In this chapter, the Lord tells Isaiah that He will hand Egypt over to a cruel and fierce king, and all of Egypt will dry up. Here’s how the chapter begins: “I will make the Egyptians fight against each other – brother against brother, neighbor against neighbor, city against city, province against province. The Egyptians will lose heart, and I will confuse their plans. They will plead with their idols for wisdom. They will call on spirits, mediums, and psychics to show them which way to turn. I will hand Egypt over to a hard, cruel master, to a fierce king,” says the Lord, the Lord Almighty. (Lord, help us always call on you! Help us always seek you! For when we do, you have always delivered! Not one time in my life have I ever called on you and you didn't save me, protect me, and/or bless me. Lord, you are amazing!!!)
The waters of the Nile will fail to rise and flood the fields. The riverbed will be parched and dry. The canals of the Nile will dry up, and the streams of Egypt will become foul with rotting reeds and rushes. All the greenery along the riverbank will wither and blow away. All the crops will dry up, and everything will die.” (Isaiah 19:2-7)
The chapter continues with the Lord sending a spirit of foolishness on the people of Egypt causing no one to have any wise counsel in the land. However, the Lord indicates that there will come a day that the Lord will make himself known to the Egyptians and they will turn to Him and the Lord will listen and heal them.
The chapter ends with this: “In that day Egypt and Assyria will be connected by a highway. The Egyptians and Assyrians will move freely between their lands, and they will worship the same God. And Israel will be their ally. The three will be together, and Israel will be a blessing to them. For the Lord Almighty will say, “Blessed be Egypt, my people. Blessed be Assyria, the land I have made. Blessed be Israel, my special possession!” (Isaiah 19:23-25)
Lord, thank you for your Word today! In the midst of our foolishness, help us turn to you, Lord. Help us recognize that we need you as our guide, our shepherd, and our counselor, for without you we are lost. Lord, we love you!
May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
….AND MAY WE ALL PRACTICE THIS WITH ONE ANOTHER.
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