Don't Trust The Nations (Isaiah 13-23)

Isa 13:1 begins a new section of Isaiah. The oracles in ch. 13-23 focus on the destruction of several nations (mostly foreign nations), and is thus set apart from ch. 1-12, which primarily addresses Judah. Various titles of ch.13-23 are:

• God's Sovereign Plan for the Nations (Gary Smith, 2007).
  
• The Kingdom Panorama: The Whole World in His Hands (J. Alec Motyer, 1999).
• Lord of the Nations (Barry Webb, 1997).
• Why Do the Nations Rage? (Ray Stedman)
• The Supremacy of God Over the Nations (Ray Ortland, God Saves Sinner, 1995).
• God's Judgment on the Nations (John Oswalt, The NIV Application Commentary, 2003).
  
• Don't Trust the Nations (John Oswalt lectures at Francis Ashberry Society, 2011).

Ch. 13-23 pick up some of the themes in ch. 1-12:

• Pride (Isa 13:11, 19; 14:11; 16:6; 23:9), just like the people of Judah (Isa 2:11-12, 17; 3:16), Israel (Isa 9:8), and the Assyrian king (Isa 10:5-14).
• A godly remnant of people will come from these nations (Isa 11:11; 14:1-2; 17:7-8; 18:7; 19:18-25; 23:18; cf. Isa 2:1-5).

Oracles, prophesy, utterances are titles to each of the 10 main parts in ch. 13-23. Each oracle is a "burden, something carried," a term that has the negative connotation of bearing something heavy. The word means "to carry, lift up."

All the different oracles in ch. 13-23 are related to the way God will direct the affairs of the nations in that part of the world.