Isaiah 26

We have a strong city; God makes salvation its walls and ramparts. Open the gates that the righteous nation may enter, the nation that keeps faith. You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

God told Isaiah Judah would prevail in the end. God had no fonder aspiration than to restore Judah. Judgment was only part of the journey toward final victory. It's safe to suggest that God's purpose for judgment is always restoration...for the righteous. So, whatever we face will have a positive final outcome...regardless of current perceptions.

 

I have a friend who is struggling with lymphoma. That's cancer. Cancer kills people. It's difficult to see death by cancer as a "positive outcome". But, only because we're short-sighted.

 

"We have a strong city; God makes salvation it's walls". Could we find a better outcome? Plus, God commands the gates be opened so all the righteous might come in. Of course righteousness is determined by God...not us. I can declare I'm a righteous person because I've never done any real bad things...on purpose. Even so, God's not impressed if I've lived a perfect life. God is mostly impressed if we humble ourselves and allow the righteousness of Christ cover us.

 

So, God will restore my friend, one way...or the other. He could trust in his oncologist and live a few more years here on earth but, nobody gets out alive. Or, he could "trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord himself is the Rock eternal". Oncologists are important. Listen to them. But...they can not open the gates of the eternal City for any of us.

 

Most of us Christians are comfortable with the destination. It's the journey we fear. We don't want to die of cancer...or any other ugly diagnosis. We want be strong, healthy, vital and die quietly in our sleep at the age of 90. Since we aren't given that control, Isaiah says "God will keep me in perfect peace if my mind is stayed on Him". I think it means if we trust God for the outcome rather than some temporal resource (or condition)...we will be at peace with the results. And, when we have peace, we have just about everything.

 

Live boldly out there today...

 

 

Isaiah 25

Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A curious praise since the reason behind it is "you have made the city a heap of rubble, the fortified town a ruin, the foreigners’ stronghold a city no more; it will never be rebuilt".  Unless, or course, we continue to remember that God has a purpose bigger than all this.
Here's what I think. If God tears down our walls of protection...so we have no defense against the perils of the world around us and...we can never rebuild them, what is our recourse? We could flee to God. Or, we could look to build up alternative defenses.

Which, do you suppose God prefers?

In the end, we're told many will turn to God. Strong people, ruthless people, needy people...all turning to Him for shelter. What will God do in return? The Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples,a banquet of aged wine—the best of meats and the finest of wines. On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth.
I like this. God will not turn away anybody who comes to Him for refuge. It's a blessed promise for all, even those of us today...not only those in the end.

Live boldly out there today...

Isaiah 24

See, the Lord is going to lay waste the earth and devastate it; he will ruin its face and scatter its inhabitants—it will be the same for priest as for people, for the master as for his servant, for the mistress as for her servant, for seller as for buyer, for borrower as for lender, for debtor as for creditor. The earth will be completely laid waste and totally plundered. The Lord has spoken this word.

(BACKGROUND) Chapters twenty-four through twenty-seven form one continuous poetical prophecy:

Chapter 24 is descriptive of the dispersion and successive calamities of the Jews...the preaching of the Gospel by the first Hebrew converts throughout the world...and the judgments on the adversaries of the Church and its final triumph.

Chapter 25 expresses thanksgiving for the overthrow of the apostate faction...and

Chapter 26 prophecies the establishment of the righteous in lasting peace

Chapter 27 prophecies judgment on leviathan (sea monster) and purging of the Church

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

To this point, Isaiah has referenced several nations in particular--Babylon, Philistia, Moab, Syria, Israel, Egypt, Edom, and Tyre. Commentaries suggest this group is intended to represent the entirety of creation. The next four chapters offer a "Big Picture" of God's intent for His creation and, it's not all good.

Chapter 24 addresses Judah specifically but is a general prophesy concerning the last days of our world. It should wake us up. Many of us prefer to believe the final judgment will come after Christ takes his church. When we read the first three verses of Chapter 24 we clearly see that judgment will come on all, regardless of station in life. This is an important distinction because we, as believers (if we aren't careful), often tend to believe that we have lived a life worthy of notice...so much so that the possiblity of judgment doesn't seem likely. After all, why would God destroy a life as accomplished as mine?

