THE LAND OF WHAT? ISAIAH 18 Let me address those that see the United States here in chapter 18 : it is so far- fetched and I am sorry that my mind can’t stretch that far. I personally cannot see it, AKA this is really bad exegesis. It is actually isogesis or eisegesis when a reader imposes his or her interpretation into and onto the text. The basic point is this: that on the top of the American flag there’s an eagle with wings. So that’s the “shadowing with buzzing wings.” And, of course, we are beyond the rivers of Ethiopia. And, of course, the only way our ambassadors could travel to the other lands prior to the invention of aircraft was by boat, but specifically, “reed boats” like Kon Tiki and Thor Heydahl. Honestly, this is mostly wishful thinking—not sound exegesis. The text states this passage dealing with it is Ethiopia itself—CUSH. 2
SMOOTH-SKINNED PEOPLE, WHAT ABOUT THAT? The Nubians were and still are to this day a tall smooth-skinned people (because they shave themselves) who ruled over Egypt in the time of Isaiah. Also, I’m not aware of any biblical connection that would tie these people to the US today—though many people of Nubian descent live here, as is usually the case in dual fulfillment prophecies. Persia and Iran, or Babylon and Iraq are two examples of those types of allegiances. Furthermore, during that time Ethiopia—described in Ezekiel 30, 38; Nahum 3 —was making treaties with Israel; they had sent ambassadors to Jerusalem to the king to make a confederacy with them against Assyria. But Assyria said: Don’t trust God, join with us! 3
WHAT A WORD FOR TODAY! Perhaps we need to take council from this word from the Lord; many are saying today forget God and His Word. Let’s just handle it ourselves, like the dividing of Jerusalem. The world is saying forget Israel, just give away more land, make peace! Palestinian Authority Peace Plan: Iran and Jordan to share rule over Temple Mount and give away more than half of Jerusalem to their control. Let’s make allegiances with the enemies of Israel—we can join with PLO, Hamas, Fatah and the Arab league, forget what God’s Word says, which is found in Joel 3:1-8. Let me be clear, it is ultimately death to any nation to stand against God’s people Israel and to divide His land! 4
Israel PLO East Jerusalem 5
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WARNING AGAINST ALIGNING WITH EVIL God’s people are to rest and trust in His provision and protection, not the world’s words, works and ways—no matter how tempting the offer. Isaiah is saying we don’t need to make the covenant with these people . . . we need to be faithful to God’s words, works and ways. God is going to take care of the enemies of Israel. He’s going to cut them down before they’re able to really fully develop. So here in chapter 18 is the prediction of Assyria’s destruction by God; God always has it under control. It may not seem like God is in control when the storm has come—to your life or mine—but He has our backs . . . when we are obedient to Him! 8
GOD IS ALWAYS FAITHFUL Notice the emphasis in chapters 17 and 18 is on the faithful God of Israel. He is the Lord of hosts, the Lord Almighty , El Shaddai. He who controls the armies of heaven and earth. Isa. 17:3 He is the Lord God of Israel. v. 6 He is our Maker, the Holy One of Israel. v. 7 He is the God of our salvation and our Rock. v. 10 How foolish of the Israelites to trust their man-made idols instead of trusting the living God as we see in v. 8 . Check out 1 Kings 12:25-33 . But like Israel of old, people today trust the gods they have both made and control instead of the God who made them. 9
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THE ALTERNATIVE: WORSHIPPING A GOD OF OUR OWN MAKING ON A DIRTY ALTAR But like Israel of old, people today trust the gods they have both made and control instead of the God who created them in His own image. These include the false gods of: Self-satisfaction, self-worship and self-glorification Pleasure sexuality Wealth Military might Scientific achievement, academics/higher learning Moral relativism Even Church “religious experience” belief systems 11
GOD NEVER HAS “PANIC ATTACKS” In contrast to the frantic activity of men on earth is the calm patience of God in heaven ( v. 4 ) as He awaits the right time to reap the harvest of judgment. God is never in a hurry, never late and never early. Assyria is pictured as a ripening vine that will never survive, for God will cut it down. v. 5 In verse 6 , Isaiah describes the feast that God spreads for the birds and beasts, in the present God made good as one angel of the Lord cut down the corpses of 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. Isaiah 37:36 This passage also previews the second coming of the Lord and His return to fight at the battle of Armageddon. No matter what is going on, you can rest in the fact #godsgotthis . Come what may, we will trust in the Lord! 12
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