Judgment on Moab
(Isaiah 15:1–9)

1Concerning Moab, this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says:

“Woe to Nebo,

for it will be devastated.

Kiriathaim will be captured and disgraced;

the fortress will be shattered and dismantled.

2There is no longer praise for Moab;

in Heshbona they devise evil against her:

‘Come, let us cut her off from nationhood.’

You too, O people of Madmen,b will be silenced;

the sword will pursue you.

3A voice cries out from Horonaim:

‘Devastation and great destruction!’

4Moab will be shattered;

her little ones will cry out.c

5For on the ascent to Luhith

they weep bitterly as they go,

and on the descent to Horonaim

cries of distress resound

over the destruction:

6‘Flee! Run for your lives!

Become like a juniper in the desert.d’

7Because you trust in your works and treasures,

you too will be captured,

and Chemosh will go into exile

with his priests and officials.

8The destroyer will move against every city,

and not one town will escape.

The valley will also be ruined,

and the high plain will be destroyed,

as the LORD has said.

9Put salt on Moab,

for she will be laid waste;e

her cities will become desolate,

with no one to dwell in them.

10Cursed is the one who is remiss

in doing the work of the LORD,

and cursed is he who withholds

his sword from bloodshed.

11Moab has been at ease from youth,

settled like wine on its dregs;

he has not been poured from vessel to vessel

or gone into exile.

So his flavor has remained the same,

and his aroma is unchanged.

12Therefore behold, the days are coming,

declares the LORD,

when I will send to him wanderers,

who will pour him out.

They will empty his vessels

and shatter his jars.

13Then Moab will be ashamed of Chemosh,

just as the house of Israel was ashamed

when they trusted in Bethel.

14How can you say, ‘We are warriors,

mighty men ready for battle’?

15Moab has been destroyed

and its towns have been invaded;

the best of its young men

have gone down in the slaughter,

declares the King,

whose name is the LORD of Hosts.

16Moab’s calamity is at hand,

and his affliction is rushing swiftly.

17Mourn for him, all you who surround him,

everyone who knows his name;

tell how the mighty scepter is shattered—

the glorious staff!

18Come down from your glory; sit on parched ground,

O daughter dwelling in Dibon,

for the destroyer of Moab has come against you;

he has destroyed your fortresses.

19Stand by the road and watch,

O dweller of Aroer!

Ask the man fleeing or the woman escaping,

‘What has happened?’

20Moab is put to shame, for it has been shattered.

Wail and cry out!

Declare by the Arnon

that Moab is destroyed.

21Judgment has come upon the high plain—

upon Holon, Jahzah,f and Mephaath,

22upon Dibon, Nebo, and Beth-diblathaim,

23upon Kiriathaim, Beth-gamul, and Beth-meon,

24upon Kerioth, Bozrah, and all the towns of Moab,

those far and near.

25The horn of Moab has been cut off,

and his arm is broken,”

declares the LORD.

26“Make him drunk,

because he has magnified himself against the LORD;

so Moab will wallow in his own vomit,

and he will also become a laughingstock.

27Was not Israel your object of ridicule?

Was he ever found among thieves?

For whenever you speak of him

you shake your head.

28Abandon the towns and settle among the rocks,

O dwellers of Moab!

Be like a dove

that nests at the mouth of a cave.

29We have heard of Moab’s pomposity,

his exceeding pride and conceit,

his proud arrogance and haughtiness of heart.

30I know his insolence,”

declares the LORD,

“but it is futile.

His boasting is as empty as his deeds.

31Therefore I will wail for Moab;

I will cry out for all of Moab;

I will moan for the men of Kir-heres.g

32I will weep for you, O vine of Sibmah,

more than I weep for Jazer.

Your tendrils have extended to the sea;h

they reach even to Jazer.i

The destroyer has descended

on your summer fruit and grape harvest.

33Joy and gladness are removed from the orchard

and from the fields of Moab.

I have stopped the flow of wine from the presses;

no one treads them with shouts of joy;

their shouts are not for joy.

34There is a cry from Heshbon to Elealeh;

they raise their voices to Jahaz,

from Zoar to Horonaim and Eglath-shelishiyah;

for even the waters of Nimrim have dried up.

35In Moab, declares the LORD,

I will bring an end

to those who make offerings on the high places

and burn incense to their gods.

36Therefore My heart laments like a flute for Moab;

it laments like a flute for the men of Kir-heres,

because the wealth they acquired has perished.

37For every head is shaved

and every beard is clipped;

on every hand is a gash,

and around every waist is sackcloth.

38On all the rooftops of Moab

and in the public squares,

everyone is mourning;

for I have shattered Moab like an unwanted jar,”

declares the LORD.

39“How shattered it is! How they wail!

How Moab has turned his back in shame!

Moab has become an object of ridicule and horror

to all those around him.”

40For this is what the LORD says:

“Behold, an eagle swoops down

and spreads his wings against Moab.

41Kirioth has been taken,

and the strongholds seized.

In that day the heart of Moab’s warriors

will be like the heart of a woman in labor.

42Moab will be destroyed as a nation

because he vaunted himself against the LORD.

43Terror and pit and snare await you, O dweller of Moab,”

declares the LORD.

44“Whoever flees the panic

will fall into the pit,

and whoever climbs from the pit

will be caught in the snare.

For I will bring upon Moab

the year of their punishment,”

declares the LORD.

45“Those who flee will stand helpless in Heshbon’s shadow,

because fire has gone forth from Heshbon

and a flame from within Sihon.

It devours the foreheads of Moab

and the skulls of the sons of tumult.

46Woe to you, O Moab!