Why? Earth is polluted by its very own people, who have broken its laws, disrupted its order,
violated the sacred and eternal covenant. Therefore a curse, like a cancer, ravages the earth.
This judgment is God's "attention step". It's not about vengeance. It's about shaking our lives until we pay attention. So, when we face a challenge...spiritually, emotionally, physically or relationally...we shouldn't get "put out" with God as though He is treating us unfairly. We need to see it as God speaking.

And...it will be the same for priest as for people.

So...how are we going to respond? Will we "curse God and die?" or, will we respond to our trouble with righteousness? Some will. They raise their voices, they shout for joy; from the west they acclaim the Lord’s majesty. Therefore in the east give glory to the Lord; exalt the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, in the islands of the sea. From the ends of the earth we hear singing: "Glory to the Righteous One.”

I realize many believe themselves so spiritually actualized that they don't need God to shake them up. Apparently they would be wrong. How do you respond to trouble?

Live boldly out there today...

Isaiah 23: A Message about Tyre

“A time is coming when people will forget about Tyre for 70 years. That’s the length of a king’s life. But at the end of those 70 years, Tyre will be like the prostitute that people sing about”.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Isaiah's soliloquy over the last couple of chapters began with Babylon, center of the greatest land power in history and ends with Tyre, the greatest sea power in history. Isaiah maintains a common theme with all these prophecies: God hates pride.

Tyre believed she was something special. Because of her commercial notoriety, Matthew Henry refers to Tyre as “the mart of the nations”. If he were alive today Henry would refer to this prophesy as “the fall of Walmart!”

Wikipedia informs us Tyre, located on the southern coast of Lebanon, originally consisted of two towns, Tyre itself, which was on an island just off shore, and the associated settlement on the  mainland. Alexander the Great connected the island to the mainland coast by constructing a causeway during his siege of the city. The original island city had two harbors that enabled Tyre to gain the maritime prominence that it did; the harbor on the north side of the island was, in fact, one of the best harbors on the eastern end of the Mediterranean and is still in use today.

Isaiah’s prophesy concerning the fall of Tyre was fulfilled…concurrent with the fall of Jerusalem. From 586-573BC Tyre was besieged by Nebuchadnezzar II until Tyre agreed to pay a tribute. In 538 BC the Persians conquered the city, and kept it under their rule till 332 BC, when Alexander the Great laid siege to the city, conquered and destroyed it. In 126 BC, Tyre regained its independence and was allowed to keep much of its independence when the area became a Roman province in 64 BC. Tyre remained a city of commercial importance until after the time of Christ.

But, or course, Isaiah saw it all coming…

“Men in the ships of Tarshish, cry out! The city of Tyre is destroyed. Its houses and harbor are gone”. But, the desolation of Tyre was not to be forever. We are told The Lord would visit Tyre in mercy. But when set at free, she would resort to her old prideful ways.

God didn’t punish Tyre because she was wildly successful or because she engaged in maritime trade. God doesn’t care how much we have and…in most cases…what we do with our lives. He does care that we honor Him as Lord of all creation. When the Tyrians were given another chance to honor God as the source of their prosperity they failed.

God constantly appears to be interested in second chances. He wants His discipline to change “us” more than it changes the” things we do”. The next time we feel God’s discipline, let’s not hurry to change jobs or states or investments or spouses. That’s not the point. Let’s hurry to change our hearts. In America almost all of us are unbelievably successful and wealthy according the world’s standards. In itself, that’s fine with God. On the other hand, how long we remain this way depends on us, not Iran, or China, or Russia, or Global warming.

Live boldly out there today…

Isaiah 22:15-25, Prophesy against Shebna

“‘Watch out, you mighty man! The Lord is about to grab hold of you. He is about to throw you away”.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

We probably don’t remember being taught about Shebna in Sunday School. We should have been.

Shebna was "treasurer over the house", meaning comptroller or governor of the palace during the reign of king Hezekiah. Because of his pride he was ejected from his office, and replaced by Eliakim the son of Hilkiah. Shebna also appears to have been the leader of the party who favored an alliance with Egypt against Assyria.

His tomb…referred to here by Isaiah…has actually been excavated just outside the ancient walls of Jerusalem. Shebna had actually bought himself a tomb in the cemetery of Kings.  “Just a bit cheeky” as the Brits would say. Who told him he could do that?  Isaiah asked the same question.  ^“What are you doing here outside the city? Who allowed you to cut out a tomb for yourself here?
Who said you could carve out your grave on the hillside? Who allowed you to cut out your resting place in the rock?”

