Who killed Jesus Christ? This is not a trick question, and it is worth for us to begin this study by thinking about it. One way is to answer it historically, to attribute it to the Romans. He was condemned a Jewish rebel by the Roman caretaker government of that era. But in another sense, we know that it wasn’t really them. They were forced to do so because of the pressure put on them by the Jewish crowd, specifically instigated by the religious leaders. In the gospels of Luke and John, we also see that the conflict was not a political one but a religious one. The debate is between Jesus and his kingdom, and the religious leaders. What drives Jesus to the cross is not so much a tension between the Jews and Romans, but that He has come to overthrow established religions. The more Jesus “pokes” the Pharisees, the more they decide that He must die.
The battle in Christianity that drives Jesus to the cross is a fight of hypocrisy. It is not the irreligious who sends Jesus to the cross, but the religious. The church needs to be on guard, not against a world out there, but the empty religion inside that always calls for Jesus’ death.
(A) Life upside down exposes empty religion (Isa 29:1-8)
Isaiah 28 to 33 has sixfold exclamations, which parallel the lamentations in Isaiah 1:11-15. The six and those that they are directed towards are:
Samaria, capital of Israel (Ephraim) — “Ah, the proud crown of Ephraim (Isa 28:1)”
Jerusalem, capital of Judah — “Ah Ariel, the city (Isa 29:1)”
Judah’s leaders adopt worldly strategies in secrecy (threat of Assyria) — “Ah, you who hide deep from the Lord your counsel (Isa 29:15)”
Judah’s leaders plans an alliance with Egypt — “Ah, stubborn children (Isa 30:1)”
Judah makes a military alliance with Egypt — “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help (Isa 31:1)”
Assyria — “Ah, you destroyer, you traitor (Isa 33:1)”
This study focuses on the second lament in Isaiah 29. We read that God will distress Ariel (Isa 29:2). This implies that God Himself is the one who is acting on and cause stress on Ariel. It is also a stress that is in contrast to what they are experiencing in Isaiah 29:1 (indicative of the “yet”). This stress is also unexpected following what has been written in Isaiah 29:1.
Isaiah 29:1 speaks of feasts, which is part of their annual calendar and celebrations. There are 7 key feasts in Israel’s national life and the Psalms of Ascents in Psalms 120-134 show us how significant these are in the life of the people. Isaiah writes about how how they will perform all their religious duties, but God distresses His people.
God, and not Assyria, will work in this siege. What does this reveal? God is also annoyed by something in particular. He is opposed to something in this city — their self-assured religiosity. They participate in the feasts and sing praises to God but their hearts are far from Him (Isa 29:13). Jesus also picks up on this later, to speak of the people who sing praises and utter words of worship, but are far from Him.
At the end of God’s campaign, they will praise and praise from dust and from the dust, their speech shall whisper (Isa 29:4).
We see here that a life that is upside down is sometimes caused by God! God condemns the speech from religious hearts that are empty.
Isaiah 29:2 has a word play. Ariel also refers to an altar hearth. It holds up burning coals and the sacrifice. The distressed Ariel shall be the platform of God’s holy wrath in Jerusalem. These verses are wrapped up in ritual, religious symbolism from the altar.
What will happen to the “foreign foes”? In Isaiah 29:5-8, God shows the opposite of empty religion. What is God saying here? It is so easy for God’s people to do the feasts and sacrifices again and again. But that is offensive to God if it is a dead religion. What happens when God really shows up? See Isaiah 29:6 to see what it will look like. It has also happened before in Exodus 19. This forms the backdrop in the consciousness of Israel. They were unable to see the tip of the mountain because it was always wrapped up in clouds. Years later, in 1 Kings 8, we also read of when God moved in to the temple and the whole place was wrapped up in clouds.
When God finally shows up and deals with the enemy of Israel, Isaiah writes Isaiah 29:6.
C.S. Lewis also aptly describes what it feels like when God shows up:
“It is always shocking to meet life where we thought we were alone. ‘Look out!’ we cry, ‘it’s alive’. And therefore this is the very point at which so many draw back—I would have done so myself if I could—and proceed no further with Christianity. An ‘impersonal God’—well and good. A subjective God of beauty, truth and goodness, inside our own heads—better still. A formless life-force surging through us, a vast power which we can tap—best of all. But God Himself, alive, pulling at the other end of the cord, perhaps approaching at an infinite speed, the hunter, king, husband—that is quite another matter. There comes a moment when the children who have been playing at burglars hush suddenly: was that a real footstep in the hall? There comes a moment when people who have been dabbling in religion (‘Man’s search for God!’) suddenly draw back. Supposing we really found Him? We never meant it to come to that! Worse still, supposing He had found us?”
