Isaiah 22:15-25; Isaiah 30-32
Let’s recall the historical situation into which Isaiah speaks. Isaiah is in the Southern Kingdom of Judah, where Hezekiah is king, a good king who follows the LORD. The Northern Kingdom of Israel is no more, having been destroyed by the exceedingly strong — and brutal — Assyrian empire. Now Assyria (to whom Hezekiah’s father, wicked King Ahaz, had foolishly and faithlessly appealed for help against Israel and Syria) is knocking on Judah’s door. Some within Judah (possibly led by Shebna the Secretary?) look to the next greatest military power in the area, Egypt, as a refuge. But they forget the LORD.
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help
Isaiah 31:1
and rely on horses,
who trust in chariots because they are many
and in horsemen because they are very strong,
but do not look to the Holy One of Israel
or consult the LORD!
My question for each of us is this: Who (or what) is your Egypt?
When everything is going well, when we are prosperous and healthy, it’s easy to convince ourselves that we trust in God. But how about when things are not going so well? To whom (or what) do we look for shelter and security when disaster looms, in a pandemic, or a war, or a financial crisis? Do we look to government benefits to supply all our needs? Do we trust in the U.S.A.’s mighty military arsenal, our most capable fifth-generation fighter aircraft, our nukes? Do we look to political parties or individual politicians as our savior? Or how about Wall Street and our own bank accounts? The list goes on…and on…endlessly, in fact, because we continually manufacture new alternatives — anything but the LORD.
But let’s heed what Isaiah says:
For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel,
Isaiah 30:15-18
“In returning and rest you shall be saved;
in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”
But you were unwilling, and you said,
“No! We will flee upon horses”;
therefore you shall flee away;
and, “We will ride upon swift steeds”;
therefore your pursuers shall be swift.
A thousand shall flee at the threat of one;
at the threat of five you shall flee,
till you are left
like a flagstaff on the top of a mountain,
like a signal on a hill.
Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you,
and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you.
For the LORD is a God of justice;
blessed are all those who wait for him.
Security apart from the LORD? It’s all bound to fail. It is in the LORD Himself alone that we have hope.
One more thing…
The divine protection, then, is always inseparably present to us, and so great is the love of the creator for his creature that his Providence not only stands by it but even goes constantly before it. The prophet, who has experienced this, confesses it very clearly when he says, “My God will go before me with his mercy.” When he notices goodwill making an appearance in us at once he enlightens and encourages it and spurs it on to salvation, giving increase to what he himself planted and saw arise from our own efforts. For he says, “Before they cry I will hear them. I will hear them when they are still speaking.” And again: “As soon as he hears the voice of your cry, he will respond to you.” Not only does he graciously inspire holy desires, but also he arranges favorable moments in one’s life and the possibility of good results, and he shows the way of salvation to those who are straying.
John Cassian on Isaiah 30:19, from Conferences 13.8.3-4