Refusing to Rest and to Rely on God (Isaiah 28-29)

Isaiah 28:1-29; 12, 16

"God has told his people, 'Here is a place of rest; let the weary rest here. This is a place of quiet rest.' But they would not listen" (Isa 28:12, NLT). "So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: 'See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic'" (Isa 28:16, NIV). "Therefore the Lord God said: 'Look, I have laid a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will be unshakable'" (Isa 28:16, HCSB).

Why is "woe" pronounced on God's people, Ephraim [northern Israel] (Isa 28:1) and Ariel [Jerusalem] (Isa 29:1)? It is because they were:

1. Remaining in pride (28:1-6).
2. Rejecting rest in God and his word (28:7-13).
3. Refusing to rely on God (28:14-22).
4. Resisting instruction (28:23-29).
5. Relying on ritualism and politics and hiding their plans from God (29:1-24).

References:

1. We Reject God's Sure Foundation by Our Faulty Reliance on Man (Isaiah 28). My daily bread from Dec 2010.
2. Empty Ritualism, Clandestine Politics (Isaiah 29:13,15). My daily bread from Dec 2010.
   
3. Motyer, J Alec. Isaiah. The first woe: The word of God and the purposes of God (28:1-29).
• Samaria: a surprising hope (1-6).
• Jerusalem: the inescapable word (7-22).
• The discriminating Lord (23-29).
  
4. Webb, Barry G. The Message of Isaiah. Foolish leaders and false counsel (28:1-29; 29:1-24).
• The drunkards of Ephraim (28:1-13). Too proud to listen to God and his Word.
  
• The covenant with death (28:14-22). Determined to depend on Egypt.
  
• The parable of the farmer (28:23-29). Insistent on being stupid.
  
• Fire in the fireplace (29:1-24). Depending on politics, the real world and human wisdom, rather than God.