65. When the LORD Shall Come (3)

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Hymns: RHC 455 Go Ye into All the World 454 Make Me a Blessing 461 O Zion, Haste

Isaiah 19:16-25

16 In that day shall Egypt be like unto women: and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the LORD of hosts, which he shaketh over it. 17 And the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt, every one that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the LORD of hosts, which he hath determined against it. 18 In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the LORD of hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction. 19 In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD. 20 And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto the LORD because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them. 21 And the LORD shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the LORD in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the LORD, and perform it. 22 And the LORD shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the LORD, and he shall be intreated of them, and shall heal them. 23 In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians. 24 In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: 25 Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.

When the LORD Shall Come (3)

OUTLINE

  • Discomfiting and Confounding (v1-17)
  • Convicting and Converting (v19-25)

Continue…

  • Discomfiting and Confounding (v1-17)

16 In that day shall Egypt be like unto women: and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the LORD of hosts, which he shaketh over it.

Egypt “shall be afraid and fear”, here are two different words – trembling in the sense to shudder, startle (be afraid) and to tremble in terror (fear). In trembling awe before the LORD.

The point of comparison here is that the mighty men of Egypt will fear as women fear.

From poetry in the earlier verses that described the judgment of God upon Egypt, Isaiah now turned to prose to bring forth the prophecy of blessing. The transition is in the phrase “in that day”.

17 And the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt, every one that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the LORD of hosts, which he hath determined against it.

Deuteronomy 2:25 (KJV) This day will I begin to put the dread of thee and the fear of thee upon the nations that are under the whole heaven, who shall hear report of thee, and shall tremble, and be in anguish because of thee.

The object of Egypt’s fear is the counsel of the Lord though Egypt may not fully understand it. In some sense, Egypt feared the Lord, and realised, even though imperfectly, that He was the cause of her suffering. Such fear of Him would lead to a turning to Him and true repentance. [EJ Young]

  • Convicting and Converting (v18-25)

18 In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the LORD of hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction.

EJ Young observed well, “The tone changes. Judgment recedes, and blessing pours forth. The conversion of Egypt is taking place. Again, Isaiah begins with his expression, In that day, to emphasize a new aspect of his subject. At the time when Egypt fears from before the judgment, the blessing will pour out over the land.”

The number “five” is employed as half of ten, the number of completeness and so as an equivalent for many.

The act of thus professing the true faith and submitting to the true God is ascribed in the verse before us in five cities. [Joseph A. Alexander]

The language that the people of Egypt would speak is not the Canaanitish language but the language in which the God of Canaan is worshipped, hence to speak Canaan’s language is to speak the language in which the God of the Israelites is worshipped. In speaking the language of the promised land, the Egyptians will worship the God of truth.

In addition to speaking the language of Canaan, the Egyptian cities will also give their allegiance to the Lord, in that they will swear to Him. This action of the Egyptians in pledging their complete devotion and allegiance to God is a foreshadowing of what Isaiah later prophesied in Isaiah 45:23 (KJV) I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.

It is a marvellous testimony to turn from idols to serving the living and true God as was said of the believers in the church in Thessalonica.

1 Thessalonians 1:9 (KJV) For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;

Conversion is a miracle of the heart when God turns a person to Him.

1 Thessalonians 1:5-6 (KJV) For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

1 Thessalonians 2:13 (KJV) For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

Not distracted and disturbed but restful and resting in the Lord.

There will come a time when Egypt will worship the true God.

Out of the thick and threatening clouds of the foregoing prophecy the sun of comfort here breaks forth, and it is the sun of righteousness. Still God has mercy in store for Egypt, and he will show it, not so much by reviving their trade and replenishing their river again as by bringing the true religion among them, calling them to, and accepting them in, the worship of the one only living and true God; and these blessings of grace were much more valuable than all the blessings of nature wherewith Egypt was enriched. [Matthew Henry]

With small beginnings, even Egypt will begin to participate in the unity of God’s world-wide people and to make its commitment to the Lord. [J. Alec Motyer]

One could be called the city of destruction “הֶרֶס heres”, a masculine noun indicating destruction, an overthrow. It indicates one of five cities in Egypt where the language of Canaan will be spoken, the city of destruction – deliberate change from הַחֶרֶס = Heliopolis (with punning allusion to On-Heliopolis) which was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar.

