Isaiah 13-23
One of the grandest cities of blden times was Babylon, several hundred miles east of Jerusalem; its walls were wide and high, with forts and towers; it had great palaces, with much g6ld, id beautiful gardens. The kings were proud, cruel men bowing to idols, as did the people. God told Isaiah to write that Babylon would be destroyed.
It was many years before those words were fulfilled, but at last the great city was entirely destroyed by armies, left in heaps of brick and stone, its beauty gone. Men have dug among the ruins, but have never rebuilt the city; it has been deserted, only wild animals, “owls and doleful creatures living among the ruins, as God told Isaiah.
Another strong city was Damascus, which God said should be a “ruinous heap”; but it was not said to stay in ruins. Not long after an enemy conquered that city and carried away the people; but later it was rebuilt, and although often in war, is still a city, one much spoken of now. (Isa. 17:11The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap. (Isaiah 17:1)).
When Isaiah lived, Tyre was an important seaport northwest of Jerusalem, partly built on an island near the shore, where ships came from other lands; the rich merchants were very proud of their city and wealth. Isaiah was told Tyre also should be “laid waste” (Isa. 23:11The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them. (Isaiah 23:1)): those words came true some years after, when soldiers broke down its walls and spoiled its harbor, so ships went to other ports; Tyre is now a small place and only small boats come there.
The words God told Isaiah about these cities, and others are called, “burdens”, for they were not pleasant to tell or to hear and Isaiah dressed in sackcloth (a coarse rough cloth) to show the people sorrow.
God was always ready to bless any who would believe His words, and very patient to warn all, but the people became more and more sinful in their ways and in the worship of idols, or the sun, or animals, even of serpents, refusing to think of God.
There is an evil one urging those who do not believe God, to sin against Him; Isaiah was told of this evil one, and of his end; he never does good to people, but would make them his “prisoners”. In other parts of the Bible this evil one is called Satan (Isa, 14:12-17).
What man from Damascus was healed of leprosy? 2 Kings 5:11-1411But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. 12Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. 13And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? 14Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. (2 Kings 5:11‑14).
ML 11/16/1941