Prideful people do crazy things. General Custer divided his forces three ways and…

President Nixon thought he could lie to the people who elected him and…

General MacArthur thought he was mightier than the president and…

Kenneth Lay thought he could run Enron according to his rules and…

And…”There you will die”.

We all have a bit of Shebna in us. There’s a lesson here that each of us needs to learn regularly and with some pain. Or, we could try to be more like Eliakim. Isaiah said ‘The Lord will give Eliakim the key of authority in David’s royal house. No one can shut what he opens. And no one can open what he shuts”At his installation Eliakim was given authority over the entire government. He was called "father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah".  

Now, that’s a legacy worth pursuing. But, of course we’re told God honored Eliakim because, He said, “Eliakim is my servant”.

Live boldly out there today…

Isaiah 22:1-14, A Message about the Valley of Vision: Jerusalem

“Let’s eat and drink, because tomorrow we’ll die.”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

According to Clarke’s Commentary this prophecy is entitled, "The oracle concerning the valley of vision," (Jerusalem), because Jerusalem, according to Josephus was the seat of Divine revelation; the place where chiefly prophetic vision was given, and where God manifested himself visibly in the holy place. The prophecy foretells the invasion of Jerusalem either by the Assyrians under Sennacherib or by the Chaldeans under Nebuchadnezzar. 

So, Isaiah begins the prophecy with a question: “Why have all of you gone up on the roofs of your houses?” Houses in the east are generally, built in the same uniform manner. The roof or top of the house is always flat and guarded on every side with a low parapet wall. The terrace is used as much as any part of the house…they walk, they eat, they sleep, they transact business on the roof. The house itself is built with an inner court and the entire home’s windows look unto this inner court. So…if anything is to be seen or heard in the every one immediately goes up to the house-top to satisfy his curiosity. In the same manner, when any one has to make anything public, the readiest and most effectivel way of doing it is to proclaim it from the house-tops to the people in the streets (Matthew 10:27).

So the idea Isaiah is portraying a lively image of pandemonium. He asks “Why is your town so full of noise? Why is your city so full of the sound of wild parties?” How could the people throw a party in the face of an approaching enemy?

I’d be tempted to criticize the city for a lack of good order and discipline; for a lack of courage in the face of adversity except we’re told “the Lord who rules over all brought disorder and terror to the Valley of Vision”.

Why would God do that?

It’s not like they weren’t trying to react appropriately in preparation for a siege. The city was teeming with frenetic activity. The people dug pools to store water. They demolished buildings and used the stones to fortify the city walls.

Then…they went up to the roofs and looked out over the valley. The enemy was overwhelming. The people realized there was nothing they could do to stop the inevitable. At some point they simply gave up. They had a choice to do one of two things: repent and seek God, or give up.

They chose the latter…

Rather than cry out to God in repentance they chose to throw one last huge party. After all, who wants their last hours to be filled with fear and panic? Wouldn’t’ it be far more enjoyable to just get drunk? It didn’t even occur to them to “pay any attention to the One who planned everything long ago”. As a result, they would forever live with the consequences of their sin.

How pathetic…

We live in a world today that reminds me of Isaiah’s Jerusalem. We run about wildly reacting to perceived crises. We live in fear of the unknown. All of this because our inner sense tells us something is wrong…something ominous is just over the horizon. Could it be Climate change?

Or…God’s judgment?

We may want to pay attention to the one who planned everything if we hope to approach life’s struggles effectively.

Live boldly out there today…

Isaiah 21:13-17, Message for Arabia

For Arabia…
“The Lord has spoken. He is the God of Israel”.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The sentiment of the prophecy is simple - within a year the country of Arabia would be overrun by a foreign enemy. All the glory of Kedar, (a confederation of tribes named for the second son of Ishmael), would fade…and the remnant would be small: for Jehovah, the God of Israel, hath spoken."

 The prophecy opens with a declaration that the caravans that were accustomed to passing peacefully through Arabia would be disrupted by war. The caravans, accustomed to finding safe, hospitable entertainment would be forced to seek lodging in the forests. The Arabians would be overrun by a foreign enemy; they would be unable to show hospitality, or insure safety.

