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Isaiah 18 - 20
Isaiah 18:1-7 ~ Oracle against Cush (Nubia)
Isaiah's oracles in previous chapters have been directed toward powers to the north, east, and west. Now he turns his attention to nations to the south. In 18:1-20:6 Isaiah has inter-mingled his prophecy concerning Cush and Egypt because of the historical events at the time of his prophecy. The late 8th century BC was a period of decline for Egypt when Cushite leaders were able to assume control of Egypt.
Cush is often translated as "Ethiopia", but this is misleading. Modern Ethiopia is farther to the southeast. The term "Cush" properly identifies the Egyptian name for Nubia, a region upstream (south) of Egypt beyond the Nile's first cataract and covering much of present day Sudan.
In 710-715 BC, Nubian leaders seized control of Egypt and established the 25th Dynasty. They reigned from 715 to 663 BC, when the Assyrians invaded Egypt and defeated them. Soon after they conquered Egypt, the new Nubian Pharaoh, Shabaka, sent ambassadors to Jerusalem proposing an alliance against Assyria (verses 2, 7). According to Isaiah the delegation came from Egypt by sea in reed boats, an accurate description of Egyptian boats, and in verse 2 he invites them to go back.
Isaiah records that the members of the embassy sent to Jerusalem were impressive; they were "tall and bronze". The reference to a land crisscrossed with rivers in verse 2 refers to the extensive irrigation system in Egypt where many canals were dug to bring water from the Nile into the fields to water the crops.
Yahweh predicts through Isaiah that Egypt is to be ravaged by an Assyrian invasion. In 732 the Assyrians raided into Egypt but left. This predicted event was fulfilled historically when the Assyrians invaded Egypt, pillaged and subjugated the nation in two invasions by Assyrian kings Esarhaddon and Ashurbanipal in the first half of the 7th century AD.
Isaiah 19:1-15 ~ Oracle against Egypt
The oracle against the Nubian pharaohs of Egypt now leads to an oracle against Egypt as a nation in which Isaiah makes many geographic, cultural and religious references. He predicts a civil war in which brother fights against brother and is probably referring to the conflict in 715-710 that ended with the Nubians in control, and he predicts a total collapse of the Egyptian economy.
Zoan, in verses 11 and 14, was also known as Avaris (capital of Egypt during the time of the foreign Hyksos) and later called Tanis when it was the capital of Egypt at the time of the Israelites' captivity in the Nile Delta. He also mentions the city of Memphis (Noph) in verse 13, and "the City of the Sun", Heliopolis, and the Egyptian system of canal irrigation. The Egyptians are devoid of wisdom (verses 11-13) and can receive no protection from their false gods.
The "swift cloud" is the Glory Cloud which is a manifestation of the Almighty, as in the Pillar of Cloud that led the children of Israel and protected them on the exodus journey and God's chariot of cloud and fire (Ex 13:21-22; 2 Kng 2:11; Ez 1:4-28; Ps 68:4; 104:3).
Question: What were Isaiah's feelings concerning Judah making an alliance with Egypt or seeking refuge in Egypt? See Is 30:2-3 and 31:1.
Answer: Isaiah was opposed to any alliance with Egypt.
This oracle is followed by six short oracles with a different focus. Each of the six prophecies are separated by the words "that day" (19:16-17, 18, 19-20, 21-22, 23, and 24-25) and speak of the universal reach of the salvation Yahweh offers involving the reconciliation of Egypt, Assyria, and Israel with God who wants to extend His blessings on all three groups of peoples.
Isaiah Preaching
Isaiah 19:16-25 ~ The Conversion of Egypt, Assyria and Israel
Oracle #1: 16 That day Egypt will be like women, trembling and terrified at the threatening hand of Yahweh Sabaoth, when he raises it against her. 17 The land of Judah will become Egypt's shame; whenever she is reminded of it, she will be terrified, because of the hand which Yahweh Sabaoth has laid against her.
Oracle #2: 18 That day in Egypt there will be five towns speaking the language of Canaan and pledging themselves to Yahweh Sabaoth; one of them will be called City of the Sun.
Oracle #3: 19 That day there will be an altar dedicated to Yahweh in the center of Egypt and, close to the frontier, a pillar dedicated to Yahweh, 20 and this will be a sign and a witness to Yahweh Sabaoth in Egypt. When they cry to Yahweh for help because of oppressors, he will send them a Savior and leader to deliver them.
Oracle #4: 21 Yahweh will reveal himself to Egypt, and the Egyptians will acknowledge Yahweh that day and will offer sacrifices and cereal offerings, and will make vows to Yahweh and perform them. 22 And if Yahweh strikes Egypt, having struck he will heal, and they will turn to Yahweh who will hear their prayers and heal them.
Oracle #5: 23 That day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. Assyria will have access to Egypt and Egypt have access to Assyria. Egypt will serve with Assyria.
Oracle #6: 24 That day Israel will make a third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing at the center of the world, 25 and Yahweh Sabaoth will bless them in the words, "Blessed by my people Egypt, Assyria my creation, and Israel my heritage."
