Isaiah 29:1-24
After the invasion in ch. 28, Jerusalem is still not free (see Isaiah 40:2). It will suffer a new attack from a powerful alliance of nations. But this time all these enemies will vanish like a dream, because they have attacked "Ariel" (God’s lion), the city of the true David. At the same time as He delivers His people, God will perform another work, worthy of Himself, which will be in the actual consciences of His people (vv. 18-24). The blocked ears and dimmed eyes as prophesied in Isaiah 6:10 will be opened. Understanding will be given to them, and the words of the book previously sealed (v. 11) will be understood and received. Let us remember at this moment that the Bible is a closed book to the natural mind. The Holy Spirit is essential in order to be able to understand it.
V. 13 was later quoted by the Lord to the scribes and Pharisees, because it expresses their state (Matthew 15:7-8). Honouring the Lord with our lips, while our hearts are far from Him, is certainly a state in which we can find ourselves, if we do not judge ourselves. This type of hypocrisy may impress other people and may pass us off as being more devout than we are, but it can never deceive the One who reads our hearts (Ezekiel 33:31-32).