Jeremiah 43:12-13 And I will kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt; and he shall burn them, and carry them away captives: and he shall array himself with the land of Egypt, as a shepherd putteth on his garment; and he shall go forth from thence in peace. 13 He shall break also — the images of Beth-shemesh, that is in the land of Egypt; and — the houses of the gods of the Egyptians shall he burn with fire.

19 In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD.

Again, the emphasis of Isaiah on what he saw on that day.

An altar dedicated to the Lord, where sacrifices offered to the Lord will be offered there. In other words, the worship of the living and true God will be found in Egypt; the true God will be worshipped there.

This altar is said to be in the midst of the land means that it is at the centre of life in the land of Egypt.

The pillar, is a stone memorial, of a single stone, devoted to the LORD. Notice the “LORD” will be repeated 10 times from verses 19-25 to emphasize how the entire Egypt will be converted and the blessings Egypt will experience is because of the LORD.

20 And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto the LORD because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them.

Like the rainbow following the flood, so the altar and stone were to be signs, witnesses with binding force. When the Lord sees these monuments, He will recognize His own and hear their prayer. He will look upon the stone and see in it a sign and witness that He is to hear and answer the Egyptians’ cry for help. The stones are a testimony that the Lord will hear them when they cry. [EJ Young]

The people of God are under His care – Psalm 36:7-8 (KJV) How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.

The lovingkindness of God speaks of His loyalty, faithfulness and goodness towards His people. This word translated “lovingkindness” expresses the basic character of God, the concept of faithfulness, steadfast love, or more generally kindness is represented by this word “Hesed” in the Hebrew.

Deuteronomy 7:9 (KJV) Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;

Translated “mercy” of God as the superior party in a relationship involves “deliverance and protection as a responsible keeping of faith with another with whom one is in a relationship”, with the moral responsibility resting upon the superior party, who is God Himself.

21 And the LORD shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the LORD in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the LORD, and perform it.

The verse begins with the simple statement that the Lord will be known or will make Himself known to Egypt. This declaration implies more than that the Egyptians know the name by which God is called or invoked in Judah and also more than a practical recognition of their duties toward Him. The knowledge spoken of involves a recognition that the LORD is the true God but it also includes a personal relationship to Him as one’s own God. At the foundation of true worship there must be knowledge and this knowledge is a divine gift. [EJ Young]

1 Corinthians 2:10 (KJV) But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

1 Corinthians 2:12 (KJV) Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

22 And the LORD shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the LORD, and he shall be intreated of them, and shall heal them.

Egypt worships the LORD and therefore is to be treated like a true child of God, “for whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth.”

Hebrews 12:6 (KJV) For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Hebrews 12:7 (KJV) If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

Hebrews 12:9 (KJV) Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

Deuteronomy 8:5 (KJV) Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee.

Proverbs 3:12 (KJV) For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

Proverbs 13:24 (KJV) He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

23 In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians.

The two once hostile nations will engage in friendly and brotherly fellowship, a fact which is symbolized by their travelling over the road from one country to the other. When men and nations come to know the Lord, their mutual hostilities and animosities cease and they seek to act toward one another as brothers. Both travel over the same highway, delighting not only in service of the Lord but also in mutual help.

Assyria and Egypt had been two inveterate enemies of each other and also of Israel. The God of Israel, however, was more powerful than the gods of these countries and He brought it about that they should know Him as their own God.

In the time of Messiah, what in Isaiah’s day were called Egypt and Assyria will serve the Lord.

The conversion of the nations serves as a symbol of the conversion of all the heathen. Standing  as it were at the two opposite poles of enmity to the Lord, these two nations represent the world power in all its forms. It’s a reversal of Babel. [EJ Young]

24 In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land:

Israel had been the object of enmity, the point of division between Assyria and Egypt. Now, however, that status will change and she will become a blessing. As a third to the other two nations, she will complete the unity, and the three together will represent the entirety of the world in the worship of the Lord.

25 Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.

The chapter closes with a solemn benediction which God pronounces upon His three peoples. Israel has been a blessing so God will bless it. The blessing will come to all three nations, for the LORD is now the God of all nations, and not merely of Israel.

We look forward to that way – Matthew 24:14 (KJV) And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

CONCLUSION

May the church be motivated to carry forth the end-time gospel to the ends of the world, preaching that the Lord is coming – repent and come to Him! Amen.