Isaiah 16:14 – 18:7
Isaiah chapters 15 and 16 deal with the judgment against the nation of Moab. Isaiah chapter 15 specifically deals with the third prophecy or charge, this time against Moab. This might seem strange, in light of the fact that there were only two chapters devoted to Babylon, and Babylon was the first world power. Compared to Babylon, Moab may seem very insignificant to us. But in Isaiah’s day, and actually earlier in David’s time, this land was very important, and a great kingdom.
Moab’s background was as follows. It was the nation that came from Lot as a result of the incestuous relationship with his eldest daughter. Moab, the illegitimate child of this vile relationship, was the father of the Moabites. This people became the stubborn and persistent enemy of Israel. Balak, who was king of that people, hired Balaam, the prophet, to curse Israel, because he feared the Israelites when they passed through the land of Moab.
The romantic story told in the book of Ruth is based on a woman from Moab. That woman was a wonderful person. David was part Moabite, because his father Jesse was a descendant of Obed, the son of Ruth and Boaz. David had relatives in Moab and took his father and his mother there when King Saul was persecuting him.
The nation, as such, has disappeared. But who are the modern Moabites? We believe that Moab is representative of those who make a profession of being children of God, but do not actually have a vital relationship with Him (Hebrews 12:8).
In verse 1 of chapter 15 we said that the destruction of Moab was sudden. He says here at night. Judgment on Moab suddenly fell. This expression was repeated twice to emphasize the unexpected nature of the storm that struck the nation. It came at night, and her night of crying never ended. Assyria destroyed this nation in an incredible and almost unspeakable way. It was as if Moab had been wiped off the face of the earth.
In verse 5 of chapter 15 we highlight the sympathy of the prophet Isaiah for Zoar. The judgment on this nation was so serious that even the prophet was moved.
Chapter 16 began with a final call to Moab to take advantage of the grace that God had provided for that people. In verse 1 we saw that a lamb was to be sent from Moab to Israel to make an offering on the altar there. The lamb was the sacrificial animal that best described Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). If they sent a lamb, the people of Moab would indicate that they recognized the God of Israel. But they didn’t send it. The Moabites wanted to be religious without acknowledging the fact that they were subject to a higher will and that they were sinners before God. This was his great sin.
And verse 6 of chapter 16 highlighted the inveterate pride of the Moabites. The reason God had to reject and judge Moab was that their pride had caused them to reject God’s offer of mercy. God would have delivered them but, instead of turning to God, they trusted in their own justice.
Let us also remember that in verses 13 and 14 of chapter 16 it was announced:
The fulfillment of the judgment within three years
“This is the word that the Lord spoke against Moab from that time; 14but now the Lord has spoken, saying, Within three years, as the years of a hired man, the glory of Moab will be brought low, with all his great multitude. And the survivors will be few, small and weak.”
When God deals with the nations that have to do with Israel, God uses a calendar. But he never does it with the Church. Here He said that within 3 years the Moabites would be destroyed; and within 3 years, God used Assyria to destroy this nation. It was divine judgment on them because of their pride.
Lucifer, the son of the morning, was also filled with pride. He wanted to raise his throne so that it would be higher than the throne of God. He wanted to establish his own kingdom, independent of God. Basically, it is pride that leads people to reject God and the revelation of him. Most people want to have a religion tailored to them. They want to do something to save themselves, because it satisfies the pride of the human heart. To every human being could be applied the words of Isaiah 53:6, “every one has turned aside from him.” And so, God’s judgment fell on Moab, a remote nation, totally forgotten today, but which has left us a message.
And now we come to
Chapter 17
of Isaiah. And here we find the fourth burden or prophecy about Damascus and Ephraim; and the cargo of the land that lay beyond the rivers of Ethiopia. First we will see the:
The charge or judgment against Damascus and Ephraim
Damascus was the main city of Syria and still is today. Many have considered it to be the oldest city in the world. Of course, there are many cities in various countries that claim that status. In Greece the city of Maecenas claims to be the oldest. And next to the Jordan River, at a kilometer point the distance to Jericho is indicated, highlighting it as “the oldest city in the world”. However, Damascus has strong reasons to prove its antiquity. Someone has written that Damascus has been destroyed more times than any other city, and has risen again and again from its ashes. Now, in this chapter, Damascus refers to the entire nation of Syria.
