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TH1146: On-Line
Teaching Notes
Please turn in your Bibles to Isaiah chapter 15, as we continue our study through the Word of God. And as I said last week, chapters 13-23 form a section of judgments that God is pronouncing against the gentile nations that were surrounding Israel and Judah. And here in Isaiah chapter 15, God is pronouncing judgment against Moab.
Moab was located on the east side of the Dead Sea, right in the middle of it. Today, Moab is modern day Jordan. Now understand that the Moabites were family, the descendants from Lot, the Nephew of Abraham. But the Moabites treated the Jews very harshly, and God is now bringing judgment upon them.
ISAIAH 15
VERSES 1-4
1. Judgment came upon them suddenly, with devastating affects. These words were spoken around 704 BC. Two years later, in 702 BC, Sargon king of Assyria attacked Arabia. And as they traveled to Arabia they went through Moab, and for a little practice, wiped them out. Then, on the way back, they attacked Moab again, causing even more destruction. Thus, those who survived, were mourning over the events that took place. From the north to the south of the land of Moab, you could hear their cry!
VERSE 5
1. Many people will flee to Zoar, which is about 30 miles away, on the southern end of the Dead Sea. And as Isaiah sees their destruction, he is broken over it. As men and women of God we should not rejoice in the destruction of others. We need to put aside our ego's, and love people as God would. Jesus wept over the lost, He wept over Jerusalem, and may we have that same heart for people - UNCONDITIONAL LOVE!
VERSES 6-8
1. The Assyrians not only destroyed the people, but the land also. They shut up some of the streams, cut down the trees, and just butchered the land, making it very difficult for the people to return, those that had survived the attack.
VERSE 9
1. Because the land had become so desolate, wild animals have come to take up residence there. And those who escaped death by the hands of the Assyrians, will be killed by these wild animals.
2. Now as we move into chapter 16, the focus seems to shift from a near fulfillment, which occurred within 3 years of this prophecy, to a future, compete fulfillment, as you will see.
ISAIAH 16
VERSE 1
1. It seems that the Moabites fled some 50 miles southward, to Sela, or Petra in the Greek, which means "rock", which is the capitol of Edom. And the lamb seems to be a tribute paid to Judah for staying in Petra, for at various times, the Edomites were under the control of Judah. It is here they are resting in safety. (II Kings 3:4).
VERSE 2
1. The Moabites have left their homeland, and are now wandering like a bird who has no home.
2. The fords of Arnon is a valley extending from the middle portion of the Dead Sea, and this valley is about 1700 feet deep, 2 miles wide from edge to edge, with a stream that winds through it, which is only some 40 yards wide.
VERSES 3-5
1. Jesus said in Matthew chapter 24, that at the half way point of the tribulation period, the 3 1/2 year mark, the antichrist will enter the rebuilt temple, set-up his image in the holy of holies, and demand to be worshipped as God. And Jesus warns the Jewish people that when they see this event take place, the abomination of desolation that was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, flee to the mountains. Don't stop to gather your clothes or for anything else, for this man will come after them to destroy them for their refusal to worship him as god!
In Revelation chapter 12, beginning in verse 13, we see what Jesus spoke of, and here it will unfold before our eyes. We read, "Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Revelation 12:13-17.
When this takes place, many Jews will flee to the rock city of Petra, or Sela, where God will protect them for 3 1/2 years, until He is recognized by them as their Messiah, and then He will return to set up His throne.
Now this ancient city has an interesting history, and was a mystery for over a thousand years. It was literally a ghost town that was only known to the outside world by the stories that were told of its once glory. Then, in 1812, John L. Burckhardt, a Swiss adventurer, set out to find this city called Petra. Because he was a foreigner, he was told he would be killed before he reached his goal of finding this city, the Arabs would not let him find it, they would kill him. So he disguised himself as a devout Moslem who was going to offer a sacrifice at the tomb of Aaron, which was located on Mount Nor, which was the place that was overlooking Petra, or so he was told.
Since no true Moslem could deny a fellow worshipper of Mohammed to reach his goal, he was given every aid possible. In fact, a guide led him to the heart of this ancient city.
What he saw was this. A small corridor or opening through the mountain which winds some 3/4 of a mile back into a hidden canyon. This corridor sometimes narrows down so much that only a horse and rider could get through. Thus, it was easy to defend against enemy attack, for they could only get through one at a time. On the sides the rock cliffs rose up some 400 to 800 feet straight up! And as it opened up into this canyon there was the remains of a beautiful city cut into the rock, that at one time some 300,000 people lived. And if any of you saw the movie Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade, at the end of the movie you would have seen this city called Petra with its winding corridor opening up into a beautiful city.
