Study notes

Isaiah 29

Introducing IsaiahWho wrote it, when, why, and what to look for as you read

28:1–39:8 Section

More of Isaiah’s messages of judgement and hope are recorded in these chapters. These judgement messages were against the northern kingdom, the southern kingdom and other nations. The main problem was that God’s people didn’t have respect for the Lord. They didn’t worship only God but also worshipped false gods.

God wanted to be their Teacher but they didn’t listen to his teachings. They made fun of God’s rules instead of obeying the Mount Sinai covenant. They wanted peace and rest but didn’t ask God for help when enemies attacked them. Instead they trusted other nations like Egypt to protect them.

Because of all this God would allow the covenant curses to come to his people. He would use other nations to bring his judgement against them. Later he would punish those other nations for being proud. Isaiah urged God’s people to return to the Lord. This meant to turn away from their sin and repent. It meant obeying God and doing what was fair and right. By doing this, God’s people would find peace and rest.

Peace and rest were part of the messages of hope. The messages of hope described a wonderful time in the future. God would be honoured and respected and his people would enjoy the covenant blessings. The Holy Spirit would be poured out on God’s people. That described how close they would be to God. God would be present with them and everyone would see God’s glory and beauty. People’s bodies would be healed and made strong. They would be safe and protected. They would have everything they needed to live well. They would live as wise and holy people who had respect for God.

The story about Assyria attacking Jerusalem is an example of what Isaiah’s prophecies were about. This story is also recorded in 2 Kings chapters 18 to 20 and in 2 Chronicles chapter 32. Assyria was God’s tool for bringing judgement against the southern kingdom. But Assyria’s leaders were proud and made fun of God. King Hezekiah and Jerusalem’s leaders made themselves humble. They cried out to God to save them. God saved them from the Assyrian army. The southern kingdom had peace and rest. But Isaiah’s messages of hope weren’t completely fulfilled at that time. Isaiah announced that one day Babylon would take control of the southern kingdom.

29:1–2

Ariel was another name for Mount Zion (Isaiah 29:8). It likely means "altar of God."

29:1–8

During the Assyrian siege, the Lord would fight for Jerusalem. He would eventually make the Assyrians leave the city.

29:1–14

This is the second of the six woes (Woe …).

29:3

The Lord himself would come against Jerusalem, surrounding and attacking it.

29:4

God aimed to destroy the sinful pride of Jerusalem's people. Their voices would rise as if from the grave. Through the Assyrians, God would humble his people, but he would not abandon them.

29:6

  • you will be visited: God will rescue his people.

  • thunder and earthquake … tempest and consuming flame of fire: These events describe a theophany (a visible appearance of God; see study note on Isaiah 5:25).

29:7

The Assyrians suddenly ended the siege, as if in a dream or a vision in the night. God would save Judah and judge Assyria.

29:8

Like a hungry or thirsty person, the Assyrians could taste the victory over Jerusalem. Yet they never became victorious.

29:8–12

Jerusalem’s blindness kept its people from understanding God’s plan.

Here, blindness does not mean physical blindness. It means spiritual blindness. The people could see with their eyes, but they did not understand what God was doing.

29:10

  • a spirit of deep sleep: God reinforced the people's foolishness as a judgment on them (compare Romans 1:24–32; 11:8). They could not see reality.

  • People sometimes called prophets visionaries. Neither the people nor their prophets understood what God was doing (Isaiah 6:9–10).

29:13

  • These people used religious language in their prayers and conversations (see Matthew 15:8; Mark 7:6–7), but they did not truly honor God.

  • In their hearts, they were not committed to the Lord.

  • In their worship, they followed human rules and regulations instead of God's word.

29:14

Human wisdom and intelligence will disappear (see 1 Corinthians 1:19). The prophet had already spoken about the failure of Egypt’s wise men (Isaiah 19:11–12). Even Judah’s wise men would make mistakes.

29:15

  • Their plans might refer to the advice that royal counselors were giving Hezekiah, who at first attempted to free himself from Assyria by making alliances with Egypt (in 715 or 701 BC).

  • The people secretly planned evil deeds, but God saw everything.

29:15–24

This threat of coming judgment is the third of the six woes (see study note on Isaiah 28:1–33:24). It begins with judgment but moves to a vision of creation being renewed and of the wicked coming to an end.

29:16

  • potter … clay: This picture shows that the Lord has full authority over his creation. A potter has the right to shape clay as he chooses. In the same way, God has the right to guide and rule his people.

    Scripture does not forbid people from asking God honest and difficult questions. However, it does not allow people to resist or reject God’s will (see Isaiah 10:15; 45:9; 64:8; Romans 9:20).

  • He did not make me?: When people speak this way about God, they refuse to admit that God created them. They deny that God is closely involved in every part of their lives.

29:17

The forests of Lebanon usually picture rich and healthy growth (see Isaiah 2:13; 14:8). They are often a symbol of strength and beauty.

But here, the forests represent destruction and emptiness. Instead of life and growth, they show ruin and loss.

29:18

The people were deaf and blind in their hearts and spirits. This means they would not listen to God or understand his truth (see Isaiah 6:10; 42:18; 43:8).

Yet God promised that he would renew humanity and all creation. He would bring healing and new life (see Isaiah 35:1–5).

29:21

The false testimony that led to the oppression of the poor through trickery in the courts of Isaiah’s era would end. Because of God’s work in their hearts, the people would turn from their sinful behavior of the past.

29:22–24

The prophecy of woe, which began at 29:15, now ends with a prophecy of salvation.

Verse notes: Adapted by Mission Mutual (Aquifer Open Study Notes) from Tyndale Open Study Notes © 2023 Tyndale House Publishers. CC BY-SA 4.0. Section notes: Biblica Study Notes © 2023 Biblica, Inc. CC BY-SA 4.0, via BibleAquifer. About the sources