Isaiah 15:9

Copyright Ó 2013 J. Neely

Isaiah 15:9ues

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9 For the waters [mayim] of Dimon [Diymown] shall be full [male'] of blood [dam]: for I will bring [shiyth] more [yacaph] upon Dimon [Diymown], lions ['ariy] upon him that escapeth [paleytah] of Moab [Mow'ab], and upon the remnant [sha'eriyth] of the land ['adamah].  KJV-Interlinear

9 For the waters of Dimon are full of blood; Surely I will bring added woes upon Dimon, A lion upon the fugitives of Moab and upon the remnant of the land.  NASB

The word for waters, ‘mayim,’ do not refer to the natural flow of a river, but is a euphemism for urine or waste water, or sewage waters.

In ancient times, rivers and creeks that run into them, were often times used for the removal and washing away of sewage.

Dimon is not a prominent city or village, although many historians believe that this is a reference to Diblon which was on the bank of the Arnon River, also referred to as the Amen. But it may also refer to the northern boundary of Moab, along the southern boundary of Ammon.  However, these are just guesses.

Using the information included herein, and the meaning of the word, the reference simply means that the sewer waters will carry the sewage of Moab, and will flow with the blood of its inhabitants.

This describes such a great slaughter, that the entire population of the region will become like its own sewage, and the many creeks and streams and finally the rivers, will flow red with the blood of its people.

And that is not all.

Fugitives, is a reference to those who will try to run.

Remnant is a reference to those very few, that believe that they will have escaped to survive the devastation.

The lions, carries a dual meaning.  On the one hand, it refers to invading warriors or gangs, and on the other hand, it refers to the natural wild life that is adversarial to human presence.

Let there be no mistake.  The violence will be very real, and very extreme.  The invading forces will kill and rape and torture, with the result in every case, being death.  Needless to say that the invaders will get their judgment, too. 

But so too, will nature get involved in the violence, as wild animals will become extremely ferocious and aggressive.  And whether the wild involves dogs or lions or any other of a number of wild predators, any encounter with them will result in a summary death sentence which will not be pleasant.

And even though this chapter ends with the virtual annihilation of Moab and its people, we still have one more chapter, in the next chapter, which will describe even greater judgments against Moab, but it will also include a way out, which unfortunately very few, if any, will choose.

We have completed the study of fifteen chapters in Isaiah.  They have been filled with warnings and promises and prophecies, all of which the many generations since Isaiah, have disregarded.  Suffice to say that most probably the vast majority, if not well over ninety-percent of all peoples, are clueless as to the content of Isaiah.

And is it any wonder that all of these things will come to pass, as a result of mans own decisions and actions, even though they are foretold. 

People throughout history, when encountering problems, have always asked the question. ‘How could this happen?’

Why do you suppose that is?

Isaiah 15:8

Copyright Ó 2013 J. Neely

Isaiah 15:8ues

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8 For the cry [za`aq] is gone round about [naqaph] the borders [gabuwl] of Moab [Mow'ab]; the howling [yalalah] thereof unto Eglaim ['Eglayim], and the howling [yalalah] thereof unto Beerelim [Ba'er 'Eliym].  KJV-Interlinear

8 For the cry of distress has gone around the territory of Moab, Its wail goes as far as Eglaim and its wailing even to Beer-elim.  NASB

Eglaim, is located on the eastern border of Moab, and Beer-elim also known as the, well of the princes, is located on the border of Moab.

In short, the whole land of Moab will be affected by the onslaught, and there will not be any preference even to those of title.

Thus far we have studied the prophecy against Babylon which is symbolic of the source and plan of Satan. It will be destroyed.  And now we have the prophecy against Moab, located on the eastern border as a presumptuous innocent bystander and onlooker, and yet it is as guilty as Satan for all of its evil, even to standing by while it watches evil being applied against Israel and Judah and all of truth in general.

Moab will not escape.  And those, even those who pretend to be non-participants, will not escape the destructive wrath of God, when those final days of history occur.

They will do what most people do in life. They will refuse to even read the scriptures, refuse to even read any study of the scriptures, will refuse genuine interest, and yet will pretend piety, while engaging in their own form of superficial justification, turning a blind eye away from the evils that will occur around them, but still wanting to benefit from the results of those evils.

