Is 14:23 - 32, Is 15, 16

So this evening we pick in having just learning about who the devil is, which is Lucifer. We looked at 2 important chapters; and .

From that study we now move forward in at verse 18.

Verse 18 -23 are more judgement against Babylon.

"All the kings of the nations, all of them, sleep in glory, everyone in his own house; but you are cast out of your grave like an abominable branch, like the garment of those who are slain, thrust through with a sword, who go down to the stones of the pit, like a corpse trodden underfoot. You will not be joined with them in burial, because you have destroyed your land and slain your people. The brood of evildoers shall never be named. Prepare slaughter for his children because of the iniquity of their fathers, lest they rise up and possess the land, and fill the face of the world with cities." "For I will rise up against them," says the LORD of hosts, "And cut off from Babylon the name and remnant, and offspring and posterity," says the LORD. "I will also make it a possession for the porcupine, and marshes of muddy water; I will sweep it with the broom of destruction," says the LORD of hosts.

Keep in mind that in God’s eyes and historically speaking all false religion had it’s beginnings in Babylon. There will be no tears when it goes away.

Notice his use of the phrase “abominable branch” . This is an obvious play on

There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.

There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.

The Branch we learned is a Messianic term, speaking of Jesus.

Here though Isaiah is speaking both of the King of Babylon and AC and the spirit behind all this. Quite a picture of their ultimate end.

Remember - The destruction of Babylon - both literal and spiritual will be complete. The LORD will cut off from Babylon the name and remnant. There will not even be a remnant of Babylon left, when the LORD will sweep it with the broom of destruction.

Now Isaiah moves toward judgement against Assyria;

V 24 - 27 The LORD of hosts has sworn, saying, "Surely, as I have thought, so it shall come to pass, and as I have purposed, so it shall stand: That I will break the Assyrian in My land, and on My mountains tread him underfoot. Then his yoke shall be removed from them, and his burden removed from their shoulders. This is the purpose that is purposed against the whole earth, and this is the hand that is stretched out over all the nations. For the LORD of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?"

I will break the Assyrian in My land: God did this powerfully when the Assyrians invaded Judah. describes how God simply sent the angel of the LORD, and killed 185,000 Assyrians in one night. When the people woke up, there were 185,000 dead Assyrian soldiers.

For the LORD of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? God always accomplishes His purpose! His plan is never frustrated! Even when we have no trust at all in our own plan, we can fully trust God's purpose!

God has a purpose for all of us.

Now in verse 28 - 32 he focuses on the judgement against the Philistines;

This is the burden which came in the year that King Ahaz died. "Do not rejoice, all you of Philistia, because the rod that struck you is broken; for out of the serpent's roots will come forth a viper, and its offspring will be a fiery flying serpent. The firstborn of the poor will feed, and the needy will lie down in safety; I will kill your roots with famine, and it will slay your remnant. Wail, O gate! Cry, O city! All you of Philistia are dissolved; for smoke will come from the north, and no one will be alone in his appointed times." What will they answer the messengers of the nation? That the LORD has founded Zion, and the poor of His people shall take refuge in it.

Some see in this a future judgment for "modern Philistines," that is, Palestinians. The name "Palestine" is a Latin name from the name Philista, and this may be a prophetic warning to the Palestinians: do not rejoice in the suffering or downfall of Israel, because worse judgment will befall you.

I love the last verse That the LORD has founded Zion, and the poor of His people shall take refuge in it. No matter what Iran or anyone else has to say!

Chapter 15 Here we have the burden or Heavy message against Moab.

Where is Moab? The region of Moab is the land East of the Dead Sea on the East of the Jordan River, Directly North of Moab is Amon.

The founder of the people of Moab was the son born of the incestuous relationship between Lot and one of his daughters, when his daughters made Lot drunk, after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (). The Moabites settled in the plains to the south-east of Israel, in what is modern-day Jordan.

At times, the Moabites were great enemies of Israel. It was the Balak, king of Moab, who hired Balaam the prophet, hoping that he could curse Israel (). It was Eglon, king of Moab, who oppressed Israel in the days of the Judges (). During the time of Saul and David, Israel established a firm control over Moab, but later kings of Israel were not always able to keep them under Israeli dominance.

At the same time, there was a Moabite connection with Israel. First, they were related to Israel because Lot was Abraham's nephew. Because of this, God told Israel in that they were not to destroy Moab and take their land. As well, David, Israel's greatest king, was one-quarter Moabite. His paternal grandmother Ruth was from Moab, and David entrusted his father and mother to the protection of the king of Moab when he was a fugitive from Saul (). For these reasons, there is a great deal of sadness and empathy on Isaiah's part as he describes the coming judgment on Moab.

1 The burden against Moab.

​​Because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste

​​And destroyed,

​​Because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste

​​And destroyed,

"Most of these sites were originally part of Israel's territory when Moses and Joshua defeated Sihon, King of the Amorites. All the cities north of the Arnon River … once belonged to the tribe of Reuben. Throughout the years, however, the Moabites had persistently pushed the Israelites out of these regions." (Wolf)

2 ​​He has gone up to the temple and Dibon,

At Dibon the Moabite stone was discovered showing the oldest known alphabet.

