A God Who Weeps | Isaiah 15-16

A God Who Weeps | Isaiah 15-16

A God Who Weeps (Isaiah 15–16)

Introduction

  1. Remembering Dating: Three Questions
    1. Staying with Sara’s parents—daily driving between their house and my old house. Place and memory—remembering dating days.
    2. Dating is about getting to know someone and growing a relationship with them.
    3. Process: learning what they lovelearning to love what they lovejoining them in that thing
    4. Example: I love the AstrosSara came to love the AstrosSara brought me to see the Astros together
    5. I hope that you’re listening this morning because you want to know God, be in relationship with him, love him or want to love him.
    6. Three framing questions:
      1. What does God love?
      2. Do you love what God loves?
      3. Will you join God in what he loves?
  2. Unexplored terrain: The Nations Collections
    1. My guess is that you’ve never heard a sermon preached from Isaiah 15–16 before.
    2. ProphetsCollections of Prophecies addressed to foreign nations. For Isaiah, this is chapters 13–23.
    3. It is good to revisit familiar places—but sometimes it can be more exhilarating to venture away from the familiar to get a fresh view.
    4. I hope that you gain a fresh vision for God and his plans for the world this morning.
  3. Background on Moab and Its Demise
    1. Location: Modern Jordan (Maps 1 and 2 [not a big deal about city names])
    2. Moabite beginnings: Descendants of Lot and his daughter
    3. Resistance to Moses and Israel; Balaam
    4. Not allowed into the temple: Deuteronomy 23
    5. Judges and Kings: Perpetual enemies of Israel and Judah
    6. Economy: Sheep and wine; religion: Chemosh (human sacrifice)
    7. Isaiah 15–16 proclaims coming doom for Moab. Fulfilled in either Assyrian or Babylonian conquest (northern to southern movement in passage), after which Moab ceases to exist (later settled by Arabian tribes).

Order: Structure and Message of Isaiah 15–16

The Structure of Isaiah 15–16 (text at bottom)

    1. A-B-C v. A-B-A
      1. We usually think and write in a linear fashion: point A to point B.
      2. Ancient Hebrew literature: follows a more symmetrical pattern.
      3. A-B-C v. A-B-A
      4. Example: Creation-Fall-New Creation
    2. A Simple Outline: A-B-A (Destruction-Hope-Destruction)
      1. A. Destruction (15:1–9)
      2. B. Hope (16:1–5)
      3. C. Destruction (16:6–12) Simple Outline Slide
    3. A//A’: The Futility of Moabite Worship (15:2–3; 16:12)
      1. Going up to weep—sites of worship on the tops of mountains and hills as the abode of the gods.
      2. Verse 3 ends with the Moabites going down weeping—going up and going down=they accomplish nothing.
      3. Reflected in 16:12—read.
    4. B//B’: Destruction and Lament (15:4–9; 16:6–11)
      1. Read 15:4–9. Focus is on destruction and the weeping Moabites.
      2. Read 16:6–11. Focus is on destruction and God’s weeping over Moab, a theme to which we will return.
    5. C//C’: The Son of David as Refuge (16:1, 4b–5)
      1. Read 16:1. Ram is tribute.
      2. Read 16:4b–5. The enemy will pass away and a new king will reign.
    6. X: Command: Shelter Moabite Refugees (16:2–4a)—Read w/ brief explanation

Message of Isaiah 15–16

Transition: More than Moab (the OAN and list-making—farm animals [horses, cows, chickens, pigs, sheep, alpacas], Green Eggs and Ham [on a boat, with a goat, in the rain, on a train, in the dark, in a tree, in a box, with a fox, in a house, with a mouse]). Rhetorical technique of saying something general by means of a list of particulars (compliment one’s wife). This is part of the reason that every book in the prophets has a collection of prophecies about foreign nations (references). By collecting prophecies about foreign peoples that would have been familiar to ancient Israel, God is able to saying something about his feelings and plans for all nations more vividly and comprehensively. Moab is not just Moab—God is saying something about his heart for all nations. While you might not know any Moabites, God still has a word for you from Isaiah 15–16.

