These city names reveal much when translated. 'Heshbon' means 'stronghold'; 'Elealeh' means 'God is ascending, or going up'; and 'Jahaz' means 'trodden down' (Strong's nos. 2809; 500; 3096; BDB).¹ The Message is they are 'trodden down' by their false worship of vanity, God even removing His Presence from among them.
     Again, don't think this false worship applies to Moab only, as this false worship is clearly apparent among the Western Christian Nations also. The method may be a little different, such as the 'New Agers' labels and all, but it's the same thing Moab is doing here in Isaiah. Even the soldier who offers his life for his people; how do you think they feel when their brethren are following idols and false prophets when they are sent to war? It's as if laying down their life is worthless for those who don't appreciate it, doesn't it? If a soldier serving for the U. N. must support other nations which are atheistic, which abuse their own citizens, how much does that make the soldier's life worth in Righteousness? That's exactly how many Vets were made to feel by myriads of their own people after returning from Vietnam! GOD bless those who fought for our freedom to worship Jehovah through His Son Jesus Christ, and they asked for nothing in return... and received very little honour from many of their own ignorant and rebellious generation.

Isa 15:5   My heart shall cry out for Moab; his fugitives shall flee unto Zoar, an heifer of three years old: for by the mounting up of Luhith with weeping shall they go it up; for in the way of Horonaim they shall raise up a cry of destruction.

     This 'Zoar' means 'insignificance, or smallness'; 'Luhith' is 'tablets', such as polished stone, metal, or wood; and 'Horonaim' means 'double-cave town', which ties to the Hebrew root 'chuwr' meaning 'the crevice of a serpent' (Strong's nos. 6820; 3872; 2773; 2352; BDB). These then are all references to idol worship, in a big time sense!
     The 'red heifer' had to be three years old before it could be sacrificed, so that's an idiom for 'running for your life' (Gen.15:9). There's another witness of this state for Moab given in...

 

 Jeremiah 48: Read All.

 

 The Message in Jeremiah is about running scared also, out of fear, but from 'fear' of what?
     It's important to understand why God's giving us this Message about Moab, as He’s letting us know how it'll be for many during the time of Satan's tribulation in our near future. These Moabites weren't following our Father; they made their own gods with the works of their hands. They worshiped their 'own' works, not our Father Jehovah. So why should GOD even come near them? That's why they run, because they have misplaced their trust in GOD. They then have good reason to fear as a heifer that just turns three, because the 'serpent' is right on their tails.
     What about those who choose to listen to these false prophets who teach to worship false vanity? Those people listen to man, and not their True Father in Heaven and His Christ. Can little words out of their mouths like 'I believe', with nothing to back it up save them? They don't know what they believe, as they listen to false prophets gather among the 'high places' like Moab, listening to them, and not our Father's Word. So they will not recognize the false messiah when he comes, because they believe on man, not Christ. They let someone else read and understand God's Word for them. To believe on Christ means to believe His Word, and that means a 'one-on-one' relationship with God's Word, for Jesus Christ is That Word, and only by reading and studying and hearing His Word can one really get to know Him. Those who are taught that all they've got to do is 'just believe, because you're going to' be gone anyway' are being prepared to fly away with false messiah. This 'running scared' like a three-year old heifer who is ready to be sacrificed points to the false messiah's three and one half years tribulation event, shortened to five months for the sake of God's elect .

 

Rev.9:     Read All

Matt.24: Read All.