By Eugene Garner

ISAIAH - CHAPTER 18

AN ORACLE CONCERNING ETHIOPIA

    Ethiopia (or Egypt) and Assyria were the two great powers of Western Asia in the days of Isaiah. Egypt and Ethiopia were united under Tirhaka, whose exploits are recorded in the Egyptian monuments, and who (according to 2 Kings 19:9) fought against Sennacherib. It appears that Judah was constantly leaning on one or the other of these contending powers. According to Isaiah 36:9, Rabshakeh specifically reproached Hezekiah for relying on Egypt. As chapter 17 announced the presence of the Assyrian, chapter 18 prophesies his overthrow.

   Vs. 1-7: Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia: That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled! All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth the trumpet, hear ye. For so the LORD said unto me, I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest. For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches. They shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth: and the fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them. In that time shall the present be brought unto the LORD of hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, the mount Zion.

    1. The attention of Ethiopia (and of the whole earth) is called to a great catastrophe that is imminent, (vs. 1.2; comp. Psa. 49:1; Mic. 1:2).
      a. Recognizing the intentions of Assyria, Egypt has sent out her ambassadors to gather as much help as possible in facing the armies of Assyria; she well knows that more than the land of Judah is at stake, (vs. 1-2; Gen. 10:8-9; 2 Chron. 12:2-4; 14:9; 16:8).
      b. This prophecy is presented by Isaiah to the ambassadors who were in Jerusalem at the time; they were to return to Egypt with the assurance that God would put a stop to the proud Assyrian on the mountains of Israel.
      c. When an ensign is lifted up on the mountains, the whole earth is to stop, look and listen, (vs. 3; comp. 5:26; Jer. 50:2; Isa 26:11).
    2. The prophet recognizes the fact that the battle is the Lord's; but, He is in no hurry, (vs. 4).
      a. He is still - waiting and watching from his dwelling-place, (26:21; Hos. 5:15).
      b. He dwells in light so brilliant that mortal man dare not draw near, (2 Sam. 23:3-4; Hab. 3:3-4).
      c. Unto Judah He is as the dew in the heat of harvest refreshing and life-preserving, (26:19; Prov. 19:12; Hos. 14:5).
    3. Here the intent of the Assyrian is likened unto a vineyard from which a bountiful harvest is expected, (vs. 5).
      a. God will permit the enemy to pursue his purpose until he is confident that the victory is in his hands; that is when he will be ripe for destruction!
      b. In a marvelous and miraculous way, the Lord will then so move, in His providence, that all the earth can see that HE ALONE IS GOD!
      c. He will so "prune" and "cut down" the far-reaching branches of Sennacherib's army as to make him abandon the field.
    4. So terrible will be the loss from the army of Assyria that the ravenous birds and beasts will have a year-long feast upon their carcasses, (vs. 6; comp. Jer. 7:33; Ezek. 32:2-6; 39:17-20).
      a. It is possible that this is intended to have a two-fold interpretation and fulfillment - one near; the other far off.
      b. There is a great similarity here to the battle that is to be fought in connection with our Lord's return to reign, (Rev. 19:17-18).
    5. In verse 7 the Egyptians (Ethiopians) are pictured as bringing to the Lord of hosts a present - to the place of His memorial name, on Mt. Zion, (45:14; Psa. 68:31; Zeph. 3:10; Acts 8:27-38).
      a. This surely looks forward to the coming Day of the Lord (millennium) in which Egypt will submit herself to the lordship of Jesus Christ and serve Him with gladness, (Zech. 14:16-18).
      b. They will assist in the return of the once-holy people who, because of their sin, had been scattered to the ends of the earth, (14:1; 43:6; 49:22; 60:4-5; etc.).