Isaiah 15-25 Death Swallowed Up Series

Isaiah 15-25

Death Swallowed Up

Judgment on 11 Countries 15-23

Judgment on The World Is 24

Death Swallowed Up Is 25

Intro: End of the World

Hollywood is fascinated with the end of the world

They love to produce movies that predict and show the demise of planet earth

Often times they will choose to use a child to be the one who saves the earth

Somehow, someway this kid is smarter than all of the scientists in the world and comes us with a solution

I always like the movies that have to do with a comet racing towards earth

The thought that somehow someway we have the means to alter nature and divert a huge rock hurtling towards us gives us some comfort

It also takes our minds off the thought that God will someday judge us

The fact is that the world is going to end someday

Not in the way that hollywood depicts it but with the coming of a king

Death will be swallowed up and we will live forever

The question is how are you going to live in eternity?

Will you be in paradise or in perpetual torture

Interestingly enough that became a possibility because God sent a child, his son, to save us from His judgment

One day God will sit on the throne judging the world

Those who are covered by the blood of Jesus will enter into paradise

Those who rejected Jesus and thought another path would lead to heaven will in a for a big surprise

But in the End death will be swallowed up and God will reign forever

Read Isaiah 24:1-6

Transition:

God’s record of his judgment on 11 nations around Judah

God is sovereignty is

Assyria was a major military power bearing down to bring judgment

They will inflict a lot of damage but will pull back

This will bring on the Babylonians who will capture Judah and destroy Jerusalem

After that is done God will start to judge the nations around Judah

We saw Babylon last week

Today we are going to look at the rest

We will focus three primary countries; Moab, Syria, & Judah

Yeah God throws them in there because they are no different than the others

Then we will see God’s judgment on the rest of the world, known as the tribulation

Finally we will see God’s plan of restoration

Judgment on Judah’s Neighbors Isaiah 15-23

The burden against Moab.

Isaiah spends two chapters on the country of Moab

The founder of the people of Moab was the son born of the incestuous relationship between Lot and one of his daughters, when his daughters made Lot drunk, after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:30-38).

The Moabites settled in the plains to the south-east of Israel, in what is modern-day Jordan.

At times, the Moabites were great enemies of Israel.

It was the Balak, king of Moab, who hired Balaam the prophet, hoping that he could curse Israel (Numbers 22-25).

During the time of Saul and David, Israel established a firm control over Moab, but later kings of Israel were not always able to keep them under Israeli dominance.

At the same time, there was a Moabite connection with Israel.

First, they were related to Israel because Lot was Abraham’s nephew.

Because of this, God told Israel in Deuteronomy 2:9 that they were not to destroy Moab and take their land.

As well, David, Israel’s greatest king, was one-quarter Moabite.

His paternal grandmother Ruth was from Moab, and David entrusted his father and mother to the protection of the king of Moab when he was a fugitive from Saul (1 Samuel 22:3-4).

For these reasons, there is a great deal of sadness and empathy on Isaiah’s part as he describes the coming judgment on Moab.

Syria & Israel

Next we see in chapter 17 an oracle against Damascus

Damascus is one of the great cities of the ancient world, and the capital of the nation of Syria.

Syria is positioned to the immediate north-east of Israel, and the northern tribes, around the Sea of Galilee, had constant contact and interaction with Syria.

Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city, and it will be an ruinous heap: Damascus was one of the most beautiful cities of the ancient world, but the coming Assyrian judgment would reduce it to a heap of ruins.

The fortress will also cease from Ephraim: As is often the case, the northern kingdom of Israel is referred to by its dominate tribe, Ephraim.

At this time, Israel and Syria were closely aligned against Judah. Since they are such close friends, God will announce His judgment against Ephraim, against Israel, at the same time He speaks to Syria!

Why did the LORD bring this judgment on Israel?