​​To the high places to weep.

​​Moab will wail over Nebo and over Medeba;

Nebo is where Moses was buried

​​On all their heads will be baldness,

​​And every beard cut off.

3 ​​In their streets they will clothe themselves with sackcloth;

​​On the tops of their houses

​​And in their streets

​​Everyone will wail, weeping bitterly.

4 ​​Heshbon and Elealeh will cry out,

​​Their voice shall be heard as far as Jahaz;

​​Therefore the armed soldiers of Moab will cry out;

​​His life will be burdensome to him.

5 ​​“My heart will cry out for Moab;

​​His fugitives shall flee to Zoar,

​​Like a three-year-old heifer.[fn]

​​For by the Ascent of Luhith

​​They will go up with weeping;

​​For in the way of Horonaim

​​They will raise up a cry of destruction,

6 ​​For the waters of Nimrim will be desolate,

​​For the green grass has withered away;

​​The grass fails, there is nothing green.

7 ​​Therefore the abundance they have gained,

​​And what they have laid up,

​​They will carry away to the Brook of the Willows.

8 ​​For the cry has gone all around the borders of Moab,

​​Its wailing to Eglaim

​​And its wailing to Beer Elim.

9 ​​For the waters of Dimon will be full of blood;

​​Because I will bring more upon Dimon,

​​Lions upon him who escapes from Moab,

​​And on the remnant of the land.”

Moab is a picture of a life that has always had it easy, one that has never really been tested. So when hard times come it is unexpected and harsh.

Jeremiah picked up on this in

11​​“Moab has been at ease from his youth;

​​He has settled on his dregs,

​​And has not been emptied from vessel to vessel,

​​Nor has he gone into captivity.

​​Therefore his taste remained in him,

​​And his scent has not changed.

​The dregs are the sediments that accumulate at the bottom and if the wine is allowed to settle without pouring out to another vessel it will spoil the wine.

12 ​​“Therefore behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD,

​​“That I shall send him wine-workers

​​Who will tip him over

​​And empty his vessels

​​And break the bottles.

Just as so many of these ancient cities we can see the US here as well. In all our lives it is important to face hardship. It adds to our character to be poured from vessel to vessel. If not the wine never matures and ends up bitter and stinking.

​​As the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel, their confidence.

Chapter 16 and more on Moab

1 Send the lamb to the ruler of the land,

This not referring to Jesus but to the required tax that they were to pay to Judah. They were rebelling against Israel at this time and Isaiah is telling them not to.

​​From Sela to the wilderness,

Sela is the rock city of Petra which will become extremely important to the Jews in the last days.

​​To the mount of the daughter of Zion.

2 ​​For it shall be as a wandering bird thrown out of the nest;

​​So shall be the daughters of Moab at the fords of the Arnon.

3 ​​“Take counsel, execute judgment;

​​Make your shadow like the night in the middle of the day;

​​Hide the outcasts,

​​Do not betray him who escapes.

4 ​​Let My outcasts dwell with you, O Moab;

​​Be a shelter to them from the face of the spoiler.

​​For the extortioner is at an end,

​​Devastation ceases,

​​The oppressors are consumed out of the land.

5 ​​In mercy the throne will be established;

​​And One will sit on it in truth, in the tabernacle of David,

​​Judging and seeking justice and hastening righteousness.”

Here we see Isaiah prophesying about the Jews (My Outcasts) taking shelter in Moab. And in V 5 a messianic word.

6 ​​We have heard of the pride of Moab—

​​He is very proud—

​​Of his haughtiness and his pride and his wrath;

​​But his lies shall not be so.

7 ​​Therefore Moab shall wail for Moab;

​​Everyone shall wail.

​​For the foundations of Kir Hareseth you shall mourn;

​​Surely they are stricken.

8 ​​For the fields of Heshbon languish,

​​And the vine of Sibmah;

​​The lords of the nations have broken down its choice plants,

​​Which have reached to Jazer

​​And wandered through the wilderness.

​​Her branches are stretched out,

​​They are gone over the sea.

9 ​​Therefore I will bewail the vine of Sibmah,

​​With the weeping of Jazer;

​​I will drench you with my tears,

​​O Heshbon and Elealeh;

​​For battle cries have fallen

​​Over your summer fruits and your harvest.

10 ​​Gladness is taken away,

​​And joy from the plentiful field;

​​In the vineyards there will be no singing,

​​Nor will there be shouting;

​​No treaders will tread out wine in the presses;

​​I have made their shouting cease.

11 ​​Therefore my heart shall resound like a harp for Moab,

​​And my inner being for Kir Heres.

12 ​​And it shall come to pass,

​​When it is seen that Moab is weary on the high place,

​​That he will come to his sanctuary to pray;

​​But he will not prevail.

13 This is the word which the LORD has spoken concerning Moab since that time. 14 But now the LORD has spoken, saying, “Within three years, as the years of a hired man, the glory of Moab will be despised with all that great multitude, and the remnant will be very small and feeble.”

​Apparently the 3 year time frame was added to his prophesy though we are not sure of the exact date. It is believed that the Assyrians brought the great devastation against Moab.