06.10.09
Isaiah - Day 285
Scripture: Isaiah 15:2 (NIV): "Dibon goes up to its temple, to its high places to weep; Moab wails over Nebo and Medeba. Every head is shaved and every beard cut off."
Thought: To me, the humanly devised "high places" are neither high nor respectable to our Holy God.
Question: Do I weep and wail at the loss of my pet sins?
North of Kir was Ar, (yesterday's verse), two major cities of Moab that came under God's judgment. North of Ar is Dibon, another city in this region found straight east of the Salt Sea, (today's Dead Sea). Continuing north another 18 to 20 miles is Mt. Nebo, and just east of Mt. Nebo lies the city of Medeba. This entire region is suffering under the conquering destruction of God's judgment, as exercised upon them through the Assyrians.
"Dibon goes up to its temple, to its high places to weep:" Dibon was another ancient primary city of Moab and is located north of the Arnon River in today's west-central Jordan. It's temple and high places would have been erected in honor of Baal-Peor, the Moab god mentioned in Numbers 25:1 - 5. "High Places" commonly refer to locations of pagan worship, where idol worshippers sought to elevate themselves closer to their gods. Some believe this god, Baal-Peor, so named because of sacrificing done to the god Baal on Mt. Peor, (a mountain very near Mt. Nebo in the Abarim range), was similar to or the very same as the god Chemosh, the national deity of Moab. These Moabites and followers of Baal-Peor/Chemosh are so stricken by God's judgment upon them that they "weep", "wail", have "every head...shaved" and "every beard cut off." How difficult their punishment was! How strong their sense of loss!
But if one studies the practices associated with Baal-Peor, there is left no room for sympathy for these Moabites. One source of study offering greater detail to Old Testament writings is the Jewish Talmud: a collection of ancient rabbinic writings on Jewish law, traditions and history. The Jewish Talmud traditions associate the name Baal-Peor with (genital) exposure and excrement, saying "Peor", literally in Hebrew, "open", combined with "Baal", literally, "Lord", means "Lord of the Opening." The rites of worship were extremely disgusting. Some Jewish traditions say the area in front of the idol Peor was used as a latrine and that the worship of the idol consisted of excrementing before it. No wonder God's anger burned against these "worshippers"! (See Numbers 25:3)
God Almighty does not lightly or whimsically judge! There is every good, pure and righteous reason for defeating such enemies. They are an abomination to our good God! And thus, through His chosen instrument of judgment, the Assyrians, God will give Jews a "victory", laying low the unholy enemies around them.
"Every head is shaved and every beard cut off." These are customary acts of mourning. Notice how "every" head is shaved and "every" beard cut off. No one is excluded from this grief. God has wisely allowed Assyria, in all its cruel power, to achieve a thorough and maximum assault on Moab.
Prayer: Lord of Holiness and purity, how glad I am that You are in ultimate control! I thank You for this public record in scripture of how all evil peoples will be judged for their sins and idolatry. It causes me to meditate on Your Holiness even more deeply. Have Your way, Father! Thank You for Your Son's purity and sinlessness and for His blood over me! Without His cleansing, I, too, would be judged for my own idolatries! Amen.
Marcy : The High Places
06/16/2009, at 20:28 [ Reply ]
Is. 15:2- As I have been reading in I and II Kgs, it seems as if it constantly talks about the kings of Israel or Judah (and the people as well) and their love of the high places. There were some kings that honored God somewhat but refused to get rid of the high places. Then, finally, there was Josiah who did follow God, cleansed the country of idolatry, and even destroyed the high places. But the very next king did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. What kind of addicting power and spiritual devastation these high places had! Isn't this a strong parallel for us? When we read about these vile rituals, we are repulsed. We can't believe people would do these acts. But I wonder when God looks at our high places where we secretly cherish and cling to the flesh, where we give lip service without the reality of total obedience, is He as repulsed as we are? Thank God He is merciful and kind when often we are judgmental. What marvelous grace! I pray that the Holy Spirit will reveal those high places of fleshly control and give me the strength to surrender them to God.