Isaiah 28

God Will Speak in Baby Talk

1-4 Doom to the pretentious drunks of Ephraim, shabby and washed out and seedy— Tipsy, sloppy-fat, beer-bellied parodies of a proud and handsome past. Watch closely: God has someone picked out, someone tough and strong to flatten them. Like a hailstorm, like a hurricane, like a flash flood, one-handed he'll throw them to the ground. Samaria, the party hat on Israel's head, will be knocked off with one blow. It will disappear quicker than a piece of meat tossed to a dog.

5-6 At that time, God-of-the-Angel-Armies will be the beautiful crown on the head of what's left of his people: Energy and insights of justice to those who guide and decide, strength and prowess to those who guard and protect.

7-8 These also, the priest and prophet, stagger from drink, weaving, falling-down drunks, Besotted with wine and whiskey, can't see straight, can't talk sense. Every table is covered with vomit. They live in vomit.

9-10 "Is that so? And who do you think you are to teach us? Who are you to lord it over us? We're not babies in diapers to be talked down to by such as you— 'Da, da, da, da, blah, blah, blah, blah. That's a good little girl, that's a good little boy.'"

11-12 But that's exactly how you will be addressed. God will speak to this people In baby talk, one syllable at a time— and he'll do it through foreign oppressors. He said before, "This is the time and place to rest, to give rest to the weary. This is the place to lay down your burden." But they won't listen.

13 So God will start over with the simple basics and address them in baby talk, one syllable at a time— "Da, da, da, da, blah, blah, blah, blah. That's a good little girl, that's a good little boy." And like toddlers, they will get up and fall down, get bruised and confused and lost.

14-15 Now listen to God's Message, you scoffers, you who rule this people in Jerusalem. You say, "We've taken out good life insurance. We've hedged all our bets, covered all our bases. No disaster can touch us. We've thought of everything. We're advised by the experts. We're set."

The Meaning of the Stone

16-17 But the Master, God, has something to say to this:
"Watch closely. I'm laying a foundation in Zion, a solid granite foundation, squared and true. And this is the meaning of the stone: a trusting life won't topple. I'll make justice the measuring stick and righteousness the plumb line for the building. A hailstorm will knock down the shantytown of lies, and a flash flood will wash out the rubble.

18-22 "Then you'll see that your precious life insurance policy wasn't worth the paper it was written on. Your careful precautions against death were a pack of illusions and lies. When the disaster happens, you'll be crushed by it. Every time disaster comes, you'll be in on it— disaster in the morning, disaster at night." Every report of disaster will send you cowering in terror. There will be no place where you can rest, nothing to hide under. God will rise to full stature, raging as he did long ago on Mount Perazim And in the valley of Gibeon against the Philistines. But this time it's against you. Hard to believe, but true. Not what you'd expect, but it's coming. Sober up, friends, and don't scoff. Scoffing will just make it worse. I've heard the orders issued for destruction, orders from God-of-the-Angel-Armies—ending up in an international disaster.

23-26 Listen to me now. Give me your closest attention. Do farmers plow and plow and do nothing but plow? Or harrow and harrow and do nothing but harrow? After they've prepared the ground, don't they plant? Don't they scatter dill and spread cumin, Plant wheat and barley in the fields and raspberries along the borders? They know exactly what to do and when to do it. Their God is their teacher.

27-29 And at the harvest, the delicate herbs and spices, the dill and cumin, are treated delicately. On the other hand, wheat is threshed and milled, but still not endlessly. The farmer knows how to treat each kind of grain. He's learned it all from God-of-the-Angel-Armies, who knows everything about when and how and where.

Isaiah 28

1 Woe to the crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley of them that are overcome with wine!2 Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one; as a tempest of hail, a destroying storm, as a tempest of mighty waters overflowing, will he cast down to the earth with the hand.3 The crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim shall be trodden under foot:4 and the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be as the first-ripe fig before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up.5 In that day will Jehovah of hosts become a crown of glory, and a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people;6 and a spirit of justice to him that sitteth in judgment, and strength to them that turn back the battle at the gate.7 And even these reel with wine, and stagger with strong drink; the priest and the prophet reel with strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they stagger with strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.8 For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.9 Whom will he teach knowledge? and whom will he make to understand the message? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts?10 For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, there a little.11 Nay, but by men of strange lips and with another tongue will he speak to this people;12 to whom he said, This is the rest, give ye rest to him that is weary; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.13 Therefore shall the word of Jehovah be unto 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.14 Wherefore hear the word of Jehovah, ye scoffers, that rule this people that is in Jerusalem:15 Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol 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:16 therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner -stone of sure foundation: he that believeth shall not be in haste.17 And I will make justice the line, and righteousness the plummet; and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding-place.18 And your covenant with death shall be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.19 As often as it passeth through, it shall take you; for morning by morning shall it pass through, by day and by night: and it shall be nought but terror to understand the message.20 For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it; and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.21 For Jehovah will rise up as in mount Perazim, he will be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon; that he may do his work, his strange work, and bring to pass his act, his strange act.22 Now therefore be ye not scoffers, lest your bonds be made strong; for a decree of destruction have I heard from the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, upon the whole earth.23 Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.24 Doth he that ploweth to sow plow continually? doth he continually open and harrow his ground?25 When he hath levelled the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and put in the wheat in rows, and the barley in the appointed place, and the spelt in the border thereof?26 For his God doth instruct him aright, and doth teach him.27 For the fitches are not threshed with a sharp threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.28 Bread grain is ground; for he will not be always threshing it: and though the wheel of his cart and his horses scatter it, he doth not grind it.29 This also cometh forth from Jehovah of hosts, who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in wisdom.