Isaiah Chapter 19 – In That Day

In the sharing of Isaiah Chapter 18, the author wrote about the “Future Work of God Revealed”. And in today’s chapter, we continue on this same thread of thought.

The chapter starts off with the “Proclamation against Egypt” or “Burden against Egypt”.

As you read through verses 1 to 15, you read many references of how the religion of the Egyptians failed them. Their idols will fall at God’s presence. Their men rise against one another. They will seek their mediums, sorcerers and consult their idols to no avail. And they will be handed over to a cruel master (perhaps references to the invasion of the Assyrians).

Isaiah then continues to proclaim about the ruin of the land of Egypt. The waters of Nile will dry up and this causes the stink in the canals and reeds and rushes wither along the river. The Nile dries up cause there is no rain in the land. And as there is lack of waters, there is no fish in the rivers. And no cotton due to the lack of water.

Now all this results in people of all classes suffering together. No one escapes.

Not even the wise men of Egypt can do anything.

But Isaiah does not end this chapter just like this. Instead, he offers hope for the Egyptians and all. Let’s look at the rest of the verses and see…

From verses 16 to 25, it is a prophecy that the Egyptians will return back to the Lord.

Huh? Egyptians back to the Lord? Aren’t they the epitome of all that is bad and the ways of the world? How is it that they will return back to God?

In That Day!

But ‘In that Day”… these things will happen. This phrase is repeated 5 times from verse 16 to 25. Even though God struck Egypt, God would save Egypt in the future. And “In that Day” could be referring to the last days.

¹⁶ In that day Egypt will be like women, and will be afraid and fear because of the waving of the hand of the Lord of hosts, which He waves over it. ¹⁷ And the land of Judah will be a terror to Egypt; everyone who makes mention of it will be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the Lord of hosts which He has determined against it.
~ verses 16 – 17

First is that Egypt will be afraid and fearful of God. Even the mere act of the waving of the hand of the Lord of hosts will bring terror to them.

But this terror can be good … if it brings the Egyptians back to God.

¹⁸ In that day five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear by the Lord of hosts; one will be called the City of Destruction.
~ verse 18 ~

There will be five cities in the Land of Egypt that will speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the Lord of hosts. Some translations calls the “City of Destruction” as the “City of Sun” because the city worships the sun.

These idol worshipping cities will now speak the language of Canaan and acknowledge and follow the Lord of Hosts!

What a turnaround!

¹⁹ In that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the Lord at its border. ²⁰ And it will be for a sign and for a witness to the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they will cry to the Lord because of the oppressors, and He will send them a Savior and a Mighty One, and He will deliver them. ²¹ Then the Lord will be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know the Lord in that day, and will make sacrifice and offering; yes, they will make a vow to the Lord and perform it. ²² And the Lord will strike Egypt, He will strike and heal it; they will return to the Lord, and He will be entreated by them and heal them.
~ verse 19 – 22 ~

In the last day, God will punish and then heal Egypt (v22).

In verse 19, we read that a pillar to the Lord is set at the border. Pillars are not the high places where altars are set for the worshipping of the false gods like Baals and Asherahs.

Back in Genesis, when Jacob was going to Laban’s house, after he had the vision of the stairway to heaven, he took the stone he had slept on, placed it as a pillar, poured oil on it and called the place Bethel – meaning the Lord is in this place (Gen 28:18).

When Moses led the people to once again reaffirm their covenant with God, he set up 12 pillars, one for each tribe, when he built an alter for the Lord and offered sacrifices (Exodus 24:4).

Now in the future, Egypt will too set up pillars and altars to worship the One True God. Egypt will know God and pray to God. They will be part of God’s people!

²³ In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come into Egypt and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will serve with the Assyrians.
~ verse 23 ~

This speaks about the peace that will exist between Egypt and Assyria. The highway (John 14:6) that connects that refers to Christ, who tears down the wall between man and man.

This reminds me of the mystery that was revealed to Paul in that Gentiles shall receive salvation through Jesus Christ.

Paul wrote in Ephesians 3:6-8…

⁶ that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, ⁷ of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power. ⁸ To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

And finally …

²⁴ In that day Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria—a blessing in the midst of the land, ²⁵ whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, “Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance.”
~ verses 24 – 25 ~

In that day, God will bless three countries. Salvation shall be for all nations.

This echoes the words of Zechariah in Zechariah 2:11…

¹¹ “Many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and they shall become My people. And I will dwell in your midst. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you. 

God’s intention is clear. He wants to draw men back to Him again even though they may been evil and corrupt. But was must be like those who are willing to hark the call of God, turn back and worship Him with all those who call upon His name.

May we be there “In that Day!”

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