Therefore I will again confound these people with wonder upon wonder. The wisdom of the wise will vanish, and the intelligence of the intelligent will be hidden." ThereforeThis word serves as a pivotal transition, indicating a conclusion or result based on prior statements. In the context of Isaiah 29, it connects the judgment and spiritual blindness of the people to their previous actions and attitudes. The Hebrew word "לָכֵן" (lakhen) often introduces divine action or judgment, emphasizing God's sovereign response to human behavior. I will again confound
The phrase underscores God's active role in the unfolding events. The Hebrew root "פָּלָא" (pala) means to do something extraordinary or marvelous, often beyond human understanding. This reflects God's ability to intervene in history in ways that challenge human expectations and understanding, reminding us of His omnipotence and the mysterious nature of His plans. these people
Referring specifically to the people of Judah, this phrase highlights the direct audience of Isaiah's prophecy. Historically, Judah was facing external threats and internal corruption. The phrase serves as a reminder of the covenant relationship between God and His chosen people, who are now subject to divine correction due to their disobedience. with wonder upon wonder
This repetition emphasizes the magnitude and multiplicity of God's actions. The Hebrew "פֶּלֶא" (pele) suggests acts that are miraculous or astonishing. In a biblical context, wonders often serve as signs of God's presence and power, intended to draw people back to faith and obedience. The wisdom of the wise
This phrase critiques the reliance on human wisdom and understanding. In the Hebrew context, "חָכְמָה" (chokmah) refers to practical skills and moral insight, often associated with leaders and elders. The critique is that such wisdom, when divorced from divine guidance, becomes futile. will vanish
The Hebrew "אָבַד" (avad) means to perish or be destroyed. This indicates the temporary and fragile nature of human wisdom when it stands in opposition to God's eternal truth. It serves as a warning against pride and self-reliance. and the intelligence of the intelligent
This phrase parallels the previous one, further emphasizing the limitations of human understanding. The Hebrew "בִּינָה" (binah) refers to discernment or insight. The repetition underscores the theme that true wisdom and understanding come from God alone. will be hidden
The Hebrew "סָתַר" (satar) means to conceal or hide. This suggests that God will obscure human understanding, making it ineffective. It serves as a humbling reminder that without divine revelation, human efforts to comprehend the world and God's purposes are ultimately futile. Persons / Places / Events 1. IsaiahA major prophet in the Old Testament, Isaiah is the author of the book that bears his name. He prophesied during a time of great turmoil and change in Israel, calling the people back to faithfulness to God. 2. JerusalemThe city is central to Isaiah's prophecies, often representing the spiritual state of the nation of Israel. In Isaiah 29, Jerusalem is depicted as being under judgment for its spiritual blindness and hypocrisy. 3. The Wise and IntelligentThis refers to the leaders and scholars of Israel who relied on their own understanding rather than seeking God's wisdom. Their wisdom is shown to be inadequate in the face of God's plans. 4. God's WondersThe "wonder upon wonder" signifies God's miraculous interventions and judgments, which are beyond human understanding and serve to demonstrate His sovereignty. 5. The People of IsraelThe audience of Isaiah's prophecy, who are being warned of the consequences of their spiritual complacency and reliance on human wisdom. Teaching Points The Limitations of Human WisdomHuman wisdom is limited and often fails to grasp God's plans. We must seek divine wisdom through prayer and Scripture. God's Sovereignty in JudgmentGod's actions, though sometimes confounding to us, are always purposeful and just. We should trust in His sovereignty even when we don't understand His ways. Spiritual Blindness and HypocrisyLike the people of Israel, we can become spiritually blind and hypocritical. Regular self-examination and repentance are necessary to maintain a right relationship with God. The Importance of HumilityTrue wisdom begins with humility and the fear of the Lord. We should approach God with a humble heart, acknowledging our need for His guidance. Revelation to the HumbleGod often reveals His truths to those who are humble and childlike in faith. We should cultivate a heart that is open and receptive to God's revelations. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Isaiah 29:14 challenge our reliance on human wisdom in today's world? 2. In what ways can we ensure that we are seeking God's wisdom rather than relying on our own understanding? 3. How does the theme of God's sovereignty in Isaiah 29:14 provide comfort in times of uncertainty? 4. What are some practical steps we can take to avoid spiritual blindness and hypocrisy in our own lives? 5. How can we cultivate a humble heart that is open to receiving God's revelations, as suggested by the connections to Matthew 11:25 and Proverbs 3:5-7? Connections to Other Scriptures 1 Corinthians 1:19Paul echoes Isaiah's message by stating that God will destroy the wisdom of the wise, emphasizing that true wisdom comes from God and not human intellect. Matthew 11:25Jesus praises the Father for hiding things from the wise and learned and revealing them to little children, highlighting the theme of divine revelation over human wisdom. Proverbs 3:5-7These verses encourage trust in the Lord rather than one's own understanding, aligning with Isaiah's message about the limitations of human wisdom. People Ariel, David, Isaiah, JacobPlaces Ariel, Lebanon, Mount ZionTopics Adding, Astonishing, Behold, Cause, Concealed, Deal, Discerning, Discernment, Guides, Hid, Hidden, Hideth, Intelligence, Intelligent, Itself, Longer, Marvel, Marvellous, Marvellously, Marvelous, Marvelously, Nothing, Ones, Perish, Perished, Proceed, Prudence, Prudent, Sense, Strange, Understanding, Vanish, Wisdom, Wise, Wonder, Wondered, Wonderful, Wonderfully, WondrouslyDictionary of Bible Themes Isaiah 29:14 5050 reason
5191 thought
5894 intelligence
5948 shrewdness
8351 teachableness
8366 wisdom, source of
8756 folly, examples 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 29:14 NIVIsaiah 29:14 NLTIsaiah 29:14 ESVIsaiah 29:14 NASBIsaiah 29:14 KJV
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