Isaiah 28 concerns a prophecy about the Jews' "covenant with death:" the league they made with the Romans to put Jesus to death. It also refers to the pitiful condition of the Jewish leadership at the time of Christ. It prophesies God's judgment on Israel which occurred in AD70. It also includes the prophecy of  "tongues" which first occurred on Pentecost. It refers to Jesus as the foundation stone of the Church. It also refers to the Church as those who put their trust in Him.

A. The Condition of the Jewish leadership
Isaiah 28 mentions the "scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem" (vs. 14). These were the scribes and Pharisees, along with the chief priests. Isaiah paints a picture of  the Jewish leadership as drunken priests who "have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way. ... they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean."  (vss. 7-8).

B. The Judgment of God on Israel
This prophecy also predicts the judgment of God on Israel because of their league with the Romans to put Jesus to death. "Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves" (vs. 15).  The Jewish leaders sought to appease the Romans by crucifying the King of the Jews. But, in the end, it was the Romans who destroyed Jerusalem and put an end to the priesthood. Their sacrificing Jesus to keep peace with the Romans failed them in AD70 (John 11:49-53). "Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it" (vss. 17-18).

C. "Tongues" as the Sign of God's Impending Judgment on Unbelieving Israel
Interestingly enough, the manifestation of  "tongues" among Christians, from the Day of Pentecost until AD70, was the sign of God's impending judgment. "For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. 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. 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" (vss. 11-13). Paul quoted this passage in 1 Cor. 14 when explaining the purpose of tongues as a gift of the Spirit. Paul wrote, "In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe" (1 Cor. 14:21-22). By citing this passage Paul was explaining that Isaiah's prophecy of tongues, as the sign of God's impending judgment on unbelieving Israel, was being displayed in the churches. It was a sign to the unbelievers of Israel that their judgment was coming.

Isaiah even prophesied what believers would say in these foreign languages. Acts records that the Jews in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost heard "the wonderful works of God" in all these foreign tongues. What were these wonderful works of God? Isaiah tells us. "For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. 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." On Pentecost, the disciples spoke in the foreign languages known to the Jews of the Diaspora who had gathered for the feast of Pentecost. Peter and the others speaking in tongues said, "This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest;" and "this is the refreshing." What "rest?" What "refreshing?" The Gospel, of course. Jesus said:

Matt 11:28-30
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
(KJV)

D. The Foundation Stone of the Church
In this prophecy, Isaiah also described the manner in which Jesus taught the Jewish people during His ministry. "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" (vs. 13). It may seem odd that the Word of the Lord being delivered line upon line, and precept upon precept, would be for the purpose of their falling backward, and being "broken, and snared, and taken." But, that is exactly what Jesus said was the reason He spoke to the Jewish nation in parables, "that seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them" (Mark 4:12). Israel was partially blinded so that the crucifixion could occur. But, a remnant of Israel trusted in Him. Isaiah wrote, "Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste"  (vs. 16).

New Testament Quotations

In Rom. 9:33, Paul combined Isaiah 28:16 & Isaiah 8:14 into a single sentence. Peter also cited both passages in 1 Pet. 2:4-8. We will develop Isaiah 8 more thoroughly in part III.

Isaiah 28 speaks of Israel in two ways. There is the unbelieving majority including the rebellious leadership. And there is the remnant. Verse 5 calls them "the residue of his people." While judgment was coming on the rebellious nation, the Lord would be "a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty" for the remnant of Israel. The New Testament teaches that this remnant is the Church, as we will see later in this series.

Once again we see the New Testament writers freely applying to the Church Old Testament prophecy given specifically to Israel. The above passages deal particularly with the birth of Jesus' Church in the midst of unbelieving Israel, with the core of the Church consisting of the remnant of Israel who put their trust in "the precious corner stone." The rest of Israel was headed for judgment through the agency of the very ones with whom they made their league - the Romans.

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