Isaiah 16
Moabites refused to trust in the LORD verse 1-5
Send ye the lamb to the ruler of the land from Sela to the wilderness
unto the mount of the daughter of Zion
for it shall be – that – as a wandering bird cast out of the nest
so the daughters of Moab shall be at the fords of Arnon
Take counsel – execute judgment
make your shadow as the night in the midst of the noonday
hide the outcasts – betray not him that wanders
Let mine outcasts dwell with you – Moab
be you a covert to them from the face of the spoiler
for the extortioner is at an end – the spoiler ceases
the oppressors are consumed out of the land
AND in mercy shall the throne be established
AND HE shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David
judging – and seeking judgment – and hasting righteousness
Moabites were conceited in their independence verse 6- 8
We have heard of the pride of Moab – he is very proud
even of his haughtiness – and his pride – and his wrath
but his lies shall not be so
THEREFORE shall Moab howl for Moab – every one shall howl
for the foundations of Kir-hareseth shall you mourn
surely they are striken
For the fields of Heshbon languish – and the vine of Sibmah
the lords of the heathen have broken down
the principal plants thereof
they are come even unto Jazer
they wandered through the wilderness
her branches are stretched out
they are gone over the sea
Isaiah weeps that Moabites refuse to trust in the LOR verse 9- 12
THEREFORE I will bewail with the weeping of Jazer the vine of Sibmah
I will water you with my tears – O Heshbon – and Elealeh
for the shouting for thy summer fruits
and for your harvest is fallen
And gladness is taken away – and joy out of the plentiful field
and in the vineyards there shall be no singing
neither shall there be shouting
the treaders shall tread out no wine in their presses
I have made their vintage shouting to cease
WHEREFORE my bowels shall sound like an harp for Moab
and mine inward parts for Kir-haresh
And it shall come to pass – when it is seen that Moab is weary on the high place
that he shall come to his sanctuary to pray
BUT he shall not prevail
Moabites given three years before destruction verse 13- 14
This is the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning Moab
since that time
BUT now the LORD hath spoken – saying
Within three years – as the year of the hireling
and the glory of Moab shall be contemned
with all that great multitude
and the remnant shall be very small and feeble
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
:2 “For it shall be as a wandering bird thrown out of the nest; So shall be the daughters of Moab at the fords of the Arnon.” The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982).
DEVOTION: How often we want God to work in our lives according to our demands and desires instead of according to His directives. We think that we have all the avenues figured out and that if the Lord will bless our attempts everything will be fine. The Moabites thought that, they attempted to ask Israel to help them and deliver them from the Assyrian assault. God had promised that Jerusalem would be spared but instead of going there the Moabites determined to go their way! Then when the attack from Assyria came they cried for help!
When God makes a direction clear it is foolish to try to do it our own way. Like the Moabites we can think our old systems of doing things will work but it is destined to failure. We can depend on resources or people and the result is defeat.
Running to the fortress of Petra may look good but if it is not where God desires you it is wrong.
Today as you make decisions and plans don’t go with the acceptable or traditional, if God is leading you differently. Trust Him and He will not lead you astray!
CHALLENGE: : It is better to trust the Lord than to depend on practices that have worked well in the past!(Dr. Brian Miller – board member)
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 5 And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness. (4106 “hasting” [mahir] means well versed, expeditious, quick, experienced, prompt, diligent, ready, or skilled.
DEVOTION: This chapter begins with Isaiah informing the Moabites that they need to flee to Jerusalem instead of to Edom. They are running in the wrong direction. The LORD is going to spare Jerusalem from the Assyrian invasion.
However, they will not listen to a prophet from Israel. God has promised HIS “hesed” toward Jerusalem. There is a coming time for someone from the seed of David to reign in Jerusalem again. This is a prophecy to Christ’s reign on this earth during the Millennium. HE is the only truly and wholly righteous ONE who will come from heaven to rule. HE will judge righteously. HE will be quick. HE will be skilled. HE is well versed in the commands of heaven.
We live in an age when our system is not looking to God for guidance. There are many judges who are not judging righteously. Many are judging to please people. Many are only concerned about their future and not righteousness. Christ will judge righteously and all these judges will face HIM one day.
We are declared righteous, on the basis of HIS blood, because HE has never sinned. We will be able to reign during HIS reign if we have become followers of HIM as our personal Savior. That will be the only time when this world will be ruled with godly righteousness. That will be the only time TRUTH with always be stated.
