Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi
Our look at 'heart/ hearts' through the NIV '84 is now edging into Isaiah; we're up to Chapter 10:
When the LORD has finished all his work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, he will say, "I will punish the King of Assyria for the willful pride of his heart and the haughty look in his eyes." -- Is. 10:12; 'Heart' is Strong's H 3824, Lebab - inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, understanding.
Previously in chapter 10, we read of how God used Assyria in judgement against the idolatry of Israel and Judah, but the Assyrian king was not content to punish but went out with a will to obliterate. Furthermore, he believed his success against the nations was a result of his own ability; he disdained all the gods of the countries he attacked and believed the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to be no more significant than any of the idols of the other countries he had defeated.
Pride of his heart, indeed. He was no more than a tool used by God for a purpose...and his pride of heart would be his downfall.
We have a similar passage discussing judgement against Babylon in chapter 13.
Wail, for the day of the LORD is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty. Because of this, all hands will go limp, every man's heart will melt. -- Is. 13: 6-7; 'Heart' is H 3824 again.
We are not looking at the cause of the judgment against Babylon here, but at its effect. Judgement against Babylon would be swift, and would cause all those under that judgement to lose strength in the inner man, mind, will, heart, soul and understanding. Fear, confusion, indecision...disaster incoming.
There is a passage in Isaiah that, strictly speaking, is addressed to the king of Babylon but has long been considered to have a double meaning, describing the fall of Satan, due tot he details included, and the next verse is cited as the core of that rebellion
You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." -- Is. 14:13-14; 'heart' is H3824 again.
This is one of the passages (Ez. 28 has the other) that is used for the narrative of the backstory of Lucifer, the fallen. The king of Babylon, also exalting himself, followed the path, but the ultimate rebel is the one who actually wanted to surpass God. And that decision was first made in the heart.
That's where rebellion starts.
Chapter 15 shifts the focus from Babylon to Moab; 16:6 implies the pride of Moab is the cause of the downfall...
Heshbon and Elealeh cry out, their voices are heard all the way to Jahaz. Therefore the armed men of Moab cry out, and their hearts are faint. My heart cries out over Moab; her fugitives flee as far as Zoar, as far as Eglath Shelishiyah. They go up the way to Luhith, weeping as they go; on the road to Horonaim they lament their destruction. -- Is. 15:4-5. "heart" in verse 5 is the familiar H 3820, Leb - inner man, min, will, heart, understanding. ...but 'Hearts' in verse 4 is apparently an idiomatic translation. "And their hearts are faint' H 5315, nepes - soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion' is the word likely translated as 'heart'...we have seen it done before...but the second word is H3415, yara- to be broken up; figuratively, to fear; to tremble. King James translates it 'his life shall be grievous unto him.' "Their lives are broken" would be fair, I think.
It is a disaster upon Moab, to be sure, and the prophet is actually grieving over the situation. Chapter 16 is more declaration of disaster, and the prophet continues to mourn.
My heart laments for Moab like a harp. My inmost being for Kir Hareseth. -- Is. 16:11; 'Heart' is, to my surprise, not H 3820. It's H4578, Mee - internal organs, inward parts, bowels, intestines, belly. We saw this same word translated 'Heart' back in Song of Songs; which, I guess as the center of one's being it works, but the truth is this is a gut-level cry. It's true that the Moabites were distant cousins of the Hebrews, descended from Abraham's nephew Lot (Genesis 19, for that dismal story), and I wonder if that relationship had anything to do with the grief expressed here. Moab had not been friendly to the Hebrews; it is interesting that the prophet is mourning instead of experiencing schadenfreude at Moab's downfall. How many of us would truly grieve over judgement falling on those whom we find ourselves on opposite sides of an issue?
Hmmm?
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