Isaiah 16:1-5 – What goes around comes around

Isaiah continued with his prophecy concerning Moab in chapter 16. In the first five verses Moab was encouraged to make peace with Judah. Verse 1 exhorts them to “send the tribute of lamb to the  ruler of the land.” They were asked to make an offering of mercy to the ruler of Judah from Sela, probably a town in Moab. With that tribute, the daughters of Moab, meaning her citizens, like wandering birds cast out of their nest, could then gather at the fords of the Arnon. This was a place located at the northern boundary of Moab to escape the coming desolation.

 The Moabites were seen in verse 3 as seeking shelter in Judah and were asking to be compassionately treated. As outcasts seeking refuge in Judah, they were asking that they be not betrayed but to be shielded from their destroyers. The last part of verse 4 envisaged the tail end of the assault on Moab and that the oppressors would soon also disappear. With the disappearance of the oppressor, a vision of the Messiah emerged.  There would come a throne established in mercy. The one who would seat on the throne then would be from the tent or the house of David. He would be administering justice to bring about righteousness.    

Moab was once so cocky. They flatly denied Israel, God’s people request for assistance in their times of need. Now the table had turned. There were at the receiving end and needing the help of Judah. Here they sought to be dealt with compassionately. A good lesson to remember is that one good turn always deserves another. When we treat others kindly, it becomes easier when we need their help in return. There is such a thing as a reciprocal effect. If we choose to be heartless when our assistance is sought for, we must expect that we may be treated the same when we need help. What we do always come back to haunt us. Remember what goes around comes around, and the cock will always return to roost.