Isaiah 20:1-6

Grasping at straws is an expression we use to describe those who are hopelessly looking to anyone or anything as a source of help.  Unfortunately, like straws, these sources end up being weak and hallow and end up being a greater source of discouragement than help.  The nation of Israel has been living in disobedience and practicing idolatry for generations and God is in the process of judging them through the Assyrian army.  This threat has caused Israel to begin grasping at straws and so instead of repenting and looking to God, they look to Egypt and Ethiopia to rescue them.  Isaiah gives a very graphic message of how God views this misplaced trust.

ISAIAH PROPHESIES EGYPT’S AND ETHIOPIA’S FALL: God told Isaiah to take off his shoes and his clothes and to walk through the streets prophesying against Egypt and Ethiopia.  This was a very graphic illustration of his message that these nations would be led away into captivity barefoot and naked.  Nations that seem to be strong and able to provide help to others are of very little consequence in light of God’s sovereign design.  The strongest human allies do not provide even the slightest hope in comparison to God.  This is a hard lesson for us to learn because we can see and understand human strength while God remains invisible to us.  That is why faith is the prerequisite for being able to please the Lord because we are called to trust in Him who we have never seen.


ISAIAH PROPHESIES ISRAEL’S FEAR: Israel had great hope that Egypt and Ethiopia would form a strong alliance with them and allow them to stand against the onslaught of the Assyrian army.  They are about to learn that these nations were unable to withstand against the nation that the Lord had raised up to judged Israel.  The point is that they would tremble in fear when they saw the humiliation and destruction of the nations in whom they were trusting.  When we place our hopes on the wrong things we are setting ourselves up for disappointment, danger and destruction.  We must learn to place our hopes upon the Lord and Him alone.  He is the only One worthy of our trust.

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