Isaiah 29:1

Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! Add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices. Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow: and it shall be unto me as Ariel. And I will camp against thee round about, and will lay siege against thee with a mount, and I will raise forts against thee. And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust... — Isaiah 29:1–4

When God's people honor Him with their lips but harbor proud, divided hearts, He sends judgment to purify—yet waits, full of grace, for them to turn back.

A Series of Woes Against Judah and Jerusalem

Last week in Isaiah 28 the chapter began with "Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim." That woe, spoken to the northern ten tribes, was directed in verse 7 to the children of Judah as well: "But they also have erred through wine." So God was ultimately speaking woe to the people of Judah and Jerusalem.

Now chapter 29 opens the same way: "Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt." Chapter 30 reads, "Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel, but not of me." And chapter 31, "Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help." Isaiah 28 through 31 deal with woe pronounced upon God's people in Judah and Jerusalem. Back in Isaiah 5 the prophet had already spoken woe to the nation. Once again God speaks judgment against His own people because of their sin and their departure from Him.

What Is Ariel?

Ariel is a name applied here to the city of Jerusalem—"the city where David dwelt." Some object that David was from Bethlehem, but the last words of verse 8 speak against Mount Zion, confirming this is Jerusalem. God is announcing a judgment and destruction coming upon Jerusalem. But why?

The first reason is their piousness—their religiosity. They were very religious, but only in words. They honored God with their lips while their hearts were far from Him. This was the very thing God had said in Isaiah 1, where He called His own people "rulers of Sodom" and "people of Gomorrah."

To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord... Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me... When ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear; your hands are full of blood. — Isaiah 1:11–15

God told His people He no longer wanted them treading His courts, because their worship was empty—a mere external act no longer affecting the heart. There are many today who have a religious system yet do not know the Lord. They may honor the one true God with their lips, but their lives in no way mirror their words.

Religious by Day, Idolatrous by Night

Year after year they killed many sacrifices. Every morning, midday, and evening, offerings were given on behalf of the nation, and individuals brought their burnt offerings, sin offerings, and wave offerings as Leviticus commanded. They were encouraged in their piousness, yet far from the Lord. After offering sacrifices at the temple, they would go to the Valley of Hinnom and offer their children to Molech, or to the high places to offer to Baal, or under every green tree to Asherah. They worshiped the one true God in the very midst of their idolatry, and God says, "This is vanity. This is wickedness."

The name Ariel can mean either "lion of God" or "altar of burning." Most scholars lean toward "lion of God." It seems the people called themselves Ariel as an arrogant boast: the Assyrians were associated with the lion, the lion of that day, and Jerusalem was saying, "That lion is coming, but we are the lion of God—we'll be able to stand." So they would be judged not only for their piousness but for their pride. As we saw last week, they had made "a covenant with death" and built for themselves a refuge of lies, supposing they were secure because of their religiousness and their city.

God Will Bring Them Low

And I will camp against thee round about, and will lay siege against thee with a mount, and I will raise forts against thee. — Isaiah 29:3

Four times in verse 4 God says He will bring them low. Because of their pride—their religious pride—He will lay them low through the coming Assyrian judgment. It is striking that an earthly king, Sennacherib, and a worldly nation would be God's instrument. He had already declared this in Isaiah 10:

O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger... I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge... — Isaiah 10:5–6

This judgment would come during Isaiah's prophetic ministry. When we reach Isaiah 36–39 we will see the historic fulfillment. God tells these people: when the Assyrian army lays siege to the city, know that it is a judgment from My hand.

Yet even as God declares judgment, in the very same prophecies He declares protection. He would not allow His people to be completely consumed. As we have said many times in Isaiah, God's punishment is for the purpose of purification. He comes to cleanse them and wipe away the refuge of lies they had built.

A Passing Judgment

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. — Isaiah 29:5

In verses 3–4 God says He will judge; in verses 5–6 He explains it will be a passing judgment, not a total destruction. The invading army would cover the land like dust and chaff, but God would blow it away in an instant. We see the fulfillment in Isaiah 37: the Assyrians destroyed over forty cities in Judah and sent 185,000 troops against Jerusalem, but in one night God sent an angel who killed 185,000 of them.

