Isaiah 2.3

Isaiah 19-23?

Prayer Request:

Cheryl, friend Susan surgery

Jenny, Young friend with with baby and complications

Laura, Nation

Faye, Gaylene Caputo, pray for her health

As we move through Isaiah, we continue in this section—the Woes to the Nations. The object of the next oracle—remember, oracle referring to a proclamation—is none other than, Egypt! Egypt obviously looms large in Israel’s view of the world. Once their great oppressor, now Egypt might be a savior for they were offering Judah and its neighbors hope in the face of political-military crisis.

Now the immediate context of the oracle concerning Egypt is that Egypt had been encouraging anti-Assyrian rebellion for years and they were promising Egyptian aid; and as this plays out, some Egyptian aide is given, but Egypt eventually reneges, turns it back on the nations rebelling against Assyria. Thus the oracle concerning Egypt functions as a polemic, a warning for Judah against putting their hope and trust in a foreign nation, let alone one that was their former enslaver. The message, as it has been throughout Isaiah, is this: any nation, false god, any hope, any security that you put your faith in instead of God, that thing will fail. It is helpless to help save you. So let’s get into the text, our first section. V. 1-15 show the utter helplessness of Egypt before God.

Isaiah 19:1–15 “1 An oracle concerning Egypt. Behold, the Lord is riding on a swift cloud and comes to Egypt; and the idols of Egypt will tremble at his presence, and the heart of the Egyptians will melt within them. 2 And I will stir up Egyptians against Egyptians, and they will fight, each against another and each against his neighbor, city against city, kingdom against kingdom; 3 and the spirit of the Egyptians within them will be emptied out, and I will confound their counsel; and they will inquire of the idols and the sorcerers, and the mediums and the necromancers; 4 and I will give over the Egyptians into the hand of a hard master, and a fierce king will rule over them, declares the Lord God of hosts.

In verses 1-4, God exposes Egypt’s false religion. The idols of Egypt tremble in the presence of God. They are totally ineffectual. These false gods quake and tremble at the name of YHWH, and if this is their reaction to God coming to Egypt, what hope or salvation could these false possibly offer? And interestingly, a nation that is consumed by false gods, when those gods turn out to be helpless to save, what do the people do? They turn on each other (v.2). This is what happens when we trust in idols—we turn on each other. Because of if our hope is in something that will ultimately fail, any threat to that idol will be seen as an enemy. Think of it in the most literal terms, we’re under attack and I need the idol god I worship to save us, and nothing is happening and if I believe that my salvation is dependent on my good worship of my god, then I might think, my neighbor isn’t worshipping well enough. They must be an enemy too. Think of it in modern terms—if politics have become an idol and you find out someone didn’t vote for your candidate: then they’re the enemy!

Egypt’s gods were already shown to be worthless in the Exodus and now confirmed all the more. And the result is civil distress. And v. 3 shows us what happens to the dissolution of a culture like this, the culture starts to turn toward the occult. Mediums, necromancers.

And if you thought I was on the nose about civil distress in this country today, we’re also seeing this rise in interest in the occult, it’s becoming mainstream in a way it hasn’t in this country in generations. Listen to this from an article in Christianity Today this month:

“The country is awash in experiments with cosmic connection: grounding, crystals, chakras, channeling, astrology, and more. People are playing with and trying on different ideas of ultimate meaning and attempting to tap into the order of the universe to experience personal fullness. They’re chasing rumors of angels, scrolling through TikTok exorcists, having revelations of divinity with artificial intelligence, and thinking maybe vampires are real.

Sociologist Christian Smith calls this surging spiritual experimentation “occulture.” Today, he says, “a raft of paranormal, magical, occultic, and New Age ideas” has entered mainstream life. In the research for his most recent book, he found that nearly half of Americans think reincarnation could be real. About 20 percent say the same for magic spells and curses. A quarter of the people in his study confidently believe in nature spirits or spiritual energies, and nearly 40 percent are convinced that there is a universal force like karma, repaying good and bad and maintaining balance. Nearly half say they are open to the reality of good-luck charms, lucky numbers, and lucky symbols.”

