"Wherefore Jehovah has said: Forasmuch as this people draws near with their mouth, And honors me with their lips, While their heart is far from me; And vain is their fear of me, Teaching the commandments of men: Therefore behold, I will again deal with this people, In a manner so wonderful and astonishing; That the wisdom of the wise shall perish, And the prudence of the prudent shall disappear. Woe unto them, that are too deep for Jehovah in forming secret designs; Whose deeds are in the dark; and who say, Who is there, that sees us; and who shall know us? Perverse as you are! shall the potter be esteemed as the clay? Shall the work say of the workman, He has not made me? And shall the thing formed say of the former of it, He has no understanding? Shall it not be but a very short space, Ere Lebanon become like Carmel, And Carmel appear like a desert? Then shall the deaf hear the words of the Book, And the eyes of the blind, covered before with clouds and darkness, shall see. The meek shall increase their joy in Jehovah: And the needy shall exult in the Holy One of Israel. For the terrible one fails, the scoffer is no more; And all that were vigilant in iniquity are utterly cut off: Who bewildered the poor man in speaking; And laid snares for him, that pleaded in the gate; And with falsehood subverted the righteous. Therefore thus says Jehovah the God of the house of Jacob, He who redeemed Abraham: Jacob shall no more be ashamed; His face shall no more be covered with confusion: For when his children shall see the works of my hands, Among themselves shall they sanctify my name; They shall sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, And tremble before the God of Israel. Those that were led away with the spirit of error, shall gain knowledge; And the malignant shall attend to instruction. (Isaiah 29:13-24)
The chief thing necessary in order to an understanding of the prophecy of Isaiah, is to keep in mind the fact that it all applies to the very last days. It was indeed a present, personal, practical message to those who lived when Isaiah was writing, but it has a still greater application to us since we are nearer the time of its fulfillment than they were.
We are, however, no nearer than they might have been if they had believed the message. If in our study we watch for the expressions which plainly indicate the application of the prophecy to the end of time, we shall have much less difficulty in reading with profit.
Heart Knowledge
"Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men." (Isaiah 29:13)
There is no profit in hypocrisy. Those who honor God only with their lips, while their hearts are far from Him, will soon lose what little of reality they have to begin with. Whatever is not used, degenerates, and ultimately goes to decay.
In our common version, as well as in the Revision, we read in verse 13, that the people "have removed their heart" far from the Lord. The Norwegian has it, "They hold their hearts from me." Compare this with the 1st chapter of Romans, where we read of those who hold down the truth in unrighteousness, and note in both places that the same result follows.
We very often hear of one who has "learned a thing by heart." That is the only way men can learn the things of God. But that does not mean learning them by rote, like a parrot. It means that the Scriptures must be translated into the life--must become a part of one's being.
Because men have removed their hearts from the Lord, their understanding wanes and vanishes. The only difficulty there is in understanding the Word of God, is of the heart, and not of the head. It is because of the unwillingness to have the life conformed to the law of the Lord, that men find difficulty in understanding the Bible. "If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine." (John 7:17)
God's Working is Beyond Man's Understanding
"Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid." (Isaiah 29:14)
Because men have been content with the wisdom of this world, and have despised the wisdom that comes from God only, because they have taken the commandments of men instead of the commandments of God, the Lord will work in a way so wonderful that the wisdom of the wise shall fail; it will perish and disappear. That means simply that He will do such wonders that they will be compelled to stand in open-mouthed astonishment. Their science will be utterly inadequate to account for His working.
But mind that this inability comes because they have trusted in human wisdom. That indicates that if they had trusted the Lord, and had allowed Him to instruct them, they would understand His working. Why not? Those who faithfully learn the simple lessons that the Lord gives them, may well go on to deeper things. The Holy Spirit is given us in order that we may know the things that are freely given us of God. "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God." (1 Corinthians 2:12)
But God give us all things. "God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that He is Lord of heaven and earth, dwells not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, seeing He gives to all life, and breath, and all things." (Acts 17:24-25)
Therefore the Holy Spirit will teach us all things, even "the deep things of God." (1 Corinthians 2:10)
But without the Spirit of God, no one can really know anything as he ought to know it. Do not forget that God does not arbitrarily deprive anybody of wisdom. No, He continues to give more light and knowledge, so that all may understand, and men lose their understanding solely because they have refused to let God teach them as children.