This is the place many believe the Jews will flee to, for it is easily defended as I have said. And there God will protect them from the forces of the antichrist. Interestingly, two men, at different times, purchased thousands of Hebrew Bibles, and highlighted references to this place and the things that would occur, and hid them throughout this ghost town. The city is now empty, only home to tourist, but one day God's people will be protected there for 3 1/2 years, until Christ comes and sets up His kingdom here on earth.
2. Now Isaiah moves back to the near fulfillment, and the destruction of Moab.
VERSES 6-11
1. There is no joy, no singing, no festive occasions at harvest time, because of the devastation that the Assyrians have caused them.
VERSES 12-14
1. Moab was a prideful, haughty people, who looked to their gods for help, but their cry fell on deaf ears and the Assyrians devastated the people and the land, only leaving a few people, a remnant, hiding out in Petra.
2. Now Isaiah is going to pronounce judgment on the Syrians, with their capitol being Damascus. And also included in this judgment will be the Northern Kingdom of Israel, with their capitol being Samaria. Understand that these judgments were not given in chronological order. This prophecy was given in 734 BC, and within 2 years, 732 BC, the Syrians would be defeated by the Assyrians, and then 10 years later, 722 BC, the Northern Kingdom of Israel will fall to the Assyrians.
ISAIAH 17
VERSES 1-2
1. The land will be so desolate that the wild animals will make their home there. Damascus will be a place for grazing for these various animals.
VERSES 3-6
1. Not only will Damascus be destroyed, but so too will the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Only a few people will remain in the land, the weak, the sick, the elderly, who couldn't cause any trouble for the Assyrians. And then the Assyrians would place other people, gentiles in this case, into the land with them, and as they married the Jews that were left in the land, these people came to be known as the Samaritans.
VERSE 7
1. Notice the judgment that came upon them before they would look up to their God. Now it is easy to come against Israel for their idolatry and their failure to hear the voice of God, but is our nation any different? What will it take, what kind of judgment of God must come upon us for us to awaken from our spiritual sleep? For Israel it was being taken captive by the Assyrians that opened their eyes!
VERSES 8-11
1. His rebuke is based upon their turning from Him, looking to idols, looking to themselves for strength instead of the true and living God. That is why judgment came upon them!
VERSE 12
1. The sound that this mighty Assyrian army made was like the roar of the ocean. It must have been a terrifying sound to any city or nation that heard them coming. You see, there was nothing you could do to defeat them, they were to powerful!
VERSES 13-14
1. The Assyrians took the Northern Kingdom of Israel captive, and that was as far as they were suppose to go, God did not want them advancing any farther. But they continued to move against the Southern Kingdom of Judah, and as they surrounded Jerusalem, Hezekiah prayed to God to deliver them. And that very night the angel of the Lord came and destroyed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers and the rest went home fleeing for their lives. And thus, it is as Isaiah said, "Then behold, at eventide, trouble! And 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 17:14.
ISAIAH 18
VERSE 1
1. I don't necessarily see this as a judgment upon Ethiopia, but more of a "Hear Me" or "Listen to Me." It is a "Ho" not a "Woe" that is spoken of hear. Yes the Assyrians oppressed many nations, including the Ethiopians, but we will see them put into check by God and then the response of these people for what the God of Judah has done.
VERSE 2
1. Some see this as speaking of America, but I think that is stretching the text a little too much. That is not what is being said here. Those tall and sleek people, those who traveled by sea or the Nile River, on boats made of reeds, could not be speaking of a people who traveled the ocean or even the Mediterranean Sea. You could not survive on a boat made of reeds on those waters. Thus, as the text says, these are the Ethiopians, a tall and sleek people.
VERSE 3
1. This is speaking of the Assyrians, who were the world power at this time, and not the Ethiopians, for they were not a world power.
VERSES 4-6
1. And this is speaking of the destruction of the Assyrian forces that had gathered around Jerusalem. Remember, 185,000 Assyrian soldiers were killed in one night by the angel of the Lord, and this took place before summer. Thus, these dead bodies became food for the birds in the summer, and there were so many bodies this food lasted into the winter and became food for the beasts of the earth.
VERSE 7
1. The Ethiopians are so thankful that the God of Judah has destroyed the power of the Assyrians that they send a gift to the temple in Jerusalem. A thank you for the destruction of their enemy, the Assyrians, or at least a decrease of their power.
2. Now we are going to move into the destruction of the Egyptians.
ISAIAH 19
VERSES 1-2
1. Some of the judgment against Egypt is that they will see civil war break out. That they will fight against each other. This has occurred in the past and it seems to be on the verge of breaking out again as the Muslims are fighting against a more liberal government.
