ISAIAH LESSON 31



     We will begin this lesson in Isaiah 28:1 "Woe to the crown of
pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty [is] a
fading flower, which [are] on the head of the fat valleys of them that
are overcome with wine!"

     We do know from other lessons that, Ephraim had received the
right hand blessing from God. The right hand symbolizes the spiritual
blessing. "Ephraim" means double fruit. Wine and strong drink have
been the downfall of many individuals. This Scripture returns from
prophecy about the end time to the conditions in Isaiah's time.
Samaria seems to be spoken of as Ephraim in this Scripture. The fact
that Ephraim had received the favorite son blessing made him proud. He
had not lived up to the blessing he received, and now we see his
greatness fading away. It seems worldly living had brought them down.
Drinking and taking of drugs go along with worldly living.

     Isaiah 28:2 "Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one,
[which] as a tempest of hail [and] a destroying storm, as a flood of
mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the
hand."

     This is speaking of God bringing a mighty judgement on Samaria.
It will be so terrible, it will seem to be hail and a destroying
storm.  The war that comes will be like a destroying storm. The hand
symbolizes the work, or force behind it.

     Isaiah 28:3 "The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall
be trodden under feet:"

     They will have nothing to be proud of anymore. It is very easy to
overcome a drunkard.

     Isaiah 28:4 "And the glorious beauty, which [is] on the head of
the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, [and] as the hasty fruit
before the summer; which [when] he that looketh upon it seeth, while
it is yet in his hand he eateth it up."

     We see that Samaria was a beautiful land. It was desired of the
Assyrians. It is compared to the first fruit that comes on the tree.
It is very tempting to take and devour. This fat valley just means the
farm products are plentiful.

     Isaiah 28:5  "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,"

     Samaria was destroyed, because they had wandered away from God.
They had become worldly. Not everyone was a drunkard. Again, there is
a remnant saved who place God in His rightful place as the Head. You
remember from a previous lesson, that Hezekiah, son of Amoz, is a good
king. He tears down the places of idol worship and brings the people
back to God. In the spiritual sense, this could be looking forward to
Jesus, as well. "Diadem" is a crown circling the head. Jesus is the
true Head of all believers. His crown is glorious. The LORD of hosts
is speaking of Jesus. The residue of the people will be crowned with
the glory of Jesus.

     Isaiah 28:6 "And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in
judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate."

     The One who sits in judgement is the Lord Jesus Christ. He has
the spirit of judgement. All Christians are told to resist the devil,
and he will flee from you. I believe this is speaking of that on-going
battle between the Spirit and the devil. The strength, spoken of here,
is God's, but it is operating through His followers.

     Isaiah 28:7 "But they also have erred through wine, and through
strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred
through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of
the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble [in]
judgment."

     It seems no one is immune to the terrible influence of alcohol.
In the time of Isaiah, the rule of Hezekiah cleaned up some of the
false worship, but it seems it did not clear up the moral uncleanness
of the people. Drunkenness was even going on in the priesthood. You
remember the 2 sons of Aaron who brought strange fire into the temple,
and were killed by God for it. Most people believe they were drunk on
alcohol. Strong drink impairs the thinking and the judgement. This can
apply to our day, as well. Ministers of the gospel must keep
themselves from strong drink. It impairs your ability to minister the
truth. It, also, impairs your judgement. It weakens your will.

     Isaiah 28:8 "For all tables are full of vomit [and] filthiness,
[so that there is] no place [clean]."

     Vomit does go along with drunkenness. I am not sure that is to be
taken literally, however. This just means that a person, whose will is
weakened, will go on to other sins. Filthiness will prevail.

     Isaiah 28:9  "Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he
make to understand doctrine? [them that are] weaned from the milk,
[and] drawn from the breasts."

     This is speaking of people who have grown in the Lord, and are
able to handle the meat of the Word. They are no longer fed on milk
and honey, but have learned to know the Word of God. The easiest
person to teach the Word of God, is someone eager to know the Word in
its fulness. These erring priests and prophets might have thought they
knew, but they did not, if they had gotten into error by worldliness.
Those who are just weaned from the breast are really just above babes
in Christ.

     Isaiah 28:10 "For precept [must be] upon precept, precept upon
precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [and] there a
little:"

     "Precept" means commandment. We know the commandments are sure,
and not to be changed. The fact it was mentioned twice establishes it
as fact. Isaiah was not giving them a new, or different way. He is
just saying, over and over things they know are in God's commandments.
He gives them a little of it here and a little of it there.

     Isaiah 28:11 "For with stammering lips and another tongue will he
speak to this people."

     It would not matter what tongue he spoke to them, they would not
listen. Hearing is involved in receiving a message. They have ears to
hear, but they do not hear. Whether this is in Hebrew, or in the
Assyrian language, they would not receive it. The stammering comes
when a person is speaking in a tongue unfamiliar to them.

     Isaiah 28:12 "To whom he said, This [is] the rest [wherewith] ye
may cause the weary to rest; and this [is] the refreshing: yet they
would not hear."

     The rest, spoken of here, is in Jesus. They turned Him down, and
would not accept Him as their Messiah. The refreshing is a spiritual
blessing, as is the rest. Even in the days of old, God had promised to
bless them, if they kept His commandments. If they did not keep His
commandments, judgement came. Jesus, the King of Peace, brought a
refreshing and rest to all who would accept Him as their Saviour. They
would not accept Him, and they would not hear, or accept Him.

     Isaiah 28:13 "But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon
precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a
little, [and] there a little; that they might go, and fall backward,
and be broken, and snared, and taken."

     The LORD had given them the commandments. There had been no
wavering in the message. They needed to repent. They needed to be
broken of God. They needed to belong to God, and they would not. In
the time of Isaiah, they would be conquered by the Assyrians. If they
would not hear the prophet, then the judgement was war. They would be
moved backward, broken, snared, and taken in war, since they would not
heed the prophet.












                          Isaiah 31 Questions


1.  Whose glorious beauty is a fading flower?
2.  _________ had received the right hand blessing.
3.  What does the right hand symbolize?
4.  What does the word "Ephraim" mean?
5.  What was their downfall?
6.  What had made Ephraim proud?
7.  God brings a mighty judgement on ___________.
8.  Who desired to conquer Samaria?
9.  What can we assume from the "fat valley"?
10. What kind of king is Hezekiah?
11. What is a "diadem"?
12. ________ is the true head of all believers.
13. "The Lord of hosts" is speaking of __________.
14. The One who sits in judgement is the _______ _______ ________.
15. What is the strength in verse 6?
16. The _______and the _______ have erred through strong drink.
17. What uncleanness did Hezekiah not get rid of?
18. Who {like these priests} had brought strange fire into the temple?
19. What did God do to them?
20. Why must ministers keep themselves from strong drink?
21. All tables are full of _______.
22. Whom shall He teach knowledge?
23. Who is the easiest person to teach?
24. Quote Isaiah chapter 28 verse 10.
25. What does "precept" mean?
26. Why was it mentioned twice?
27. What is involved in receiving a message?
28. Explain the stammering tongue?
29. What would God do, if they kept His commandments?
30. What would happen, if they did not keep God's commandments?