Ariel is about to experience a blood bath. They will be encircled with an army from Assyria—the enemy will build forts and blockade the city. It will be a swarm of invaders that encamp Jerusalem but they will be scattered like chaff. Their voice will be like a ghost of the past and they will lie buried in the ground. All of the above will happen suddenly.
Assyria will come with an appetite for war and will vanish like a dream. When this happens it will befuddle your wits—you will be bamboozled and amazed. Read 2 Kings 32 where all these events happened. But Israel’s eyes were closed and their ears were muffled—the events that were to happen were like a sealed book to them. When God brings the events to fruition they will be astonished and amazed. God will turn Lebanon into a fruitful forest again. The blind will see God’s plans—the humbled and poor rejoice—the tyrant (Sennacherib) will vanish—scoffers cease—evil doers will be killed. All the above and more are waiting for your understanding in the commentary section.
Uncovering the Prophecy of Ariel and the Sealed Book
Isaiah 29:1
Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices.
A woe is pronounced against the city where David dwelt. This city was better known as Jerusalem. A city where a cycle of festivals and pilgrims visit year by year.
Cross References
- 2 Samuel 5:9 So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward.
- Hosea 5:6 They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the LORD; but they shall not find him; he hath withdrawn himself from them.
Isaiah 29:2
Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow: and it shall be unto me as Ariel.
God is going to bring heavy judgment upon “Ariel.” “Ariel” means an altar covered with blood.
Cross References
- Isaiah 10:12-16 Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria...
- Read: Ezekiel 24:1-7, 21
Isaiah 29:3
And I will camp against thee round about, and will lay siege against thee with a mount, and I will raise forts against thee.
They will be encircled with an armed camp, a ring of outposts and siege works and a blockade. The enemy will build forts around the city to destroy it.
Cross References
- 2 Kings 18:17 And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great host against Jerusalem...
- Read: 2 Kings 19:32; 2 Kings 24:11-12; 2 Kings 25:1-4; Ezekiel 21:22
Isaiah 29:4
And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust.
A swarm of invaders will come upon you and they will be scattered like chaff in the wind. Their voice will be like a ghost of the past and they will lie buried in the ground.
Cross References
- Psalm 76:5-6 The stouthearted are spoiled, they have slept their sleep: and none of the men of might have found their hands...
- Isaiah 3:8 For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD...
- Read: Isaiah 2:20-21
Isaiah 29:5
Moreover the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff that passeth away: yea, it shall be at an instant suddenly.
The multitude of their enemies will be like dust in number and they will come suddenly.
Cross References
- Isaiah 17:13 The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them...
- Psalm 76:5-6 The stouthearted are spoiled, they have slept their sleep...
Isaiah 29:6
Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire.
They will get an unpleasant visit from the Lord of hosts. It will come like a raging storm and devouring fire.
Cross References
- Isaiah 30:30 And the LORD shall cause his glorious voice to be heard...
Isaiah 29:7
And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, even all that fight against her and her munition, and that distress her, shall be as a dream of a night vision.
Those who besiege her—all the baggage-trains—the entrenchments shall fade like a dream and vanish like a vision.
Cross References
- Isaiah 37:36 Then the angel of the LORD went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand...
- Isaiah 41:11-12 Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded...
Isaiah 29:8
It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion.
They will come with an appetite for war but will leave without a conquest.
Cross References
- 2 Kings 19:35-37 And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians...
Isaiah 29:9
Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.
It will fuddle your wits—you will be bamboozled and amazed—you won’t believe it.
Cross References
- Habakkuk 1:5 Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously...
- Isaiah 19:14 The LORD hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof...
- Isaiah 51:21-23 Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine...
Isaiah 29:10
For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered.
The Lord poured out a spirit of lethargy and closed their eyes and muffled their ears to the events ahead.
Cross References
- 1 Samuel 26:12 So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's bolster...
- Psalm 69:23 Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not...
- Isaiah 44:18 They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes...
- Ezekiel 14:9 And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing...
- 2 Thessalonians 2:9-11 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan...
Isaiah 29:11
And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed:
The events to come was like giving a book to the illiterate and asking them to read it.
Cross References
- Isaiah 8:16 Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.
- Daniel 12:9-10 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
- Read: Matthew 11:25; Matthew 13:11; Matthew 16:17
Isaiah 29:12
And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned.
The events to come was like giving a book to the illiterate and asking them to read.
Cross References
- Isaiah 29:18 And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.
- Jeremiah 5:4 Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish...
- Read: Hosea 4:6; John 7:15-17
Isaiah 29:13
Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
This people honored God with lip service but their heart and minds were far removed from him. Their fear and reverence was routine observance of human precepts and commandments of men.
Cross References
- Isaiah 48:1-2 Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel...
- Read: Jeremiah 3:10; Ezekiel 33:31; Mark 7:6-7
Isaiah 29:14
Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.
God is going to deal with them in such a way that it will astonish them and leave them in amazement. Even wise and clever men will have their wisdom eclipsed.
Cross References
- Habakkuk 1:5 Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously...
- Read: Isaiah 19:11-14
Isaiah 29:15
Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?
Some tried to hide their secret plans and works from the Lord thinking that they were hidden from his view.
Cross References
- Psalm 139:1-2 O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me...
- Read: Ezekiel 8:12; Revelation 2:23
Isaiah 29:16
Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?
How stupid can they be? Can clay talk back to the potter and say, “you never made me?” Clever evolutionists are walking in the same path.
Cross References
- Acts 17:6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;
- Read: Jeremiah 18:1-10
Isaiah 29:17
Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest?
Very soon Lebanon will turn into a forest—a lush fertile forest.
Cross References
- Isaiah 35:1-2 The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them...
- Read: Isaiah 41:19; Isaiah 55:13
Isaiah 29:18
And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.
Out of the gloom and darkness of captivity the blind will see my plans.
Cross References
- Isaiah 42:16-18 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not...
- Read: Deuteronomy 29:4; Matthew 13:14-16
Isaiah 29:19
The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
Those who have been humbled will obtain fresh joy and the poor shall rejoice and exult the Holy One of Israel.
Cross References
- Psalm 37:11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
- Isaiah 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made...
Isaiah 29:20
For the terrible one is brought to nought, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off:
The ruthless bully tyrant will vanish—scoffers will cease—and evil doers will be killed.
Cross References
- Isaiah 25:4-5 For thou hast been a strength to the poor...
- Read: Isaiah 28:14; Micah 2:1
Isaiah 29:21
That make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought.
These folks made a man an offender by a mere word. (Political right speech). They laid a trap to destroy good men by mere legal quibble. All these shall be exterminated.
Cross References
- Luke 11:54 Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth...
- Jeremiah 18:18 Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah...
- Read: Ezekiel 13:19
Isaiah 29:22
Therefore thus saith the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob, Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale.
This message is from the God of Jacob. Jacob will not be ashamed nor does his face grow pale from disappointment.
Cross References
- Isaiah 41:8-10 But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen...
- Read: Isaiah 45:17
Isaiah 29:23
But when he seeth his children, the work of mine hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel.
When they see God’s deliverance from captivity they will stand in awe and reverence the God of Israel. Israel will experience a surging birth rate and a booming economy.
Cross References
- Isaiah 43:21 This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.
- Leviticus 10:3 Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake...
Isaiah 29:24
They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.
The hard-headed obstinate—fault finders and murmurs’, whose minds are confused will gain understanding and receive instruction.
Cross References
- 1 Timothy 1:13-15 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor...
- Read: Isaiah 28:7; Luke 15:17-19