Isaiah 19:1
I. (1-39) Condemnation
A. Chapters 1-12 - Prophecies against Judah
B. Chapters 13-23 - Prophecies against the Nations
1. \\#13:1-14:32\\ Babylon
2. \\#15:1-16:14\\ Moab
3. \\#17:1-14\\ Syria and Israel (northern kingdom)
4. \\#18:1-7\\ Unknown
5. \\#19:1-20:6\\ Egypt - Egypt had been a world power for years
before Israel was even conceived.
a. Abraham wandered through the nation of Egypt.
b. Joseph became a head-of-state to a Pharaoh, another name for
the kings of Egypt.
c. Throughout Israel’s history, Egypt was at times an ally and
at times an enemy of Israel.
d. Egypt had promised to be an ally during the days of Isaiah,
but God warned the Jews against trusting Egypt or any other
nation.
e. Because of the false confidence Egypt’s promise gave Israel
and Egypt’s failure to live up to their promise, God will
remove Egypt from prominence as a world power.
Like so many of Isaiah’s prophecies, some of these could already be fulfilled.
J.V. McGee, who died in 1988, noted in his commentary, that fishing was already
a rarity in the Nile \\#8\\. However, since many of prophecies in \\#5-10\\ seem
to be related to the Nile River drying up, it would seem that those verses are
still future as well as verses \\#16-25\\.
a. \\#1-4\\ God Plagues Egypt
(1) \\#1\\ sees the Lord coming victoriously into and over Egypt,
conquering both the false gods of Egypt and the arrogant hearts of
the Egyptians. This could have been partially fulfilled in
conquests over Egypt by Assyria, Babylon, Persia, and Rome.
(2) \\#2\\ "Egyptians against the Egyptians" - Around the time of
Isaiah, the Pharaoh’s lost control of the country allowing smaller
city-state kingdoms to crop up. Wars among them was common.
Although one unified country again, something similar could happen
in the future.
(3) \\#3\\ The destruction that God either brought or will bring upon
Egypt will demonstrate their own foolishness, causing them to
turn deeper into the occult for answers to their questions. (This
was their condition in the days when Moses went before Pharaoh.)
(4) \\#4\\ Egypt was ruled over by several rulers and kingdoms who would
fit this description. It could also be that this is a reference to
the anti-Christ, especially if this ties in with \\#Is 19:20\\.
That would mean that the endtime prophecy begins in verse 4 instead
of verse 5.
b. \\#5-10\\ These verses all make reference to the Nile River, here just
called "the river," and would seem to demand a future fulfillment.
(1) \\#5\\ "the river shall be wasted and dried up" - The Nile has
never dried up, but apparently it will. In addition, some of the
prophecies described have already come to pass.
(2) \\#6\\ With the Nile dried, the brooks which feed from it will dry
up, causing the reeds and other water plants to dry up.
(3) \\#7\\ Everything grown around the Nile will cease when the river
is dried up.
(4) \\#8\\ So will fishing.
(5) \\#9\\ The "fine flax" produced from the water plants (flax)
surrounding the Nile was and is renowned. It is said that the
Egyptians "perfected" the art of producing this material to the
extent that, even in our modern era, we are not able to rival it.
That industry appears to be lost already. Perhaps the lost art
will be rediscovered, only to be lost again when the Nile dries
up. (180,000 feet of stands per pound to 300,000) (Thru the Bible,
Vol. 22)
(6) \\#10\\ Without the Nile, the remaining sluices and ponds for
fishing will be useless.
c. \\#11-15\\ "the princes of Zoan… and Noph"
(1) The verses relating to these cites would seem to have already been
fulfilled historically. However, since the verses both preceding
and following these do seem to be end time, these verses could be
a dual reference prophecy.
(2) \\#11, 13\\ Zoan is mentioned twice. Both cities were, at one time,
royal cities; but God removed their wisdom.
(3) \\#14\\ God "hath mingled a perverse spirit" with them and they
were destroyed.
(4) \\#15\\ "every work" - From this point onward, Egypt would not be
able to accomplish "any work." Even while Egypt was promising
Israel help against Assyria, they were already a foolish and cursed
nation.
d. \\#16-25\\ End Time Prophecies
(1) \\#16\\ "in that day"
(a) The phrase is used again \\#18\\ and is probably a reference
to end time days, not the historic time of Egypt’s fall. That
conclusion seems obvious since the prophecies being described
have not come to pass.