Barnes says the historical context could be Sennacherib or Nebuchadnezzar. Both of them over-ran and destroyed Arabia.  But, unlike most prophesy it would be swift and sure. Most of Isaiah speaks of events that will transpire decades or centuries in the future. This one will be fulfilled in a year.

No “but, if…” no “unless you…” no escape. But, these are the sons of Ishmael. God loved them but knew they weren’t inclined to listen. Things haven’t changed much. We should be careful that old feuds and frustrations don’t prevent us from hearing a word from the Lord. Consequences could be very swift indeed.

Live boldly out there today…

Isaiah 21:11-12, Message for Edom

For Edom…

“Morning is coming. But the night will return.”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

In this great metaphor Isaiah is a night watchman among the nations of the world and responds to inquiries about when the night might be over. The questions don’t bother Isaiah. In fact he says “If you want to ask again, come back and ask.”

 Keil and Delitzsch tell us the answer is intentional and pathetic: even if the morning dawns, it will be swallowed up again directly by night…the night being a metaphor for political domination by foreign powers. History agrees. The Assyrian period of judgment was followed by the Chaldean, and the Chaldean by the Persian, and the Persian by the Grecian, and the Grecian by the Roman. Again and again there was a glimmer of morning dawn for Edom but it was swallowed up directly by another night

And on, and on, forever…

Yet, if our watchman is a metaphor for God, in Christ, we see a blessed promise in the middle of our darkness. Then the watchman says “you can come back and inquire later” he uses the word shūbū (turn back) offering a hint at the idea of “repentance” (turn around).

We are forever dead in our sins…in spite of periods of relief. We can choose to accept the truth and walk away…in despair. Or, we can “turn around” and ask the watchman again. Perhaps the answer will change. Ironically, the key to salvation is acknowledging that God has the answer but…we may have to go back a number of times before we get the answer we seek. The way to salvation for everybody is just the same as for Israel - namely, the way of repentance.

And still its night. God doesn’t mind us asking how long it will last. He encourages to keep coming back…for a different answer. Whatever night you are facing…keep in touch with the watchman.

Live boldly out there…

Isaiah 21:1-10, A Message about Babylon

Jamieson-Fausset-Browns tell us this passage is a repetition of the assurance given in the thirteenth and fourteenth chapters to the Jews about to be captives in Babylon, that their enemy should be destroyed and they be delivered.

I’m telling you the good news I’ve heard. It comes from the Lord who rules over all. He is the God of Israel.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Isaiah said “here is a message the Lord gave me about Babylonia. It is known as the Desert by the Two Rivers”. An attack is coming through the desert. It’s sweeping along like a windstorm. People are turning against Babylon. Robbers are taking its goods. Elamites, attack the city! Medes, surround it! “The Lord will put an end to all of the suffering Babylon has caused”.

Remember, Israel and Judah were separate kingdoms at this time…Israel, in the north and Judah in the south. Isaiah was a prophet in the Southern Kingdom. Just a few years after this chapter was written teh Kingdom of Israel fell (722 BC). As a result the Northern Kingdom no longer was a separate political entity and became an internal province of the Assyrian empire.

Twelve years later...in another political upheaval, Babylon fell...

In verse 9 of this passage Isaiah says "Babylon is fallen, is fallen." Babylon had revolted from under the Assyrian domination and for twelve years the efforts of Assyria to re-subdue the city were successfully resisted. Sargon was victorious and Babylon fell into Sargon's hands. This was an event, which the cuneiform texts record as occurring in Sargon's twelfth year, is thereby dated as 710 B.C.

Then, in 689, the city was destroyed…and lay in ruins for nearly 80 years. The city was rebuilt in time to prepare for the captivity of the southern Kingdom. In 606 BC Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to Jerusalem and carried off the intelligentsia…Daniel among them.

