The Book of Isaiah contains many prophecies. One reason for these prophecies was so that Israel could see God’s provision for her. This daily devotional looks at how God promises to provide for us.
Nuggets
- The Israelites were looking to Egypt to be their savior against the advancing Assyrians.
- Isaiah used lions and birds as analogies for God’s provision.
- God calls disciples of Christ back from rebellion.
Devotions in the Isaiah’s Message from Sovereign God series
God wants us to rely totally on Him. He doesn’t want us looking to others – even other governments – to save us.
Isaiah had to address this when Israel was fixing to get defeated by the Assyrians. Let’s take a look.
Let's Put It into Context
In Isaiah 30, Judah was wanting to make an alliance with Egypt. When we think of Israel and Egypt, we generally think about the time Jacob moved his family there because Joseph was second in command and there was a famine happening.
We sometimes may forget that Egypt was a powerhouse. The Israelites must have thought they should go with the devil that they knew, as there were times they wanted to make alliances with Egypt.
At one point, Egypt did rule over Judah. They were trying to stop the advance of Babylon (Holman Bible Dictionary).
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We also know a little about Egypt in Jesus’ time. That was where Joseph took his family to avoid Herod’s killing spree. By the time of Jesus’ ministry, Egypt had fallen under Roman rule.
Israel Didn’t Believe in God’s Providence
“Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and who depend on horses! They trust in the abundance of chariots and in the large number of horsemen. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel, yes and they do not seek the Lord. But he also is wise and brings disaster. He does not go back on what he says; he will rise up against the house of the wicked and against the allies of evildoers. Egyptians are men, not God; their horses are flesh, not spirit. When the Lord raises his hand to strike, the helper will stumble and the one who is helped will fall; both will perish together” (Isa. 31: 1-3 CSB)
The Israelites were looking to Egypt to be their savior against the advancing Assyrians. What Israel saw was Egypt perceived might instead of God’s wisdom.
We can’t look at this passage through today’s lens. Warfare was nothing like today’s warfare.
There were no tanks at the time. Planes hadn’t been invented.
There were armies marching. There was hand-to-hand combat.
Occasionally, there was horses pulling chariots. Those were the really strong armies.
Egypt had an abundance of horses. Israel didn’t have many.
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So, going by the worldview at the time, Egypt was one to be feared.
You would think that Israel would have remembered when God defeated Egypt’s chariots.
- “The Egyptians set out in pursuit — all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen—and went into the sea after them” (Ex. 14: 23 CSB).
- “[God] caused their chariot wheels to swerve and made them drive with difficulty …” (Ex. 14: 25 CSB).
- “So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea returned to its normal depth. While the Egyptians were trying to escape from it, the Lord threw them into the sea. The water came back and covered the chariots and horsemen, plus the entire army of Pharaoh that had gone after them into the sea. Not even one of them survived” (Ex. 14: 27-28 CSB).
- “That day the Lord saved Israel from the power of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore” (Ex. 14: 30 CSB).
Israel was told not to rely on Egypt — in fact any foreign government. “When the LORD your God hands these nations over to you and you conquer them, you must completely destroy them. Make no treaties with them and show them no mercy” (Deut. 7: 2 NLT).
What Israel saw was Egypt’s perceived might. What they didn’t see was God’s wisdom. Wisdom is knowledge, discernment, and good sense that leads to goodness and virtue, which can be applied to life.
Israel was to rely on God’s providence. Providence is God’s acts of meeting the needs of His creation.
- “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4: 19 ESV)
- “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all” (Mt. 6: 31-32 ESV)
- “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Mt. 7: 11 ESV).
- “Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!” (Lk. 12: 24 ESV).
God wants us to focus on spiritual things, not things this world has to offer. Spirits are mightier than men or animals.
By Israel wanting an alliance with Egypt, they were rejecting God. They were making decisions based on what the world could do for them, not what God had promised.
God has promised to provide for us. He will take care of us.
What Do Lions and Birds Have to Do with God’s Provision?
“For this is what the Lord said to me: As a lion or young lion growls over its prey when a band of shepherds is called out against it, and it is not terrified by their shouting or subdued by their noise, so the Lord of Armies will come down to fight on Mount Zion and on its hill. Like hovering birds, so the Lord of Armies will protect Jerusalem; by protecting it, he will rescue it; by passing over it, he will deliver it” (Isa. 31: 4-5 CSB)
Isaiah used lions and birds as analogies for God’s provision. This shows how God is both a loving God and a vengeful God.
