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The burden of Moab, which stretches through chapter 15 and 16 is one in a series of messages concerning the Gentile nations that surrounded Israel. For many of these tribes and countries, it meant a punishment and being permanently wiped out as a civilization, and for others it came as a judgment, restoration, and reappearance at a later time. The prosperous nation of Moab, which was a tribe formed by the offspring of Lot’s relationship with his daughter, is the object of Isaiah’s message in this chapter. We see the need for God’s judgment as they worshiped the idol god, Chemosh, and according to Jeremiah 48:29 (and even in the next chapter of Isaiah), “We have heard of Moab’s pride – how great is her arrogance! — of her insolence, her pride, her conceit and the haughtiness of her heart.”

In chapter 16, we learn that the punishment of Moab is finite and near, but the most remarkable aspect of this passage falls on verse 5, when the heart of God “cries out over Moab”. We see that although God’s judgment is always decisive and complete, he does not rejoice in punishing His people, even towards those who deserve it. David said of God in Psalm 103:10 that “He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.” God is slow to bring judgment, and even when that time comes, we see God’s tenderness towards His creation. And for the Moabites, the plan of God for Moab culminates in the next chapter with Isaiah’s ultimate messianic prophecy: “In love a throne will be established; in faithfulness a man will sit on it.”

In fact, the mercy of God does not just extend to those who love Him. Matthew 5:45 says that “He causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” In that agrarian society, He gave sunshine and rain to those who loved Him and those who despised Him in equal portions. As believers today, we can be sure that there will be an exacting judgment on the wicked one day, but He calls us to be generous, slow to anger, and loving to our enemies out of our love of God’s intentional creation and our ultimate belief in His sovereign purpose.

Reading through this passage, we see a full picture of God’s character on display. Sometimes we shy away from passages like this because it shows how just God the Father is. This was before Jesus came to pay for the evil and sin in the world so, like the rest of the Old Testament, it is full of God judging evil and can be quite off-putting to us. However, it is a good reminder that He is completely and totally good. and therefore He cannot tolerate evil. Digging into the beginning of Isaiah 14 also shows us a few different things:

• God is compassionate towards his people (v. 1): “For the Lord will have compassion on Jacob and will choose Israel again.”
• God loves a redemption story (v. 1). He will choose Israel again!
• He is a God of peace; He wants us to feel rested and settled (v. 1). He will settle them on their own land. 
• He enjoys giving His people nice things and His way is something to be desired (v. 1). The resident aliens or strangers will see what God’s people have and want it 
• He is an avenger (not the Marvel kind, the perfect kind). God turns the people into slaves that once had His people as slaves (v. 2) 

 And that is just in the first two verses of this chapter! If we continued to put a magnifying glass up to each sentence of this chapter, we could see dozens of instances of God’s character in this chapter alone. As we see throughout Isaiah (and all throughout scripture), justice is important to God. Imagine if we not only read our Bibles looking for God’s character, but we lived our lives like that. What if we were on the lookout for Him everywhere? We can see Him in the sunset, in the trees, in His beautiful people, in how He wired each of us, and so much more! 

In this chapter, Isaiah is given the prophecy of Babylon’s downfall. This prophecy goes into very specific detail. This isn’t a fortune cookie prophecy that is purposefully vague so that it will always be true. When the people eventually witness the prophecy come to fruition, they will know it came from the Lord without room for doubt. At the time, Judah’s people might have been confused as to the exact significance of this prophecy as they had yet to discover that the Baylonians were going to conquer their people, take them out of their land, and bring them into exile at Babylon. This is understandable since this event will not occur until about 60 years later. What is even more mysterious to the people of Judah is the mention of Medes. 

According to the Enduring Word commentary, this prophecy is made decades before Babylon defeated Assyria and became a superpower, and it will be even longer until the Medes rebel against Babylon. However, despite the decades between the prophecy and the first fulfillment of the prophecy, it all came true. Many times we hear “How can there be a God, when _________ exists in the world?” When one witnesses the fulfillment of a prophecy like this one, it evokes an even stronger reaction of “How can there not be a God, when His prophecies like this are fulfilled by His prophets?” 

Furthermore, when prophecies like this one bring us to the conclusion or confirmation that God exists and is supreme over everything, it should make us fearfully realize how important sin is to God. This whole passage of Isaiah 13 goes into gruesome detail of the punishment of “sinners” stemming from God’s “wrath.” His wrath against this city is thorough stating that “she will never be inhabited or lived in through all generations” (v. 20). This is even more impressive and significant when you realize how important Babylon is! Babylon is mentioned 287 times in the Bible (more than any other city except Jerusalem). Babylon is the embodiment of those opposed to God. This can be seen in Revelation 17:5-7 (and many other places throughout scripture).

