These are the original teaching notes from this passage.
- Burden of Syria…
- The FOURTH burden of Isaiah was against the Kingdom of SYRIA [Damascus]
- Shortly after the Prophecy of Isaiah 7 – [734 B.C.]
- Isaiah went on to tell JUDAH to look – see the inevitable – Damascus would become a pile of RUINS…
- But it would NOT just be SYRIA – it would also be EPHRAIM [Northern Kingdom]
- Both would be HARVESTED like a ripe field – conquered by ASSYRIA!
- The Remnant…
- Yet in the midst of the destruction – there would be a REMNANT…
- Like a cluster of grapes missed in harvest – or olives left on the upper most branches…
- Those who were left would look to their MAKER – respect the Holy One of Israel…
- They would NO longer look to idols – trust in things they had made!
- Destruction…
- But just as the nation of Israel had wiped out the Canaanite tribes when they came into the land…
- They now in turn would be wiped out because they had forgotten their ROCK…
- They assumed they were safe – gathered together like the waters of the sea [popular opinion]
- But the Lord would rebuke them and they would be scattered…
- Therefore Judah should NOT follow in their footsteps…
- Nor was Judah to run to ETHIOPIA for help – put their trust in the kingdoms of men!
- 1st – Fall of Egypt… vs. 1-10
- 1st – The Burden… vs. 1
- Egypt… vs. 1
- The burden against Egypt!
- Isaiah continued his BURDENS against the Nations…
- A section of the book that gives TEN burdens from the Lord – Isaiah 13-23
- BURDEN [מַשָּׂא] – a heavy weight or load – a warning to the nations…
- The FIFTH of these burdens was against the Kingdom of EGYPT!
- The name EGYPT [מִצְרַיִם] – means the land of the two [יִם] BOUNDARIES [צוּר]
- Because everyone lived on the Nile river surrounded by DESERT on both sides…
- But it also might reflect back on the CAPTIVITY [צוּר] of Israel in EGYPT – Exodus 1:14
- Clouds… vs. 1
- Behold – the LORD rides on a swift cloud and will come into Egypt!
- LOOK – the LORD is coming quickly [riding on a cloud]
- Imagery often associated with the return of Jesus – Daniel 7:13 – Matthew 26:64
- But here would seem more to speak of the SPEED of what was coming…
- It was NOT going to be long before God would JUDGE the nation of EGYPT!
- Idols… vs. 1
- The idols of Egypt will totter at His presence and the heart of Egypt will melt in its midst!
- When the LORD came to Egypt – their idols would FALL [נוּעַ] in His presence…
- And the heart of the people would MELT – because their gods failed them!
- Each one of the PLAGUES in Exodus corresponded to an Egyptian deity…
- Nile to BLOOD – Hapi was the Egyptian god of the Nile…
- FROGS – Heqt was goddess of fertility [face of a frog]
- LIVESTOCK were killed – Hathor is the goddess of fertility [face of a cow]
- DARKNESS over the land – Ra the Egyptian goddess of the sun…
- God showed Egypt – there was NO other god greater than Him!
- We often put our trust in the things of this world [money – people]
- But they FAIL when we need them most – and we are left with nothing…
- Because our foundation was NOT upon the solid ROCK – it is on SAND…
- And when the storms of life come – our hearts melt – Matthew 7:26-27
- 2nd – Their people… vs. 2-4
- Bad counsel… vs. 2-3
- 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!
- FIRST – God would [piel] SHUT in [סָכַךְ] the people of EGYPT…
- By making [niphal] every man fight against his brother [אָח] – or friend [רֵעַ]
- City would turn against [בְּ] city – and kingdom against [בְּ] kingdom [civil war]
- Everyone would FIGHT – because their SPIRIT was [niphal] EMPTY [בָּקַק]
- As every solution they TRIED was swallowed up [piel] by the LORD…
- Because the counsel they sought [sequential] that came from:
- IDOLS [אֱלִיל] – from the root word [אַל] meaning NOTHING…
- CHARMERS [אַט] – those who WISPER [onomatopoeia] to the spirits…
- MEDIUMS [אוֹב] – those who seek counsel from the DEAD [ghost]
- SORCERERS – from the root word [יָדַע] – those who say they KNOW the spirits!
