IMPORTANT MESSAGE

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT IF YOU ARE GOING TO USE THIS BIBLE STUDY THAT YOU BEGIN AT THE INTRODUCTION AS IT WILL NOT MAKE SENSE OTHERWISE. PLEASE USE THE ARCHIVES AT THE RIGHT.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Isaiah 15, 16, 25 and Jeremiah 48, Babylon masquerading as Moab

In the last post it was discussed as to how the prophecies for Bozrah, Idumea, Edom, Moab, and Ammon might not all be referring to modern Jordan. Now comes the part that makes one think that the original passage in Isaiah 34 is not actually speaking of Bozrah and Idumea, or Jordan when it speaks of such a final and complete destruction.

As Moab, Edom, Bozrah, Idumea, and Ammon all refer to the country of Jordan today, the future prophecies regarding them would all either apply to the country of Jordan or to some other spiritual entity entirely. The interesting thing in looking at the prophecies, is that it becomes clear from viewing them that many clearly speak of the time of the Day of the Lord (the context makes it clear), and that there are two future prophecies given for this land in that day. One is that it will escape out of the hands of the antichrist when he rampages through the countryside conquering, and that Israel is allowed to plunder her after God’s people comes out of her and go back to Jerusalem after Daniel’s 70th week. The other is that she is destroyed and left a barren wilderness forever for animals to inhabit. Both cannot be true for the same place. Therefore the conclusion is that one set of prophecies is not actually referring to modern day Jordan, but to someone else.

First we will look at something that clearly refers to Jordan in the future. In Daniel 11:40-42 we read, “And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with the chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.” This appears to be speaking of Jordan, as antichrist is in the Middle East and conquering those countries around Israel. Egypt is one that does not escape his power. One then assumes that the countries mentioned are indeed Jordan. The possible reason that Jordan escapes his hand is because, as we learned when studying Revelation, it appears that this is where many Israelites run when the abomination of desolation takes place. Isaiah 16:4-5, “Let mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab; be thou a covert to them from the face of the spoiler (antichrist): for the extortion is at an end, the spoiler ceaseth, the oppressors are consumed out of the land. And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness.” Verse 5 gives us the time for these outcasts dwelling in Moab, who hides them from the spoiler. It is when the Messiah will sit upon the throne of David in the tabernacle in truth and judging. That is at the end of times. So we have another verse that tells us that Israel will be hidden by what appears to be Jordan during the tribulation.

Here are some verses about Israel and what she does to Moab. Isaiah 11:12-14, “And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim. But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together; they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab, and the children of Ammon shall obey them.” This verse indicates that Edom, Moab, and Ammon will be plundered and have to submit to Israel. As this has not happened yet, we see that this is the future assigned to these countries where the Israelites will be hidden during the time of Jacob’s Trouble. Is this Jordan? Jordan is east of Israel, so it would seem so. What is interesting is that Israel flies on the shoulders of the Philistines to the west. The only thing west of Israel that is filled with "Philistines" is America. Is this another passage that may indicate that we are the eagle in Revelation that helps many (but not all) of the Jews to escape antichrist? Many questions, not enough answers.

So far we have seen verses that say that the land of Moab, etc. will escape antichrist’s hands, because Israel will be hiding there, but that when Israel is called back to the land they will plunder these countries (just as they plundered Egypt upon their departure) and that country will come under Israel’s rule. This would so far seem to be speaking about Jordan.

