Is. 19:1-17 God shall come into Egypt with his judgments. He will raise up the causes of their
destruction from among themselves. When ungodly men escape danger, they are apt to think
themselves secure; but evil pursues sinners, and will speedily overtake them, except they repent.
The Egyptians will be given over into the hand of one who shall rule them with rigour, as was
shortly after fulfilled. The Egyptians were renowned for wisdom and science; yet the Lord would
give them up to their own perverse schemes, and to quarrel, till their land would be brought by
their contests to become an object of contempt and pity. He renders sinners afraid of those whom
they have despised and oppressed; and the Lord of hosts will make the workers of iniquity a terror
to themselves, and to each other; and every object around a terror to them.
Is. 19:18-25 The words, "In that day," do not always refer to the passage just before. At a time
which was to come, the Egyptians shall speak the holy language, the Scripture language; not only
understand it, but use it. Converting grace, by changing the heart, changes the language; for out of
the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. So many Jews shall come to Egypt, that they shall
soon fill five cities. Where the sun was worshipped, a place infamous for idolatry, even there shall
be a wonderful reformation. Christ, the great Altar, who sanctifies every gift, shall be owned, and
the gospel sacrifices of prayer and praise shall be offered up. Let the broken-hearted and afflicted,
whom the Lord has wounded, and thus taught to return to, and call upon him, take courage; for He
will heal their souls, and turn their sorrowing supplications into joyful praises. The Gentile nations
shall not only unite with each other in the gospel fold under Christ, the great Shepherd, but they
shall all be united with the Jews. They shall be owned together by him; they shall all share in one
and the same blessing. Meeting at the same throne of grace, and serving with each other in the same
business of religion, should end all disputes, and unite the hearts of believers to each other in holy
love.
Chapter 20
The invasion and conquest of Egypt and Ethiopia.Isaiah was a sign to the people by his unusual dress, when he walked abroad. He commonly
wore sackcloth as a prophet, to show himself mortified to the world. He was to loose this from his
loins; to wear no upper garments, and to go barefooted. This sign was to signify, that the Egyptians
and Ethiopians should be led away captives by the king of Assyria, thus stripped. The world will
often deem believers foolish, when singular in obedience to God. But the Lord will support his
servants under the most trying effects of their obedience; and what they are called upon to suffer
for his sake, commonly is light, compared with what numbers groan under from year to year from
sin. Those who make any creature their expectation and glory, and so put it in the place of God,
will, sooner or later, be ashamed of it. But disappointment in creature-confidences, instead of driving
us to despair, should drive us to God, and our expectation shall not be in vain. The same lesson is