Verse 6 can be read two ways: either the judgment upon Jerusalem will be brief, like distant thunder that does not destroy, or it speaks of God's judgment upon Assyria with "a flame of devouring fire." Isaiah 10:16–17 supports the Assyrian view: God prophesied He would kindle a burning under them and consume them in one day.

A Dream That Leaves the Soul Empty

It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty... So shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion. — Isaiah 29:8

The Assyrians gathered around Jerusalem in 701 BC expecting to plunder the temple treasures of gold. They were like a hungry man dreaming of a great feast who wakes still empty. Their dream of spoil would vanish in destruction.

This applies to anyone who comes against Jerusalem, for it is God's city—the place where He has set His name. Twice, in verses 7 and 8, we read of "all the nations" that fight against Ariel. Any people who set themselves against Jerusalem find themselves in this precarious position; they receive not spoil but a curse and judgment. Even today there are those who seek to divide Jerusalem—a dangerous road that, every time it appears in Scripture, ends in calamity for the one who divides.

Blinded by False Prophets

They are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes... — Isaiah 29:9–10

Here we see the unbelief of Jerusalem. Isaiah told them God would judge them, but they insisted, "No, the Lord will not judge us." False prophets in the city kept saying everything would be fine. This is always the pattern in the prophetic books—the true and the false prophet stand side by side, just as we have true and false teachers today.

God was calling the people to repentance through Isaiah: "If you will repent, I will relent." But as we saw in Isaiah 28, they mocked him as repetitive—"line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, there a little." Meanwhile the false prophets promised help from Egypt and claimed God was on their side. The people were seduced into deep sleep, their eyes closed, so that when asked what God was speaking, their leaders said, "It's like a sealed book; we just don't understand"—even though God spoke clearly and plainly through Isaiah.

Lips Near, Hearts Far

Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men... — Isaiah 29:13

Sadly, our own nation resembles this. Research not long ago found that some 80% of Americans believe in God and identify in some way with the Christian faith, whether Protestant or Catholic. The overwhelming majority call themselves believers in the God of the Bible. Yet to look at their lives, you would wonder if it were so. They honor the Lord with their mouths, but their hearts are far from Him.

Therefore God says He will "proceed to do a marvelous work"—His strange work described in Isaiah 28:21, where the God who once fought for His people now fights against them. Why? Because they had become proud, merely religious on the outside, filled with wickedness. To the people it seemed unthinkable: "This is our God; He fights for us, not against us." Yet Isaiah insisted God would bring about His peculiar work and judge them.

Hiding Counsel from the Lord

Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? — Isaiah 29:15

This is the same charge in chapter 30:1—rebellious children who take counsel but not of the Lord, who scheme to go down to Egypt without asking at His mouth. They thought God unaware of their plans. This is the foolishness of man, easily duped into thinking God does not see. As Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3, men love darkness because they think their deeds are hidden. Most of the vile sin of this world is done behind closed doors, the conscience knowing it is wrong—yet God sees and God knows.

Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? — Isaiah 29:16

To suppose you can hide from God is as foolish as the clay arguing with the potter, accusing him of having no understanding.

A Drastic Change and the Refining of God's People

Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest? And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book... — Isaiah 29:17–18

This proverb speaks of a drastic transformation. Many understand it this way: the Gentiles (Lebanon) become a fruitful field, while the fruitful field, Israel, becomes an untended forest, grown over with weeds and briars. God would set Israel aside for a time and focus on the Gentiles—as the New Testament says, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. Then He will work again with His people, and the deaf will hear and the blind will see.

For the terrible one is brought to nought... they also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine. — Isaiah 29:20, 24

God's refining work removes those who intimidate and harass, who make the innocent guilty by false testimony, who pervert justice with lies. He brings right justice and destroys wickedness from the earth, and then His people return to the God of Israel; those who erred in spirit are given understanding.