This is what we see in our country, it’s what we’re seeing in this passage. A continued turn away from God and toward the supernatural because the conventional idols of our culture are not bringing us relief.

I would be careful to say YHWH is causing this, rather I would suggest that God is giving them over to what happens to a culture consumed by false gods.

Now let’s look at v. 5-10 in which God exposes the weakness of Egypt’s physical situation.

5 And the waters of the sea will be dried up, and the river will be dry and parched, 6 and its canals will become foul, and the branches of Egypt’s Nile will diminish and dry up, reeds and rushes will rot away. 7 There will be bare places by the Nile, on the brink of the Nile, and all that is sown by the Nile will be parched, will be driven away, and will be no more. 8 The fishermen will mourn and lament, all who cast a hook in the Nile; and they will languish who spread nets on the water. 9 The workers in combed flax will be in despair, and the weavers of white cotton. 10 Those who are the pillars of the land will be crushed, and all who work for pay will be grieved.

The Nile, for Egypt, is everything. Their source of life, of industry. The industries named here are fishing and textiles. The Nile was a mighty symbol of Egypt’s flourishing, their prosperity. But it is also their weakness. Not in a way they know or understand.

For though the river seems like a mighty, unstoppable supplier of prosperity. It is only by God’s grace that the Nile provides for Egypt. Proverbs 8:29 “29 when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth,”

Their society depends on the Nile, God could turn that fountain off and bring them to their knees—He’s done this before in Egypt anyway. A more mordern examples comes to mind, but please let me preface this by saying I’m not trying to make a connection between this city and Egypt by way of judgement or sin. But we just had the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, that’s a city that, like many cities, take for granted the fragile infrastructure that holds back disaster and destruction. If something breaks like those levees, the city is brought to its knees.

11 The princes of Zoan are utterly foolish; the wisest counselors of Pharaoh give stupid counsel. How can you say to Pharaoh, “I am a son of the wise, a son of ancient kings”? 12 Where then are your wise men? Let them tell you that they might know what the Lord of hosts has purposed against Egypt. 13 The princes of Zoan have become fools, and the princes of Memphis are deluded; those who are the cornerstones of her tribes have made Egypt stagger. 14 The Lord has mingled within her a spirit of confusion, and they will make Egypt stagger in all its deeds, as a drunken man staggers in his vomit. 15 And there will be nothing for Egypt that head or tail, palm branch or reed, may do.”

Finally, v.11-15 show the misplaced wisdom of Egypt. The princes and counselors of Pharaoh are, “stupid!” In the words of scripture. Can they show Pharaoh God’s plan now (any more than their predecessors could during the Exodus)? The answer is no. What reason is there then for Judah to trust in or to fear Egypt? Their gods are helpless, their productivity and industry is contingent on Yahweh’s grace, and her wise men are stupid. What could Egypt possibly offer?

BUT, let’s look at v.16-25 where we will see that God’s judgement on Egypt is not the final word.

Isaiah 19:16–25 ESV

16 In that day the Egyptians will be like women, and tremble with fear before the hand that the Lord of hosts shakes over them. 17 And the land of Judah will become a terror to the Egyptians. Everyone to whom it is mentioned will fear because of the purpose that the Lord of hosts has purposed against them. 18 In that day there will be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the Lord of hosts. One of these will be called the City of Destruction. 19 In that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the Lord at its border. 20 It will be a sign and a witness to the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt. When they cry to the Lord because of oppressors, he will send them a savior and defender, and deliver them. 21 And the Lord will make himself known to the Egyptians, and the Egyptians will know the Lord in that day and worship with sacrifice and offering, and they will make vows to the Lord and perform them. 22 And the Lord will strike Egypt, striking and healing, and they will return to the Lord, and he will listen to their pleas for mercy and heal them. 23 In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and Assyria will come into Egypt, and Egypt into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians. 24 In that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, 25 whom the Lord of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.”

