Isaiah 31:1-9: a reflection

1Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses, and trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because they are very strong, but they don’t look to the Holy One of Israel, and they don’t seek the LORD! 2Yet he also is wise, and will bring disaster, and will not call back his words, but will arise against the house of the evildoers, and against the help of those who work iniquity. 3Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the LORD stretches out his hand, both he who helps shall stumble, and he who is helped shall fall, and they all shall be consumed together. 4For the LORD says to me, “As the lion and the young lion growling over his prey, if a multitude of shepherds is called together against him, will not be dismayed at their voice, nor abase himself for their noise, so the LORD of Armies will come down to fight on Mount Zion and on its heights. 5As birds hovering, so the LORD of Armies will protect Jerusalem. He will protect and deliver it. He will pass over and preserve it.” 6Return to him from whom you have deeply revolted, children of Israel. 7For in that day everyone shall cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold—sin which your own hands have made for you. 8“The Assyrian will fall by the sword, not of man; and the sword, not of mankind, shall devour him. He will flee from the sword, and his young men will become subject to forced labor. 9His rock will pass away by reason of terror, and his princes will be afraid of the banner,” says the LORD, whose fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem.

Isaiah pronounces a woe on God's people for where they turned in their fear: Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses and trust in chariots because they are many, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or seek the LORD. Threatened, they ran to a worldly power, Egypt, for security, rather than looking to God. And Isaiah reminds them: the Egyptians are men, and not God; their horses are flesh, and not spirit. Then he gives a tender promise: like birds hovering, the LORD will protect and deliver his people.

Notice where they ran for help, and where they failed to look. In their fear, they went down to Egypt, sought security in a strong worldly ally, put their trust in horses and chariots; but they did not look to the Holy One or seek the LORD. Their instinct in trouble was to run to worldly sources of help rather than to God. And Isaiah's word is that such help is only flesh, while God, who is spirit, protects his people like a bird hovering over its young.

That searches where we run in our own fear. When trouble comes, where do we first turn for help and security? To our resources, our connections, our worldly sources of strength, the modern equivalents of Egypt and its horses? Or do we look to God, seek the LORD, run first to him? It is not wrong to use ordinary means, but it is a grave thing to trust in them while failing to look to God. When you are afraid, do not run first to Egypt. Look to the Holy One; seek the LORD; run first to the God who protects his people like a hovering bird. Let your first recourse in trouble be to him, not to worldly helpers who are only flesh.

Lord, Isaiah pronounced woe on your people for running to Egypt for help, trusting in horses and chariots, but not looking to the Holy One or seeking the LORD. Search where I run in my own fear. When trouble comes, I am prone to turn first to my resources, my connections, my worldly sources of strength, my own Egypt, rather than to you. But such help is only flesh, while you, who protect your people like a bird hovering over its young, are the one I should seek. It is not wrong to use ordinary means, but keep me from trusting in them while failing to look to you. When I am afraid, help me not to run first to Egypt, but to look to the Holy One, to seek you, to run first to the God who protects his own. Let my first recourse in trouble be you, and not worldly helpers who are only flesh. You are my help; help me look to you.