ISAIAH 19
OPENS WITH GOD'S BURDEN AGAINST Egypt
God PROMISES TO STRIKE EGYPT.
Verses 1-4 tells us The LORD strikes Egypt by giving them over to civil war & submission to a cruel master.
"The burden against Egypt. Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud, and will come into Egypt; the idols of Egypt will totter at His presence, and the heart of Egypt will melt in its midst. "I will set Egyptians against Egyptians; everyone will fight against his brother, and everyone against his neighbor, city against city, kingdom against kingdom. The spirit of Egypt will fail in its midst; I will destroy their counsel, and they will consult the idols and the charmers, the mediums and the sorcerers. And the Egyptians I will give into the hand of a cruel master, and a fierce king will rule over them," says the Lord, the LORD of hosts."
The LORD rides on a swift cloud, and will come into Egypt...
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
Egypt was one of the great powers of the ancient world, and being situated immediately to the south of Israel, it was an empire that Israel CONSTANTLY had to reckon with. Many times Egypt had been the ENEMY of Israel, at times Egypt had been a refuge for Israel, and sometimes Egypt offered a tempting but ungodly alliance to Israel. In this chapter, the LORD presents both a prophecy AGAINST AND FOR EGYPT.
The idols of Egypt WILL TOTTER at His presence...Egypt HAS ALWAYS, THEN AND NOW, BEEN known for its worship of many, many different gods. Through His hand of judgment, the LORD will "knock over" these many different gods.
BULTEMA, A BIBLICAL TIMES HISTORIAN, tell us..."In Isaiah's day there was NO OTHER NATION ON THIS EARTH that was so much in the GRIP of superstition and filthy idolatry as Egypt. Apes, cats, frogs, crocodiles, lizards - EVERYTHING BUT ALMIGHTY GOD was venerated by them."
AND WE KNOW THAT VENERATE MEANS....AWE, RESPECT, WORSHIP & ADORE.
At the time of the Exodus, when the Pharaoh of Egypt would not release the children of Israel from their captivity, the LORD ALSO MADE EGYPT'S IDOLS TOTTER AT HIS PRESENCE.
REMEMBER FROM OUR STUDY....
GOD DIRECTED EACH OF THE PLAGUES AGAINST THEIR "IDOLS/GODS".
ALMIGHTY GOD knocked over...
Their god Khnum, the guardian of the Nile.
Their god Hapi, the spirit of the Nile.
Their god Osiris (who had the Nile as his bloodstream), when the waters were turned to blood.
Their goddess Heqt, the frog-goddess of fertility, with the plague of frogs.
Their goddess Hathor, a cow-like mother goddess, with the plague on livestock.
Their god Imhotep, the god of medicine, with the plague of boils.
Their god Nut, the sky goddess, with the plague of hail.
He knocked over the WHOLE SYSTEM OF EGYPTIAN WORSHIP IN THEIR TEMPLES of their gods with loathsome lice and swarms of insects.
Their god Seth, thought to be the protector of crops, with the plague of locusts.
Their CHIEF god Ra, thought to be the sun god, with the plague of darkness.
Their god Osiris, the Egyptian god thought to be the giver of life, and the supposed deity of Pharaoh himself, with the plague against the firstborn.
God made ALL THE IDOLS OF EGYPT to totter at His presence before, and Isaiah tells us GOD IS GOING TO DO IT AGAIN!
I will set Egyptians against Egyptians...Isaiah prophesies a coming civil war in Egypt, which was indirectly the hand of God's judgment against them.
AND POOLE tells us, "Not many years after this time it was divided into twelve several kingdoms, between whom there were many and cruel wars, as is related by the historians of those times."
I WILL DESTROY their counsel, and they will consult the idols and the charmers...When a nation is under the judgment of God, He often seems to "remove" sound counsel and wisdom from their leaders, and they turn to vain, pagan things for wisdom instead (idols and the charmers), INSTEAD OF HITTING THEIR KNEES IN REPENTANCE & TURNING TO THE ONLY TRUE CREATOR GOD.
AND REMEMBER 1 KINGS 4:30 tells us that Egypt was renowned for her class of wise men, but they would not be able to cope with this judgment from the Lord, AMEN?
The Egyptians I WILL GIVE into the hand of a cruel master, and a fierce king will rule over them...God may judge a nation through their leadership in two ways.
HOW?
FIRST, by removing competent leadership (I will destroy their counsel).
SECOND, by giving them cruel and oppressive rulers. This is a curse and a judgment to any people!
AND CAN WE NOT SAY THE USA IS UNDER THESE JUDGMENTS? EVIL IS BEING PERCEIVED AS GOOD, AND GOOD AS EVIL.
