Isaiah 31

Father, we thank you for this day that is a reminder of Your faithfulness, Your love and truth that is found in Christ. We have been bought at a price, a very expensive price which is the precious blood of Jesus Christ. We thank you Father that no amount of sacrifice can ever compare to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ when He died on the cross and was raised to life from the dead for our sins so that we can be in communion with You Father as we are now new creations who are the righteousness of God in Christ. We thank you that when Jesus was raised, we were raised with Him as Your children who are born of God and because of this we are delivered from the power of darkness and every handwriting and accusation that the enemy had over lives is permanently wiped away in the name of Jesus. We thank you LORD that Yours is the power and the glory concerning the lives of Your people, the communities and nations that we live in the name of Jesus, Amen. Thank you LORD.

Today's lead Word is a verse from Isaiah 31:1-3 (NKJV)

"1.Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horsemen who trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because they are very strong, but who do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the LORD!

2.Yet He also is wise and will bring disaster, and will not call back His words, but will arise against the house of evil doers, and against the help of those who work iniquity.

3.Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses are flesh, and not spirit. When the LORD stretches out His hand, both he who helps will fall, and he who is helped will fall down; they all will perish together."

AMEN, thank you LORD.

Chapter 31 of Isaiah is a relatively short chapter that contrasts the results of trusting and relying on the help of man as opposed to relying on God's power and wisdom. It is important to note that Egypt here does not always refer to the actual country but it may sometimes be used as an allegory that once upon a time, as seen in the books of Genesis and Exodus, Egypt was a great nation with a powerful army that people all over the world looked to when it came to resources and help. In the above verses, we see the LORD cautioning anyone who is relying on the army of Egypt because of their many horsemen and putting their trust in chariots.

The caution and warning of the LORD expressed through the prophet Isaiah, represents a pattern where we see people turning away from trusting and worshipping God to trusting the work of their hands, their idols and possessions. The people turn their hearts away from God who gave them the resources and the breath in their bodies to make those inventions. At the same time, the LORD God recognizes that people's will may sometimes be influenced by satan who leads them to temptation and sin.

In the book of 2 Corinthians 4:4 NKJV, satan has been described as the god of this world who has the blinded the minds of those who do not believe lest the light of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God would shine on them. It is for this reason that the LORD God continually puts out His hand of mercy and grace, so that all who receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour would no longer be influenced by the god of this world.

As a result, the LORD God in Isaiah 31:3 shares the consequences of trusting in anything that is not of Him. He reminds us that the Egyptians are men and their horses are flesh, not spirit portraying to us their weakness in comparison to the power of God, the Creator of heaven and earth. The LORD God issues a final verdict of destruction to those who are helped and to the one offering the help.

The Holy Spirit through Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:25 (NKJV) presents the short sighted nature of human wisdom and says, "...the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than God." This means that when man thinks he is outsmarting God's people with schemes and powerful artillery because God's people look vulnerable or weak, Isaiah 31:4 tells us, that the LORD will come down and fight for Mount Zion. The LORD God will defend, deliver and preserve His people against all the wicked plans of the enemy (Isaiah 31:5). It is in this moment, that God's 'foolishness' becomes wiser than any man and plan of the enemy.

I'll end with this Word found in Psalm 20:7 (NKJV)

"7.Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the LORD our God."

AMEN, thank you LORD.

Invitation to salvation: God's power and wisdom is embodied in Jesus Christ. When you receive Jesus Christ, the Son of God, you have the privilege of Christ, the hope of glory living on the inside of you. This happens after you give your life to Christ and become born again which means all your sins are forgiven, washed away and you receive the free gift of eternal life.

If this sounds like you, please repeat this prayer after me;

"I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that; Jesus Christ, the Son of God came in a human body to die for my sins so that I could have a new life where I am dead to sin and alive to God. I repent of my past sins and enter the Kingdom of light where I choose relationship with Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour and with God as my loving Father today and forever. Thank you Father that because the Son has made me free, I am now free indeed." AMEN.

Congratulations, by grace you are saved and are now a new creation in Christ Jesus. The old life has passed away and you have received the free gift of salvation into your life (2 Corinthians 5:17) where you get to freely access everything I've shared in this post. To the glory of the Almighty God. Amen.