85. Trust Not In Chariots

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Hymns: RHC 324 Trusting Jesus 325 A Shelter in the Time of Storm 328 How Firm a Foundation

Isaiah 31

1 Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD! 2 Yet he also is wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back his words: but will arise against the house of the evildoers, and against the help of them that work iniquity. 3 Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the LORD shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and they all shall fail together. 4 For thus hath the LORD spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the LORD of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof. 5 As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it. 6 Turn ye unto him from whom the children of Israel have deeply revolted. 7 For in that day every man shall cast away his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which your own hands have made unto you for a sin. 8 Then shall the Assyrian fall with the sword, not of a mighty man; and the sword, not of a mean man, shall devour him: but he shall flee from the sword, and his young men shall be discomfited. 9 And he shall pass over to his strong hold for fear, and his princes shall be afraid of the ensign, saith the LORD, whose fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem.

Trust Not in Chariots

OUTLINE

  • Rather Trust in the LORD (v1-5)
  • He Will Certainly Help (v6-8)

INTRODUCTION

DL Moody the evangelist’s favourite verse was Isaiah 12:2 “I will trust and not be afraid.” 

Isaiah 12:2 (KJV) Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

He used to say: “You can travel first class or second class to heaven. Second class is, “What time, I am afraid, I will trust.” First class is, “I will trust, and not be afraid.” 

That is the better way. Why not buy first-class ticket? (Psalm 56:3).

Psalm 56:3 (KJV) What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. 

Solomon urges us to put our wholehearted faith in the LORD can guide us rightly and profitably in life – Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV) Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

The psalmist urges us to resort to the LORD first each time for He will not fail to protect them in their time of need – Psalm 62:8 (KJV) Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.

Likewise in the LORD is worthy of their trust because He is able – Psalm 115:9-11 (KJV) O Israel, trust thou in the LORD: he is their help and their shield. 10 O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield. 11 Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.

Also, the stability in the lives of those who trust in the LORD – Psalm 125:1 (KJV) A Song of degrees. They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.

The disappointment of putting our trust in man is well highlighted in Psalm 146:3-5 (KJV) Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. 4 His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. 5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:

On June 25, 1865, James Hudson Taylor at thirty-three came to the great crisis of his life. It was at Brighton beach on the south coast of England. There on a quiet Sunday morning he took a step of faith in response to a simple spiritual he had discovered. He was surprised that this trust had so long eluded him. “If we are obeying the Lord, the responsibility rest with Him, not with us!” Months of struggle were over, and the way ahead was clear. To obey the Scriptures and trust God to be faithful to His pledged Word was not rash.

Throwing caution and tradition to the winds. Hudson Taylor formed the China Inland Mission. 

Trusting the LORD and walking in His will as revealed in His Word is the best prospect for the believer throughout the ages.

The lesson of faith in God is an imperative lesson for every Christian.

Israel had to learn this lesson as a nation. The general thrust of this chapter as in Isaiah 30, is to dissuade the Jews from their contemplated alliance with Egypt, and to lead them to rely on God. 

  • Rather Trust in the LORD (v1-5)

1 Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD! 2 Yet he also is wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back his words: but will arise against the house of the evildoers, and against the help of them that work iniquity. 3 Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the LORD shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and they all shall fail together.

In doing this, the prophet Isaiah first denounces a woe on those who went down to Egypt to seek aid (v1). He then states that God will punish them for it (v2). He then urges the utter inability of the Egyptians to furnish the aid which was needed, since the LORD was about to stretch out His arm over them also, and they, as well as those who sought their aid, should suffer under His displeasure (v3). 

There is a great tendency for God’s people to live not by faith but by sight. It is a great snare.

4 For thus hath the LORD spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the LORD of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof. 

The prophet then, in order to recall them from this contemplated alliance, and to induce them to put confidence in the LORD, assures them by two most beautiful figures in v4-5 that God would protect their city in the threatened invasion, and save it from destruction. 

The design of this verse and the following is to assure the Jews of the certain protection of the LORD, and thus to induce them to put their trust in Him rather than to seek the alliance with Egypt. 

To do this the prophet makes use of two striking illustrations, the first of which is, that LORD would be no more alarmed at the number and power of their enemies than a fierce lion would be that was intent on His prey, and could not be frightened from it by any number of men that should come against Him.

The “point” of this comparison is, that as the lion that “was intent on his purpose” could not be frightened from it by numbers, so it would be with the LORD, who “was equally intent on His purpose” – the defense of the city of Jerusalem. It does not mean, of course, that the purpose of God and of the lion resembled each other, but merely that there was similar “intensity of purpose,” and similar adherence to it notwithstanding all opposition. 

The figure is one that denotes the highest vigilance, firmness, steadiness, and a determination on the part of the LORD that Jerusalem should not fall into the hands of the Assyrians. [Barnes]

5 As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it.

As birds flying – This is another comparison indicating substantially the same thing as the former, that the LORD would protect Jerusalem. The idea here is, that He would do it in the same manner as birds defend their young by hovering over them, securing them under their wings, and leaping forward, if they are suddenly attacked, to defend them. 

The phrase ‘birds flying,’ may denote the “rapidity” with which birds fly to defend their young, and hence, the rapidity with which God would come to defend Jerusalem; or it may refer to the fact that birds, when their young are attacked, fly, or flutter around them to defend them; they will not leave them.

  • He Will Certainly Help (v6-8)

6 Turn ye unto him from whom the children of Israel have deeply revolted. 7 For in that day every man shall cast away his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which your own hands have made unto you for a sin. 8 Then shall the Assyrian fall with the sword, not of a mighty man; and the sword, not of a mean man, shall devour him: but he shall flee from the sword, and his young men shall be discomfited. 9 And he shall pass over to his strong hold for fear, and his princes shall be afraid of the ensign, saith the LORD, whose fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem.

He calls on them, therefore (v6), to turn unto God; assures them (v7) that at that time every man would see the folly of trusting in idols; and finally (v8-9), assures them of the complete overthrow of the army of the Assyrian. [Barnes]

The simple turning to the LORD and the complicated matter of turning to idols that is of no help.

The scope of the prophecy is, therefore, simple and direct; the argument condensed, impressive, and beautiful. 

It is not improbable, by any means, that these exhortations of Isaiah had a sensible effect on the conduct of Hezekiah. 

The whole narrative respecting the invasion of Sennacherib would lead to the conclusion, that at first Hezekiah himself joined in the purpose of seeking the alliance with Egypt, but that he was afterward led to abandon it, and to use all his influence to induce his people also to rely on the aid of God; compare Isaiah 36:6, with Isaiah 36:18.

Isaiah 36:6 (KJV) Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him.

Isaiah 36:18 (KJV) Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, The LORD will deliver us. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?

CONCLUSION

Let His people trust in Him. Amen.