Isaiah The Book of Burdens Moab Isaiah 15:1-16:14

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1 Isaiah The Book of Burdens Moab Isaiah 15:1-16:14 T his has been a troubling week on the moral front. We have seen apparent victory in redefining what it means to be a family and what marriage means. The victory may be short lived, because while people are generally tolerant of homosexuals, this doesn t mean they are willing to accept this latest attempt to redefine the foundational structures of society. But I believe something is being lost in the midst of all the noise. And yes, we certainly shouldn t allow governmental officials to flaunt the law simply because they disagree with it. But there is a more important issue. By trying to normalize that which isn t, homosexuality, we are telling sinners they aren t sinners. The liberal will say he is compassionate because he wants to protect the right of the homosexual to be who he is. But is it compassionate to tell someone the very behavior which is destroying them isn t harmful? Isn t it more compassionate to tell someone they don t have to live in a self-destructive manner? The more society accepts the unacceptable, the more harm is being done to the sinner. As believers, compassion is being willing to tell someone their behavior is self-destructive and needs to be repented of. And we need to be willing to do this for all sins, not just the one defined as the sin of the month. Now, we aren t called to fix sinners, but to present them with the opportunity to recognize they are lost and their need to be saved. Having said that, we are still to be salt and light to the culture in which we live. It is harder to show people they need a savior when the culture convinces them they don t need to be saved. We need to rejoice in the righteousness of God and His pronouncement that all sin will be judged. But at the same time we need to grieve for the lost. Isaiah demonstrates the godly grief in this next section of the Book of Burdens. I Introduction II Weeping in Judgment Verses 1-4 III Weeping for Judgment Verses 5-9 IV A Cry for Help Verses 1-5 V A Cause for Judgment Verses 6-7 VI A Prophet s Sorrow Verses 8-12 VII Conclusion Verses Introduction: One of the more difficult concepts faced when dealing with the Old Testament is to balance the concepts of God s justice through judgment and the underlying concern with mercy. We are called to present a balanced gospel, one that contains both a warning of judg-

2 ment and the hope of salvation. We are to hate sin but have compassion for the sinner facing God s judgment. The oracle of Moab demonstrates this tension. Grogan notes: There are special features of this oracle that make it at once one of the most moving and yet most enigmatic of Isaiah s prophecies. It is poetic literature of a high order. The inspired poet-prophet presents us with graphic pictures of judgment on Moab, sketching them often in the briefest of phrases. What makes the oracle so memorable, however, is not so much its appeal to the eye of the imagination as to the inward ear. Through its verses the anguished wailing of the bereaved and the fugitives touches the heart of the reader. One is reminded of the justice of the judgment; for the godly in every age must take the side of God in his righteous acts of judgment, but the reader is not forbidden to mourn at the consequences of the people s sins. And to his utter astonishment, he discovers that the inspired page is wet too with the tears of the prophet himself Jeremiah wept for Judah (Jer 9:1), but Isaiah for Moab! 1 Oh, that my head were a spring of water and my eyes a fountain of tears! I would weep day and night for the slain of my people (Jeremiah 9:1). It is interesting that throughout history civilizations weep under God s judgment. Judgment may come as a natural consequence of the society s corruption, or as a result of God s direct action. But this weeping is usually not a result of repentance. It comes from the pain and frustration resulting from God s judgment. This was the situation with Moab. Moab, a small nation, had been a thorn in the side of Israel/Judah from the beginning. It is also tied frequently to Ammon. This probably has to do with the sinful origin of both nations. Lot and his two daughters left Zoar and settled in the mountains, for he was afraid to stay in Zoar. He and his two daughters lived in a cave. One day the older daughter said to the younger, Our father is old, and there is no man around here to lie with us, as is the custom all over the earth. Let s get our father to drink wine and then lie with him and preserve our family line through our father. That night they got their father to drink wine, and the older daughter went in and lay with him. He was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up. The next day the older daughter said to the younger, Last night I lay with my father. Let s get him to drink wine again tonight, and you go in and lie with him so we can preserve our family line through our father. So they got their father to drink wine that night also, and the younger daughter went and lay with him. Again he was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up. So both of Lot s daughters became pregnant by their father. The older daughter had a son, and she named him Moab; he is the father of the Moabites of today. The younger daughter also had a son, and she named him Ben-ammi; he is the father of the Ammonites of today (Genesis 19:30-38). As with all of these oracles, there is some question as to the actual events which fulfilled the prophecy. The NIV Study Bible suggests: The destruction of Moab was probably connected with an invasion by Sargon of Assyria in 715/713 B.C. Cf. Jer 48: Grogan, Geoffrey W., The Expositor s Bible Commentary, Isaiah, Zondervan Interactive Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI, NIV Study Bible Notes, Zondervan Interactive Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1999 ) 172 (