Merrill Tenney, a twentieth century New Testament scholar, in his book Interpreting Revelation says, “Babylon, to them (the Jews), was the essence of all evil, the embodiment of cruelty, the foe of God’s people, and the lasting type of sin, carnality, lust and greed.” Ultimately, we can expect to be treated likewise for our sin when judgment day comes if it weren’t for Jesus. ‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus!

Towards the end of this section of Isaiah highlighting Israel’s choice between trusting in God or trusting in Assyria, we’re met with two short songs of praise. This brief chapter reads like something we could expect to find in the book of Psalms, not in the midst of one of the major prophets. But there’s a reason this quick psalm is placed here! Isaiah is trying to make a point: These are songs of gratitude to be sung by the faithful remnant on “that day”–a reference to when all is right and Israel’s relationship with God is restored and the Messiah is reigning. 

Reading through these songs, there are reminders that we can meditate on and apply to our own lives as follow Jesus even though we’re reading this passage through a different lens than Isaiah’s original audience. First, we need to daily remind ourselves that God is our salvation (v. 2). Our salvation doesn’t come from our good works, our reputations, or the money in our bank accounts. It’s a free gift that we received because God loved us enough to send Jesus. While we may be tempted to go searching for satisfaction or comfort or safety elsewhere, it’s truly only going to come from God and God alone.

The second reminder for us today comes in verses 4-5:

“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;

    make known among the nations what he has done,

    and proclaim that his name is exalted.

Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things;

    let this be known to all the world.”

In the same way that the remnant of Israel were instructed to “proclaim his name” and “make known among the nations what he has done”, we have the exact same call on our lives. We are to carry the Good News of Jesus with us as we go about our daily lives (Matthew 28:19-20) as Christ’s ambassadors here on earth (2 Corinthians 5:20). We are called to carry the Gospel forward with hearts of gratitude for what He has done for us (and for the world). Let’s be people that do exactly that today. 

Anytime a wildfire destroys a forest, there is opportunity for regrowth. Isaiah 10 ended with the prophecy of God cutting down the proud as if they were mighty trees. In Isaiah 11, the Lord now looks over a barren forest full of stumps and ripe for the opportunity for regrowth. Out of those stumps, a branch emerges. But this is not simply a tinder branch, but one that is full, filled with life and hope. Even the declaration that this Messiah will come from the stump of Jesse, a humble man of much less significance than his son (King David), points to the humility of Jesus (v. 1). 

Isaiah 11 points to what life will look like under the Messiah’s reign and His restored Kingdom that is to come. The perfect character of the Messiah is described: His delight is in the fear of the Lord, he judges with righteousness, he has the power to cast judgment on the wicked, and righteousness shall be the belt of his loins (v. 4-5). These qualities are mirror images of God’s character. 

There is a comfort that can be found in this chapter, because in the midst of revolutionary change there is also incredible hope. This hope is the casting out of the wicked, and rebirth of a strong nation that is deeply rooted in the spiritual empowerment of the Messiah. This passage also points to a day where all people–both Jews and Gentiles–will live under the sovereign reign of the Messiah. Paul references this in Romans where he says that “The root of Jesse will appear, the one who rises to rule the Gentiles; the Gentiles will hope in him” (15:12). God’s plan has always been for all people to be reconciled back to Him. 

Just as this was a message of hope for the people of Isaiah’s time, we too, can look forward to the day where God reconciles all things back to Himself. As followers of Jesus, we have a hope that is like “an anchor for the soul, firm and secure” (Hebrews 6:19). We need to consistently remind ourselves of this hope, and that this life is as bad as it will ever get. There is a day coming where everything will be at peace again, much like the scene we read about in this chapter (v. 6-9). Let’s cling on to this hope today.

Reading through the words of Isaiah in this chapter, he seems to be a little all over the map. First, he issues a warning against those who make oppressive laws (which is not uncommon throughout this book). We know after reading the previous nine chapters that God hates the oppression of marginalized. He then speaks of God’s judgment that is headed towards Assyria. Their wickedness and arrogance had caught up with them and Isaiah warned them of the impending judgment coming their way.

Finally, towards the end of the chapter, Isaiah says something interesting: There is going to be a remnant of God’s people who are protected in all of this and ultimately return back to the God who has loved them all along (v. 20-23). This promise here is a glimmer of hope in the midst of the chaos, death, and destruction all around them. It would have been easy for them to feel like they had been completely forgotten and left on their own, but God reminds them here that he will always protect the faithful remnant. This reminder is as true for us today as it was to Isaiah’s original audience. 

