Isaiah 13:1–14:27 – Against Babylonia And Assyria
Isaiah 14:28–32 – Against Philistia
Isaiah 15–16 – Against Moab
Isaiah 17 – Against Aram
Isaiah 18 – Against Cush
Isaiah 19–20 – Against Egypt And Cush
Isaiah 21:1–10 – Against Babylon
Isaiah 21:11-12 – Against Dumah
Isaiah 21:13–17 – Against Arabia
Isaiah 22 – Against The Valley Of Vision
Isaiah 23 – Against Tyre
Thoughts about serving others
This link includes a list of posts about Serving the Least, the Lost, and the Lonely.
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Let the Word evoke words. May your life encourage lives.
We begin with dire prophesies against Babylon, Babylonia and Assyria (NIV Study Bible notes: it’s important to note that in Isaiah’s time, Babylon was part of the Assyrian Empire, a principal city). God punishes the Israelites with captivity by allowing foreign kings to invade and destroy, but he will not allow the pagan rulers to reign forever, “The Lord will have compassion on Jacob; once again he will choose Israel and will settle them in their own land” (Isaiah 14:1).
Isaiah 14:12 is referred to by Jesus in Luke 10:18 when the 72 return from preaching and healing. Here, Satan is described, “how you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!” Satan will be brought down, cast out without honor, “you will not join them in burial, for you have destroyed your land and killed your people” (14:20). One day.
Some prophesies are timely, “within three years, as a servant bound by contract would count them, Moab’s splendor and all her many people will be despised, and her survivors will be very few and feeble” (16:14).
Damascus will be laid to ruin, “yet some gleanings will remain, as when an olive tree is beaten, leaving two or three olives on the topmost branches, for our five on the fruitful boughs” (17:6). At least some survive, some hope for the future when the people finally turn back to God.
Isaiah 19 tells of a time when the idols of Egypt will be crushed and replaced with those that serve the Lord to such an extent that “in that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria…the Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together” (19:23-25); along with Israel, all will worship the Lord.
Isaiah 22, prophesies against “The Valley Of Vision” (about Jerusalem) for blatant disrespect, for ignoring the One true God are extreme. “Till your dying day this sin will not be atoned for” (22:14), further, “Beware, the Lord is about to take firm hold of you and hurl you away, you mighty man. He will roll you up tightly like a ball and throw you into a large country” (22:17-18).
Isaiah 23, Tyre, “will return to her lucrative prostitution and will ply her trade with all the kingdoms on the face of the earth” (23:17), but the Lord will respond by giving those profits “to those who live before the Lord, for abundant food and fine clothes” (23:18). God will turn the tables on them as well.
This ends the section of judgments against the nations. I suppose that in his time each country would understand the imagery, the pointed words that identify the err of their ways. I wonder if they listened to Isaiah any more than others who prophesied, or perhaps he was just one of those who never gave good prophesies and was thus ignored.
Lord help me to understand how to read this today, how to learn from the rich history you’ve provided through Isaiah. May I have a better understanding of our past and lead others in the future.