This week we
will continue the study of the Book of Isaiah in the Old Testament.
Following the lament for Moab, the oracle continues to show the fate of Moab in three parts:
- Moab will come to Judah and find deliverance (vv. 1-5);
- But the announced punishment stands. (vv. 6-12)
- In fact, it will happen within three years — likely referring to B.C. 715/714. (vv. 13-14)
16:1-5—Deliverance by Judah
(1) The prophet calls on the Moabites who have fled to Sela (i.e. Petra, near Mount Hor in Arabia) to send lambs to Zion: Apart from being a sign of submission, what might it signify?
(2) As the Moabites flee from their oppressor, where will they turn for refuge?
(3) Where and from whom will they find deliverance? (v. 5)
(4) What might be the spiritual significance of this prophecy?
16:6-12—Moab’s punishment stands
(5) How is their prosperity described?
(6) What contrast is used to depict their demise?
(7) What reasons are given for their punishment? (v. 6 and v. 12)
(8) What then is the message to all nations on earth?
16:13-14—The precise time of destruction prophesied
(9) Why would God choose to give a precise time for their punishment?
(10) What does the reference to the contract of a “hireling” serve to illustrate?
(11) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
After the oracle concerning Moab, now Isaiah’s oracle is directed to Damascus, but not solely. In fact, its main message seems to be directed to Israel, not just the northern kingdom, but Judah as well, with a message of hope and revenge on the invading nations intertwined throughout this oracle. (see Note 1 below)
17:1-6—Oracle Concerning Damascus
(1) As Damascus (the capital city of Aram — see 7:1-9, especially 7:8) joins hands with Israel to invade Judah, the punishment focuses on the fate of their fortified cities:
a. What will happen to the capital city?
b. “Aroer” means “forever”: What will happen to these “forever” cities?
c. However, a remnant will be preserved for Aram: What are they being likened to? (v. 3)
d. Why? (vv. 5-6)
17:7-8—Future Repentance of Israel
(2) Because of the calamities that befall these neighboring nations, and the destruction that Israel would suffer, what is your response to the following?
a. What will happen “in that day”?
b. In describing their repentance, why does Isaiah highlight God as their “Maker” and as the “Holy One of Israel”?
c. In describing their forsaking of idols and altars, why does Isaiah highlight those as “work of their hands…their fingers have made”? (see Note 2 below)
17:9-11—Unavoidable Punishment of Israel
(3) Although their repentance is predicted, the reality remains that their punishment will precede their repentance:
a. It is not totally clear whether “the strong cities” refer to those of Israel or Aram, or both; however, the fate of both are the same and Israel’s seeking help from Aram will prove to be totally futile:
- What then is the message which points out that God is their Savior and Rock?
- What is the result of their dependence on Aram instead of on God?
17:12-14—Destruction of the Nations Used as Israel’s Punishment
(4) What image does Isaiah employ in describing the invading nations? How appropriate is it?
(5) What image does Isaiah employ in describing their fate? How appropriate is it?
(6) With such an eclectic oracle, what might be the message behind it?
18:1-7—Woe to Cush: Cush includes today’s Ethiopia and in 715 B.C., i.e. during Isaiah’s time, began to rule Egypt (i.e. that dynasty was Nubian or Cushite).
(7) The Cushites are asked to be “swift messengers”, because of their swift “papyrus boats”:
a. To whom are they called to be messengers? (both v. 2 and v. 3,
)b. What is the message that they are to deliver? (vv. 4-6)?
(8) Whoever that aggressive nation is, what will happen when God humbles them and the world? (v. 7 and also see 19:25)
(9) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note:
1. Since the Valley of Rephaim (which is southwest of Jerusalem) is mentioned as a sign of the fading glory, this oracle appears to apply to both Israel and Judah.
2. “Asherah was the consort of El, the Canaanite high god. As such, she was the mother-goddess…In the fertility cult she was represented by the grove of trees…At other times the grove seems to have been replaced merely by poles.” (NICOT, Isaiah 1-39, 352)
3. Commentators are divided in their opinions as to who this “people tall and smooth-skinned…of strange speech” are. Many opine that since 18:1 picks up the same “woe” that begins in 17:12, this may continue to refer to the Assyrians (or the many nations that would invade Israel). Since a particular people is being described, and Cush is so close to Egypt which is a country certainly known to be divided by rivers and was feared in the ancient world, I am inclined to see them as the ones being described in this oracle. However, the message is not confined to one people, but “all you people of the world” (18:3).
This is a marvelous oracle in that the harsh punishment of Egypt will turn not only to a tremendous blessing for them, but they in turn will become “a blessing on the earth”:
19:1-15—The Punishment of Egypt
(1) What does riding on a swift cloud denote? (v. 1)
(2) While “the hearts of the Egyptians melt” is understandable, what does the trembling of the Egyptian idols point to? (v. 1)
a. Political turmoil (vv. 2-4)
- What kind of political turmoil will befall Egypt? (vv. 2 and 4; see Note below)
- To whom will they turn? What will be the results? (v. 3)
b. Economic disaster (vv. 5-10)
- What will be the impact on the life of the people when the Nile — the lifeline of their economy — dries up?
c. There is nothing Egypt can do (vv. 11-15)
- Who are the people being held responsible?
