The Prophet and His Day: Isaiah 1-39 - Free Bible Commentary
The Prophet and His Day: Isaiah 1-39 - Free Bible Commentary The Prophet and His Day: Isaiah 1-39 - Free Bible Commentary
This was accomplished by1. blob of wax (or clay) on the rolled up edge with a signet ring of the sender impressed in it2. two blobs of wax (or clay) with a string between them and both impressed with the sender’sring or symbolAs Isaiah was told to seal up the message in 8:16, so too, Daniel in Dan. 12:4. However, in 29:11 it issimply a metaphor for the ceasing of God’s revelation.NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 29:13-1413Then the Lord said,"Because this people draw near with their wordsAnd honor Me with their lip service,But they remove their hearts far from Me,And their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote,14Therefore behold, I will once again deal marvelously with this people, wondrously marvelous;And the wisdom of their wise men will perish,And the discernment of their discerning men will be concealed."29:13 “draw near with their words” This term (BDB 620, KB 670, Niphal PERFECT) speaks of publicacts of worship in the temple. It was originally used of priests (i.e., Exod. 19:22).} “their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote” This is a significant theologicaltruth which shows that ritual and liturgy, without personal relationship, accompanied by lifestyle, love,and morality, are an abomination to God (cf. 1:10-15; 58:1-5; Jeremiah 7; Amos 5:21-24; Micah 6:6-8;Matt. 15:1-20; Mark 7:1-23; Col. 2:16-23; II Tim. 3:5). The ritual was not wrong, it was the person’sattitude that attempted to manipulate God.The above line of poetry is parallel to the next, “honor Me with their lip service” (cf. Jer. 12:2).They say one thing, but live another (cf. Matt. 15:8-9; Mark 7:6-7, where “words” and “lip” aredescribed as “neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men,” illustrated inMark 7:3,5,9,13).29:14 “I will once again deal marvelously. . .wondrously marvelous” In English these phrases soundgood, but they are the Hiphil INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT; the Hiphil INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE; and the NOUN allof the same root (BDB 810), which denotes1. extraordinary plagues in Exod. 3:20; Deut. 28:592. extraordinary counsel in 9:6; 28:293. wonderful acts in Exod. 34:10; I Chr. 16:9,12,24; Isa. 25:1Context must determine if it is positive or negative. Here it is negative of YHWH’s judgment on Hisown people. This judgment will be that their wise counselors and religious leaders will fail to do theirjob (cf. vv. 9-12).Paul quotes this verse in I Cor. 1:19 in his discussion of the foolishness of human wisdom,especially as it deals with understanding why the Messiah had to suffer and die (i.e., the gospel).NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 29:15-1615Woe to those who deeply hide their plans from the LORD,And whose deeds are done in a dark place,And they say, "Who sees us?" or "Who knows us?"16You turn things around!287
Shall the potter be considered as equal with the clay,That what is made would say to its maker, "He did not make me";Or what is formed say to him who formed it, "He has no understanding"?29:15 “hide their plans from the LORD” This refers to Judah’s leadership’s plan for a political alliancewith Egypt (cf. 28:7-22; 30:1-5; 31:1-3) to protect them from Assyria. They are trusting in Egypt, notYHWH!} “Who sees us?” or “Who knows us” This is basically a denial of God’s personal presence. Verse16 expresses the logic and foolishness of these statements.29:16 “the potter” God as potter is a common biblical metaphor (cf. Isa. 45:9; 64:8; Jer. 18:4ff; Job10:9). It possibly developed from the initial creation of humanity in Gen. 2:7. Paul alludes to this textin Rom. 9:20. Romans 9 is the affirmation of the complete and total sovereignty of God!NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 29:17-2117Is it not yet just a little whileBefore Lebanon will be turned into a fertile field,And the fertile field will be considered as a forest?18On that day the deaf will hear words of a book,And out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see.19The afflicted also will increase their gladness in the LORD,And the needy of mankind will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.20For the ruthless will come to an end and the scorner will be finished,Indeed all who are intent on doing evil will be cut off;21Who cause a person