sign in sign up
<<
Home , Isaiah 28

28 Why Can’t I Save Myself?

“Therefore the LORD God said: ‘Look, I have laid a stone in , a tested stone, a precious , a sure foundation; the one who believes will be unshakable.” Isaiah 28:16, CSB

Main Idea: The concept of “salvation by grace alone” is not only a teaching but spans the entirety of Scripture. Christ alone is the rock of refuge, and whoever trusts in Him will not be shaken.

1. A Fading Crown vs. a Glorious Crown on a Remnant (vv. 1-6) • Chapters 28,29,30,31 and 33 all begin with the word “Woe,” alerting the reader to the coming judgment of God. • is to look at the coming judgment of , () and learn from the land’s fate.

“The proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim will be trodden underfoot;” Isaiah 28:3

“and that you may live long in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers to give to them and to their offspring, a land flowing with milk and honey. For the land that you are entering to take possession of it is not like the land of , from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and irrigated it, like a garden of vegetables. But the land that you are going over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water by the rain from heaven, a land that the LORD your God cares for. The eyes of the LORD your God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.” Deuteronomy 11:9-12

• Contrast the past glories of Israel with the future glory of those saved by God.

“In that day the LORD of hosts will be a crown of glory, and a diadem of beauty, to the remnant of his people,” Isaiah 28:5

2. God Speaking Through vs. God Speaking Through Judgment (vv. 7-13) • The key moment of anyone’s life is the time they hear the word of God.

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” :17

• The priest of Israel did not give godly instruction.

“For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.” Malachi 2:7

• Rather, they rejected the word of God.

“For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.” Isaiah 28:10

• The priests are mocking God’s word and law…blah, blah, blah.

“When you don’t listen to the verbal warning, you will get the real-life fulfillment.” —Andrew Davis

3. Self-salvation vs. God’s salvation (vv. 14-22) • Israel left with no alternative makes a “covenant with death” probably hinting at the covenant made with Egypt.

“Because you have said, ‘We have made a covenant with death, and with we have an agreement, when the overwhelming whip passes through it will not come to us, for we have made lies our refuge, and in falsehood we have taken shelter;’” Isaiah 28:15

• Isaiah 28:16 is quoted three times in the New Testament.

“What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, as it is written, ‘Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.’” :30-33

“because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, ‘Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” Romans 10:9-13

“For it stands in Scripture: ‘Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.’ So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,’ and ‘A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.’” :6-8

• “Perazim” and “Gibeon” are two places defeated the Philistines with God’s direct intervention.

“For the LORD will rise up as on Mount Perazim; as in the Valley of Gibeon he will be roused; to do his deed—strange is his deed! and to work his work—alien is his work!” Isaiah 28:21

• Now, God intervenes and lays a “cornerstone” in Zion that will be His means of salvation.

4. The Parable of the Farmer (vv. 23-29) • The farmer know when to stop plowing and starting planting. • Also, God knows when it is time to start judging.

“When it is time for judgment to come, it will come; when it is time for the judgment to end, it will end.”— Andrew Davis

Questions for Further Reflections:

1. What can we learn from the “folly” of Israel?

2. How does mocking the word of God take place in today’s world?

Notes adapted from “Exalting Jesus in Isaiah, Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary” by Andrew M. Davis, Ph.D.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The ESV® .