Isaiah 13, 14, 15, 16, 17

I am text block. Click edit button to change this text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.            The word “burden” connotes a “voice of warning of impending doom.” Chapter 13 addresses the actual nation of Babylon and symbolically the “wicked in the world at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Parables tell two stories, one is imminent and the other symbolic of a higher spiritual principle. Isaiah often tells two stories, one is of a literal event that will befall a nation and the other prophetic proclamations about a future event. Most of Isaiah’s prophetic pronouncements are about the life and mission of the Messiah.

Isaiah 13:

¶ 1 The burden [voice of warning of impending doom] of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see. [A call to war] 2 Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates[1] of the nobles. 3 I have commanded my sanctified ones [the instruments in the Lord’s hands], I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness. 4 The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the LORD of hosts mustereth the host of the battle. 5 They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of his [the Lord’s] indignation, to destroy the whole land.

¶ 6 Howl ye; for the day of the LORD [Assyrian and Babylonian Invasions and later the Second Coming]is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt: 8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames. 9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.

Signs of the Time at the Second Coming

10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. 11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. 12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir. [Ophir in Saudi Arabia was known as the purest gold in the world].

The Earth is Literally to Leave this Orbit

See Also Isaiah 24:19-20

13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger. 14 And it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that no man taketh up: they shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land.

The Destruction of the Wicked

15 Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is joined unto them shall fall by the sword. 16 Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished. [Must read Deuteronomy 28:15-68] 17 Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it. [You cannot buy your way out]. 18 Their bows also shall dash the young men to pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eye shall not spare children. ¶ 19 And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.

The Destruction will be so Complete that Only Lizards will Occupy the Palaces of the Wealthy

 20 It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there. 21 But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there. 22 And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.

Isaiah 14: Scattered Israel will be gathered together. The Jews will return to their own land. The word “Stranger” means gentile or someone who is not of Israel. These strangers were those who oppressed Israel and now will become servants of the Lord with Israel.

¶ 1 For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob. 2 And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors. 3 And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve,

Lucifer means “The Morning Star.”[2]

            Lucifer was an honored title and according to WW Phelps he was second born after Jehovah.[3] Whether that is true or not it was certain that Lucifer was in a high and noble position before he fell. The word “Devil” means A Godly Person-Fell.” Deus-fil. The Prophet Joseph said that Lucifer fell from his “godified state”.[4] “In traditional Christian theology the devil is referred to as “a fallen angel, expelled from heaven for rebellion against God.”[5]  Moses adds the insight that the war in heaven was fought over agency. Lucifer, “sought to destroy the agency of man, which I the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down,” (Moses 4:3), to earth.” (Rev 12:9). The Apostle Paul referred to Lucifer as the “God of this world.” (2 Cor 4:4). John calls the Devil, “the prince of this world.” (John 12:31). Isaiah referred to him as the “king of Babylon.”

¶ 4 That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, [Satan] and say, “How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!” 5 The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers. 6 He (Satan) who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth. 7 The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing. 8 Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us. 9 Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. 10 All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? Art thou become like unto us? 11 Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee. 12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. [Outer Darkness]. 16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; 17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners? 18 All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house. 19 But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcass trodden under feet. [Outer Darkness]. 20 Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned. 21 Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities. 22 For I will rise up against them, saith the LORD of hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the LORD. 23 I will also make it a possession for the bittern [bittern is a species of wading bird in the heron family that spooks easily], and pools of water: and I will sweep it [Babylon or the World] with the besom [Broom] of destruction, saith the LORD of hosts. ¶ 24 The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:

The Earthly Kingdoms who Persecuted Israel will be Destroyed!

First the Assyrian and next the Palestinians

25 That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them [the chosen people], and his burden depart from off their shoulders. 26 This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations. 27 For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? And his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?