It is a warning to Moab to treat Israel right or there will be future consequences for them after their captivity. Praise HIS name. God judges HIS people righteously but HE also promises to restore a remnant in the future. HE never gives up on HIS people.
CHALLENGE: With judgment recorded throughout the Word of God we need to warn those in our nation and the nations around us of their need to establish a proper relationship to the LORD.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 10 And gladness is taken away, and joy out of the plentiful field; and in the vineyards there shall be no singing, neither shall there be shouting: the treaders shall tread out no wine in their presses; I have made their vintage shouting to cease. (8057 “gladness” [simchah] means joy, mirth, rejoice, mirth, gaiety, or loving pleasure.
DEVOTION: We know that the Bible teaches that whatever we sow we will reap. Sometimes we reap what we sow in this life and sometimes the LORD waits for final judgment. Individuals pay the consequences to their actions. Nations are a different story. Usually the LORD doesn’t wait until eternity to judge them.
Remember that each nation has a good angel and a bad angel. There are battles going on in second heaven that we know nothing about. Daniel gives us insight into these battles. As a side note we know that Paul visited the third heaven where the throne of God is located. It is thought that the angels dwell in the second heaven. We dwell in the first heaven.
Here we find Isaiah receiving a message from the LORD regarding the nation of Moab. He didn’t like delivering this message. He cried while delivering it. It is sad to see people who have a chance to become followers of the LORD and they reject the message. Not only do they reject the message but they thought their false god could save them. They didn’t want the help of the LORD.
Once they rejected the LORD, the LORD caused a famine in their land. There was not going to be any harvest of grapes. There would be no singing while they were trampling out the grapes to make wine. The LORD caused their joy to leave. They had nothing to sing about.
If our nation rejects the message of the LORD there could be the same consequences here. The LORD blesses the nations that serve HIM. HE brings judgment on those that don’t. Moab was being judged for their rejection of the LORD and their treatment of Israel.
CHALLENGE: Take the lessons given in the Bible to heart and preach them to those around you. Pray for a revival. God can still send one to our nation. There should be weeping over the conditions of our families, churches, schools and government. Rejection of the LORD has consequences.
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: 14 But now the LORD has spoken, Within three years, as the years of an hireling, and the glory of Moab shall be contemned, with all that great multitude; and the remnant shall be very small and feeble. (7033 “contemned” means to become contemptible, to treat contemptuously, to be reduced in worth or character, to be made light of, or to be counted despicable.)
DEVOTION: God is a God of patience. HE is willing to wait for us for a certain among of time before judgment.
Here HE is giving Moab a time period to change but then judgment. HE was willing to work with other nations but when they rejected HIM or hurt HIS people HE would send judgment on them.
HE used other nations to get the attention of HIS chosen people, Israel, they had a tendency to wander just like those who claim Christ today are doing at time.
There comes a time period when we, that are believers, will be judged if we don’t turn around and follow the LORD that we have claimed to be our Savor. Many claim Christ but are not genuine followers of HIM but there are some that are genuine who seem to turn their back on HIM for a time period and HE has to send judgment to have them return or face pre-mature death.
God wants all genuine believers to follow HIM with a daily confession of sin and daily time of studying HIS Word and praying for guidance.
Too often we find people who attend church every Sunday and tell people that they are reading their Bibles and praying but it is not really happening. God has to get the attention of those who are genuine on a regular basis because we are so prone to wander.
CHALLENGE: Moab was a nation that didn’t honor the LORD and HE sent judgement to them. We claim to honor the LORD but at times are not listening and HE need to send discipline. Where are you with the LORD today!!!
