Isaiah 19
McGeeCHAPTERS 19 AND 20THEME: The burden of Egyptthrough gloom to gloryChapters 13-23 present eleven judgments against nations that surrounded the nation Israel. The burden of Egypt is the sixth burden. Egypt is certainly one nation we would expect to find on this list. This is one of the greatest passages that illustrate the accuracy of the Word of God. Certainly, fulfilled prophecy is proof that the Bible is the Word of God. No nation figures more prominently on the pages of Scripture than Egypt in its relationship to Israel.
Egypt has a longer history than any other nation mentioned in Scripture, including Israel. In fact, it was down in the land of Egypt that the nation Israel was born. Seventy souls from the family of Jacob journeyed there, and four hundred years later they left Egypt with at least a million and a half people. Egypt was an old nation at that time. It has had a continuous history right down to the present day. It is in existence today and plays a prominent part in world events.
And it has a glorious future predicted in this chapter. This chapter contains all the elements which enter into the history of the nationits past, present, and future. Egypt came into prominence early in Scripture when Abraham ran away to Egypt and got into difficulties. Later Joseph was sold into Egypt, and during a famine Jacob and his sons went down into Egypt with their families. There Israel became a great nation as slaves in the brickyards. Later on, after the children of Israel returned to the Promised Land, two of their kings, Ahaz and Hezekiah, made an alliance with Egypt and found her an unreliable ally. During the intertestamental period, between Malachi and Matthew, Israel suffered grievously at the hand of Egypt. When the Lord Jesus Christ was born, He was taken down into Egypt. The gospel made many converts in Egypt during the first three centuries of the Christian era. Out of that section of North Africa came three great saints of the churchAthanasius, Origen, and Augustineand others also. In our day, Egypt has been a thorn in the side of the new nation of Israel.
Isaiah 19:1
FULFILLED PROPHECY CONCERNING EGYPTThe idolatry of Egypt is the chief target of God’s condemnation. We will pick up this theme again when we get to the Book of Ezekiel where God says that every idol would disappear from Egypt. Perhaps no people were ever given over to idolatry more than the Egyptians, with the possible exception of Babylon, which was the fountainhead of idolatry. What Paul said in Rom_1:21-23 fits Egypt like a glove: “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.” History bears testimony to the fact that Egypt was originally monotheistic; that is, they worshiped one God; but they gradually lapsed into the basest sort of idolatry where every creature under heaven was worshiped, including the bull, the frog, the scarab (a bug), the fish, and all sorts of birds. When Moses was ready to deliver the children of Israel from Egypt, God had to carry on warfare, which I call the battle of the gods, in which God through Moses brought down plagues upon Egypt. Jehovah struck at all forms of idolatry in Egyptfrom the sun in the heavens and the River Nile to frogs and lice in the land. Each plague was directed against one of the gods or idols of Egypt. Now God comes down again in a cloud like a chariot to destroy the idols of Egypt. It is interesting to know that idolatry has long since disappeared from the land, though the people dwell in the ignorance and superstition of the Moslem religion. I have visited Egypt twice, and there is no darkness like the darkness in the land of Egypt. Isaiah’s prophecy has been fulfilled.
Isaiah 19:2
At about the time of Isaiah several pharaohs arose who could no longer control this great kingdom, and the army no longer obeyed them. The people no longer respected the government. This caused the setting up of weak city-states that were self-governing for a period of time. For this reason there were great cities such as Thebes and Karnak in Upper Egypt, and in Lower Egypt there was another cluster of great cities. There was a breakup of cities also at Memphis, known in Scripture as Noph.
Isaiah 19:3
The proud nation of Egypt had advanced its civilization much further than other nations. There is not a nation under the sun today that does not owe a great deal to the civilization of Egypt. There came a time when Egypt turned to idols and finally in desperation resorted to spiritism. You find that at the time of Moses, for instance, the magicians who were called in could actually duplicate some of the miracles that Moses did. The time came when they could no longer duplicate what Moses did, but what they did at first reveals the fact that they were not fakers; they actually had satanic powers. “The spirit of Egypt shall fail.” The time came when the nation was brought down to a low level.
Isaiah 19:4
This “cruel lord” cannot be positively identified from history, as Egypt was attacked and subdued by a series of invaders who eventually reduced the nation to poverty.
Isaiah 19:5
The “sea” in this verse refers to the River Nile which was the main artery of the nation and a large body of water. “The rivers” are the canals that were built especially at the mouth of the river. That delta area had to be kept open in that day because so much soil was being brought down by the River Nile.