WE HAVE EGOMANICAL INCOMPETENT LEADERS IN THIS COUNTRY NOW.
AND IT IS A CRUEL LEADERSHIP, THAT CARES NOTHING FOR GOD, THE PEOPLE, OR THE NATION AS A WHOLE.
THAT IS WHY THE CHRISTIANS IN THIS COUNTRY & AROUND THE WORLD STAY ON OUR FACE IN PRAYER AND REPENTANCE, BECAUSE WE KNOW THE USA & OTHER NATIONS IS UNDER JUDGMENT AND A CURSE, AMEN?
Verses 5-10 tells us The LORD strikes Egypt by drying up the Nile, thus wrecking their economy.
"The waters will fail from the sea, and the river will be wasted and dried up. The rivers will turn foul; the brooks of defense will be emptied and dried up; the reeds and rushes will wither. The papyrus reeds by the River, by the mouth of the River, and everything sown by the River, will wither, be driven away, and be no more. The fishermen also will mourn; all those will lament who cast hooks into the River, and they will languish who spread nets on the waters. Moreover those who work in fine flax and those who weave fine fabric will be ashamed; and its foundations will be broken. All who make wages will be troubled of soul."
The river WILL BE wasted and dried up...The Nile River was the key to Egypt's agriculture and economy. For it to suffer a severe drought or lowering would have a devastating effect on the lives of Egyptians. God promises this will happen as a judgment against Egypt.
DID you know that the NILE IS RECEDING/DRYING UP MORE EACH DAY? JUST AS THE EUPHRATES IS DRYING UP...ALMIGHTY GOD IS A PROMISE MAKER AND A PROMISE KEEPER,AMEN?
Therefore, the workers cry out...the fishermen also will mourn … they will languish who spread nets on the waters … those who weave fine fabric will be ashamed … all who make wages will be troubled of soul.
Verses 11-15 tells us The LORD strikes Egypt by sending them with foolish counsel.
"Surely the princes of Zoan are fools; Pharaoh's wise counselors give foolish counsel. How do you say to Pharaoh, "I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?" Where are they? Where are your wise men? Let them tell you now, and let them know what the LORD of hosts has purposed against Egypt. The princes of Zoan have become fools; the princes of Noph are deceived; they have also deluded Egypt, those who are the mainstay of its tribes. The LORD has mingled a perverse spirit in her midst; and they have caused Egypt to err in all her work, as a drunken man staggers in his vomit. Neither will there be any work for Egypt, which the head or tail, palm branch or bulrush, may do."
Surely the princes of Zoan are fools; Pharaoh's wise counselors give foolish counsel...As the LORD strikes Egypt, not only does He give them cruel rulers, but He also gives those cruel rulers foolish counsel.
Where are your wise men? Let them tell you now, and let them know what the LORD of hosts has purposed against Egypt...Here, the LORD reminds us of what true wisdom is. It is knowing what the LORD of hosts has purposed. True wisdom isn't knowing all kind of facts and plans and strategies.
PROVERBS 9:10 tells us, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."
Verses 16-17 tells us when God strikes Egypt, there will be terror among the people.
"In that day Egypt will be like women, and will be afraid and fear because of the waving of the hand of the LORD of hosts, which He waves over it. And the land of Judah will be a terror to Egypt; everyone who makes mention of it will be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the LORD of hosts which He has determined against it."
Because of the waving of the hand of the LORD of hosts...All the LORD will need to do is to wave His hand, and the people of Egypt will respond in terror, they will be afraid and fear.
The land of Judah will be a terror to Egypt...
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
This is a switch! For thousands of years, the land of Judah lay submissively in the shadow of the great Egyptian Empire. The LORD prophesies a day when Judah will be more mighty than Egypt, and the land of Judah will be a terror to Egypt. Of course, this is fulfilled PARTIALLY today, because Israel NOW HAS military superiority over Egypt...and one day, ISRAEL WILL BE THE THRONE OF THE WORLD'S SOVEREIGN LEADER....JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF.
THEN EGYPT GETS IT RIGHT....THEY TURN TO THE LORD & HE SAVES EGYPT.
Verses 18-22 tells us Egypt turns to the LORD.
"In that day five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear by the LORD of hosts; one will be called the City of Destruction. 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. And it will be for a sign and for a witness to the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they will cry to the LORD because of the oppressors, and He will send them a Savior and a Mighty One, and He will deliver them. Then the LORD will be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know the LORD in that day, and will make sacrifice and offering; yes, they will make a vow to the LORD and perform it. And the LORD will strike Egypt, He will strike and heal it; they will return to the LORD, and He will be entreated by them and heal them."
