Woe to those who dig deep to hide their plans from the LORD. In darkness they do their works and say, "Who sees us, and who will know?" Woe to those who dig deep to hide their plans from the LORD.This phrase begins with a pronouncement of "woe," a term often used by prophets to signal impending judgment or disaster. The act of "digging deep" suggests a deliberate and determined effort to conceal intentions, indicating a profound level of deceit and rebellion against God. In the biblical context, this reflects the actions of the leaders of Judah who sought alliances with foreign nations, such as Egypt, rather than trusting in God ( Isaiah 30:1-2). Theologically, it underscores the futility of attempting to hide anything from an omniscient God, as seen in Psalm 139:7-12, where the psalmist acknowledges that nothing is hidden from God's sight. This phrase also echoes the deceit of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3, who attempted to hide from God after their disobedience. In darkness they do their works
The reference to "darkness" symbolizes evil, ignorance, and the absence of God's truth. Biblically, darkness is often associated with sin and separation from God (John 3:19-20). The works done in darkness imply actions that are morally corrupt and intended to be hidden from others. This reflects the cultural and historical context of secretive political maneuvers and idolatrous practices that were prevalent in ancient Judah. Theologically, it contrasts with the call for believers to walk in the light, as children of light (Ephesians 5:8-11), and serves as a warning against living a life of hypocrisy and hidden sin. and say, “Who sees us, and who will know?”
This rhetorical question reveals the arrogance and self-deception of those who believe they can act without accountability. It reflects a denial of God's omnipresence and omniscience, similar to the attitude of the wicked described in Psalm 10:11, who think God has forgotten and does not see. Historically, this attitude was prevalent among the leaders of Judah who believed their secret plans would not be discovered. Theologically, it serves as a reminder that God sees all actions and knows all thoughts (Hebrews 4:13). This phrase also foreshadows the ultimate judgment where all hidden things will be brought to light (1 Corinthians 4:5), emphasizing the need for integrity and transparency before God. Persons / Places / Events 1. IsaiahA major prophet in the Old Testament, Isaiah is the author of the book bearing his name. He prophesied during a time of great political turmoil and spiritual decline in Judah. 2. JudahThe southern kingdom of Israel, where Isaiah primarily ministered. During this time, Judah was often tempted to rely on political alliances rather than trusting in God. 3. The Leaders of JudahThe specific audience of this verse, these leaders were attempting to make secret plans and alliances, likely with foreign nations, to secure their safety and prosperity. 4. The LORD (Yahweh)The covenant God of Israel, who sees and knows all things, including the hidden intentions and plans of His people. 5. DarknessSymbolically represents secrecy, sin, and rebellion against God. The leaders' actions in darkness signify their attempt to operate outside of God's will and knowledge. Teaching Points God's OmniscienceWe cannot hide our thoughts, plans, or actions from God. He knows our hearts and intentions, and we should live with this awareness. Integrity in LeadershipLeaders, whether in the church or society, must act with integrity and transparency, recognizing that God sees all hidden motives and plans. The Futility of SecrecyAttempting to hide our sins or plans from God is futile. Instead, we should bring everything into the light through confession and repentance. Trust in God Over Human SchemesLike the leaders of Judah, we may be tempted to rely on our own schemes or alliances. True security and wisdom come from trusting in God. Living in the LightAs believers, we are called to live in the light, reflecting God's truth and righteousness in all our actions and decisions. Bible Study Questions 1. How does understanding God's omniscience impact the way you plan and make decisions in your daily life? 2. In what ways might you be tempted to "hide" aspects of your life from God, and how can you bring these into the light? 3. How can leaders today ensure they are acting with integrity and transparency, both in the church and in society? 4. Reflect on a time when you relied on your own plans rather than trusting in God. What was the outcome, and what did you learn from that experience? 5. How can you encourage others in your community to live in the light and trust in God's wisdom over human schemes? Connections to Other Scriptures Psalm 139This psalm emphasizes God's omniscience and omnipresence, affirming that nothing is hidden from Him, which parallels the futility of trying to hide plans from God as described in Isaiah 29:15. Jeremiah 23:24This verse reinforces the idea that no one can hide from God, as He fills heaven and earth, echoing the message of Isaiah 29:15. Ephesians 5:11-13These verses encourage believers to expose deeds of darkness, aligning with the call to live transparently before God and others. People Ariel, David, Isaiah, JacobPlaces Ariel, Lebanon, Mount ZionTopics Acts, Counsel, Cursed, Dark, Darkness, Deeds, Deep, Deeply, Depths, Designs, Hide, Knoweth, Plans, Secret, Seeing, Seek, Sees, Wo, Woe, WorksDictionary of Bible Themes Isaiah 29:15 4811 darkness, symbol of sin
5195 veil
5812 concealment Isaiah 29:13-15 5942 security Library I am Told, Further, that You Touch with Some Critical Sharpness Upon Some Points of My Letter
13. I am told, further, that you touch with some critical sharpness upon some points of my letter, and, with the well-known wrinkles rising on your forehead and your eyebrows knitted, make sport of me with a wit worthy of Plautus, for having said that I had a Jew named Barabbas for my teacher. I do not wonder at your writing Barabbas for Baranina, the letters of the names being somewhat similar, when you allow yourself such a license in changing the names themselves, as to turn Eusebius into Pamphilus, …
Various—Life and Works of Rufinus with Jerome's Apology Against Rufinus. Thou that Dwellest in the Gardens, the Companions Hearken to Thy Voice; Cause Me to Hear It.
