Egypt and Ethiopia Shown their Nakedness

Isaiah 20:1-6 

1 In the year that Tartan came to Ashdod, when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him, and he fought against Ashdod and took it, 2 at the same time the LORD spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, "Go, and remove the sackcloth from your body, and take your sandals off your feet." And he did so, walking naked and barefoot.

3 Then the LORD said, "Just as My servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and a wonder against Egypt and Ethiopia, 4 so shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians as prisoners and the Ethiopians as captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt. 5 Then they shall be afraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation and Egypt their glory. 6 And the inhabitant of this territory will say in that day, 'Surely such is our expectation, wherever we flee for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria; and how shall we escape?'"

The prophet Isaiah was called to speak even without words, yes without clothes as well, to make God’s message clear to Egypt and Ethiopia of Cush.  Assyria came against them according to the Lord’s predetermined plan to take them prisoner for their sin against Him and His people.  Like John the Baptist, Isaiah had been clothed in sackcloth to mourn Israel and call them to repentance, yet then God commanded him to make a visual prophetic statement by removing that and showing his nakedness before them.  This seems extreme and even perverse to us until we understand the purpose was to point to the impending enslavement of the Egyptians and Ethiopians when defeated by the Assyrians.  It was to shame them for their sin against Him for all to witness and fear the judgment of the LORD.  Their empty hope in the might of Ethiopia and the glory of old Egypt would be vanquished and exposed.  That would put the fear of the Lord in them at last!  It also made others fear Assyria as God’s instrument which could be aimed at them as well.  There was no escape from God’s judgment, even if not all understood it was not Assyrian power that was the threat, but also a lesson not to trust in any nation’s power or reputation of glory to deliver as only the LORD can.  This is an example for us not to trust in the powers of war, but the Lord our God for deliverance from judgment (Psalm 20:7, Isaiah 31:1, Jeremiah 3:23).  Nations rise and fall and rulers with them, but the kingdom of God in Christ endures firmly forever.  We will all stand exposed for who we are and in whom we trust before Him and in the assembly of all in the final day of judgment (Revelation 3:17, 16:15).  Remember how the nakedness of the prophet which exposed those of Ethiopia and Egypt and trust in Him alone, for His word will expose us all an in whom we glory and trust to deliver!