Lesson #16

ISAIAH 14:26-32
Lesson #16
THE TRUTH ABOUT PALESTINE

• MEMORY VERSE: PROVERBS 21:1

• READ ISA 14:26-27
• GOD’S PURPOSE FOR THE WHOLE EARTH REFERS BACK TO ISA 14:1-25.
• DISCUSSION:

REFERRING BACK TO OUR LAST LESSON, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS GOD’S PURPOSE FOR THE WHOLE EARTH?

• READ ISA 14:28-32
• KING AHAZ WAS AN EVIL KING WHO HAD REIGNED FOR 16 YEARS OVER JUDAH, THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM. THIS PROPHECY WAS GIVEN IN THE YEAR THAT KING AHAZ DIED WHICH WAS 728 BC, HOWEVER, THE MAJOR PORTION OF THE PROPHECY DOES NOT REFER TO THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM AT ALL. THAT IS THE CONFUSING THING ABOUT THIS SECTION. IT IS BECAUSE OF TWO FACTORS THAT THERE ARE MANY MIS-INTERPRETATIONS OF THIS PART OF SCRIPTURE.
• =1= IT IS BECAUSE THE SECTION STARTS WITH THE DEATH OF KING AHAZ OF THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM OF JUDAH, THAT MANY INTERPRET THIS “BURDEN” TO BE ABOUT THE NATION OF ISRAEL.
• =2= MANY BIBLE TEACHERS DO NOT UNDERSTAND NOR DIFFERENTIATE THE MEANING OF “PALESTINA” AND ITS HISTORY.
• THE NAME “PALESTINE” OCCURS ONLY ONE TIME IN THE BIBLE IN JOEL 3:4, BUT IT APPEARS THREE TIMES IN THE FORM OF “PALESTINA” TWO OF THOSE ARE HERE IN ISAIAH 14. THE THIRD TIME IS IN EXO 15:14. THE HEBREW WORD IS THE SAME WORD THAT IS TRANSLATED ELSEWHERE AS “PHILISTIA”.
• THE WORD “PHILISTIA” WAS A NAME THE PHILISTINES GAVE TO THE LAND IN WHICH THEY INHABITED. IT WAS THEIR NAME FOR THEIR OWN COUNTRY. THIS “BURDEN” IN ISA 14:28-32 IS THEREFORE A JUDGMENT ON THE LAND OF THE PHILISTINES OR “PHILISTIA”.
• THE MODERN NAME “PALESTINE” NEVER REFERRED TO A COUNTRY. THE WORD “PALESTINE” COMES FROM THE LATIN WORD FOR “PALESTINA”. IT WAS A NAME GIVEN TO THE REGION OF JUDEA BY THE ROMAN EMPEROR HADRIAN IN 135 AD. HE CHANGED THE NAME OF THE REGION OF JUDEA TO PALESTINE BECAUSE OF A FAMOUS JEWISH REVOLT BY A FALSE MESSIAH THAT HE WAS SUCCESSFUL IN SUPPRESSING. HE WANTED TO PUNISH THE JEWS AND STRIP THEM OF THEIR LAND, SO HE CHANGED THE JEWISH NAME OF JUDEA TO THE LATIN NAME PALESTINE. AT THE END OF WORLD WAR I, ENGLAND AND FRANCE DIVIDED THE LAND OF THE FORMER TURKISH EMPIRE. FRANCE WAS GIVEN A MANDATE OVER THE NORTH PARTLY CONSISTING OF SYRIA AND LEBANON. ENGLAND WAS GIVEN THE SOUTHERN MANDATE FROM THE LEBANON MOUNTAINS TO THE SINAI PENINSULA. THIS WAS CALLED THE PALESTINE MANDATE. THE PEOPLE LIVING IN THIS SECTION OF LAND WERE CALLED “PALESTINIANS” WHETHER THEY WERE JEWS OR CHRISTIANS OR ARABS. THIS WAS THE CASE FROM 1920-1948. IN 1948 THE PALESTINE MANDATE ENDED, AND THERE WAS NO LONGER ANY LAND CALLED PALESTINE.
• THE NAME “PALESTINE” WAS NEVER GOD’S NAME FOR THE NATION OF ISRAEL. NOR WAS IT EVER A NAME FOR ANY NATION, FOR THAT MATTER. IT WAS ONLY A TEMPORARY NAME FOR A REGION.
• IT WAS NOT UNTIL THE 1970’S THAT THE ARABS STARTED CALLING FOR A PALESTINIAN STATE TO HOUSE THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE. IN OTHER WORDS, THE PALESTINIAN ARABS ASSUMED A NATIONAL IDENTITY AS A PEOPLE LEGITIMATELY ENTITLED TO A NATION THEY CALLED THE LAND OF PALESTINE. THE WHOLE IDEA WAS INVENTED OUT OF THIN AIR WITH NO HISTORIC LEGITIMACY.