Hidden Deeds Exposed
"Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who sees us? and who knows us?" (Isaiah 29:15) "Woe unto them, that are too deep for Jehovah in forming secret designs; whose deeds are in the dark; and who say, Who is there, that sees us; and who shall know us?" (Isaiah 29:15,Lowth)
A woe is pronounced upon those who think to hide their deeds from the Lord. What a terrible disappointment it must be for men who have imagined that they were "too deep for Jehovah" to find out that "all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do." (Hebrews 4:13) "If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hides not from You; but the night shines even as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You." (Psalm 139:11-12)
For a time it seems as if everything were well concealed. But, "Every man's work shall be made manifest; for the day shall declare it." (1 Corinthians 3:13)
When the Lord comes, "[He will] bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts." (1 Corinthians 4:5)
In the Judgment it will be as though every evil deed that has been done in secret had been performed in open daylight before all men. Ah, but many things that are done under cover of darkness would not be done if all men could see them; then let us remember that the light is always shining, and let us walk as children of the light. It is not wise to try to have any secrets from the Lord. Whatever secrets we have, let us share them with the Lord. "O what perversity!" (Isaiah 29:16)
That is what we have in many versions in place of "turning things upside down," in verse 16. The same idea is in Lowth's translation. Perverse means the same as turning upside down. This saying by those who think to hide their deeds from the Lord, "Who sees us?" is a turning of things upside down. It is as though God were inferior to man. It is as though the clay were greater than the potter. "Shall the work say of the workman, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He has no understanding?" (Isaiah 29:16)
There is nothing about the clay that the potter does not know; the carpenter understands all about the wood with which he works, and therefore understands to the full that which he has made; even so, and infinitely more, does God know the secrets of every man, and not only all that he does, but all that it is possible for him to do.
God to Set Things Aright
"Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed a forest?" (Isaiah 29:17)
God can in very deed turn things upside down, but when He does so, it is only the putting of things right. Things that men have perverted shall not be allowed to remain in that condition. See in chapter 24 how and when God turns the earth upside down. "In that day, the deaf shall hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness." (Isaiah 29:18)
Now the learned say that they cannot read the words of the book, (Isaiah 29:11; And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray you: and he says, I cannot; for it is sealed) but then even the blind shall read, and the deaf shall hear it. And the result will be that "The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the pooramong men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel." (Isaiah 29:19) "The face of the covering that has been cast over all people, and the vail that is cast over all nations." (Isaiah 25:7) shall then be removed, and all will be able to see things just as they are. Now many are held in bondage, the bondage of the fear of men who are over them. Parents coerce children, husbands tyrannise over wives, and many who occupy the place of ministers of the Gospel lord it over God's heritage.
There are many who, through their very fear of God are held in bondage, because they mistakenly suppose that those who thus hold them are in the place of God to them. The very spirit which would make them obedient to the will of God, if they rightly understood it, hold them subject to those who have gained the mastery over them. But the time is surely coming when the terrible one shall be brought to nought: "For the terrible one is brought to nought, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off. That make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproves in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought." (Isaiah 29:20-21)
And even before the time comes that the scorner is no more and the vigilant in iniquity are utterly cut off, their influence will be so destroyed that all the honest ones whom they have held in bondage shall be set at liberty.
Condemning the Innocent
On verse 21 the Revised Version is better than the others. It reads, "That make a man an offender in a cause, and lay a snare for him that reproves in a cause, and turn aside the just with a thing of nought." (Isaiah 29:21,RV)
Compare with: "You have condemned and killed the just, and he does not resist you." (James 5:6)
Snares will be laid for the men whom God has set to reprove the world for sin, the innocent will be made out to be offenders, and the just will be condemned without evidence. Thus it has been since sin entered the world, even so was Christ declared guilty, and so it will be until the Lord takes all power to himself and reigns.
An Abundant Harvest Promised
"Therefore thus says the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob, Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale." (Isaiah 29:22)
At that time the house of Jacob,--God's people,--shall not be afraid nor ashamed. No more will their faces grow pale with fear of the oppressor.
Verse 24 contains a great comfort for the faithful workers in the cause of God, who often feel, as they look at their work, "I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain." (Isaiah 49:4)
The promise is, "They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine." (Isaiah 29:24)
In the days following Pentecost thousands who had been led into error came to the knowledge of the truth. Many who had cried out, "Crucify Him," yea, and a great company even of the priests, some of whom had been the betrayers and murderers of Christ, were obedient to the faith. "And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith." (Acts 6:7)
But, "Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof." (Ecclesiastes 7:8) "But when he sees his children, the work of my hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel." (Isaiah 29:23)
If the early rain yielded such abundant fruits, much more will the latter rain bring forth. Let the children of God expect great things of Him, and great things will be done by Him who is "wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working." (Isaiah 28:29)--Present Truth, June 1, 1899--Isaiah 29:13-24.