The result?  One day, God in His infinite wisdom, will bring history to a close.  This will not occur today or tomorrow, but the number of generations remaining are certainly dwindling fast as the world in its entirety is moving rapidly toward the liberal and social views wherein the very few, are going to make the decisions for the very many, and disaster after disaster will result for the masses. 

One day those masses will be ready to turn, not to God, but to a single and dynamic person to lead them out of their sufferings.  And when that mindset arrives, that mindset having been described as the great apostasy, and having resulted in a historical gap wherein people are simply no longer interested in Christ or doctrine, then God will pull the plug, and history will change gears with the Rapture, into the Tribulation, wherein all of these prophecies will begin to be fulfilled.

Isaiah 15:7

Copyright Ó 2013 J. Neely

Isaiah 15:7ues

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7 Therefore the abundance [yithrah] they have gotten [`asah], and that which they have laid up [paquddah], shall they carry away [nasa'] to the brook [nachal] of the willows [`arab].  KJV-Interlinear

7 Therefore the abundance which they have acquired and stored up They carry off over the brook of Arabim.  NASB

The remaining verses in this chapter describe the utter desolation and destruction and loss that will fall upon the land.

The brook of the willows, also called the valley of the Arabians, is toward the south of Moab, indicating the direction in which the population was being pushed, or chased, or as they ran from their invaders.

And their abundance that they have accumulated, their worldly possessions, that have not been destroyed and that they probably took with them, will also be lost.

This points to the principle that the people, in the face of overwhelming destruction, prized their things more than they prized God or anyone of deity, that they might look to for help.  God was not in the picture, not even the false gods.  But worldly possessions were valued most, or evidence of a highly secular society.  And they lost even those possessions.

So, the invasion comes from the north, or from the northerly direction.  People are pushed or run in the southerly direction.  And, disaster overtakes them, and all that they value, namely their things.

Isaiah 15:6

Copyright Ó 2013 J. Neely

Isaiah 15:6ues

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6 For the waters [mayim] of Nimrim [Nimriym] shall be desolate [mashammah]: for the hay [chatsiyr] is withered away [yabesh], the grass [deshe'] faileth [kalah], there is no green thing [yereq].  KJV-Interlinear

6 For the waters of Nimrim are desolate. Surely the grass is withered, the tender grass died out, There is no green thing.  NASB

Nimrim, the city of waters or city of fountains, was east of the Jordon with many springs that flowed into the Jordan, and provided water for the regions fields, as well as the general population.

Here, Isaiah continues the description of the destruction that is coming.

Not only will the people be decimated, and their property, but even the naturally occurring attributes of the region will be destroyed.  The springs and wells and natural agriculture support systems from nature will cease to produce.

So, not only will the destruction reach into the world from the source of people, gangs, armies and such, the world itself will rebel and withhold its natural resources.

The waters will dry up, leaving crops with no water, therefore no crops, therefore leaving famine, thus leaving starvation and shortages galore in every aspect of ones life.

In Revelation we saw that the worlds fresh water supply will become extremely short.  Even water ways for commerce will become un-navigable for shipping.

This will be an increasing occurrence during the Tribulation, making life more and more difficult for the worlds population.  For as water declines, so then agriculture declines, and then economies will decline into a shambles.

And recall that just a few studies ago, we saw how the people will be surprised, even shocked that they themselves will be affected by the problems that are occurring elsewhere.  Never once considering that it is they, who are the blame for their own misfortunes.

And that is true throughout history.  As goes attitude toward Christ (which includes attitude toward doctrine), then so goes the history of that person, people, region, nation, or of the entire world.

A negative attitude yields disaster.  A positive attitude yields prosperity.

