Today’s text takes us to the oracle to Cush. In this passage, the prophet turns away from the other nations that were addressed earlier. Cush turns to diplomacy in a time of crisis and yet, God says that He is working in world events. Isaiah 18:6-7 tells us the result, first in verse 6, and the other in verse 7.
(A) Cush’s negative example: read the news to make man’s plans – don’t do that (Isa 18:1-2)
In the opening verses of this chapter, we learn some things about the audience of the oracle. This is a land with seas and water features. They could be filled with locusts (“whirring wings”). There also seems to be a distinction between the people beyond the rivers of Cush and also, who is in Cush. Thus, the land seems to be divided by water. They have ambassadors that are sent out by vessels of papyrus, which seems to have also been used in Egypt (c.f. Exo 2:3).
Now, at first glance, it is quite hard to position where we are in these verses. But from the description, they appear to be seafaring people. This is a nation that is likely flanked by t bodies of water, and the great Nile flows through it.
We are also told that the nation sends out the swift messengers to Assyria (Isa 18:2b). To understand the implication of this verse, we need to remember that Isaiah 18 is in the part of Isaiah that continues to show us how the small nations are constantly under threat by the great Assyria. The table below provides a helpful recap and context:
Babylon and Assyria are big superpowers of that time, but Philistia, Moab and Samaria are the smaller nations. Isaiah 14:28 marks a turn in the text, as God moves from talking about Assyria to Philistia. The story moves back to talking about Judah and Ahaz, who are constantly under threat from Assyria.
Throughout Isaiah, the pattern has been that God speaks to the nations to show where they are spiritually. God has also been telling the nations that when they place their hope in geopolitical alliances, it is not just foolish, but is also offensive to Him. When we put our trust in the ways of men, our God is offended.
Thus, in Isaiah 18:2b, the messengers that were sent out intended to secure an alliance. This is what they do by default. This is also what we tend to do on a daily basis. It is a normal part of life. But in the context of Isaiah, this action is not acceptable. They are warned not to make plans banking on man.
But what is an alternative response? In 2 Kings 19:14-19, Hezekiah the king of Israel receives a letter from Sennacherib which was sent to “mock the living God” (2 Ki 19:16b). In the face of this crisis and threat, he responded by turning to God in prayer and acknowledges that God is not a distant God but He is the God of Israel. He alone is God and Hezekiah recognises that God’s rule and claim is not just over Israel, but is really over the world. He prays and asks God to deliver and save them, “that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that [He], O LORD, are God alone” (2 Ki 19:19).
Let us compare 2 Kings 19 with Isaiah 18. In Isaiah 18, we read of how Cush sought to build human alliances and rely on human geo-political strategy. Hezekiah, in contrast, turned to God in prayer.
As we read this, we are also led to think about how we live our lives? We may go to church, pray, do QT, do Bible studies and even read with others. But when calamity strikes and difficult times comes, most of us resort to using our brains and planning what is realistic and feasible. We come up with a plan and seek to achieve it. But Isaiah is ruthless in confronting pragmatism. There is no compromise in Isaiah. Either God is everything, because He is first, or He is nothing.
Acts 4:23-31 shows us an example of how the church responds in calamity. They gathered together and prayed. They prayed Psalm 2, which spoke of how the nations were against God. Notice how the nations are not neutral. If they are not with God, they are against God. They are a formidable enemies of God and God’s people may be overwhelmed. Just like how Hezekiah cried out to God, the church also turned to God in prayer. Friends, the people of God have no other resources except God Himself. What do you do in crisis? Try to strategise? Or be pragmatic? Don’t turn to swift messengers!
(B) Cush’s negative example: read the news atheistically – don’t do that (Isa 18:3-7)
Isaiah records now, a different way of looking at the coming Assyrian invasion (Isa 18:3). Assyria is not coming because they are sovereign in their own plans. Rather, Isaiah sees that God is the one raising the signal and raising the trumpets.
Isaiah also learns that the LORD is the one behind the activity in Isaiah 18:4. He tells Isaiah that He is monitoring the entire situation. He is quietly waiting. He is not surprised by what is going on and neither is He shocked by what is going on. Why? He is the one who is working and also raising the signal. The problem here is that He is doing so quietly and purposefully, without revealing the full extent of His intentions and plans.
