Day 93: Isaiah 16- Hope In Hard Times

Send the lamb to the ruler of the land, from Sela, by way of the desert, to the mount of the daughter of Zion. 2 Like fleeing birds, like a scattered nest, so are the daughters of Moab at the fords of the Arnon.

3 “Give counsel; grant justice; make your shade like night at the height of noon; shelter the outcasts; do not reveal the fugitive; 4 let the outcasts of Moab sojourn among you; be a shelter to them from the destroyer. When the oppressor is no more, and destruction has ceased, and he who tramples underfoot has vanished from the land, 5 then a throne will be established in steadfast love, and on it will sit in faithfulness in the tent of David one who judges and seeks justice and is swift to do righteousness.”

6 We have heard of the pride of Moab— how proud he is!— of his arrogance, his pride, and his insolence; in his idle boasting he is not right. 7 Therefore let Moab wail for Moab, let everyone wail. Mourn, utterly stricken, for the raisin cakes of Kir hareseth. 8 For the fields of Heshbon languish, and the vine of Sibmah; the lords of the nations have struck down its branches, which reached to Jazer and strayed to the desert; its shoots spread abroad and passed over the sea. 9 Therefore I weep with the weeping of Jazer for the vine of Sibmah; I drench you with my tears, O Heshbon and Elealeh; for over your summer fruit and your harvest the shout has ceased. 10 And joy and gladness are taken away from the fruitful field, and in the vineyards no songs are sung,  no cheers are raised; no treader treads out wine in the presses; I have put an end to the shouting.

11 Therefore my inner parts moan like a lyre for Moab, and my inmost self for Kir-hareseth. 12 And when Moab presents himself, when he wearies himself on the high place, when he comes to his sanctuary to pray, he will not prevail. 13 This is the word that the Lord spoke concerning Moab in the past. 14 But now the Lord has spoken, saying, “In three years, like the years of a hired worker, the glory of Moab will be brought into contempt, in spite of all his great multitude, and those who remain will be very few and feeble.”

Meditation
In this historical moment we are watching God bring the pride and powers of the world to their knees. Political powers are panicking and economic powers flailing. God’s people must humble ourselves and repent from pride and places where we have looked for power outside of the Lord. We must humbly return to God’s throne of grace.

The pride of Moab (6) was turned to wailing (7) by the just judgment of God. Their glory was being brought to contempt. (8-14) At one point in history Moab brought tribute to the Lord’s anointed (2 Samuel 8:2), but as soon as opportunity availed, the nation sought independence.  The sovereignty of the Lord takes center stage and reveals the only hope in hard time- turn to the throne of God’s steadfast love. (5)

Humility is the path to hope. God shows covenant favor to those who humble themselves before Him. (Proverbs 3:34) He will lift them up. (James 4:10) The Lord hears our hearts from Heaven and will offer healing and forgiveness for sins. (2 Chronicles 7:14) God shows favor to the humble  (1 Peter 5:5-6) and wants to offer hope in hard times.

Return to the Lord. Turn from the places you are looking for power and hope, when it can only be found in the Lord’s steadfast love. King Jesus sits on the throne of David in faithfulness (5) and is eager to shower you in His righteousness.

Richly Dwelling
-The Lord offers hope in hard times through humbling ourselves and returning to His throne of grace. Do you need to repent of your pride or turn from places you are looking for power that are not Him?

-The grace of God offers Steadfast love, an unchanging love which we can always return to (5). How does the kindness of the Lord lead us to repentance? (Romans 2:2)

Key Verse
 5 then a throne will be established in steadfast love, and on it will sit in faithfulness in the tent of David one who judges and seeks justice and is swift to do righteousness.”