These are the original teaching notes from this passage.
- Burden of Moab…
- The THIRD burden of Isaiah was against the Kingdom of MOAB [of his father]
- The Assyrian empire would come and destroy them…
- Their walled cities would fall – and their religion would NOT save them…
- As in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah – like the daughters of Lot – they would run to Zoar…
- From there they would hide in the mountains – hide in caves [how Moab began]
- But there would be NO place to hide – their MONEY would NOT save them…
- Anyone who escaped from Assyria – would be killed by lions!
- Fall of Moab…
- Isaiah told Moab to give a LAMB to the King of Jerusalem [rebuild the friendship]
- And commanded Judah to receive the refugees coming from Moab…
- But also told Moab that in the future [Tribulation] – they were to take in refugees from Israel…
- Because we need each other – and we are commanded to help one another…
- Yet because of the PRIDE of Moab – they would FALL…
- For in their hour of need – they went to all the WRONG places [idols – false gods]
- Therefore – they had THREE years left until God would reduce them to a REMNANT!
- 1st – The Remnant… vs. 1-8
- 1st – The Burden… vs. 1-2
- Syria… vs. 1
- The burden against Damascus!
- Isaiah continued his BURDENS against the Nations…
- A section of the book that gives TEN burdens from the Lord – Isaiah 13-23
- BURDEN [מַשָּׂא] – a heavy weight or load – a warning to the nations…
- The FOURTH of these burdens was against the Kingdom of Syria [Damascus]!
- This passage is closely tied to – Isaiah 7
- King Ahaz was the son of Jotham [good king] – grandson of Uzziah [good king]
- But he was NOT a good king – even sacrificed his children to MOLECH – II Kings 16:3
- Therefore the king of Syria [Rezin] and Israel [Pekah] defeated Judah in battle [735 B.C.]
- But God sent Isaiah to Ahaz – he was NOT to fear because Jerusalem would NOT fall…
- To help give him FAITH – God would send a SIGN – Isaiah 7:14
- A young woman [virgin] would have a SON – he would be called IMMANUEL [God with us]
- Before the boy was TWO years old – Rezin and Pekah would be defeated by ASSYRIA!
- Ruins… vs. 1
- Behold Damascus will cease from being a city – and it will be a ruinous heap!
- Shortly after the Prophecy of Isaiah 7 – [734 B.C.]
- Isaiah goes on to tell JUDAH to look – and see the inevitable…
- Damascus – the capitol city of Syria – would stop [hophal] being a CITY…
- It would become [prophetic perfect] a pile of RUINS [cast down]!
- Too often we look at our CIRCUMSTANCES – not at what the Lord SAYS…
- It does NOT matter how bleak things look – how overwhelming our problems might seem…
- They are NOTHING to the Lord – so long as we look to Him for the answers!
- Jeremiah 23:27– “I am the Lord… Is anything too difficult for me?”
- Abandoned… vs. 2
- The cities of Aroer are forsaken.
- They will be for flocks which lie down – and no one will make them afraid!
- The name Aroer can refer to a city east of the Jordan river – II Samuel 24:5
- But it is more likely referring to RUINED [עֲרוֹעֵר] cities [καταλελειμμένη εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα] – LXX
- Rather than being a place for PEOPLE to live in…
- Their cities of Syria would be a place for SHEEP to lay down [pastures]
- And there would be NO one [אִין] left around to make the sheep afraid!
- The contrast is intentional – the POWERFUL army of Syria – II Chronicles 28:5-15
- That had defeated the kingdom of Judah in battle [120 thousand soldiers killed in one day]
- Would be so devastated there would NO one left in their cities!
- Meaning the thing that terrifies us TODAY – will NOT even be there TOMORROW…
- It is unfortunate how much time we waste worrying…
- We fret about a problem – only to see it disappear [God takes care of it]
- But we just move onto the next problem – and keep worrying…
- How much better to just keep our eyes on the one who is greater than EVERY problem!
- Philippians 4:6 – “Do not worry about anything – instead pray about everything.” [NLT]
- 2nd – Same fate… vs. 3-5
- Like Israel… vs. 3
- The fortress also will cease from Ephraim.
- The kingdom from Damascus – and the remnant of Syria.
- They will be as the glory of the children of Israel: Says the LORD of hosts!