Isaiah 15:5

Copyright Ó 2013 J. Neely

Isaiah 15:5ues

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5 My heart [leb] shall cry out [za`aq] for Moab [Mow'ab]; his fugitives [bariyach] shall flee unto Zoar [Tso`ar], an heifer [`eglah] of three years old [shaliyshiy]: for by the mounting up [ma`aleh] of Luhith [Luwchiyth] with weeping [Bakiy] shall they go it up [`alah]; for in the way [derek] of Horonaim [Choronayim] they shall raise up [`uwr] a cry [za`aq] of destruction [sheber].  KJV-Interlinear

5 My heart cries out for Moab; His fugitives are as far as Zoar and Eglath-shelishiyah, For they go up the ascent of Luhith weeping; Surely on the road to Horonaim they raise a cry of distress over their ruin.  NASB

Zoar was the name of the small town that Lot ran to, to escape the destruction of Sodom.

The other town names, Luhith and Horonaim with insignificant names that are probably along the borders or outer reaches of Moab, which is consistent with the fleeing of fugitives from the destruction that is happening to Moab and the country in general.

The reference to the three year old heifer, refers to the time when a young and unbred animal is first broken and placed under the yoke of burden and toil.  Its first three years having been allowed to run relatively free and without constraint.

So, Isaiah, states in his prophecy, that the crying out for Moab, suggests tears of great sorrow for a people and place that is under tremendous suffering, far beyond the norm.

That the outlying areas to where people might run in order to escape, will prove to not be places of sanctuary, but places of even greater sorrow and destruction.

In short, there will be no place to run, no place of sanctuary, no place to hide, no place of safety from the mighty hand of Gods judgment and destructive power.

Having been relatively free from responsibility to run and do as it pleases, the region of Moab, which is symbolic of the entire world during the last half of the Tribulation, will find itself in the deep trouble of Gods judgment, due to the worlds harsh treatment of Jews, of Christians, and against the general nature of the world on the whole.

And now the world is called to answer for its evil.  Evil that is pursued and evil that is embraced and evil that is consciously chosen, instead of good.

And as things rapidly deteriorate across the planet, there will be no place to hide from, or escape from, Gods wrath.

Isaiah 15:4

Copyright Ó 2013 J. Neely

Isaiah 15:4ues

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4 And Heshbon [Cheshbown] shall cry [za`aq], and Elealeh ['El`ale']: their voice [qowl] shall be heard [shama`] even unto Jahaz [Yahats]: therefore the armed soldiers [chalats] of Moab [Mow'ab] shall cry out [ruwa`]; his life [nephesh] shall be grievous [yara`] unto him.  KJV-Interlinear

4 Heshbon and Elealeh also cry out, Their voice is heard all the way to Jahaz; Therefore the armed men of Moab cry aloud; His soul trembles within him.  NASB

Three more cities of Moab are listed in the general destruction.  Heshbon, described by Jeremiah, the pride of Moab, Jere 48, is indicative of how they viewed life through the pride of their self-worth.

And the destruction and sorrow and fear will run even through the ranks of their military.  The armed soldiers are typically thought of as the brave and the tough, and yet the terror will extend from the civilians through to and including the bravest of the brave. 

Such will be the extent and severity of the destruction of the country, that even the very core of the brave will be shaking like a leaf in a hurricane, in fear of their own life.

And as we will see in the next several verses, it will be every man for himself.  No one will think of anyone but themselves.  No one will help anyone.  All will abandon all and leave anyone and everyone in order to protect themselves.

But of course even that will not work out.

And bit by bit, Isaiah adds to the description of the thoughts and actions of those who will be the targets of Gods wrath, as well as why they are the target, as well as how they react to their destruction.

Not one single word thus far had been said to indicate any semblance of repentance in the face of judgment.  Only reaction and resentment and fear of losing their way of life (the pride of Moab), is foremost in their minds.

Isaiah 15:3

Copyright Ó 2013 J. Neely

Isaiah 15:3ues

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3 In their streets [chuwts] they shall gird [chagar] themselves with sackcloth [saq]: on the tops [gag] of their houses, and in their streets [rachob], every one shall howl [yalal], weeping [Bakiy] abundantly [yarad].  KJV-Interlinear

3 In their streets they have girded themselves with sackcloth; On their housetops and in their squares Everyone is wailing, dissolved in tears.  NASB

From the comforts of what nearly everyone sees or wants to believe, as the place of unchanging safety, the home, the streets, the places of work and commerce, then the Moabites, and all, will see their entire world unraveling.

