Isaiah 18:1

Isaiah 18:1 says, Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia:  Isaiah then pronounced woe to the land of the shadowing wings, which it is not specified as to which country it is, but God knew.  We may not always know what specific country God has pronounced His judgment against, but we can be certain that He knows, and this judgment will be because they have refused to obey Him.  This does not make God vindictive because people don’t obey Him, but only states that He will judge those, whether nations or individuals, who do not accept the gift of forgiveness He has provided through the sacrifice of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, by His death, burial and resurrection.  Those who do not will one day live in everlasting woe.

Verse two adds, That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled!  The people of this nation would be coming by ship to get the people of Isreal to depend on them instead of God.  We may be in distress today and someone offer us a way out that is not done under the leadership and power of God, but this will always ultimately fail. 

Verse three continues All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye.  All the nations were summoned to take heed of what God was about to do.  We as followers of Jesus Christ today need to be sounding the alarm about the destruction that awaits everyone who refuses to come to God through putting their faith in Jesus Christ, but our main message should still be the gospel and the fact that it shows us the love of God even when we stand in defiance against Him. 

Verse four states, For so the Lord said unto me, I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.  Isaiah was to give the people of Israel assurance that even if they didn't see it that God was still at work protecting them.  We may at times feel that God has abandoned us if things in life get too bad, but we as Christians can rest assured that He never will. 

Verse five states, For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches.  Isaiah said that even while the harvest was first blossoming, and while the sour grape was still ripening it would be cut off with pruning forks.  This was a prophesy of what God was going to do to the army of Assyria even while they were bitter about Judah and thinking they would be easy to pluck militarily.  We may never know the number of times God has defeated our enemies when they are ready to attack us because we seem weak in the eyes of the world. 

Verse six adds, They shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth: and the fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them.  Isaiah stated further that the Assyrian army would be left for the vultures and wild animals to feast off of.  Matthew Henry says these two verses seem to refer to the avenging angel destroying the Assyrian army.  I do know that as followers of Christ, He has already destroyed all our spiritual enemies and all we need to do is follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit and the victory will always be ours. 

Verse seven continues, In that time shall the present be brought unto the Lord of hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the Lord of hosts, the mount Zion.  This may refer to the praise given to God by the people of Judah as they were gathered from where they had been scattered or to the spreading of the gospel to the gentiles, or the whole world later on.  Either way, we know that God does gather and protect those who believe in Jesus Christ and He will one day gather us all to our heavenly home.  At that time, all our enemies will be sent away to everlasting punishment, and those who are God’s people by faith will rejoice with Him.

Isaiah 17:6

Isaiah 17:6 says, Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith the Lord God of Israel.  Isaiah said that even though most of the people of Israel would be killed, a remnant of faithful people would remain.  Though there have been times in history and there may come a day once more when only a few, a remnant, of God’s people remain, He also always has a few loyal to Him, and if we are a follower of Christ, we will always be a part of His kingdom, no matter how small we may be in numbers. 

Verse seven adds, At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel.  When this day came, those who were a part of the remnant would look to God, their Maker and Sustainer, and have respect for Him, the Holy One of Israel.  They will remain faithful to Him, even if they may question where He is during all their suffering.  We as Christians may at times wonder where God is if we are suffering in life, but we must remain faithful to Him, maybe even more so during these times. 

Verse eight continues, And he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall respect that which his fingers have made, either the groves, or the images.  When this day came, the people would no longer look to idols for anything.  They would look to God alone.  Once we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, we must look to God alone for our strength and guidance.  All false gods must be eliminated from our lives. 

