Isaiah 16
McGeeIsaiah 16:1
THE FINAL OVERTURE OF MERCY OFFERED TO MOABChapter 16 opens with a last call to Moab to avail herself of the mercy of God which He has provided for her. A lamb was to be sent from Moab to Israel for an offering on the altar there. The lamb was the animal of sacrifice which best depicts Christ, “…the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (Joh_1:29). If they sent a lamb, Moab would signify that they recognized the God of Israel. They did not send a lamb. The Moabites wanted to be religious without acknowledging the fact that they were subject to a higher will and were sinners in the sight of God. This was their great sin.
Isaiah 16:2
I crossed that little river of Arnon. It is not much of a river, and it certainly could not separate the Moabites from the Assyrians. They were taken there.
Isaiah 16:5
In Act_15:16 James mentions that the “tabernacle of David” is “fallen down,” but that after God has called out the Gentiles to form the church, He will turn again and rebuild the tabernacle of David. This is what Isaiah is talking about here.
Isaiah 16:6
THE FIERCE PRIDE OF MOABThe reason that God had to reject and judge Moab was that their pride had led them to reject God’s proffered offer of mercy. God would have delivered them, but instead they trusted in their own righteousness.
Isaiah 16:13
THE FULFILLMENT OF JUDGMENT WITHIN THREE YEARSWhen God deals with the nations that have to do with Israel, He uses a calendar. He never uses a calendar with the church. Within three years the Moabites were to be destroyed, and within three years God used Assyria to destroy this nation. It was the judgment of God upon them because of their pride. Lucifer, the son of the morning, was also lifted up with pride. He wanted to lift his throne above the throne of God. He wanted to establish his own self-contained kingdom and be independent of God. Basically, this is the position of all liberal theology. Pride is the thing that causes people to reject God’s Word and His revelation. Most people want a do-it-yourself religion. They want to do something to be saved, because it ministers to their pride. Many accuse church members of being hypocritical, selfish, and some actually anti-God. All this rests basically on the pride of the human heart: “we have turned every one to his own way” (Isa_53:6). Judgment came upon Moab. This out-of-the-way nation, entirely forgotten today, has had a message for us.