- King Saul rejected the Word of the LORD – kill all the AMALEKITES [flesh]
- As a result the LORD rejected Saul as the KING of Israel – I Samuel 15:26
- So Saul went to seek the MEDIUM [אוֹב] at En Dor for counsel!
- It is possible to contact SPIRITS – but what people are talking to a demon…
- That is why God FORBIDS us to have anything to do with these practices – Leviticus 20:27
- Why would we want to seek DEAD people – rather than a LIVING God!
- Isaiah 8:19 – “Should not a people seek… God? [Not] the dead on behalf of the living?”
- Cruel master… vs. 4
- 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!
- Because the people of EGYPT were going to the WRONG place for counsel…
- God would give them [piel] over to CRUEL masters [אָדוֹן] – a MIGHTY king [perhaps Assyria]
- Says THE Lord [אָדוֹן] – LORD [יְהֹוָה] of the armies of heaven [צְבָאוֹת]
- In life we are going to be a SERVANT to someone – the question is WHO…
- We can seek the COUNSEL of this WORLD – and we are LIMITED to their solutions…
- But choose to TRUST in Jesus – who can do far more than ANYONE in this world!
- 3rd – Their economy… vs. 5-10
- Nile river… vs. 5-7
- 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!
- SECOND – God would collapse the ECONOMY of EGYPT…
- He would do so by having the delta of the NILE river DRY up…
- If the fresh water stopped flowing the MEDITERRANEAN would backflow [salt water]
- Causing [hiphil] the Nile to STINK – as the brooks [delta] dried up…
- So that [sequential] the REEDS and PAPYRUS would wither and die [extreme drought]
- ANYTHING [כֹּל] planted in the delta – by the river – would also die and be NO more [אִין]
- This kind of collapse has historically occurred…
- When the monsoons in Ethiopia [Blue Nile] failed over multiple years…
- The Nile river dropped to drought levels – delta dried up – sea water flooded [salinization]
- Fishermen… vs. 8
- 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!
- As a result of the DROUGHT – there would be NO fish…
- [Sequential] the fishermen would MOURN – those who cast nets would be exhausted [pual]
- This would have decimated the local economy!
- Farmers… vs. 9-10
- 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!
- AND [sequential] those who worked to make clothes [fine fabric] would be ASHAMED [בּוּשׁ]
- Because there would be NO crops [broken foundation] to weave with [flax]
- ALL [כֹּל] who made their living [salary] from the Nile delta would have a troubled SOUL!
- No doubt this famine also meant there was a lack of FOOD…
- But the focus is on the collapse of the ECONOMY – there are NO more jobs…
- There were THREE key industries in ancient Egypt – farming – fishing – textile…
- As all three FAILED – it meant a total collapse of the kingdom…
- And all it took to cause it – was for God to dry up ONE river!
- The economy of the world today is just as fragile…
- When the EVERGREEN go stuck in the SUEZ canal in 2021 [six days]
- It caused about a half a TRILLION pesos a day in lost economic impact…
- Our jobs – our livelihood – are a literal house of cards [ready to collapse]
- God stops one river – one boat – and the world comes crashing down…
- Yet the world refuses to look to God – they are determined to seek HUMAN wisdom!
- 1st – The Burden… vs. 1
- 2nd – Human wisdom… vs. 11-17
- 1st – No wisdom… vs. 11-14
- Princes of Zoan … vs. 11
- Surely the princes of Zoan are fools. Pharaohs wise counselors give foolish counsel.