Verse nine states, In that day shall his strong cities be as a forsaken bough, and an uppermost branch, which they left because of the children of Israel: and there shall be desolation.  Isaiah continues to tell the people of Israel of their upcoming destruction at the hands of Assyria.  Everything would be destroyed except for a few on the uppermost branches, the remnant that were faithful to God.  Matthew Henry says that at one time, when the people of Israel were conquering the promised land by their faith in and obedience to God that a thousand of their enemies fled from one Israelite, now a thousand Israelites would flee from one enemy since they no longer had the protection of God due to their disobedience to Him.  We as followers of Christ have spiritual victory over all the forces of evil in the world today as long as we remain faithful to Him, but if we begin to turn away from His word, we lose that protection.  The things we do outside the will of God as Christians will one day be left just as desolate as the cities of Israel were to be in that day.  Though once we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord we are forever saved, we may be left spiritually desolate in this old world if we are not obedient to His word.

Verse ten adds, Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips:  Isaiah then reminded them that God said this was happening because of their disobedience and not because God had failed them.  If we are ever in a position where it seems that God has abandoned us as followers of Christ, we need to see if we have allowed sin of some kind back into our lives, because we can be certain that God will never abandon us. 

Verse eleven continues, In the day shalt thou make thy plant to grow, and in the morning shalt thou make thy seed to flourish: but the harvest shall be a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow.  Isaiah said they would plant their crops but they would never reap them.  This was done to make the country look good and fruitful, but it was done outside the will of God.  We may do things in the church today to make it look good and productive, but if anything is done outside the will of God under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, it will never be of any value.  We as Christians are not called on to make ourselves look good to the world, or even to other Christians, but to bring glory to God. 

Verse twelve says, Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters!  Isaiah was referring to the armies that had swept into Judah sounding like a roaring sea as they swept over the people there.  There are still armies today who sweep into countries with a lot of noise and destructive power, and many times Christians are caught up in that destruction.  Still, we do not need to cower in fear, because we are the victors spiritually forever because of our faith in Jesus Christ. 

Verse thirteen adds, The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.  As I just stated, no matter how powerful our enemies in this life may be, there is coming a day when God will rebuke them, and they will be chased away like chafe in the wind.  Isaiah was referring to Sennacherib and Rabshakeh at this time, whose own fears led their forces to flee in fear, but I believe it also refers to the judgment of God on all His enemies one day.  Chafe was either blown away or burned, and those who refuse to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord will one day be swept away into the everlasting fires of hell. 

Verse fourteen continues, And behold at eveningtide trouble; and before the morning he is not. This is the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us.  It was at night that the angel of the Lord struck fear into the Assyrian army and led to their fleeing in fear.  That evening, they had been a strong and powerful army, but by morning they were no more.  God didn’t need an army of His people to defeat their enemies, but He did it by His power alone.  If we have put our faith in Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, the moment we did so, all our spiritual enemies were swept away, and it was not because of our own strength and abilities. Through the power of Jesus Christ alone, when He claimed victory over sin and death on the cross are we saved.  Salvation can never be based on anything less than our faith in this fact.

Isaiah 17:1

Isaiah 17:1 says, The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.  Isaiah said this was the burden of Damascus, and that was that it would be taken away from being a city and become a heap of ruins.  Matthew Henry points out that the ten tribes of Israel that still called themselves Israel were in such close alliance with Syia that the destruction foretold of Syria, of which Damascus was the chief city, applied to them as well.  We know how much devastation war can wreak on cities and countries today, and often those associated with them suffer as well.  We also need to realize that just professing to be a Christian while allying ourselves with the world will one day lead to our everlasting destruction. 

Verse two adds. The cities of Aroer are forsaken: they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid.  Isaiah continued saying that the cities of Aroer, a province of Syria, would be desolate, so that the flocks of animals could lie down there without being disturbed.  Total destruction is one day coming to the places of this world because of the sins of mankind that they refuse to acknowledge and ask God to forgive them for by putting their faith in Jesus Christ. 