Ephraim is the name of a tribe of Israel, the name of a city, the name of a mountain, and the name of a man. Ephraim in the Bible is frequently used as a reference to the ten northern tribes of Israel. The prophets used the term in this way. As an example we can read what the prophet Hosea wrote in 4:16 and 17: “For like an unruly heifer she turned away Israel. . . Ephraim is given to idols.”
Therefore, we have in this chapter 17 the judgment of Damascus and Ephraim or, in other words, the judgment of the nations of Syria and Israel. Because of the confederation formed between Syria and Israel (often for the purpose of fighting the kingdom of Judah), Israel is linked with the judgments pronounced against Syria. It is that the accomplices in the crime, had to be consequently companions in undergoing the trial.
Now, in the first verse of this 17th chapter, we read:
“Prophecy about Damascus: Behold, Damascus will cease to be a city; it will be a heap of ruins.”
Regarding the phrase “it will be a heap of ruins” there will be some who will quickly point out that this prophecy has not been fulfilled, since the current city of Damascus claims to be the same as the original city. As we have said before, there is a distant fulfillment of all these prophecies and also a local and contemporary fulfillment. There are two possible explanations for the problem with this prophecy.
1. Historians are not always accurate in their identification of details such as the location of ancient cities. As far as the current city of Damascus is concerned, it turns out that there are many ruins of said city, and one of these ruins could be the original city of Damascus. The case of Damascus is that of many ancient cities, in the sense that when it was destroyed, it was not always rebuilt in the same place it was, but in another place. Other cities, such as the holy city of Jerusalem, were rebuilt exactly where they originally stood, because of the special significance that place held for the people. We will then leave this problem in the hands of archaeologists, who have not yet provided the answer as to which of the ruins is ancient Damascus.
2. The city of Damascus has withstood the ravages of war throughout history and has never ceased to be a city, although it has changed from place to place. It is probably the oldest city in the world. So far it has managed to survive all the catastrophes that have devastated the world, especially in a land that has seen one army after another march through it. But it will not survive the great tribulation period. It will be destroyed and, as Isaiah said in this passage, it will cease to be a city. It will become a heap of ruins. The two explanations that we have exposed show the accuracy of this prophecy of Isaiah.
Now verse 2 of this 17th chapter says:
“The cities of Aroer are forsaken; they will become sheepfolds and there the herds will sleep without anyone frightening them.”
“The cities of Aroer” refer to residential areas located near Damascus. That whole area will be destroyed. This probably happened in the past, and it will happen again. And verse 3 says:
“The fortification of Ephraim and the kingdom of Damascus will cease; and what is left of Syria will be like the glory of the children of Israel, says the Lord of hosts.”
That is, the northern kingdom of Israel must bear its share of the burden or judgment on Damascus because of their alliance with each other. Both nations were besieged by Tiglath-pileser, as recorded in 2 Kings 15:29, and were finally deported by the Assyrian Shalmaneser, as recorded in 2 Kings 17:8. This was certainly a partial fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy; but for many it was a total fulfillment. We must say that for us, this prophecy is directing a look towards a future time. Without a doubt, this prophecy has been fulfilled, at least partially, but frequently in the Word of God we find that God is letting us know, showing us a first partial fulfillment, that a prophecy will be completely fulfilled.
In the rest of this chapter 17 we see that the judgment was going to take place. Here we will not go into many details. So let’s turn to verse 10, of this 17th chapter of Isaiah:
“Because you forgot the God of your salvation and did not remember the rock of your refuge. Therefore, you will plant beautiful plants, you will plant strange shoots.”
The prophet Isaiah was speaking for the northern kingdom of Israel, and what he said has been literally fulfilled. And he has his spiritual application, as all these themes do. Beautiful trees and plants have been planted in Israel in our time. The cedar forests of Lebanon have been completely cut down but there are still many trees left on that land. In the past, the Mount of Olives, for example, was completely covered with trees. But when enemy armies occupied Palestine, virtually the entire land was stripped of all foliage. After the first world war, England began a reforestation plan on that land and successive Israeli governments have continued that policy, so millions of trees have been planted. Now we come to
Chapter 18 – The judgment of the land beyond the rivers of Ethiopia
This chapter is about the fifth burden or judgment, the prophecy about the land that lies beyond the rivers…