Isaiah shows the foolishness of trusting in Egypt by showing them the power of God.

1. God is more powerful than horses and chariots (vs. 1-3)

Isaiah confronts Judah with two sins: the sin of trusting in Egypt and their military might, and the sin of not looking to the Holy One of Israel. Everybody lives by faith. It is part of the human condition. Financiers trust market forces, militarists trust bombs, and scientists trust nature’s regularities. Jerusalem’s leaders trusted Egypt. Isaiah confronts Judah with two sins: the sin of trusting in Egypt and their military might, and the sin of not looking to the Holy One of Israel.

Judah couldn’t seem to find a reason to trust God, the reasons were there, and Isaiah calls them to remember the reasons. They should trust God more than the Egyptians or their armies because He also is wise and will bring disaster. Judah was also wrong about their trust in Egypt. The Egyptians and their armies were not as mighty as they seemed to be. The Lord can topple them, along with all who trust in them, with a stretch of His hand.

2. God is like a lion (vs. 4)

Their trust in Egypt for protection against the Assyrian invasion was both foolish and unnecessary. God would protect Mount Zion if Judah trusted Him or not.

3. God is like a flock of birds (vs. 5)

The picture is of a mother bird protecting her young. So, God will defend Jerusalem with the ferocity of a lion, and also with the tender care of a bird. The combination of the two images is powerful.

4. The people must throw away their idols (vs. 6-7)

Repentance means turning towards God, and away from anything we have put in God’s place.

5. God will save Jerusalem from the Assyrians (vs. 8-9)

The Assyrian army devastated almost the entire land of Judah, and camped on the outskirts of Jerusalem, waiting to conquer the nation by defeating the capital city. But 2 Kings 19:35 describes how God simply sent the angel of the Lord, and killed 185,000 Assyrians in one night. When the people woke up, there were 185,000 dead Assyrian soldiers. It was a victory that had nothing to do with the sword or of man. God was more than able to protect Judah and Jerusalem.

Categories: Isaiah