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Heathen pray but to no avail verse 12
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Tabernacle of David verse 5
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal) verse 13, 14
Word of the LORD verse 13
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
Messiah will reign on the
throne of David in the future verse 5
Judge verse 5
Righteous verse 5
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Sela verse 1
Moab verse 2, 4, 6, 7, 11- 14
Pride of
Proud
Haughtiness
Wrath
Lies
Howl
Weary on the high places
Come to his sanctuary to pray
but shall not prevail
Glory of Moab shall be contemned
Remnant shall be very shall and feeble
Fords of Arnon verse 2
Outcasts verse 3, 4
Wanderers verse 3
Spoiler verse 4
Oppressors verse 4
Kir-hareseth verse 7, 11
Mourn
Stricken
Heshbon verse 8, 9
field shall languish
Sibmah verse 8, 9
vine of
Lords of the heathen verse 8
Jazer verse 8, 9
bewail of weeping of
Elealeh verse 9, 10
Gladness taken away
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Extortioner verse 4
Spoiler verse 4
Oppressors verse 4
Pride verse 6
Proud verse 6
Haughtiness verse 6
Wrath verse 6
Lies verse 6
Heathen verse 8
High places (worship of false gods) verse 12
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Counsel verse 3
Execute judgement verse 3
Mercy verse 5
Truth verse 5
Seeking judgment verse 5
Hasting righteousness verse 5
Gladness verse 10
Joy verse 10
Singing verse 10
Shouting verse 10
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Zion verse 1
Outcasts verse 4
Tabernacle of David verse 5
Gladness is taken away verse 10
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
Ver. 12. And it shall come to pass, when it is seen that Moab is weary on the high place, &c.] With weeping there, ch. 15:2 or with frequent sacrifices, and going from one high place to another, as Balak king of Moab did; and by comparing places together, it looks as if this was the way of the Moabites in their distress, to offer up a multitude of sacrifices in different places; now, when it should be seen by others, and appear to themselves, that they wearied themselves in vain, and all their cries and sacrifices were to no purpose, they should then be ashamed of them, leave off, and betake themselves to some other method; though Jarchi interprets it of their being weary of fighting on the high places of their towers, which when observed, they would take another course, and apply to devotion: that he shall come to his sanctuary to pray; to the temple of Chemosh, and to pray to that idol to help him, 1 Kings 11:7: but he shall not prevail; his prayers shall be ineffectual; his suit will be fruitless, and without success; or he cannot, that is, his idol cannot help him. So Kimchi interprets his sanctuary of the house of his God; and the Targum, of the house of his idolatry; yet since the house or temple of an idol is never called a sanctuary, it may be understood of God’s sanctuary, the temple at Jerusalem; and the sense be, that when Moab shall see that his praying and sacrificing to idols are in vain, and he has tired himself with his superstition and idolatry, without having any redress, he shall think and express his desire of going up to the temple of Jerusalem, and of praying to the God of Israel; but he shall not be able to do it, because of the enemy; and could he get thither, he would not prevail with God, for the decree was gone forth, which could not be frustrated, as follows. Ben Melech interprets it of the palace of the king. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 5, p. 98). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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8–12 Once again the atmosphere of lamentation dominates the prophecy. The prophet visualized the land of Moab as a vast vineyard, with vines spreading to its farthest corners but now trampled underfoot by its enemies (v.8). This passage is reminiscent of the parable of the vineyard (5:1–7). In both passages the figurative element is strong, but the earlier oracle lays special emphasis on God’s care for the vineyard and also on the disappointing fruitage. The distinctive features of the parable remind us that Israel, as the people of God, was in a special category; but the common elements of the two passages underline the fact that sin always earns judgment.
In an agricultural community, harvest is a season of great joy (cf. 9:3). In Moab, however, the vineyards would be silent (vv.9–10). The ripened fruit would not be trodden under foot in the wine presses, for judgment through foreign rulers stalked the land.