Isaiah 15:1-9, “The burden of Moab. Because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence; because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence; He is gone up to Bajith, and to Dibon, the high places, to weep: Moab shall howl over Nebo, and over Medeba: on all their heads shall be baldness, and every beard cut off. In their streets they shall gird themselves with sackcloth: on the tops of their houses, and in their streets, every one shall howl, weeping abundantly. And Heshbon shall cry, and Elealeh: their voice shall be heard even unto Jahaz: therefore the armed soldiers of Moab shall cry out; his life shall be grievous unto him. My heart shall cry out for Moab; his fugitives shall flee unto Zoar, an heifer of three years old: for by the mounting up of Luhith with weeping shall they go it up; for in the way of Horonaim they shall raise up a cry of destruction. For the waters of Nimrim shall be desolate: for the hay is withered away, the grass faileth, there is no green thing. Therefore the abundance they have gotten, and that which they have laid up, shall they carry away to the brook of the willows. For the cry is gone round about the borders of Moab; the howling thereof unto Eglaim and the howling thereof unto Beerelim. For the waters of Dimon shall be full of blood: for I will bring more upon Dimon, lions upon him that escapeth of Moab, and upon the remnant of the land.” This passage is speaking of destruction. As destruction will happen to Jordan and the rest of the world, this is not clear as to whether it refers to Jordan, or spiritual Moab. It could apply to either.

Isaiah 16:1-14, “Send ye the lamb to the ruler of the land from Sela to the wilderness, unto the mount of the daughter of Zion. For it shall be that, as a wandering bird cast out of the nest, so the daughters of Moab shall be at the fords of Arnon. Take counsel, execute judgment; make thy shadow as the night in the midst of the noonday; hide the outcasts bewray not him that wandereth. Let mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab; be thou a covert to them from the face of the spoiler; for the extortion is at an end, the spoiler ceaseth, the oppressors are consumed out of the land. And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness. We have heard of the pride of Moab; he is very proud: even of his haughtiness, and his pride, and his wrath: but his lies shall not be so. Therefore shall Moab howl for Moab, every one shall howl: for the foundations of Kirhareseth shall ye mourn; surely they are stricken. For the fields of Heshbon languish, and the vine of Sibmah: the lords of the heathen have broken down the principal plants thereof, they are come even unto Jazer, they wandered through the wilderness: her branches are stretched out, they are gone over the sea. Therefore I will bewail with the weeping of Jazer, the vine of Sibmah: I will water thee with my tears. O Heshbon and Elealeh: for the shouting for thy summer fruits and for thy harvest is fallen. And gladness is taken away, and joy out of the plentiful field; and in the vineyards there shall be no singing, neither shall there be shouting: the treaders shall tread out no wine in their presses; I have made their vintage shouting to cease. Wherefore my bowels shall sound like an harp for Moab, and mine inward parts for Kirharesh. And it shall come to pass, when it is seen that Moab is weary on the high place, that he shall come to his sanctuary to pray; but he shall not prevail. This is the word that the Lord hath spoken concerning Moab since that time. But now the Lord hath spoken, saying, Within three years, as the years of an hireling and the glory of Moab shall be contemned, with all that great multitude; and the remnant shall be very small and feeble.”

This passage tells us this Moab takes in some of the outcasts of Israel to hide them from the spoiler (antichrist). We know that Israel runs to Jordan, but we have also surmised that America also takes in Israel’s refugees. In fact, there are Christians in America who are quietly preparing to do so. I do not believe that the saving of the Jews is going to be a government sponsored project. I believe it will come from Christians who have been quietly organizing to do so. The government most likely will not be siding with Israel at all. This Moab, is said to be full of pride and lies. In fact this passage harps on the subject of Moab’s pride It is also a land of a great multitude. I do not know if the small section of Jordan that would be Moab could say that. America certainly is known for her pride and great multitude of people. It is said that Moab is weary on the high place and comes down to the sanctuaries to pray. The high places were where all the pagan altars were set up. America certainly has set up those. When disaster hits, like 9-11, where is the first place they run? Back to the churches or sanctuaries, for a week or so, then they run right back up to their high places. Moab will be contemned, which means despised with mockery, not condemned. That certainly describes America again. Isn’t it a coincidence that this passage begins with the taking in of the outcasts (which happens halfway through the 70th week of Daniel), and then ends three years later with weeping and wailing in destruction with a feeble and small remnant? Three years takes us to the end of the 70th week. This passage would not seem to be speaking about Jordan, but about Babylon the Whore, which I do believe is America at this time.