(b) \\#16\\ In the end time, Egypt, the once mighty nation, will
tremble because of what GOD HAS DONE.
(2) \\#17\\ In that end time, Judah will be a powerful force, causing
Egypt’s fear.
(a) The only time I know when this could happen might be at the
onset of the millennial.
(b) This is another of those prophecies which implies Israel will
have an army and will move to do battle in other nations.
\\#Is 9:4-5, 11:4, Joel 3:8, Obadiah 1:17-18\\
\\#Zech 9:12-17, 10:4-5, 14:13-15\\
(c) This verse does NOT say, however, that Israel does battle WITH
Egypt. It is possible that the fear Egypt has for Israel’s
army is because of what they saw that army do to another enemy
of Egypt \\#Is 19:20\\.
(3) \\#18\\ This verse has several thoughts:
a. Some of the Egyptian cities will pledge to the Lord; that is,
they will turn to the Lord. This would indicate that Egypt, at
least in part, accepts Christ. Again, this is probably end
time, perhaps at the end of the tribulation and into the
millennium.
b. In accepting Christ, the turn to Him will be so great that some
of these cities will actually "speak the language of Canaan";
that is, they will speak Hebrew.
c. Yet, "five cities" are mentioned as turning to the Lord and one
city is called "the city of destruction."
(1) It is possible that one of the five cities was destroyed.
(2) But is seems more probably that a total of six cities are
being mentioned.
(a) Five repented and turned to the Lord.
(b) Perhaps one refused and was destroyed by the Lord?
(c) Perhaps one was destroyed by another enemy and that
is what convinced the other five to turn to the Lord?
d. We still wonder at five or six cities being mentioned.
(1) Is this to represent a ratio of how much of Egypt will turn
to the Lord? 5/6?
(2) Or perhaps the cities represent the major cities of
leadership in Egypt.
(4) \\#19-20\\ Again, to emphasize the magnitude of their repentance:
a. An altar to God will be build in middle of Egypt and a memorial
pillar will be erected at the border.
b. These will be for a testimony to God’s deliverance in Israel.
(5) \\#20\\ At some point, Egypt is conquered and oppressed.
a. It may be this is the same "cruel lord" and "fierce king"
mentioned in \\#Is 19:4\\.
b. As a result, Egypt calls upon the Lord who delivers them.
c. Perhaps the Lord uses the Jewish army to accomplish this
deliverance; thus, giving the Egyptians a reason to be afraid
of Judah.
d. This all seems likely to be the anti-Christ’s and his soldiers
being defeated at the end of the tribulation and the beginning
of the millennium.
(6) \\#21\\ This deliverance, however it is effected, will cause Egypt
to worship Jehovah.
a. Egypt is one of the few Arabic countries which presently
maintains any kind of relationship with Israel.
b. Perhaps God gives them help as their reward.
c. If this verse is related to the millennial, it implies that
animal sacrifices will be made during that time.
(7) \\#22\\ The Lord shall SMITE Egypt"
a. This is likely a statement of what He had already done.
(1) It is doubtful that God will be smiting Egypt AFTER they
have come to Him.
(2) It is more likely that God is taking credit for whatever
oppressive army conquered Egypt. Even if it was the anti-
Christ, God is ultimately in control.
b. Then God heals Egypt.
(1) This would be the deliverance that this section has been
describing.
(2) As a result, Egypt and God will have a powerful, spiritual
relationship.
(8) \\#23-25\\ God will establish a triune relationship.
a. Israel is and always will be God’s unique people.
b. However, God joins to them Egypt and Assyria, and that, with no
small declaration.
(1) It is strange to consider Assyria as Israel’s friend since
they are on the verge of taking away the ten northern
kingdoms and have yet to rampage across Judah.
(2) But this unique relationship between these three countries
has already been mentioned once by Isaiah.
Isaiah 10:10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall
stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest
shall be glorious.
11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand
again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be
left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from
Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
Isaiah 11:16 And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which
shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came
up out of the land of Egypt.
c. In these verses,
(1) God promises a highway between the three countries.
(2) God seems to give equal shares of privilege to the three
countries.
(3) God claims these countries as His people and His own personal
work.
d. I certainly wonder at what will transpire to lift these counties
who were once Israel’s enemies to such a position of preeminence.
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