Egypt is where the Israelites were enslaved and called home for about 400 years. That was until God called Moses to lead his people away from their bondage toward the Promised Land. All these years later, Egypt remained strong and wise. But in today’s reading, we see how God is intervening to confuse them.
By speaking these words, God was warning Judah to think twice about making an alliance with Egypt against Assyria. “Their best counsel to the king of Egypt is stupid and wrong. Will they still boast to Pharaoh of their wisdom? Will they dare brag about all their wise ancestors? Where are your wise counselors, Pharaoh? Let them tell you what God plans, what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies is going to do to Egypt.” God has also been reassuring Judah that Assyria will not be their foe. Assyria is going to bring destruction to God’s people in Israel.
God’s hand is at work to send a message of impending doom at those in Egypt. Not only will the people be at odds with each other, the Nile is going to dry up, crops will die, and people will be unemployed. Memories of what God’s unleashed power did to the Egyptians generations ago with the plagues had to be on their minds. The fear of the Lord will be upon them.
And then, as if a light switch turns on, we read that five of Egypt’s cities will follow the Lord Almighty. Some will even begin speaking in Hebrew. That’s quite a response! When it says, “in that day,” I’m assuming it’s at the height of their woe. God’s response to them confirms that he always intended to include Gentiles (non-Jews) in his plan for salvation. “When the people cry to the Lord for help against those who oppress them, he will send them a savior who will rescue them.”
It seems a little surprising to me that the Egyptians would have responded so favorably to God. Clearly, they saw God’s power and majesty as something to be respected. The Israelites were familiar with how God rescues them time and time again. Now God makes a promise to Egypt, expanding the territory of his mercy, revealing his loving character. “The Lord will strike Egypt, and then he will bring healing. For the Egyptians will turn to the Lord, and he will listen to their pleas and heal them.” God is always listening. We need to remember that and cry out to him when we need rescue.
We can take wisdom from this passage and seek to know God. How has God made himself known to you? Has he revealed himself through Scripture, through a trusted friend, in nature, in answered prayer? We can be like the Egyptians in this way, too: “They will make a vow to the Lord and will keep it.” How many times have we made a “bargain” with God or promised we’d do something and then not follow through? Do we try to cover it up with excuses?
Take some time today to just be still in God’s presence. Set the busyness, the craziness, the sadness, the stress (whatever it is for you) of this day aside. Purge those thoughts of strife and replace them with the desire to know God and his will for your life.
Let’s pray … Lord, forgive me for letting stress and worry infiltrate my thoughts. I am so grateful for the many blessings you bring to me every day. Help me not to let what’s happening in the here and now keep me back from living the life you have designed for me. May I be a blessing to all I encounter, shining forth with the love of Christ in my heart. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
