Unexplored Terrain
Notes
Transcript
An oracle concerning Moab. Because Ar of Moab is laid waste in a night, Moab is undone; because Kir of Moab is laid waste in a night, Moab is undone.
He has gone up to the temple, and to Dibon, to the high places to weep; over Nebo and over Medeba Moab wails. On every head is baldness; every beard is shorn;
in the streets they wear sackcloth; on the housetops and in the squares everyone wails and melts in tears.
Heshbon and Elealeh cry out; their voice is heard as far as Jahaz; therefore the armed men of Moab cry aloud; his soul trembles.
My heart cries out for Moab; her fugitives flee to Zoar, to Eglath-shelishiyah. For at the ascent of Luhith they go up weeping; on the road to Horonaim they raise a cry of destruction;
the waters of Nimrim are a desolation; the grass is withered, the vegetation fails, the greenery is no more.
Therefore the abundance they have gained and what they have laid up they carry away over the Brook of the Willows.
For a cry has gone around the land of Moab; her wailing reaches to Eglaim; her wailing reaches to Beer-elim.
For the waters of Dibon are full of blood; for I will bring upon Dibon even more, a lion for those of Moab who escape, for the remnant of the land.
Send the lamb to the ruler of the land, from Sela, by way of the desert, to the mount of the daughter of Zion.
Like fleeing birds, like a scattered nest, so are the daughters of Moab at the fords of the Arnon.
“Give counsel; grant justice; make your shade like night at the height of noon; shelter the outcasts; do not reveal the fugitive;
let the outcasts of Moab sojourn among you; be a shelter to them from the destroyer. When the oppressor is no more, and destruction has ceased, and he who tramples underfoot has vanished from the land,
then a throne will be established in steadfast love, and on it will sit in faithfulness in the tent of David one who judges and seeks justice and is swift to do righteousness.”
We have heard of the pride of Moab— how proud he is!— of his arrogance, his pride, and his insolence; in his idle boasting he is not right.
Therefore let Moab wail for Moab, let everyone wail. Mourn, utterly stricken, for the raisin cakes of Kir-hareseth.
For the fields of Heshbon languish, and the vine of Sibmah; the lords of the nations have struck down its branches, which reached to Jazer and strayed to the desert; its shoots spread abroad and passed over the sea.
Therefore I weep with the weeping of Jazer for the vine of Sibmah; I drench you with my tears, O Heshbon and Elealeh; for over your summer fruit and your harvest the shout has ceased.
And joy and gladness are taken away from the fruitful field, and in the vineyards no songs are sung, no cheers are raised; no treader treads out wine in the presses; I have put an end to the shouting.
Therefore my inner parts moan like a lyre for Moab, and my inmost self for Kir-hareseth.
And when Moab presents himself, when he wearies himself on the high place, when he comes to his sanctuary to pray, he will not prevail.
This is the word that the Lord spoke concerning Moab in the past.
But now the Lord has spoken, saying, “In three years, like the years of a hired worker, the glory of Moab will be brought into contempt, in spite of all his great multitude, and those who remain will be very few and feeble.”
It is good to revisit familiar places—but sometimes it can be more exhilarating to venture away from the familiar to get a fresh view.
Remember that 13-23 is a Collection of Prophecies addressed to foreign nations. Often these other nations are less familiar
I hope that you gain a fresh vision for God and his plans for the world this morning.
Background on Moab and Its Demise
Location: Modern Jordan about 30 square miles. It sat east of the Dead Sea.
Moabite beginnings: Descendants of Lot and his daughter
Resistance to Moses and Israel; Balaam
Not allowed into the temple: Deuteronomy 23
Judges and Kings: Perpetual enemies of Israel and Judah
Economy: Sheep and wine; religion: Chemosh (human sacrifice)
Isaiah 15–16 proclaims coming doom for Moab.
Fulfilled in either Assyrian or Babylonian conquest (northern to southern movement in passage), after which Moab ceases to exist (later settled by Arabian tribes).
1. The folly of false worship exposed.
1. The folly of false worship exposed.
a. We see the folly of false worship at the beginning and end of our passage in describing how Moab’s appeals to its gods are fruitfulness (Isa 16:12).
And when Moab presents himself, when he wearies himself on the high place, when he comes to his sanctuary to pray, he will not prevail.
Moab worshipped false gods and were wasting their time
It would be like praying to this pulpit.
a piece of wood can’t DO anything, much less answer prayer
b. Additionally, the disaster shows the worthlessness of Moab’s wealth (Isa 15:7) and the folly of its pride (Isa 16:6).
We have heard of the pride of Moab— how proud he is!— of his arrogance, his pride, and his insolence; in his idle boasting he is not right.
Therefore the abundance they have gained and what they have laid up they carry away over the Brook of the Willows.
Through their economy and plundering of Judah/Israel, they had gained much.
All their acquired wealth couldn’t help them.
We need money. We work for it and try to keep some of it. We enjoy spending it. But praying to or trusting in your money is also pointless.