Woe to the Rebellious Children

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. — Isaiah 30:1

From the very first chapter, Isaiah recorded God's complaint: "I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me... the ox knoweth his owner... but Israel doth not know." Now, thirty chapters later, several kings have passed—Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and now Hezekiah—yet the people have not turned back. They stiffened their necks. Still God patiently calls them to return.

Their rebellion showed itself in scheming to go down to Egypt for help against Assyria. God said: if you turn to Me, I will protect you, just as I protected Jerusalem in the day of Ahaz. But they preferred a covering "not of my spirit." There are many today with a false sense of security built on their own works. You may share the gospel—"the wages of sin is death"—and hear, "No, my God is a loving God and I've done many good works." That is a refuge of lies that will not stand. We need the covering of the Spirit of the one true God.

The Shadow of Egypt

Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion. — Isaiah 30:3

Pharaoh was strong, with many chariots and a great army, yet his strength would become Israel's shame. Recall Isaiah 20, where God had the prophet walk naked and barefoot three years as a sign, declaring that the king of Assyria would lead the Egyptians and Ethiopians away as captives, "naked and barefoot... to the shame of Egypt." Egypt would be devastated by Assyria and carried away to Nineveh.

So God was not merely belittling Israel's plans; He was protecting them. People sometimes grow angry when we share that Jesus is the only way—"How dare you belittle my religion!" I am not trying to belittle anyone; I am trying to protect them from the fact that their religion is only a shadow that cannot stand. It will be to their own shame, and I am sorry if that offends, but it is the truth, and they need the truth.

The Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose. — Isaiah 30:7

Isaiah pictures the poor camels and donkeys burdened with Israel's gold and silver, carried down to Egypt to pay for help that will never come—a waste of the animals' labor and the nation's treasure. In the same way, all the work poured into false religion is vanity. The hours spent knocking on doors for false churches, the offerings and pain endured in the name of other gods—none of it has an enduring reward.

Lying Children Who Demand Smooth Things

...this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD: which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits. — Isaiah 30:9–10

God told Isaiah to write it on a tablet, an enduring inscription for a time to come. The people did not literally ask for lies; they said, "We don't want to hear what you have to say, Isaiah. Speak to us nice things."

Consider Jehoshaphat and Ahab in Chronicles. Ahab gathered prophets given a deceiving spirit who promised victory, but Jehoshaphat asked for another. Ahab admitted there was Micaiah, "but I don't like him; he always says bad things about me." When the true prophet of God is saying bad things about you, perhaps you should listen. Micaiah declared Ahab would die in battle. Ahab wanted soothsayers who would speak smooth things, not the truth—and so did the people of Judah.

Paul warned Timothy of the same:

The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears... — 2 Timothy 4:3

Paul also told Timothy to "endure afflictions," for the one who speaks the truth boldly will not be well received. "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." The prophets of old were persecuted for speaking God's truth, and so will we be. If they persecuted our Lord, they will persecute us also—but this should never diminish our boldness. It concerns me that there is a growing move of churches diminishing the weight of God's word to draw people in.

A Breach That Breaks Suddenly

...therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant. — Isaiah 30:13

Because they despised God's word and trusted in oppression, judgment would come like a wall bursting and a potter's vessel smashed so completely that not a shard remains to carry coals or draw water—a total breaking.

In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not. — Isaiah 30:15

God says, "I am calling out to you; if you return, you'll find rest and peace—but you would not." Jeremiah said the same 150 years later:

Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. — Jeremiah 6:16

It was not that they did not know the path; they knew it and refused it. Scripture reveals it is a worse thing to know the truth and reject it than never to have received it.

You Shall Flee

But ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses... a thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one. — Isaiah 30:16–17

They trusted in fast horses from Egypt, but their pursuers would be faster. This fulfilled the blessing and curse of Leviticus 26: obey, and "five of you shall chase an hundred"; disobey, and "ye shall flee when none pursueth." Deuteronomy 28 says the same. Here we see it come to pass.