3 And so Isaiah warns of a rapid judgment on the nation, naming small towns as examples of this destruction. They are: Ar, Kir, Dibon, Nebo, Medeba, Heshbon, Elealeh, and Jaha. What is interesting here are the elements one would expect to find with grief coming from repentance. Can you identify them? Beards are cut off, heads are shaved, and sackcloth is worn. But, if you read carefully, in verse 2 the people were going up to the high places, the centers of idol worship. So whatever their behavior, they were not asking God for mercy. Verses 5-9: While the oracle regarding Moab s destruction is important, I am more concerned with the prophet s reaction and its lesson for us. One way of knowing the validity of a ministry is by how it disseminates the message of judgment. A well-known speaker once said God would destroy all homosexuals by a certain date. And he encouraged his audience to cheer and rejoice. Assuming his prophecy was true, which obviously it wasn t, is this the proper way to warn of God s coming judgment? Certainly not! The reason God warns of judgment is to give the opportunity for repentance. Isaiah s response here is much more appropriate. He weeps for Moab. We should not want to see God have to judge men, but desire that they should repent. This is a truth found in both Old and New Testaments. Again quoting Grogan. We can keep this deeply emotional passage in perspective only if we bear in mind the fact that what it describes is an act of God. This deepens our wonderment at the tears of the prophet. In the NT the provision of propitiation by God s love is all the more wonderful in the light of the demands of his holiness. 3 But there is no sign of repentance and so the description of the judgment continues. And the destruction will be complete, and the Lord, the Lion of Judah, is the one who brings it with whatever the instrument He chooses. Does a lion roar in the thicket when he has no prey? Does he growl in his den when he has caught nothing? The lion has roared who will not fear? The Sovereign LORD has spoken who can but prophesy? (Amos 3:4, 8). Verses 1-5: Now while Moab may not be turning to God, it appears she does turn to Judah at this point, which wouldn t be the first time Israel s enemies become allies for self- protective purposes. Moab was famous for its great flocks of sheep. The Moabite rulers, in desperation, sent lambs in recognition of the king of Judah s overlordship to support their appeal for asylum for their refugees, many of whom as in every such situation would be women with children. How graphic is the prophet s description of their frenzied endeavors to reach safety without harm (v.2)! 4 And so the people of Moab beg for the aid of Judah, that she would be like a great bird overshadowing them with her protection from their enemies. The answer to Moab either comes as a response from Judah, or is a parenthetical statement from Isaiah, but it promises a day when oppression will be no more. And that day, when is it? When the throne of David is restored. The promise of peace is the promise of the Messiah. 3 Grogan. 4 Ibid. ) 173 (

4 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this (Isaiah 9:7). In that day I will restore David s fallen tent. I will repair its broken places, restore its ruins, and build it as it used to be, (Amos 9:11). Verses 6-7: So what got Moab into this situation? The same thing that does us all in, that did Satan in, that led to Adam s fall: pride. The specifics of that pride are not spelled out here, but pride is the ultimate statement of idolatry because it sets the individual above the Lord. And so judgment falls on the nation. In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in the schemes he devises. He boasts of the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD. In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God (Psalm 10:2-4). Verses 8-12: Here the imagery turns into a vineyard parable. The imagery is similar to some of Jesus parables. Moab is identified as a vineyard which has been destroyed. There is no fruit, only desolation and destruction. But still there is no sign of repentance. The people go to the high places, pagan temples. They pray to their gods but receive no response. We see another repeated point here. Isaiah again grieves for the suffering of Moab, deserved though it may be. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). In this way Isaiah reminds us of Christ and His heart for Israel. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. (Matthew 23:37-39). Though the Lord desires salvation for all, it will only come to those who are willing to accept God on His own terms. Obviously, this is not the case for Moab. Conclusion: Verses 13-14: God had already given prophecies against Moab. Now He gives a more specific one, with a very clear time frame. This is what the LORD says: For three sins of Moab, even for four, I will not turn back [my wrath]. Because he burned, as if to lime, the bones of Edom s king, I will send fire upon Moab that will consume the fortresses of Kerioth. Moab will go down in great tumult amid war cries and the blast of the trumpet. I will destroy her ruler and kill all her officials with him, says the LORD (Amos 2:1-3). ) 174 (