- How do you say to Pharaoh: I am the son of the wise. The son of ancient kings?
- Rather than going to the LORD – who has all the answers…
- The Pharaohs went to the FOOLISH [אֱוִיל] princes of ZOAN…
- ZOAN was the city of the Pharoah – on the eastern bank of the Tanitic branch of the Nile…
- But their WISE counsel was [niphal] BURNED up [בָּעַר] by the LORD…
- But they kept [imperfect] insisting they were the SONS of the wise – ancient kings!
- It does NOT matter what kind of DEGREE people have…
- It does NOT matter how FAMOUS or RICH their family might be…
- If what people keep saying is WRONG – then we should NOT listen to them!
- No wise men… vs. 12
- Where are they? Where are your wise men?
- Let them tell you now – let them know what the LORD of hosts has purposed against Egypt!
- If they were really WISE [חָכָם] men – then they would [jussive] be honest with the Pharoah…
- Letting him KNOW [יָדַע] – this was the PLAN of the Lord of HOSTS for EGYPT!
- There is a strong PUSH in our society today to get PROFESSIONAL help…
- If our kids are struggling – if we are DEPRESSED…
- Then we need to get PSYCHIATRIC [ψυχικός] help – because they have WISDOM!
- James 3:15 – “This wisdom does not descend from above but is earthly – ψυχικός – demonic.”
- PSYCHIATRY [ψυχικός] looks for answers from WITHIN [or medication]
- But that is NOT where the answers come from – we need to look UP…
- The test to see if someone is really wise is NOT found in a WISDOM of this world…
- It comes from them pointing us back to our CREATOR – back to the WISDOM of God!
- Deceived… vs. 13-14
- 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!
- The princes of ZOAN have been [niphal] exposed as FOOLS…
- Because they kept giving BAD counsel – NOT pointing the King to the LORD…
- Their advice had deceived [hiphil] the leaders of the Noph [Memphis]
- Causing [hiphil] the people of EGYPT to wander [תָּעָה] from God…
- But since the people WANTED to listen to these FOOLS…
- Therefore – the Lord mixed into their counsel a SPIRIT of ERROR [תָּעָה]
- Causing [hiphil] the people of EGYPT to wander [תָּעָה] ALL [כֹּל] the more…
- They had become like a DRUNK – who slips and falls in his own VOMIT!
- When King Ahaz asked his PROPHETS [wise men] if he should go to war [Syria]
- Ahaz called in FOUR hundred prophets of Baal…
- The ONE prophet of the LORD [Micaiah] only came at the request of King Jehoshaphat…
- Micaiah answered he saw a scene in Heaven – where God wanted to kill Ahaz…
- And one SPIRIT [angel] came before the Lord and had an idea!
- I Kings 22:22 – “I will go out and inspire all of Ahab’s prophets to speak lies. You will succeed – said the LORD. Go ahead and do it!” [NLT]
- Those who INSIST on looking to the world for answers…
- Will be deceived by the WISDOM of this world [demonic]
- And in the end will end up SLIPPING and FALLING in the MESS [vomit] they have made!
- 2nd – No hope… vs. 15-17
- Top to bottom… vs. 15
- Neither will there be any work for Egypt.
- Which the head or tail – Palm branch or bulrush – may do!
- As a RESULT of their insistence on following WORDILY counsel…
- There was NOTHING anyone could do to HELP them out…
- Because from the HEAD or PALM tree [Pharoah] – to the TAIL or BULRUSH [poor]
- The whole nation was DECEIVED and refused to turn to the LORD…
- The lies had PERMEATED the whole culture from TOP to BOTTOM – Isaiah 9:14
- Afraid… vs. 16-17
- 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!