FIVE CITIES in the land of Egypt will become more identified with the LORD than with Egypt. A better translation of the phrase City of Destruction may be, City of the Sun, which was a well known Egyptian city known as Heliopolis.
Egypt will worship the LORD, with an altar to the LORD, and will memorialize God's great works with a pillar to the LORD. When Egypt is brought under this oppression, they will cry to the LORD because of the oppressors, and then He will send them a Savior and a Mighty one, and He will deliver them.
INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, THIS MAY HAVE BEEN PARTIALLY FULFILLED in the time of the Maccabees, when the high priest Onias IV was forced to flee to Egypt, and there he built a temple that was similar to the one in Jerusalem. Some commentators relate the 'altar' of verse 19 to this structure. This may relate to the City of the Sun prophecy, because the temple Onias IV built was in the province of Heliopolis.
He will send them a Savior and a Mighty One...THEY WILL COME TO KNOW THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, AS MIGHTY SAVIOR!
The Egyptians will know the LORD in that day...
AND HISTORY TELLS US There did come to be a widespread knowledge of the LORD in Egypt. In the days of Jesus, more than a million Jews lived in Egypt. In the early days of Christianity, there was a strong, vital church in Egypt for more than 600 years.
This prophecy WILL HAVE COMPLETE fulfillment during the Millennium, but it certainly has been fulfilled TO A CERTAIN DEGREE DOWN THROUGH HISTORY.
In the fourth century, the great theologian Athanasius, wrote this from Egypt: "The thing is happening before our very eyes, here in Egypt; and thereby another prophecy is fulfilled, for at no other time have the Egyptians ceased from their false worship save when the Lord of all, riding as on a cloud, came down here in the body and brought the error of idols to nothing and won over everybody to Himself and through Himself to the Father."
He will strike and heal it...Whatever judgment God allowed, His desire was that people would repent and return to Him so they could be healed.
Verses 23-25 tells us of an amazing peace between three formerly hostile enemies.
"In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come into Egypt and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will serve with the Assyrians. In that day Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria; a blessing in the midst of the land, whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, "Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance."
WE know ASSYRIA TODAY IS COMPRISES PARTS OF IRAQ, IRAN, TURKEY, & SYRIA...WHO TO THIS DAY ARE ENEMIES OF ISRAEL.
Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria...God promises the day will come when there WILL BE PEACE between Israel, Egypt, and Assyria. There will be trade and travel between the three nations (a highway from Egypt to Assyria). In that day, the LORD will bless all three nations.
Blessed is Egypt, My people, and Assyria, the work of My hands, and Israel is My inheritance...What an amazing work of redemption! This shows that God's salvation will extend to the nations, and He will call forth His own even from Egypt and Assyria, not only from Israel.
It was powerful to say this of Egypt; it was almost unbelievable to say it about Assyria, the nation Jonah hated so much. "In Isaiah's day, Assyria was the one power feared by every little nation in the Fertile Crescent. The calculated brutality of the Assyrians probably made them more of an object of general hatred than any other nation of antiquity.
THE BIBLE AND HISTORY both tells us the Egyptians, Babylonians, and Persians were ALL capable of inhuman acts & cruelty, but the Assyrian record for ENJOYING evil, blood lust, MAIMING, RAPE, TORTURE, MURDER, AND callous cruelty TO DATE HAS NO PARALLEL...BUT THE ANTI CHRIST WILL RIVAL EVEN ALL THE WORLD'S WORST.
BUT JESUS IS THE GOD OF GRACE, FORGIVENESS, AND THE IMPOSSIBLE, AMEN?
AS MEYER says,"Who, standing amid the terrors of the plagues, could ever have supposed that Egypt would be addressed as 'my people'? Who could have thought that Assyria, the tyrant persecutor, would ever be called 'the work of my hands'? Yet these are the trophies and triumphs of divine grace."
BUT REMEMBER ALMIGHTY GOD STILL CALLS HIS WIFE, ISRAEL....HIS INHERITANCE.
AND REMEMBER WHAT PAUL REMINDS US, IN EPHESIANS 1:8, PAUL PRAYED that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints."
God's people are His riches and inheritance and glory!
From this passage regarding the conversion of Egypt, Spurgeon draws these points:
(The Fruits of Grace)
1. God's grace often comes to the very worst of men.
2. God's grace sends a Savior.
3. Grace changes men's language.
4. God's grace sets men on holy service.
5. God's grace teaches men to pray.
6. God's grace instructs men.
7. Grace makes even trouble a blessing to a man.
8. God's grace changes the relations of men to each other.
9. God's grace makes men to be blessed, and to be a blessing to others.