• (MUCH OF THE FOREGOING INFORMATION COMES FROM THE U.S. CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY ON THE MIDDLE EAST –7TH EDITION.)
• WITH THAT LONG EXPLANATION, I CONCLUDE THAT THIS PROPHECY HAS TO DO WITH THE LAND OF THE PHILISTINES CALLED “PHILISTIA”. THEREFORE, IF WE CORRECT THE LATIN INFLUENCE IN THE KING JAMES VERSION, TO READ “PHILISTIA”, WE CAN ARRIVE AT AN ACCURATE INTERPRETATION.
• VERSE 28 TELLS US WHEN THE PROPHECY WAS GIVEN…AT THE DEATH OF KING AHAZ IN 728 BC.
• VERSE 29
• WHAT WAS THE ATTITUDE OF THE PEOPLE TOWARD THE DEATH OF THE KING?
• THE PHILISTINE PEOPLE WERE HAPPY AND CELEBRATING BECAUSE AN EVIL KING WAS DEAD.
• NOTICE THAT VERSE 29 SAYS “THE ROD OF HIM THAT SMOTE THEE IS BROKEN”.
• ONE MIGHT ASSUME THAT THE “HIM” REFERS TO KING AHAZ. HOWEVER, HISTORY DOES NOT BEAR THIS OUT.
• THE “HIM” ACTUALLY REFERS TO THE ASSYRIAN KING TIGLATH-PILESER III WHO TOOK POSSESSION OF SOME PHILISTINE CITIES. (2CHR 28:16-19) HE DIED IN 727 BC, THE YEAR AFTER THIS PROPHECY WAS GIVEN.
• BECAUSE THE ASSYRIANS WERE BEGINNING TO TAKE POSSESSION OF MORE AND MORE LAND INCLUDING CITIES IN PHILISTIA, THE PEOPLE OF PHILISTIA WOULD REJOICE WHEN TIGLATH-PILESER III DIED.
• HOWEVER, THE PEOPLE ARE TOLD TO CHANGE THEIR ATTITUDE? WHY?
• A “COCKATRICE” IN THE KING JAMES (29) IS A SNAKE OR AN ADDER. IT REFERS TO THE RULER AFTER TIGLATH-PILESER III WHO WAS SARGON II. THE FIERY, FLYING SERPENT (29) REFERS TO HIS SUCCESSOR WHO WAS SENNACHERIB. TIGLATH-PILESER III’S TWO SUCCESSORS WERE MORE EVIL AND WORSE THAN TIGLATH-PILESER III.
• VERSE 30 “THE FIRSTBORN OF THE POOR”
• THIS REFERS TO JUDAH, THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM OF THE JEWS WHO WOULD FARE BETTER UNDER THE ASSYRIANS THAN THE PHILISTINES DID. IN FACT, WHEN KING HEZEKIAH, THE NEXT KING AFTER AHAZ, DEFEATED THE PHILISTINES IN A GREAT BATTLE, THE PHILISTINES CEASED TO EXIST AS A NATION. THEY FELL INTO FAMINE (30) AND GRADUALLY DIED OUT AS A SEPARATE PEOPLE. THEREFORE, BY THE TIME THE BABYLONIANS TOOK OVER THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE AND THEN THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM, PHILISTIA NO LONGER EXISTED AS A NATION.
• VERSE 31
• ASSYRIA (FROM THE NORTH) COMES AND TAKES OVER THE REMAINING PHILISTINE CITIES AND TERRITORY.
• VERSE 32 “THE MESSENGER S OF THE NATION”
• THIS PROPHECY ABOUT THE DEMISE OF PHILISTIA WAS TO BE A WARNING TO THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM NOT TO TRUST IN ALLIANCES WITH OTHER NATIONS TO FIGHT AGAINST THE THREAT OF ASSYRIAN OCCUPATION.
• ISAIAH GAVE THIS WARNING BEFORE. THE SOLUTION WOULD BE TO TRUST IN GOD NOT TREATIES.
• THERE IS A DOUBLE FULFILLMENT TO THIS PROPHECY, BUT IT IS DIFFICULT AT THIS POINT IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE LAST DAYS TO PINPOINT THE TIMING. IF A PALESTINIAN ARAB STATE DOES COME ABOUT BEFORE THE TRIBULATION BEGINS, PERHAPS THERE IS A FULFILLMENT THERE AS PEOPLE REJOICE AT THE DEATH OF A LEADER ONLY TO SEE A WORSE LEADER, THE ANTICHRIST (THE ASSYRIAN) COME ON THE SCENE. ?????