- In that DAY [בַּיּוֹם] when God came on a CLOUD to JUDGE…
- When there was CIVIL war – the RIVER dried up – their ECONOMY collapsed…
- They would be like TERRIFIED women [physically weak] – FEARFUL [imperfect]
- Because the LORD of HOSTS [צְבָאוֹת] was shaking His fist at them [threatening]
- And the NATION of Judah would bring TERROR to those in EGYPT…
- Anyone who even mentions JUDAH would make [hiphil] himself AFRAID…
- Because of the PLAN of the LORD of HOSTS against EGYPT!
- Keep in mind at this point – Judah was in TROUBLE with Assyria…
- And they were looking to Egypt as a possible ALLY to help them…
- But God is telling them – Egypt is the one who needs the HELP!
- When we look at the WORLD around us – and everything seems to be going OK…
- While our lives are falling apart – and we are struggling…
- There is a temptation to wonder if the WORLD might have the RIGHT answer…
- But when the DAY comes – that DAY when the Lord comes…
- It will be the WORLD who is TERRIFIED – because there is only ONE right answer!
- 1st – No wisdom… vs. 11-14
- 3rd – Future hope… vs. 18-25
- 1st – Worship the Lord… vs. 18-20
- Righteous city… vs. 18-19
- 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!
- In that DAY [בַּיּוֹם] when God comes on a CLOUD to JUDGE…
- There will be FIVE cities in Egypt that will speak HEBREW [language of Canaan]
- They will SWEAR [niphal] by the LORD of HOSTS [not by idols]
- And ONE of those cities – will be called DESTRUCTION [הֶרֶס]
- There is a possible play on words here – as [חֶרֶס] means SUN [Heliopolis]
- The LXX goes on to interpret it as [πόλισ-ασεδεκ] city of RIGHTEOUSNESS…
- Because rather than the worship of RA [sun god]
- There will be an ALTAR to the LORD in the middle of EGYPT – and a PILLAR at the border…
- Meaning ALL of EGYPT will come to worship the one true God!
- Egypt did turn from IDOLATRY and became a Christian nation [380 A.D.]
- But then fell a few hundred years later to the Muslims [639 A.D.]
- Christianity would remain the majority religion for centuries [1200s]
- Until today only around TEN percent of the nation is still Christian [Coptic]
- So this prophecy is still looking forward to the DAY when Christ returns!
- Delivered… vs. 20
- 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!
- The PROOF [sign] that Egypt belongs to the LORD of HOSTS…
- Because [כִּי] when they will CRY [imperfect] out to the LORD because of their oppressors…
- He will send to them a SAVIOR [יָשַׁע] who will [hiphil] deliver them!
- If someone we do NOT know cries out – we are NOT obligated to help…
- But if it is our FAMILY – our CHILDREN – they do NOT have to ask twice!
- The way we KNOW that we BELONG to the Lord…
- Is that He answers when are in the time of NEED – He is there to DELIVER us!
- 2nd – Know the Lord… vs. 21-22
- Sacrifice… vs. 21
- 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!
- In that DAY [בַּיּוֹם] when God comes on a CLOUD to JUDGE…
- He will be [niphal] KNOWN [יָדַע] in EGYPT – the EGYPTIANS will SEE [יָדַע] Him…
- They will offer SACRIFICES [gifts] – making a VOW [שָׁלַם] to the LORD – and keep it!
- Because it is NOT enough to SAY that we know the Lord…
- We can make all the SACRIFICES – give the GIFTS – but we need to KEEP His Word!
- John 14:15 – “If you love Me [you will] keep My commandments.”
- Healed… vs. 22
- 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!
- The LORD will SMITE Egypt – but He will also HEAL [רָפָא] them…
- He STRIKES them so that they will TURN [שׁוּב] back to the LORD…
- And when the TURN He will receive them – and SAVE [רָפָא] them!
- When God PUNISHES us – it is for ONE reason…
- He is trying to get our ATTENTION – teach us a LESSON…
- He wants us to REPENT and come back to Him – so He can HEAL us!
- Hebrews 12:11 – “No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening – its painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.”
