Isaiah 28:13

[askandanswer]

Does this verse suggest that sometimes the Lord uses the teaching method of line upon line and precept upon precept in order that those who are being taught "might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken"?

 But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

[Carborendum]

6 hours ago, askandanswer said:

Does this verse suggest that...

This life is a test at the most important university of existence.  If we had NO commandments, then what kind of test is that?  

Yes, commandments (which is what the words "precept" and "line" refer to in common speech).  As we break them, we realize the consequences of our sin.

Unlike earthly tests, our eternal test is not about getting everything right.  It is about repenting every time we fall.

We fall.  We feel pain.  We repent.  Repentance is the first fruit of such a learning process.

Edited July 21, 2024 by Carborendum

[ZealoulyStriving]

https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/isaiah-28-13.html#:~:text=or the words may be,the knowledge of the truth.

* This commentary suggest that portion of Isaiah 28 may be a complaint from the people that prophetic teaching were to repetitive, so they lost interest and fell away. Similar to today.*

[zil2]

It helps to have more than just one verse, especially when the verse starts with a conjunction:

Isaiah 28:9-17

Quote

9 ¶ Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.

10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.

12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.

13 But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

14 ¶ Wherefore hear the word of the Lord, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.

15 Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:

16 ¶ Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.

17 Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.

...and really, you just need to keep going...

These people have "made a covenant with death" and "with hell are [they] at agreement".  Of course the precepts of the Lord will make them fall backward, be broken, snared, and taken.  We should be grateful when the Lord puts stumbling blocks in the path of the wicked, even when the wicked are us, and even when the stumbling block is nothing other than the truth.

[mikbone]

I have found that Jewish commentary can be very insightful

From https://www.bethmelekh.com/yaakovs-commentary/isaiah-28-messiah-our-foundation-cap-corner-stone

Isa 28:13  Vehayah And it has come to pass that to these, the Devar Word (essence) of HaShem(YHVH: Mercy) is, “tzav command la’tzav upon command, tzav command la’tzav upon command; kav measuring line la’kav upon measuring line, kav measuring line la’kav upon measuring line; a little here, a little here:” purposed that they might walk, and stumble, fall backward, and be broken to pieces, and lured into a trap, and captured.
 
These words repeat the back to basics warning of verse 10 so as to make known to the people that God had firmly established the outcome.
 
The “Devar” Word (John 1) has come to them with the simplest and clearest of instruction. But because they have refused even this basic instruction He will give them over to their own self-induced confusion, stumbling and bondage.
‘Then He said:
“Go! Tell this people:
‘Hear without understanding,
and see without perceiving.’
Make the heart of this people fat,
their ears heavy, and their eyes blind.
Else they would see with their eyes,
    and hear with their ears,
    and understand with their heart,
    and return, and be healed.”’ 
-Isaiah 6:9-10 TLV
 
‘For this reason I speak to them in parables,
because seeing they do not see,
and hearing they do not hear nor do they understand.
 “And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,
‘You will keep on hearing
    but will never understand;
you will keep looking,
but will never see.
15 For the heart of this people has become dull,
their ears can barely hear, and they have shut their eyes.
    Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts.
Then they would turn back,
    and I would heal them.’”
 -Matthew 13:14-15 TLV
 
In many ways the prophet Isaiah was a forerunner to the Messiah Yeshua, even sharing a name of the same meaning.