Isaiah 19:1b,24-25

Well, well. Chapter 19 is an absolutely amazing chapter. It starts out in the usual fashion for Isaiah. Naming a nation and predicting its destruction. This time the nation is Egypt. There's always been something about Egypt in the Bible. It's a very important nation. The Israelites went there through Joseph and had a good time for a while, before being enslaved for 400 years. Jesus went there as a child to escape Herod. Israel sought alliances with Egypt throughout its history, which God forbade. Egypt always seems to sorta turn up as this escape route i suppose.

At first it symbolized to us, the world. Not that the people back then involved in the events would have noticed that. But now we can look back on it and say that it symbolized the world, and Israel symbolized us as Christians, fleeing the world and entering the wilderness of this life as a Christian before finally making it home to Israel/Heaven.

For some reason, Egypt has always been there as a very important nation.

In the description of destruction and the reason for judgment, Isaiah once again pronounces idolatry as one of the main causes, or at least implies that, as verse one says:

'The idols of Egypt will totter at His presence,
And the heart of Egypt will melt in its midst.' (Isaiah 19:1b)

Egypt was always famous for its many gods, and in fact, each plague brought about by God through Moses was a direct attack on one of their false gods. In the end, we get the picture that Egypt definitely deserves this judgment, but we see that the destruction isn't total, unlike many of the other chapters. It is merely oppression by another land, and having a foreign king rule over them (though there is a lot of wailing and sorrow at the same time).

And in verse 16 Isaiah turns to the prophecy of 'in that day' which refers to the millennial kingdom still in the future. Egypt will still exist in that day (which seems likely to happen just going on current events), and whats more, 5 cities will be completely saved! From verse 18 to 25 is just an amazing read. We so often think of Egypt as a wicked nation, always in the wrong, with stubborn pharaohs and chariots that chase after Israelites, and lots of false gods etc. But read verses 18 to 25 and it's just beautiful. Of course, this is talking about a time still yet to come, in the millennial reign of Christ, when the world will be much much better to live in. Here's verse 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."' (Isaiah 19:24-25)

Does this excite you? It excited me. I know it doesn't even apply to me, but it just shows how gracious and great our God is. He not only is gracious enough to forgive the Egyptians their sins in times to come, but also calls them 'My people'!

Today, let us think about our God and praise Him, just for being who He is. For that is His glory. Glory is in truth. And the truth of who He is is majestic, powerful, gracious, and all those things we love. God is great, and greatly to be praised!