Isaiah 25:9-12, “And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. For in this mountain shall the hand of the Lord rest, and Moab shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill. And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them, as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim: and he shall bring down their pride together with the spoils of their hands. And the fortress of the high fort of thy walls shall he bring down, lay low, and bring down to the ground, even to the dust.” Again, we see the problem is pride and that this place is brought to dust. This description would seem to make it fall into the category that would not be physical Jordan, but spiritual Babylon.

Jeremiah 48: 1-47, “Against Moab thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Woe unto Nebo! for it is spoiled: Kiriathaim is confounded and taken: Misgab is confounded and dismayed. There shall be no more praise of Moab: in Heshbon they have devised evil against it; come, and let us cut it off from being a nation. Also thou shalt be cut down, O Madmen; the sword shall pursue thee. A voice of crying shall be from Horonaim, spoiling and great destruction. Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard. For in the going up of Luhith continual weeping shall go up; for in the going down of Horonaim the enemies have heard a cry of destruction. Flee, save your lives, and be like the heath in the wilderness. For because thou hast trusted in thy works and in thy treasures, thou shalt also be taken: and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity with his priests and his princes together. And the spoiler shall come upon every city, and no city shall escape: the valley also shall perish, and the plain shall be destroyed, as the LORD hath spoken. Give wings unto Moab, that it may flee and get away: for the cities thereof shall be desolate, without any to dwell therein. Cursed be he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood. Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and he hath settled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed. Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will send unto him wanderers, that shall cause him to wander, and shall empty his vessels, and break their bottles. And Moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel their confidence. How say ye, We are mighty and strong men for the war? Moab is spoiled, and gone up out of her cities, and his chosen young men are gone down to the slaughter, saith the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts. The calamity of Moab is near to come, and his affliction hasteth fast. All ye that are about him, bemoan him; and all ye that know his name, say, How is the strong staff broken, and the beautiful rod! Thou daughter that dost inhabit Dibon, come down from thy glory, and sit in thirst; for the spoiler of Moab shall come upon thee, and he shall destroy thy strong holds. O inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the way, and espy; ask him that fleeth, and her that escapeth, and say, What is done? Moab is confounded; for it is broken down: howl and cry; and tell ye it in Arnon, that Moab is spoiled, And judgment is come upon the plain country; upon Holon, and upon Jahazah, and upon Mephaath, And upon Dibon, and upon Nebo, and upon Beth-diblathaim, And upon Kiriathaim, and upon Beth-gamul, and upon Beth-meon, And upon Kerioth, and upon Bozrah, and upon all the cities of the land of Moab, far or near. The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, saith the LORD. Make ye him drunken: for he magnified himself against the LORD: Moab also shall wallow in his vomit, and he also shall be in derision. For was not Israel a derision unto thee? was he found among thieves? for since thou spakest of him, thou skippedst for joy. O ye that dwell in Moab, leave the cities, and dwell in the rock, and be like the dove that maketh her nest in the sides of the hole's mouth. We have heard the pride of Moab, (he is exceeding proud) his loftiness, and his arrogancy, and his pride, and the haughtiness of his heart. I know his wrath, saith the LORD; but it shall not be so; his lies shall not so effect it. Therefore will I howl for Moab, and I will cry out for all Moab; mine heart shall mourn for the men of Kir-heres. O vine of Sibmah, I will weep for thee with the weeping of Jazer: thy plants are gone over the sea, they reach even to the sea of Jazer: the spoiler is fallen upon thy summer fruits and upon thy vintage. And joy and gladness is taken from the plentiful field, and from the land of Moab; and I have caused wine to fail from the winepresses: none shall tread with shouting; their shouting shall be no shouting. From the cry of Heshbon even unto Elealeh, and even unto Jahaz, have they uttered their voice, from Zoar even unto Horonaim, as an heifer of three years old: for the waters also of Nimrim shall be desolate. Moreover I will cause to cease in Moab, saith the LORD, him that offereth in the high places, and him that burneth incense to his gods. Therefore mine heart shall sound for Moab like pipes, and mine heart shall sound like pipes for the men of Kir-heres: because the riches that he hath gotten are perished. For every head shall be bald, and every beard clipped: upon all the hands shall be cuttings, and upon the loins sackcloth. There shall be lamentation generally upon all the housetops of Moab, and in the streets thereof: for I have broken Moab like a vessel wherein is no pleasure, saith the LORD. They shall howl, saying, How is it broken down! how hath Moab turned the back with shame! so shall Moab be a derision and a dismaying to all them about him. For thus saith the LORD; Behold, he shall fly as an eagle, and shall spread his wings over Moab. Kerioth is taken, and the strong holds are surprised, and the mighty men's hearts in Moab at that day shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs. And Moab shall be destroyed from being a people, because he hath magnified himself against the LORD. Fear, and the pit, and the snare, shall be upon thee, O inhabitant of Moab, saith the LORD. He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for I will bring upon it, even upon Moab, the year of their visitation, saith the LORD. They that fled stood under the shadow of Heshbon because of the force: but a fire shall come forth out of Heshbon, and a flame from the midst of Sihon, and shall devour the corner of Moab, and the crown of the head of the tumultuous ones. Woe be unto thee, O Moab! the people of Chemosh perisheth: for thy sons are taken captives, and thy daughters captives Yet will I bring again the captivity of Moab in the latter days, saith the LORD. Thus far is the judgment of Moab.”

