ISAIAH

Isaiah 16

quote:

"Send the tribute lamb to the ruler of the land, From Sela by way of the wilderness to the mountain of the daughter of Zion. 2 Then, like fleeing birds or scattered nestlings, The daughters of Moab will be at the fords of the Arnon. 3 "Give us advice, make a decision; Cast your shadow like night at high noon; Hide the outcasts, do not betray the fugitive. 4 "Let the outcasts of Moab stay with you; Be a hiding place to them from the destroyer." For the extortioner has come to an end, destruction has ceased, Oppressors have completely disappeared from the land. 5 A throne will even be established in lovingkindness, And a judge will sit on it in faithfulness in the tent of David; Moreover, he will seek justice And be prompt in righteousness. 6 We have heard of the pride of Moab, an excessive pride; Even of his arrogance, pride, and fury; His idle boasts are false. 7 Therefore Moab shall wail; everyone of Moab shall wail. You shall moan for the raisin cakes of Kir-hareseth As those who are utterly stricken. 8 For the fields of Heshbon have withered, the vines of Sibmah as well; The lords of the nations have trampled down its choice clusters Which reached as far as Jazer and wandered to the deserts; Its tendrils spread themselves out and passed over the sea. 9 Therefore I will weep bitterly for Jazer, for the vine of Sibmah; I will drench you with my tears, O Heshbon and Elealeh; For the shouting over your summer fruits and your harvest has fallen away. 10 And gladness and joy are taken away from the fruitful field; In the vineyards also there will be no cries of joy or jubilant shouting, No treader treads out wine in the presses, For I have made the shouting to cease. 11 Therefore my heart intones like a harp for Moab, And my inward feelings for Kir-hareseth. 12 So it will come about when Moab presents himself, When he wearies himself upon his high place, And comes to his sanctuary to pray, That he will not prevail. 13 This is the word which the LORD spoke earlier concerning Moab. 14 But now the LORD speaks, saying, "Within three years, as a hired man would count them, the glory of Moab will be degraded along with all his great population, and his remnant will be very small and impotent."

Chapter 16 is interesting in what we learn from Isaiah's emotions and feeling toward Moab, revealing the heart of the Lord as well. God has mercy and compassion upon even those it is necessary to punish. Moab had already been warned from earlier days, but because of their continual disobedience Isaiah now recognizes the time has come to bring an end to their stubborn pride.

Moab was like a bird lost from its nest, with nowhere to settle. Moab needed deliverance and she knew that help could be found in the House of David, where tribute could be paid. Once proud and confident in their own ways, they now want to hide and be protected within Judah. It was God's purpose that Israel be a model nation that the foreigner could join himself to. Even if they did not, they still had the opportunity to learn His ways from them. But Moab let this opportunity slip away.

Verse 5 speaks of the establishment of David's throne. This throne is where the Messiah sits, established and kept with grace. The prophecy of verse 5 is based upon Isaiah's earlier prophecy in Isaiah 9:6-7

"For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. 7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this."

If Moab is to come to Judah she has to treat Israel with kindness in complete repentance and loss of pride. But Moab's heart was not turned toward the God of Israel and for that reason she could find no rest. Moab would seek respite by praying to their own gods for help. But it would be in vain, because, as was manifest on Mount Carmel in the contest between the God of Israel and Baal – it is the Lord Who is God! (1 Kings 18:36-39)

One of the lessons we could learn from this passage is that destruction of land may be the result of man's sin. When God's wrath came upon the wickedness on earth with the flood, the land suffered as well. For Moab there was only lamentation as she is to be deprived of those things that brought her pleasure. Gone were the beautiful vineyards and the fruitful harvest. Isaiah was just as grief-stricken for the loss of the fruitfulness of the land. It was with great emotion that he preached to this people he had such compassion for and God, too, displayed His compassion by leaving a remnant, though it was weak and small.

When we need deliverance, who is it we turn to? Only the One Who sits on David's throne and continues his dynasty is mighty to save! That is the Messiah, our Lord Jesus! In lovingkindness he draws us to Himself. Let us not let that opportunity slip away!