cg - isaiah 13-26 from ms. laura stoddard

Intro = The Complaint Agianst the Nations
In this we see what is important to God - what does God make a big deal of? The nations sought security from others or through self-sufficiency; Either way they were forgetting God. Before we read these downer passages; let's start with having an attitude of faith in God's goodness and character rather than putting God on trial.

First Section = Chapters 13-20
-13-14:23 - A prophecy against Babylon (They were arrogant, oppressive, ruthless)
-14:22-27 - A prophecy against Assyria (Israel trusted them when they shouldn't have)
-14:28-32 - A prophecy againt the Philistines (They oppressed the poor and needy)
-15 and 16 - A prophecy aginst Moab (They were rich, agressors, conceited, worshippers of Molech) [READ 15:5, 16:9]
-17 - An oracle against Damascus (idolatry) [READ 17:10]
-18 - A prophecy against Cush (agressive)
-19 - A prophecy about Egypt (idolatry and divination, spirit-worship) [READ 19:3, 22]
-20 - A prophecy against Egypt and Cush (become shamed, captives to Assyria) [READ 20:5

Second Section - Chapters 21-23
21:1-10 A prophecy about Babylon (idolatry)
21:11-12 A prophecy against Edom
21:13-16 A prophecy against Arabia (pomp/arrogance)
22 A prophecy about Jerusalem [READ 22:14,18]
23 A prophecy about Tyre (wealthy merchants in this town will be forgotten for 70 years, there will no longer be a good harbor) [READ 23:17-18]

Third Section - Chapters 24-26
24 God's Devastation of the Earth
[READ 24:1-6, 20-23]
25 Praise the Lord
[READ 25:1-4, 8]
26 A Song of Praise
[READ 26:3-4]

Common Complaints
Idolatry, Injustice, Oppression, Forgetting God
"The whole series comes to a dramatic climax in the contrast of 2 cities: the world's city- the human attempt to organize a world without God- which falls
(24:10), and the strong city of salvation (26:1) which stands." -Motyer, Commentary on Isaiah

Things to REmember
-God takes no pleasure in punishing. God is looking for faithful people; the vision has to do with a positive search, not a desire to find evil. [1 Chron. 16:8-14]
-God is ready to forgive and restore. REpentence is possible, necessary, and effective [Isa. 26:9-10]
-God will always have someone to follow Him: the remnant will live [Isa. 14]
-God made it clear to people what right and wrond were and that He is a jealous God [Deut 4:24, 39-40, DEut 18:9-13]

Application
1. We are so blessed by the new covenant and how easy it is to approach God under grace [2 Pet 3:8-9, Heb. 4:16]
2. We are so lucky to have the HS to help us walk with God, and to convict us.
3. There will be this sort of judgment and destruction again (tribulation); Judah/Israel was called to be a blessing to the surrounding nations so that they would know God. Similarly, we also need to be a good witness.
4. We should be eager to listen to instruction and discipline. Our pride or hurt feelings are a small price to pay. God dealt strongly with people who had similar sin as us. This is a wake up call, not a threat. [Isa. 26:16-18]