Here is a timeline of current events…

725 BC            Isaiah Prophesies against the Nations                          Isaiah 13 - 35
725 BC            Hoshea the Last King of Israel                                    2 Kings 17
722 BC            Israel Led into Captivity                                           2 Kings 17:6
711 BC            Isaiah Prophesies Captivity and Restoration               Isaiah 40 - 66        
710 BC            Babylon falls to Sargon                                             Isaiah 21:9
701 BC            Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem                                2 Kings 18,
701 BC            Hezekiah's Prayer                                                        Isaiah 37
697 BC            The Vision of Nahum                                                  Nahum 1 - 3
689 BC            Sennecherib destroys Babylon                                 2 Kings 21
687 BC            Manasseh's Wicked Reign                                           2 Chronicles 33
638 BC            The Word of the LORD to Zephaniah                        Zephaniah 1 - 3
627 BC            The Call of Jeremiah                                                 Jeremiah 1
622 BC            Jeremiah Proclaims God's Covenant                           Jeremiah 11, 12
609 BC            Jeremiah Proclaims Covenant Is Broken                     Jeremiah 13 - 20
604-562 BC     Nebuchadnezzar rules in Babylon                               Daniel 2
593 BC            Ezekiel's Calling and Instruction                             Ezekiel 2
588 BC            Siege of Jerusalem Begins                                           2 Kings 25
588 BC            Jeremiah Prophesies Judgment on Judah                    Jeremiah 34 - 45
586 BC            The Fall of Jerusalem                                                2 Kings 25,
586 BC            Jeremiah Prophesies against Babylon                          Jeremiah 50, 51
539 BC            Cyrus the Great of Persia conquers Babylon        Ezra 1:1

If this chapter tells us anything, it tells us that whatever happens on the world stage, the Lord rules over all. In its long history Babylon did a lot of damage but…it was finally removed. When we look at the entire timeline we can begin seeing things for what God intends them to be. If God ruled over Babylon…then, Babylon’s misdeeds were permitted by God. Babylon was just a tool…in 586 BC…to teach Judah.

I’ll bet Nebuchadnezzar thought it was all about him…

The importance of this perspective…the Lord rules over all…is it prevents us from taking the short view when trouble besets us. A bad political administration will not ruin us but it may teach us some lessons. A bad supreme court decision will not ruin us but it may teach us a lesson. A bad marriage will not destroy us but it can teach us some lessons. These things aren’t self-sustaining perils in our path. They are tools in God’s hand.

Live boldly out there today…

Isaiah 20 - A Message About Egypt and Cush

“My servant Isaiah has gone around barefoot for three years. He has not worn anything but his underwear. He is a sign and reminder to Egypt and Cush about what will happen to them.”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Our gracious God, in the previous chapter, offered relief and salvation to Ethiopia and Egypt because of their willingness to listen and call upon Him. The promise refers to events happening in the 4^th century BC. This doesn’t mean they wouldn’t first pay for their disobedience.

Things got a lot worse before they got better…

It is possible to date the events of chapter 20 precisely “Sargon sent his highest commander to the city of Ashdod. He attacked it and captured it. Sargon was king of Assyria”. Sargon's inscriptions date that event in 711 B.C." Isaiah mentions the fact that his symbolic act (going naked and barefoot) was interpreted to the people in that year.

Because of alliances she had formed, the Northern Kingdom, Israel, had already been destroyed by Sargon and carried off to Nineveh 11 years earlier. Now, Sargon had his sights set on Egypt/Ethiopia.

After Ashdod was captured, the Lord said: “My servant Isaiah has gone around barefoot for three years. He has not worn anything but his underwear. He is a sign and reminder to Egypt and Cush about what will happen to them”. The king of Assyria will lead prisoners away from Egypt and Cush. Young people and old people alike will be taken away. Like Isaiah, they will be barefoot. They will not be wearing anything but their underwear. And their backsides will be bare. So the Egyptians will be put to shame. Forty eight years later the mass deportation occurred. 

The prior fate of the Northern Kingdom should have been sufficient warning but, Isaiah's purpose was to discourage Judah's from joining her Egyptian allies in their war against Sargon. The prophet was a walking symbol of utter humiliation and destitution in the streets of Jerusalem. He seems to have been successful because there is no record that Sargon attacked Jerusalem. That came over a hundred years later in the reign of Sennacherib his son.

America has made all sorts of unholy alliances in the last generation. Alliances that are moral as well as geographical. As a nation we are allied with an industry that kills unborn babies. We are allied with interest groups that openly defy the teachings of Romans, Chapter one. We are allied with nations in the Middle East that martyr Christians.

We need to extricate ourselves from these Godless entanglements as quickly as we can. But, it will get worse before it gets better.

