Isaiah 21:1

Isaiah 21:1 says, The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land.  This is another prophesy of the fall of Babylon and also a warning to God’s people not to put their trust in them.  Babylon was referred to as the desert of the plain or sea because it was a flat land full of lakes or little seas according to Matthew Henry.  At this time, Babylon was not even a powerful nation.  All those who deny God, no matter how powerful they may be individually or as a nation, are one day going to suffer a great everlasting defeat.  We as followers of Jesus Christ, in times of need or distress should never look to the powers of the world for answer, but we should always look to God alone.  Any help we get outside of the will of God will always be only temporary. 

Verse two adds, A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease.  Isaiah said the coming destruction was going to be very gruesome.  This is a reference to the defeat of Babylon by the Medes and Persians.  They would be terrible dealers of death to Babylon.  God already knows the fate of all nations, now and until the return of Jesus Christ in victory.  This is why we should never place our hopes of security in any government.  All will one day fall, even if they are considered good. 

Verse three continues, Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it.  Isaiah said seeing this vision of the future of Babylon caused him to be in pain like a woman in labor. He was bowed down at hearing it and dismayed at seeing it.  We should be in pain at knowing the coming everlasting destruction of those who deny Jesus Christ.  It should never be anything that we look forward to them suffering.  That is why it is so important to reach the world with the gospel of Christ. 

Verse four concludes, My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.  Isaiah said this vision filled him with fear, not for himself I believe, but for those that would suffer this fate.  God’s coming judgment should fill Christians with fear, not for ourselves, but for those who are lost forever because of their lack of faith in the gift of salvation. 

Verse five states, Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield.  Isaiah said that the people of Babylon would be enjoying the pleasures of life feeling that they were secure from any enemy, and if an attack were to come that their army was prepared to handle it.  People will be going about enjoying the pleasures of life when Christ returns, believing themselves to be safe from anything that might come their way.  Many people will put their faith in their military, but they will be so wrong to have done so.

Verse six adds, For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.  Isaiah said God said that the king should set a watchman to see what he could coming.  This was a normal thing.  A watchman was set in the watchtower to be able to see any coming enemy.  We need Christian watchmen today to be on the lookout for any coming enemy to God and thereby to us as followers of Christ. 

Verse seven continues, And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed:  In this vision that God gave to Isaiah of what was to come, the watchman saw a chariot of horses with a couple of men in it, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels.  The chariot of horses with the two men in it would represent those in charge of this group.   Matthew Henry says asses, or mules, were in use by the Persians and camels were in use by the Medes to pull their chariots.  The watchman went and told the king.  When we see the enemy approaching, we need to give warning to everyone that we can so they may be prepared. 

Verse eight says, And he cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights:  Matthew Henry points out that we don’t know exactly why the watchman cried out that he had seen a lion, but it may have been just to give urgency to what he was about to report.  He said he had stood on his watch on the watchtower all night.  Since the enemy, Satan, is coming, we need to get the attention of everyone, especially our fellow believers, and warn them about it, though they should already know.  People may be enjoying life and unaware or unconcerned about any enemy, but we need to impress on them the danger that is coming. 

Verse nine adds, And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.  The man then gave a more accurate report saying he had seen a chariot with two men in it.  It seems the man in the chariot knew this meant that Babylon was going to fall and all of her idols could not save her.  I can say with certainty that Jesus Christ has already warned everyone that when He returns in victory that all idols are going to fall.  We have already been given the warning, and it is up to each individual how they respond. 

 

 

Isaiah 20:1

Isaiah 20:1 says, In the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod, (when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him,) and fought against Ashdod, and took it;  This prophesy happened during the year that the city of Ashdod was taken captive by the army of Assyria.  Matthew Henry says this is a prophesy of the carrying away as captives of the people of Egypt and Ethiopia by Assyria.  We have been warned of the carrying away to everlasting punishment of all people everywhere who do not put their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, and this should motivate us to reach out to them with the gospel and not just look forward to their punishment because we think they deserve it.  We have to acknowledge that we all deserve it but are only saved from that punishment by putting our faith in Jesus Christ. 

Verse two adds, At the same time spake the Lord by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put off thy shoe from thy foot. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot.  God told Isaiah to go without the sackcloth he had worn but with nothing to replace it and to go naked and barefooted while he was sharing this prophesy.  Matthew Henry said Isaiah was wearing sackcloth as a sign of mourning for Judah and that he still had on some undergarments, but that really is not what the Bible tells us.  I believe we can say that God wants us to put off everything that would come between Him and us as we share the gospel, but I am not sure how long we would last while witnessing if we were doing so naked.  I am also not sure how many of us would do that even if we thought God was telling us to, but Isaiah did.

