The prophecy given to Egypt about its downfall is increasingly enlightening to me. The sorts of pronouncements on the nation are quite common in Biblical accounts; especially from the prophets towards wayward nations. The general gist of the passage suggest that God is going to create fear, confusion and fruitlessness in Egypt. It states that “…all the wage earners will be sick at heart,” “the officials of Zoan have become fools, the leaders of Memphis are deceived” and that “The Egyptians will lose heart, and [God] will bring their plans to nothing.” These three summaries are pulled from various portions and out of order; however, it creates an image of the chaos in Egypt. This passage strikes home for me when I look at the news about America. Perhaps I shouldn’t compare and perhaps it isn’t a model; yet my heart tells me different. These are very, very similar symptoms that I see in Americans today. The officials are completely lost and oblivious because of their drunken power trips. The laborers and workers of the nation are sorrowful, exhausted and fed-up with the current system. Effort and struggle by those trying to maintain the course appears to be fruitless. When they aren’t fighting the natural struggles of business, ethical work and learning curves of life they are fighting the government, social pressure and institutions trying to steal or corrupt their lives.
Egyptian will rise up against Egyptian (vs. 2). Isn’t this the contemporary American situation? Social media arguments are so, so common. Friendships crash and burn because of the political correctness tension. To even suggest political correctness exists is to assume and presume a side! People are not people anymore. People have become bullhorns for ideological agendas – whether on the right or the left! Living is not simply living. There must be a “deeper” purpose to fulfill an unknown “destiny” of greatness. Everyone is specially conformed; uniquely similar – diversely identical. And yet everyone hates each other.
These observations sadden me. A great momentum against America is driving the nation insane. The only real question I have is: who is driving America insane? From the time I was a young child, the perspective that America is the greatest nation on Earth was pounded into my mind. Not necessarily from my parents as blind patriots, it was the cultural and educational perspective of most Americans. Exporting Democracy and Western culture was (and still is) common. While not inherently bad, many of the beliefs and ideas spread across the world were not godly. As a leader on the world stage, America became the model for other nations. The citizens of America were model to other citizens. Yet, at the same time I wonder: was that simply a proud heart puffing itself up? Were America and Americans really the model for everyone else? Was it the hubris of our mentality to believe we were special?
A sinking feeling in my stomach says the hubris of America was its own deification. The greatest government to ever exist? The most free? The greatest nation on earth? How can a people be so arrogant to believe these things? For many of us, growing up in the U.S., these slogans are common and unassuming. They are every day quotes from military commercials, business advertisements and educational promotions. Yet, stepping back and objectively looking at the U.S., the hubris and pride of the nation is rather condemning. There is no doubt that America is a land of opportunity. But what sorts of opportunity? Opportunity to have more stuff? Opportunity to earn more money? Opportunity to obtain more knowledge? Opportunity to become the rich and powerful? Perhaps the most pervasive lie in the American church is that wealth, education and freedom are essential tools for spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. What is America but another man made creation that will inevitably fail? While America has produced some fantastic innovations, contributed to increasing education worldwide and been the primary peace keeper in geo-politics, there are many other nations that played this role in the past. They are no longer here.
This is not intended to be a “bash” America post. Rather, a call to recognize our own insignificance and humble ourselves before the Lord and pray. All the money, guns and friends cannot save someone from the punishments God stored up for a nation. At the end of the road, there is mercy or judgement. The same God that judged Egypt judges America. The same standard for Egypt is the standard for America. There are those who believe the Biblical account is progressive. That since Isaiah is in the Old Testament, that the stories are irrelevant or not cross-compatible with today’s society. These seem to be foolish ideas. The Bible is not progressive in Truth. It is progressive in revelation. Truth is that which is. Truth is I AM. That which never changes; He who is the same yesterday, today and forever. Jesus Christ. Simply because understanding occurred progressively does not mean the Truth progressed. This idea is quite laughable when taken into say, a scientific arena. Once scientists believed that when water was poured out of a jar that “nothing” was in it; that the jar was empty of all substance. Once “nothing” was discovered to be “air” which contained many, many different chemical gases, such as nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, neon and hydrogen there was a “progression” of new scientific discoveries. Did reality progress? Of course not. That would be silly. These gases had always entered the jar. A new revelation occurred that enlightened our perspective of reality.
All in all; while reading Isaiah 19 I was amazed at the description of Egypt’s internal failures. The people were suffering because of their sins. How many nations have been afflicted like this because of disobedience? These are symptoms of a dark heart. Symptoms of a people that walked away from the Truth. At the end of the day, may we humble ourselves and pray to the Lord.