What great news! Something is coming, a Day is coming when Egypt will be brough to fear the Lord, but also to worship the Lord. “In that Day,” what is this a likely reference to? The Day of the Lord. It does seem as though there will be a future “Day of the Lord,” that bring Egypt into repentance, to tremble and fear before the Lord with reverence. Look at v. 18. Isaiah 19:18 “18 In that day there will be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the Lord of hosts. One of these will be called the City of Destruction.”

They will swear allegiance to the Lord. What fear that future Day will bring, it will be a fear that gives way to faith and trust in the Lord.

And look at the marks of their faith. V. 19: There will be an altar to the LORD YHWH in the midst of the land of Egypt. An altar is a place of sacrifice, a place where reconciliation is made between God and man. Reconciliation is happening. Then v. 19: “When they cry to the Lord...He will send them a savior and defender, and deliver them.” Pray is now a part of their relationship with God. They pray for rescue, He will send a savior. Next we see in v. 21: God makes Himself known to them and they will worship with sacrifice. God’s revealing work to the hearts of the people. This is a different kind of “Make myself known” to the Egyptians than what we see Exodus. They worship. And then v. 22: God will strike them and heal them. He will listen to the pleas for mercy and heal them. It’s the loving kindness of God to give consequences that lead to repentance and healing.

This sounds to me like a converted people!

And I want to just note here Isaiah 19:23–24 “23 In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and Assyria will come into Egypt, and Egypt into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians. 24 In that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth,”

God is not done with just bringing Egypt to repentance, but He brings Assyria in as well and Israel (probably referring to the Northern Kingdom) and they will all worship together. The image of Isaiah 19 then is that God will bring the nations to know Him, the Gentiles. We see this now, we are living testimony of this reality and we hope in a fuller restoration of these promises, that all nations would know Him.

Alright, let’s close with chapter 20 today

Isaiah 20 “1 In the year that the commander in chief, who was sent by Sargon the king of Assyria, came to Ashdod and fought against it and captured it— 2 at that time the Lord spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, “Go, and loose the sackcloth from your waist and take off your sandals from your feet,” and he did so, walking naked and barefoot. 3 Then the Lord said, “As my servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot for three years as a sign and a portent against Egypt and Cush, 4 so shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptian captives and the Cushite exiles, both the young and the old, naked and barefoot, with buttocks uncovered, the nakedness of Egypt. 5 Then they shall be dismayed and ashamed because of Cush their hope and of Egypt their boast. 6 And the inhabitants of this coastland will say in that day, ‘Behold, this is what has happened to those in whom we hoped and to whom we fled for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria! And we, how shall we escape?’ ””

This time, Isaiah performs an oracle; this one is not a spoken word, but performance art: three years of nakedness. His intention was to mime the fate of those taken captive by Assyria and thus expose the folly of trusting in Egypt. They have no protection, no covering, like Isaiah in His nakedness, so will the mighty warriors of Egypt be in the day when Assyria comes. This is specifically a sign against Egypt and against trusting in Egypt.

And the exiles of Egypt will be taken captive and barefoot they will be led away from Egypt to Assyria. You see, those this is a negative scene, it is a partial fulfillment of what was prophecied in Chapter 19: the highway connecting the people of Egypt with the people of Assyria. Remember, we’ve talked a lot about double-fulfillment. We can say that in some way fulfillment occurred as a result of exile, but there will be a future where the rest of this prophecy will be fulfilled. And of course, it is being fulfilled now. Wherever the church is in these nations and across the world, Gentiles coming to know the Lord is a direct fulfillment of these words in Isaiah.

But the main point remains: don’t trust in Egypt for your salvation. Isaiah is saying this: we hoped in Egypt and look what happens to them. They will be naked and dragged away. For three years whenever someone saw Isaiah naked wandering aound Jerusalem, it confronted their sense of trust in this foreign nation as a means of salvation.

I want to end here for us today. The thrust of this message is that we cannot trust in anything but God to help or save us. Everything else is futile, worthless. BUT, and this is what I love about how Isaiah weaves these messages together. Even that which is weak and futile has the potential for redemption and to be brought under the reign and rule of YHWH. God is redeeming and bringing all things unto Himself, let us trust in that and only that.