Live boldly out there today…

Isaiah 19 - Message to Egypt

Pharaoh, where are your wise men now? Let them tell you what the Lord who rules over all
has planned against Egypt.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

God said, The Lord is coming to Egypt. He’s riding on a cloud that moves very fast. The statues of the gods in Egypt tremble with fear because of him. The hearts of the people there melt away inside them.

This doesn’t sound good… “I will stir up one Egyptian against another. Relatives will fight against relatives. Neighbors will fight against one another. Cities will fight against cities. Kingdoms will fight against one another. The people of Egypt will lose hope. I will keep them from doing what they plan to do”.

What did God have against the Egyptians? Her leaders were very foolish. They lied. They led their people down the wrong path. Pharaoh’s wise men gave advice that didn’t make any sense. Yet, they saw themselves as mythical figures “like the advisers to the kings of long ago.” They were “full of themselves”.

Euphoric on power, with a spirit that made them feel dizzy, their inebriated leadership made Egypt unsteady. She became like a person who drinks too much. She "throws up and then walks around in the mess [s]he’s made".

Well, that’s an ugly picture…

So, Isaiah says: Egypt will be as terrified as women. The people of Judah will bring terror to the Egyptians. Everyone in Egypt who hears the name of Judah will be terrified. That’s because of what the Lord who rules over all is planning to do to them. At that time the people of five cities in Egypt will use the Hebrew language when they worship the Lord who rules over all. They will take an oath. And they will promise to be faithful to him.

Historically, we’re told this all came to pass after the conquest by Alexander the Great…about 375 years after Isaiah wrote this message. Alexander established large numbers of Jews in Alexandria; and Egypt became a great stronghold of monotheism. The Greek version of the Hebrew Scriptures was produced there and proved to be a key in the evangelism of the world.  Significantly, this break-through occurred after Alexander the Great declared Greek would became the universal language of the whole world. The Old Testament was hardened into facts of history, known by the whole world and incapable of being changed. Present day critics cannot get around the witness of the Septuagint (LXX). http://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bcc/view.cgi?book=isa&chapter=019

Wow!

There would even be an altar erected to Jehovah in Egypt (Isaiah 19:19). It was erected by a Jewish high priest named Onias and was significant in the later conversion of Egyptians to Christianity. God then promised to send them a Savior (Isaiah 19:20). Historically, this was fulfilled when Alexander the Great freed the oppressed peoples from their yoke of Persian submission; but ultimately, it prophecies the coming of Christ the Savior who would free them from their sins.

So the Lord promised to make himself known to the people of Egypt and “at that time they will recognize that he is the Lord. They will make promises to the Lord. And they will keep them”.

And…like Ethiopia, Egypt is still around although, for remarkably different reasons. Ethiopia is still around because she listened to God. Egypt is still around because God imported Himself into the life and culture of Egypt through Alexander the Great…and the people responded.

Here in America God imported Himself through pilgrims and other God-fearing folks. Their intent was to “bring the light of Christ” to the new world. Our culture was saturated with faith. We became a modern-day Egypt. Now, a couple of hundred years later, the best we can hope for is to be a modern-day Ethiopia…and listen.

Live boldly out there today…

Isaiah 18 - Message to Ethiopia

At that time gifts will be brought to the Lord who rules over all. The people who are tall and have smooth skin will bring them…They will bring their gifts to Mount Zion. That’s where the Lord who rules over all has put his Name.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

This is an interesting chapter… not a "judgment", but...a "message".

Ethiopians were fierce warriors and instilled fear in the hearts of neighboring people. They were a major power, adventurous and traveled far and wide. And, it sounds like Isaiah is telling them to “go home”.

Ethiopia…the cradle of civilization. Archaeology informs us skeletal remains of Homo sapiens sapiens (immediate ancestors of modern human beings) have been unearthed on this spot that date as far back as 160,000 years ago.

By the 15^th century BC the country was believed to have been named for Ityoppis, son of Cush, son of Ham. For this reason, Ethiopia is considered a combination of African and Sabaean (Sheba, or modern day Yemen) cultures. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopia

In  2^nd Chronicles 14, we’re told Ethiopia came out against the army of Judah (about 900BC) with an army of a million men and 300 chariots. King Asa cried…”O Lord, you are our God; let not man prevail against you.”  So the Lord defeated the Ethiopians and the Ethiopians fled. Asa pursued them and the Ethiopians fell until none remained alive.

