Isa 29.1-24 is a prophecy about the Temple and Jerusalem. It seems to refer to the Assyrians and Judah’s deliverance, but eschatologically it also has in mind the Babylonians, Romans and the False Messiah in the future. A case can be made for all these. It also speaks about the Messianic Redemption in the day of the Lord.
v 1…Woe, O Ariel, Ariel the city where David once camped (“Ariel” means “lion of God” or “mountain of God.” Middot 4.7 in the Mishnah states that the Temple was shaped like a lion, and the altar was called “Har El” in Ezek 43.15). Add year to year, observe your feasts on schedule (the religious calendar begins in Exo 12. All dates before that are from the civil calendar).
v 2…And I will bring distress to Ariel (Jerusalem), and she shall be a city of lamenting (on account of the siege); and she shall be like an Ariel to me (like the altar covered with blood).
v 3…And I will camp against you encircling you, and I will raise up battle towers against you (God will use Nebuchadnezzar, and in the future like the Romans in Luke 19.43-44, 21.20).
v 4…Then you shall be brought low (humbled in the time of the Assyrians); from the earth you shall speak; and from the dust where you are prostrate, your words shall come (alludes to the submissive language of Hezekiah to Assyria-2 Kings 18.14). Your voice shall also be like that of a spirit from the ground (a feeble voice, weak), and your speech shall whisper from the dust (like a dying man).
v 5…But the multitude of your enemies shall become like the dust (crushed), and the multitude of the ruthless ones like the chaff which blows away (carried off by the wind); and it shall happen instantly, suddenly (Assyria fell and Jerusalem was delivered in one night-Isa 17.13, 30.30).
v 6…From the Lord of hosts (Yehovah Tzavaot) you will be visited (delivered) with a thunder and earthquake and loud noise, with whirlwind and tempest and flames of a consuming fire (the forces of nature will be used against the invaders).
v 7…And the multitude of all the nations who wage war against Ariel (Jerusalem/Temple), even all who wage war war against her and her stronghold, and who distress her, shall be like a dream, a vision of the night (gone, nothing to grasp).
v 8…And it will be as when a hungry man dreams-and behold, he is eating (in the dream); but when he awakens, his hunger is not satisfied (no real food was eaten), or as when a thirsty man dreams-and behold, he is drinking (in the dream), but when he awakens, behold, he is faint (no real water), and his thirst is not quenched (not satisfied); thus the multitude of all the nations will be, who wage war against Mount Zion (their dream of victory over Jerusalem was not real, and they will not be satisfied).
v 9…Be delayed and wait (stop being so amazed). Blind yourselves and be blind (go ahead and harden yourselves). They become drunk, but not with wine (stupid and senseless); they stagger, but not with strong drink (the people had become as stupid as the others).
v 10…For Yehovah has poured over you a spirit of deep sleep (dullness-Heb 5.11), he has shut your eyes (to guide), the prophets (they don’t know what is happening); and he has covered your heads, the seers (those who were to teach the people were blind-Amos 3.7).
v 11…And the entire vision (the covenant, the Torah revelation) shall be to you like the words of a sealed book (not visible, don’t know what is there), which when they give it to the one who is literate (learned), saying, “Please read this,” he will say, “I cannot, for it is sealed (impossible to read the writing. God seals up the Scriptures so that even the literate cannot discern it).
v 12…Then the book will be given to the one who is illiterate, saying, “Please read this.” And he will say, “I cannot read” (the illiterate succeed no better).
v 13…Then Yehovah said, “Because this people draw near with their words and honor me with their lip service, but they remove their hearts far from me, and their reverence for me consists of tradition learned from men (outward morality without an inward kedusha-Matt 15.7-9; Mark 7.6-8).
v 14…Therefore behold (take note), I will once again deal marvelously with this people, wondrously marvelous (astonishing judgment); and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the discernment of their discerning men shall be concealed (as adequate counsel because the Torah is hidden to them. This applied to the religious leaders and teachers then, and it applied to the religious leaders, Sanhedrin and rabbi’s in the time of Yeshua, and it applies today in Rabbinic Judaism and Replacement Theology Christianity).
v 15…Woe to those who deeply hide their plans from Yehovah, and whose deeds are done in a dark place, and they say, “Who sees us?” or “Who knows us?” (they consulted against God by sending ambassadors to Egypt to help against the Assyrians, at night, thinking God was like man and couldn’t see).
v 16…You turn things around (in their minds and forming schemes to hide them)! Shall the potter be considered equal to the clay, that what is made should say to its maker, “He did not make me”; or what is formed say to him who formed it, “He has no understanding” (Judah’s leaders were turning things upside down saying God did not know what he was doing)?
v 17…Is it not just a little while before Lebanon will be turned into a fertile field (become fruitful) and the fertile field will be considered as a forest (there is a change coming, producing fruit in the Kingdom).
v 18…And on that day (the day of the Lord when Messiah comes) the deaf (spiritually) shall hear the words of a book (Torah), and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind (spiritually) will see (be enlightened).
v 19…The afflicted (humble) also shall increase their gladness in Yehovah, and the needy (poor in spirit-Matt 11.4) of mankind shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel (Messiah-Isa 41.14).
v 20…For the ruthless (any enemy of Yehovah, especially the False Messiah-2 Thes 2.8) will come to an end and the scorner will be finished (cut off).
v 21…Who causes a person to be indicted by a word (unjustly condemning them; causing people to sin by their false doctrines and judgments), and ensnare a man who adjudicates at the gates (in the courts), and defraud the one in the right with meaningless arguments (bringing lying accusations and doctrines).
v 22…Therefore thus says Yehovah, who redeemed Abraham (saved him out of idolatry), concerning the house of Jacob (his posterity, the Kahal of Israel), “Jacob shall not now be ashamed, nor shall his face now turn pale (be subject to shame because of unbelief-Ezek 39.22; Rom 11.25-26);
v 23…But when he sees his children (seed of Jacob), the work of my hands, in his midst (of the eschatological kahal in Messiah), they will sanctify my name (because it has a kedusha with certain restrictions and limitations); indeed, they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and will stand in awe (reverence, fear) of the God of Israel (because Israel has experienced God’s discipline and the overthrow of their enemies).
v 24…And those who err in mind (Hebrew “ruach” or “spirit”) will come to understanding (of the Torah, his will of the Messiah, etc), and those who criticized (murmured) will accept instruction (believe true doctrine found in the Scriptures-Rev 12.17).
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