Verse three adds, And the Lord said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia;  Isaiah had been doing this for three years when God’s word came about what it meant.  I am certainly not sure how many of us would walk around naked since we thought God had us to do so for three years with no further explanation as to why.  Still, God may call us to do something today without our immediately knowing why, and if He does, we like Isaiah need to be obedient to Him if we are followers of Christ.

 

Verse four states, So shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians prisoners, and the Ethiopians captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, even with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt.  Isaiah said just as he had been walking around naked, or unprotected from the elements, that the king of Assyria would carry the people of Egypt and Ethiopia away captive in shame with nothing to cover themselves.  Those who have not accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord are spiritually naked and to their shame, they will one day be taken away captive to everlasting punishment.

Verse five adds, And they shall be afraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory.  When they were carried away captive, the people of Judah would be ashamed of putting their faith in the power of Egypt and Ethiopia.  Those who put their faith in anyone or anything other than Jesus Christ will one day find out how wrong they were to do so.

Verse six continues, And the inhabitant of this isle shall say in that day, Behold, such is our expectation, whither we flee for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria: and how shall we escape?  Matthew Henry says this refers to the people of Judah realizing that they had put their faith in the wrong thing, the power of these two nations, and then they would ask how they would now escape.  Whatever we put our faith in to save us spiritually from everlasting punishment will fail, and those who find themselves in this position will ask who could deliver them.  The answer for the people of Judah that day and for all lost people today is that only God can by the sacrifice that His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, made possible.  For many, this knowledge will come too late, just as it did for the people of Judah at that time.  We need to respond to the call of the Holy Spirit to come to Jesus Christ for forgiveness of our sins and for restoration to a right relationship with God before it is too late.  Anything else that we put our faith in will fail.

Isaiah 19:16

Isaiah 19:16 says, In that day shall Egypt be like unto women: and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of hosts, which he shaketh over it.  Isaiah said in the day when they were suffering defeat that the nation of Egypt would be like a fearful woman.  I won’t debate whether women are more afraid than men are in bad situations, but women in that day were very limited in what they could do, so if an attack came against the nation, they had little way to defend themselves.   The men of Egypt would be the same way when the hand of God shook them.  It doesn’t matter if we are male or female when it comes to facing God’s judgment.  Those who are not redeemed by putting their faith in Jesus Christ will shake in fear when that final judgment comes.  

Verse seventeen adds, And the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt, every one that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the Lord of hosts, which he hath determined against it.  Isaiah also said that when that day came that everyone in Egypt would be afraid of the people of Judah, not because of their great strength, but because of the power of their God.  Those who defy God or reject the fact that He exists may be powerful in the world today, as Egypt was in that day, but one day, they are going to tremble in terror when His judgment comes.  I believe they will then look on the followers of Christ with envy. 

Verse eighteen continues, In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the Lord of hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction.  Isaiah said that when this day came that the people of Egypt would speak the language of Canaan.  In other words, where Egypt had been in power over the people of Judah, they would now be subject to them because of the power of God.  Those in power today who deny God will one day understand the word of God, but it will be too late for it to do them any good.  Matthew Henry says that the city of destruction refers to one in six cities that wouldn’t obey God, which would mean that not everyone in Egypt accepted the authority of God.  We will never have everyone in a nation accept God, but all we can do is present the gospel to them 

Verse nineteen states, In that day shall there be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the Lord.  Isaiah said when this day came that there would be an altar to God in Egypt, though they had denied His existence and power.  Matthew Henry says some of this prophesy may have pointed to the days of Jesus Christ and the actions of the disciples after His resurrection when the gospel was carried to Egypt.  Many prophesies in the Old Testament not only applied to a particular event that happened then but also pointed ahead to the coming of Jesus Christ as the only way to salvation.  I do know that one day every knee is going to bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation, but for too many it will be too late.

Verse twenty adds, And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto the Lord because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them.  Isaiah said that the people of Egypt would cry out to the Lord, and He would send them a Savior.  Like the Egyptians in that day, if life becomes more than someone can bear, if they call out to the Savior, God will lift their burden spiritually. 

Verse twenty-one continues, And the Lord shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the Lord in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the Lord, and perform it.  Isaiah said that in that day the Egyptians would worship God as the one true God.  They would be sincere in their worship of Him.  No matter how powerful a person may be in the world today, they will never be victorious until they accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord. 

