How often we have heard Isaiah 28:9 is THE WAY ONE STUDIES THE BIBLE? God's truth is scattered all over the place from Genesis to Revelation and only the true church, apostles, priests and kings approved by God have the combo. The reason there are so many false churches or teachers in Christianity is because most, save for the elect, simply get the scriptures in either the wrong order or leave out the ones they don't like. Ha! Like ALL Churches don't do that!Anyway, Val says:
"The Bible that must be studied the hard way of here a little and there a little for solving the hidden pieces of line upon line to rightly separate the word of love is the King James Version, the other versions have been altered for the convenience of man."
How about we once and for all lay this ignorant interpretation of scripture to rest and show ourselves, or at least those who are not invested in the above interpretation as being the correct Bible Study Formula, to be a ridiculous way to view this passage.
First, read it in context. I know, I know. Crazy idea for sure, but give it a try. CONTEXT!
Isaiah 28:
| Verse | |
|---|---|
| 1. | Woe to the crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley of them that are smitten down with wine! |
| 2. | Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, as a storm of hail, a tempest of destruction, as a storm of mighty waters overflowing, that casteth down to the earth with violence. |
| 3. | The crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim shall be trodden under foot; |
| 4. | And the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be as the first-ripe fig before the summer, which when one looketh upon it, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up. |
| 5. | In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of His people; |
| 6. | And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn back the battle at the gate. Comment: The strange mingling of severe warnings and gentle promises of hope, especially noted in this chapter, is the result of Isaiah's discrimination between the leaders who are principally to blame for the approaching disaster and the rank and file of the people who are being misled. "He varies his tone and manner,"F4 accordingly as he addresses first one group, then another. Verse two identifies God's instrument of destruction as the empire of the Assyrians, metaphorically described here as (1) a hail, (2) a destroying storm, and (3) as a devastating flood. The Assyrians were ready and would soon destroy Ephraim; but the Ephraimites continued to lead lives of, "libertinism and debauchery, in which even the clergy participated with disgusting excess." Their egotistical and boastful over-confidence was noted by Rawlinson: "They said in their hearts, `We have taken to ourselves horns by our own strength' (Amos 6:4,5). They persisted in regarding themselves as secure." The practical interpretation of Isa. 28:3 means that when the king of Assyria sees Samaria he will immediately take it and eat it up. It also indicates the ease with which Samaria would be taken. Its siege lasted less than three years (2 Kings 18:9,10); whereas the siege of Ashdod, according to Herodotus lasted 29 years, and that of Tyre lasted 13 years. ...Isaiah turned his attention at once to the same shameful conduct in Judaea that existed in Ephraim. |
| 7. | But these also reel through wine, and stagger through strong drink; the priest and the prophet reel through strong drink, they are confused because of wine, they stagger because of strong drink; they reel in vision, they totter in judgment. |
| 8. | For all tables are full of filthy vomit, and no place is clean. Comment: If Isa. 28:5-6 are considered as a parenthesis, which they manifestly are, then these words are a continued description of the debaucheries of Ephraim. Some have tried to explain the drunkenness of Ephraim as A "spiritual" error; but the description of reeling, staggering, etc. is powerful evidence of common intoxication. Payne properly discerned this as an affirmation that, "Priests and prophets in the northern kingdom were no better than ordinary citizens." |
| 9. | Whom shall one teach knowledge? And whom shall one make to understand the message? Them that are weaned from the milk, them that are drawn from the breasts? |
| 10. | For it is precept by precept, precept by precept, line by line, line by line; here a little, there a little. Comment: We might paraphrase this mockery of Isaiah by the drunken rulers and leaders of Ephraim thus: Why, who does this man think he is teaching, a group of babies who have just been weaned? Is he trying to teach us our ABC's? These silly little sayings of his are nothing at all. They are just rule, rule, rule and law, law, law! J. B. Phillips has this, "Are we just weaned ... Do we have to learn that The law is the law is the law, the rule is the rule is the rule?" Such a mockery indicates that Isaiah's teachings might have been very simple and monosyllabic. Isaiah might have used the stammering, monosyllables of drunkards to announce some of his teachings. In any case, his hearers hated it! God, through Isaiah, at once responded to the mockery. |
| 11. | For with stammering lips and with a strange tongue shall it be spoken to this people; i.e the Assyrians |
| 12. | To whom it was said: 'This is the rest, give ye rest to the weary; and this is the refreshing'; yet they would not hear. |
| 13. | And so the word of the LORD is unto them precept by precept, precept by precept, line by line, line by line; here a little, there a little; that they may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. Comment: The thought is, Very well, you reject Isaiah's messages from God; I will speak to you with the words of a cruel invader. You pretend not to understand what God says; but you will really not be able to understand the brutal language of your slave masters in Assyria. |
| 14. | Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scoffers, the ballad-mongers of this people which is in Jerusalem: |
| 15. | Because ye have said: 'We have made a covenant with death, and with the nether-world are we at agreement; when the scouring scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us; for we have made lies our refuge, and in falsehood have we hid ourselves'; |
| 16. | Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD: Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a costly corner-stone of sure foundation; he that believeth shall not make haste. |
Summary: Isaiah is telling Ephraim that Assyria is barking up their butts. Ephraim's leaders are a bunch of vomiting drunks. (Resist Douglas! :) The drunken leaders mock Isaiah in the form of "blah, blah, blah you say... Do you think we are babies at the breast? Isaiah it is YOU who sounds like a baby with your blather...wha wha wha." ("here a little, there a little, line upon line, precept upon precept" I know this sounds more official, but the original tone was mockery.) Isaiah responds with, "Oh yeah, well you'll see if it is baby talk. God is going to spank you. (Sorry couldn't resist:), and you won't think it's baby talk then." Sorry Val....but thanks for playing. Like ALL of the COGs, you got this o totally out of context and what you see as THE way to study the Bible is merely phrases used as mockery of Isaiah and then God of Ephraim in response. You have, like many, managed to make a scripture mean what it never meant. Warm Regards |
