“Woe to the crown of pride. To the drunkards
of Ephraim (another designation for Israel), whose glorious beauty is a fading
flower……..(Isaiah 28:1).
The crown of
pride, the drunkards of Israel shall be trodden under foot: and the glorious
beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley shall be a fading flower and as
the hasty fruit before summer….(Isaiah
28:3-4 in part).
We
see at the outset of the prophet’s commentary in the text that he is speaking
of the demise of Israel. This would be seen as the Northern ten tribes who were
subsequently to fall under the lord’s judgment as the hands of the Assyrian
Empire. The cause for this judgment is clearly set forth to be their pride and
spiritual disorientation spoken of metaphorically as drunkenness. The testimony
of scripture throughout whether Old Testament or New Testament is clear
teaching that whatever covenant applies to us that we must remain steadfast and
faithful. In verse five the text carries
forward: “In that day shall theLord of hosts
be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his
people.” Wilson’s Old Testament Word
Studies defines the word residue to mean that
which is over and above, i.e. a remainder. In other words out from the larger
body of the Lord’s people at any one time there will always be found a much
smaller remnant who have remained faithful and have not transgressed, fallen
away, or breached the covenant. The text continues in verse six: “And for a spirit of judgement to him that
sitteth in judgement, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the
gate.”
“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. For precept must be upon precept: line upon line;
here a little and there a little. For
with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. To whom
he said, this is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is
the refreshing: but they would not.”
(Verses 10-12). After covering the concept of moving forward precept upon precept
the prophet introduces the concept of speaking in other tongues (known
languages) to the Jews to proclaim to them that the promise of their
anticipated Messiah has been fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ. But
because the majority of them had not advanced in precept upon precept but
rather had engendered their own “oral traditions” contrary to the law they
stumbled at the stumbling stone and the rock of offense in rejection of
him.
Clarifying
the gift of speaking in unknown languages as a gifting of the Holy Spirit it
was come at a time and an occasion and that being the verification that the
Messiah had come to redeem them but also
had extend that redemption to the gentile nations. That verification was made
manifest at Acts chapter two on the day of Pentecost testifying to the Jews who
had come from far regions to the feast as they were commanded to do under the
law. The sign of the promise was given them in their own individual languages
and verified by the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit testifying to the
veracity of the prophesied gift. (See Acts 2: 6-12).
Supporting
the above precept we turn to I Cor. 14:21 and context confirming the prophesy. “In the law it is written, with men of other
tongues and other lips will I speak to this people; and yet for all that will
they not believe me, saith the Lord. Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but them who believe
not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believeth not, but to them
which believe.” We would further
understand that tongues were a temporary gift which was to come to an end. “Charity never faileth; but whether there be
prophesies, they shall fail; whether there shall be tongues, they shall cease….(I
Cor. 13:8 in part).
Returning
to Isaiah 28 we read beginning at verse
16: “Therefore thus saith the
Lord, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious
corner stone, for a foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. Judgment
also I will lay to the line and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail (Wilson- to scatter) shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the
hiding place. And your covenant with hell shall be disannulled, and your
agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass
through, then shall ye be trodden down by it.” The prophet is setting forth in clarity the
coming of Messiah to establish a firm foundation and a cornerstone of reference
to build upon establishing the new and everlasting covenant
In a
brief summary of the points covered in the chapter we see the judgment of a
people (the Jews) unfaithful to the precepts of the old covenant, but at the same
time the preservation of a remnant who embraced the new by faith. We are
instructed that to insure our understanding of sound doctrine we must establish
precept upon precept and line upon line to arrive at a correct
understanding. The giving of the gift of
tongues was manifest to prove to the unbelieving Jews that the Messiah had come
to provide a foundation and cornerstone of reference to build a new and
everlasting covenant fulfilling and abrogating completely the precepts of the
law. They were swept away as a refuge for lies “and your agreement (Jewish Israel after the flesh) with hell shall not stand.”
David Lance
Dean website and blogs:authordavidlancedean.com
No comments:
Post a Comment