Bible Study: Isaiah 17:1-14

Today's reading continues the series of burdens with God's judgment of Assyria.  We learn that this prophecy applies to all who turn away from God.

Isaiah Chapter 17

Lessons from the text

Be Born Again
Israel, just because they were the chosen people of God, were not immune to His judgments. Anyone who forsakes God will one day be held accountable for his decision.  It does not matter if your father was a preacher, if you have always gone to church, or even if you have been calling yourself a Christian for as long as you can remember; if you have forgotten God, then you will fall under His judgment.

Jesus told Nicodemus that to enter into the kingdom of God he had to be born again (Jn3:3). There has to be a distinct moment of conversion, that moment when God removes the stony heart and puts in a living heart of flesh inside of your soul (Ez 11:19) and you receive the Holy Ghost. Then and only then have you been redeemed and given access into heaven.  It's not by baptism, church membership, or the association of my family's been a Christian for ever and ever.  You must be born again.

What does it mean to be born again?  What is the work of God that must be done for you to be acceptable to him?  

Jesus said in John 6:29 that it is to "believe on Him whom He hath sent."  If you neglect this work of God, if you turn away from who He is, then one day you will have to face His judgment.

Verse by Verse Commentary

1-2  Like the other burdens, Damascus will be brought to ruins by God's judgment.  Damascus is the capital of Assyria.

3  Assyria will loose its grip on Israel and suffer the same fate as them.  The glory of the children of Israel departed from them because they would not honor God but chose to worship false gods. Therefore the physical presence of God found in Solomon's Temple departed from them, and their country was overrun by the Babylonians.

4  Israel had grown fat in corruption, and now God was going to make that flesh clean.  The flesh refers to the sinful nature of man in contrast to the inward, spiritual man that should be nurtured. Israel fed their flesh rather then their spirit.

5-6  Even though God is going to strip them of so much, He is still promising to leave a remnant that will thrive.  The purpose is to weed out the bad fruit so that only the good fruit will be left.

7  The good fruit are those that have respect to the Holy One of Israel.

8-9  During the time of judgment, people will not be able to look to the works of one's hands or to a false god because they will either be destroyed or it will be made very clear that they are unable to help them.  People look to God in times of trouble.  That is when a person remembers who truly has power and authority in one's lives.

10-11  Judgment occurs when we forsake God and seek after our own will or false gods.  While we may have joy for a season and may even see our works grow in stature, the end result will be grief and sorrow.  An example would be the person who spends all of his life building a successful company only to die without knowing the Lord and spend eternity in hell.  See Luke 16:20-26.

12-14  God now ties this prophecy back to Syria and to all nations who turn away from God. While these nations and people may build great empires and have amazing accomplishments, in reality they are robbing God and His people.  In the end they are nothing more than chaff that shall be swept away.

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Please comment below to share what you learned from today's lesson.

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