Isaiah 16:6-12

c. INSOLENCE

TEXT: Isaiah 16:6-12

6

We have heard of the pride of Moab, that he is very proud; even of his arrogancy, and his pride, and his wrath; his boastings are nought.

7

Therefore shall Moab wail for Moab, every one shall wail; for the raisin-cakes of Kir-hareseth shall ye mourn, utterly stricken.

8

For the fields of Heshbon languish, and the vine of Sibmah; the lords of the nations have broken down the choice branches thereof, which reached even unto Jazer, which wandered into the wilderness; its shoots were spread abroad, they passed over the sea.

9

Therefore I will weep with the weeping of Jazer for the vine of Sibmah; I will water thee with my tears, O Heshbon, and Elealeh; for upon thy summer fruits and upon thy harvest the battle shout is fallen.

10

And gladness is taken away, and joy out of the fruitful field; and in the vineyards there shall be no singing, neither joyful noise; no treader shall tread out wine in the presses; I have made the vintage shout to cease.

11

Wherefore my heart soundeth like a harp for Moab, and mine inward parts for Kir-heres.

12

And it shall come to pass, when Moab presenteth himself, when he wearieth himself upon the high place, and shall come to his sanctuary to pray, that he shall not prevail.

QUERIES

a.

Why does Moab display such arrogance and pride?

b.

Who is weeping in Isaiah 16:9?

PARAPHRASE

The pride of Moab is well known. Moab is very proud, even to the point of arrogance and cruelty. Moab's boastful talk is not right. Moab will wail and mourn his own calamitythe whole nation shall wail bitterly because of this arrogance. Moab will be so utterly stricken down from its self-exaltation its famous raisin-cakes and vineyards will be disregarded by everyone. As a matter of fact, the armies of its enemies will tear down and march over those huge, famous vineyards and completely devastate the land. So I will wail and weep for Jazer and the vineyards of Sibmah. My tears flow for Heshbon and Elealeh, for destruction has come upon their summer fruits and harvests with the battle shout. Gone will be the gladness, gone the joy of harvest. The happy singing in the vineyards will be heard no more; the treading out of the grapes in the wine presses will cease forever and the customary shout of heydad at the reaping of the vintage will be caused to cease. Mourning for Moab and its people sweeps over my soul like the funeral music that mournfully sweeps across a harp. No last minute appeal to Moab's gods will avert the inevitable judgment of Jehovah upon his arrogance. Even though the whole nation presents itself and cries with much repetition he shall not prevail.

COMMENTS

Isaiah 16:6-8 ARROGANCE: The haughty pride of Moab was well known. See Isaiah 15:1-9. Moab's pride led to arrogance, ungodly boasting (even to the point of magnifying himself against the Lord (Cf. Jeremiah 48:42), and to cruel wrath. Moab evidently paid no attention to the invitation of God's prophet (Isaiah) to call for help from Judah in a submissive penitent attitude. And, in spite of the terrible warnings of complete destruction, Moab refused Judah's help. Moab was also famous for its large and luxurious vineyards. It was famous for a delicacy known as raisin-cakes which it exported throughout the world. The prophet predicts that these things in which Moab gloried and upon which he depended so much, would soon be completely trampled under the feet of enemy nations marching in conquest of their land.

Isaiah 16:9-12 AGONY: There is in all of us a sentiment akin to agony and horror when we realize there is no hope for the impenitent and rebellious. This was true of Isaiah. Not all Jews hated their enemies! Agony and sorrow swept across the heart-strings of Isaiah with such mournfulness as one hears sweeping across the strings of a lyre played at funerals. Genuine tears of compassion would flow from the eyes of this sensitive man of God for a people about to be debased because of their arrogance. By faith, the prophet could understand God's revelation of the deep pain and suffering that was about to come upon the Moabites. Isaiah knew that all their flippant, boastful rejoicing in prosperity and abundance would be turned into wailing and lamenting. There would be a cessation of the exuberance shown at every harvest of the vintage. In Israel and Moab the heydad was the peculiar shout raised by those that trod out the grapes in the wine-press. As each foot stamped into the wine-press, this word gave the accompanying shout, which was quite naturally a joyful and enthusiastic one. In place of the joyful harvest shout will be heard the battle shout. In their hour of complete devastation the Moabites will go to their pagan sanctuaries and cry out in repetitious prayer to their pagan gods until they are wearied with praying, but to no avail. Their wails will be those of those who have no real god, no hope and help.

QUIZ

1.

How far had Moab carried its pride and arrogance?

2.

What did it have to be so arrogant about?

3.

Why was Isaiah agonizing about Moab's fate so?

4.

What contrast did Isaiah make about the cessation of joy in Moab?