Isaiah 29 JUDGED, BUT NOT FORSAKEN The second of the woes in this part of Isaiah’s prophecy is on the city of Ariel, another name for Jerusalem. Likely the name change was because the city would be razed and not be much more than a hearth before the altar. However, as “the hearth of God,” as “the lion of God,” it would rise again to take a place of prominence in relation to Israel’s enemies. That position has been forfeited because of sin. False formality had taken the place of holy worship. They were offering valueless sacrifices instead of true worship and an acknowledgement of the power of the Almighty Lord of Hosts. The Jews had entered into valueless military alliances which they thought would preserve them rather than basing their faith of the promises of God.
Such practices are going on today as the people of God who once had rested their faith and practice on the word of God alone, now enter into ecumenical alliances which are of no value to the furtherance of the kingdom of God. Such alliances perhaps have an objective of making Christianity popular, but biblical Christianity is based on faith in Christ and His word, not numbers of people who attend churches. In order to have a form of unity among different beliefs, compromise of truth is necessary and that is abhorrent to the Lord. Such formalism was what Isaiah was warning the people of his day about.
The careless Jews had to be humbled before the Lord, because they had lost their unique character as the people of God. The same happens today when the Lord’s people try to adapt to the people around whose lifestyle and fads change to suit the will of the people and what is acceptable to the attractions of our fleshly nature. We should rather seek to bring people to faith in the Lord through the scriptures of truth. It is then they will understand the importance of the people of God being unique by living “quiet and peaceful lives in all godliness and honesty.” It is our difference, not our “sameness” that makes true Christianity attractive to the sincere seeker after God.
In Isaiah’s day neither the people nor the religious leaders represented what God intended to be a visible expression of Himself and His people before the ungodly world. Spiritual poverty was cause for great concern for the prophet Isaiah. How much more of a concern would it have been for the Lord. When religious practice becomes routine instead of real, people are satisfied to go through the motions on the Lord’s day and do what they want at other times, even to the extent of disobedience to God and His word. All of us can practice hypocrisy when we are willing to just go through rituals and the appearance of worship.
Warnings given ahead of time provide opportunity for genuine repentance and recovery. In the case of the people of Israel, repentance didn’t happen so understandable consequences were coming. The Assyrians laid siege to Jerusalem, but the Lord intervened. In verses five through eight we read the Lord arranged things for the siege to be lifted miraculously in one night. It is a sad commentary on the human mindset, that when such things happen, they give themselves “high-fives” and self-congratulation because they have no understanding and no desire to know the truth. Often blind “spiritual advisers” who do not know the Lord personally, lead congregations of people in “worship” that has no reality to it because it is based on their own definition of worship. There is no consciousness of God’s knowledge and what He desires from His people.
God’s people are expected to be obedient to Him and to love Him. That will lead to sincere and honest worship of the Lord in ways that please Him, rather than the programs of a “ministry” that pleases people who want to be entertained. People who live without the consciousness of God with them, don’t really know much about God, or they may not know Him at all. God knows every thought and intent of our hearts. There is nothing hid from Him. Such lack of “God consciousness” has permeated into the minds and lives of God’s people so that they are more concerned with being “people conscious,” “seeker friendly,” “committed to relevance” than commitment to divine Persons and divine truth. Some people who are blinded by their own skepticism, cynicism and unbelief, even though they are highly educated religious people, cannot understand grace, faith, truth and spiritual light. Willful blindness leads to a strong delusion. The spiritual blindness of the spiritual leaders and some of the false prophets who should have guided the people of Israel in the ways of God, was going to bring down judgment on them.
Rebellion toward God brings with it, spiritual insensitivity because people are deliberately blinded and deaf to the word and will of God. The false prophets of Judah were blind guides to them. The word of God was sealed to them even though it was plain and clear to faithful prophets. To those counterfeit believers the truth of God was incomprehensible and irrelevant to those who were more “up to date.” They were of the opinion they knew much more than their forefathers and those who were “bound” to the Bible. They couldn’t make head nor tail of what was the plain truth of God because it didn’t agree with their preconceived notions and the narrative they had planned.
Those who draw near to God with “their mouths,” and “with their lips they honor [God],” are far from Him in their hearts. Artificial religious forms without sincere love for God are denounced. Even their “fear of God” is artificial. Their professed love for God is not sincere; their counsel was without wisdom and understanding. They turned things around to be mere humanism without true values and put man at the top. Even though God created them, in their minds they believed they knew better than God. But that is not the end of the prophecy.
Isaiah looked ahead and beyond the present distress the people of Judah were in and in his prophesy brought hope. When Messiah comes to deliver His people, man in his pride, like the Assyrians (Lebanon) will be brought down. In its place there will be fruitfulness and blessing. Even believers today who are fruitful for the Lord, may become careless and indifferent, willingly blind, deaf and spiritually poverty stricken. God will arrange for those who are humble among God’s people, to rise to a place where their joy in the Lord, and their joyous hymns will give honor to the One whose name is above every name. The materialists and those who have dominated because of their position will be cut off. Those were the people who were strict and made a “man an offender for a word,” but they will find no place as they are bypassed by divine authority.
The millennium will unveil what has not been seen or understood by Israel and God’s people for centuries. It is the acceptance of God’s word as truth that removes vain imaginations from the minds of people. Israel will not be ashamed when they finally put their hope in God, honor His name, submit to His leadership and recognize the Lord Jesus Christ as the Holy One of God. Even though they failed and fell, God’s steadfast love for them will not be withheld forever. They will open their hearts to the truth of the Lord Jesus being their Messiah and will become a godly and reverent people who will bring glory to their Redeemer.
In the day when Messiah comes to Israel and our Lord Jesus Christ reigns and rules in righteousness, life will be much different than it is today. God’s people will be recovered to the Lord. They will be enlightened to the truth and reality of God’s promises and covenant. They will be restored to reality in divine things. There will be full recognition on the part of all people that the Lord has all power and authority in heaven and on earth. His wisdom and His authority will bring the peace and fullness of life on earth as God originally intended it to be.