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Reading Isaiah 19… Reading Isaiah 19… Later this week, you will encounter Isaiah 19. Why mention this seemingly random chapter out of sixty-six chapters—many of which are familiar prophecies related to the Messiah, Jesus Christ? Well, tucked away in verses 18-25, amidst a series of judgment oracles against the nations, we encounter surprising and unexpected salvation promises for those very nations. Let me read those verses for us: 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.1 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." (ESV) On one level this text is surprising and unexpected—that the notorious enemies of Israel (Egypt and Assyria) would be blessed by the Lord and called ‘his people’!? Yet, on another level, it is not surprising and unexpected—throughout the OT, God has promised blessing to the nations (cf. Gen 12:3; Psalm 87; etc.). Even other passages in Isaiah have pointed to this based on the promised Messiah’s work (e.g., 2:2-4). The language of Isaiah 19 resonates with other OT passage, like Hosea 2:23: …And I will have mercy on No Mercy,1 and I will say to Not My People,2 'You are my people'; and he shall say, 'You are my God.'" (ESV) This parallels how the Lord speaks of Egypt (Isa 19:25a). Assyria is also called the ‘work of my hands’ (Isa 19:25b) (which parallels how the Lord speaks of Israel later in Isaiah). In the NT, we find continuity with this trajectory of the OT, in passages like Matt 28:18-20 and Galatians 3:7-9, 28-29, where the gospel goes to all nations and everyone who is united to Christ in faith, is a partaker of the promise to Abraham and enjoys every spiritual blessing! Make no mistake, the NT is not opposed to the OT in this matter. Rather, God’s grace reaches the ends of the earth in Christ. This should motivate us to take the gospel to the nations. May the Lord the Lord bless us in that task. Keep Reading! Jason Hunt Reading Isaiah 30-31… As we make our way through the lengthy book of Isaiah, we encounter a practical warning from the Lord, in chapters 30-31, which was not only relevant in Isaiah’s day, but also in our day. So, what was it? To appreciate the warning, we must set the stage. Judah, at that time, was facing a growing threat from the Assyrian empire. The people were anxious and afraid. What would they do? How would they survive? They looked to Egypt for help. Here the words of Isa 30:1-2 and 31:1: ESV Isaiah 30:1 "Ah, stubborn children," declares the LORD, "who carry out a plan, but not mine, and who make an alliance,1 but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin; 2 who set out to go down to Egypt, without asking for my direction, to take refuge in the protection of Pharaoh and to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt! ESV Isaiah 31:1 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 do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the LORD! This warning, in essence, is a warning against idolatry and apostasy—seeking help and security in something other than God. They did not look to the Holy One, nor did they consult Him. Rather, they desired to take refuge in Pharaoh and to hide in the shadow of Egypt. All of this flies in the face of God’s word, not only in Isaiah, but also in Psalms like 118, 121, and 146. This warning is especially relevant for us in our context—whether we consider the mounting pressure and attacks from the world on believers, or the deeper spiritual attacks of the enemy present in them, or even the daily battle with sin in our lives. These chapters confront our same sinful tendencies. Here are some things to consider and reflect on: o When faced with fear and anxiety, what is your functional faith (not merely what you should believe and do, but what you actually believe and do)? Do you run to the Lord first, or do you run to other things for safety, security, and satisfaction? o From these chapters and other places in scripture, we see that not consulting the Lord leads to idolatry—in other words, prayerlessness is idolatry (we default to something else for wisdom and help). o Prayer and the word of God go together in consulting the Lord (the people of Isaiah’s day were listening to other words and forgot God’s words) o Lastly, our real crisis is unbelief in God, not the spiritual opposition we face. What we need most is not to find a way to cope with our distress, but rather communion with the living God. Remember that in the midst of these sober warnings, there is grace and hope extended (e.g., 30:18-26). Be motivated by the grace of God to heed these warnings. Keep reading, and may the Lord bless you! Jason Hunt .
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