Isa 31:1

Isa 31:1  Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!  Isaiah 31 denounces woe to those that trusted in the Egyptians (v.1-3); assures the Jews of God's care and protection of them (v.4-5); calls them to repentance (v.6-7), and foretells the destruction of the Assyrian army (v.8-9). The Assyrians were a rising empire. They were strong and mighty. Judah, being a small state, trembled at the sight of the Assyrian army. Egypt was an empire that had lasted for centuries. Obviously, to last that long, it must be very strong and powerful. Egypt was Judah’s neighbour. Human reasoning says you must befriend a more powerful ally to take on Assyria. God says Judah shouldn't be so impressed by Egypt’s might (v.1). They should put their trust in Him. God says He will protect Jerusalem like a lion, unperturbed by the shepherds who are yelling at it for attacking their herds; He will protect Jerusalem. God says the Assyrians will be destroyed. Judah needed help badly. They knew Egypt well enough; they knew the might of the Egyptian armies and chariots. They had faith in Egypt. They walked by sight. But, this is not to say that we should never approach any human being for help. God will not do the things that He knows human can do for themselves. If you have a mathematics question, you don’t ask God to solve that maths problem for you; you go to someone who knows mathematics. If you are sick, you go see a doctor. If it is a chronic illness, you pray but still go see a doctor. Judah’s mistake was trusting solely in Egypt. God was not in their equation. If they had first gone to God, then it is up to God to solve their trouble in whatever way He sees fit. For all we know, God could have used Egypt to punish Assyria. God could also destroy Assyria by some supernatural mean. For example, In 2 Kings 7, there was a great famine in Israel. The Syrian army encamped outside Israel to invade it. Elisha promised the unbelieving king of Israel that by morning time there would be food apelnty in the gate of Samaria. A marvellous event happened that night in the Syrian Camp: “For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us. Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life” (2 Kings 7:6, 7). Our God can do wonders. He can prove doctors wrong. A doctor may tell you that you have late stage cancer and have only six months to live. But five years later, you are still walking around. Medicine plus prayers equals life extension. God answers prayers. We are commanded to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). God tells Judah that He will protect them just as a lion protects its meal (v.4). Judah needs to trust in God. Do you trust God? Many trust in their jobs to take care of them. Their jobs take away their time to be with God’s people and to do God’s work. How many will quit their jobs that come in between them and their God? Oftentimes, we see that God is the one who has to make the concession. They trust their jobs will provide for them and not God. They need to read Matthew 6:33: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Seek God first and He will take care of your needs; do you trust God?