Judgment for Egypt & Babylon
January 31, 2020
Commentary
Ashdad, a Philistine city was captured by the Assyrians (v. 1). This was a signal to Judah that they could not count on foreign alliances to protect them. For three years, Isaiah did not wear his outer garment of sackcloth (not completely naked) or his sandals (vv. 2-3). This was to show how the Egyptians and Cushites would be treated by the invading Assyrian forces. The fall of Egypt and Cush would cause fear and shame in Judah. They would have no chance to escape (v. 6).
The “Desert by the Sea” could refer to the desert lands southeast of Babylon (v. 1). Isaiah saw in a vision an invader approaching (v. 2). Isaiah shows deep distress, fear, and horror when he contemplates the slaughter of human beings (vv. 3-4). His reference to “the night of my pleasure” (v. 4) may have reference to Belshazzar’s banquet in Daniel (v. 5).
“The burden of Dumah” (v. 11) refers to Edom, located south of Moab. The descendants of Esau were generally the enemies of Israel. Isaiah’s announcement to the Edomites was that their land would be taken from them. Isaiah begged them to return to the Lord for safety. The Assyrian army had brought fearful darkness to the nations. Edom wanted to know if there was any hope of light (vv. 13-15). The prophet’s reply was that morning would come, because Assyria would be defeated by God in the fields of Judah (Isa. 37:36). Sadly, Edom did not heed the warning (vv. 16-17).
Application
Just as Isaiah warned that there was a morning and an evening coming, and that the people needed to return to the Lord, so we have warning signs today that judgment is coming. We may be in the very last hours before the rapture. I am thankful that I am ready for the rapture.
Isaiah 20:1–21:17 (NET)
1 The Lord revealed the following message during the year in which King Sargon of Assyria sent his commanding general to Ashdod, and he fought against it and captured it. 2 At that time the Lord announced through Isaiah son of Amoz: “Go, remove the sackcloth from your waist and take your sandals off your feet.” He did as instructed and walked around in undergarments and barefoot. 3 Later the Lord explained, “In the same way that my servant Isaiah has walked around in undergarments and barefoot for the past three years, as an object lesson and omen pertaining to Egypt and Cush, 4 so the king of Assyria will lead away the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Cush, both young and old. They will be in undergarments and barefoot, with the buttocks exposed; the Egyptians will be publicly humiliated. 5 Those who put their hope in Cush and took pride in Egypt will be afraid and embarrassed. 6 At that time those who live on this coast will say, ‘Look what has happened to our source of hope to whom we fled for help, expecting to be rescued from the king of Assyria! How can we escape now?’”
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