Isaiah 16

Whether you like it or not, history is on our side. We will bury you!” The premier of the Soviet Union, Nikita Khrushchev, made that statement to a group of Western diplomats on November 18, 1956. But Khrushchev is dead, and the Soviet Union no longer exists. Khrushchev’s boastful prophecy was not fulfilled.

Is there a pattern to history? Is anyone in charge? The British historian Edward Gibbon called history “little more than the register of crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind.” But the American missionary leader Arthur T. Pierson said that “history is His story.” Which one is right?

The prophet Isaiah would stand with Pierson, for these eleven chapters are certainly evidence that God is at work in the nations of the world. In these chapters, the prophet revealed God’s plan not only for Judah, but also for ten Gentile nations. President James Garfield called history “the unrolled scroll of prophecy,” and Isaiah unrolled the scroll for us to read.

World leaders need to learn the lesson that Nebuchadnezzar learned the hard way, that “the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses” (Dan. 4: nkjv). Paul made the same declaration to the Greek philosophers in Athens: “[God] determined the times set for [the nations] and the exact places where they should live” (Acts 17: niv). Indeed, “history is His story.”

Isaiah called these prophetic declarations “burdens” (Isa. 13:1; 14:28; 15:1; 17:1; 19:1; 21:1, 11, 13; 22:1; 23:1). The Hebrew word means “to lift up.” The prophet was carrying a heavy weight because of the solemn nature of his message (Jer. 23:33). He was announcing judgments that involved the destruction of cities and the slaughter of thousands of people. No wonder he felt burdened!

The Moabites were the product of Lot’s incestuous union with his daughter (Gen. 19:30–38) and were the avowed enemies of the Jews (Num. 25; 31; Deut. 23:3).

The plight of Moab (15:1–9). Within three years (16:14), this prophecy against Moab would be fulfilled with great national lamentation. At least fourteen different references to lamentation occur in this chapter: weeping, wailing, baldness, sackcloth, crying out, etc. The people fled to their temples and prayed to their gods, but to no avail (15: niv). Even a day of national humiliation did not stop Assyria from invading Moab and ravaging the land. Advancing armies often stopped up the springs and watercourses and left the land in desolation (vv. 6–7). Where there was water in Moab, it was stained with blood, so great was the carnage (v. 9). How could the weak Moabites ever hope to defeat the great Assyrian lion?

The plea of Moab (16:1–5). The one place the Assyrians could not conquer was Jerusalem (10:24–34). Though the Assyrian army entered the kingdom of Judah and did a great deal of damage to the land, it could not capture Jerusalem (chaps. 36— 37). However, instead of fleeing to Mount Zion, the Moabite fugitives fled south to the fords of the Arnon River and the “rock city” of Sela in Edom.

From Sela, the fugitives sent an appeal to the king of Judah to give them asylum from the enemy. But Isaiah warned them that it would take more than a request: They would need to submit to the king of Judah, which meant acknowledging the God of Judah. In that day, sending animals to a ruler was a form of paying tribute (2 Kings 3:4). Moab begged the leaders of Judah to give them refuge from the enemy, like a protecting rock on a hot day (16:3–4; see 32:1–2).

Isaiah was not impressed with the appeals of the Moabites. He called the Moabites extortioners, spoilers, and oppressors, and announced that the nation was destined to be destroyed (16:4). Why? Because they wanted Judah’s help, but they did not want Judah’s God. Verse 5 is definitely a messianic promise, pointing to the day when Messiah will reign in righteousness and mercy on David’s throne. But Moab would not submit; they wanted deliverance on their own terms.

The pride of Moab (16:6–14). We can understand the pride of a city like Babylon (14:12–14), but what did the tiny nation of Moab have to boast about? Their pride kept them from submitting to Judah, and this led to their defeat. Their boasting would turn into wailing and their songs into funeral dirges. Moab would become like a vineyard trampled down and a fruitful field left unharvested. Isaiah 16:9–11 describes the prophet’s grief—and the Lord’s grief—over the destruction of Moab. “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked” (Ezek. 33:11). Isaiah could have rejoiced at the destruction of an old enemy, but instead he wept (Prov. 24:17–18).

A. During the time of Josiah’s rule—2–13 1. The sins of the nation—2—6 2. The temple messages—7—10 3. The broken covenant—11—13

B. The coming Babylonian invasion—14—16 C. The Sabbath message—17 D. The potter’s house sermons—18—19

E. Messages to the leaders—20—24 F. Judah’s captivity—25—29 G. National restoration—30—33

A. Ministry during the siege—34—38 1. To King Zedekiah—34, 37—38 2. To King Jehoiakim—35—36

B. Jerusalem falls—39 A. To Egypt—46 B. To Philistia—47 C. To Moab—48 D. To Ammon, Moab, Edom, Syria, Kedar, and Elam—49

E. To Babylon—50—51 J e r e m i a h J o n a h E s t h e r M i c a h J o b L a m e n t a t i o n s N a h u m P s a l m s E z e k i e l H a b a k k u k P r o v e r b s D a n i e l Z e p h a n i a h E c c l e s i a s t e s H o s e a H a g g a i S o n g o f J o e l Z e c h a r i a h S o l o m o n A m o s M a l a c h i I s a i a h O b a d i a h

A. During the time of Josiah’s rule—2–13 1. The sins of the nation—2—6 2. The temple messages—7—10 3. The broken covenant—11—13

B. The coming Babylonian invasion—14—16 C. The Sabbath message—17 D. The potter’s house sermons—18—19

E. Messages to the leaders—20—24 F. Judah’s captivity—25—29 G. National restoration—30—33

A. Ministry during the siege—34—38 1. To King Zedekiah—34, 37—38 2. To King Jehoiakim—35—36

B. Jerusalem falls—39 A. To Egypt—46 B. To Philistia—47 C. To Moab—48 D. To Ammon, Moab, Edom, Syria, Kedar, and Elam—49

E. To Babylon—50—51 J e r e m i a h J o n a h E s t h e r M i c a h J o b L a m e n t a t i o n s N a h u m P s a l m s E z e k i e l H a b a k k u k P r o v e r b s D a n i e l Z e p h a n i a h E c c l e s i a s t e s H o s e a H a g g a i S o n g o f J o e l Z e c h a r i a h S o l o m o n A m o s M a l a c h i I s a i a h O b a d i a h