Reading

• Isa. 34:1-4; 14:24-27; 15:1-9; 16:1-14; 17:1-14

Devotional

Under wicked king Ahaz, Judah is now paying tribute to Assyria. GOD is in the process of bringing about the discipline upon His people for their evil ways. He will use even more wicked nations to accomplish this purpose, but they too will receive punishment. It is this future punishment of these nations that Isaiah is prophesying about in today’s reading.

¹ Come near, you nations, and listen; pay attention, you peoples! Let the earth hear, and all that is in it, the world, and all that comes out of it! ² The LORD is angry with all nations; his wrath is on all their armies. He will totally destroy them, he will give them over to slaughter. ³ Their slain will be thrown out, their dead bodies will stink; the mountains will be soaked with their blood. ⁴ All the stars in the sky will be dissolved and the heavens rolled up like a scroll; all the starry host will fall like withered leaves from the vine, like shriveled figs from the fig tree.
(Isa. 34:1-4 NIV)

²⁴ The LORD of hosts has sworn, saying, “Surely, as I have thought, so it shall come to pass, And as I have purposed, so it shall stand: ²⁵ That I will break the Assyrian in My land, And on My mountains tread him underfoot… ²⁶ This is the purpose that is purposed against the whole earth, And this is the hand that is stretched out over all the nations. ²⁷ For the LORD of hosts has purposed, And who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, And who will turn it back?”
(Isa. 14:24-27 NKJV)

⁶ We have heard of Moab’s pride—how great is her arrogance!—of her conceit, her pride and her insolence; but her boasts are empty. ⁷ Therefore the Moabites wail, they wail together for Moab…¹³ This is the word the LORD has already spoken concerning Moab. ¹⁴ But now the LORD says: “Within three years, as a servant bound by contract would count them, Moab’s splendor and all her many people will be despised, and her survivors will be very few and feeble.”
(Isa. 16:6-7a, 13-14 NIV)

¹ A prophecy against Damascus: “See, Damascus will no longer be a city but will become a heap of ruins. ² The cities of Aroer will be deserted and left to flocks, which will lie down, with no one to make them afraid. ³ The fortified city will disappear from Ephraim, and royal power from Damascus; the remnant of Aram will be like the glory of the Israelites,” declares the LORD Almighty…¹⁰ You have forgotten God your Savior; you have not remembered the Rock, your fortress. Therefore, though you set out the finest plants and plant imported vines, ¹¹ though on the day you set them out, you make them grow, and on the morning when you plant them, you bring them to bud, yet the harvest will be as nothing in the day of disease and incurable pain.
(Isa. 17:1-3, 10-11 NIV)

Even though the Israelites were GOD’s special people, He always loved—and still loves—every single person. The Gentiles were responsible for acknowledging GOD as their Maker and not worshiping idols, yet virtually every nation fell into that trap and aroused GOD’s anger towards them. We too can forget GOD our Savior and our Rock. Make sure that never happens. Cling to GOD with all of your being and He will not abandon you.