Isaiah 31:1-9
1 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help,
And rely on horses,
Who trust in chariots because they are many,
And in horsemen because they are very strong,
But who do not look to the Holy One of Israel,
Nor seek the LORD!
2 Yet He also is wise and will bring disaster,
And will not call back His words,
But will arise against the house of evildoers,
And against the help of those who work iniquity.
3 Now the Egyptians are men, and not God;
And their horses are flesh, and not spirit.
When the LORD stretches out His hand,
Both he who helps will fall,
And he who is helped will fall down;
They all will perish together.
4 For thus the LORD has spoken to me:
"As a lion roars,
And a young lion over his prey
(When a multitude of shepherds is summoned against him,
He will not be afraid of their voice
Nor be disturbed by their noise),
So the LORD of hosts will come down
To fight for Mount Zion and for its hill.
5 Like birds flying about,
So will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem.
Defending, He will also deliver it;
Passing over, He will preserve it."
6 Return to Him against whom the children of Israel have deeply revolted. 7 For in that day every man shall throw away his idols of silver and his idols of gold—sin, which your own hands have made for yourselves.
8 "Then Assyria shall fall by a sword not of man,
And a sword not of mankind shall devour him.
But he shall flee from the sword,
And his young men shall become forced labor.
9 He shall cross over to his stronghold for fear,
And his princes shall be afraid of the banner,"
Says the LORD,
Whose fire is in Zion
And whose furnace is in Jerusalem.
God warned His people about the vain trust in the power nations and armies to deliver them from their enemies. They specifically looked to the large army and military might of Egypt to save them, but only God could deliver Jerusalem from Assyria. They looked at the outside armor for power instead of seeking the Lord and trusting with praying and fasting while doing what was right according to His word in willing obedience. This is an essential lesson for us all in the present evil age of political and societal unrest. Like the might of Egypt, our countries lack the power of man or machinery to prevail if we fail to put our trust in His power and mighty hand of deliverance. Politicians and nations are not to be worshiped as God should be! They are men and not God and their weapons are made by flesh and not Him. Therefore we should heed the words of Isaiah as told to God’s people here, to not be moved or dismayed at the unrest and wars, but to trust and wait upon the LORD who does not fear any of these things and under whose wings we rest in protecting love. Defending, He will deliver us; passing over high above in the heavens as a bird, He will preserve His people forever. Repentance was called for then and is essential still for our relationship with our Lord God who rules over us and loves over us in keeping His people to the end. Trust Him. Only trust and obey in willingness with feet planted firm on the Rock of our salvation, Jesus the Christ. Throw away false objects and people and institutions of worship which we make for ourselves and are not made by God. Then the enemy will fall as Assyria any God’s own hand and sword from His mouth, ending death and sin’s presence among us for good. The enemy will falter in fear of God our banner (Exodus 17:15, Psalm 60:4-5), the God who consumes the enemy by fire (Deuteronomy 9:3, Hebrews 12:29, Revelation 20:10, 14-15). The call of the gospel is deliverance through Christ by faith to trust and follow Him by repentance and not go back to other idols to trust in. May we learn from Israel through the words of Isaiah not to serve dead and powerless idols of nations, leaders, and weapons or technology over our Creator and Deliverer who holds all power, wisdom, and ability to save. Amen!
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