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Isaiah 20

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Verses 1-6, “In the year that Tartan came to Ashdod, when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him, and he fought against Ashdod and took it, at the same time the Lord spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, “Go, and remove the sackcloth from your body, and take your sandals off your feet.” And he did so, walking naked and barefoot. Then the Lord said, “Just as My servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and a wonder against Egypt and Ethiopia, so shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians as prisoners and the Ethiopians as captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt. Then they shall be afraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation and Egypt their glory. And the inhabitant of this territory will say in that day, ‘Surely such is our expectation, wherever we flee for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria; and how shall we escape?’ ”

Sargon, the king of Assyria, sent Tarton to the Philistine city of Ashdod to overtake it. During this time, God told Isaiah to remove His garment and sandals, and prophecy this way for three years as a sign. The sign was a message against Egypt and Ethiopia that their shame would be uncovered when the king of Assyria leads them away as prisoners. When this is fulfilled, Judah will realize that putting their hope in Ethiopia and Egypt was just foolish. They will be left afraid, with no where to turn for help from Assyria, except God. At this fork in the road, they will need to decide if they will receive God's warning and trust Him only.

In our fallen state, we live in bodies that are corrupted by sin, often doing things that we know we ought not to do. We also act faithless at times, turning to others and taking matters into our own hands. Therefore, as Christians, we look forward to a permanent covering from God that is perfect and free from the desire to sin. II Corinthians 5:1‭-‬4, “For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life.”

Unfortunately, many do not realize the reality of their sinfulness; and think that do not need anything from God, even though they are in a desperate and pathetic condition. Although God will rebuke and chasten us, not everyone will receive the correction and repent. Their sinfulness may not be revealed immediately, but eventually the shame of their nakedness will also be exposed.  Revelation 3:17‭-‬19, “Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—  I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.”

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  1. SusanJune 22, 2017 at 9:03 AM

    “In the year that Tartan came to Ashdod, when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him, and he fought against Ashdod and took it, at the same time the LORD spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, “Go, and remove the sackcloth from your body, and take your sandals off your feet.” And he did so, walking naked and barefoot. Then the LORD said, “Just as My servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and a wonder against Egypt and Ethiopia,” Isaiah 20:1-3

    Isaiah removed his garments, like a poor person or a prisoner, for three years as a sign. The Egyptians would become prisoners. God had judgment for the Egypt and Ethiopia, but before they fell, joining them looked like a great idea. Yet God had a plan and they would not win.

    Many times we try to look for relief. Something that will make us feel safe, but that relief does not last. It goes away and we are left in the same or worse place as before. Instead of trying to find relief in anything other than God, we need to turn to Him. He provides lasting relief and He will take care of us. He knows what the future holds and will not allow us to do anything that would be bad for us. We just have to trust Him.

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