Today, I am reading and commenting on  Isaiah 13-16.

Today’s passage contains prophecies concerning the downfall of three nations: Babylon, Philistia, and Moab.  The one about Babylon gives no context about when Isaiah made the prophecy.  The one about Philistia says that it was made the year that King Ahaz died.  The final one against Moab says that it will take place within three years, but only tells us that it will happen within three years of being made.  All three prophecies have one point in common.  They all stress that nations and powers rise and fall at God’s whim.  The first tells us that the rulers of Babylon thought that their power would last forever and that they needed to take no thought to doing what was right, or even that there were any actions they needed to take.  They thought their power meant they could do only what they wished and needed to take no thought to maintaining their power.  It serves to remind us that we all will die, and none of our power and wealth in life will aid us after our death.  The second warns us that we should not rejoice over the fall of our enemies; they may be replaced by those who do even worse to us.  The third warns us against the pride of thinking that wealth, and not being one who wields power, will protect us when the powers of the world are shaken up.  To a degree, each of these prophecies reminds us that only putting our faith and trust in God will give us any security.  Only God can give us safety.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.