Verse twenty-two concludes, And the Lord shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the Lord, and he shall be intreated of them, and shall heal them.  Isaiah said that God was going to cause Egypt to be defeated, but once they turned to Him by faith they would be healed.  We may fight against God and find ourselves defeated, but if we turn to Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, we will be healed spiritually.   

Verse twenty-three says, In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians.  Isaiah said when this day came that the Egyptians and the Assyrians would travel freely from one nation to the other, even though they had often been at war with each other.  We may be at war with someone today, but if we both come to God through faith in Jesus Christ, though they may have been our enemies, we will now willingly enter into peaceful relationship with them. 

Verse twenty-four adds, In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land:  Isaiah said in that day that Israel would be the third powerful nation along with Egypt and Assyria, although they had often battled each other.  This is also a reference to the Gentiles and Jews being reconciled with each other by their faith in Jesus Christ. 

Verse twenty-five continues, Whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.  God will call the people of all three nations His people if they have put their faith in Him.  Still, this is not a lasting physical peace, but an everlasting spiritual peace between these people if they remained faithful to Him.  It is only those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord that will remain brothers and sisters in Christ.

 

Isaiah 19:11

Isaiah 19:11 says, Surely the princes of Zoan are fools, the counsel of the wise counsellors of Pharaoh is become brutish: how say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?  Isaiah said that the counsel of those who were supposed to be wise was foolish.  They based their wisdom on being the descendants of wise men.  Just because someone is a descendant of a person noted for their wisdom doesn’t make them wise, and much of the wisdom of the world is foolishness to start with.  If we are looking for wise advice, we need to look to God and to people who are speaking under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. 

Verse twelve adds, Where are they? where are thy wise men? and let them tell thee now, and let them know what the Lord of hosts hath purposed upon Egypt.  Isaiah asked Pharaoh where the wise men were now that things were going so badly and then ask them what the Lord of Hosts, the only true God, had in store for the nation.  Those who do not even acknowledge God or do not accept Him as the only true God can never know what He is planning to do.  We as followers of Christ may not know everything that God plans for the world, but we can know that one day, His Son Jesus Christ is going to return, and the world will face God’s judgment; but that He made a way for people to avoid facing Him in condemnation.  That is really all we need to know. 

Verse thirteen continues, The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Noph are deceived; they have also seduced Egypt, even they that are the stay of the tribes thereof.  Isaiah continued by referring to the people of a couple of nations who had put their faith in Egypt.  Anywhere we look for peace and protection in the world outside of faith in God is going to prove us to be foolish. 

Verse fourteen states, The Lord hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit.  Isaiah said that God had allowed the people of Egypt to believe in a perverse spirit, and they were left staggering like drunk men.  God still allows people to follow perverse spirits today, but if they do, they are no wiser than those who are staggering around drunk. 

Verse fifteen adds, Neither shall there be any work for Egypt, which the head or tail, branch or rush, may do.  Isaiah said during this time of judgment that there would be no work done in Egypt.  I believe I can say that when God’s final judgment comes, there will be no peace or work for those who have rejected Jesus Christ and have been sent away to everlasting punishment.   

 

 

 

Isaiah 19:1

Isaiah 19:1 says, The burden of Egypt. Behold, the Lord rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it.  Isaiah next issued the warning of God to Egypt.  Egypt had long been a threat to Israel, keeping the people of Israel enslaved.  Still, many of the people of Israel would have returned to Egypt instead of following God faithfully, and over the years many seemed to have done so.  We have been set free from everything that has power over us spiritually as followers of Christ, but we often want to return to being under the power of sin.  God is one day going to remove all sin from His kingdom, so we need to remove it from our lives today by following the leadership of the Holy Spirit, even if times get rough. 

Verse two adds, And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians: and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his neighbour; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom.  Isaiah said that God was going to cause the Egyptians to fight amongst themselves, with brother fighting brother.  This sounds a lot like the Civil War in the United States, when we attempted to destroy one another.  Egypt was not going to need any foreign enemy to weaken them, because they were going to weaken themselves.  Still, many of the people of Israel looked to them for protection, even when they couldn’t protect themselves.  We don’t have to have an enemy come to us as the church today to weaken us if we are at war with one another.  Yet, we should never look to anyone other than God to save and empower us.

Verse three continues, And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards.  Isaiah said that when this happened, the spirit of Egypt would fail them.  When they were disheartened this way, they would look to idols and false prophets for answers.  People are still looking anywhere and everywhere but to God for answers during life’s struggles today.  The answer will never be found anywhere but in putting our faith in God by accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.  