VERSES 3-4
1. In times of trouble pagan people will turn to their gods for help. But the problem is their cry will fall upon deaf ears. The Assyrians will oppress them, especially Esarhaddon, who conquered Egypt in 671 BC. Listen to what is said in Isaiah chapter 44, beginning in verse 9. We read, "Those who make an image, all of them are useless, And their precious things shall not profit; They are their own witnesses; They neither see nor know, that they may be ashamed. Who would form a god or mold an image That profits him nothing? Surely all his companions would be ashamed; And the workmen, they are mere men. Let them all be gathered together, Let them stand up; Yet they shall fear, They shall be ashamed together. The blacksmith with the tongs works one in the coals, Fashions it with hammers, And works it with the strength of his arms. Even so, he is hungry, and his strength fails; He drinks no water and is faint. The craftsman stretches out his rule, He marks one out with chalk; He fashions it with a plane, He marks it out with the compass, And makes it like the figure of a man, According to the beauty of a man, that it may remain in the house. He cuts down cedars for himself, And takes the cypress and the oak; He secures it for himself among the trees of the forest. He plants a pine, and the rain nourishes it...
...Then it shall be for a man to burn, For he will take some of it and warm himself; Yes, he kindles it and bakes bread; Indeed he makes a god and worships it; He makes it a carved image, and falls down to it. He burns half of it in the fire; With this half he eats meat; He roasts a roast, and is satisfied. He even warms himself and says, 'Ah! I am warm, I have seen the fire.' And the rest of it he makes into a god, His carved image. He falls down before it and worships it, Prays to it and says, 'Deliver me, for you are my god!'" Isaiah 44:9-17.
VERSES 5-10
1. Now this river is the Nile, and many see the fulfillment of this prophecy being the building of the Aswan Dam. It is supposedly one of the great technological wonders of this century and it is also one of the worst ecological disasters. This dam was built with the help of the Russians for 3 basic reasons: to control the flooding problem, to provide abundant hydroelectric power to Egypt, and to open up thousands of acres for farming in Egypt. Great hopes and dreams, but very poor planning, if any at all!
In the early 1970's the United States put out a report listing the Aswan Dam as one of the 3 great ecological dangers and disasters in the world. What went wrong? Every year the Nile River would overflow its banks and bring millions of square feet of rich silt to the area, making the land very fertile. Some would go down to the Mediterranean Sea and would provide food for the fish. This also would prevent the salt water from backing up into the Nile River.
The results of this dam were devastating. The fishing industry that was tremendous at one time, now was almost gone. The fresh water fish disappeared. The salt water fish moved to areas that had better feeding areas. And with the salt water backing up into the Nile River, besides the fresh water fish moving out, it also destroyed millions of acres of fertile land. Also, the flowing of this water would wash away the snails, but now that was not happening and the snails proliferated, and these snails would attach themselves to the reeds, destroying them. Many are so frustrated over the devastating effects of this dam, they just want to blow it up. It seems that this dam and its devastating effects may be what God is speaking of in this judgment.
VERSES 11-12
1. All the wise men who put forth this plan, how foolish they are. They are not gods, they are not even wise, for if they were, they would have never built this dam. In fact Isaiah challenges them to speak of what will take place next in Egypt, what does the future hold? They couldn't even build a dam without causing catastrophic results to the environment, how in the world are they going to be able to tell the future with accuracy?
VERSES 13-17
1. This once great power will be brought low, as weak as a woman.
2. Now we are going to be moving into the millennial kingdom when these nations who once warred against each other, will now come together to worship the Lord.
VERSES 18-19
1. They will speak the Hebrew language and worship the God of Israel.
2. The city of Destruction can also be the city of the Sun or Heliopolis. It was a city to their sun god but now it is a city to the SON OF GOD!
VERSES 20-22
1. Yes, God will judge Egypt, but one day they will turn to Him, they will receive their Savior Jesus Christ, and God will heal them.
VERSES 23-25
1. No longer will these nations be enemies with each other, but they will come together to worship the true and living God. Peace will fill the land.
2. As we close this evening, lets look at several verses that speak of the peace that will fill this land when the prince of peace, Jesus Christ, sets up His kingdom here on earth.
A. PSALM 46:8-10
"Come, behold the works of the LORD, Who has made desolations in the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"
B. ISAIAH 2:4
"He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore."
C. ISAIAH 9:5-7
"For every warrior's sandal from the noisy battle, And garments rolled in blood, Will be used for burning and fuel of fire. For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this."
D. ISAIAH 26:12
"LORD, You will establish peace for us, For You have also done all our works in us."
E. ISAIAH 52:7
"How beautiful upon the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, 'Your God reigns!'"