Reading: Isaiah 18-22, Psalm 113

When I first read the Bible all the way through, I remember having a harder time with the prophets than any other parts of the Bible. Even Leviticus! The poetic delivery, what felt like the endless repetition of judgment and destruction of countries I had never heard of, punctuated by familiar words from the New Testament, got me bogged down. But it is worth it. Because those familiar words from the New Testament are there because the people who wrote them down had been reading the prophets. Because the prophets who spoke them had been reading the books of Moses. Because the Bible is one story, and that story is so much better than we think it is.

Today’s reading is broken into three sections. The first is the wrap up of Isaiah’s vision of judgment and destiny of foreign nations with Ethiopia and Egypt. The second is a sign act and vision in which Isaiah is repeatedly called a “watchman,” looking for and declaring signs and portents of events near and far. Finally we have another declaration against the Jerusalem and some of it’s chief inhabitants, who have begun to believe they are capable of taking care of themselves- a new declaration of independence from God, which was the beginning of the whole human problem.

Ethiopia doesn’t get a lot of space in the Hebrew Scriptures, but at this point in history it was a powerful nation, and had conquered most of Egypt. It appears that some people in Israel were counting on the help of Ethiopia against Assyria, but Isaiah disabuses them of that notion: Ethiopia will also be humbled on the day of the Lord, and it’s people will be made subject. At the same time, there is a fascinating note about the destiny of Ethiopia as a people who worship the God of Israel, which has been borne out in the long association of some Ethiopians with Israel and their claim of Solomon as their ancestor, as well as a certain Ethiopian official who happens to be reading the scroll of Isaiah when he meets a guy named Philip about 700 years later. But we’ll have to wait for that story.

Next we get God’s message for Egypt. More specifically, for Egypt’s idols. The religious system of Egypt will be destroyed, causing a civil war and eventual conquest. Egypt’s economy and culture will collapse. Like Ethiopia, though, there is a fascinating short note about how they will become associated with the people of Israel. We are told there will be five cities that speak the “language of Canaan.” Remember how at the end of the book of Kings the people flee to Egypt? Well, they never left. There were major Israelite populations in Egypt through the next thousand years and beyond. The God of Israel was worshiped in Ethiopia, Egypt, and in many other places following the exile, as God’s people spread around the ancient world. So that is a bunch of declarations of judgment over the last few chapters, but that last bit doesn’t sound so bad, right? The God of Israel has this in hand, and the people will continue to be under his direction even in their exile.

Now we get a little scene that gives us a glimpse into the life of Isaiah as a prophet. It does not sound like much fun (but just wait until you read about Ezekiel’s days.) Isaiah is told by God to spend three years barefoot and naked as a sign that Egypt and Ethiopia, which were potential allies against Assyria, would be carried off by the Assyrians barefoot and naked. One wonders if just one day of this would have been enough, but no, three years it is. Awkward life, being a prophet. We go from this into another series of visions, but these all deal with Isaiah being set up as a watchman. He bears the responsibility from God of watching things unfold as he has seen them, and declaring them the results of covenant violation.

Speaking of which, our reading today closes with an accusation against Jerusalem for rejoicing in their own victory. We aren’t given the specific time that this covers, but Isaiah isn’t exactly linear and many believe this followed the destruction of the Assyrian army we read about in 2 Kings 19 because of the characters of Shebna and Eliakim mentioned here. In any event, Isaiah accuses the city and these two guys in particular of trusting in their own abilities, and even claiming credit for victory that they did nothing to bring about. He mentions how proud they are of their preparations, building a water supply and weaponry in the city, but how they ignore that God is the one who gives them victory. Note it is not their preparation or ability that is in question, it is in their independence of mind and heart that Isaiah finds fault with them. Isaiah is reminding them that they are not who they think they are. The themes from the books of Moses continue to be the messages that God sends to Israel over and over in the prophets.

Isaiah has reminded the people of the human problem that comes from independence from God. He tells them they are not who they think they are despite their apparent victories and plans, because while man looks on the outward appearance, God looks on the heart. He has predicted a great deal of destruction and upheaval for both Israel and the nations around them, but in the midst of it and afterward, he has reminded them that God makes all things new. The later prophets are delivering the same message that we saw in the books of Moses, the results of which we saw in the former prophets, Joshua through Kings.