This passage seems to be an extension of the same prophecy in Isaiah 16. We see that Moab is destroyed and cut off from being a nation. It suffers this at the spoiler’s hand. Notice how many times through these verses that the word “spoiler” is used about antichrist. We know from Daniel that Moab, Edom, and Ammon escape the spoiler’s hand, so now we have proof positive that there are two separate Moabs in the end times. One that escapes antichrist's hands, and one that does not. One is the ancient land in Jordan, and the other is a spiritual Moab or modern day spiritual Babylon. Again the pride, the exorbitant pride and arrogance of Moab is her problem. Note that it says that “Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and he hath settled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity”. This is a land that has never, never been conquered and that has had an easy life of it. Well, that certainly describes America, in spite of the problems in our history of settling the country, revolution, civil war, and our involvement in the world wars and other wars. We have never suffered the way other countries have in being conquered. We do have an easy life of it, compared to the rest of the world. We do trust in our works and our treasures. People bemoan her destruction and ask how this can happen to Moab, the strong staff and beautiful rod (reminiscent of what is said in Revelation). She is told to come down from her glory. Again, this is a good description of America. The spoiler shall come upon her and destroy her strongholds (military bases). Her plains and cities will be destroyed. Israel has been a derision to her. This indicates that, as said before, the government will not be the one helping the Jews escape, but the Christians, who band together to do something. People are told to flee the cities and hide in the rocks. Also again, her lies come before God. The rest of the passage is extremely similar to the passage in Revelation about Babylon, so I will just let the reader draw his own conclusions.

There are more verses on Moab, and there are more on Edom, Ammon, and others. In looking at them all, there is destruction ahead for everyone, incredible destruction, but it seems that there are dual prophecies at work within the prophecies. Some imply devastating destruction, but not complete annihilation never to rise again. Others imply permanent destruction. I believe that the ones that imply permanent destruction are speaking spiritually of Babylon the Whore. It is difficult to separate them out at times, because they do overlap. The deeper you delve into God’s Word, the more profound the levels of understanding become. Initially one starts at the literal level. These prophecies were given to the ancient lands mentioned. But there is much more behind them than that. As one reads through the major and minor prophets, and one realizes that these prophecies have that secondary level, one starts to see that God has been targeting the Whore, who has reigned in all of these countries at one time or another, for total annihilation right from the start. She keeps putting on masks, but He knows who she is, so He is always speaking to her whether her name changes or not.

Now that it has been shown that there are more prophecies to Babylon than just the ones addressed to Babylon, we will continue following the thread of prophecies that are addressed strictly to Babylon. We can then return to those that are addressed to other nations and see whether or not they apply to Babylon.

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