Isaiah 18: 6 and 7

⁶ They will be left together for mountain birds of prey,
And for the beasts of the earth;
And the birds of prey will spend the summer feeding on them,
And all the beasts of the earth will spend harvest time on them.
⁷ At that time a gift of homage will be brought to the Lord of hosts

From a people tall and smooth,
Even from a people feared far and wide,
A powerful and oppressive nation,
Whose land the rivers divide—
To the place of the name of the Lord of hosts, even Mount Zion.

We have reached our third post in this "Message to Ethiopia," with today probably not making things any clearer regarding for whom this prophecy is directed. But Isaiah's words themselves are not hard to understand; he even repeats himself!

With verse 6, we need to recall what we read in the previous verse. Isaiah had given us a word picture of grapevines, and God's representing Himself as a grape farmer and harvester. In a movement of perfect timing, God will "cut off the sprigs...and remove and cut away the spreading branches." (18:5) If 'sprigs' and 'branches' represent the nations of evil influence attacking God's people, then we pick up with 'They' in verse 6 being the people of those nations--armies, leaders, etc. What Isaiah describes is a massive road kill and those that will feast upon it. Note the timeframe: from "summer feeding" to "harvest time."

"'You will be glutted at My table with horses and charioteers, with mighty men and all the men of war,' declares the Lord God."

--Ezekiel 39:20

Is it possible that this refers to Assyria? Consider the slaughter of 185,000 such warriors by an angel of the Lord--at just the time before this army surely would have otherwise destroyed the wall of Jerusalem and taken over the city. (II Kings 19:35) Isaiah says there is the bringing of "a gift of homage" to God "to the place of the name of the Lord of hosts...." (vs. 7) That "place" would be Jerusalem, which God established as He prepared His people for entering the Promised Land.

"'But you shall seek the Lord at the place which the Lord your God will choose from all your tribes, to establish His name there for His dwelling, and there you shall come. There you shall bring your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the contribution of your hand, your votive offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock.'"

--Deuteronomy 12: 5 and 6

Would there be any better tribute paid God for His saving work in the preservation of His people than the spoil of the army of one of Earth's greatest empires (not to mention the army itself!) in Jerusalem? Isaiah does repeat himself in verse 7 as he speaks of "...a people tall and smooth...a powerful and oppressive nation...." He uses the very same words and phrasing in verse 2, as he tells "swift messengers" to send news to this people. There is certainly a logical and Biblically supported sense in looking at this prophecy in that way.

In looking through reference materials this week, I also found another interesting viewpoint, which puts the attention back on Ethiopia. Perhaps the description we read in verse 2 is Ethiopia. (Read more here.) A cross-reference for verse 7 is from Psalm 68, a Psalm of David in which is contained a prophecy concerning the nation:

"He has scattered the peoples who delight in war.
Envoys will come out of Egypt;
Ethiopia will quickly stretch out her hands to God."

--Psalm 68: 30b and 31

There is the thought that, through some means, Ethiopia is going to be coming forward in acknowledgement that God is God. This may be through physical battle, as it was with Assyria. But perhaps it refers--either in addition to or instead of--to Ethiopians embracing God as their "Lord of hosts."

Acts 8:27-38 is listed as a cross-reference for verse 7, also. This is the story of Philip, an evangelist in the earliest days of the Church, who meets up with an Ethiopian eunuch. The eunuch "had come to Jerusalem to worship." (Acts 8:27) He was not able to worship within the temple (Deuteronomy 23:1 has the details on why), but was studying Isaiah 53 in his chariot when Philip approached him.

"...and, though they seem useless and worthless, they shall be an acceptable present to him who judges of men by the sincerity of their faith and love, not by the pomp and prosperity of their outward condition."

--Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible

The Holy Spirit called Philip into action, and he not only led the Ethiopian in his understanding of Isaiah's prophecy concerning the coming of Jesus Christ as the Messiah, but baptized him! I wrote a few lines ago about the greatest tribute one could bring to the Lord. Though such a physical tribute as the Assyrian army would have been recognized as a present by all, is not the greatest gift when one comes to a saving faith in Jesus Christ as Lord!?
 

When I looked up the word homage, I was struck by a definition beyond gift, present, or something done out of honor or respect. Just a bit antiquated in present day, but worth a look nonetheless:

"The formal public acknowledgment by which a feudal tenant or vassal [landholder, but, largely, servant or slave] declared himself to be the man or vassal of his lord, owing him fealty and service."

--Dictionary.com (brackets mine)

There is an entry in Encyclopedia Britannica that expounds on this. "Homage was essentially the acknowledgment of the bond of tenure that existed between the two [vassal and lord]. It consisted of the vassal surrendering himself to the lord, symbolized by his kneeling and giving his joined hands to the lord, who clasped them in his own, thus accepting the surrender."

I know. That would seem a huge reach from what is being said over the course of this chapter, and what Isaiah is generally speaking of in these chapters at this part of the book. Prophecy can be fulfilled multiple times. This is not a clear-cut chapter, in my mind. Plus, it is an image of grace and a story of hope and a picture of who God is--all of which I am unwilling to deny have their roots in Scripture.

