I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Isaiah 17-21.

I realized this morning that Isaiah prophesied in this section (which includes yesterday’s and tomorrow’s passage) about all of the nations which were significant in that part of the world in his lifetime.  This partly explains why he prophesied about Babylon before it rose to great power: it was already significant in world politics.  Isaiah’s message to all of these powers, and to us, was that God has a plan for each and every part of the world and nations only have the power which serves God’s purpose.

Several times Isaiah speaks of how the coming destruction will lead people to worship the Lord.  The prophecy regarding Israel (which appears to refer to the Northern Kingdom, but I believe is deliberately worded to be possible to be interpreted as all of Israel) says that the people of Israel will give up their idols.  The prophecy concerning Ethiopia says that the people of Ethiopia will bring gifts to God.  While the prophecy concerning Egypt speaks of multiple cities in Egypt where God will be worshiped.  Also in this passage Isaiah tells us that Philistia will fall because they relied on Egypt and Ethiopia.  Left unsaid was that things would have been different had they turned instead to God.  

I want to touch an a verse here which we should always remember when trouble seems about to overwhelm us, when it seems that even if God intervenes right now we will still be devastated. “In the evening sudden terror! Before the morning they are gone.”   We may think that all hope is gone.  But God can make all of our problems go away in an instant.  Put your trust in God, have faith that He will care for you.  I have seen it in my own life.  When I prepared for bed, the world was collapsing around me.  Before sleep claimed me, God had provided the solution.