Monday, June 9, 2014

Isaiah 20:5

Copyright Ó 2014 J. Neely
Isaiah 20:5ues

5 And they shall be afraid [chathath] and ashamed [buwsh] of Ethiopia [Kuwsh] their expectation [mabbat], and of Egypt [Mitsrayim] their glory [tiph'arah].  KJV-Interlinear

5 "Then they shall be dismayed and ashamed because of Cush their hope and Egypt their boast.  NASB

Unrealistic expectations and unrealistic celebrations are the hope of any and all who disregard Gods design for the spiritual life.  If you do not follow the mandates spelled out in the Bible, then you obviously have a better plan for your own life.  The result of your plan is guaranteed disaster and you will never know the benefits of Gods plan.

Isaiah wrote these words a very long time ago, and yet people then and now and throughout all of those years in between, have disregarded the warning.  The result has been many historical disasters that we can easily read about, but there are far more personal disasters that only those who lived their lives will know about.

You, or anyone who reads these words, have the opportunity to have the greatest life ever, even beyond your imagination.  But you also run the risk of imitating the Egyptians and the Ethiopians of old, as well as the Jewish people to whom this warning was originally given.

We are given this warning through them and we have the opportunity to learn by their mistakes.  But unfortunately most people do not learn from history.

And that failure is due to two things given herein.  They are unrealistic expectations, the both of them.

Ethiopia, was a vast region beyond Egypt, out of which came gold and diamonds and many phenomenal things that would turn anyone's head and eye.  The riches and glory of the world was out there for the taking.

Egypt was the power to drool over.  If Egypt was on your side, then who could stand against you? 

Wasn’t that something that was at some point ascribed to God?

And yet, the people turned not to God for their support and the strength of His arm, but they turned to Egypt, just a country in the sand, who by the way, was drowned in seconds way back in the exodus days of Moses.

You can look to the Bible which is just a compilation of words and promises and use faith to lean on for your security and destiny.

Or, you can look to the things of this world for your pleasures and comforts and securities, things that you can smell and touch and hold. And then which is the better?

Well, the one day that you have to consider, is your last day of life here in this world, something that you cannot avoid.  What then?  Where are your things and status then?

What you will be left with is fear and shame. 

Fear, ‘chathath,’ means to break down, to prostrate, to surrender in confusion, discouragement.

Ashamed, ‘buwsh,’ means confounded, disappointed, pale, embarrassment.

Your hope and dream, all of which are based on your own stubborn views of life and never reinforced by any objective learning, will result in your confusion, which will be short lived, and then embarrassment. 

This embarrassment is from the sudden realization that everyone around you  is looking at you, knowing what you have done, and then you realize that what you have done was absolutely stupid, and everyone knows it.  You seem to be finding it out last.

You could have pursued a different life, but did not.  Why is that?

You can pursue a different life.  Will you?