Day 105: Isaiah 18- God Wins!

Ah, land of whirring wings that is beyond the rivers of Cush, 2 which sends ambassadors by the sea, in vessels of papyrus on the waters! Go, you swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth, to a people feared near and far, a nation mighty and conquering, whose land the rivers divide.

3 All you inhabitants of the world, you who dwell on the earth, when a signal is raised on the mountains, look! When a trumpet is blown, hear! 4 For thus the Lord said to me: “I will quietly look from my dwelling like clear heat in sunshine,  like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.” 5 For before the harvest, when the blossom is over, and the flower becomes a ripening grape, he cuts off the shoots with pruning hooks, and the spreading branches he lops off and clears away.

 6 They shall all of them be left to the birds of prey of the mountains and to the beasts of the earth. And the birds of prey will summer on them, and all the beasts of the earth will winter on them. 7 At that time tribute will be brought to the Lord of hosts from a people tall and smooth, from a people feared near and far, a nation mighty and conquering, whose land the rivers divide, to Mount Zion, the place of the name of the Lord of hosts.

Meditation
Several years-ago our family spent 10 weeks in Uganda.  Our first morning there included nausea from travel, disorientation, and curiosity in what we witnessed going to church. Throughout Kampala people were jumping with newspapers in their hands, headlines reading, “Uganda wins!” The national football team won a major Africa Cup match and the city was rejoicing. Today’s passage reveals a future headline, “God Wins!” And calls God’s people to likewise celebrate victory.

Isaiah’s historical context under the reign of king Hezekiah was highlighted by empire enhancement. Assyria had conquered the Northern Kingdom (722 BC) and was threatening Judah. In the South, Egypt acquired Cush (1) and was growing in power. Cushites were a “tall and smooth” people (2,7) but their region was massive, bolstering the imperial power of Egypt. Should Hezekiah find security by making a political alliance with either his southern or northern neighbors? No, because the Heavenly headline is clear- GOD WINS. Wisdom compels God’s people to humble ourselves before the True Superpower and fill our cities with rejoicing.

The signal in vs 3 is a banner of victory (See meditation on day 76) and everyone in the world is commanded to look. The sovereignty of God will be recognized by all nations, including the Cushites who will bring tribute to the King. (7)

God wins! And we are wise to celebrate His sovereign victory today. The political and economic powers are tempters, inviting our hope, but only Jesus is on the throne. God wins! And His victory is worthy of all our hope and trust. 

Richly Dwelling
-Judah was tempted to put their hope in the political and economic powers of Assyria to the north or Egypt to the south. Where are you tempted to put your hope and trust during this season of uncertainty?

-The passage commands all people to “Look!” (3) Are you looking, focusing, meditating, on the victory of God? His sovereign rule and reign over all? HOW can you focus more on the message, the signal, of victory?

-To celebrate God’s sovereignty and victory is to respond to His grace with obedience. Are you obeying the rule of God, trusting His rule and reign?

Key Verse
3 All you inhabitants of the world, you who dwell on the earth, when a signal is raised on the mountains, look! When a trumpet is blown, hear!