廿七章仍預言末世最後的審判，狡猾的惡獸逃跑，就是象徵上帝勝過撒但（27：1；51：9；啟20：2；伯41；詩74：13~14；104：26）。以賽亞喜樂的唱出一首讚美葡萄園的詩歌，此處葡萄園有別於第五章的葡萄園，因那時葡萄園結壞果子，必須被毀滅（5：5~6；耶2：21；詩80：8~13）；末了經過了嚴厲的責罰和審判之後，只有真信耶穌的猶太人得以存活，屬靈的以色列將建立新的葡萄園結好果子，紮根在耶穌這真葡萄樹上（約15：1~6）；得勝後與上帝合一，上帝也會將祂的憐憫與慈愛延伸至外邦人，救贖他們與上帝和好，並且接種在祂的葡萄中園中，結好的果實（羅11：17~24），藉著信耶穌而栽在主新園中的果實，將散佈在世界各地。

        上帝照顧保護祂的葡萄園，除去荊棘（上帝的仇敵），上帝亦懲罰潔淨修剪他們，如讓堅固的耶路撒冷城被毀且荒蕪，為要他們不再拜偶像，歸向上帝專一敬拜服事祂（27：10）。以賽亞又用類似葡萄園的比喻，解釋以色列像樹枝枯乾，因沒有基督屬靈的生命在內，必被折毀，上帝的喜悅也不在他們身上（27：11）。猶太人吹喇叭的習俗是用在重要事件（如召集軍隊或宣佈重要宴會），並也將被用在宣佈主耶穌第二次的再臨（太24：31）。

        廿八章到卅三章先知的預言將快速應驗，以賽亞指責以色列的不信者，同時警告猶大人，上帝說有一大能者（指亞述王28：2）要將上帝的審判帶到驕傲之城──撒瑪利亞，城中的百姓醉酒（摩6：4~7）、不道德、拜偶像、不顧上帝的律法，活在驕傲和罪中，但這些情形不會持久，撒瑪利亞將凋謝，被亞述踐踏。以賽亞預言後，還是給他們一線希望，上帝因他們驕傲毀滅他們，但也拯救信靠祂的子民，祂將成為他們榮耀的冠冕。

        以賽亞同時也宣告，猶大人犯罪，輕視上帝的律法，活在酒醉之中。甚至在聖所服事上帝的祭司，本應該是信徒的榜樣，反倒引人入歧途（28：7；利19：9~11）；酒鬼（包括了猶太貴族），對以賽亞的預言都嗤之以鼻，他們不要上帝的信息，認為信息太單調乏味嘮叨（28：9~10，14，22），為此上帝改變了祂的聲音和法則，而用另一種語言向他們說話，也就是用亞述和巴比倫的毀滅來警戒他們（28：11~13；林前14：21~22）。

        亞哈斯王和統管下的猶大，拒絕相信上帝，而決定信任和亞述人所立的約，以為可因此免於死亡，（28：15；王下16：7），但以賽亞預言，所定之約必被取消，亞述王要將他們踐踏於腳底（28：18~19，21~22），猶大人想藉亞述人得安息，實是徒勞，因只有在上帝裡才有真正的安息（28：12）。安息和平安的根基，在於相信彌賽亞是可靠的房角石（28：16；詩118：22~23；彼前2：4~8；羅9：32~33；弗2：20；創49：24）；房子（教會）以公義、信實建立在這房角石上，就像建房子的人，用適當的材料建一幢堅固的房子一般，但若房子材質拙劣，就會被強風吹倒（28：17；太7：24~27；21：42）。

        以賽亞做了一個相似的比喻，他說以色列像一塊農地（28：24~29），上帝不只是要耕作這塊地，或是教導以色列人如何，祂對這塊地有其目的，祂希望這塊地能結出公義的好果子來，就像農夫利用各種方法，為要得著收成，上帝也使用了祂的工具，就是各種的懲戒及審判，預備祂的地能結出公義的果子（太21：42~44）。