God is the Lord of all nations and He uses the events in human history to effect His purposes to bring peace and salvation to bless all peoples and "Israel my heritage". In the first century AD there was a large Jewish population living in Alexandria, Egypt.
It was the largest Jewish population outside of Jerusalem. After the Resurrection and Ascension of the Christ, the Apostles and disciples spread the Gospel of salvation to each of these nations. St. Mark founded the Church in Alexandria, Egypt, become the first Bishop of Alexandria of the Jewish-Christian community there; these Egyptian Christians are known as the Coptic Christians.
The Oracle against the city of Ashdod
Isaiah 20:1-6 ~ The Assyrians Capture Ashdod and a Sign for Cush and Egypt
Tiglath-Pileser III was succeeded by his son Shalmaneser V (727-722 BC) who was in turn succeeded by his brother Sargon II (722-705 BC). The Assyrians completed the defeat of the Kingdom of Israel, capturing its capital city of Samaria after a siege of three years and exiling all the inhabitants of the Kingdom of Israel in 722/21 BC (2 King 17:5-12). This deportation became the basis of the lament for the "Ten Lost Tribes". Five groups of Gentile people were brought to what then became the Assyrian Province of Samaria, and they came to be known as the Samaritans (2 Kings 17:24-41). In 713 BC, Sargon's troops took, among others, the Neo-Hittite kingdoms and city states of Karalla and Tabal (in south central Anatolia) and Cilicia (south coastal region of Asia Minor). The rulers of Persia and the Medes submitted and offered tribute to avoid conquest.
The date is now 711 BC and the Assyrians have taken Gurgum (another Neo-Hittite kingdom in south Anatolia), but soon afterward there was an uprising among the Philistine city-states, including the city of Ashdod, along the Mediterranean coast.
These revolts were supported by Judah, Moab, Edom and the Nubian rulers of Egypt. The army of King Sargon II of Assyria has captured the Philistine city of Ashdod on the western border with Judah near the Mediterranean Sea in 711 BC, and Philistia is now an Assyrian province. Sargon's name actually appears in the Bible only once, in this passage in Isaiah 20:1, which records the Assyrian capture of the Philistine city of Ashdod. It is not lost on the Assyrians that these other nations are encouraging revolts against them.
Question: What was the sign Isaiah was told to perform, what was its significance and for how long was he to enact the sign according to the way we mark the passing of years? The ancients did not count using the concept of a zero place-value.
Answer: He was to walk naked and barefoot for three years from harvest to harvest by ancient reckoning but two years in the way we count as a sign of the fate instore for the Cushite/Nubian and Egyptian exiles who will be led away naked into exile. It will also be a sign for the other Philistine cities on the coast that looked to Egypt for help.
Question: Can you think of any symbolic actions Jesus performed as God's supreme prophet that pointed to greater future events?
Answer: There were several, but to name just two: the three times cleansing of the Jerusalem Temple and the cursing of the fig tree His last week in Jerusalem. Both prophetic acts pointed to the end of the Old Covenant that was to be replaced by the New and eternal Covenant and the New Covenant liturgy of worship through the Universal Church.
This is the only prophetic act Isaiah is commanded to perform. The prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel in the 6th century BC were frequently commanded to perform prophetic actions as signs of coming oracle fulfillments.
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A Daily Defense
DAY 200 Baptism and “Works”
CHALLENGE: “The Catholic Church teaches a false gospel by saying you need to be baptized. We are saved by faith without works.”
DEFENSE: Baptism is not a “work.” The New Testament teaches—and many Protestants agree—that baptism is important for salvation.
Scripture unambiguously teaches that baptism is important for salvation (see Day 20). If one accuses Catholics of holding a false gospel because they see baptism as a means of salvation, then one must make the same charge against Orthodox, other Eastern Christians, Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists, and others. Only a comparatively small group—mostly of Evangelicals—denies baptism a role in salvation.
In fact, one would have to accuse Martin Luther—who popularized the “faith alone” formula—of teaching a false gospel. In his Small Catechism, Luther wrote:
Q. What does Baptism give? What good is it?
A. It gives the forgiveness of sins, redeems from death and the Devil, gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, just as God’s words and promises declare.
Biblically speaking, baptism is not a “work” that would violate Paul’s teaching. He said we are not justified by “works of the law” (Rom. 3:28; Gal. 2:16). This refers to acts done from the belief that you need to fulfill the Mosaic Law (see the question for Day 63). Baptism is not commanded by the Mosaic Law, so it is not a “work of the law.”
Some have tried to interpret Paul’s reference to “works” as referring to anything that you do, but this is false. Not only would it make his reference to the law superfluous, it would contradict other passages. Jesus exhorted people to “repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). Repenting and believing are things you do. “Works” can’t be anything you do or they would include repenting and having faith.
Others have tried to see works as actions done to earn one’s place before God, but undergoing baptism doesn’t earn anything. It is simply submitting to what God asks. Suppose you had a fatal disease and a doctor offered to cure you free of charge. All you have to do is submit to treatment. Submitting to treatment would not “earn” your cure.
Jimmy Akin, A Daily Defense: 365 Days (Plus One) to Becoming a Better Apologist
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