Is 17 - 18
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Tonight we will be continuing our journey in Isaiah in chapter 17. We have be looking at these various “burdens against” or heavy messages regarding the nations surrounding Israel and Judah. So far we have seen the burdens against Babylon, Assyria, Israel (northern kingdom), Moab, Philistia, and Syria.
So here in Chapter 17 Isaiah’s burden is against Damascus and Ephraim. Now as we get into this remember that Ephraim and Damascus are idioms for Israel (northern 10 tribes) and Syria. We will see that some of this is very much in the news right now.
17:1 - 6
The burden against Damascus. "Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city, and it will be a ruinous heap. The cities of Aroer are forsaken; they will be for flocks which lie down, and no one will make them afraid. The fortress also will cease from Ephraim, the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria; they will be as the glory of the children of Israel," says the LORD of hosts. "In that day it shall come to pass that the glory of Jacob will wane, and the fatness of his flesh grow lean. It shall be as when the harvester gathers the grain, and reaps the heads with his arm; It shall be as he who gathers heads of grain In the Valley of Rephaim. Yet gleaning grapes will be left in it, like the shaking of an olive tree, two or three olives at the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in its most fruitful branches," says the LORD God of Israel.
Here like so many passages we can see a near and far fulfillment. "Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city, and it will be a ruinous heap. Damascus is very much in the news today as is all of Syria.
Damascus is a very ancient city and being just north of Israel it was in constant contact with the northern tribes and the Galilee region. At the time of writing the near fulfillment was going to be the result of destruction by the Assyrians.
Right now Syria is being attacked by whom? Turkey . As Trump has said we are removing our troops and now there are reported atrocities and ISIS soldiers being released from prison.
The interesting thing is how literally this verse is being fulfilled in terms of it being a ruinous heap.
Video 1:52
Israel's modern interaction with Syria is interesting, and a potential hot-spot for future conflict. When Syria occupied the Golan Heights, a strategically crucial high plateau above the whole region of Galilee, Israel was under constant threat of invasion and shelling from Syrian placements on the Golan. But when Syria eventually made a full on invasion of Israel from the Golan, Israel miraculously beat them back and captured the Golan Heights. Now, Syria insists that this strategically crucial region is theirs and must be given back. The Israelis are adamant that they will never give back land that belongs to them, and is necessary for their security. In the meantime, Syria fights Israel through terrorism and their support of militia groups in Lebanon. The dream of a "Greater Syria," encompassing Syria, Lebanon, and parts of northern Israel is a powerful influence in the Syrian leadership.
Map
Video - Russia brokers deal 4:12
This all becomes more interesting as Russia enters Syria, right on the border of Israel. All set up for , 39.
The picture in verses 4 - 6 is of judgement against the food supply in Israel. Leaness will come upon the land. Note the language; fatness of his flesh grow lean, reaps the heads with his arm, two or three olives at the top of the uppermost bough.
17:7 - 9
In that day a man will look to his Maker, and his eyes will have respect for the Holy One of Israel. He will not look to the altars, the work of his hands; he will not respect what his fingers have made, nor the wooden images nor the incense altars. In that day his strong cities will be as a forsaken bough and an uppermost branch, which they left because of the children of Israel; and there will be desolation.
Here it as if God has finally got their attention. Their focus is now on the God Israel and no longer on their idols. Notice verse 8 He will not look to the altars, the work of his hands; he will not respect what his fingers have made..
Have you considered that though we do not worship statues we can in our modern culture worship the things our hands and fingers have made. Computers and cell phones, auto mobiles and rocket ships.
17:10 - 11
Because you have forgotten the God of your salvation, and have not been mindful of the Rock of your stronghold, therefore you will plant pleasant plants and set out foreign seedlings; in the day you will make your plant to grow, and in the morning you will make your seed to flourish; but the harvest will be a heap of ruins in the day of grief and desperate sorrow.
One aspect of the LORD's judgment against Israel will be to bring their hard work to nothing.
Haggai speaks to this as well;
You have sown much, and bring in little; you eat, but do not have enough; you drink, but you are not filled with drink; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages, earns wages to put into a bag with holes.
