WOE TO THEM THAT GO DOWN TO EGYPT
"Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord!" (Isaiah 31:1).
The prophet Isaiah warned Israel that there was no possibility of victory for them if they attempted to fight their adversary in their own strength. Isaiah 31 paints a perfect picture of the futility of trying to do battle with the enemy in our human ability. I believe this chapter is a type and shadow of the ineffectiveness of our attempts today to defeat lusts, habits and besetting sins by relying on human ideas and aids.
At the time Isaiah wrote this message of warning, King Sennacherib and the Assyrian army had already marched through Judah. They had captured most of the cities in their path, and now they planned to besiege Jerusalem. In Hebrew, the word Sennacherib means "successful" and Assyria means "sin on the increase." Put together, these two words provide an image of an evil enemy who was having great success against God's people.
Indeed, Assyria represents every demonic, lustful spirit that comes against us. And Sennacherib is the devil himself, convinced he will succeed in defeating us and bringing us into despair. I believe God wants to show us through this chapter how the devil and his demonic hordes are bringing waves of temptations against the church, with increasing intensity and much success.
This chapter is also an example of how sin will increase in the last days. Scripture says that society will wax worse and worse (see 2 Timothy 3:13), and the church will be inundated with deceptions and doctrines of demons. I believe we are seeing that happen right now. Demonic hordes have infiltrated all media and every form of technology, flooding our culture with sensuality, nudity, and perversions of all kinds. As prophesied in Revelation 12:15, Satan has "cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman."
The prophet Isaiah warned Israel that there was no possibility of victory for them if they attempted to fight their adversary in their own strength. Isaiah 31 paints a perfect picture of the futility of trying to do battle with the enemy in our human ability. I believe this chapter is a type and shadow of the ineffectiveness of our attempts today to defeat lusts, habits and besetting sins by relying on human ideas and aids.
At the time Isaiah wrote this message of warning, King Sennacherib and the Assyrian army had already marched through Judah. They had captured most of the cities in their path, and now they planned to besiege Jerusalem. In Hebrew, the word Sennacherib means "successful" and Assyria means "sin on the increase." Put together, these two words provide an image of an evil enemy who was having great success against God's people.
Indeed, Assyria represents every demonic, lustful spirit that comes against us. And Sennacherib is the devil himself, convinced he will succeed in defeating us and bringing us into despair. I believe God wants to show us through this chapter how the devil and his demonic hordes are bringing waves of temptations against the church, with increasing intensity and much success.
This chapter is also an example of how sin will increase in the last days. Scripture says that society will wax worse and worse (see 2 Timothy 3:13), and the church will be inundated with deceptions and doctrines of demons. I believe we are seeing that happen right now. Demonic hordes have infiltrated all media and every form of technology, flooding our culture with sensuality, nudity, and perversions of all kinds. As prophesied in Revelation 12:15, Satan has "cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman."