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15 An oracle concerning Moab.
Because Ar of Moab is laid waste in a night,
Moab is undone;
because Kir of Moab is laid waste in a night,
Moab is undone.
He has gone up to the temple, and to Dibon,
to the high places to weep;
over Nebo and over Medeba
Moab wails.
On every head is baldness;
every beard is shorn;
in the streets they wear sackcloth;
on the housetops and in the squares
everyone wails and melts in tears.
Heshbon and Elealeh cry out;
their voice is heard as far as Jahaz;
therefore the armed men of Moab cry aloud;
his soul trembles.
My heart cries out for Moab;
her fugitives flee to Zoar,
to Eglath-shelishiyah.
For at the ascent of Luhith
they go up weeping;
on the road to Horonaim
they raise a cry of destruction;
the waters of Nimrim
are a desolation;
the grass is withered, the vegetation fails,
the greenery is no more.
Therefore the abundance they have gained
and what they have laid up
they carry away
over the Brook of the Willows.
For a cry has gone
around the land of Moab;
her wailing reaches to Eglaim;
her wailing reaches to Beer-elim.
For the waters of Dibon are full of blood;
for I will bring upon Dibon even more,
a lion for those of Moab who escape,
for the remnant of the land.
(ESV)
Moab was the region on the east side of the Dead Sea. The total land surface would have been about 30 miles long and 30 miles wide.
As compared to the nation of Edom, where hostility ran deep, the relations with Moab and Israel were a bit ambiguous. There seems to be both a closeness and friction described over the sweep of Scripture.
Ultimately, the people of Moab had become proud and arrogant, and they would be humbled by the Lord. We know that Isaiah has written judgements for both Israel and Judah, so the temptation then would be to seek refuge in Moab. In fact, the purpose of this oracle is really to discourage any of God’s people from joining with Moab for purposes of comfort and security.
This is a practical application for us today. It may seem that being married to the world is a safer and more logical option than relying on faith. I think we really see this in the political sphere. Many Christians today exalt political leaders (and their stance on the issues) to a higher position than God. Although Jesus never sided with a political party, many today place their complete trust in this type of worldly power.
No matter how bad our world gets, we must remember that there is no political leader who will dethrone Jesus from His position of authority. Even those who claim to represent Jesus and stand for “good principles” should be weighed with wisdom and discernment. Though the Antichrist may not be a political power, he will come and deceive many! We must trust in Jesus alone for our deliverance and protection.