- Why?
19:16-22—The Role of Judah
(3) What are the Egyptians likened to at the day of their judgment? (v. 16) Why?
(4) Who will be used by the Lord to inflict them with terror? (v. 17)
(5) When was the last time the Lord used the people of Israel to terrorize them? (Exod. 12:33)
(6) This time, the terror will bring surprising results for Egypt:
a. What does it mean that five cities (out of 30,000 cities, as one commentator puts it) will "speak the language of Canaan (Hebrew) and swear allegiance to the Lord Almighty"? (Note: City of Destruction has lent itself to so many different interpretations; it is best not to speculate but confess that we do not know its meaning.) (v. 18)
b. What do the altar in the heart of Egypt and a monument at its border, both dedicated to the Lord, signify? (v. 19)
c. How will the Lord make Himself known to Egypt? (vv. 20, 22)
19:23-25—The Lord Will Be Worshipped by All
(7) What is that highway that links Egypt to Assyria for? How will it happen? (See Jn. 14:6; Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23)
(8) What might be the reason that Israel is named only as “the third” in this new covenant to worship the Lord? (v. 23)
(9) How will they become a blessing (to others) on the earth?
(10) What does the Lord call Egypt, Assyria and Israel respectively?
(11) How then should we look at the unbelieving world today, especially Egypt and Assyria (Iraq) which are Islamic countries?
(12) What is the main message to you today and how can you apply it to your life?
Note:
K&D offers the following understanding of the fulfillment of
this part of the prophecy in Egypt:
“the national revolution which broke out in Sais and resulted in the overthrow of the Ethiopian rule, and to the federal dodekarchy (government of twelve) to which the rising of the nation led ‘Kingdom against kingdom:’ this exactly suits those twelve small kingdoms into which Egypt was split up after the overthrow of the Ethiopian dynasty in the year 695 until Psammetichus, the dodekarch of Sais, succeeded in the year 670 in comprehending these twelve states once more under a single monarchy. This very Psammetichus…is the hard ruler, the reckless despot” (K&D, 232).
20:1-6—Vivid Prediction of the Fate of Egypt and Ethiopia
(1) What was the historical setting of this oracle?(Ashdod is the northernmost of the five major cities of the Philistines.)
(2) What does the Lord ask Isaiah to do in announcing the judgment of Egypt and Cush? (see Note below) Why?
(3) What lesson does the Lord expect Israel to learn from the demise of Egypt and Cush in the hands of Assyria?
21:1-10—Oracle Concerning Babylon: This oracle is meant for Babylon because it says so in v. 9 and the Euphrates was called a “sea” in the ancient time. It is important to note that while the prophecy was likely made in the late 700s, Babylon only became a world power in 605 and within a short time invaded and ruined Jerusalem, but it in turn was overpowered by the Medes and Persians in 539:
(4) How does the Lord depict Babylon in v. 1?
(5) How does the Lord depict the enemy of Babylon? (v. 2)
(6) How does seeing this particular oracle impact Isaiah? (Vv. 3-4)? Why?
(7) How does the vision of v. 5 correspond to the end of the Babylonian Empire in Daniel 5?
(8) In the vision, Isaiah is asked to post a watchman through whom the fall of Babylon is depicted: For whom is this vision meant? (v. 10) What is the message to them?
21:11-12—Oracle Concerning Edom: While scholars debate what “Dumah” refers to, the context is clear that the oracle is directed to Edom because of the reference to Seir, the mountainous country to the south of Palestine, where Esau resided (Gen. 36:8-9). It was taken over by Edom after the expulsion of the Horites (K&D, 250).
(9) Continuing the vision of the watchman, what does the question about what’s left of the night (for Edom) signify?
(10) What does the answer from the watchman signify?
21:13-17—Oracle Concerning Arabia: According to Oswalt, Dedan and Tema are located in the region known as Kedar in the northwestern part of the Arabian desert (see NICOT, Isaiah 1-39, 400).
(11) It appears that Arabia was an ally of Babylon (as Nabonidus, the father of Belshazzar of Daniel 5 adopted Tema as his self-imposed exile-capital in 552):
a. What will such an ally do to Arabia?
b. What is the importance of the specifying of one year?
(12) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note:
“Egypt and Ethiopia were at that time one kingdom.”
(K&D, 243)
“When Ethiopian Shabako was able to consolidate Upper and Lower Egypt in 714, he immediately began to foment rebellion against Sargon…The leading city of the revolt was Ashdod (of Philistine), over which Sargon had set up a regent favorable to himself (who)… was deposed and another man, Yamani, was made king, apparently in 713…the Assyrians report a swift victory, with Yamani fleeing to Egypt and Ashdod falling in 711. The Egyptians…meekly handed over a bound Yamani, undertaking to send him all the way to Assyria.”