- The FORTIFIED city [Samaria] of Ephraim [Israel] – would also be CUT off [niphal]
- They would fall to Assyria along with Damascus and the rest of Syria…
- They will no longer be protected like [כִּ] the children of Israel…
- Says the LORD [יְהֹוָה] – who is the commander of the armies of Heaven [צְבָאוֹת]
- Syria would fall to Assyria in the year 732 B.C. – II Kings 16:9
- Ten years later Israel would also fall to Assyria [722 B.C.] – II Kings 17:6
- When Korah led a REBELLION against Moses – Numbers 16:1-3
- God opened up the EARTH and swallowed him up along with ALL who followed him!
- Be careful who we stand with – because we will become like them and share their fate!
- Harvested… vs. 4-5
- In that day it shall come to pass that the glory of Jacob will wane.
- And the fatness of his flesh grow lean.
- It shall be as when the harvester gathers the grain and reaps the heads with his arm.
- It shall be as he who gathers heads of grain in the Valley of Rephaim!
- In that DAY it would come to pass [prophetic perfect]
- The GLORY of Jacob [rebellious] would fail [דָּלַל]
- And those who were blessed [fat] – would lose [niphal] everything [skinny]
- The land of both Israel and Syria would look like [כִּ] a harvested field…
- Not just ANY field – it would be like [כִּ] the Valley of Rephaim [giants]!
- When the Philistines attacked King David – they met in the Valley of Rephaim…
- FIRST time – God told David to attack them – II Samuel 5:18
- SECOND time – God told David to come at them from the trees – II Samuel 5:23
- Both times David was VICTORIOUS – because he looked to the Lord!
- Being blessed in life is NOT about what we do – it is who we look to…
- If we CHOOSE to LOOK to the world – then we will LOSE our blessing…
- If we CHOOSE to LOOK to the Lord – then will have the VICTORY!
- Deuteronomy 30:19 – “I have set before you life and death – blessing and cursing – therefore choose life.”
- 3rd – The purpose… vs. 6-8
- Remnant… vs. 6
- Yet gleaning grapes will be left in it.
- Like the shaking of an olive tree – two or three olives at the top of the uppermost bough.
- Four or five in its most fruitful branches: Says the LORD God of Israel!
- Yet in the midst of the destruction – there would be a REMNANT…
- Like [כְּ] – the small clusters of overlooked grapes that are left after a harvest…
- Like [כְּ] – the handful of olives left on the highest branches when the tree is SHAKEN…
- So also will there be a FEW left over from the DESTRUCTION of Israel!
- We used to love go blueberry picking in the spring time…
- But they would get picked over quickly – leaving few good berries left…
- The key was to look in hidden parts of the bush – find the remnant others had missed!
- See the Lord… vs. 7
- In that day a man will look to his Maker – his eyes will have respect for the Holy One of Israel!
- In that DAY – when only a REMNANT was left in Israel…
- The man [הָאָדָם] would look to the one who CREATED [עָשָׂה] him – Genesis 1:26
- And that man would SEE [רָאָה] the HOLY One of Israel!
- Why would God leave a REMNANT from the NORTHERN tribes…
- Because God still had a purpose and PLAN for them – Revelation 7:4
- During the TRIBULATION He will seal TWELVE thousand from each of the TRIBES!
- No idols… vs. 8
- He will not look to the altars – the work of his hands.
- He will not respect what his fingers have made – the wooden images nor the incense altars!
- In that DAY – when the REMNANT looks to their CREATOR…
- When they SEE the Holy One of Israel – they will STOP trusting in ALTARS…
- They will NO longer LOOK [רָאָה] to the things their HANDS have made…
- WOODEN images [אֲשֵׁרָה] and IDOLS [חַמָּנִים]!
- This might well have a DUAL fulfillment…
- No doubt there were some Jews who lived in the Northern Kingdom…
- Who when Samaria fell – repented – and came back to the Lord…
- But it also might point the eventual salvation of Israel – Romans 11:26
- When the remnant from the Tribulaiton LOOK up and see Jesus return!
- Zechariah 12:10 – “They will look on Me [אֵת] whom they pierced.”
- God will allow our lives to be SHAKEN up…
- He will let everything we have get STRIPPED away [harvest]
- The reason is because He is trying to get our attention…
- He wants us to WAKE up – and LOOK up – so we can see the only one we need!
- II Corinthians 1:9 – “We had the sentence of death in ourselves that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead.”
- 1st – The Burden… vs. 1-2
- 2nd – Their destruction… vs. 9-14
- 1st – The Harvest… vs. 9-11
- Their cities… vs. 9
- In that day his strong cities will be as a forsaken bough.
- And an uppermost branch – which they left because of the children of Israel.
- And there will be desolation!