The Bridegroom invites his Spouse to speak in his behalf, and to enter actually upon the Apostolic life by teaching others. Thou, O my Spouse, He says, that dwellest in the gardens, in the ever-flowered parterres of the Divinity, where thou hast not ceased to dwell since the winter has passed, thou hast been in gardens as beautiful for the variety of the flowers with which it was adorned as for the excellence of the fruits which abound there; thou, O My Spouse, whom I keep constantly with Me in these …
Madame Guyon—Song of Songs of Solomon If it is Objected, that the Necessity which Urges us to Pray is not Always...
If it is objected, that the necessity which urges us to pray is not always equal, I admit it, and this distinction is profitably taught us by James: " Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms" (James 5:13). Therefore, common sense itself dictates, that as we are too sluggish, we must be stimulated by God to pray earnestly whenever the occasion requires. This David calls a time when God "may be found" (a seasonable time); because, as he declares in several other …
John Calvin—Of Prayer--A Perpetual Exercise of Faith The Hardening of Nations.
"The election hath obtained it, and the rest were hardened."-- Rom. xi. 7. St. Paul's word, at the head of this article, is strikingly impressive, and its content exceedingly rich and instructive. It clearly announces the fact that the hardening is not exceptional or occasional, but universal, affecting all, who, being in contact with the divine Love, are not saved by it. The last limitation is necessary, for of the heathen it can not be said that they are hardened. Only they can be hardened who …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit Christ Teaching by Miracles
We have seen how many valuable lessons our Saviour taught while on earth by the parables which he used. But we teach by our lives, as well as by our lips. It has passed into a proverb, and we all admit the truth of it, that "Actions speak louder than words." If our words and our actions contradict each other, people will believe our actions sooner than our words. But when both agree together, then the effect is very great. This was true with our blessed Lord. There was an entire agreement between …
Richard Newton—The Life of Jesus Christ for the Young The Upbringing of Jewish Children
The tenderness of the bond which united Jewish parents to their children appears even in the multiplicity and pictorialness of the expressions by which the various stages of child-life are designated in the Hebrew. Besides such general words as "ben" and "bath"--"son" and "daughter"--we find no fewer than nine different terms, each depicting a fresh stage of life. The first of these simply designates the babe as the newly--"born"--the "jeled," or, in the feminine, "jaldah"--as in Exodus 2:3, 6, 8. …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life The New Testament Canon in the First Three Centuries.
The first Christians relied on the Old Testament as their chief religious book. To them it was of divine origin and authority. The New Testament writings came into gradual use, by the side of the older Jewish documents, according to the times in which they appeared and the names of their reputed authors. The Epistles of Paul were the earliest written; after which came the Apocalypse, the Epistle to the Hebrews, and other documents, all in the first century. After the first gospel had undergone a …
Samuel Davidson—The Canon of the Bible Covenanting a Privilege of Believers.
Whatever attainment is made by any as distinguished from the wicked, or whatever gracious benefit is enjoyed, is a spiritual privilege. Adoption into the family of God is of this character. "He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power (margin, or, the right; or, privilege) to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name."[617] And every co-ordinate benefit is essentially so likewise. The evidence besides, that Covenanting …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting Jesus Fails to Attend the Third Passover.
Scribes Reproach Him for Disregarding Tradition. (Galilee, Probably Capernaum, Spring a.d. 29.) ^A Matt. XV. 1-20; ^B Mark VII. 1-23; ^D John VII. 1. ^d 1 And after these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Judæa, because the Jews sought to kill him. [John told us in his last chapter that the passover was near at hand. He here makes a general statement which shows that Jesus did not attend this passover. The reason for his absence is given at John v. 18.] ^a 1 Then there …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel Of Prayer --A Perpetual Exercise of Faith. The Daily Benefits Derived from It.
