Isaiah 28:1-29

Isaiah: God controls the nations

God controls the future

Isaiah Chapter s 21 to 30

Norman Hillyer

Chapter 28

The next section of the Book of Isaiah is from Chapter 28 to Chapter 33. These Chapter s deal mainly with the relations between Judah and the *Assyrians. And these Chapter s also explain how the *Lord protected the people in Judah.

Chapter 28 describes the situation just before the *Assyrians overcame the city called Samaria in 721 *BC.

• ‘Samaria’ was the capital of the country (north of Judah) that was called by the same name (see my note at the beginning of Chapter 7).

God warns Samaria

v1 *Woe to Samaria! That city was like a royal crown on a hill above a rich valley. The city brought pride and delight to the drunks in Samaria. But now the city’s beauty is like flowers that have lost their colour. It is as if the flowers are dying. This is because the city’s leaders are all drunks. v2 Look out! The *Lord has someone extremely strong who is ready to attack. An enemy will suddenly arrive like a wild storm that nobody is expecting. The rain will pour down. It will cause a huge flood that throws everyone to the ground. v3 The enemy’s feet will walk heavily all over Samaria. The enemy will ruin the city that those proud drunks considered as their crown. v4 On its hill above a rich valley, Samaria will suddenly lose its beauty, which seemed like a proud crown. It will be as if some hungry person has seen the first ripe fruit of harvest. Such a person will seize and swallow the fruit immediately.