God Waits to Be Gracious

And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you... blessed are all they that wait for him. — Isaiah 30:18

It is an awesome thing to consider God's patience. Even as He watched His people judged for their sin, He waited to be gracious. "He will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee." God is longsuffering, not willing that any should perish. If they refused, the Assyrians would chasten them; if they still refused, the Babylonians would consume them in 586 BC. Yet more than 2,700 years later God is still waiting to be gracious to His people, even though they rejected the Messiah—the Word made flesh.

Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. — Jeremiah 33:3

Though the Lord would give them "the bread of adversity and the water of affliction," He would not leave them. He would walk with them through their painful judgments, even into Babylonian captivity, saying, "This is the way, walk ye in it," desiring all along that they turn to Him. Then they would defile and cast away their idols of silver and gold, saying, "Get thee hence."

Blessing After Idolatry Is Cast Away

Then shall he give the rain of thy seed... and bread of the increase of the earth, and it shall be fat and plenteous. — Isaiah 30:23

When they returned and departed from idolatry, their land would be so fruitful they would feed even the best grain—winnowed with shovel and fan—to their livestock, when ordinarily animals received the leftover grain. Rivers and streams would flow on every high hill "in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall," and the light of the moon would be as the sun, and the sun sevenfold, "in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people."

A Place Prepared for Assyria

For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it. — Isaiah 30:33

Tophet was a place in the Valley of Hinnom outside Jerusalem, the refuse dump where trash was continually burned. In the New Testament Jesus speaks of hell as Gehenna—the Valley of Hinnom. Here God says there is a special place prepared in hell of old for the king of Assyria. It is not a pretty picture: God has prepared a place of everlasting burning for His enemies. It would be good not to be an enemy of God. James says, "Whosoever will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." So John writes, "Love not the world... for all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father"—and all such things will burn.

Woe to Those Who Go Down to Egypt

Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many. — Isaiah 31:1

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. — Psalm 20:7

The people were tempted to trust Egypt's many horses and chariots. Yet God too "is wise, and will bring evil." The Egyptians are men and not God; their horses are flesh and not spirit. When the Lord stretches out His hand, both the helper and the one helped will fall together.

Apply this to our own day: trust in anything other than the Lord, and it will fall, and you will fall with it. Trust your intellect, and God makes it foolish; trust your job, and a pink slip comes; trust your savings, and a huge bill consumes it; trust your 401(k), and the market collapses. God has an amazing way of shaking the things we trust so we see there is no other place to trust than in Him. It feels bad, but it is good—God is more interested in our eternal salvation than our temporal well-being.

The Lord Will Defend Jerusalem

As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it. — Isaiah 31:5

Egypt cannot protect them, but God can and will. Therefore: "Turn ye unto him from whom the children of Israel have deeply revolted." All the false gods and religions of this world offer no support in the day of Christ Jesus. Only the Lord can protect His people, so turn to Him and repent, "for in that day every man shall cast away his idols of silver, and his idols of gold."

Then shall the Assyrian fall with the sword, not of a mighty man... his princes shall be afraid of the ensign, saith the LORD, whose fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem. — Isaiah 31:8–9

The Assyrian will be devastated, not by the sword of man but by the mighty hand of God. Its generals and captains will flee back to their stronghold at Nineveh, fearful of the hand of God who delivers His people.

Some trust in horses, some in chariots. If your confidence is in any other thing, God will shake it—and praise the Lord that He does. When your confidence is shaken from those other things, may you recognize that He alone is worthy of our devotion, trust, and confidence. If we turn to Him, we find Him gracious; He is waiting to be gracious to those who turn to Him.

Closing Prayer

God, we thank You for Your grace toward us—totally undeserving—and yet You have been abundant in grace and mercy. You forgive our iniquity, transgression, and sin. Lord, I pray that as we go about our day and our lives in this community, You would use us as bright shining lights, those redeemed and bought with a price, purchased out of darkness and brought into Your marvelous light. Lord, we know there are many in our communities, even in our own families, whose confidence and trust have been shaken by things in this world. Would You give us the boldness to share with them that You are the only sure foundation. We pray that You continue to shake the things this world has confidence in until only one foundation remains standing, because You are the only sure foundation. Help us to be strong in that day. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.