What are you investing in? Isaiah 28 confronts us with this penetrating question by contrasting two radically different investment strategies – one leading to destruction and the other to eternal security.
The prophet begins with a historical parallel that feels strikingly modern. Like investors in the South Sea bubble of 1720 who were ruined by speculative excess, the people of Israel and Judah had placed their confidence in things that held no real value – their military defenses, political alliances, and self-sufficiency. Their leaders, described in graphic terms as drunk and vomiting on tables, mocked Isaiah's straightforward warnings as simplistic "baby talk." They couldn't hear the profound wisdom in his message because they considered themselves too sophisticated for such basic instruction.
This rejection of divine guidance led to catastrophic consequences. Their "covenant with death" through alliance with Egypt would prove as inadequate as trying to sleep on a bed that's too short with covers that are too narrow. When judgment came through the Assyrian invasion, they would discover too late they had made "a mistake they couldn't walk back."
Yet amidst these sobering warnings, Isaiah unveils a divine alternative that transforms the entire message into one of extraordinary hope. The Lord offers himself as "a crown of beauty," "a spirit of justice," and "a place of rest" for the weary. Most significantly, he promises "a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation" – which the New Testament identifies as Jesus Christ himself.
The chapter concludes with a farmer's wisdom about knowing when to plow and when to plant. If we can recognize God's patterns in nature, shouldn't we heed his explicit guidance for our eternal well-being? Like Prince Oscar Bernadotte who relinquished his royal titles for love and faith, we face a choice between temporal security and eternal treasure. What will you invest in today?