Palestina [Philistines]

 28 In the year that king Ahaz died [728 BC] was this burden. ¶ 29 Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken: for out of the serpent’s root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent. 30 And the firstborn of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety: and I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay thy remnant. 31 Howl, O gate; cry, O city; thou, whole Palestina, art dissolved: for there shall come from the north a smoke, and none shall be alone in his appointed times.

At the End of the World Good Triumphs Over Evil

32 What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation? That the LORD hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it.

¶ Isaiah 15: Modern day Jordan on the east side of the Jordan River and the Dead [Salt] Sea now occupies the land of ancient Moab. The daughters of lot were the progenitors of both the Moabites and the Ammonites. Ruth, an ancestor of King David was from Moab. Ar, Bajith, Dibon, Medeba, Heshbon, Elealeh, Jahaz, Luhith, Horonaim are all the major towns in Moab. The entire country is mountains and filled with valleys. These cities were all built by the side of one of the many rivers flowing down from the mountains. Nebo is Mt Nebo where Moses watched Joshua and the children of Israel cross over the Jordan River and enter into the Promised Land. Zoar was said to be a flourishing oasis where the balsam, indigo, and date trees bloomed luxuriantly. It was located at the bottom of the Dead Sea. The reference to “an heifer of three years old” is a strange statement. Abraham was commanded to offer up “an heifer of three years old.” (Gen 15:9). It is unclear whether this had reference to the idea that Moab was to be a like sacrifice or whether it was symbolic of how fast the survivors would flee. Maybe both.

¶ 1 The burden [the voice of warning of impending doom] of Moab. Because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence; because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence; 2 He is gone up to Bajith, and to Dibon, the high places, to weep: Moab shall howl over [Mt] Nebo, and over Medeba: on all their heads shall be baldness, and every beard cut off. 3 In their streets they shall gird themselves with sackcloth: on the tops of their houses, and in their streets, every one shall howl, weeping abundantly. 4 And Heshbon shall cry, and Elealeh: their voice shall be heard even unto Jahaz: therefore the armed soldiers of Moab shall cry out; his life shall be grievous unto him. 5 My heart shall cry out for Moab; his fugitives shall flee unto Zoar, an heifer of three years old: for by the mounting up of Luhith with weeping shall they go it up; for in the way of Horonaim they shall raise up a cry of destruction. ¶ 6 For the waters of Nimrim [“pure” or “wholesome water.”] shall be desolate: for the hay is withered away, the grass faileth, there is no green thing. 7 Therefore the abundance they have gotten, and that which they have laid up, shall they carry away to the brook of the willows. 8 For the cry is gone round about the borders of Moab; the howling thereof unto Eglaim, and the howling thereof unto Beerelim. ¶ 9 For the waters of Dimon shall be full of blood: for I will bring more upon Dimon, lions upon him that escapeth of Moab, and upon the remnant of the land.

Isaiah 16: This chapter continues to decry the fate of Moab. The Lord is saying that all worldly kingdoms great and small will be brought to bow the head and bend the knee and confess that Jesus is the Messiah and that Christ will rule from old world Jerusalem and from the American Zion. The Moabites were known for their abundant flocks of sheep. Sela is Petra the capital of the nomadic empire that controlled the trade in spices, especially frankincense and spikenard. The Moabites were commanded to send sheep unto the daughter of Zion or Jerusalem. Because of the destruction that will befall the Moabites, they are encouraged to make a peace offering with Jerusalem. Judah is counseled to help shelter those that escape from the pending doom which will cause the Moabites to scatter. From another spiritual perspective the surviving Moabites are being asked to accept the Messiah.

¶ 1 Send ye the lamb to the ruler of the land from Sela to the wilderness, unto the mount of the daughter of Zion. 2 For it shall be, that, as a wandering bird cast out of the nest [refugees], so the daughters of Moab shall be at the fords of Arnon. 3 Take counsel, execute judgment; make thy shadow as the night in the midst of the noonday; hide the outcasts; bewray not him that wandereth.

