Pray to the Only True God
Isaiah not only warned Israel but also sent warnings to other countries; this time, his oracle went out to Moab concerning their destruction, which, according to chapter 16, happened three years later. When I first read this chapter, I didn't see a lesson, but there is one that I nearly missed, and if I didn't have my Matthew Henry Commentary as an assistant, I would have completely overlooked it, and it's this: "Prayer to the true God is heart's ease, but prayers to false gods are not."
In their streets they shall gird themselves with sackcloth: on the tops of their houses, and in their streets, every one shall howl, weeping abundantly. Isaiah 15:3
They cried out to their false gods, yet felt no relief. Imagine thinking that your god could help and not feeling a calming presence as you pour out your heart. Did these people know any better? They must not have, otherwise, why would Isaiah's heart be filled with grief for them, sending them word of their coming destruction? It is a huge lesson for us to be grateful for our relationship with God, the one and only creator of heaven and earth, the only one who comforts us in our grief as we cry out to Him in prayer. It's also a reminder that not everyone is raised in a Christian household and taught to love the Lord, so we must be patient with people and do our best to show them the goodness of God through Christ Jesus.
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