Were it not for these words of prophecy, then people might see these events and any event as a matter of chance or events in the normal due course of human nature.

But when a people perceives themselves as the masters of their own destiny, and still their entire world unravels with shocking and unimaginable destruction and with near impossible speed, then it is difficult to not believe that there is a far greater power and will at work.

And yet even in our current time, huge earthquakes and tsunamis and other major catastrophes of nature and even from war actions, can happen upon a society or a region and within seemingly minutes, unbelievable destruction and death can occur, leaving those who survive with little or nothing except days and weeks and months and even years of recovery, in order to gain back some semblance of their former lives.

But here, God promises that evil will pay, and when it is time, God will cause these events to occur with formidable and certain and complete and overwhelming thoroughness.

And for an entire people to be brought low to the point of extreme grief in tears, in howling, in abundance, in the many outward manifestations of great sorrow and loss, especially those who never seemed to respect anyone but themselves, nor held an ounce of empathy for others, which you will find in elite classes of society, then these expressions are brought to bear in the most deeply and private personal way, and yet become grossly public, that in any other time would be embarrassing.

So, the hard realities of an anti-God life are all culminated in huge sorrow, pain, and suffering, that, in those final days of history will be permanently fatal.  There will be no recovery, no restoration to the way things were, no relief, no rescue. There will be nothing but the terror of ones final end.

And the really sad thing is, that every generation since Isaiah, did not take his words seriously.  Very few take these words seriously even today.  Governments of the world are racing to deceive themselves and society in their many delusional idealisms.  Society is racing to embrace those same deceptions.

And as the world and history, since the 1800’s or thereabouts has been rapidly racing toward increased activities and attributes of many kinds, and so too, the world has been racing in the opposite direction away from God, so is it any wonder that these prophecies will certainly occur, and with great surprise odd as that may seem, for the vast majority.

Isaiah 15:2

Copyright Ó 2013 J. Neely

Isaiah 15:2ues

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2 He is gone up [`alah] to Bajith [Bayith], and to Dibon [Diybown], the high places [bamah], to weep [Bakiy]: Moab [Mow'ab] shall howl [yalal] over Nebo [Nabow], and over Medeba [Meydaba']: on all their heads [ro'sh] shall be baldness [qorchah], and every beard [zaqan] cut off [gada`].  KJV-Interlinear

2 They have gone up to the temple and to Dibon, even to the high places to weep. Moab wails over Nebo and Medeba; Everyone's head is bald and every beard is cut off.  NASB

Two more important cities are mentioned, both Nebo and Medeba, both of which are destroyed.

The first two references are of cities, Bajith and Dibon, where temples of the false gods of Moab were located.  A reference to the high places suggests the places of prayer and worship in honoring the gods of Moab.

Hair on the heads and beards being cut off, indicates tremendous grieving.  The hair and the beards are symbols of honor and status and to cut them off would not be heard of unless there were very extreme circumstances.

The combination of these first two verses, indicates that the people of this region, or of earth in general, when compared to the many descriptions in Revelation, were not expecting anything to happen to them.  After all, they had the anti-christ and his promises of a better world, once of course, the Jews, the ones being blamed as the cause of their problems, were exterminated.

But such will not be.

When disaster comes upon them, the Moabites, etc., they will not turn to God or Christ, but they will in turn, turn to their false gods, their false beliefs, to their false expectations for a way out of their predicament.  And even in spite of their extreme grief, as denoted by their symbols of grief, they will still reject God, in favor of their false gods and false beliefs.

Not only is Isaiah foretelling of the demise of this region, but he is also describing the attitudes and the reactions of the people and the very basis as to why they are being judged and destroyed.

They have rejected God and Christ.  They are indifferent toward the destruction being waged against Israel.  And they are not only, not going to get involved, but they are certainly expecting to benefit by Israel's hardship or destruction.