- In that DAY – when only a REMNANT will be left behind in Israel…
- Their fortified [מָעוֹז] CITIES [Northern Kingdom] will be like [כַּ]:
- HEBREW – paints a picture of an EMPTY forest [חֹרֶשׁ] – or an EMPTY mountaintop [אָמִיר]
- LXX – interprets these pictures with specific examples…
- The cities of Israel will be abandoned like the AMORITES [Αμορραῖοι] and HIVITES [Ευαῖοι]
- The key is WHEN these cities were ABANDONED…
- WHEN the sons of ISRAEL came [perfect] through and DESTROYED them [Joshua]
- The idea is there had been a REVERSAL – a TURN of hand…
- The people who had been VICTORIOUS previously – were now being DEFEATED!
- Forsaken… vs. 10
- Because you have forgotten the God of your salvation.
- And have not been mindful of the Rock of your stronghold!
- The reason WHY the cities of Israel would be DESTROYED…
- [כִּי] because – they had FORGOTTEN [perfect] the God of SALVATION…
- And they did not REMEMBER the ROCK of safety!
- Peter could ONLY walk on water – when he looked to Jesus…
- The moment he took his eyes off the Lord – he immediately sank – Matthew 14:30
- Which is such a simple but powerful truth…
- The ONE thing that takes us from VICTORY to DEFEAT…
- Is when we get our eyes off of Jesus – when we FORGET about our ROCK – Matthew 7:24
- Reaping… vs. 10-11
- Therefore you will plant pleasant plants and set out foreign seedlings.
- In the day you will make your plant to grow.
- And in the morning you will make your seed to flourish.
- But the harvest will be a heap of ruins in the day of grief and desperate sorrow!
- THEREFORE [עַל־כֵּן] – although Israel planted the FINEST plants…
- They would even get SEEDS from faraway lands [luxurious]
- And in the DAY when they plant them – they would GROW [piel] in the morning…
- But in the DAY of harvest – they would only gather GREIF and incurable SORROW!
- Galatians 6:7 – “God is not mocked for whatever a man sows – that he will also reap.”
- There is no reason why we should be surprised by the outcome of our choices…
- If we are FORGETTING the Lord – FOCUSED on the world…
- Then we have the GUARANTEE – that things are NOT going to end well…
- It is NOT a question – it is as inevitable as reaping what we sow!
- 2nd – Rushing waters… vs. 12-14
- Woe to nations… vs. 12
- Woe to the multitude of many people who make a noise like the roar of the seas.
- And to the rushing of nations that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters!
- WOE [הוֹי] – to the NOISY crowds [הָמוֹן] of MANY [רַבִּים] people…
- They sounds like [כַּ] the ROARING of the SEA [loud]
- NATIONS rushing together like [כַּ] the waves of the mighty sea…
- The people though because of the were UNITED [many voices – many nations]
- That what they DECIDED – what they WANTED – would stand!
- Rebuked… vs. 13
- The nations will rush like the rushing of many waters.
- But God will rebuke them and they will flee far away.
- Chased like the chaff of the mountains before the wind – a rolling thing before the whirlwind!
- But even though the NATIONS were gathered like MANY waters…
- The Lord would REBUKE them – and they would all RUN far away…
- As they were CHASED [piel] – like [כַּ] chaff blown off a mountain by a whirlwind!
- It does not matter WHO we are – or if we think we are RIGHT…
- It does not matter if EVERYONE else agrees with us – Romans 3:4
- The WORD of God is always RIGHT – His word is TRUTH – John 17:17
- No more… vs. 14
- Then behold at eventide – trouble! [But] before the morning – he is no more.
- This is the portion of those who plunder us and the lot of those who rob us!
- Isaiah wraps up by drawing the conclusion for Judah [us]
- BEHOLD – those who PLUNDER and ROB the people of God…
- In the EVENING they will be in TROUBLE – by MORNING they are GONE [אִין]
- By giving us the FATE of SYRIA and ISRAEL…
- Isaiah was showing that the END those who follow the Lord – WIN!
- 1st – The Harvest… vs. 9-11
- 3rd – Wrong solution… vs. 1-7
- 1st – Ethiopia… vs. 1-2
- Shadows… vs. 1
- Woe to the land shadowed with buzzing wings which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia!
- Still working withing this FOURTH burden…
- Isaiah turns his focus – WOE [הוֹי] to the land beyond the rivers – to ETHIOPIA [כּוּשׁ]
- At this point in history – as ASSYRIA rose to become a world power…
- CUSH [Ethiopia] was a KEY ally capable of challenging them militarily…
- They ruled Egypt and were a force to be reckoned with!
- Looking for help… vs. 2
- Which sends ambassadors by sea – even in vessels of reed on the waters.
