Questions From Readers

● How can we explain the scripture at Isaiah 29:4?—P. M., U.S.A.

Isaiah 29:4 reads: “And you must become low so that you will speak from the very earth, and as from the dust your saying will sound low. And like a spirit medium your voice must become even from the earth, and from the dust your own saying will chirp.”

The opening verse of Isaiah 29:1 shows that these words are addressed to Ariel, concerning which the footnote of the New World Translation states: “‘Ariel.’ Meaning, perhaps, ‘the altar hearth of God’; or, ‘the lion of God.’ Designating Jerusalem here.” This prophecy would therefore apply to spiritual Jerusalem as represented upon earth by the remnant.

These words show that God’s earthly organization would come under attack and would be reduced to a very low state by the enemies of God’s kingdom. God’s people would be, as it were, crushed to the earth, at the time of Gog’s attack upon them, so that what utterance they made, what vocal sounds they made, would come up from low down in their abasement. It would be sound coming up from the very dust of the earth. It would be as if a spirit medium were talking with the vocal sound coming from the dust of the earth. However, the next verses show that God would turn his attention to his faithful people who had been brought so low and he would work miracles on their behalf to deliver them from the power of the enemy so that their enemies and oppressors would become like dust and chaff that are quickly blown away by a violent windstorm.