This verse reminds us that human power and arrogance always fail when they oppose God’s will.
Isaiah the prophet warns the leaders of Jerusalem who have rejected God’s guidance and taken pride in their own schemes. He proclaims, “Therefore, hear the word of the LORD, O scoffers, Who rule this people who are in Jerusalem,” (v.14). By calling them “scoffers,” Isaiah points out that they mock or belittle God’s truths. Jerusalem was the center of worship for the ancient kingdom of Judah, located in the Judean hills, and the leaders there were intended to guide the people in righteousness. Instead, they scorned God’s word and placed their confidence in themselves, creating an environment of spiritual blindness and rebellion.
The word “Therefore” in this passage connects Isaiah’s warning to the prior judgments he has announced. God’s message is not a distant threat but a present reality for those who dismiss His commandments. These leaders of Jerusalem violate the very covenant God made with His people, a covenant meant to produce justice and mercy. They are so assured of their own plans that they mock the possibility of God’s discipline, ignoring His authority and the repeated calls to repentance that could still shelter them from disaster.
Their arrogance foreshadows themes echoed in the New Testament, where Jesus confronts religious and civil leaders who also refuse to humble themselves before God’s word. Throughout Scripture, “scoffers” symbolizes those who actively resist divine truth, closing themselves off from God’s grace (Luke 16:14; Acts 13:41). Isaiah’s rebuke thus stands as both a historical judgment and a timeless call to relinquish self-serving pride and heed the voice of the Sovereign LORD.
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Isaiah 28:14 meaning
Isaiah the prophet warns the leaders of Jerusalem who have rejected God’s guidance and taken pride in their own schemes. He proclaims, “Therefore, hear the word of the LORD, O scoffers, Who rule this people who are in Jerusalem,” (v.14). By calling them “scoffers,” Isaiah points out that they mock or belittle God’s truths. Jerusalem was the center of worship for the ancient kingdom of Judah, located in the Judean hills, and the leaders there were intended to guide the people in righteousness. Instead, they scorned God’s word and placed their confidence in themselves, creating an environment of spiritual blindness and rebellion.
The word “Therefore” in this passage connects Isaiah’s warning to the prior judgments he has announced. God’s message is not a distant threat but a present reality for those who dismiss His commandments. These leaders of Jerusalem violate the very covenant God made with His people, a covenant meant to produce justice and mercy. They are so assured of their own plans that they mock the possibility of God’s discipline, ignoring His authority and the repeated calls to repentance that could still shelter them from disaster.
Their arrogance foreshadows themes echoed in the New Testament, where Jesus confronts religious and civil leaders who also refuse to humble themselves before God’s word. Throughout Scripture, “scoffers” symbolizes those who actively resist divine truth, closing themselves off from God’s grace (Luke 16:14; Acts 13:41). Isaiah’s rebuke thus stands as both a historical judgment and a timeless call to relinquish self-serving pride and heed the voice of the Sovereign LORD.