HOW THEN CAN WE ESCAPE?

Isaiah 20:1-6 / Keywords 20:6

In that day the people who live on this coast will say, 'See what has happened to those we relied on, those we fled to for help and deliverance from the king of Assyria! How then can we escape?

 

20:1 In the year that the supreme commander, sent by Sargon king of Assyria, came to Ashdod and attacked and captured it— 2 at that time the Lord spoke through Isaiah son of Amoz. He said to him, “Take off the sackcloth from your body and the sandals from your feet.” And he did so, going around stripped and barefoot.

3 Then the Lord said, “Just as my servant Isaiah has gone stripped and barefoot for three years, as a sign and portent against Egypt and Cush,[a] 4 so the king of Assyria will lead away stripped and barefoot the Egyptian captives and Cushite exiles, young and old, with buttocks bared—to Egypt’s shame. 5 Those who trusted in Cush and boasted in Egypt will be dismayed and put to shame. 6 In that day the people who live on this coast will say, ‘See what has happened to those we relied on, those we fled to for help and deliverance from the king of Assyria! How then can we escape?’”

Footnotes

a. Isaiah 20:3 That is, the upper Nile region; also in verse 5

1. In Isaiah’s time, Assyria was a powerful nation. The Assyrians were bent on conquest. In fear, some surrounding nations, including Israel, allied themselves with Egypt and Cush hoping that Egypt and Cush could keep Assyria at bay.

 

2. Sargon, the king of Assyria, sent his armies and attacked and captured Ashdod. Ashdod had depended on Egypt. Egypt could not save Ashdod. Then the LORD told Isaiah to take off his sackcloth and sandals and to go around stripped and naked. The prophet surely felt humiliated by going around like this for three years, but God had a purpose. Isaiah served as a sign. As Isaiah went about stripped and barefoot, so the king of Assyria would lead Egyptian captives and Cushite exiles away stripped and barefoot—to Egypt’s great shame! People would realize that relying on the Egyptians, even though they seemed able, would not save them from Assyria. This was a warning to the people of Israel and Judah that depending on others could not save them. Only the LORD their God could save them.

 

3. We are tempted to rely on other people, things, or even ourselves. But no matter what our present situation, may we depend on God today.

 

Prayer Father, thank you that we can depend on you for victory in all circumstances.

One Word Trust in God more than people