- Saying: Go swift messengers – to a nation tall and smooth of skin.
- To a people terrible from their beginning onward.
- A nation powerful and treading down whose land the rivers divide!
- Judah – fearing the powerful nations that threatened it…
- Sent MESSENGERS [צִיר] by SEA – in boats with PAPYRUS sails…
- Commanding [imperative] them to go QUICKLY to get HELP [urgent]
- To the people of ETHIOPIA – who were TALL [drawn out] and had SMOOTH skin [shaved]
- They had a REPUTATION from the start of being FEARED [נוֹרָא]
- They were known to marking out their BOUNDARIES [קו קו]
- Whose LAND is divided by the RIVERS [natural boundaries]
- It is easy to see why Judah would look to Ethiopia for answers…
- When we are in NEED – we tend to LOOK for those who seem to have it all together…
- If we lack MONEY – we look to those who are RICH…
- If we are UNHEALTHY – then we look to those who can HEAL…
- If we are at WAR – then we look to those who can help us WIN!
- 2nd – Rejected… vs. 3-6
- Everyone… vs. 3
- All inhabitants of the world and dwellers on the earth.
- When he lifts up a banner on the mountains you see it – when he blows a trumpet you hear it!
- EVERYONE [כָּל] in the world – ANYONE who lives on the earth…
- Just like [כִּ] someone can SEE [רָאָה] when someone lifts up a BANNER on a mountain…
- Just like [כִּ] someone can HEAR [שָׁמַע] when the SHOFAR [שׁוֹפָר] is blown…
- So also should EVERYONE be able to SEE and HEAR what the Lord does and says!
- Patient… vs. 4
- For so the LORD said to me:
- I will take My rest and I will look from My dwelling place.
- Like clear heat in sunshine. Like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest!
- For [כִּי] the LORD said to Isaiah [divine direction]
- He would be QUIET [שָׁקַט] LOOK intently [נָבַט] from heaven [His dwelling place]
- Focused like [כִּ] the intense light of the sun in the HEAT of the day [bright light]
- Patient – like [כִּ] the refreshing cloud that gives rest during the HOT days of the harvest!
- Just because God is NOT acting – does NOT mean He is NOT watching…
- The Lord is NOT a spectator – all things happen according to His counsel – Ephesians 1:11
- But God is PATIENT – He is waiting for His perfect timing!
- II Peter 3:8 – “With the Lord one day is as a thousand years – a thousand years as one day.”
- Cut down… vs. 5-6
- For before the harvest when the bud is perfect – and the sour grape is ripening in the flower.
- He will both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks and take away and cut down the branches.
- They will be left together for the mountain birds of prey and for the beasts of the earth.
- The birds of prey will summer on them and all the beasts of the earth will winter on them!
- For [כִּי] – at the right TIME – before the harvest is RIPE [completed fruit]
- Before the PLANS of men have a chance to be acted upon…
- While the unripe GRAPE is still ripening inside of the FLOWER…
- God will CUT off both the shoots and the branches…
- They BIRDS of the mountains – and BEASTS of the earth…
- Will feast on the fallen branches [soldiers] for a whole summer and winter [year]
- The picture being when the time is RIGHT – and God does ACT…
- The victory will be so COMPLETE – the power of the ENEMY will be broken!
- What tends to get us into the most trouble – is a lack of PATIENCE…
- Because we see the PROBLEM – but do NOT see God working on a SOLUTION…
- Therefore we feel the need to HELP God out [never ends well]
- The better answer is to learn to WAIT upon the Lord – His TIMING…
- Because then we know that in the end there will be complete VICTORY!
- 3rd – Offering… vs. 7
- In that time a present will be brought to the LORD of hosts.
- From a people tall and smooth of skin – from a people terrible from their beginning onward.
- A nation powerful and treading down – whose land the rivers divide.
- To the place of the name of the LORD of hosts – to Mount Zion!
- When the Lord brings the VICTORY – in that TIME…
- A present will be GIFT [שַׁי] to the LORD of Hosts [צְבָאוֹת]
- The GIFT will be from the people of ETHIOPIA [uses same description] – Isaiah 18:2
- They will bring their gift to the LORD – on Mount ZION…
- The people Judah wanted to look to as an ANSWER – they would look to the LORD!
- We have the tendency to LOOK to people as the ANSWER…
- But the truth is they are NO different than we are – they also need HELP…
- We are NOT called to be SOLUTION – we point others to Him…
- Because no matter what we are facing – what TRIAL we are in…
- The only place we are going to find HOPE – is from the Lord!
- 1st – Ethiopia… vs. 1-2