Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Isaiah 28
Isaiah 28:7These also reel with wine and stagger with strong drink; the priest and the prophet reel with strong drink, they are swallowed by wine, they stagger with strong drink, they reel in vision, they stumble in giving judgment.
This verse vividly portrays the spiritual leaders of Judah as being so intoxicated with their own ways that they are incapable of discerning God's vision or making just decisions.Isaiah 28:15Because you have said, "We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we have an agreement, when the overwhelming whip passes through it will not come to us, for we have made lies our refuge, and in falsehood we have taken shelter";
The leaders of Jerusalem boast about making a deal with death itself, a shocking metaphor for their political alliances and misplaced confidence that they believe will save them from God's judgment.Isaiah 28:16therefore thus says the Lord God, "Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: 'Whoever believes will not be in haste.'”
In stark contrast to the leaders' flimsy 'refuge of lies,' God promises to establish a perfect, tested, and precious cornerstone in Zion - a prophecy of the Messiah, who is the only true source of security.
Historical & Cultural Context
A Prophecy Against the Drunken Leaders of Ephraim
The chapter opens with a prophetic announcement of doom for the northern kingdom of Israel, called Ephraim, with its capital in Samaria. Isaiah paints a picture of its leaders as drunkards, wearing their city's beauty like a 'proud crown' or a 'fading flower.' This indulgence has made them blind to their impending destruction at the hands of a mighty nation, which God will use like a hailstorm to trample their pride. Their fleeting glory will be snatched away as easily as a ripe fig is swallowed.
A Warning to the Scoffing Rulers of Jerusalem
After addressing the north, Isaiah shifts his focus to the leaders in Jerusalem, the capital of the southern kingdom of Judah. He finds the same spiritual sickness there. The priests and prophets are also staggering from the 'wine' of their own arrogance. They mock Isaiah's straightforward, repetitive teaching style, sarcastically calling it baby talk. Because they have rejected God's simple message of rest, God declares that He will speak to them through the harsh, foreign tongue of invading armies, turning His own words into a trap that will break them.
From Drunken Pride to a Sure Foundation
Isaiah 28 unfolds as a powerful sermon, moving from a declaration of judgment to a promise of hope. It begins by targeting the northern kingdom of Ephraim, whose leaders are spiritually intoxicated and ripe for destruction. The focus then pivots to the equally arrogant leaders in Jerusalem, who mock God's word and trust in their own political maneuvering. Finally, the chapter contrasts their flimsy 'refuge of lies' with the unshakeable cornerstone God himself will lay.
The Fading Crown of Ephraim (Isaiah 28:1-6)
1 Ah, the proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim, and the fading flower of its glorious beauty, which is on the head of the rich valley of those overcome with wine!
2 Behold, the Lord has one who is mighty and strong; like a storm of hail, a destroying tempest, like a storm of mighty, overflowing waters, he casts down to the earth with his hand.
3 The proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim will be trodden underfoot.
4 and the fading flower of its glorious beauty, which is on the head of the rich valley, will be like a first-ripe fig before the summer: when someone sees it, he swallows it as soon as it is in his hand.
5 In that day the Lord of hosts will be a crown of glory, and a diadem of beauty, to the remnant of his people,
6 and a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.
Commentary:
The proud northern kingdom will be destroyed, but God will be the true glory for His faithful remnant.
Stumbling Priests and Mocking Prophets (Isaiah 28:7-13)
7 These also reel with wine and stagger with strong drink; the priest and the prophet reel with strong drink, they are swallowed by wine, they stagger with strong drink, they reel in vision, they stumble in giving judgment.
8 For all tables are full of filthy vomit, with no space left.
9 "To whom will he teach knowledge, and to whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, those taken from the breast?"
10 For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little."
11 For by people of strange lips and with a foreign tongue the Lord will speak to this people,
12 to whom he has said, “This is rest; give rest to the weary; and this is repose”; yet they would not hear.
13 And the word of the Lord will be to them precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little, that they may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
Commentary:
Judah's leaders mock God's simple message, so God will use their mockery as the instrument of their judgment.
A Covenant with Death vs. The Cornerstone (Isaiah 28:14-22)
14 Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you scoffers, who rule this people in Jerusalem!
15 Because you have said, "We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we have an agreement, when the overwhelming whip passes through it will not come to us, for we have made lies our refuge, and in falsehood we have taken shelter";
16 therefore thus says the Lord God, "Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: 'Whoever believes will not be in haste.'”
17 And I will make justice the line, and righteousness the plumb line; and hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and waters will overwhelm the shelter."
18 Then your covenant with death will be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol will not stand; when the overwhelming scourge passes through, you will be beaten down by it.
19 As often as it passes through it will take you; for morning by morning it will pass through, by day and by night; and it will be sheer terror to understand the message.
20 For the bed is too short to stretch oneself on, and the covering too narrow to wrap oneself in.
21 For the Lord will rise up as on Mount Perazim; as in the Valley of Gibeon he will be roused; to do his deed - strange is his deed! and to work his work - alien is his work!
22 Now therefore be not mockers, lest your bonds be made strong; for I have heard a decree of destruction from the Lord God of hosts upon the whole land.
Commentary:
The leaders trust a flimsy political deal, but God offers true security through His promised cornerstone.
The Wisdom of the Divine Farmer (Isaiah 28:23-29)
23 Give ear, and hear my voice; give attention, and hear my speech.
24 Does he not work by measure? Does he not plow in sowing time and harrow the land?
25 When he has leveled its surface, does he not scatter dill, sow cumin, and put in wheat in rows and barley in its proper place, and emmer as the border?
26 For he dill his God instructs him and teaches him.
27 Dill is not threshed with a threshing sledge, nor is a cart wheel rolled over cumin, but dill is beaten out with a stick, and cumin with a rod.