This verse teaches us that there is nothing that God does not see. He see the way we live our lives when we think no one is looking. He is also privy to how world leaders decide to act for peace or conflict. He is not blind and in time, He will no longer just observe. God seems to be waiting in such a way that seems to be causing growth. How can God look quietly? God allows things to happen and in His quiet waiting, He is sovereignly allowing things to happen now. But in time, He will intervene.
In Isaiah 18:5-7, the Lord tells the prophet two main outcomes that will surely come to pass. Firstly, we read that God will intervene and deal with the Assyrian army in His timing and in His way (Isa 18:5-6). God will look from His dwelling, but it is not as if there is no plan or things will be in chaos. In His time, He will bring an end to the Assyrian army. He seems to have a specific timing — “before the harvest, when the blossom is over” (Isa 18:4-6).
The tool is also told to us — pruning hooks. He will also lop off the branches that are spreading. God will also seek to limit the extent of growth. What farmer will allow growth only to lop it off? We don’t know why, but this is what God is saying He will do! Isaiah is being told that God will allow it happen, and even grow, but He will intervene before it gets too far. It shows us that God’s own words are not difficult to understand, but they can be difficult to accept.
In Isaiah 18:6, we are also told that the people will be left to the birds of prey and beasts of the earth (unclean animals). Their bodies will just be there, with the animals on them in winter and summer. What a picture of destruction and desolation.
Secondly, we read of how God defeats Assyria and they will bring their tribute to Him in Jerusalem (Isa 18:7). The nation that was a great threat will now bring tribute to the LORD of hosts, likely because they have been defeated. Notice how they are not bringing it to Israel, but to the LORD of hosts. This is the name of God that refers to His power and might. He is the LORD who is attended here by the armies of heaven, and Assyria will bring their tribute to Mount Zion (Jerusalem). God gets the glory and praise! Though in the beginning, the messengers look for peace with Assyria under the threat of war, but at the end, Assyria will be bringing tribute to Judah. The terror that Assyria instills will be replaced with peace under the rule of God in the end.
In Isaiah 18:1-7, the prophet begins by talking about Cush and how they sued for peace and sought to establish themselves. But Isaiah is showing us what God is really doing. Cush will also see that God is in control, and the nation that they fear will also turn to God.
Why does Cush need to know this? Isaiah is telling them that they are responding to the Assyrian invasion in the wrong way. Yes, it is a great threat. But these messengers and diplomatic calculation are merely man’s plans and they will not stand. At the end, the Assyrians that they fear so much will end up bringing tribute to Jerusalem.
This reframing of history also contrasts two different views of understanding the world. We can look at the world and interpret events in an atheistic way, which is really the normal, default understanding of life. We see markets rise and fall and inflation rises and falls. And we worry when things change. This is the natural way and we get worried, because the forces around us seem to be greater than us and we have no control. We refer to pundits and seek their opinions about how to respond. The older we get the better we are at responding like how the world does. We know we have no way of controlling, but we trust these Powerful People, in hopes that they know more than we do.
But the Bible tells us that there is a God in heaven who quietly watches. This is the second way of understanding and looking at world events. We may not know how every war will turn out, but we are told that the nations will bring tribute to this God. His king will be installed. His word is never a waste of time and His gospel will go out. His church will be established and the people around us will always need to hear the gospel.
And friends, we already have an incredible grip on world history already. Jesus says He is bringing His kingdom to come on earth, beginning in Jerusalem and moving out. Today, the church has spread out from Jerusalem. We are a part of this church. And every day, we are either investing our time in things that have no eternal value, or we are investing in things that will never pass away.
How then, should we read the news? What would it look like for you not to read the news atheistically, but with your eye on God’s Word and works? While we may not be able to predict global affairs as they unfold, how do you understand God’s work in the world – what is God ultimately bringing to pass – and does it matter to you? Don’t read it atheistically but read it thinking about where God has placed you and where He has called you to. Then, get up and do it.
How are you and I “making man’s plans” in the face of crisis?