What is the meaning of Isaiah 28:14? Therefore The word signals a direct link to the warnings already delivered in Isaiah 28:1-13. Judgment is not random; it is the necessary outcome of persistent unbelief. • The LORD has just exposed the failed security of Ephraim’s leaders (vv. 7-8), so Judah must not imagine itself exempt (compare 1 Corinthians 10:11-12). • “Therefore” reminds us that actions reap consequences (Galatians 6:7-8; Hebrews 2:1-3). • God’s dealings are consistent: He is patient, yet He will not overlook contempt for His word (Numbers 14:22-23; 2 Chronicles 36:15-16). Hear the word of the LORD A gracious invitation still stands. Even when judgment is imminent, God calls people to listen, repent, and live (Ezekiel 18:30-32). • Scripture is authoritative, final, and sufficient (Psalm 19:7-11; 2 Timothy 3:16-17). • Failure to heed the word is the chief evidence of unbelief (Jeremiah 7:23-26; John 8:47). • The command “hear” carries the weight of covenant loyalty first expressed in the Shema: “Hear, O Israel…” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5). O scoffers These leaders mock God’s warnings, treating them as empty threats. Scoffing is more than disbelief; it is proud rejection (Proverbs 21:24). • Psalm 1:1 contrasts the blessed man with “scoffers,” showing how ridicule of truth spirals into ruin (Proverbs 19:29). • In Noah’s day scoffers perished in the flood (2 Peter 3:3-7), illustrating that God’s patience has limits. • Mockery blinds the heart: it feeds on self-confidence and numbs the conscience (Isaiah 5:18-19). Who rule this people in Jerusalem The accusation targets Judah’s political and religious elites. Greater privilege brings greater accountability (Luke 12:48). • Leaders were charged to shepherd faithfully (Exodus 18:21; Micah 6:8), yet they oppressed and misled (Isaiah 3:12-15). • False confidence in alliances and ritual offered no shelter from judgment (Isaiah 30:1-3; Jeremiah 7:4-11). • Christ later denounced similar hypocrisy in Jerusalem’s rulers (Matthew 23:13-28), proving that the principle endures. summary Isaiah 28:14 confronts Judah’s leaders with a decisive call: because prior warnings have been ignored, they must now “hear the word of the LORD.” Their scoffing hearts and privileged positions will not shield them from accountability. God’s word stands sure, inviting repentance while warning that persistent mockery invites certain judgment. |
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