Isaiah 19:6
It is quite interesting that even today those “brooks,” those outlets to the sea there at the delta, are filled up. It had been a wonderful place, like the Garden of Eden, but it is not that now by any means. Those who have traveled to the land of Egypt are amazed to see that there is no great growth of vegetation along the banks of the Nile. There is no forest or heavy foliage such as is common along other great rivers. Now notice what God says specifically:
Isaiah 19:7
The “paper reeds” are the papyri which were used in that day as paper is used today. It was one of the main industries of Egypt, and it added a great deal to the wealth of Egypt. After clay tablets, papyrus became the writing material of man. The Phoenicians introduced papyrus all over the civilized world of their day, and the main source of this writing material was raised along the Nile River. You won’t find it there today. It no longer grows along the banks where it was indigenous.
If you go there today, you will find papyri in front of the museum beside the pool that is there, and you see it growing at some of the wealthy homes, especially in the British colony at Cairo. It is a luxury; it is no longer the common plant which grew plentifully along the River Nile. God said it would cease. You can try to find a natural explanation for its dying out, but I believe that God had something to do with it.
Isaiah 19:8
Fishing was another great industry in Egypt, as the Nile River abounded in fish. When the children of Israel came out of Egypt, they missed the fish they had eaten in Egypt. Of course, there were no fish in the desert. God gave them flesh to eat when He sent them quail; but, very frankly, they didn’t care too much for quail on toast. They much preferred the fish in Egypt. The fish have disappeared, and to this day fishing is not one of the industries along the Nile.
This prophecy was literally fulfilled. When I was in Egypt, I particularly watched for people fishing in the Nile. I don’t think I saw over two or three people fishing! In Florida you see hundreds of people fishing along the canals, but you don’t see fishing like that in Egypt. God said that the fishermen would mourn and lamentbecause they wouldn’t catch anything.
Isaiah 19:9
Egypt raised flax, and they wove it into remarkable linen. It even excelled the linen made in Ireland in our day. I have been told that while the Irish linen mills get about 180,000 feet of strands per pound, the Egyptian mills got 300,000almost twice the amount. It was very much like silk. It is said that a fisherman could take a net made of that fine twined byssus linen and pull it through the ring on his hand! It was this Egyptian linen that was used in Israel’s wilderness tabernacle. The people had brought that wonderful linen with them. Now God said that that industry would disappear, and it certainly has disappeared. This prophecy has been literally fulfilled.
Isaiah 19:10
The entire fishing industry was to disappear. This has been fulfilled literally. Dr. F. C. Jennings writes, “Egypt’s wealth, as already said, practically consists in her river, because of its volume here called a sea.” All of that has disappeared.
Isaiah 19:11
The royal line of the pharaohs intermarried so muchactually brother married sisterthat it produced offspring who were morons. God said:
Isaiah 19:13
“Noph” is Memphis as we know it. “They have also seduced Egypt.” We all know the sordid story of Cleopatra (a Greek) who became queen of Egypt.
Isaiah 19:14
This is a vivid picture of the reduction of Egypt to a base kingdom.
Isaiah 19:15
According to this verse there would be the failure of industry and commerce. They would die, and poverty and wretchedness would overtake the nation. Isaiah has predicted that there will be failure of false religion, failure of material resources, and failure of spiritual power. When these disappeared, the prophecy that Egypt would become a base kingdom was fulfilled. All you have to do is to go to Cairo today to have this confirmed.
Isaiah 19:16
UNFULFILLED PROPHECYThe phrase, “In that day,” places this section in the future. “In that day” Egypt will be afraid like women; that will be their condition when they go into the Great Tribulation period.
Isaiah 19:17
You may be thinking that this verse is being fulfilled in our day when we see buildings in Egypt, like the museum in Cairo, sandbagged and protected against a bomb attack.
Isaiah 19:18
This entire section looks toward the Day of the Lord for a complete fulfillment.
Isaiah 19:19
“An altar to the LORD” has been interpreted by some of the cults as the pyramid. The pyramid is neither an altar nor a pillar, but a monstrous mausoleum for the burying of kings and queens. What will be “a sign”? What will be an ensign? The cross will yet be the place to which Egypt will look instead of to a crescent.
Isaiah 19:21
Egypt has a glorious future. The nation will enter and enjoy the Kingdom with Israel. It may not look like this could be possible in the present hour. Only God can do this.
Isaiah 19:23
This freeway will not be for soldiers and armies but for those going to Jerusalem to serve Christ the King.
Isaiah 19:24
Note the exalted position of Egypt in the Kingdom.
Isaiah 19:25
A blessing is yet to come to Egypt, a despised and debased nation. The one great thought in chapter 20 is that in three years Israel would be invaded. Chapter 19 is closed on the high note of future blessing for Egypt in the millennial Kingdom, and this chapter predicts coming events in the near future, which will prove the reliability of Isaiah as a prophet of God.