"All you inhabitants of the world and dwellers on earth,
As soon as a standard is raised on the mountains, you will see it,
And as soon as the trumpet is blown, you will hear it."

--Isaiah 18:3 (emphasis mine)

 

"The Message to Egypt," as we begin Chapter 19. ...'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: http://smartvocabs.com/words/VASSAL

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Next week:  Isaiah 19: 1-3 
 
Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.
I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Isaiah 16: 1-5

Prophecy of Moab’s Devastation

¹ Send the tribute lamb to the ruler of the land,
From Sela by way of the wilderness to the mountain of the daughter of Zion.
² Then, like fleeing birds or scattered nestlings,
The daughters of Moab will be at the fords of the Arnon.
³ “Give us advice, make a decision;

Cast your shadow like night at high noon;

Hide the outcasts, do not betray the fugitive.
⁴ “Let the outcasts of Moab stay with you;
Be a hiding place to them from the destroyer.”
For the extortioner has come to an end, destruction has ceased,

Oppressors have completely disappeared from the land.

⁵ A throne will even be established in lovingkindness,
And a judge will sit on it in faithfulness in the tent of David;
Moreover, he will seek justice
And be prompt in righteousness.

Despite Chapter 16's title, Isaiah doesn't immediately launch into the details of Moab's devastation. Actually, the prophet, who was so moved in his concern over Moab's coming trials, issues what might be a last-ditch effort to try and save the nation from its predicament.

 

"I rather take it as good advice seriously given, like that of Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar when he was reading him his doom, Dan. 4:27. Break off thy sins by righteousness, if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity."

--Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible

 

"Send the tribute lamb...," says Isaiah in verse 1. Needed to do some cross-reference reading to know more of the history. First off, Moab was a country full of shepherds, so there were plenty of sheep to send as a tribute. Why? II Samuel 8:2 explains that when David defeated Moab in battle that he made the Moabites become servants to him. They sent tribute lambs regularly as part of their submission to his kingship. Later on, Moab would send lambs to the king of Israel for the same purpose. But, as the nation grew in power and self-sufficiency, it stopped sending a tribute. Indeed, with the split kingdom situation in effect in Israel, and other nations growing in their power and self-sufficiency, it was no surprise that Moab reneged on its duty.

But Isaiah is calling the nation to return to its responsibilities, and to, again, send the tribute lambs--now to Hezekiah of Judah, the "ruler of the land...to the mountain of the daughter of Zion" (aka, Jerusalem. Recall Isaiah 10:32b regarding the king of Assyria: "He shakes his fist at the mountain of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.") To further clarify the direction of activity, Sela was located in Edom near Petra, which was the location of the fugitives who were leaving Moab in a southerly way at the time of the Assyrian invasion.

The daughters of Moab--a poetic symmetry, I'm thinking--are fleeing like scattered wildfowl. This is not like the procession of the Israelites through the wilderness. This is a chase, either to safe refuge or to their end. They are running to the Arnon, a waterway described in Numbers 21:13: "From there they journeyed and camped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the wilderness that comes out of the border of the Amorites, for the Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites." Again, the southern portion of Moab.

Then, in verses 3 and 4, comes the plea for help:

"[Say to the ruler] Give counsel, execute justice [for Moab, O king of Judah]."

--Amplified Bible

 

Not only would a Moabite tribute go a long way in re-establishing good relations with Judah, but so, too, a direct, respectful appeal to the head of the nation for support and, yes, justice. The prophet encourages to the nation to return to a state of submission.

"It would engage great men to be kind to the people of God if they would but observe, as they easily might, how often such conduct brings the blessing of God upon kingdoms and families. “Make Hezekiah your friend, for you will find it your interest to do so upon the account both of the grace of God in him and the presence of God with him."

--Matthew Henry

 

"Be our shade, Judah" says Moab, from the hot Assyrian oppression beating down. "Shelter our people."

 

"This was that good work by which Rahab’s faith was justified, and proved to be sincere, Heb. 11:31. 'Nay, do not only hide them for a time, but, if there be occasion, let them be naturalized: Let my outcasts dwell with thee, Moab....'"

--Matthew Henry

 

Wow! How about that connection? Rahab the prostitute, hiding spies under Joshua's command prior to the fall of Jericho. Judah also had an opportunity to do a good work in hiding the outcasts of Moab, to be their hiding place. How often are we willing to protect those who have persecuted us? We also need to keep in mind that Judah wasn't safe from an Assyrian attack. (Isaiah had prophesied about that, too.) The "Give counsel" from verse 3 carries great weight on the head of Judah for personal reasons.

But Isaiah follows quickly with the statement at the end of verse 4 that the oppression will soon end. (In fact, it did. Assyria would not devastate Judah in this forward charge.) He takes things one step further with verse 5, anticipating the time when ultimate justice will reign, and the injustices in the world will be dealt with--in promptness and righteousness, mercy and faithfulness.

 

In spite of everything, the prophet's appeal and words are lost to a nation's pride.  ...'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: www.georgiabackyardnature.com

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Next week:  Isaiah 16: 6-9
 
Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.
I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).