July 16, 2017

Insights on Today's Reading

Isaiah 13 - This chapter is rather important to the authorship and integrity of the Book of Isaiah.  There were some so-called scholars who favored a 2 Isaiah authorship.  In other words, they said there had to be two different Isaiah's because the first 39 chapters seem to deal with a period of history before Israel came back from captivity and then from Isaiah 40 onward the focus spoke of comfort for Israel and doom and gloom for Babylon and other countries.  Chapter 13 clearly spells out judgment against Babylon long before chapters 40-66.*  This even brings up the Medes, verse 17, as the enemy that would attack Babylon.  Remember, Isaiah was writing long before any of Israel had been taken to Babylon. 

Isaiah 14 - Isaiah also predicts Israel will be rescued from Babylon and later he predicts the punishment against Assyria and the Philistines.  Take special note of a description of Satan in verses 12-15.  In the KJV/NKJV he is called "Lucifer, son of the morning" verse 12.  He is judged because of his 5 "I Wills" in verses 13,14.  In the midst of writing about nations, Go directed Isaiah to expose the judgment that will come against the one who sought to destroy God's people, the devil himself. Though Israel suffered their captivities because of their sin, God will still judge those nations that have attacked His people.  Remember, back in Genesis 12 God had promised Abram that anyone who would bless God's people would be blessed, but those who cursed them would themselves be cursed.

Isaiah 15 - This chapter speaks of the coming judgment against the country of Moab.  Remember, they are descendants of Lot, Genesis 19:37.  They would be an enemy of Israel for years.

Isaiah 16 - Judgment against Moab continues.  They were an arrogant and proud people, verse 6, but verse 14 predicts this pride would be judged in just three years.

Isaiah 17 - This chapter speaks of the judgment of Damascus (Syria) and of the northern tribes of Israel, verses 1 and 3.  God will bring about a time when people will take note of their Creator and will have respect for His people, verse 7.

*The crucial issue about Isaiah being written by just one man, Isaiah, is that modern "scholars" do their best to refute the ability of any prophet to accurately predict the future.  They want to think that a later "Isaiah" wrote after Israel was rescued from Babylon, and thus, his "prophecy" would be merely his memory of what already happened.  This is an attack against the inspiration of the Scriptures.