to be indicted by a word,And ensnare him who adjudicates at the gate,And defraud the one in the right with meaningless arguments.29:17-21 This describes the new Messianic day that is coming.1. it is coming soon, v. 17a (cf. 10:24-25)2. Lebanon will become very fertile, v. 17b,c, cf. 32:15; 35:1-2 (the NASB Study Bible, p. 996,links this to Isa. 10:34 and asserts that Lebanon might be a way of referring to Assyria).Sennacherib bragged of his exploitation of Lebanon’s forest (cf. 37:24; II Kgs. 19:23).3. the deaf shall hear, v. 18a, cf. 32:3; 35:54. the blind shall see, v. 18b, cf. 32:3; 35:55. the afflicted shall be glad in the LORD, v. 19a, cf. 11:4; 61:16. the needy shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel, v. 19b, cf. 3:14-15; 11:4; 14:30,327. the ruthless will come to an end, v. 20a8. the scorner will be finished, v. 20a, cf. 28:149. those intent on doing evil will be cut off, v. 20b10. justice will be restored at the gate, v. 21, cf. 32:7This is parallel theologically to the wonderful description of YHWH’s character in 25:4.Be sure to note that #3 and #4 are primarily metaphorical for receiving and understandingYHWH’s revelation (cf. Deut. 29:4; Isa. 5:12,13; 6:9; 30:9).29:19 “Holy” See Special Topic at 6:3.288
- Page 262 and 263: 6. completely despoiled, v. 3, BDB
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This was accomplished by1. blob of wax (or clay) on the rolled up edge with a signet ring of the sender impressed in it2. two blobs of wax (or clay) with a string between them <strong>and</strong> both impressed with the sender’sring or symbolAs <strong>Isaiah</strong> was told to seal up the message in 8:16, so too, Daniel in Dan. 12:4. However, in 29:11 it issimply a metaphor for the ceasing of God’s revelation.NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 29:13-1413<strong>The</strong>n the Lord said,"Because this people draw near with their wordsAnd honor Me with their lip service,But they remove their hearts far from Me,And their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote,14<strong>The</strong>refore behold, I will once again deal marvelously with this people, wondrously marvelous;And the wisdom of their wise men will perish,And the discernment of their discerning men will be concealed."29:13 “draw near with their words” This term (BDB 620, KB 670, Niphal PERFECT) speaks of publicacts of worship in the temple. It was originally used of priests (i.e., Exod. 19:22).} “their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote” This is a significant theologicaltruth which shows that ritual <strong>and</strong> liturgy, without personal relationship, accompanied by lifestyle, love,<strong>and</strong> morality, are an abomination to God (cf. 1:10-15; 58:1-5; Jeremiah 7; Amos 5:21-24; Micah 6:6-8;Matt. 15:1-20; Mark 7:1-23; Col. 2:16-23; II Tim. 3:5). <strong>The</strong> ritual was not wrong, it was the person’sattitude that attempted to manipulate God.<strong>The</strong> above line of poetry is parallel to the next, “honor Me with their lip service” (cf. Jer. 12:2).<strong>The</strong>y say one thing, but live another (cf. Matt. 15:8-9; Mark 7:6-7, where “words” <strong>and</strong> “lip” aredescribed as “neglecting the comm<strong>and</strong>ment of God, you hold to the tradition of men,” illustrated inMark 7:3,5,9,13).29:14 “I will once again deal marvelously. . .wondrously marvelous” In English these phrases soundgood, but they are the Hiphil INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT; the Hiphil INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE; <strong>and</strong> the NOUN allof the same root (BDB 810), which denotes1. extraordinary plagues in Exod. 3:20; Deut. 28:592. extraordinary counsel in 9:6; 28:293. wonderful acts in Exod. 34:10; I Chr. 16:9,12,24; Isa. 25:1Context must determine if it is positive or negative. Here it is negative of YHWH’s judgment on <strong>His</strong>own people. This judgment will be that their wise counselors <strong>and</strong> religious leaders will fail to do theirjob (cf. vv. 9-12).Paul quotes this verse in I Cor. 1:19 in his discussion of the foolishness of human wisdom,especially as it deals with underst<strong>and</strong>ing why the Messiah had to suffer <strong>and</strong> die (i.e., the gospel).NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 29:15-1615Woe to those who deeply hide their plans from the LORD,And whose deeds are done in a dark place,And they say, "Who sees us?" or "Who knows us?"16You turn things around!287