Verse four states And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts.  Isaiah said that the Egyptians had placed themselves in the hands of cruel rulers.  We need to look to God for guidance when we elect our leaders today, and we need to make those who are following His laws and commandments most closely the ones we support.  They may say good things about what we want, but if it is not what God’s law teaches, then we should look to someone else to put in a position of power.  At times, there may not be a good choice, but we must follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit when we choose. 

Verse five adds, And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and dried up.  Even the things of nature were going to go against the people of Egypt.  The water in the sea would fail them and their rivers would be dried up.  The Nile had been a source of pride for the Egyptians, but even it was going to fail them.  I sometimes wonder when we are having great droughts in America if God might be sending us a warning that He is not pleased with us, especially if they become more and more common. 

Verse six continues, And they shall turn the rivers far away; and the brooks of defence shall be emptied and dried up: the reeds and flags shall wither.  All the abundance of life around the Nile was going to wither and die.  The river had also been a source of defense for Egypt, but that was no longer going to be the case.  As Christians, our source of strength is the Holy Spirit, and if we turn away from God, we cannot assume that He will still defend us. 

Verse seven concludes, The paper reeds by the brooks, by the mouth of the brooks, and every thing sown by the brooks, shall wither, be driven away, and be no more.  Isaiah said that everything around the rivers would be dried up and wither away.  Everything we depend on as Christians other than what God blesses us with when we are obedient to Him will one day wither and die.  We can never put our faith in the things of this world instead of in God and expect them to last.

Verse eight says, The fishers also shall mourn, and all they that cast angle into the brooks shall lament, and they that spread nets upon the waters shall languish.  Isaiah said that those who made their living by fishing, whether just for their own needs or to sell fish to others, would languish because there would be no fish to catch.  People may live highly successful lives today without putting their faith in God, but when His judgment comes one day, they will find themselves without any comfort.  Hell is a real place, and if anyone does not put his or her faith in Jesus Christ, that person will find themself there forever. 

Verse nine adds, Moreover they that work in fine flax, and they that weave networks, shall be confounded.  Likewise, those who made a living by working with fine flax, or cloth would find themselves without any materials to work with.  Matthew Henry points out that Egypt was famous for its trade in linens, but this was going to end.  We may take pride in things we produce today, but we are not living according to God's word and calling, one day they will amount to nothing.

Verse ten continues, And they shall be broken in the purposes thereof, all that make sluices and ponds for fish.  This is a reference to those who had filled ponds with fish so they wouldn’t have to rely on the river for their fish.  We may cut off our dependence on others to meet our needs, but if we are not defendant on God to supply them, one day all that we have built up in this world, no matter how smart it may make us look, will come to nothing.

 

 

Isaiah 18:1

Isaiah 18:1 says, Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia:  Isaiah then pronounced woe to the land of the shadowing wings, which it is not specified as to which country it is, but God knew.  We may not always know what specific country God has pronounced His judgment against, but we can be certain that He knows, and this judgment will be because they have refused to obey Him.  This does not make God vindictive because people don’t obey Him, but only states that He will judge those, whether nations or individuals, who do not accept the gift of forgiveness He has provided through the sacrifice of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, by His death, burial and resurrection.  Those who do not will one day live in everlasting woe.

Verse two adds, That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled!  The people of this nation would be coming by ship to get the people of Isreal to depend on them instead of God.  We may be in distress today and someone offer us a way out that is not done under the leadership and power of God, but this will always ultimately fail. 

Verse three continues All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye.  All the nations were summoned to take heed of what God was about to do.  We as followers of Jesus Christ today need to be sounding the alarm about the destruction that awaits everyone who refuses to come to God through putting their faith in Jesus Christ, but our main message should still be the gospel and the fact that it shows us the love of God even when we stand in defiance against Him. 

Verse four states, For so the Lord said unto me, I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.  Isaiah was to give the people of Israel assurance that even if they didn't see it that God was still at work protecting them.  We may at times feel that God has abandoned us if things in life get too bad, but we as Christians can rest assured that He never will. 

Verse five states, For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches.  Isaiah said that even while the harvest was first blossoming, and while the sour grape was still ripening it would be cut off with pruning forks.  This was a prophesy of what God was going to do to the army of Assyria even while they were bitter about Judah and thinking they would be easy to pluck militarily.  We may never know the number of times God has defeated our enemies when they are ready to attack us because we seem weak in the eyes of the world. 

Verse six adds, They shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth: and the fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them.  Isaiah stated further that the Assyrian army would be left for the vultures and wild animals to feast off of.  Matthew Henry says these two verses seem to refer to the avenging angel destroying the Assyrian army.  I do know that as followers of Christ, He has already destroyed all our spiritual enemies and all we need to do is follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit and the victory will always be ours. 