- 3rd – Blessed by the Lord… vs. 23-25
- Highway… vs. 23
- 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 [בַּיּוֹם] when God comes on a CLOUD to JUDGE…
- There will be a HIGHWAY – connecting [raised] road – between Egypt and Assyria…
- The HIGHWAY will be let people come back and forth to SERVE [עָבַד] the LORD!
- There is NO major road that connects Egypt to Iraq [Assyria] today…
- The reason is because right in the middle is ISRAEL…
- Any road between the two would pass right by Jerusalem!
- United… vs. 24-25
- 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!
- In that DAY [בַּיּוֹם] when God comes on a CLOUD to JUDGE [sixth time]
- Israel will be the THIRD nation – in the MIDDLE of Egypt and Assyria…
- The LORD will BLESS [בָּרַךְ] all THREE of them saying…
- EGYPT are MY people – ASSYRIA the work of My hand – ISRAEL My inheritance!
- The ENEMY that Judah feared [ASSYRIA]
- And the former CAPTORS who they now looked to for help [Egypt]
- Will come along side of them in the Millennial Kingdom to worship the Lord!
- Because as we have said so many times – people are NOT the enemy…
- They are deceived by the ENEMY – people just need the Lord…
- And a day is coming [soon] when we will all worship in Jerusalem – Revelation 20:4
- 1st – Worship the Lord… vs. 18-20
- 4th – The warning… vs. 1-6
- 1st – Naked… vs. 1-2
- Fall of Ashdod… vs. 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!
- Tartan [commander] of Assyria came against Ashdod [Philistines] in the year 711 B.C.
- During the reign of Sargon II [recorded in secular history]
- This was ELEVEN years after the fall of Samaria [722 B.C.] – II Kings 17:6
- And just ONE year before the siege of Jerusalem [710 B.C.] – II Chronicles 32:1
- No clothes… vs. 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!
- At the same TIME – the LORD spoke [piel] to Isaiah…
- He must [imperative] take off his clothes and his shoes…
- So [כֵּן] he did what the Lord commanded and walked around NAKED [עָרוֹם] – Genesis 2:25
- We read this is have obvious questions – why NAKED [he still had underclothes]
- The answer is because God was trying to get the attention of a STUBBORN people…
- They did NOT want to LISTEN to the WORD of the LORD…
- So he would have His prophets do EXTREME things to get them to LOOK!
- 2nd – A sign… vs. 3-6
- Three years… vs. 3-4
- Then the LORD said: Just as My servant Isaiah walked naked and barefoot three years.
- For a sign and a wonder against Egypt and Ethiopia.
- 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!
- When people asked Isaiah WHY he was NAKED for THREE years…
- The answer was it was a SIGN from the LORD against EGYPT and ETHIOPIA [כּוּשׁ]
- The KING of ASSYRIA would conquer NOT only Ashdod [Philistines]
- He would also CONQUER Egypt and Ethiopia – taking them CAPTIVES into EXILE…
- They would go NAKED [עָרוֹם] – buts exposed [no underclothes] – to their SHAME!
- Ashamed… vs. 5-6
- Then they shall be afraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation and Egypt their glory.
- 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 – how shall we escape?
- Then [sequential] JUDAH would be broken and ashamed…
- Because they put their HOPE in Ethiopia – and though Egypt would bring them GLORY…
- And in that DAY [בַּיּוֹם] – when ASSYRIA conquers the ones JUDAH looked to for help…
- They will cry out in DESPAIR – because what HOPE was there now!
- The HOPE would come – but NOT from MEN…
- God would send ONE angel and wipe out the armies of ASSYRIA – Isaiah 37:36
- Because the SIMPLE lessons that God is ALWAYS trying to get us to listen to…
- Is that there is only ONE answer to EVERY problem…
- We need to come to the LORD – he is the one who gives us PEACE!
- 1st – Naked… vs. 1-2