Five Woes on Unfaithful Israel and One on Assyria – Isaiah 28-30

Bible Passage:  Isaiah 28-30

In today’s and tomorrow’s passage, we will read a series of messages beginning with the word “Woe” (28:1; 29:1; 29:15; 30:1; 31:1; 33:1).  As we read each of these “woes”, let us consider ourselves – if we too are deserving of the “Woe” that Isaiah proclaimed on the people.

The First Woe

Most of these are focused on Judah but chapter 28 begins with a “woe” on Ephraim (Israel).  By verse 14, the focus shifts to Jerusalem in Judah.

It is a terrible scene that we read here:  leaders of the land, priests and prophets were all drunk.  Instead of giving advice or encouraging the people to change their ways, they were staggering in stupor.  Instead of listening to prophet Isaiah, they asked, “Who does he think he is treating us like children”.  The Assyrians would ultimately prove the validity of Isaiah’s words.

So the lesson is this:  if the people would not learn the easy way of faith, there was always the hard way of experience (Isa 28:9-13).  And this is certainly something not easy to bear when we are at the end of God’s discipline.

The Second Woe

This “woe” was directed at Jerusalem, the city of David (29:1-14).  Isaiah most likely used the word “Ariel” because the word sounded like the Hebrew word for “altar hearth”.

The problem with Jerusalem was that they seemed to have religion but this has become a performance, with no real connection between the worshipers and God (29:13)

They had lost their sense of wonder.

They thought that they had everything under control … even God.  Nothing can faze them.

But God said that He would encounter them with wonder upon wonder and the “wisdom” of men will just all vanish away.

What is the lesson here:  We should take a hard look at our worship of God – and see if we are just paying God lip service but our hearts are far from Him, having no fear of Him at all.

The Third Woe

In the third “woe” (29:15-24), Isaiah warned the people of Judah not to hide their plans from the Lord – probably a reference to their alliance with Egypt (cf Isa 30:1-2).

But along with a warning, Isaiah offered hope.  The promises made in verses 17-24 were more than just physical restoration.

They speak of the nation’s spiritual needs, promising a day when the kinds of attitudes and behaviours that brought them to this dark day would be radically changed.  Because of the redemption of the Lord, the lives of the people would be changed to one of Holy living.

A lot of people try to manipulate God.  We don’t want Him meddling in our lives but we want Him for what He can do for us.

But God has already done many times more than we could ever deserve.

The story of the Old Testament is the Israel’s failure to be a Holy people.  Here, God promised a day when His people could fulfill the covenant demands.  The Holy Spirit is with us today to do what the old covenant could not – enable us to live Holy lives.  Through what Christ has done for us by giving us His Spirit, we can now fulfill the “righteous requirements of the law” (Rom 8:3-4).  We will then truly hallow the Holy One and fear God (29:23) by living holy lives.

That is the lesson we must learn today – holiness is not a one time requirement but a daily necessity.  The reminders are there – but the problem is that very often, we simply choose to ignore them.

The Fourth Woe

Chapter 30 speaks of the fourth “Woe” and is concerned mainly with Judah’s apparent alliance with Egypt.

Isaiah spoke pointedly of the foolishness of such a course, for Egypt could not offer any real help (30:1-7).  Because Judah had rejected the true help offered by God, her people would be devastated, as though a high wall had suddenly collapsed.  Yet, God will wait for them to come to their senses (30:8-18).  And when they did, God promised them redemption and restoration for His people (30:19-26) and defeat for their enemies (3:27-33).

Lesson here:  our trust should always be God and not on our friends or influential people.  We are tempted to rely on our own devices when we are in trouble.  But God is our ever present help – only if we know how to turn to Him.

What other lessons can you learn from these “Woes” today?