Isaiah 29:1
Woe to you, O Ariel, the city of Ariel where David camped! Year upon year let your festivals recur.
Woe to you
The word "woe" in Hebrew is "הוֹי" (hoy), a term often used by the prophets to express lamentation, distress, or impending judgment. It serves as a divine warning, indicating that the people are on a path leading to destruction unless they repent. In the context of Isaiah, this "woe" is a call to attention, urging the inhabitants of Jerusalem to recognize their spiritual complacency and the consequences of their actions.

O Ariel, Ariel
The name "Ariel" is intriguing, as it can mean "lion of God" or "altar hearth" in Hebrew. This dual meaning reflects both the strength and the sacrificial role of Jerusalem. As the "lion of God," Jerusalem is seen as a powerful city, yet as the "altar hearth," it is also a place of sacrifice and worship. The repetition of the name emphasizes the importance and the impending judgment upon the city, highlighting its central role in God's plan and the seriousness of its spiritual decline.

the city where David camped
This phrase refers to Jerusalem, the city that King David established as the political and spiritual center of Israel. The historical context here is significant, as it recalls the Davidic covenant and the city's foundational role in Israel's history. By mentioning David, Isaiah reminds the people of their heritage and the divine promises associated with Jerusalem, underscoring the gravity of their current unfaithfulness.

Add year to year
This phrase suggests the passage of time and the continuation of routine practices without genuine spiritual renewal. It implies a sense of complacency, where the people are merely going through the motions of religious observance without heartfelt devotion. The call to "add year to year" serves as a critique of their superficial religiosity, urging them to seek true repentance and transformation.

let your cycle of festivals continue
The "cycle of festivals" refers to the regular religious celebrations prescribed in the Mosaic Law, such as Passover, Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles. While these festivals were meant to be times of worship and remembrance of God's faithfulness, Isaiah points out that they have become empty rituals. The continuation of these festivals without sincere worship highlights the disconnect between outward religious practices and inner spiritual reality. This serves as a call to return to genuine worship and a heartfelt relationship with God.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Ariel
This is a symbolic name for Jerusalem. The name "Ariel" can mean "Lion of God" or "Altar Hearth," suggesting both strength and a place of sacrifice. It reflects Jerusalem's dual role as a city of power and a center of worship.

2. David
King David is a central figure in Israel's history, known for establishing Jerusalem as the political and spiritual capital of Israel. His connection to the city underscores its significance.

3. Festivals
The recurring festivals refer to the religious celebrations commanded in the Law of Moses, which were central to the life and worship of the Israelites in Jerusalem.
Teaching Points
The Danger of Empty Rituals
Rituals and traditions, while important, can become hollow if not accompanied by sincere faith and obedience. Believers should examine their own worship practices to ensure they are heartfelt and not merely habitual.

The Significance of Jerusalem
Jerusalem holds a special place in biblical history and prophecy. Understanding its role helps believers appreciate the continuity of God's plan from the Old Testament to the New Testament.

God's Call to Repentance
The "woe" pronounced on Ariel serves as a call to repentance. It reminds us that God desires a relationship with His people that goes beyond mere external observance.

The Role of Festivals in Worship
Festivals were meant to be times of joy and remembrance of God's faithfulness. Christians can reflect on how they celebrate their own spiritual milestones and ensure these are times of genuine reflection and gratitude.
Bible Study Questions
1. What does the name "Ariel" reveal about God's view of Jerusalem, and how does this apply to how we view our own spiritual communities?

2. How can we ensure that our worship practices do not become empty rituals, as warned in Isaiah 29:1?

3. In what ways does the history of Jerusalem as described in the Bible inform our understanding of God's plan for His people?

4. How do the recurring festivals in ancient Israel relate to the spiritual practices and celebrations in the Christian faith today?

5. Reflect on a time when you felt called to repentance. How does Isaiah 29:1 challenge or encourage you in your spiritual journey?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Isaiah 1:11-15
This passage critiques the empty ritualism of sacrifices and festivals when they are not accompanied by genuine faith and obedience, similar to the warning in Isaiah 29:1.

Matthew 23:37
Jesus laments over Jerusalem, echoing the themes of judgment and the city's failure to live up to its calling, as seen in Isaiah 29:1.

Psalm 48:1-2
Celebrates Jerusalem as the city of God, highlighting its intended glory and purpose, contrasting with the warning in Isaiah 29:1.
ArielSir E. Strachey, Bart.Isaiah 29:1
ArielJ. A. Alexander.Isaiah 29:1
ArielProf . S. R. Driver, D. D.Isaiah 29:1
ArielF. Delitzsch.Isaiah 29:1
Good Men Increase the Responsibility of a CommunityH. Melvill, B. D.Isaiah 29:1
Jerusalem, The Hearth of GodF. Delitzsch.Isaiah 29:1
Jerusalem, The Lion of GodSir E. Strachey, Bart.Isaiah 29:1
Links in a Golden ChainW. L. Watkinson.Isaiah 29:1
Love and ChastisementJ. Parker, D. D.Isaiah 29:1
National MerciesH. Melvill, B. D.Isaiah 29:1
The City Where David DweltH. Melvill, B. D.Isaiah 29:1
Woe to ArielSir E. Strachey, Bart.Isaiah 29:1
Woe to ArielProf. G. A. Smith, D. D.Isaiah 29:1
The City of GodW. Clarkson Isaiah 29:1-8
Concerning ArielE. Johnson Isaiah 29:1-12
People
Ariel, David, Isaiah, Jacob
Places
Ariel, Lebanon, Mount Zion
Topics
Add, Ah, Ariel, Camped, Cycle, David, David's, Dwelt, Encamped, Encampment, Feasts, Festivals, Ho, Kill, O, Observe, Round, Run, Sacrifices, Schedule, Settled, Town, War, Wo, Woe
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Isaiah 29:1

     7355   feasts and festivals, nature of

Isaiah 29:1-2

     5899   lament

Isaiah 29:1-8

     9250   woe

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

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