Isa 31:3 | KingComments | STEP | In this chapter the LORD teaches the remnant of Israel that is left after the Assyrian massacre ( ). That third remaining part is now to be purified as gold or silver ( ). To this end, they must confess and condemn their national sins – the rejection of Christ and the acceptance of the antichrist ( ). In Isaiah 7 Ahaz is threatened by Syria and Ephraim. However, Ahaz relies on Assyria and not on the LORD. Now that there is a threat from Assyria, Judah puts his trust in Egypt and not in the LORD. During the invasion of Assyria a part of the unbelieving people fled to Egypt. This is how it will happen in the future. At that time, the Jews will put their trust in the antichrist and the military power of Europe, the restored Roman Empire, and not in the LORD. The faithful remnant will confess as the core of the new Israel of God that trusting man is vain, to no avail, useless. The tendency to place his hope in the world is deeply rooted in the heart of man. That is why in this short chapter there is a repetition of the warning against it, preceded by a powerful “woe”. Again Isaiah pronounces the “woe” to those who seek help from Egypt because of their horses, chariots, and horsemen instead of from the LORD ( ; cf. ). Trust in horses always represents a false trust ( ). God judges that way as a “going down”. The way away from God is always down. These verses are therefore written as a lamentation about someone going down a descending path. God judges these persons as people “going down”. They do not only descend literally, but also morally. “Those who go down” is one noun in Hebrew. It indicates that it is not a one-time act of going down, but that it concerns people who are used to descending, whose trust is not in God, but in man. This characterizes professing Christianity today. To many Christians, God is nothing more than a word. Those who rely on such an intangible ‘word’ are, in their eyes, people who close their eyes to reality. Of course, it is just the other way around. If a Christian today seeks to reconnect with the world instead of living in dependence on God, he is dishonoring the Name of the Lord, Who has redeemed him from the world and bought him for Himself. They may think to act with wisdom – Egypt symbolizes the wisdom of the world – but, as it sounds with an undertone of sarcasm, the LORD is also wise ( ). His wisdom is expressed in the judgment on Egypt ( ) and of those who consider the power of Egypt to be greater than His power. In the prophet speaks of the Egyptians as “men” who are creatures in the presence of the fullness of the power of God, their Creator. He speaks of their horses as “flesh,” as opposed to “spirit,” by which spiritual powers are meant. With the spirit that man possesses – an animal has no spirit – he can connect with God. “He who helps”, i.e. Egypt, and “he who is helped”, i.e. Judah, will both stumble, fall down and perish by the judgment of the LORD. In the end time, this will happen with the united Europe and the apostate Israel that expects help from Europe. The same goes for Egypt where the apostate Israel will seek refuge during the Assyrian invasion. Often Christians also rely on aids offered to them by the world and the flesh. Examples are churches that are led according to principles that are used in business instead of consulting God’s Word. We also see that those who are at their wit’s end are comforted by psychotherapeutic means, without there being room for the Lord and His own. In the preaching of the gospel, human advertising methods are used to persuade unbelievers to become Christians instead of preaching God’s Word with power through the Spirit.

‏ Isaiah 31:3

Woe to Those Seeking Help From Egypt

In this chapter the LORD teaches the remnant of Israel that is left after the Assyrian massacre (Zec 13:8-9). That third remaining part is now to be purified as gold or silver (Mal 3:3). To this end, they must confess and condemn their national sins – the rejection of Christ and the acceptance of the antichrist (Jn 5:43).

In Isaiah 7 Ahaz is threatened by Syria and Ephraim. However, Ahaz relies on Assyria and not on the LORD. Now that there is a threat from Assyria, Judah puts his trust in Egypt and not in the LORD. During the invasion of Assyria a part of the unbelieving people fled to Egypt. This is how it will happen in the future. At that time, the Jews will put their trust in the antichrist and the military power of Europe, the restored Roman Empire, and not in the LORD. The faithful remnant will confess as the core of the new Israel of God that trusting man is vain, to no avail, useless.

The tendency to place his hope in the world is deeply rooted in the heart of man. That is why in this short chapter there is a repetition of the warning against it, preceded by a powerful “woe”. Again Isaiah pronounces the “woe” to those who seek help from Egypt because of their horses, chariots, and horsemen instead of from the LORD (Isa 31:1; cf. Deu 17:16). Trust in horses always represents a false trust (Psa 20:7). God judges that way as a “going down”. The way away from God is always down.

These verses are therefore written as a lamentation about someone going down a descending path. God judges these persons as people “going down”. They do not only descend literally, but also morally. “Those who go down” is one noun in Hebrew. It indicates that it is not a one-time act of going down, but that it concerns people who are used to descending, whose trust is not in God, but in man.

This characterizes professing Christianity today. To many Christians, God is nothing more than a word. Those who rely on such an intangible ‘word’ are, in their eyes, people who close their eyes to reality. Of course, it is just the other way around. If a Christian today seeks to reconnect with the world instead of living in dependence on God, he is dishonoring the Name of the Lord, Who has redeemed him from the world and bought him for Himself.

They may think to act with wisdom – Egypt symbolizes the wisdom of the world – but, as it sounds with an undertone of sarcasm, the LORD is also wise (Isa 31:2). His wisdom is expressed in the judgment on Egypt (Isa 30:14) and of those who consider the power of Egypt to be greater than His power. In Isa 31:3 the prophet speaks of the Egyptians as “men” who are creatures in the presence of the fullness of the power of God, their Creator. He speaks of their horses as “flesh,” as opposed to “spirit,” by which spiritual powers are meant. With the spirit that man possesses – an animal has no spirit – he can connect with God.

“He who helps”, i.e. Egypt, and “he who is helped”, i.e. Judah, will both stumble, fall down and perish by the judgment of the LORD. In the end time, this will happen with the united Europe and the apostate Israel that expects help from Europe. The same goes for Egypt where the apostate Israel will seek refuge during the Assyrian invasion.

Often Christians also rely on aids offered to them by the world and the flesh. Examples are churches that are led according to principles that are used in business instead of consulting God’s Word. We also see that those who are at their wit’s end are comforted by psychotherapeutic means, without there being room for the Lord and His own. In the preaching of the gospel, human advertising methods are used to persuade unbelievers to become Christians instead of preaching God’s Word with power through the Spirit.