The Distress of Ariel
28:1 to 29:24
In this section Isaiah continues his discussion, begun in Chapter 7, of the foolishness of trusting in other nations instead of the LORD. Here he deals with the specific political situation in Judah, rather than with the worldwide picture. The same approach was seen in Chapters 13 to 27 where specific situations were addressed (Chapters 13 to 23) before a general truth was revealed (Chapters 24 to 27). There the purpose was to show God’s lordship over the nations. The timeline is after the events in Chapters 7 to 12. Here the focus is on Judah’s decision to trust, or not trust ADONAI. Now the threat, which Isaiah had predicted at that time, has come to pass. Assyria, with which Ahaz had allied himself, is finishing up with Samaria (28:1-13) and then turning its unwanted attentions on Judah (29:14-29). The flood, which Isaiah had predicted earlier (8:6-8), is about to burst with full force against the southern kingdom of Judah.
The entire account of the distress of Ariel, or Tziyon, follows a parallel structure where the first letter is parallel to the second letter, and so on, with C being the turning point.
A Warning to Judah Through Ephraim (28:1-13)
B Far Eschatological Covenant with the Antichrist (28:14-29)
C Near Historical Covenant with Egypt (29:1-8)
C Near Historical Covenant with Egypt (29:9-16)
B Far Eschatological Covenant with the Antichrist (29:17-24)
A Warning to Judah Through Egypt (30:1 to 31:9)
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