Lesson 97B – Isaiah 10–23

Isaiah Gets Specific

Isaiah 13-23

• These chapters are very specific prophecies to various nations around Israel (and including Israel)

• We talked about Babylon in 13-14– What does Babylon represent?

• Many of the other nations have dualistic nature as well – Temporary prophecy– Eschatological prophecy

• Eschatology - "The department of theological science concerned with ‘the four last things: death, judgement, heaven, and hell’."

Isa 13:19

Isa 15:1

Isa 17:1-3

Isa 19:1-3

Isa 23:1

Isa 21:13, 16-17

DESTROYED

DESTROYED

DESTROYED

DESTROYED

DESTROYED

DESTROYED

Isaiah Prophecies of Doom• He was pretty specific and pretty

harsh• Isa 15:2-3

– Why is baldness (shaved heads) and shaved beards such a bad thing?

– Think of the Law of Moses, Samson– Leviticus 19:27– Hasidic Jews today grow out their

hair as well. It’s a symbol of a covenant

• Often the Assyrians would shave heads of people they captured, to easily designate them as slaves.

Isaiah 16:6-12

• Do you see the Chiasmus?• Hint: Look at city names

6 ¶aWe have heard of the bpride of Moab; he is very proud: evenof his haughtiness, and his pride, and his wrath: but his lies shallnot be so. 7 Therefore shall Moab ahowl for Moab, every one shall howl: forthe foundations of bKir-hareseth shall ye mourn; surely they arestricken. 8 For the fields of Heshbon languish, and the vine of Sibmah: thelords of the heathen have broken down the principal plantsthereof, they are come even unto aJazer, they wandered throughthe wilderness: her branches are stretched out, they are gone overthe sea. 9 ¶Therefore I will bewail with the weeping of Jazer the vine ofSibmah: I will water thee with my tears, O Heshbon, and Elealeh:for the shouting for thy summer fruits and for thy harvest is fallen. 10 And agladness is taken away, and joy out of the plentiful field;and in the vineyards there shall be no singing, neither shall therebe shouting: the treaders shall tread out no wine in their presses; Ihave made their vintage shouting to cease. 11 Wherefore my abowels shall sound like an harp for Moab, andmine inward parts for Kir-haresh. 12 ¶And it shall come to pass, when it is seen that Moab is wearyon the high place, that he shall come to his sanctuary to apray; buthe shall not prevail.

Isaiah 18:1• There are a couple important lands that are addressed while

Isaiah is being so geographically specific.• Where is the “land shadowing with wings”?

• Joseph Fielding Smith“Isaiah 18:1 “is a mistranslation. In the Catholic Bible it reads: ‘Ah, land of the whirring of wings, beyond the rivers of Cush,’ and in Smith and Goodspeed’s translation it reads: ‘Ah! Land of the buzzing of wings, which lies beyond the rivers of Ethiopia.’ The chapter shows clearly that no woe was intended, but rather a greeting, as indicated in these other translations. A correct translation would be, ‘Hail to the land in the shape of wings.’ Now, do you know of any land in the shape of wings? Think of your map. About twenty-five years ago one of the current magazines printed on the cover the American continents in the shape of wings, with the body of the bird between. I have always regretted that I did not preserve this magazine. Does not this hemisphere take the shape of wings; the spread out wings of a bird?” - Signs of the Times, p. 51

All right, let’s see

Isaiah 18:2

• “whose land the rivers have spoiled”• What does spoiled mean? (footnote)

“Ambassadors by the sea”

• v2 – who are the ambassadors by the sea?– Missionaries in early days of the

church• v3 – What is the ensign on the

mountains?• “when he bloweth a trumpet,

hear ye”• v7 – the mount Zion– D&C 84:2

The Valley of Vision• Isa 22:1

– Where is the Valley of Vision?– (footnote) It’s the valley

where the visions of Isaiah were received

• Isa 22:8-11– What are the protections they

(under King Hezekiah) took to fortify Jerusalem against the incoming Assyrians?

– v11 – What protections did they not take? Which make the difference?

Eliakim

• Isaiah 22:20-23• What does Eliakim mean?– “God shall cause to arise”– Who could we be talking about here? (remember dualism)

• v22 – The key of the house of David– “he shall open and none shall shut”– Helaman 10:7 (sound similar)?– These are the Melchizedek Priesthood keys

• v23 – Underline “as a nail in a sure place” and write “temple”

Hope to the House of Israel

• Often Isaiah 13-23 are called the “burden chapters”.

• For the House of Israel, though, God provides a hope to look forward to.

• The hope is Christ, the Messiah.

Notebook Ideas

• Why is it important for us to study prophecies given to other nations? How does it apply to us?

• What does the Priesthood “open” or “seal” in your life?