28 When one prepares a fine flour, will he not sift it with a sieve before mixing it with oil?
29 This also comes from the Lord of hosts; he is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom.
Commentary:
Like a wise farmer, God uses the right methods at the right time to accomplish His perfect purposes.
Core Truths in Isaiah 28
The Danger of Pride
Pride is the central sin condemned in this chapter. It manifests as the 'proud crown' of Ephraim and the mocking attitude of Jerusalem's rulers. This arrogance makes people self-reliant, causing them to trust in their own beauty, strength, and cleverness rather than in God, which ultimately leads to their downfall.
Spiritual Blindness
Isaiah uses the metaphor of drunkenness to illustrate a state of spiritual stupor. The leaders are so intoxicated by power and false security that they cannot perceive reality or understand God's clear warnings. This blindness causes them to reject simple truth and stumble over the very message sent to save them.
God's Unshakeable Foundation
In contrast to the leaders' 'refuge of lies' and their flimsy 'covenant with death,' God offers true, lasting security. The 'precious cornerstone' laid in Zion is a powerful messianic promise, pointing to Jesus Christ. He is the only foundation that can withstand the storms of judgment and provide a secure place for those who build their lives on Him.
The Purposefulness of God's Judgment
The final parable of the farmer teaches that God's actions are never random or chaotic. Just as a farmer uses specific tools and techniques for different crops, God applies judgment and instruction with perfect wisdom. His 'strange work' is always purposeful, designed to achieve His righteous ends.
Living by the Word in Isaiah 28
This chapter challenges you to look at what you depend on for security. A 'refuge of lies' could be your career, financial stability, or even your own intellect. Isaiah 28:15-16 shows that these things will be swept away by the storms of life, urging you to build instead on the 'precious cornerstone' of Christ, who is the only truly secure foundation.
It's a powerful reminder to remain humble and teachable. Sometimes we might crave complex or novel spiritual ideas and dismiss the foundational truths of faith as 'basic.' Isaiah 28:9-13 warns that rejecting God's simple, clear instruction can lead to spiritual confusion and stumbling. Value the deep power in the core truths of the gospel.
The farmer's wisdom shows that there is a right tool and a right time for every task. This teaches you that God's work in your life, including discipline and trials, is not haphazard. When you face something difficult, Isaiah 28:29 reminds you that God is 'wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom,' and you can trust that His methods are perfectly designed for your ultimate good.
God's Sure Foundation Amid Judgment
Isaiah 28 proclaims that God will shatter every false source of human security, whether it is rooted in national pride or clever political schemes. He exposes the foolishness of leaders who are spiritually deaf to His simple, life-giving truth. Yet, precisely in this context of judgment, God reveals His ultimate plan of rescue: to lay a perfect, unshakeable foundation - a precious cornerstone - upon which His people can build their lives in complete and lasting security.
What This Means for Us Today
The message of Isaiah 28 forces a choice. We can either build on the shifting sands of our own wisdom and strength - a 'refuge of lies' - or we can build on the 'tested stone' God has provided in Christ. This chapter invites us to stop trusting in flimsy shelters and instead place our full confidence in the one foundation that will never be shaken.
- What 'refuge of lies' am I tempted to run to when I feel overwhelmed?
- How can I cultivate a heart that humbly receives God's 'precept upon precept' instead of dismissing it as too simple?
- In what area of my life do I need to consciously build on the cornerstone of Christ this week?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
This chapter provides a song of hope about God's future restoration of His vineyard, Israel, creating a contrast with the judgment described in chapter 28.
The theme of judgment on Jerusalem continues, with Isaiah decrying the people's spiritual hypocrisy and blindness, yet ending with a promise of future redemption.
Connections Across Scripture
The Apostle Peter directly quotes Isaiah 28:16 and identifies Jesus as the 'living stone' and 'cornerstone,' explaining that He is precious to believers but a stone of stumbling for those who disobey.
This psalm contains the famous prophecy that 'the stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,' a theme that Jesus applies to himself.
The Apostle Paul also quotes Isaiah 28:16 to explain why many in Israel stumbled: they tried to pursue righteousness by works instead of by faith in the 'stone of stumbling,' Jesus Christ.
Historical Context
This chapter provides the historical account of the fall of Samaria (Ephraim's capital) to Assyria, fulfilling the judgment Isaiah prophesied.
Discussion Questions
- Isaiah uses the metaphor of drunkenness to describe the spiritual state of the leaders. In what ways can people today be 'spiritually drunk' or intoxicated by things other than God?
- The leaders in Jerusalem made a 'covenant with death' (Isaiah 28:15), thinking it would protect them. What are some modern-day 'covenants with death' or false sources of security that people rely on?
- God's promise of a 'precious cornerstone' (Isaiah 28:16) is central to this chapter. How does understanding Jesus as this cornerstone change the way you view stability and security in your life?
Glossary
places
Ephraim
A name for the northern kingdom of Israel, whose most prominent tribe was Ephraim; its capital was Samaria.
Zion
The hill on which Jerusalem was built, often used symbolically to refer to Jerusalem and the dwelling place of God.
Mount Perazim
A location where King David won a decisive victory over the Philistines, mentioned here as a past example of God's power.
Valley of Gibeon
The site where Joshua commanded the sun to stand still, another historical reference to God's mighty acts.
theological concepts
symbols
Proud Crown
A symbol for the arrogant pride and fleeting glory of Samaria, the capital of Ephraim.
Cornerstone
A foundational stone in construction, used here as a powerful symbol of the Messiah (Jesus), who is the true and secure foundation for God's people.
Plumb Line
A builder's tool used to ensure vertical straightness, symbolizing God's perfect and unbending standard of righteousness and justice.