Verse three continues, The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria: they shall be as the glory of the children of Israel, saith the Lord of hosts.  Matthew Henry says this refers to the fact that as Syria had gloried in their alliance with the ten tribes of Israel, they would now be just as weak as the people of Israel had been when the alliance was formed.   The ten tribes of Israel had joined with Syria in attacking Judah, the remaining two tribes, and now they were paying the price.  There are still people today who join with those who profess to be Christians thinking it will give them an advantage in the world, and there are also those who profess to be Christian who attack those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ and are Christians.  As an example, some who profess to be Christians claim that those who profess that Jesus Christ as the only way to salvation are closed minded people who aren’t very smart, and those who do this will one day face God’s judgment with the rest of the lost world.  We need to proclaim the gospel today so that the next generation will have followers of Christ, but they can never be so just because we as their parents are.  We may look back to past generations to see examples of great Christians though.

Verse four states, And in that day it shall come to pass, that the glory of Jacob shall be made thin, and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean.  When the judgment of Syria came, the numbers of the people of Israel would be greatly reduced.  Matthew Henry says that the glory of Jacob was the number of his descendants, and that would be reduced to nearly nothing.  If we allow pride in self or in things of this world to become more important than our relationship with Jesus Christ, we will grow spiritually thin no matter how fat in the riches of the world we may be.  Even if we are a follower of Jesus Christ, if we allow the things of this world to become more important to us than our relationship with Him is, we will have few treasures laid up in heaven. 

Verse five adds, And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the corn, and reapeth the ears with his arm; and it shall be as he that gathereth ears in the valley of Rephaim.  Isaiah said that Syria and the people of Israel by their association with them would be carried away by the Assyrian army like corn being carried away in the harvest.  Matthew Henry says that the corn is the glory of the field and when it is reaped and gone, where is the glory.  The same would be true of Syria once it was defeated.  There would be no glory left for it to bask in.  We can say also that the people of the world who deny Jesus Christ may appear to be glorious, but when God’s judgment comes, there will be no glory left for them.  The things of this world that we glory in will one day pass away forever, unless it is something built on the foundation of Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 16:6

Isaiah 16:6 says, 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.   The people of Moab were very haughty and full of pride, but they didn't thank God or obey Him.  Some countries today are likewise very haughty and full of pride, some even denying the existence of God, but they will not stand forever.

Verse seven adds, Therefore shall Moab howl for Moab, every one shall howl: for the foundations of Kirhareseth shall ye mourn; surely they are stricken.  Isaiah said everyone in Moab would mourn for the destruction that had come on it.  We may never see a time today when all of the lost people of the earth mourn for the loss of their country because God’s judgment has fallen on them.  As a matter of fact, those who deny God the most may flourish, but one day God’s judgment is coming, and when it does, there will be great mourning amongst the lost people.   

Verse eight continues, 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.  The country of Moab had been filled with great vines that produced the best fruit, stretching out even to the sea.   Now, they would either be trodden down or left unharvested, doing the owners no good either way.  Countries today may stand against God and still be very prosperous, but that will not last forever.  Only the fruit that we produce for God and His kingdom will endure, no matter how glorious the results of our works outside His will may look now.  

Verse nine states, Therefore I will bewail with the weeping of Jazer the vine of Sibmah: I will water thee with my tears, O Heshbon, and Elealeh: for the shouting for thy summer fruits and for thy harvest is fallen.  Now, the people of Moab would be weeping for the loss of the productive vines that they had rejoiced in.  No matter how much people may rejoice in things obtained outside of the will of God, one  day all of it will disappear, and those who had delighted in them will be reduced to everlasting agony and mourning. 

Verse ten adds, 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.  Isaiah continued to speak about the lack of joy in Moab after the destruction of the vineyards.  They would no longer sing with joy at the harvest, because there would be no harvest.  No matter how joyful people of the world may be or how successful they may feel, if they aren’t followers of Christ, when God’s judgement comes, they will lose everything, including any hope for joy. 