Isaiah 15:1

Copyright Ó 2013 J. Neely

Isaiah 15:1ues

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1 The burden [massa'] of Moab [Mow'ab]. Because in the night [layil] Ar [`Ar] of Moab [Mow'ab] is laid waste [shadad], and brought to silence [damah]; because in the night [layil] Kir [Qiyr] of Moab [Mow'ab] is laid waste [shadad], and brought to silence [damah];  KJV-Interlinear

1 The oracle concerning Moab. Surely in a night Ar of Moab is devastated and ruined; Surely in a night Kir of Moab is devastated and ruined.  NASB

This chapter continues the series of prophecies that began in chapter 13 and continue until chapter twenty-three. 

All are connected with the word, 'massa,' usually translated burden, but it also means prophecy, utterance, doom, heavy weight as in a burden too heavy to carry. 

This prophecy is intended to convey the idea of extremely important information that carries with it the heavy burden of truth, the burden of conveying the information, and certainly the burden on the target of the information, which in this chapter happens to be Moab.

Moab is the region to the east of Judah.  Its western boundary is the Dead Sea and the Jordon River and its eastern boundary is the Arabian Desert.  Its northern boundary was Ammon and its southern boundary was Edom.

Moab was named after one of the two sons of Lot, Moab and Ammon, both of who were the result of an incestuous relationship between Lot and his two daughters.  This relationship occurred after they fled the destruction of Sodom.  Lots wife died by being turned into a pillar of salt, during the destruction of Sodom, as they fled Sodom.

Isaiah’s prophecy now turns to the east of Judah, and upon Moab, having finished the previous prophecy against Philistia, which was to the west of Judah.

Two ancient cities are mentioned here, Ar and Kir.

The location of Ar is uncertain.  It is mentioned in Num. 21, and may have been a capital of Moab at one time, also called Rabbath, but that is not certain as far as archeology is concerned.

Kir means fortress and is thought to have been located on a mountain to the south of the country where it would have had good fortifications. 

Both cities have long since been destroyed.  Isaiah mentions them since they were once important cities, but now are gone.

In the night, refers to a time when most people are at rest and not necessarily expecting anything to happen to them.  However, this also means that people can look to themselves in confidence and presume that nothing bad, certainly their own destruction, would never occur.

And that is the meaning taken on here.

Moab represents a people that have become content with their existence as it is, despite the destruction that is occurring all around them, as would be the case in the final days of history, during the Tribulation.

And as they are no longer around in history or even questionable in archeology, so too, when those final days of history arrive, these people and many like them, who have become acclimated to the ways of life, difficult at they will be during the Tribulation, will again be wiped away from history, to their utter surprise.

And the emphasis here is on their surprise when they should not have been surprised.

In the night, paints the picture of a people that do not see their own destruction coming and do not believe that their own destruction will come.

Now remember that when the Tribulation begins, with the Rapture ending our current dispensation, there will be a huge population of people, all unbelievers, remaining on this earth.

The restraint on sin will be lifted and the world will be left to run itself free as it pleases.

The first action of the world will be to take on a world leader who we call the anti-christ.  That will come at the hand of violence and then life will deteriorate rapidly from there.

During the first half of those seven years, or the first, three-and-a-half years, of the Tribulation, literally half of the worlds population will die from starvation, disease, and extraordinary violence of every kind imaginable.

That statistic alone should tell someone that things are not right.

But here we have Moab as the example of a people who simply do not see all of the destruction of the world, as applying to them.

And so, surprise, surprise, in the night, which is not necessarily in the literal night, but can be, but at a time when you do not expect something, then it does rapidly come to visit you and overtake you. 

And you are shocked by this?

In the night also refers to a rapid destruction.

Their destruction will occur fast, and it will be thorough.  So thorough that there will be hardly enough time to even know that you are being destroyed, and, as the night is accompanied with darkness so that you cannot see it coming, then the destruction will be totally confusing like being caught up in a whirlwind, disoriented during the whole destructive process.

What happened?  Where did that come from?  These will be the attitude and response.

Confusion, terror, destruction and death is all around and you do not have the time to figure it all out it is all so rapid, and unexpected.

And such is the destiny of Moab, which is the description of the destiny of all evil peoples everywhere, who have looked to their world leader, for answers and help, but no help or answers will be there, ever, except that which they will have been witnessing for the seven years during the whole of the Tribulation, but have refused to see.