But, Ethiopia was not like a lot of other nations. The Psalmist (68:31) says when God “scatters His enemies” Ethiopia will be one of those nations that “shall hasten to stretch out her hands to God”.

200 years later, Isaiah penned his warning… Messengers, hurry back home! Go back to your people. Isaiah explained, a farmer cuts off new growth with pruning knives. He cuts down spreading branches and takes them away. He does it before the grapes are harvested. That’s when the blooms are gone and the grapes are ripe. In the same way, the Lord will cut off the nations that are gathered against his people.

100 years after Isaiah, Jeremiah wrote these words concerning the King of Ethiopia. “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: I will deliver you on that day…and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid. I will surely save you, and you shall not fall by the sword, but you shall have your life as a prize of war, because you have put your trust in me, declares the Lord.’”

A coin dated to 324 shows that Ethiopia was the second country to officially adopt Christianity (after Armenia). It was the first major power to do so.

I can’t escape the thought that God was willing to warn the Ethiopians of impending trouble because they were willing to listen. Could we make an application today?

Live boldly out there today…

Isaiah 17 - Prophecy about Damascus

“Behold, Damascus is about to be removed from being a city and will become a fallen ruin”.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Then…there’s Damascus. Damascus was part of the Egyptian Kingdom, from 1720 to 1570 BC.

Damascus is not documented as an important city until the arrival of the Aramaeans, Semitic people from Mesopotamia, in the 11th century BC. The city would gain preeminence in southern Syria by 965BC. As this new state expanded south, it prevented the Kingdom of Israel from spreading north and the two kingdoms soon clashed as they both sought to dominate trading hegemony in the east. This conflict continued until the early 8th century BC when the king of Syria was captured by Israel after he unsuccessfully besieged Samaria (the capital of Israel).

By the 8th century BC, Damascus was practically engulfed by the Assyrians and entered a dark age. 900 years old. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damascus#Early_settlement

We should see a pattern emerging…nobody dominates God's people except God.

Here is the message the Lord gave Isaiah about Damascus.

“Damascus will not be a city anymore. Instead, all of its buildings would be knocked down. Royal power would disappear from Damascus. Those who were left alive would be like the glory of the people of Israel,” Men would turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel.

At that time Israel had forgotten God, so her cities would become deserted, taken over by bushes and weeds. The whole land would become dry and empty. There would be sickness and pain that would’t go away. Many nations would march against her but when the Lord speaks out against them, they would run. The armies that caused terror in the evening would be gone by morning.

That’s what happens to those who steal our goods. That’s what happens to those who take what belongs to us. This is an interesting phrase. God pronounces judgment upon Damascus but…when Israel is guilty of the same sins…God will not let anybody wreak the same havoc on His stuff.
And, Israel belongs to God.

God’s house, God’s rules...

Only God will judge His people…He won’t contract this out.

Of course, the time did come when Israel fell. The time will come, as well, when our country falls…if we don’t repent. The only question remaining is this: Will we fall by God’s hand or by another? The answer depends upon who we believe owns us.

We may think the results look the same but they aren't. What God destroys He can rebuild. What man destroys generally stays broken.

Live boldly out there today…

Isaiah 16 - Prophecy of Moab’s Devastation

“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.”

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This is the message the Lord spoke to Moab. “We have heard all about Moab’s pride. We have heard how very proud they are. They think they are so much better than others. They brag about themselves. But all of their bragging is nothing but empty words”. So, God says to the people of Moab, send lambs as a gift to the ruler of Judah".

The implication is clear: “pride will kill us unless we repent”. And, it would look like this…
The women of Moab were freaking out…like birds that flap their wings when they are pushed from their nest. Moab’s men went to their high place to pray, but all they did was wear themselves out. Their god Chemosh couldn’t help them at all. They were all in a panic.

All their prosperity and pride failed them. They were homeless and they went begging. The Moabites appealed to Judah crying, “Give us advice. Don’t turn us over to our enemies. Let us stay with you. Keep us safe from those who are trying to destroy them.”