It’s easy for us to feel like the world is on fire all around us today. There is chaos, sin, death, and destruction all around us due to people turning their backs on God. But we, too, have a glimmer of hope in the midst of all of this. Because of Jesus, the destruction that sin causes doesn’t leave us hopeless with a fatalistic worldview. Instead, we get to live with a confident hope that life on earth is as bad as it will ever get for followers of Jesus. For those that truly rely on the Lord (v. 20), we can trust that God will preserve and protect us. How do we do that? We start by looking for opportunities to be faithful witnesses of the Gospel each day. We live as salt and light in the world. We point people to Jesus through each conversation and interaction we have. This is how to live as the faithful remnant. 

Isaiah 8 finishes on a dour note, calling out to the “distressed and hungry” people to look to God, all while assuring us they will not. Isaiah explains that they will instead look to themselves and see only distress and darkness. Yet Isaiah 9 has a magnificent opening message: Those who are walking in darkness will see a great light. God’s goodness and kindness will dawn on the people and it won’t be because they deserve it. 

In 2 Chronicles 7:14, God says the people need to call on his name and, if they do, He will heal their land. In Isaiah 9, God takes all of the conditions off of His mercy. We don’t see repentance in Isaiah 8, but instead we see rebellion. We don’t even see it in Isaiah 9 after the great light has dawned. We merely see that the “zeal of the Lord Almighty” will accomplish this breakthrough of grace. He is enacting his mercy and his goodness simply because that is what he is like, not because his people have met the conditions necessary for him to reveal himself.

And in this short verse, we see an expansive explanation of what his plan of salvation is for his wayward children and we see the character of the God who will save. Verse 7 says that a child will be given to us and the government will be on his shoulders. This prophecy ties directly with the prophecy two chapters earlier that tells us the virgin will be with child and that this child will be called God-with-us. We know then that this child represents the truth that God is with us, but Isaiah 9 doubles down on the concept. Not only do we understand from this verse that God is with us, but we understand that this child is God. And if we look at the names by which the Triune God has revealed himself to man throughout scripture, Isaiah 9:6 offers a very interesting insight. This son is called the “Wonderful Counselor” (a descriptor used solely for the Holy Spirit in the New Testament), “Everlasting Father” (a descriptor used solely for the Godhead, YHWH, in other passages), and “Prince of Peace” (a descriptor used to describe Jesus, the Son). And all three of these are embodied in the child that is to come; the “Mighty God”. 

We don’t need to look any further for Biblical evidence that Jesus is the triune God made flesh. All uncertainties about his divinity were settled hundreds of years before his advent. The sad news is that in verse thirteen, we see that the people still do not submit their hearts to this savior. Israel’s salvation will fall completely on the will and grace of a God who works on behalf of obstinate people to draw them to Himself.

In the Old Testament, we often see God use the enemies of Israel to punish and chasten His chosen ones. As people, the idea of subjecting the person or people you love to the grief, heartache, and even physical pain of a sworn enemy is inconceivable and incalculable. And yet, God demonstrates that His love for us is infinitely more powerful than anything we can understand. Deuteronomy 5:9-10 casts a picture this Old Testament pursuit of His people: “You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.”

In Isaiah 8, we revisit the promise that God made in the previous chapter that Judah would not be overtaken by the Aram-Ephraim alliance. The unspoken (but equally important) part of the promise is that God never said that He would spare Judah of suffering. He uses Isaiah to reinforce the harsh but reconciliatory message through the birth of his son, Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz (which means “speed to the spoil, hurry to the plunder”) which symbolized the rapid timeframe of the invasion of Assyria to punish Syria and Israel. Isaiah outlines the timeline and details of the attack and it is clear that Judah will grieve considerably: “Therefore the Lord is about to bring against them the mighty floodwaters of the Euphrates…[it will] sweep on into Judah, swirling over it, passing through it and reaching up to the neck. Its outspread wings will cover the breadth of your land, Immanuel!” (v. 7-8)

The chapter ends with a call to God’s people to relinquish the reliance on man-made “mediums and wizards” (v. 19) and to live a radically different life, following God through His commands. It is a similar calling we find in Romans 8, when Paul reminds us that “if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit…you will live” (v. 13). Paul goes on to echo Isaiah in the meaning of suffering also, which gives us hope in grieving: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose” (v. 28).