manner.
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¹ Woe to that wreath, the pride of Ephraim’s drunkards, 
   to the fading flower, his glorious beauty, 
set on the head of a fertile valley— 
   to that city, the pride of those laid low by wine! 
² See, the Lord has one who is powerful and strong. 
   Like a hailstorm and a destructive wind, 
like a driving rain and a flooding downpour, 
   he will throw it forcefully to the ground. 
³ That wreath, the pride of Ephraim’s drunkards, 
   will be trampled underfoot. 
⁴ That fading flower, his glorious beauty, 
   set on the head of a fertile valley, 
will be like figs ripe before harvest— 
   as soon as people see them and take them in hand, 
   they swallow them.

⁵ In that day the Lord Almighty
   will be a glorious crown,
a beautiful wreath
   for the remnant of his people.
⁶ He will be a spirit of justice
   to the one who sits in judgment,
a source of strength
   to those who turn back the battle at the gate.

⁷ And these also stagger from wine
   and reel from beer:
Priests and prophets stagger from beer
   and are befuddled with wine;
they reel from beer,
   they stagger when seeing visions,
   they stumble when rendering decisions.
⁸ All the tables are covered with vomit
   and there is not a spot without filth.

⁹ “Who is it he is trying to teach?
   To whom is he explaining his message?
To children weaned from their milk,
   to those just taken from the breast?
¹⁰ For it is:
   Do this, do that,
   a rule for this, a rule for that;
   a little here, a little there.”

¹¹ Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues
   God will speak to this people,
¹² to whom he said,
   “This is the resting place, let the weary rest”;
and, “This is the place of repose”—
   but they would not listen.
¹³ So then, the word of the Lord to them will become:
   Do this, do that,
   a rule for this, a rule for that;
   a little here, a little there—
so that as they go they will fall backward;
   they will be injured and snared and captured.

¹⁴ Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you scoffers
   who rule this people in Jerusalem.
¹⁵ You boast, “We have entered into a covenant with death,
   with the realm of the dead we have made an agreement.
When an overwhelming scourge sweeps by,
   it cannot touch us,
for we have made a lie our refuge
   and falsehood our hiding place.”

¹⁶ So this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

   “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone,
   a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation;
the one who relies on it
   will never be stricken with panic.
¹⁷ I will make justice the measuring line
   and righteousness the plumb line;
hail will sweep away your refuge, the lie,
   and water will overflow your hiding place.
¹⁸ Your covenant with death will be annulled;
   your agreement with the realm of the dead will not stand.
When the overwhelming scourge sweeps by,
   you will be beaten down by it.
¹⁹ As often as it comes it will carry you away;
   morning after morning, by day and by night,
   it will sweep through.”

   The understanding of this message
   will bring sheer terror.
²⁰ The bed is too short to stretch out on,
   the blanket too narrow to wrap around you.
²¹ The Lord will rise up as he did at Mount Perazim,
   he will rouse himself as in the Valley of Gibeon—
to do his work, his strange work,
   and perform his task, his alien task.
²² Now stop your mocking,
   or your chains will become heavier;
the Lord, the Lord Almighty, has told me
   of the destruction decreed against the whole land.

²³ Listen and hear my voice;
   pay attention and hear what I say.
²⁴ When a farmer plows for planting, does he plow continually?
   Does he keep on breaking up and working the soil?
²⁵ When he has leveled the surface,
   does he not sow caraway and scatter cumin?
Does he not plant wheat in its place,
   barley in its plot,
   and spelt in its field?
²⁶ His God instructs him
   and teaches him the right way.

²⁷ Caraway is not threshed with a sledge,
   nor is the wheel of a cart rolled over cumin;
caraway is beaten out with a rod,
   and cumin with a stick.
²⁸ Grain must be ground to make bread;
   so one does not go on threshing it forever.
The wheels of a threshing cart may be rolled over it,
   but one does not use horses to grind grain.
²⁹ All this also comes from the Lord Almighty,
   whose plan is wonderful,
   whose wisdom is magnificent.