Where will you turn?

 

As I was reading Isaiah 19-21 today, I was fascinated by Isaiah 19:16-25:

16In that day the Egyptians will be as weak as women. They will cower in fear beneath the upraised fist of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 17Just to speak the name of Israel will terrorize them, for the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has laid out his plans against them.

18In that day five of Egypt’s cities will follow the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. They will even begin to speak Hebrew, the language of Canaan. One of these cities will be Heliopolis, the City of the Sun.19:18 Or will be the City of Destruction.

19In that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the heart of Egypt, and there will be a monument to the Lord at its border. 20It will be a sign and a witness that the Lord of Heaven’s Armies is worshiped in the land of Egypt. When the people cry to the Lord for help against those who oppress them, he will send them a savior who will rescue them. 21The Lord will make himself known to the Egyptians. Yes, they will know the Lord and will give their sacrifices and offerings to him. They will make a vow to the Lord and will keep it. 22The Lord will strike Egypt, and then he will bring healing. For the Egyptians will turn to the Lord, and he will listen to their pleas and heal them.

23In that day Egypt and Assyria will be connected by a highway. The Egyptians and Assyrians will move freely between their lands, and they will both worship God. 24In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth. 25For the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will say, “Blessed be Egypt, my people. Blessed be Assyria, the land I have made. Blessed be Israel, my special possession!”

          In the days of Isaiah, Judah was seeking an alliance with Egypt. They wanted protection from the attacking Assyrian army to keep them safe. The prophecy of Isaiah made it clear they were looking for safety and protection in the wrong place. He strongly criticized the leaders of Egypt as being stupid, wrong, and foolish. (Isa. 19:11-13) Why would Judah look to Egypt when they had the power of the Creator of the Universe on their side?  

Then in verses 16-25, Isaiah shares a future where even Egypt would turn to the one true God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. "The Egyptians will turn to the Lord, and he will listen to their pleas and heal them."(Isa. 19:22)

In the first century, the gospel writer, Mark, brought Christianity to Egypt and it flourished. There is still a Christian population of about 8% in Egypt today. In the 7th century, Islam became the dominant religion in Egypt and is the main faith even today. The fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy is yet to come. Egypt will turn to God!

I think the point Isaiah makes is simple: 

Why do we seek man-made solutions when we can turn to God to protect us and save us?

Israel was looking to man, Egypt, to save them when they should have been turned to God to save them. This prophecy indicates that eventually, this pagan nation of Egypt would also turn to God. If anyone wants to be saved, they must turn to the one true God. Later, Isaiah will make the exact same claim in chapter 45. 

"Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue swear. They will say of me, 'In the Lord alone are deliverance and strength.' All who have raged against him will come to him and be put to shame." (Isa 45:22-24)

We need to look to God. 

Salvation, and protection, is only through the one true God. We cannot depend on our own strength, wisdom, or power to save ourselves. We cannot look to others to rescue us in times of trouble. 

WHERE WILL YOU TURN?

It is only through the power of Jesus Christ that we will be saved.