Verse eleven continues, Wherefore my bowels shall sound like an harp for Moab, and mine inward parts for Kirharesh.  Here, Isaiah seems to be speaking of his inward grief at the fate of Moab, even if they were an enemy of the people of Israel.  As Christians, we should feel an inward grief at the everlasting destruction of our enemies instead of celebrating their doom. 

Verse twelve states, 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.  Isaiah said that when the people of Moab became weary on the high places, or worshipping their false gods there, instead of turning to God, they would go to the temple of their gods.  This would do them no good.  God will give everyone an opportunity to come to Christ when their false gods fail, but too many will just become more devoted to these false gods.

Verse thirteen adds, This is the word that the Lord hath spoken concerning Moab since that time.  Isaiah said that this wasn’t his word but God’s word.  What we proclaim to the lost people of the world today must be God’s word and not just our own desire for them.  God sent His only begotten Son Jesus Christ to die for them out of love, and we should not look for their destruction out of hatred. 

Verse fourteen concludes, But now the Lord hath spoken, saying, 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.  Isaiah said God had decreed that this would all happen within three years, and that what was left of the people of Moab would be weak and feeble.  God’s word about the everlasting destruction of those who will not accept Him is certain, even if we cannot say exactly when it will occur.  We need to be proclaiming the gospel so that they might avoid this fate by putting their faith in Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 16:1

Isaiah 16:1 says, Send ye the lamb to the ruler of the land from Sela to the wilderness, unto the mount of the daughter of Zion.  Matthew Henry says this is a call on the people of Moab to deliver what they had promised to the people of Isrrael before it was too late.  This was to be done so that they might delay their destruction.  As followers of Christ, we need to fulfill our promises to God, whether it be by bringing material things that we have promised or just being obedient to the call of the Holy Spirit in our lives to do what God has called us to do. 

Verse two adds, 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. Isaiah then told them if they didn’t do this that they would be like a wandering bird with no real nest to call home.  Those who refuse to come to God through putting their faith in Jesus Christ will always be spiritually wandering.  They will never find a home in heaven but will one day find a permanent home in hell.  

Verse three continues, Take counsel, execute judgment; make thy shadow as the night in the midst of the noonday; hide the outcasts; bewray not him that wandereth.  Isaiah then called on the people of Moab to listen to the counsel of God and to execute judgment in their actions.  They were to help the outcasts and the wanderers in the land.  He was calling on them to be kind to the people of Israel instead of putting burdens on them.  We cannot force the people of the world to be kind to Christians and not put unnecessary burdens on them, but we can make sure that as Christians we do this with our fellow believers. 

Verse four states, Let mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab; be thou a covert to them from the face of the spoiler: for the extortioner is at an end, the spoiler ceaseth, the oppressors are consumed out of the land.  Isaiah said that God had issued a call for the people of Moab to treat the people of Israel with fairness instead of oppressing them if they wanted to avoid being destroyed.  There may not be a physical destruction of those who mistreat Christians today, but if anyone would avoid the coming everlasting punishment of those who do so, they must become a part of God’s people by accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.  There is nothing, even if it is a good thing, that can save a person if they don’t. 

Verse five adds, 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.  Isaiah said that the people of Moab wouldn’t have to help the people of Israel for long, because the people of Israel were going to be restored with a descendant of David on the throne.  Whoever helps Christians today will not have to do so for long in the eternal perspective, but this still will not help them avoid the coming destruction by God unless they become a part of His people by putting their faith in the descendant of David, Jesus Christ, Who died for the sins of everyone.  Still, though already forgiven, if anyone refuses to accept this gift of salvation from God, they will one day be sent away to everlasting punishment.

Isaiah 15:6

Isaiah 15:6 says, For the waters of Nimrim shall be desolate: for the hay is withered away, the grass faileth, there is no green thing.  Isaiah also said that God promised a famine would come on Moab because of the victory of the Assyrian army.  The prophesy was that there would be nothing growing because the waters of Nimrim would dry up, but Matthew Henry says this means that the country would be plundered and impoverished and all their wealth swept away.  The army of Assyria and their horses would have devoured all the grass, or it would have been destroyed in the war.  I believe that God could have just caused the river to dry up, but either way or both ways, where the people of Moab had been blessed with plenty of grass for their own cattle, their land would now be desolate.  How God accomplishes His will in the world isn’t the important thing.  That it is accomplished is what is important. 