Once more (cf. 15:5) the prophet’s heart was deeply moved by the undoubtedly deserved sufferings of the Moabites (v.11). The skilled and sensitive musician knows what instrument will best carry the feelings of his song to the heart of his hearers, and Isaiah’s deep emotions came from the depths of his being with all the pathos of a lament played on a harp. Unhappily, Moab’s sufferings had not driven her to the true and living God but to the idol shrines of her god, Chemosh. There could be no help from such a source (v.12). (Grogan, G. W. (1986). Isaiah. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, pp. 114–115). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
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16:6–12. Isaiah exposed the pride and conceit of Moab (cf. Assyria’s pride, 13:11). The people of Moab should have realized their impotence before the Assyrians and turned to God through their neighbor Israel, but they refused to do so. Because of their pride, confident that they did not need God, the fruitfulness and productivity of their land would be stopped (16:7–10). Several words indicated that the fruit to be lost was grapes: raisin cakes (a delicacy; cf. 1 Chron. 12:40; Hosea 3:1) of Kir Hareseth (cf. Isa. 16:11), another city in Moab, possibly the same as Kir (15:1), vines of Sibmah (16:8–9), choicest vines.… vineyards (vv. 8, 10), wine … presses. Harvests (v. 9) and orchards (v. 10) suggest other fruits too. (On Heshbon and Elealeh in v. 9 see 15:4.) The invading army and the drought which would accompany it would wipe out Moab’s chances for survival. Isaiah felt deeply for Moab (16:11; cf. 15:5); his heart responded to her calamities as the strings of a harp respond when played. Moab’s religious ritual of sacrificing at her high place and praying at her shrine would not help alleviate God’s judgment (16:12). (Martin, J. A. (1985). Isaiah. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, pp. 1063–1064). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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The pride of Moab (Isa. 16:6–14). We can understand the pride of a city like Babylon (14:12–14), but what did the tiny nation of Moab have to boast about? Their pride kept them from submitting to Judah, and this led to their defeat. Their boasting would turn into wailing and their songs into funeral dirges. Moab would become like a vineyard trampled down and a fruitful field left unharvested. Isaiah 16:9–11 describes the prophet’s grief—and the Lord’s grief—over the destruction of Moab. “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked” (Ezek. 33:11). Isaiah could have rejoiced at the destruction of an old enemy, but instead, he wept (Prov. 24:17–18). (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Comforted (p. 49). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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16:12 wearies himself upon his high place. Moab’s religion had utterly failed. Rather than deliverance, the nation found weariness in their repeated rituals to their national god. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Is 16:12). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
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12. When it is seen. When it occurs; that is, when Moab actually becomes weary.
Is weary on the high place. The high place denotes the place of idolatrous worship, and here means the same as the temple of Chemosh or his sanctuary. Temples and altars were usually constructed on such places, and especially the temples of the heathen gods. Moab is represented here as looking to her gods for protection. Weary, exhausted, worn down with calamities, she is represented as fleeing from the desolate towns and cities, and taking refuge at the altar, and seeking assistance there. This, says Jerome, is the final misery. She is now forsaken of those aids to which she had always trusted, and on which she had relied. Her men slain; her towns destroyed; her strong places broken down; her once fertile fields languishing and desolate, she flees to the shrine of her god, and finds even her god unable to aid and defend her.
Shall come to his sanctuary. To his principal sanctuary; or to the temple of the principal god which they worshipped—the god Chemosh (1 Kings 11:7). This does not mean the temple at Jerusalem, though Kimchi so understands it; but the temple of the chief divinity of Moab. Jerome says that this temple was on mount Nebo.
Shall not prevail. That is, her prayer shall not be heard. (Barnes, A. (1851). Notes on the Old Testament: Isaiah (Vol. 1, p. 304). London: Blackie & Son.)
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FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
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How can God do His work in people who seem to think that Christianity is just another way of getting things from God? (p. 77)
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I insist that it is a dangerous thing to associate the working of God with our prosperity and success down here. I cannot promise that if you will follow the LORD, you will soon experience financial prosperity, because that is nto what He promised His disciples. Down through the years, following the Lord has meant that we count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ. (p. 78)
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Prayer is the elevation of the heart to God and that is all a man needs to praise, to pray and to worship. (p. 80)
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What a blessedness when I came to the knowledge that I had been looking in the wrong place, when I found that victory, sanctification, deliverance, purity, holiness – all must be found in Jesus Christ Himself, not in some formula. (p. 82) (I Talk Back to the Devil by A. W. Tozer)
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The Power of the Gospel
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16)
This verse contains important information. We are told God’s power resides in the gospel, and that the purpose of this power is the salvation of both Jew and Greek. This passage is intended to incorporate spreading the gospel to all humanity and is specifically stated by the Lord Jesus: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).
Evidently, the event that takes place when one is twiceborn is nothing less than a supernatural creation by the Creator Himself (Ephesians 4:24)! There is no need for salesmanship or psychology or finesse or technique; the dunamis (power) of the Living God is transmitted, applied, and exercised as the gospel is spoken and a person listens.
• Ephesians 2:8—“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.”
• Romans 10:17—“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
• John 6:63—“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”
• 1 Peter 1:23—“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”
• 1 Corinthians 15:3-4—“Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”
To be successful (not to mention obedient) to the Lord’s command, we must surely use the power of God that has been made available to us in the Scriptures! (HMM III, The Institute for Creation Research)
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