Isaiah 18:1-7 - Thanksgiving

Isaiah 18:1-7 NIV

Woe to the land of whirring wings along the rivers of Cush, which sends envoys by sea in papyrus boats over the water. Go, swift messengers, to a people tall and smooth-skinned, to a people feared far and wide, an aggressive nation of strange speech, whose land is divided by rivers.

All you people of the world, you who live on the earth, when a banner is raised on the mountains, you will see it, and when a trumpet sounds, you will hear it. This is what the Lord says to me: “I will remain quiet and will look on from my dwelling place, like shimmering heat in the sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.” For, before the harvest, when the blossom is gone and the flower becomes a ripening grape, he will cut off the shoots with pruning knives, and cut down and take away the spreading branches. They will all be left to the mountain birds of prey and to the wild animals; the birds will feed on them all summer, the wild animals all winter.

At that time gifts will be brought to the Lord Almighty from a people tall and smooth-skinned, from a people feared far and wide, an aggressive nation of strange speech, whose land is divided by rivers— the gifts will be brought to Mount Zion, the place of the Name of the Lord Almighty.

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Isaiah turns his attention to Cush which is often thought to refer to modern Ethiopia. Some also believe it to refer to Egypt. Assuming these are correct interpretations, the land described as divided by rivers, here in Isaiah 18, means the Nile River. The curious phrase "land of whirring wings" has various interpretations and there's really no satisfactory conclusion on the meaning. The one I prefer refers to the mountain ranges that look like wings shadowing over the land of Egypt and Ethiopia. It's a geographical reference that ancient people understood but one we have to guess at.

Hezekiah, king of Judah in Jerusalem, was at times interested in forming an alliance with Egypt to defend themselves against Assyria. This did not work out. God is telling Hezekiah that the Egyptians are not going to be strong enough to save them. God will cut them down like a vinedresser prunes branches full of grapes. The birds will feed of the corpses of dead Egyptians and Ethiopians.

I'm not sure if I have a good interpretation here, but this is the one I'm going with. The point is for Hezekiah to trust in the Lord alone, not in political alliances with Egypt.

The people tall and smooth skinned will worship at Jerusalem. Egypt will submit to the God of Israel and the remnant will join Israel as servants of the Lord. This doesn't mean Egypt will convert to the faith of Israel. It means they will honor the God who chastised them. They will seek to appease the Lord with gifts. They will acknowledge the supremacy of the God of Israel. The subduing of the nations and their subsequent honor for God is a major theme through the prophets. This is a hopeful message, for when the nations honor God there will be lasting peace. Jerusalem will be the place all nations come to honor the Lord of heaven and earth. The city on a hill will shine the light of the knowledge of God and the whole world will come to know the Lord.

It's a beautiful and hopeful promise, but how might I apply this message to the living of my life?

I might hear the message to trust in God alone, not in any human relationships that I think might benefit me. Do I expect my wife to save my soul? Do I expect her to fill my spiritual need? That would be unfair to her and foolish of me. Only God can fill the void in our hearts that was meant for Him to inhabit.

I might hear this message as hope when I am threatened by enemies. God will deal with them. I don't need to suffer anxiously as I try to build a strategy to fight against them. I can pray and trust God to act. If I'm instructed by God to build some kind of alliance or some strategy, I'll do it, but not until I've been directed by the Lord to do so.

Finally, I can hope in the day the nations will submit to the Sovereign Lord. I can hope in the promise of all the world bringing gifts to honor my God. I can take joy in knowing the Lord has promised this blessed peace.

Be grateful for the promises of the Lord. He is good on His word. Happy Thanksgiving.