        上帝啊！我們將生命建立在耶穌基督的房角石上，生命的建造者，求您將耶穌的性格，建造在我們身上。奉主耶穌聖名，阿們！

English

        In chapter 27, Isaiah is still prophesying about eschatological (end-time) events. In the day of final judgment, God will be victorious over Satan, symbolized by the fleeing serpent, Leviathan (27:1; 51:9; Rev. 20:2; Job 41; Ps. 74:13-14; 104:26). Then Isaiah joyfully tells of a blessed vineyard song, the counterpart to the vineyard lament of Isaiah 5, wherein that vineyard (natural Israel) produced bad fruit and had to be destroyed (5:5-6; Jer. 2:21; Ps. 80:8-13). In the end-times of severe persecution and divine judgment, only those Jews who are true believers in Jesus will remain. These will make up the new vineyard of spiritual Israel which will produce good fruit, since they will abide in the true vine, the Lord Jesus (John 15:1-6). God will carefully tend His vineyard and protect it from briers and thorns (enemies of God's people); yet if a thorn (a Gentile sinner) makes peace with God (which Isaiah foretells they will), the Lord will extend forgiveness and grace to him and transplant him into His vineyard where he also will pro duce good fruit (cf. Rom. 11:17-24). The fruit of this new vineyard, made up of believing Jews and Gentiles, will reach all over the world as the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the true vine, is preached.

        Isaiah explains that the Lord has chastised, purged, and pruned Israel so that she might serve only Him and not idols. God even allowed the fortified city of Jerusalem to be destroyed and made desolate in order to turn the people back to Himself (27:10). Using the vineyard analogy once again, Isaiah proclaims that those boughs which were withered, without any spiritual life in Christ, will be broken off and no longer have the favour of the Lord upon them (27:11). However, the fruitful boughs that remain, the remnant rooted in Jesus, will be gathered by the Lord at the sound of the trumpet. In the Jewish culture, the trumpet has always been used to signal an important event (to call up the army or announce a great feast), and it will be used to announce the Lord Jesus' second coming (Matt. 24:31).

        Chapters 28 to 33 are in a different setting, and the prophecies are more immediate regarding their fulfillment. Isaiah denounces the unbelievers of Israel (Ephraim/Northern Kingdom) to serve as a warning to the people of Judah (ch. 28). The Lord had appointed "a mighty and strong one" (king of Assyria, 28:2) to bring His judgment upon the proud city of Samaria (the capital) for their excessive living, drunkenness (cf. Amos 6:4-7), immorality, and idolatry. They disregarded God and His Laws and lived proudly and comfortably in sin, yet this was not to last for long. The fading flower of Samaria would soon be trampled by the Assyrians. Once again, Isaiah gives a glimpse of hope, for although God will destroy their crown of pride, He will save a remnant, and He will be for them "a crown of glory".

        Isaiah declares that Judah (the Southern Kingdom) also has been guilty of carelessness toward the Law and drunkenness. Even the priests who were to be responsible to serve God in the Temple and the prophets who were to speak for Him were both guilty of this sin. They should have been examples, but instead they led the nation astray (28:7; Lev. 19:9-11). These drunkards, including the nobles of Judah, responded to Isaiah's words with mockery and scorn. They dismissed his message from God, considering it simplistic, annoying, and repetitious ("line upon line", 28:9-10, 14, 22). Therefore, Isaiah responds that God's tone and methods would change. Since they were unbelievers who did not heed the prophetic words of Isaiah, God would speak to them in "another tongue", which would be a sign of both the Assyrian and the later Babylonian judgments upon them (28:11-13; cf. 1 Cor. 14:21-22).

        Refusing to trust in God, the people of Judah under Ahaz decided to trust in the treaty (covenant) they had made with Assyria. They therefore believed they would be safe from death (which was self-deception. 28:15; 2 Kings 16:7), but Isaiah warns and foretells that the covenant will be annulled for the king of Assyria will come and trample them under foot (28:18-19, 21-22). The attempt to find rest by trusting in the Assyrians was as futile as trying to sleep on a bed that is too small (28:20), but in the Lord one finds true rest (28:12). The foundation of this rest and safety in God is in the Person and work of the Messiah Redeemer, who is the tried and precious cornerstone (28:16; Ps. 118:22-23; 1 Peter 2:4-8; Rom. 9:32-33; Eph. 2:20; Gen. 49:24). The building (the Church) upon this true foundation is made strong by justice and righteousness, just as a builder uses the proper materials to make a strong building (the "measuring line" and "plummet" for a strong, level and straight structure). But a building of inferior quality will be blown away by storm (28:17; Matt. 7:24-27; 21:42).

        In a similar analogy, Isaiah pictures Israel as a farmer's field (28:24-29). God did not just plow or teach Israel for the sake of teaching, but He had a purpose in it. They were to bring forth a good crop of righteousness, yet God had to use the right tools. Just as a farmer employs various means to prepare his harvest, so God had to use various disciplinary judgments to prepare a righteous remnant that would bear fruit (cf. Matt. 21:42-44).

        Grant, O Lord, that we may build our lives always in relationship with the chief cornerstone, the Lord Jesus. O builder of lives, build in us the character of Jesus.