In chapter 13, Isaiah describes the vision God gives him of the destruction of Babylon. He tells how the city that is now glorious and powerful will become a wasteland where wildlife roam.
Isaiah also clearly states how the destruction will come about: The Lord himself will muster an army.
Read More God’s wrath, seriousness of sin, violence, grace
How reassuring the words of Isaiah 14 must have been to the nation of Israel! They were surrounded by powerful enemies who flourished. They’ve heard the proclamation of punishment against those enemies. And now Isaiah shares God’s promises to them, that he will have mercy on them and they will remain his chosen people.
Read More the poor, plans, God’s unchanging characterThe people of Israel had a long history of conflict and trouble with Moab, their neighbor to the east. Moabites had enticed them into worshiping their gods (Numbers 25:1-2) and King Solomon had taken Moabite wives (1 Kings 11:1, 7). They had been oppressed by the King of Moab (Judges 3:12-30) and had been at war (2 Kings 3:27).
Read More grace, forgiveness, understandingHave you ever forgotten God?
If we’re honest with ourselves, we all must answer this question in the affirmative. When things are going well, it’s easy to get distracted by this life. We may spend our days jumping from one activity to another, forgetting to pray, to engage with the Bible, even to worship.
Read More trouble, distractions, forgetting GodAlthough it was once their place of captivity, the people of Israel still looked often to Egypt for help and protection. Yet Isaiah tells us that swift judgment is coming to Egypt. The Lord himself will come “riding on a cloud” to punish them.
Just as Israel sought help from Egypt, the Egyptians will turn to various sources for wisdom and guidance.
Read More wisdom, advice, guidanceSometimes when I start to think my life is tough, I say to myself, “At least you aren’t an Old Testament prophet.” Yes, I’m joking…mostly. After all, many times prophets had to deliver bad news, such as Samuel telling Saul that the Lord is rejecting him as king. And then there are prophets like Elijah who spent much of the lives fleeing from those who were out to murder them.
Read More other people’s lives, judgment, prophetIsaiah now turns to prophesying about Jerusalem and Judah. He refers to these areas as the “Valley of Vision”. They were in fact the areas where the Lord himself was known. The people in these areas knew God by name and had heard the prophets’ visions.
Despite knowing God, they had neglected to follow him.
Read More leadership, responsibilityWe read in Chapter 23 of the coming demise of the great city of Tyre. The people of Tyre have become wealthy through shipping and trading. That’s about to end though as the Lord’s judgment falls upon them.
One thing stands out to me more than the pronouncement of Tyre’s financial collapse.
Read More being forgotten, security, identityAccording to the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters, there were 346 major natural disasters worldwide in 2015. More than 22,000 people died in these disasters and a staggering 98.6 million were affected in some way.
Natural disasters come in various forms including floods, landslides, heat waves, hurricanes, and earthquakes.
Read More sin, eternity, natural disasters, punishment