(NICOT, Isaiah 1-39, 382-3)
The Oracle concerning Jerusalem—Jerusalem is no better than the nations:
22:1-4—The Way the City Will Fall
(1) In that day of destruction:
a. How did the people die and where were the leaders captured?
b. What kind of a scene is being depicted?
c. Why does the prophet refuse to be consoled?
22:5-11—The Powerful Assyrians (as represented by Elam and Kir)
(2) How does the Lord depict the powerful invasion of the enemies?
(3) What effort does Jerusalem put up to strengthen itself?
(4) What will be the outcome and why?
22:12-14—The People’s Response to Isaiah’s Warning
(5) What has Isaiah been calling to people to do?
(6) What is their response and why?
(7) What then will the result be? (v. 14)
22:15-25—The Sin of Shebna and His Replacement
(8) Now the Lord picks Shebna who is in charge of the palace as an example of the sin of the people, especially the leaders (see 2 Ki. 18:18)
a. What are the title and responsibilities of Shebna?
b. Why is it wrong for him to cut out a grave for himself?
c. What will happen to him and where will he die?
d. Why is he a disgrace to his master?
(9) Shebna
will be replaced by Eliakim, son of Hilkiah — the prophecy that follows
obviously speaks beyond the person of Eliakim, and into the future. Consider the following questions:
a. To whom will he be a father? What does it mean?
b. What will he shoulder? (see 9:6)
c. What is the key to be placed on him? (Rev. 3:7)
d. Like a peg, he will be driven into a firm place. What is that place?
e. What will be hung upon him?
f. Given the above, who could this “servant” be?
(10) But this person who is so firmly driven into a firm place will give way and be cut down:
a. How can it be?
b. Why? (see 53:8; Dan. 9:26)
(11) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
This chapter concludes the section of oracles concerning the nations (beginning with Babylon from the east in chapter 13), and it is about Tyre, the very wealthy sea-port nation to the west of Israel:
23:1-14—The Overthrow of Tyre
(1) The trading partners of Tyre are mentioned in vv. 1-3 and they include Tarshish (most likely Spain), Cyprus in the Mediterranean, Sidon (its neighbor which later replaced her in dominion in the region) and Shihor (most likely referring to Egypt). Based on these three verses, together with vv. 6-8, what can you deduce about the prosperity and importance of Tyre?
(2) How will these trading partners respond to the news of the fall of Tyre? (v. 4)
(3) Based on the fact that Tyre was famous for its wealth based on her harbor, consider these questions:
a. What kind of change is predicted about her economy in v. 10?
b. With the destruction of the fortresses of this Phoenician city (v. 11), what impact will it have on her trading partners, Sidon and Cyprus in the same region?
(4) What should Tyre learn from the fate of Babylon? (see Note below)
23:15-18—Restoration of Tyre
(5) In what way is the fate of Tyre similar to that of Jerusalem? (see 2 Chr. 36:21)
(6) Why is Tyre still compared to a prostitute?
(7) But how will her profit be used after God has dealt with her? What might it mean?
(8) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note:
While Babylon eventually replaced Assyria as
the dominant world power after Isaiah’s time, during his time,
“The Assyrians had conquered the city (of Babylon) stripping its palaces and reducing it to a ruin. While Sargon’s attack in 710 may be the one referred to, it seems more likely that Sennacherib’s much more thorough overthrow of the city in 689 is the one in view” (NICOT, Isaiah 1-39, 434-5).
Fittingly, at the conclusion of his oracles concerning the nations, this section (from chapter 24-27) focuses on the triumph of God over all the earth and for His people. Chapter 24 addresses the combined fate of all the earth.
24:1-3—Devastation for All
(1) Which four verbs are used to describe the judgment coming upon the earth in v. 1?
(2) What is the sum of them? (v. 3)
(3) What is being emphasized in v. 2?
24:4-13—The Whole Earth is Dried Up
(4) V. 5 points out the reason for such a complete devastation. Reflect on them carefully:
a. What is meant by the earth being defiled? What was the earth like at its creation?
b. What are the law and statutes of the Lord meant for? How do people of the earth break and violate them?
c. What “covenants” has the Lord entered into with the people of the earth? (See Gen. 1:28-30 for the Adamic Covenant; Gen. 9:1-17 for the Noahic Covenant)? How did the people break the “everlasting” covenant?
(5) With the breach of the covenant, what consequences do the people of the earth have to suffer?
a. In particular, what is the emphasis of vv. 6-9?
b. What might be the cause for “the entrance of every house” being barred? (i.e. all doors and windows)
c. What is the imagery used in v. 13 to denote its utter devastation?
24:14-16—The Responses of the Whole Earth with Worship
(6) Where do these praises come from?
(7) What do they call the God of Israel? (v. 16) Why?
24:17-23—God Reigns
(8) Yet, the vision of the coming calamities (before the earth comes to praise God) is too horrific for Isaiah to join in at the moment:
a. What further calamity is depicted in vv. 16-17?
b. What additional devastation is depicted in vv. 18-20, 23?
c. Before the Lord can reign, what other powers need to be punished other than the kings of the earth below? (v. 21)
(9) What then was the message to the immediate audience of Isaiah (the kings and people of Judah)?
(10) What then is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?