Yesterday's Question: Isaiah 19 is an oracle against Egypt. God doesn't give up on trying to save the Israelites. It's like God puts the "protection" package out there. It's a deal basically. God will give them protection if they continue to trust and obey God. Once they decide to step outside of God's protection (as they turn to idols and such) God is no longer their protector. It makes sense to say that God should just make everyone obey and then everyone would be happy but then - there wouldn't be love. We don't love because we're programmed to or forced to. We love because we choose to. Relationships cannot be a matter of God controlling puppets. Relationships must involve both parties actively choosing out of their own free will to love the other. God has done so... He's just waiting for us to say yes. Hope that helps.
Sargon king of Assyria attacked and captured Ashdod: Sargon II was king from 721-705 BC. Ashdod is a Philistine city. This event occurred in 711 BC. So, this prophecy came around this time... (Beyer, 106)
20:5 - Those who "trusted in Cush and boasted in Egypt" are likely the Israelites who were hoping these nations would rescue them from Assyria. Little do they know Cush and Egypt will be taken away by Assyria. And Assyria won't be the one to capture them, Babylon is. They have it all wrong.
The general theme seems to be about trust and confidence. We place our trust and confidence in things that make sense. You make the calculations and look around at the situation and make your decision. It's not like the Israelites were trusting anything that was coming their way. They looked around and saw the nations and "placed their bets" on the one that seems to be the best option. But, in all of their wise decision-making God was never brought into the equation. And, God will show the people how detrimental that is. These powerful nations would not only be captured but be brought to shame - captured and taken away completely naked, literally stripped of anything they were proud of.
We know how to make a smart decision.. but any decision without God's guidance and counsel is a bad decision. We must ask and seek God for His counsel in all things..
Isaiah is pretty brave. He follows God even at the most embarassing things, unlike Assyria. I wonder what it would be like if people just did what God said...
ReplyDeleteP.S. time to change the picture
I agree with Tim-- both the comment and the PS. :P
ReplyDeleteAnyway, why does Egypt have two prophecies???
Because, isn't Israel supposed to be the bad country? :-/