The people of Chemosh have perished;

for your sons have been taken into exile

and your daughters have gone into captivity.

47Yet in the latter days I will restore Moab from captivity,j”

declares the LORD.

Here ends the judgment on Moab.

1. The Consequences of Pride
Jeremiah 48:29 reminds us, "We have heard of Moab’s pride, his exceeding pride and conceit, his proud arrogance and haughtiness of heart." Pride is a dangerous trap that can lead to downfall. Just as Moab's arrogance led to its destruction, we are reminded to remain humble and recognize our dependence on God. Humility opens the door to wisdom and grace, while pride shuts it.

2. The Futility of False Security
In Jeremiah 48:7, it is written, "Because you trust in your works and treasures, you too will be captured." Moab trusted in its wealth and achievements, but these proved to be false securities. True security comes from trusting in God, not in material possessions or human accomplishments. Let this be a reminder to place our trust in the eternal rather than the temporal.

3. The Certainty of God's Judgment
Jeremiah 48:8 states, "The destroyer will come against every city, and not a single city will escape." God's judgment is certain and just. While this may seem daunting, it also assures us that God is in control and that justice will ultimately prevail. This encourages us to live righteously and align our lives with His will.

4. The Call to Repentance
Jeremiah 48:39 says, "How shattered it is! How they wail! How Moab has turned his back in shame!" Moab's downfall serves as a call to repentance. When we stray, God invites us to turn back to Him. Repentance is not just about feeling sorry but about changing direction and seeking God's forgiveness and guidance.

5. The Power of God's Word
In Jeremiah 48:10, we read, "Cursed is the one who is lax in doing the work of the LORD." This verse highlights the importance of being diligent in following God's Word. His Word is powerful and transformative, guiding us in truth and righteousness. Let us be committed to studying and applying it in our lives.

6. The Inevitability of Change
Jeremiah 48:11 notes, "Moab has been at ease from his youth, settled like wine on its dregs." Change is inevitable, and complacency can lead to stagnation. Just as Moab was shaken from its complacency, we too must be open to change and growth. Embrace the new seasons God brings into your life with faith and courage.

7. The Importance of Compassion
Jeremiah 48:36 expresses, "Therefore My heart laments for Moab like a flute." Even in judgment, God's heart is compassionate. We are called to reflect this compassion in our interactions with others, showing love and empathy, even to those who may be struggling or facing consequences of their actions.

8. The Reality of Divine Sovereignty
Jeremiah 48:42 declares, "Moab will be destroyed as a nation because he vaunted himself against the LORD." This verse underscores God's sovereignty over nations and individuals. Recognizing His ultimate authority helps us to trust in His plans and purposes, even when they are beyond our understanding.

9. The Hope of Restoration
Jeremiah 48:47 offers hope: "Yet in the latter days I will restore Moab from captivity." God's judgment is not the end of the story. He is a God of restoration and hope. No matter how far we have fallen, there is always the possibility of redemption and renewal through His grace.

10. The Urgency of Obedience
Finally, Jeremiah 48:44 warns, "He who flees the panic will fall into the pit." This serves as a reminder of the urgency of obedience. Delaying our response to God's call can lead to greater peril. Let us be quick to listen and act according to His will, trusting that His ways are always for our good.

Seek Vigilance
Pray for the strength to remain vigilant in your faith and to avoid spiritual complacency.

Renounce Idols
Confess any idols in your life and ask God for the grace to remove them.

Trust in God’s Plan
Pray for trust in God’s sovereignty, especially in difficult circumstances.

Thank God for His Mercy
Thank God for His mercy and the promise of restoration, both personally and for others.

2. Why does Jeremiah 48:1–39 repeatedly portray divine retaliation against Moab with no apparent path for redemption?

3. Does Jeremiah 48:11 conflict with historical accounts that suggest Moab did not always remain complacent or at peace?

4. Jeremiah 48:7 references Moab’s deity Kemosh going into captivity; is there any historical or biblical corroboration of this event?

5. If Jeremiah 48:42 says Moab will cease to be a people, how do later mentions of Moab or its descendants fit with this prophecy?

1. How does Jeremiah 48 illustrate the severity of divine judgment and the implications of turning away from God?

2. What lessons can we learn from the pride and arrogance of Moab? How can we apply these lessons to our lives?

3. In what ways does this chapter depict God's mercy amid His wrath?

4. How might you apply the warning against complacency in Moab to your spiritual life?

5. How does the image of Moab as undisturbed wine reflect its sin? How can this analogy be seen in today's society?

6. What parallels can you draw between Moab's downfall and the current state of the world?

7. How does Jeremiah's prophecy reinforce the importance of humility before God?

8. How does the promise of restoration for Moab at the end of the chapter shape our understanding of God's character?

9. What role does prophecy play in our understanding and approach to God's Word?

10. How does the concept of divine justice resonate in the current societal context?

11. How can we reconcile the image of a loving God with the severe judgment depicted in Jeremiah 48?

12. In today's context, what can be the 'Moab' in our lives that we need to repent for?

13. In what ways can we be complacent like Moab in our spiritual journey, and how can we avoid such complacency?

14. How can we apply the lessons of Jeremiah 48 in dealing with pride and arrogance in our lives?

15. How does the restoration of Moab offer hope for nations and individuals today?

16. Can you relate the events of Moab to any personal experiences where you faced consequences due to pride or arrogance?

17. How can we use the prophecy against Moab to guide our actions towards God and others?

18. What steps can we take to ensure we do not repeat the mistakes of Moab in our own lives?

19. How can Jeremiah 48 inspire us to seek God's mercy and embrace humility?

20. What can we learn from Moab's downfall about God's expectations for us as believers?