Isaiah 14-16

Thoughts

Isaiah 14

Mercy on Israel

• God promises compassion on Jacob
• Israel will be settled again in their own land
• Former enemies will lose power over them

Relief after Babylon Falls

• God gives rest from pain and hard labor
• The fall of the king of Babylon brings relief
  • Some say literal King, some say Satan
• Creation itself is pictured as rejoicing

Sheol

• The realm of the dead is excited to take in the King 
• Former kings rise to mock him

Fall of “Lucifer”

• The king is described as wanting to rise above God
• He falls low
• Lucifer is not mentioned at all – O Helel, son of Dawn
• People stare at the fallen king in disbelief

Babylon Completely Removed

• God declares Babylon’s name and future erased
• The city becomes desolate
• This fulfills the judgment announced in Isaiah 13

God’s Plan Cannot Be Stopped

• God declares His purpose over Assyria
• God rules both near threats (Assyria) and future ones (Babylon)
• A warning not to celebrate Assyria’s fall
• Judah is protected by God’s plan

RANDOM RANT I APOLOGIZE:

I know I brought this up last year when I was reading Isaiah but I am just annoyed with the ‘lore’ that devloped over ‘Lucifer’ when that name is not once mentioned in the Hebrew or Greek text (Isaiah 14 says “O Helel, son of Dawn”). It also only mentions this morning star as the Babylonian king being brought down into Sheol (no mention of hell/lake of fire yet). I know Isaiah is suggested to have prophecies of current, future, and far future  (later interpreters see a single line referring to both the King and Satan) 

According to David Guzik there are four falls of Satan (his words not mine, I disagree with fourth): (see https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/isaiah-14/)

i. Satan fell from glorified to profane (Ezekiel 28:14-16). This is what Jesus spoke of in Luke 10:18 when He says He saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. This is the only fall of Satan that has already happened.

ii. Satan will fall from having access to heaven (Job 1:12, 1 Kings 22:21, Zechariah 3:1) to restriction on the earth (Revelation 12:9).

iii. Satan will fall from his place on the earth to bondage in the bottomless pit for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:1-3).

iv. Finally, as mentioned here in Isaiah 14:12, Satan will fall from the bottomless pit to the lake of fire, which we commonly know as hell (Revelation 20:10).

This is where I am confused – I see the Ezekiel and Luke linkage (even though it does not directly quote) but do not see the Isaiah and Revelation. 2 Corinthians says Satan calls himself angel of light so I see that connection. 

I don’t know the Bible from beginning to end so if someone knows better verses to link or a good book read let me knowwww. 

My main frustration is that Joelle has a bible app and it goes into this lengthy story of ‘Lucifer’ and how he fell, etc and I think we need to be careful with creating stories from Scripture. 

Isaiah 15 Moab

Moab

• A message concerning Moab that destruction comes suddenly and thoroughly
• Moab was a neighbor and occasional enemy of Israel (Numbers 22-25; Judges 3)
  • God told Israel earlier not to destroy them (Deut. 2)
• Shared ancestry (Lot and his daughter)
  • Ruth was a Moabite

Moabite cities mourn and fear spreads quickly

God expresses grief over Moab

However

• Land becomes barren
• Refugees flee
• Bloodshed spreads

Isaiah 16

Moab is urged to send tribute and show humility

A righteous ruler is described

Verse 4 “Let My outcasts dwell with you, O Moab” Judah is encouraged to receive Moabite refugees SEE BELOW

Moab’s Core Sin: Pride

Downfall

• Agriculture fail
• Moab will wail 
• Isaiah laments for them

Timeline

• God confirms the word
• Judgment will occur within three years
• Only a small remnant survives

ONE MORE 

Chapter 16 talks bout Moab’s fall. Isaiah tells Judah to take in Moab outcasts. However in verse 4 there is a huge difference based on versions. 

“Let My outcasts dwell with you, O Moab” NKJV

“Let the outcasts of Moab sourjourn among you” ESV

Commentators of NKJV say that verse 4 implies a switch where we are now talking about Revelation 12 where Israel flees during the Antichrist times. BUT the ESV looks like it is just continuing what verse 3 says about taking in the outcasts. The ESV mimics the Hebrew which says “Let them sourjourn/dwell with you my outcasts, Moab”

So I guess readers of Hebrew can saymy outcasts of whom? It does NOT say outcasts of Moab….which is it?? Moab are the outcasts or Israel?

Questions

Lucifer Question above

Application

• Isaiah 14: Pride brings rulers down but God’s plan stands
• Isaiah 15: Judgment brings real grief, even to God (Moab)
• Isaiah 16: Mercy is offered, but pride resists it. God invites our humility!