Bible

Here we are, back in the Bible room today, and we continue reading the summary of Isaiah with Session 2, chapters 12 through 22.

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Isaiah – Session 2 of 6

Chapter 12. Joy

The joy of salvation is coming:

• Isaiah sees a time when Judah will be praising God;
• The time of punishment for the nation will be ended;
• It will be replaced by the joy of salvation;
• Judah will praise God to all the nations.

Chapter 13. Judgement

A day of judgement for Babylon is coming:

• Isaiah sees the day when the rule of Babylon is over;
• God will use the Medes as His hand of punishment;
• The arrogance of Babylon will be utterly destroyed;
• The Medes are coming and God is coming with them;
• The heavens and the earth will shake with violence;
• The Medes will not be bought off with gold nor silver;
• Babylon, the pride of the Chaldeans, will be turned to ashes;
• Her land will become as a desert for wild animals.

Chapter 14. Freedom

Isaiah foresees the day of Judah’s freedom:

• The Lord, in His mercy, will release Judah from captivity;
• She will be allowed to return to her homeland;
• The oppressors will be defeated by the hand of God;
• Babylon’s king will be thrown down in disgrace;
• Pride, as it did for Lucifer, will be trampled underfoot;
• The Lord’s “broom of destruction” will sweep Babylon clean;
• Likewise, the Assyrian threat to Judah will be broken;
• And the Philistine menace will disappear from famine;
• Isaiah saw this vision in the year King Ahaz died.

Chapter 15. Condemnation

Isaiah also receives the notice of condemnation coming against Moab:

• In the night, a part of Moab will be destroyed;
• There will be weeping and wailing over the land;
• Men will shave their heads, and cut off their beards;
• People will wear sackcloth;
• The waters will dry up, nothing will be green;
• Springs of water will be turning to blood;
• There will be few men left in Moab;
• And those who escape will be killed by lions.

Chapter 16. Destruction

Moab is facing total destruction:

• Everyone has heard of the pride of Moab;
• But mostly this pride is just boasting, based on lies;
• Moab will be destroyed; all vegetation will die;
• The streams will run dry; there will be no more crops;
• There will be no joy over the fields and the vineyards;
• Many battles have stretched the army too far;
• The wealthy are leaving, taking their money with them;
• The few who remain are suffering with too little;
• Even the prayers of Moab will not be answered;
• The Lord speaks: In three years Moab will be despised;
• There will be few who survive the destruction.

Chapter 17. Next

Isaiah writes that Damascus will be the next enemy of Judah to fall:

• That city in Syria will be destroyed, reduced to a pile of rubble;
• The entire region will suffer devastation and ruin;
• But there will be a remnant who survive;
• These will be those who attempt to abandon their idols;
• But they will live a meager existence.

Chapter 18. Next

Next on Isaiah’s targeted list of Judah’s enemies is Ethiopia (Cush):

• These tall, smooth-skinned warriors can be terrifying;
• They travel to war in their papyrus boats;
• They are known for their strange language and aggression;
• And feared everywhere for their merciless violence;
• The Lord says in His time He will cut them down;
• Many will be left dead on their mountains for the birds;
• Afterward, they will bring gifts to make peace with Judah.

Chapter 19. Next

Isaiah sees the next of Judah’s enemies to fall, and it is Egypt;

• First, the Lord will knock down their idols;
• Then they will start fighting each other, man against man;
• Neighbor will fight neighbor, city against city;
• They will defeat themselves, fall prey to a cruel leader;
• Waters will dry up, crops will fail, economy will collapse;
• The Pharoah will receive foolish counsel;
• The Lord will confuse their leadership, wrong decisions;
• Then, Egypt will become fearful of Judah;
• Five Egyptian cities will begin speaking the language of Canaan;
• One of those cities will be called the City of Destruction;
• They will worship the God of Judah;
• When they are attacked by an enemy, the Lord will save them;
• There will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria;
• Judah, Egypt, and Assyria will work together and be blessed;
• The Lord will bless equally the three nations.

Chapter 20. Change

Isaiah sees a change coming in the agreement between Egypt and Assyria:

• For three years Isaiah is walking around naked and barefoot;
• He is demonstrating against Egypt and Ethiopia;
• There came a day when Assyria attacks Egypt and Ethiopia;
• They take many captives, naked and barefoot;
• Naked prisoners are shamed;
• Egypt and Ethiopia are despised by the nations.

Chapter 21. End

Isaiah sees the end coming for the Babylonian rule in Judah:

• The prophet says a whirlwind will come from the desert;
• He sees violence so terrible it causes him pain;
• He was longing for this night, but it turned into fear;
• He asks for a watchman to be looking for any messengers;
• Then the word comes: “Babylon is fallen, is fallen;”
• Isaiah declares this is what he has heard from the Lord;
• He says his people will be free within one year;
• Isaiah has some words for the nomadic desert people;
• He says they should try to help those they encounter.

Chapter 22. Chaos

Isaiah sees Jerusalem as a city in chaos:

• Some of the people are having parties, some are leaving;
• There are enemy chariots gathering in the valleys nearby;
• Portions of the city walls have been broken down;
• Respect for God has diminished: it’s now all about ‘self’;
• “Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die;”
• The Lord says the king’s palace has not been cared for;
• The steward will be thrown out and Eliakim will take over;
• He will be given authority and will be like a father to the city.

End of Session 2 of 6 of the book of Isaiah