The Company You Keep

Isaiah 17
1 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.

This chapter is about both Damascus and Ephraim (Israel), on their way to the ruinous heap, at the hand of the Assyrians. Here's a question. Is the lesson for us be careful of the company you keep? Here, the Israelites kept company with the Assyrians, and they paid a dear price.

Well, that certainly isn't much of a lesson. Here's another view of this chapter:

More From Isaiah 17
5 And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the corn, and reapeth the ears with his arm; and it shall be as he that gathereth ears in the valley of Rephaim.

This refers to the unhappy story of the Giants, who lived in a fertile valley next to the valley of Hinnom. A sad story of a people lost to history. I spent quite a bit of time reading about the Rephaim and their gatherer (Chedorlaomer - Gen 14:5), and, again, not much of a lesson here.

Except, it was good to spend some time with God. Bible study does not, always, need to be edifying. No important lesson, no big insights, no magnificant spiritual illumination. Just studying your Bible, and being with God....