Today Isaiah pronounces judgement on the drunk and prideful people of Israel. Even the priests and prophets have erred through intoxicating drink. He mocks them by saying they are like infants just weaned from the breasts who can only be taught as children by learning “precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little” which is keeping them from spiritual growth.
Later in the Story, Paul says something similar in a letter to the church in Corinth. “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able.” (1 Cor 3:1-2) God does not want His people to remain on milk as infants but to continue to grow in their walk with Him through the knowledge of His Word and obedience to it. “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge…For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:5-8)
Isaiah illustrates how a person mature in their faith behaves by giving an example of a plowman sowing. The saying “we reap what we sow” means there are consequences for our actions. This plowman is a hearer and a doer of God’s Word which produces the desired outcome of His crops.
As Isaiah prophesied, Assyria besieges Israel while Hoshea is king of Israel and during Hezekiah’s reign in Judah. “Then the king of Assyria carried Israel away captive to Assyria…because they did not obey the voice of the Lord their God…” 😞 Although the Lord sent prophet after prophet to urge Israel and Judah to repent and turn back to the Lord; they did not listen. So the Lord removes His protection over Israel and only Judah remains.
Isaiah also warns Judah who is acting like a rebellious child. He compares Judah to Sodom and Gomorrah, the wicked cities God destroyed earlier in the Story. The Lord says the people of Judah are bringing sacrifices to Him with wrong motives. The Lord does not delight in the blood of animals but the heart of the person bringing the sacrifice, the heart of someone who trusts in Him. Since their motives are wrong, God will no longer accept their offerings or prayers. The Lord calls Judah to repent and if they do, He will cleanse them and restore them. If they don’t, they will be devoured by the sword.
What will they choose? Keep reading because we are well into the meat!🥩💪
(Isaiah 28:1-29, 2 Kings 17:5, 2 Kings 18:9-12, 2 Kings 17:6-41, Isaiah 1:1-20)
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Chronological Bible in Layman's Terms 