What will Ariel learn? Ariel will learn that God is not a concept. Do you hear that? Is your God a concept? He does not take kindly to our empty songs and hollow prayers. He does not care for our promises to do better or that we will stop sinning. God is very much alive. When He makes life go upside down, He exposes empty religion.
(B) Empty religion is upside down and spiritual opposition to God (Isa 29:9-16)
Isaiah mocks and comments on their spiritual resistance (Isa 29:9-12). Isaiah 29:10 is not the reason for all that is happening in Israel. What he means is that the judgment upon Israel is that they have no more sight. Because they did not want to hear and see, they will not hear and see. Those who are supposed to speak the word of the Lord will have nothing to speak. This continues to our day. Those who think that God’s word is not worth reading will never read. This is their judgment.
This also implies that not being able to read and hear God’s voice in the Scripture is a judgment. This is the great tragedy being presented here. Spiritual resistance becomes spiritual hardening and sin begets sin. Isaiah 29:11-12 shows us that even after it has been given to Judah, they will be unable to open and read. It is a sad picture of God’s people.
Have you ever grieved at how people don’t like reading the Bible? Does it bother you when Christians say that they don’t understand, and don’t want to do so.
God makes an assessment and conclusion from their spiritual state in Isaiah 29:13 and Isaiah 29:15-16. God’s people draw near with their mouth, honour Him with their lips and their fear of God is a commandment taught by men (Isa 29:13). These are actions of piety but performed insincerely. Their fear is not revealed and sustained by God, but their religion is false, counterfeit and vile. These religious people are a particular kind. They confuse outward conformity of faith with faith itself.
How do we know it’s not us? As we perform our spiritual duties and hear what proceeds from our lips, people can’t see into our hearts but God can. And He will judge.
What can we learn from this? In Matthew 15:6-9, Jesus refers to this passage in Isaiah to speak to the Pharisees. They have inserted the ways of men in God’s words. It is no wonder then, that they sent Him to the cross, for He called out their false religion.
James calls out those who seek friendship with the world in James 4:4-9. There is no way we can please both God and the world. He calls us to turn away from the world, and cleanse our hearts. Empty religion is spiritually opposed to Him. He will not tolerate false religion.
Hypocrisy lives deep within us and it just won’t die easily, despite all our zeal. The only way we kill it, is to recognise our sin every day. Wake up, and acknowledge that will be tempted to empty religion. And every time we are tempted to do that, remember who we are in Christ, and that we are saved not by our works, but by grace, so that no one can boast. Grace always leads us to silence — not boasting. Grace is the only antidote to boasting. This is also the only hope for the world because hypocrisy is so prevalent — in ourselves, family, spouse, cg, church. But will you find grace there? Grace that acknowledge sins, but also the goodness of a God who has shown us mercy. Can you see what kind of a difference this makes, compared to empty religion, which is a default self-righteousness?
(C) God wonderfully works things right side up (Isa 29:14)
The great hope is that God will act (Isa 29:14). Grace silences boasting, because of God’s wonderful works. The wonders here in Isaiah 29:14 are probably referring to what is amazing and terrible, and in the immediate context, probably refers to Assyria). But this same astonishment was also shown when the folks of Judea encountered Jesus, for they have never seen and heard anything like what He is saying.
In 1 Corinthians 1:18-29, Paul writes of how the word of the cross is how God truly fulfils Isaiah 29:14 — when people speak about the crucified Saviour. The world and all its wisdom celebrates knowledge and achievements but God looks at it and says that all this effort to build a tower of Babel is offensive. He will choose the dumbest, silliest thing which has zero social cash and He will exult that. He chooses the cross, a mark of crime, embarrassment and shame. There’s nothing impressive in the cross and is seen as folly too for both the Jews and Gentiles.
God is going to work out His fix through the cross.
Are things in your life now upside down – what is exposed of your true religion? How has God worked things right side up in Christ – and what is He saying to you today?