Verse seven adds, Therefore the abundance they have gotten, and that which they have laid up, shall they carry away to the brook of the willows.  Isaiah said that all the abundance that the people of Moab had gotten would be carried away.  Everything that we have that we have not gotten by being obedient to God’s word and laying up treasures in heaven will be carried away on judgment day.  I am really not sure what treasures in heaven will look like, since we will be walking on streets of gold, but I am pretty sure it won’t be material things. 

Verse eight continues, For the cry is gone round about the borders of Moab; the howling thereof unto Eglaim, and the howling thereof unto Beerelim.  There would be a cry throughout Moab when this destruction came.  There will be a great cry throughout the lost world, those who have not accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord, when the judgment of God comes. 

Verse nine concludes, For the waters of Dimon shall be full of blood: for I will bring more upon Dimon, lions upon him that escapeth of Moab, and upon the remnant of the land.  The waters of the Dimon would be filled with the blood of those who were slain, and those that escaped the Assyrian army would die by beasts of prey.  None of the people of Moab were going to escape God’s judgment, and even those who have not accepted God’s gift of salvation and escape His judgment in this lifetime will not escape His everlasting judgment.   

Isaiah 15:1

Isaiah 15:1 says, The burden of Moab. Because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence; because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence;  Moab was a small country that was very fruitful, bordering on the people of the tribe of  Reuben.  The next few verses speak of its ruin, though it wouldn’t be totally destroyed at this time, because there is another prophesy about its destruction in Jeremiah 48, when this was accomplished by Nebuchadnezzar.  This prophesy would be fulfilled within three years. Those who deny or defy God may be defeated at times in the world, but they will not be totally defeated until the return of Jesus Christ. 

Verse two adds, He is gone up to Bajith, and to Dibon, the high places, to weep: Moab shall howl over Nebo, and over Medeba: on all their heads shall be baldness, and every beard cut off.  Isaiah said there would be great mourning in Moab. Their idols could not save them, so they would be reduced to mourning for all that they lost.  Idols will never save anyone today, and those who put their faith in them will one day be reduced to mourning forever because they will face everlasting suffering.  This is why it is so important that we reach out to the lost people of the world with the gospel today.  

Verse three adds, In their streets they shall gird themselves with sackcloth: on the tops of their houses, and in their streets, every one shall howl, weeping abundantly.  Isaiah continues to speak about the great mourning that would occur in Moab.  Matthew Henry points out that Isaiah did not go to Moab to proclaim this prophesy but proclaimed it to the people of Israel so that they could see that he was a prophet and that they could see that God’s word would come to pass.  We today need to do more than just share with other Christians about the punishment that is coming to those who don’t put their faith in Jesus Christ.  We need to proclaim the gospel to the unsaved people of the world so that they can repent before it is too late.

Verse four states, And Heshbon shall cry, and Elealeh: their voice shall be heard even unto Jahaz: therefore the armed soldiers of Moab shall cry out; his life shall be grievous unto him.  Isaiah said that the soldiers of Moab would cry out because their life would become grievous to them.  Those who are fighting against God today, even if they are part of a strong army, will one day cry out in grief when they find themselves defeated forever by the power of God.

Verse five adds, My heart shall cry out for Moab; his fugitives shall flee unto Zoar, an heifer of three years old: for by the mounting up of Luhith with weeping shall they go it up; for in the way of Horonaim they shall raise up a cry of destruction.  Isaiah said his heart would cry out to Moab.  We need to feel a great sadness for those who refuse to accept Christ and never rejoice in their destruction if it comes.