5 In that day the Lord of hosts will become a beautiful crown And a glorious diadem to the remnant of His people ; 6 A spirit of justice for him who sits in judgment , A strength to those who repel the onslaught at the gate . 7 And these also reel with wine and stagger from strong drink : The priest and the prophet reel with strong drink , They are confused by wine , they stagger from strong drink ; They reel while having visions , They totter when rendering judgment . 8 For all the tables are full of filthy vomit , without a single clean place .
9 "To whom would He teach knowledge , And to whom would He interpret the message ? Those just weaned from milk ? Those just taken from the breast ? 10 "For He says, ' Order on order , order on order , Line on line , line on line , A little here , a little there .' " 11 Indeed , He will speak to this people Through stammering lips and a foreign tongue , 12 He who said to them, "Here is rest , give rest to the weary ," And, "Here is repose ," but they would not listen . 13 So the word of the Lord to them will be, "Order on order , order on order , Line on line , line on line , A little here , a little there ," That they may go and stumble backward , be broken , snared and taken captive .
14 Therefore , hear the word of the Lord , O scoffers e , Who rule this people who are in Jerusalem , 15 Because you have said , "We have made a covenant with death , And with Sheol we have made a pact . The overwhelming scourge will not reach us when it passes by, For we have made falsehood our refuge and we have concealed ourselves with deception ."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Isaiah 28:5-15
Commentary on Isaiah 28:5-15
(Read Isaiah 28:5-15)
The prophet next turns to Judah, whom he calls the residue of his people. Happy are those alone, who glory in the Lord of hosts himself. Hence his people get wisdom and strength for every service and every conflict. But it is only in Christ Jesus that the holy God communicates with sinful man. And whether those that teach are drunk with wine, or intoxicated with false doctrines and notions concerning the kingdom and salvation of the Messiah, they not only err themselves, but lead multitudes astray. All places where such persons have taught are filled with errors. For our instruction in the things of God, it is needful that the same precept and the same line should be often repeated to us, that we may the better understand them. God, by his word, calls us to what is really for our advantage; the service of God is the only true rest for those weary of the service of sin, and there is no refreshment but under the easy yoke of the Lord Jesus. All this had little effect upon the people. Those who will not understand what is plain, but scorn and despise it as mean and trifling, are justly punished. If we are at peace with God, we have, in effect, made a covenant with death; whenever it comes, it cannot do us any real damage, if we are Christ's. But to think of making death our friend, while by sin we are making God our enemy, is absurd. And do not they make lies their refuge who trust in their own righteousness, or to a death-bed repentance? which is a resolution to sin no more, when it is no longer in their power to do so.