Verse seven continues, In that time shall the present be brought unto the Lord of hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the Lord of hosts, the mount Zion.  This may refer to the praise given to God by the people of Judah as they were gathered from where they had been scattered or to the spreading of the gospel to the gentiles, or the whole world later on.  Either way, we know that God does gather and protect those who believe in Jesus Christ and He will one day gather us all to our heavenly home.  At that time, all our enemies will be sent away to everlasting punishment, and those who are God’s people by faith will rejoice with Him.

Isaiah 17:6

Isaiah 17:6 says, Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith the Lord God of Israel.  Isaiah said that even though most of the people of Israel would be killed, a remnant of faithful people would remain.  Though there have been times in history and there may come a day once more when only a few, a remnant, of God’s people remain, He also always has a few loyal to Him, and if we are a follower of Christ, we will always be a part of His kingdom, no matter how small we may be in numbers. 

Verse seven adds, At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel.  When this day came, those who were a part of the remnant would look to God, their Maker and Sustainer, and have respect for Him, the Holy One of Israel.  They will remain faithful to Him, even if they may question where He is during all their suffering.  We as Christians may at times wonder where God is if we are suffering in life, but we must remain faithful to Him, maybe even more so during these times. 

Verse eight continues, And he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall respect that which his fingers have made, either the groves, or the images.  When this day came, the people would no longer look to idols for anything.  They would look to God alone.  Once we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, we must look to God alone for our strength and guidance.  All false gods must be eliminated from our lives. 

Verse nine states, In that day shall his strong cities be as a forsaken bough, and an uppermost branch, which they left because of the children of Israel: and there shall be desolation.  Isaiah continues to tell the people of Israel of their upcoming destruction at the hands of Assyria.  Everything would be destroyed except for a few on the uppermost branches, the remnant that were faithful to God.  Matthew Henry says that at one time, when the people of Israel were conquering the promised land by their faith in and obedience to God that a thousand of their enemies fled from one Israelite, now a thousand Israelites would flee from one enemy since they no longer had the protection of God due to their disobedience to Him.  We as followers of Christ have spiritual victory over all the forces of evil in the world today as long as we remain faithful to Him, but if we begin to turn away from His word, we lose that protection.  The things we do outside the will of God as Christians will one day be left just as desolate as the cities of Israel were to be in that day.  Though once we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord we are forever saved, we may be left spiritually desolate in this old world if we are not obedient to His word.

Verse ten adds, Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips:  Isaiah then reminded them that God said this was happening because of their disobedience and not because God had failed them.  If we are ever in a position where it seems that God has abandoned us as followers of Christ, we need to see if we have allowed sin of some kind back into our lives, because we can be certain that God will never abandon us. 

Verse eleven continues, In the day shalt thou make thy plant to grow, and in the morning shalt thou make thy seed to flourish: but the harvest shall be a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow.  Isaiah said they would plant their crops but they would never reap them.  This was done to make the country look good and fruitful, but it was done outside the will of God.  We may do things in the church today to make it look good and productive, but if anything is done outside the will of God under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, it will never be of any value.  We as Christians are not called on to make ourselves look good to the world, or even to other Christians, but to bring glory to God. 

Verse twelve says, Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters!  Isaiah was referring to the armies that had swept into Judah sounding like a roaring sea as they swept over the people there.  There are still armies today who sweep into countries with a lot of noise and destructive power, and many times Christians are caught up in that destruction.  Still, we do not need to cower in fear, because we are the victors spiritually forever because of our faith in Jesus Christ. 

Verse thirteen adds, The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.  As I just stated, no matter how powerful our enemies in this life may be, there is coming a day when God will rebuke them, and they will be chased away like chafe in the wind.  Isaiah was referring to Sennacherib and Rabshakeh at this time, whose own fears led their forces to flee in fear, but I believe it also refers to the judgment of God on all His enemies one day.  Chafe was either blown away or burned, and those who refuse to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord will one day be swept away into the everlasting fires of hell. 

Verse fourteen continues, And behold at eveningtide trouble; and before the morning he is not. This is the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us.  It was at night that the angel of the Lord struck fear into the Assyrian army and led to their fleeing in fear.  That evening, they had been a strong and powerful army, but by morning they were no more.  God didn’t need an army of His people to defeat their enemies, but He did it by His power alone.  If we have put our faith in Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, the moment we did so, all our spiritual enemies were swept away, and it was not because of our own strength and abilities. Through the power of Jesus Christ alone, when He claimed victory over sin and death on the cross are we saved.  Salvation can never be based on anything less than our faith in this fact.