Isaiah 28 contains one of the most misunderstood prophetic moments in Scripture. At first glance, the passage seems to describe the slow, steady way God teaches His people. But in context, it reveals something far more sobering: a nation that mocked God’s prophet, rejected His message, and walked blindly into judgment.
Yet this same passage forms a striking contrast with a powerful prophecy in Daniel 12, where God promises that in the last days knowledge will dramatically increase. Together, Isaiah and Daniel paint a prophetic picture of the end times — one marked by both spiritual blindness and supernatural revelation.
⸻
1. Isaiah 28:9–10 — Mocking God’s Messenger
Isaiah confronted a generation of leaders who had grown spiritually dull and morally compromised. Instead of listening to God’s warning, they mocked Isaiah’s teaching as if it were childish:
“To whom will he teach knowledge?
To whom will he explain the message?
… For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept,
line upon line, line upon line;
here a little, there a little.”
— Isaiah 28:9–10
These were not God’s words about Isaiah —
they were the people’s sarcastic imitation of him.
They considered his message too simple, too repetitive, beneath their supposed sophistication. Their contempt for God’s Word revealed their spiritual blindness.
⸻
2. God’s Response: Judgment and Exile
Because the people rejected God’s clear instruction, Isaiah declared that judgment would come swiftly:
“For by people of strange lips and with a foreign tongue
the LORD will speak to this people.”
— Isaiah 28:11
This referred to the Assyrian invaders whose foreign language Israel would soon hear as its cities fell.
Within a short time, Israel was conquered and exiled
(see 2 Kings 17).
The principle is clear:
Mocking God’s Word leads to blindness.
Rejecting God’s Word leads to judgment.
⸻
3. A Prophetic Contrast: Isaiah 28 and the Last Days
Isaiah’s generation rejected God’s revelation and stumbled into destruction.
But the last-days Scriptures reveal a dramatically different experience for another group — the faithful “wise” who seek God.
This connection becomes unmistakable when viewed alongside the prophecy of Daniel 12.
⸻
4. Daniel 12:4 — “Knowledge Shall Increase” in the Time of the End
Daniel is told:
“Seal up the words until the time of the end;
many shall run to and fro,
and knowledge shall increase.”
— Daniel 12:4
This prophecy has three layers of fulfilment that converge in the last days.
⸻
A. Increasing Prophetic Understanding
The primary meaning of Daniel 12 is that prophecy would remain sealed — unclear — until the time of the end. Daniel 12:9–10 confirms this:
- “The wicked shall not understand,”
- “But the wise shall understand.”
As history moves toward its climax, God opens the Scriptures in unprecedented ways, enabling believers to see prophetic connections and patterns that previous generations could not fully grasp.
⸻
B. Human Knowledge Accelerating
The Hebrew word daʿath (“knowledge”) is broad. It includes general understanding, wisdom, learning, and information. In the modern era, human knowledge has exploded at a pace never seen before:
- scientific breakthroughs
- medical advancements
- global travel
- instant communication
- information available at the speed of light
Knowledge once doubled every century; now it accelerates exponentially.
⸻
C. Technological and AI-Driven Knowledge
A third, remarkable fulfilment of Daniel’s prophecy is unfolding through technology, especially artificial intelligence.
AI is the first tool in history that:
- learns,
- trains itself,
- accelerates exponentially,
- and increases knowledge upon knowledge.
This runaway expansion of computational understanding mirrors Daniel’s description in a literal and unprecedented way.
The convergence of:
- AI
- quantum computing
- genetic engineering
- global data networks
reveals a world racing toward a prophetic climax — exactly as Daniel foresaw.
⸻
5. The Prophetic Pattern: Two Ways to Respond to God’s Word
Isaiah 28 and Daniel 12 show two radically different outcomes:
Isaiah 28 — The Mockers
- scoff at God’s Word
- dismiss His message
- grow spiritually blind
- stumble into judgment
Daniel 12 — The Wise
- seek God’s truth
- gain understanding
- receive revelation
- shine like the stars (Daniel 12:3)
These patterns run side by side in our world today.
Some reject Scripture entirely, repeating the arrogance of Isaiah’s generation.
Others hunger for truth and are given increasing insight as God unfolds His prophetic plan.
⸻
Conclusion
Isaiah 28 shows a people who mocked God’s message and suffered judgment.
Daniel 12 reveals a last-days generation in which knowledge multiplies — not only in biblical understanding, but also in human discovery and technological power.
Together, these passages remind us that:
Revelation is given to the humble,
but withheld from the proud.
And as the world races toward accelerating knowledge and prophetic fulfilment, the call of Scripture remains clear:
“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”