Exposition by Max A Forsythe
In the opening months of the Great War, the British Empire requested the aid of the far flung dominion forces scattered at the ends of the earth. Colonial forces from many distant lands prepared to answer the call; many of these dominion regiments filled the gaps left by returning British battalions, others took ship for the Middle East and the Western Front. Once again in the Second World War, the far flung forces of the Empire answered the call to support their distant sovereign half a world away. Yes, great distances were involved and despite innumerable problems, the two great conflicts of this century were indeed world wars in which tens of millions were involved. We take these matters as history, without troubling ourselves about the vast distances involved. After all, this is the twentieth century, and we have the means which we suppose other centuries to lack.
And so, when we read of distant lands being affected by the turn of events in the Middle East in our seventeenth chapter of Isaiah, we are hesitant to consider that the ancients were able to travel and trade widely with much more primitive equipment. The paper boats described in verse two do not impress us the same way that a steamship might. Yet, one modern archaeologist has demonstrated that those same paper boats were capable of sailing from Africa to South America. And as the scriptures report in several places, there was some diplomatic relationship between the ancient land of Cush and the kings of Israel and Judah.
At the very least we may learn today that even lands like Cush were aware of the march of the Assyrians and perhaps were even preparing to protect their own frontiers or even to send an expeditionary force to distant Palestine. Now, there is much here in political relationships that we do not understand, so we must be careful not to press the passage for more information than we should. But, by the same reasoning, we ought not to ignore a probable widespread knowledge of the impressive God of Judah who in the reign of Hezekiah would break the power of a large Assyrian army overnight. In 2 Chronicles 32: 22-23 we hear this report: "So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all others. He took care of them on every side. Many brought offerings to Jerusalem for the Lord and valuable gifts for Hezekiah king of Judah. From then on he was highly regarded by all the nations."
It seems evident in verse seven of our Isaiah passage that one of those who brought offerings to Hezekiah's God was an envoy of the land of Cush. This idea is reinforced in Psalm 68, where it is revealed to David that "envoys will come from Egypt and Cush will submit herself to God." Certainly, we could understand that David's revelation would be fulfilled in the coming of the Queen of Sheba, whose trading empire included the coasts of Ethiopia. However, there seems to be indicated that the Cushites have more than just a passing diplomatic interest in the cause and calamities of Jerusalem and the Davidic dynasty. After all, some eight hundred years later, a royal Ethiopian treasury official was again in Palestine and there he would have these very revelation records of Isaiah explained to him.
Now, the verses before us are difficult, because we in our day may not comprehend the year to year relationships of a complex situation. Even though this short chapter hints at a special blessing for the elect Cushites, the first verse opens with a "Woe"! Now, what political complexities may be involved in the application of this "Woe" of warning? Well, we may discover from history that in this particular time period the XXV dynasty of Egypt was known as the Ethiopian dynasty. In other words there was a closer relationship between upper and lower Egypt. So much so that the Sudanese upper kingdom appears to be dominant in political affairs. My Encyclopedia doesn't give much detail except to hint that the XXV dynasty was very short in duration. And during this brief suzerainty there was an Egyptian attack on Jerusalem. Perhaps this is the reason for the woe in question.
To these peoples, messengers are to be sent. In verse two Dr Young would report that there are three different peoples in our text. The first, tall and smooth-skinned may be considered Egyptian. The second people would be further up river, and the third people a mighty nation, whose land the streams divide. This would take us very far up river to the very people blessed by their long term association with Judah and Judah's God. By this action of sending messengers such a great distance, Isaiah would have us know in verse three that all peoples of the world are within God's knowledge and care. Even the elect of Cush may know when a banner will be raised on the mountains. Indeed he promises, they will see it and hear the sound of the trumpet.
And the Lord will look down upon them and be present. Look at the second and third phrases in verse four "like shimmering heat in the sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest." Years ago, when I was at Fort Knox, Kentucky, I was reading several books by C.S. Lewis. In one he described a spiritual angelic presence in much the same manner of a shimmering heat in the sunshine. A couple days later while I was walking through the summer heat, which always seemed hotter on a dusty Army base, I thought I saw what he described. Later I decided that the shimmering glitter might have been nothing more than gasoline fumes evaporating in the heat of the day. But was it really? I don't know for sure. An absolute visual knowledge that God is with us is not for us today. Yet, we may certainly know that like he would be for the ancient Ethiopians, God is still with us today. And he is still as refreshing as that summer dew early in the morning even in mid-August.
In the next few verses the message to the Ethiopians is set forth. Assyria here is the vine and the African nations along the Nile may know that they will be secure. Before Assyria can come to them, Assyria will most certainly be cut off. Their troops will be left on the ground in such numbers that the vultures and carrion eaters will feast for several seasons. In gratitude for what God has done the distant tribes may well send their sums gathered for war. Offerings may be made to the One God who alone will lay low the Assyrians. The march of Ethiopians to the relief of Jerusalem will not be necessary. The great expense of such a campaign may well be saved.
Instead, as the invitation in verse three intends, there is a different banner for the Ethiopians to rally to. Isaiah promises that the Lord will make that banner of Christ known to them and finally the revelation to David in Psalm 68: 31 may be fulfilled: "Cush will submit herself to God." Isn't it wonderful that we live at such a late date to know that this prophecy is indeed being fulfilled in our day and time? While the spread of the Gospel may be slow here in America, there are reports that the center of evangelical Christianity is spreading far and wide on the continent of Africa. May we give praise for God's activity in calling His elect from every clime and nation and may we, like the Cushites look for the same banner of Christ. Like the Ethiopians may we too bow our knee before our God and His Anointed One: Jesus Christ. Amen.
Resources Used:
Ellis, Charles..
The Wells of Salvation.
Thomas, Derek..
Welwyn Commentary Series: God Delivers.
Young, Edward J.
The Book of Isaiah.
The Holy Bible.
New International Version (1984 Edition)
NOTE: I am not able to automatically
recommend any future editions.
Christ Covenant Reformed (Presbyterian Church in America) -
Box 13926 - Columbus, OH 43213
(c) 2001 05
February 1994
Permission granted to redistribute unedited versions with this notice.