Even so, God wasn’t intent on destroying the people, just the nation. He said “a man from the royal house of David will sit on Judah’s throne. He will rule with faithful love”. When he judges he will do what is fair. This was gracious…and true. We know from biblical history that in due time the knowledge of who was, or wasn’t, a Moabite was lost. Any Moabite could convert to Judaism without restriction….and marry Jewish men and women.

Moab was gone, but the people were fine…

This doesn’t seem complicated to me. Since I believe in “manifold fulfillment” of prophesy I believe there is a cryptic message for America: Unless we repent of our pride and become more charitable with our prosperity we will follow the way of Moab. The good news is, God doesn’t want to destroy you and me, just...possibly...the nation that we call home. This could get exciting. It doesn’t have to hurt that much, unless we identify more with America than we do with Heaven. I wonder where we‘ll go?

Most likely to a nation that still fears and honors God.

Live boldly out there today…

Isaiah 15 - Judgment on Moab

Surely in a night the city of Moab is devastated and ruined; surely in a night the citadel of Moab is devastated and ruined.

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Isaiah wrote the prophesy around 700BC. Moab has an interesting history.The land of Moab, spread along much of the eastern shore of the Dead Sea, never amounted to much. After the conquest of Canaan (1400 BC) the relations of Moab with Israel were of a mixed character, sometimes warlike and sometimes peaceful. The story of Ruth, the Moabite (1100BC) testifies to the existence of friendliness between Moab and Judah. The genealogy in the final chapter of the book explains how Ruth became the great-grandmother of King David (1040-970BC). The king had Moabite blood in his veins.

In her 700^th year of existence Isaiah proclaimed Moab would be destroyed. I doubt the King of Moab worried much about a prophet from a neighboring country. Yet, by the time of the destruction of the First Temple (597BC), the knowledge of which people belonged to which nation was lost and the Moabites were treated like all other gentiles. So…some 100 years after Isaiah wrote chapter 15…Moab ceased to exist as an identifiable nation. Moab survived about 800 years… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moab#Decline_and_fall

Not bad for a nation of no repute on the world stage. I wonder if the greatest nation in the history of the world (US) can hope to last that long.

But…why did Isaiah make this prophesy?

About 850BC, the Moabites rebelled against Israel, According to the Bible, the prophet Elisha directed the Israelites to dig a series of ditches between themselves and the enemy, and during the night these channels were miraculously filled with water which was as red as blood. Deceived by the crimson color into the belief that their opponents had attacked one another, the Moabites became overconfident and were entrapped and utterly defeated.

Moab’s prosperity and pride are are not only what defeated them in battle…they are what ultimately incurred the wrath of God.

So here we are…238 years old…saturated with prosperity and pride. The smart money says we’ll never last as long as Moab did unless we repent.

Live boldly out there today…

Isaiah 14:24-32 - Judgment on Assyria and Philistia

Do not rejoice, O Philistia, all of you, because the rod that struck you is broken"

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There is "no honor among thieves"...

You know, when Babylon went down Assyria and Philistia were excited. One less competitor for world domination. Human nature hasn't changed. Today we want to rejoice when some bad actor "get's his due"  Who didn't rejoice when Bernie Madoff went to prison?

We rejoiced when Germany was defeated...twice. We rejoiced when the Soviet Union fell. As though we believe God doesn't like Germans or Russians. Well, the Germans are still a prosperous nation. The Russians people still live their lives. It's wickedness that God hates...not people.

Of course, if we aren't careful, our nation will be next. If we can read the first chapter of Romans and not see America...we aren't very literate. And, Paul was describing the very sins that led to the destruction of the ancient kingdoms.

The world calls It "Karma"..."what goes around, comes around". We'd be better served to call it what it is...GOD. Why? Because karma can be beat. Lot's of people think they can dodge karma.

We will never dodge God...

Whatever it is that destroyed Babylon will just as surely destroy the others. So, God planned to break Assyria trample her.  This is the plan devised against the whole earth; and this is the hand that is stretched out against all the nations. For the Lord of hosts has planned, and who can frustrate it?

But, the metaphor is clear. "The Lord has established Zion and in her his afflicted people will find refuge"

God has provided refuge for those who trust Him. When all of creation is on the precipice of receiving just due for it's arrogance toward God...there is a "shelter in the time of storm". Settle in, batten down the hatches. It might be a bumpy ride. But...a ride we will safely survive.

Live boldly out there today...