Wednesday, March 25 2009
ISAIAH 20
Key Verse: V3 “And the Lord said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia;”
The prophet Isaiah was commanded by the Lord to walk without wearing his upper garments and barefooted as a sign to demonstrate to the people that judgment was near and the people must repent of their sins.
1. Servant
V3 “And the Lord said, Like as my servant Isaiah ...”
Are you a servant of the Lord? Isaiah was called the servant of God because he was obedient to God, his master. There was no question asked when God commanded Isaiah to walk without his upper garments and barefooted. Isaiah practiced what he preached as God commanded him. He obeyed God in spite of the opposition he faced as he preached to the people to repent of their sins.
Galatians 1:10 “For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”
2. Sufferings
V3 “… Isaiah hath walked naked and barefooted three years ...”
It was not easy for Isaiah to walk half naked and barefooted for 3 years. With the weather conditions and the tough terrain in mostly desert areas, it must be hard on his body and feet. Isaiah could have injured his feet and could have caught a chill but nevertheless, he obeyed God and walk semi naked and barefooted. Sufferings are necessary for Christians as they strengthen us for the ministry of God. Without sufferings, there is no glory.
Romans 8:17 “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together.”
3. Shame
V4 “So shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians prisoners, and the Ethiopians captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, even with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt.”
Isaiah pronounced judgment upon the Egyptians and the Ethiopians who had persecuted the people of God and had refused to believe in God of Israel. When Christians refuse to trust and obey God, we shall end in sufferings and shame, just like the Egyptians and the Ethiopians.
Food For Thought
Our walk must always be in step with our talk.
