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.”

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

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…