Today we have a couple of oracles. Poetic, metaphorical, allusive and therefore not easy to fully understand.
Again, it's all to do with the political "churn" of rising and falling kingdoms, with that ever-pervading sense that God is behind and beyond all the machinations, grimly watching them fail, all of them.
There is a watchman. Maybe Isaiah is the watchman, maybe he isn't. But he's scared by what he sees. He's not scared by the mighty army coming towards him, he's scared by what is going to happen to them. This war machine is going to be taken apart, brutally, efficiently, ruthlessly.
Watchmen long for the morning. But it is still night, and in the reign of darkness, destruction is king.
Monday, 11 September 2017
Friday, 8 September 2017
Isaiah 19:1-20:6: Egypt, the first enslaver
Isaiah's eyes are still sweeping around his map of the world, and now he lights on Egypt.
Egypt was, of course, the ancient enemy, the enslaver of Israel. So as he begins with prophecies of doom against them, his hearers would have cheered.
But now, Egypt is beginning to have a more complex identity in the hearts and minds of the policy makers. In the light of the threat from Assyria, they are beginning to think of Egypt as an ally. Perhaps its strength can protect them from the might of the new kid on the block.
Egypt apparently thought so too - they engaged in a lot of meddling in the Palestinian states north of their territory, stirring them up against Assyria. From Egypt's point of view, Israel, Philistia, Aram and the rest were buffer states, and if they fell, the Assyrian threat would be on their doorstep.
Their friendly overtures to Israel and Judah were self serving - a bit like Russia cosying up to President Trump, while at the same time using fake news to destabilise and disorientate the people Allegedly.
Into to all this ferment Isaiah speaks in three ways. First, he has a prophecy of doom and destruction for Egypt, centred on the drying up of the Nile. The Nile is everything to Egypt, and if it's waters stopped flowing, Egypt's wealth and power would be cut off.
Second, he speaks about healing, with specific but unfulfilled (yet) prophecies about worship of Yahweh breaking out in Egypt, of blessings not curses emanating from that land.
And then third, he brings his attention back to the events of the present, and acts out a prophecy, as many of the other prophets do. He went around in a state of undress, saying this is what will happen to Egypt. The Assyrian king sent one of his generals to Ashdod, where there had been a rebellion. This general, who was called the Tartan, crushed the rebellion and sent captives stripped and barefoot back to Assyria.
See? said Isaiah. This has come true. Now trust me on the rest.
Egypt was, of course, the ancient enemy, the enslaver of Israel. So as he begins with prophecies of doom against them, his hearers would have cheered.
But now, Egypt is beginning to have a more complex identity in the hearts and minds of the policy makers. In the light of the threat from Assyria, they are beginning to think of Egypt as an ally. Perhaps its strength can protect them from the might of the new kid on the block.
Egypt apparently thought so too - they engaged in a lot of meddling in the Palestinian states north of their territory, stirring them up against Assyria. From Egypt's point of view, Israel, Philistia, Aram and the rest were buffer states, and if they fell, the Assyrian threat would be on their doorstep.
Their friendly overtures to Israel and Judah were self serving - a bit like Russia cosying up to President Trump, while at the same time using fake news to destabilise and disorientate the people Allegedly.
Into to all this ferment Isaiah speaks in three ways. First, he has a prophecy of doom and destruction for Egypt, centred on the drying up of the Nile. The Nile is everything to Egypt, and if it's waters stopped flowing, Egypt's wealth and power would be cut off.
Second, he speaks about healing, with specific but unfulfilled (yet) prophecies about worship of Yahweh breaking out in Egypt, of blessings not curses emanating from that land.
And then third, he brings his attention back to the events of the present, and acts out a prophecy, as many of the other prophets do. He went around in a state of undress, saying this is what will happen to Egypt. The Assyrian king sent one of his generals to Ashdod, where there had been a rebellion. This general, who was called the Tartan, crushed the rebellion and sent captives stripped and barefoot back to Assyria.
See? said Isaiah. This has come true. Now trust me on the rest.
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