It is volatile!
It is inanimate!
c. All made sense in prosperity, but are shown to be foolish in disaster.
While we are enjoying good times, we can spend much of our time, energy and wealth on entertainment.
The last couple of years have shown us the folly of that limited perspective.
As judgment came to Moab, they couldn’t buy their way out, they couldn’t fight their way out, nor could they pray their way out.
d. Principle:
sometimes unexpected events can bring about rapid changes of perspective and shifts in how we value things
Remember how the lowly and maligned toilet paper became a precious possession not long ago?
Remember going to the store and finding empty shelves?
We still can’t get what we are seeking!
I never dreamed of living in such times as these.
It is even more so is this the case with the fire of God’s judgment.
AP: Moab’s destruction foreshadows a still greater judgment to befall all nations: The Day of the LORD.
The Day of the LORD in Isaiah 2:
The arrogance of man will be brought low and human pride humbled; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day (Isa 2:11)
The haughty looks of man shall be brought low, and the lofty pride of men shall be humbled, and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.
What do you worship?
i. Religious pluralism
1. You might not think the idolatry note applies.
2. Moabites would have believed in the existence of many gods, one of whom was YHWH.
3. Today’s temptation:
recognizing the validity of multiple, contradictory religious and moral claims. Religious Pluralism.
If different gospels (or none) are being proclaimed, we CANNOT all be right!
4. You risk being labelled a bigot if you reject this—but you risk being shown a fool on the last day if you embrace it.
ii. Materialism—what happens in your heart when the stock market plummets? Is your account your security?
AS inflation rises, is your faith shaken because it was in the dollar not the Lord?
iii. Pride—would you seek humility today?
Live like you will die and face God someday.
The folly of false worship revealed
Repent of religious pluralism, materialism, and pride.
2. The complex heart of God revealed.
2. The complex heart of God revealed.
We see a paradox here in 15 and 16
On one hand, we see God as Moab’s judge—
Moab is guilty.
Moab is being judged
On the other, we see God portrayed as weeping over Moab
My heart cries out for Moab; her fugitives flee to Zoar, to Eglath-shelishiyah. For at the ascent of Luhith they go up weeping; on the road to Horonaim they raise a cry of destruction;
Therefore I weep with the weeping of Jazer for the vine of Sibmah; I drench you with my tears, O Heshbon and Elealeh; for over your summer fruit and your harvest the shout has ceased.
Therefore my inner parts moan like a lyre for Moab, and my inmost self for Kir-hareseth.
God executes the criminals. . . but takes no pleasure in it.
He is a loving Father, not angry and cruel
He upholds justice which demands judgment be poured out on the guilty, but He takes no sadistic pleasure in it!
Here YHWH weeps over . . . Moab!
ESV and NIV in v. 4a refer to “the fugitives of Moab” (following ancient Greek and Syriac manuscripts)—but the traditional Hebrew text reads “my fugitives—Moab” (followed by CSB)
This is not unique to this passage Isa 19:24-25
In that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth,
whom the Lord of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.”
God is God of all NATIONS
He is a global, universal God. All peoples are his; and He loves them.
Remember that the Moabites are not a neutral party as far as Israel is concerned—they are racial and national enemies.
This passage challenges Israelite nationalism—and we should allow it to challenge American nationalism. We should allow it to challenge our racial biases.
AP: What does God love?
People! He sent Jesus to the cross to demonstrate that!
Do you love what God loves?
Do we love all people? Do we weep over their lost condition? Are we stirred up to witness and minister to people?
Pray to share God’s affections for our world.
4. A response of mercy commanded.
4. A response of mercy commanded.
“Give counsel; grant justice; make your shade like night at the height of noon; shelter the outcasts; do not reveal the fugitive;
let the outcasts of Moab sojourn among you; be a shelter to them from the destroyer. When the oppressor is no more, and destruction has ceased, and he who tramples underfoot has vanished from the land,
then a throne will be established in steadfast love, and on it will sit in faithfulness in the tent of David one who judges and seeks justice and is swift to do righteousness.”
They were to be merciful in granting of asylum to refugees; they were to care for the vulnerable
Messiah is foreshadowed in v. 5
Ultimate justice in the Final Kingdom
AP: Vision of the future drives action
(What does God love? Do you love what God loves? Will you join God in what he loves?)
Different angle of application: race, nationality, refugees.
WE should seek how you can serve and love the vulnerable.
That is the responsibility of each of us!
There are people in need close to us right now
WE live next door to them
We work with them
We encounter them daily
Starting point—I’d like you to pray to ask God how you can join him in extending mercy to his world.
Once God reveals that, go do it!
Conclusion: Return to Three Questions
Conclusion: Return to Three Questions
Review of points:
The folly of false worship exposed
Repent of religious pluralism, materialism, and pride.
The Complex Heart of God Revealed
Pray to share God’s affections for our world.
A Response of Mercy Commanded
Ask God how you can join him in extending mercy to his world.