March 14 - Prophecies

March 14 - Prophecies - Isaiah 14:24-16:13

Assyria (Isaiah 14:24-27)

God's purpose will be fulfilled. He planned it (Isaiah 25:1) and it would happen. Assyria invaded Judah during Hezekiah's reign (701 bc) and as the army approached Jerusalem, it was destroyed. (Isaiah 37:36)

Philistines (Isaiah 14:28-32)

The King of Assyria (Ahaz) died and the Philistines rejoiced. The year that Isaiah received this prophecy was 715 bc and in only four years, Assyria had defeated Philistia and made them a province. Isaiah spoke words of comfort to Judah while speaking prophecy against Philistia. The Lord established her and the afflicted would find refuge there.

Moab (Isaiah 15:1-16:13)

The Moabites were the product of Lot's union with his daughter. They had always been enemies of the Israelites. Just some of the altercations the two people had were: Moabite women seduced Israel’s men (Num. 31:15-17). In the time of the Judges Israel was oppressed by Moab for 18 years Jud. 3:12-14). Saul fought Moab (1 Sam. 14:47) and David defeated Moab (2 Sam. 8:2, 12). Solomon was influenced by his wives to build an altar to Moab’s god Chemosh (1 Kings 11:7-8). Mesha, Moab’s king, had to pay tribute to Ahab, king of Israel (2 Kings 3:4). After Ahab died (in 853 b.c.) Mesha rebelled against Joram (also called Jehoram) but was defeated (2 Kings 3:5-27). The destruction of Moab described in Isaiah 15-16 caused the Moabites, under Assyrian attack, to flee south to Edom. (from the Bible Knowledge Commentary)

In Isaiah 16:3-4 we find the Moabites pleading for the people of Judah to protect them. They wanted Judah's help, but didn't want anything to do with God. We find that their pride stopped them from allowing them to turn to the God of Judah and led to their defeat. (Isaiah 16:5-8)

Isaiah says that he wept for Moab. It did not have to be this way. Everything would be removed from them, and then in three years the country would no longer exist. Moab was attacked several times, finally by Sennacherib in 701 bc when he entered Judah. Her splendor would be no more. (Isaiah 16:9-13)