We may not be totally familiar with shepherds and lions, but I think we can figure this out with a little help.
There are predators; and there are prey. Lions are predators. Sheep are prey.
Lions attack the sheep because they are trying to get food. They are generally not inclined to give up their supper, even when the shepherds are screaming and shaking their sticks at them.
Smith said that the lion represents God. No, God is not going to devour us. He will, however, latch onto us and not give us up to Satan.
The description Smith gave of the shepherds is interesting. He wrote, “For these are the ‘shepherds’ Isaiah means — sham shepherds, the shrieking crew of politicians, with their treaties and military display.”
The shepherds aren’t really concerned about the sheep. They are deluding the sheep into thinking they have the sheep’s best interests in mind.
The shepherds in this illustration aren’t true shepherds. Jesus is our true Shepherd. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (Jn. 10: 11 CSB).
God is the mighty lion. He does not heed what the leaders of this world tell Him. He has His plans for us. He is going to work those plans.
Then, Isaiah talks about hovering birds. Maclaren likens that to a mother bird watching over her nest.
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We like the care-taking mother picture a lot better than the devouring lion picture.
Really, God is both. He is the loving God and vengeful God.
Driver had a different perspective. He thought the Assyrians were the lion. That makes the switch to the protecting bird sudden, though.
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Hmmmm. What should we make of that?
We know the Israelites were in this pickle because of disobedience. God allows correction — even when it hurts.
The purpose of God’s correction is to restore us to Him. We go through the season until we have learned what we were supposed to have learned or until we are sorry for the offense.
Then God restored us. He becomes the protective Parent.
Called Back from Rebelling against God
“Return to the one the Israelites have greatly rebelled against. For on that day, every one of you will reject the worthless idols of silver and gold that your own hands have sinfully made. Then Assyria will fall, but not by human sword; a sword will devour him, but not one made by man. He will flee from the sword; his young men will be put to forced labor. His rock will pass away because of fear, and his officers will be afraid because of the signal flag. This is the Lord’s declaration — whose fire is in Zion and whose furnace is in Jerusalem” (Isa. 31: 6-9 CSB)
God calls disciples of Christ back from rebellion. Remember, this is prophesy.
Isaiah was prophesying the Assyrian’s defeat. Assyria was going to fall to the sword — but not an earthly sword.
God was telling His people not to align themselves with the losing party.
This is the message God gives His people — who it seems like are in continuous rebellion. He is constantly telling us not to align with the world or it’s ruler — Satan.
Still, we do. In so many ways, we allow Satan to rule us.
God calls us back, and He will refine us in the fire. Heat kills a lot of bad things, purifying what has been placed in the heat.
Maclaren wrote, “Water cleanses the surface, and becomes dirty in the process. Fire cleanses within and throughout, and is not tainted thereby.”
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Making the Connections
Too many times, we leave God as a last resort. We don’t see God at work in our lives because our relationships with Him aren’t strong.
We get into trouble when we limit God’s provision for us. We want God to provide for us in the ways we want — which are not necessarily the ways that are best for us.
We need to depend on God through the hardest times. We are to seek God not only for His advice on what we should do with our lives, but we also must seek His protection.
How Do We Apply This?
- ABCD
The ABCDs of Salvation
If you have not become a believer in Christ, please read through the
Plan of Salvation and prayerfully consider what God is asking you to do.
A – admit our sins
B – believe His Son Jesus is our Redeemer
C – confess God as Sovereign Lord
D – demonstrate that commitment by making any changes needed in our lives to
live the way in which God has called us
The Disciple’s Job Description
- Take refuge in God whenever trials come.
- Live for Him. Wileman said “True happiness is obtained when our will is brought into harmony with God’s will.”
- Trust that He will protect us.
- Praise Him, thank Him, and ask Him for His protection.
- Obey His laws and commandments.
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God wants us to totally rely on Him. He has promised He will provide for us. He will take care of us — even during the times He is correcting us.
We just have to rely on Him.
Loving Father. You are all-powerful. You control all that happens. You have promised to take care of us and provide for us. Sometimes, that caring for us includes correcting us. Help us to always look to You for provision through the good times and the bad. Amen.
What do you think?
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