• APPLICATION:
• PEOPLE HAVE SUCH A SHORT VIEW OF THINGS. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE HISTORY AND THE MEANING OF THE WORD “PALESTINE” AND WHAT THE WORD ACTUALLY STANDS FOR TODAY, WE CAN SEE HOW SHORTSIGHTED MANKIND REALLY IS. WE CAN SEE HOW PEOPLE FALL FOR POLITICAL PROPAGANDA AND DO NOT LEARN THE LESSONS OF HISTORY.
• THINGS BECOME AN EMOTIONAL ISSUE EVEN WHEN THERE IS NO RATIONALE FOR IT. THEREFORE, IT IS NOT ACTUAL TRUTH THAT DETERMINES DESTINY BUT POPULAR PERCEPTION THAT OILS THE WHEELS OF DESTINY AND SOMETIMES EVEN RE-WRITES THE HISTORY OF TRUTH.
• MANY POLITICAL, MILITARY, AND GOVERNMENTAL DECISIONS TODAY ARE MADE BASED ON SITUATIONS OR CONDITIONS THAT ARE PERCEIVED TO BE TRUE RATHER THAN WHAT IS ACTUALLY TRUE. CAN YOU THINK OF ANY?
• WHEN WE SEE THE PEOPLE OF PHILISTIA IN ISA 14 REJOICE AT THE DEATH OF A LEADER, THEY ARE TOLD NOT TO REJOICE EVEN THOUGH THE MAN WAS EVIL.
• THESE PEOPLE WERE TRUSTING IN THE CHANGE OF LEADERSHIP TO BRING THEM BETTER DAYS. DON’T WE DO THE SAME THING?
• WHEN WE SEE A “BAD” PRESIDENCY END OR AN “EVIL” FOREIGN LEADER DEPOSED AND REPLACED, DON’T WE REJOICE THINKING THAT THINGS COULD ONLY GET BETTER AFTER THAT?
• THAT ATTITUDE MEANS WE ARE TRUSTING IN GOOD LEADERS TO BRING US BETTER DAYS. HOWEVER, LIKE ISAIAH’S DAY, THINGS MAY NOT GET BETTER WITH A CHANGE OF LEADERSHIP, THEY MAY GET EVEN WORSE.
• THEREFORE, WHAT IS THE PROPER ATTITUDE?
• READ MAT 6:34
• FEAR AND ANXIETY FOR TOMORROW IS THE OPPOSITE OF TRUSTING IN GOD. ISAIAH TELLS HIS PEOPLE TO TRUST IN GOD NOT IN LEADERS OR FOREIGN ALLIANCES.
• GOD HAS THE LONG VIEW OF THINGS AND THE WISDOM TO ACCOMPANY IT. WE NEED TO LEAVE IT ALL TO HIM.
• HE PROMISES TO TAKE CARE OF US…
• SEE ISA 14:30A.

HOMEWORK
ISAIAH 15 & 16
This is a self-study. Please do not send homework answers to the teacher forcorrection.

• APPLICATION FOR ISA 14:26-32
• HOW HAS YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARD NATIONAL AND FOREIGN LEADERS COMPARED TO THAT OF THE PHILISTINE PEOPLE IN ISAIAH’S DAY?

• DO YOU NEED TO MAKE ANY CHANGES IN YOUR VIEW OF GOVERNMENTAL LEADERS? IF SO, WHAT CHANGES?

• PREPARATION FOR ISA 15:1-9 AND ISA 16:1-14
• READ ISA 15:1-9 AND ISA 16:1-14 THE “BURDEN” OF MOAB
• IF YOU HAVE A BIBLE MAP, LOCATE THIS LAND AREA.

• WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE BIBLICAL HISTORY OF THE KINGDOM OF MOAB AND ITS PEOPLE?
  • (IF YOU DON’T KNOW ANYTHING, YOU MIGHT READ THE FOLLOWING SCRIPTURES: GEN 19:30-32, 36-37 NUM 22:1,10-12 NUM 25:1-3 DEU 34:1,5-6 JOS 24:9 JDG 3:12,14 RUT 1:1 1SAM 12:9 1KI 11:7-8)

• THE KINGDOM OF MOAB SPIRITUALLY REPRESENTS PEOPLE WHO PRETEND TO BE BELIEVERS BUT ARE NOT. READ 2TIM 3:5
• FROM WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT MOAB’S HISTORY, WHY DO YOU THINK THEY ADEQUATELY REPRESENT THE “PRETENDING CHRISTIAN”?

• WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE DANGER OF A RELATIONSHIP WITH THESE PEOPLE?

MEMORY VERSES: PROVERBS 24:17-18