1. A general summary of what is contained in the previous part of the work. A transition to the doctrine of prayer. Its connection with the subject of faith. 2. Prayer defined. Its necessity and use. 3. Objection, that prayer seems useless, because God already knows our wants. Answer, from the institution and end of prayer. Confirmation by example. Its necessity and propriety. Perpetually reminds us of our duty, and leads to meditation on divine providence. Conclusion. Prayer a most useful exercise. …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion "To what Purpose is the Multitude of Your Sacrifices unto Me? Saith the Lord,"
Isaiah i. 11.--"To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord," &c. This is the word he calls them to hear and a strange word. Isaiah asks, What mean your sacrifices? God will not have them. I think the people would say in their own hearts, What means the prophet? What would the Lord be at? Do we anything but what he commanded us? Is he angry at us for obeying him? What means this word? Is he not repealing the statute and ordinance he had made in Israel? If he had reproved …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning Of the Power of Making Laws. The Cruelty of the Pope and his Adherents, in this Respect, in Tyrannically Oppressing and Destroying Souls.
1. The power of the Church in enacting laws. This made a source of human traditions. Impiety of these traditions. 2. Many of the Papistical traditions not only difficult, but impossible to be observed. 3. That the question may be more conveniently explained, nature of conscience must be defined. 4. Definition of conscience explained. Examples in illustration of the definition. 5. Paul's doctrine of submission to magistrates for conscience sake, gives no countenance to the Popish doctrine of the obligation …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion The Third Commandment
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: For the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.' Exod 20: 7. This commandment has two parts: 1. A negative expressed, that we must not take God's name in vain; that is, cast any reflections and dishonour on his name. 2. An affirmative implied. That we should take care to reverence and honour his name. Of this latter I shall speak more fully, under the first petition in the Lord's Prayer, Hallowed be thy name.' I shall …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments Intercourse of Jesus with the Pagans and the Samaritans.
Following out these principles, Jesus despised all religion which was not of the heart. The vain practices of the devotees,[1] the exterior strictness, which trusted to formality for salvation, had in him a mortal enemy. He cared little for fasting.[2] He preferred forgiveness to sacrifice.[3] The love of God, charity and mutual forgiveness, were his whole law.[4] Nothing could be less priestly. The priest, by his office, ever advocates public sacrifice, of which he is the appointed minister; he …
Ernest Renan—The Life of Jesus Letter ii (A. D. 1126) to the Monk Adam
To the Monk Adam [3] 1. If you remain yet in that spirit of charity which I either knew or believed to be with you formerly, you would certainly feel the condemnation with which charity must regard the scandal which you have given to the weak. For charity would not offend charity, nor scorn when it feels itself offended. For it cannot deny itself, nor be divided against itself. Its function is rather to draw together things divided; and it is far from dividing those that are joined. Now, if that …
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux "And There is None that Calleth Upon Thy Name, that Stirreth up Himself to Take Hold on Thee,"
Isaiah lxiv. 7.--"And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold on thee," &c. They go on in the confession of their sins. Many a man hath soon done with that a general notion of sin is the highest advancement in repentance that many attain to. You may see here sin and judgment mixed in thorough other(315) in their complaint. They do not so fix their eyes upon their desolate estate of captivity, as to forget their provocations. Many a man would spend more affection, …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning "But it is Good for Me to Draw Near to God: I have Put My Trust in the Lord God, that I May Declare all Thy
Psal. lxxiii. 28.--"But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works." After man's first transgression, he was shut out from the tree of life, and cast out of the garden, by which was signified his seclusion and sequestration from the presence of God, and communion with him: and this was in a manner the extermination of all mankind in one, when Adam was driven out of paradise. Now, this had been an eternal separation for any thing that …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning Isaiah
CHAPTERS I-XXXIX Isaiah is the most regal of the prophets. His words and thoughts are those of a man whose eyes had seen the King, vi. 5. The times in which he lived were big with political problems, which he met as a statesman who saw the large meaning of events, and as a prophet who read a divine purpose in history. Unlike his younger contemporary Micah, he was, in all probability, an aristocrat; and during his long ministry (740-701 B.C., possibly, but not probably later) he bore testimony, as …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Isaiah 29:15 NIVIsaiah 29:15 NLTIsaiah 29:15 ESVIsaiah 29:15 NASBIsaiah 29:15 KJV
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