Mercy for Moab

Isaiah 15-16

So Moab is being destroyed.  It's ruined and everyone is suffering.  They mourn by wearing sackcloths and shaving their heads. Their land is in ruins, their people have been killed.  This once proud city is now just a group of refugees. God tells His people to help them out (give counsel, grant justice, make your shade like night at the height of noon, shelter the outcasts.) Then at the end it says "this was the prophecy for Moab in the past, but  now the Lord says 'In 3 years...the glory of Moab will be put into contempt." In other words, get ready, all of this is about to happen.

What can we learn about God? God is a God of justice, and as we've seen here and in the past chapters, He destroys His enemies.  But we also learn that God is a God of love, and He tells Israel to comfort the refugees.  He explains in Isa 16:4 that the "oppressor" is gone.  God's enemies have been destroyed, these people need love.

What can we learn about people? We really focus on the wrong things sometimes.  Moab was brought down because it was a proud kingdom (16:6) They were proud of their harvests, of their vineyards, in their wines... not in God. Another thing we learn is we should be willing to help the needy. Many times it's not their fault that they're going through this trouble, and even when it is, God loves them, so we should too. 

What can we take away from this? Remember that your pride is in what God has done for you, not what you have done for yourself.  Reach out to people who are going through tough times, because God has a heart for them (15:5 "My heart crys out for Moab;" 16:9 "I drench you with my tears;" 16:17 "My inner parts moan like a lyre for Moab.")