Isaiah 15 and 16
THE pride of Moab is spoken of in Jeremiah 48. He magnified himself against Jehovah; Israel was a derision unto him, and they shall be destroyed from being a people. Zephaniah 2:8, 11 takes up the same subject and declares that their land shall be as Sodom, a possession of nettles and salt pits and a perpetual desolation on account of their pride, because they reproached and magnified themselves against the people of Jehovah of hosts. Little did they realize that they would have to do with God about their treatment of His earthly people!
Today their land once populous and fertile, is desolate as the prophecy promised, but that they will reappear as a people we know from Daniel 11:41 and Isaiah 11:14. God has not finished with them.
Chapters 15 and 16 view Moab as passing under the judgment of God, —both the events that shortly followed Isaiah’s inspired writing, and what shall yet come to pass. Where there had been arrogance, there is weeping; they cry and flee; their abundance is carried off; the waters of Dimon (Dibon) are full of blood, token of great slaughter. God’s judgments may be long deferred, but “He requireth (or bringeth back) that which is past.” Ecclesiastes 3:15.
Chapter 16 calls upon the Moabites to send the lamb of the ruler of the land to the mount of the daughter of Zion, because the throne of David shall be established and the oppressor will be consumed. The lamb is evidently an acknowledgment of subjection to Israel. (See 2 Kings 3:4).
As to the chastisement then to fall on Moab, verse 14 names the time as three years distant, and its severity so great that of that great multitude but a remnant should be left. Scripture does not say at whose hands this infliction would occur. It may have been the Assyrian of that day.
In the future day they will escape the armies of the Assyrian, perhaps because thought of too little consequence to bother with them, but they will be dealt with by restored Israel.
ML 06/18/1933