When we are under judgement for disobedience God has many ways to get our attention. Touching our money is one of them. When we are walking in God’s will living by faith walking in the spirit, God seems to make things work out.
All these things spring from the reality that we have; Because you have forgotten the God of your salvation, And have not been mindful of the Rock of your stronghold.
Forgotten is from a Hebrew word that can mean to ignore or wither, i.e. wither on the vine as in not tending to your relationship with Christ.
17:12 - 14
Woe to the multitude of many people who make a noise like the roar of the seas, and to the rushing of nations that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters! The nations will rush like the rushing of many waters. But God will rebuke them and they will flee far away, and be chased like the chaff of the mountains before the wind, like a rolling thing before the whirlwind. Then behold, at eventide, trouble! And before the morning, he is no more. This is the portion of those who plunder us, and the lot of those who rob us.
So here is another idiom that is used of the attacking nations against Israel, rushing of mighty waters! These are the nations God is using to judge Israel. However God the pronounces judgement on them in 13 - 14 But God will rebuke them and they will flee far away, and be chased like the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and This is the portion of those who plunder us, and the lot of those who rob us.
God can use one sinner to judge another, and then judge the sinner He just used!
Pray that America does not turn on Israel...
Let’s move into chapter 18.
Many commentators, even your study bible will say the burden against Ethiopia. But is it? Let’s read and see who it may be talking about.
18:1 - 2
Woe to the land shadowed with buzzing wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, which sends ambassadors by sea, even in vessels of reed on the waters, saying, "Go, swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth of skin, to a people terrible from their beginning onward, a nation powerful and treading down, whose land the rivers divide."
Notice the passage is referring to a land “beyond the rivers of Ethiopia” or to the west of the rivers of Ethiopia. So if it is not Ethiopia who could it be? Some see America here.
Why?
Ethiopia is land locked to the Sea. There Ambassadors came via foot, i.e. the Ethiopian eunuch.
America famously went to the whole world in ships.
a nation tall and smooth of skin is difficult to translate. The word for tall can mean to draw out or scatter and smooth skin is literally : peeled, polished, or smooth.
to a people terrible from their beginning onward, a nation powerful and treading down, American has never been defeated in war.
whose land the rivers divide." The rivers of America are one of the great distinctives of our country.
Shadowed with buzzing wings: The Nile Valley is famous for its many whirring insects.
Which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia: In the days of Isaiah, Ethiopia was a major world power, ruling Egypt and a chief rival to Assyria. Since Judah was caught in the middle between this conflict, it might make sense for Judah to align herself with Ethiopia against Assyria.
"In 715 B.C. an Ethiopian named Shabako gained control of Egypt as founder of the twenty-fifth dynasty. Ethiopian domination continued until 633 B.C. when a native Egyptian regained the throne." (Wolf)
"The term designates a much larger area than present-day Ethiopia - an area including the Sudan and Somalia." (Grogan)
There are problems with both ideas but worth at least discussing.
18: 3 - 6
All inhabitants of the world and dwellers on the earth: When he lifts up a banner on the mountains, you see it; and when he blows a trumpet, you hear it. For so the LORD said to me, "I will take My rest, and I will look from My dwelling place like clear heat in sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest." For before the harvest, when the bud is perfect and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, He will both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks and take away and cut down the branches. They will be left together for the mountain birds of prey and for the beasts of the earth; the birds of prey will summer on them, and all the beasts of the earth will winter on them.
If this is regarding Ethiopia it is referring to an offer to Israel to align and rebel against Assyria and God is saying I don’t need your help. For so the LORD said to me, "I will take My rest,
18: 7
In that time a present will be brought to the LORD of hosts from a people tall and smooth of skin, and from a people terrible from their beginning onward, a nation powerful and treading down, whose land the rivers divide; to the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, to Mount Zion.
Here this same nation is described the same as in verse 1 except that this is looking forward to the millennium when their ambassadors will come to Mt Zion to worship the Lord.
Next time a very interesting passage Chapter 19. Does it speak of the Great Pyramid of Giza? We will discuss.