Insight and Encouragement

Monday, May 27, 2024

A common theme throughout the Bible is the Woe. It means a message of judgment, sorrow and

pain, for what perpetrator has done. In this case it is for those who went to Egypt for help. In the Bible

Egypt is a form of the world. When you go to the world for help you are at odds with the Lord. The

People of Judah had gone to Egypt and were relying on their horsemen and chariots instead of the

Holy One of Israel.

The Lord is going to rise against the nations. He is wise and does not take back his word. The Lord

always fulfills His words. Isaiah reminds his audience that the Egyptians are not gods but mere mortals.

Their horses and chariot have a manmade origin.

The Lord stretches out his hand and helps those who stumble. He lifts the one who fall. When

they trust in man’s devices and implements they will fall and fail.

There are two great promises given here. In repentance and rest is your salvation. In quietness and

Trust is your strength. This is found in the Lord. Yet the audience rejected it. They chose the path of

fear and flight. They thought they could outrun their trouble. The thing about trouble and problems

they are faster than you.

The audience will flee at the threat of one and fear will paralyze them. Yet there is another promise

here. The Lord longs to be gracious and compassionate. He is a God of justice and all who wait on Him

are blessed. This is an amazing passage. On one hand the Lord is rejected but He stills shows love,

compassion and favor. You just must wait.

The Holy One of Israel says that because of their rejection of this message and instead chose,

oppression and deceit. This sin will become a high wall entrapping and collapsing on them. Heir world

will break into pieces like broken pottery. They will be like a fragment or ash. Like coals in a hearth of a

fireplace or scooping water from a cistern that the majority ends up on the ground. Sin always takes you

place you never thought you would go. Do things you never thought you do and make you a person you

never thought you would be.