  1. The folly of false worship exposed.
    1. We see the folly of false worship at the beginning and end of our passage in describing how Moab’s appeals to its gods are fruitfulness (16:12).
    2. Additionally, the disaster shows the worthlessness of Moab’s wealth (15:7) and the folly of its pride (16:6).
    3. All made sense in prosperity, but are shown to be foolish in disaster.
    4. Principle: sometimes unexpected events can bring about rapid changes of perspective and shifts in how we value things (coronavirus—lowly and maligned toilet paper became a precious possession).
    5. Even more so is this the case with the fire of God’s judgment. Moab’s destruction presages a still greater judgment to befall all nations: The Day of the LORD.
    6. The Day of the LORD in Isaiah 2: condemns these three (destruction of wealth, peoples abandon their idols to the wild animals—refrain: The arrogance of man will be brought low and human pride humbled; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day (2:11)
    7. What do you worship?
      1. Religious pluralism
        1. You might not think the idolatry note applies.
        2. Moabites would have believed in the existence of many gods, one of whom was YHWH.
        3.  Today’s temptation: affirmation of the validity of multiple, contradictory religious and moral claims. Religious Pluralism.
        4. You risk being labelled a bigot if you reject this—but you risk being shown a fool on the last day if you succumb.
      2. Materialism—what happens in your heart when the stock market plummets? Is your account your security?
      3. Pride—would you seek humility today?
      4. Live like you will die and face God someday.
        The folly of false worship revealed
        Repent of religious pluralism, materialism, and pride.
  2. The complex heart of God revealed.
    1. Dizzying juxtaposition.
    2. God as Moab’s judge—Moab is guilty.
    3. Yet—God is portrayed as weeping over Moab (ex. 15:5; 16:9, 11).
    4. God executes criminals . . . but takes no pleasure in it.
    5. Amazing comparison—Sumerian City Laments. Destruction of the Ur III dynasty at the end of the 3rd millennium BC. Lament the destruction of cities (esp. Ur). Prominent feature is the patron deity of the city weeping over its destruction.
    6. Here YHWH weeps over . . . Moab!
    7. ESV and NIV in v. 4a refer to “the fugitives of Moab” (following ancient Greek and Syriac manuscripts)—but the traditional Hebrew text reads “my fugitives—Moab” (followed by CSB)
    8. This is not unique to this passage (Isa 19:24–25): In that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, 25 whom the LORD of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.”
    9. God is not a tribal deity, nor even a national deity. He is a global, universal God. All peoples are his; and he loves them.
    10. Remember that the Moabites are not a neutral party as far as Israel is concerned—they are racial and national enemies. This passage challenges Israelite nationalism—and we should allow it to challenge American nationalism. We should allow it to challenge our racial biases.
    11. Return to three questions:
      1. What does God love?
      2. Do you love what God loves?
        Pray to share God’s affections for our world.
  3. A just king promised.
    1. Contrasting Kingdoms.
    2. Fulfillment in Jesus.
    3. “seeks justice and is swift to do righteousness”
      1. Biblical Justice: both retributive and restorative (care for vulnerable—establishment of just society)
      2. Examples: Jer 22:3 Thus says the LORD: Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place.
        Prov 31:8–9 Open your mouth for the mute,
        for the rights of all who are destitute.
        Open your mouth, judge righteously,
        defend the rights of the poor and needy.
    4. Messianic King is not just for Israel—he is for all peoples! He is the hope of Moabite refugees!
    5. This is such good news for us.
    6. Isaiah 2 (all nations flow to Zion—God teaches them); Isaiah 11—Messiah establishes kingdom of peace (v. 10—“the nations will seek Him, and His resting place will be glorious”).
      A Just King Promised
      Set your hope on Jesus and his kingdom.
  4. A response of mercy commanded.
    1. Center of the passage.
    2. Particular=granting of asylum to refugees; general=care for the vulnerable
    3. Vision of the future drives action (What does God love? Do you love what God loves? Will you join God in what he loves?)—eschatology drives our ethics.
    4. Different angle of application: race, nationality, refugees.
    5. A note on refugees:
      1. I recognize that there are complex issues at stake with balancing national security and mercy in the form of granting asylum to refugees (even those from nations like Syria)
      2. Not the current hot button—but it isn’t going away and it’s important.
      3. Why is our impulse to view the issue of refugee care first as a national and political issue? Should we not first view it as those whose citizenship is in heaven?
      4. Seek how you can serve and love refugees no matter what either major party or third party has to say—and there are many refugees who are already here and need you. And who are overseas but you can still help.
      5. Lowell is an area with many, many refugees and immigrants—I don’t know of any evangelical ministries in the greater Boston area focusing on refugee care, but I wonder if God would place it on your heart to seek this out or start an exciting work.
      6. Worldwide—Baptist Global Response (gobgr.org)
    6. On application:
      1. I usually like to provide concrete steps for application.
      2. As I’ve been thinking through the right application of the command to welcome Moabite refugees this week, I’ve come up empty. And I think that might be a good thing.
      3. Starting point—everyday this week, I’d like you to pray to ask God how you can join him in extending mercy to his world.
      4. Faith that God will reveal this to you—and this will go in many directions that I could never imagine.
      5. This is a particular strength of Jonathan’s—follow his leadership.
        A Response of Mercy Commanded
        Ask God how you can join him in extending mercy to his world.

Conclusion: Return to Three Questions

Review of points:

The folly of false worship exposed
Repent of religious pluralism, materialism, and pride.

The Complex Heart of God Revealed
Pray to share God’s affections for our world.

A Just King Promised
Set your hope on Jesus and his kingdom.

A Response of Mercy Commanded
Ask God how you can join him in extending mercy to his world.

Three Question:

    1. What does God love?
    2. Do you love what God loves?
    3. Will you join God in what he loves?

The Weeping God—pray that he would give you his heart for his (and your) world.

Please listen to Terry Iles preach on Isaiah 15-16 – A God Who Weeps.

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