Judah counseled to help the fleeing Moabites

4 Let mine outcasts dwell with thee  Moab; be thou [Judah], a covert to them from the face of the spoiler: [Assyrians or Christ at the Second Coming] for the extortioner is at an end, the spoiler ceaseth, the oppressors are consumed out of the land.

The Messianic King (Christ)

5 And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he [Christ] shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment [charity and justice], and hasting righteousness. [Because of pride, if Moab rejects the Messiah, their destruction is made sure.] ¶ 6 We have heard of the pride of Moab; he is very proud: even of his haughtiness, and his pride, and his wrath: but his lies shall not be so. 7 Therefore shall Moab howl for Moab, every one shall howl: for the foundations of Kirhareseth shall ye mourn; surely they are stricken. 8 For the fields of Heshbon languish, and the vine of Sibmah: [Sibmah was the wine capital much like Napa Valley California] the lords of the heathen have broken down the principal plants thereof, they are come even unto Jazer, [Jazer was known for it grassy fields and livestock] they wandered through the wilderness: her branches are stretched out, they are gone over the sea. ¶ 9 Therefore I will bewail with the weeping of Jazer the vine of Sibmah: I will water thee with my tears, O Heshbon, and Elealeh: for the shouting for thy summer fruits and for thy harvest is fallen. 10 And gladness is taken away, and joy out of the plentiful field; and in the vineyards there shall be no singing, neither shall there be shouting: the treaders shall tread out no wine in their presses; I have made their vintage shouting to cease. 11 Wherefore my bowels shall sound like an harp for Moab, and mine inward parts for Kirharesh [A walled city]. ¶ 12 And it shall come to pass, when it is seen that Moab is weary on the high place, that he shall come to his sanctuary to pray; but he shall not prevail. [Turning to their false god Chemosh will not save them.] 13 This is the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning Moab since that time. 14 But now the LORD hath spoken, saying, Within three years, as the years of an hireling, and the glory of Moab shall be contemned [contemptable], with all that great multitude; and the remnant shall be very small and feeble. [This is a message to all gentile nations to turn unto Christ or suffer the consequences of your own destruction.]

Isaiah 17: This chapter recounts the message of the destruction of the impending doom which will befall not only Syria but also the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Isaiah 7:1-2, 16 and 8:4). The fulfillment of Isaiah’s words are found in (2 Kings 15:29).

¶ 1 The burden [the voice of warning of impending doom] of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap. 2 The cities of Aroer are forsaken: they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid. 3 The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria: they shall be as the [no] glory of the children of Israel, saith the LORD of hosts.

The Destruction is so complete that there will only be a small remnant left in the land.

4 And in that day it shall come to pass, that the glory of Jacob shall be made thin, and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean. 5 And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the corn [grain, there was no maize or corn in the Bible], and reapeth the ears [shafts] with his arm; and it shall be as he that gathereth ears in the valley of Rephaim. ¶ 6 Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith the LORD God of Israel. [A remnant shall survive] 7 At that day [Second Coming] shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel. 8 And he shall not look to the [false] altars, the work of his hands, neither shall respect that which his fingers have made, either the [pagan] groves, or the [heathen] images.

¶ 9 In that day shall his strong cities be as a forsaken bough, and an uppermost branch, which they left because of the children of Israel: and there shall be desolation.

Why are these disasters coming upon them?

10 Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength [Christ], therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips: [apostasy] 11 In the day shalt thou make thy plant to grow, and in the morning shalt thou make thy seed to flourish: but the harvest shall be a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow. ¶ 12 Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters! [The Assyrian army was made up of soldiers who were conscripted from the countries and nations they conquered]. 13 The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing [tumbleweed] before the whirlwind. 14 And behold at evening tide trouble; and before the morning he is not. [dead]. [This event literally happened when 185,000 Assyrian soldiers were smitten by the angel of the Lord like unto the angel of death passing over the homes in Egypt and slaying the firstborn whose doors and lintels were not marked with lamb’s blood. At evening tide they were smitten and in the morning they were all dead.] (Isaiah 37:36).  This is the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us.