5 So, leaving the poetic language, Moab is given only three years before he destruction would be complete. She would be despised and only a handful of people would survive. Ironside makes the point5: Like many another people with whom God has pleaded earnestly through His prophets, beseeching them to turn from their evil ways and submit to His authority, the leaders of Moab met the prophet s entreaties with defiance and refused to give heed to the call to be subject to the God of Israel. Therefore there was no hope of recovery but they were to be exposed to the ravages of the armies of Assyria; first of all under Sennacherib and then under other leaders, till their national existence was brought to an end. The language used by the prophet is stirring indeed and indicates how deeply he, himself, yearned for the deliverance of Moab and longed to see them yield to the commands of Jehovah. 5 When believers read the kind of things we have seen in the paper this last week, the response is often one of anger and hostility. Certainly anger is warranted when we see God s values being rejected by our culture and especially when it relates to something as important as marriage and institution created not by society, but by God. Never-the-less, let us not lose sight of our primary responsibility. It is to see people saved and to disciple them. Then Jesus came to them and said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you (Matthew 28:18-20). There three principles to remember here. 1. We should never expect non-believers to live as if they were believers. It isn t our job to fix the life-styles of the lost. If we do then we are simply whitewashing a tomb. Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men s bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness (Matthew 23:27-28). 2. We are to bring the message of God s righteousness and mercy, giving the lost the opportunity to be saved. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day (2 Timothy 1:8-12). 5 Ironside, H. A., Isaiah, Loizeaux Brothers, Inc., Neptune, NJ, 1952, p. 97. ) 175 (

6 3. Only then do we have the opportunity to disciple the new believers. And as they grow in the Word, it and the Holy Spirit will bring them under conviction to repent of their specific sins and to make different choices, between sinfulness and righteousness. thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness (Romans 6:17-18). So, when we see headlines about the encouragement of sin, we should grieve over the increased danger to the lost. As society continues to call sin righteousness it is even easier to self-delude and believe; I m basically good. And if I m basically good then I don t need a savior. This confusion of what is right and what is wrong is the source of the ever-growing difficulty in bringing conviction of sin leading to repentance. As Christians we are telling individuals they are sinners in need of salvation and that is certainly harsh and judgmental, or so we are told. Fortunately, as difficult as the battle for the soul seems, the bottom line is, it is the Holy Spirit who finally convicts of sin not us. When he (the Holy Spirit) comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me (John 16:8-9). Our concern needs to be having compassion for the lost and wanting them to be saved rather than judged. We are to called to judge the wicked. We are called to offer the same mercy we have received. There s a wideness in God s mercy Like the wideness of the sea; There s a kindness in His justice Which is more than liberty. There is welcome for the sinner And more graces for the good; There is mercy with the Savior; Which is more than liberty. For the love of God is broader Than the measure of man s mind; And the heart of the Eternal Is most wonderfully kind. 6 6 Faber, Frederick W., The Hymnal for Worship & Celebration, There s a Wideness in God s Mercy, Word Music, Waco, TX, 1986, #68. ) 176 (

7 Isaiah The Book of Burdens Moab Isaiah 15:1-16:14 I Introduction II Weeping in Judgment Verses 1-4 III Weeping for Judgment Verses 5-9 IV A Cry for Help Verses 1-5 V A Cause for Judgment Verses 6-7 VI A Prophet s Sorrow Verses 8-12 VII Conclusion Verses I Introduction: (Jeremiah 9:1; Genesis 19:30-38; see Jeremiah 48:1-17) II Weeping in Judgment: III Weeping for Judgment: (Amos 3:4, 8; ) IV A Cry for Help:

8 V A Cause for Judgment: (Psalm 10:2-5) VI A Prophet s Sorrow: (2 Peter 3:9; Matthew 23:37-39 VII Conclusion: Verses 13-14: Personal Application: As we hear the news and read the paper, let us ask for God s compassion for the lost and look for opportunities to reach out to them. Prayer for the Week: Lord, let me see the lost as those who though created in Your image are fallen and in need of Your gift of salvation. In Jesus name, amen.