Isaiah 17-20
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Being a prophet could be a tough job. Isaiah, as well as other prophets, had to be the bearer of
bad news much of the time. He
could see the end results of bad choices, and it took its toll on him. “So I weep, as Jazer weeps, for the
vines of Sibmah. O Heshborn, O
Elealeh, I drench you with tears!” (16:9) “My heart laments for Moab like a harp,
my inmost being for Kir Hareseth” (16:11). God would also ask prophets sometimes
to act out the prediction in a way.
Isaiah, who was well educated and quite comfortable among the nation’s
leaders, had to walk around stripped and barefoot as a slave to warn against an
alliance between two nations.
But there was another side to the job as well … Isaiah could also
see the hope in the future as well as a higher purpose in the bad news he had
to share. He points to that hope
as often as he can. He even named
his son Shear-Jashub, which meant, “a remnant will return.” He speaks of Israel fading in chapter
17, but that a small group will remain that God will use to restore the
nation.
So why did God send Isaiah to share these messages? I think, just as we talked about
yesterday, this shows God’s perfect combination and balance of justice and
mercy. He wanted the nations, who
were very far from God at that point, to know that He could not and would not
overlook the evil and darkness they were living in, but He also wanted to show
there was hope for those who would believe and trust in Him.
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