As we begin Chapter 31 we find the Lord again cautioning the people of Judah not to call upon the Egyptians for help. They are not to make an alliance with that heathen nation but are instead to place all of their trust in the Lord.
"Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the Lord." (Isaiah 31:1) In view of the approaching threat of Assyria---the nation that ended up causing the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel as well as several other nations and tribes---it made sense from a human standpoint to combine the soldiers, horses, and chariots of Judah with the soldiers, horses, and chariots of Egypt. Assyria was a great threat to Egypt as well as to Judah and other peoples of the region. To use a modern expression, the people of Judah probably thought, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend." Although the Lord's people had long been cautioned never to go back to Egypt for anything, the fact that Assyria was the enemy of both Judah and Egypt made it highly likely that Pharaoh would agree to an alliance and that perhaps the combined forces of both nations would have a chance of pushing back the enemy.
But man's way is not God's way. If the people of Judah will wholeheartedly trust in Him, they will never need to ally themselves with anyone else. In that era all the other nations of the world were pagan nations and, as the Apostle Paul phrased it, "What fellowship has light with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14) The Lord's people have no business forming a close political/military alliance with the idolaters of Egypt.
If we rely solely on human wisdom, things will appear good to us that are actually not good. Worldly wisdom is not necessarily godly wisdom. The all-wise God knows what is best for every person on the planet. The people of Judah do not need to call upon a heathen nation to help them against Assyria. Having the Lord on their side is all they need; He will defeat their enemy. "Yet He too is wise and can bring disaster; He does not take back His words. He will rise up against that wicked nation, against those who help evildoers." (Isaiah 31:2)
As we learned in our study of the kings, Pharaoh did make an attempt to come to the aid of Judah (and to the aid of his own nation) by marching out with a large band of troops in hopes of pushing back the Assyrian forces. But he was met with a resounding defeat and had to retreat to his own country. He ended up humbling himself to the king of Assyria and willingly paying the tribute demanded of him. Anyone who hoped Egypt would be the solution to their problem was severely disappointed.
"But the Egyptians are mere mortals and not God; their horses are flesh and not spirit. When the Lord stretches out His hand, those who help will stumble, those who are helped will fall; all will perish together." (Isaiah 31:3) The Lord will pull the rug out from under our feet when we are trying to stand on a foundation that is not Him. He does this for our good. Egypt will be defeated because the Lord does not want the people of Judah to trust in Egypt.
I've had the Lord pull the rug out from under me several times in my fifty-four years on earth in order to demonstrate to me that I've placed my trust in something or someone who cannot really help me. I'm not saying that we never need the help of fellow humans; I'm saying that the foundation of our life is to be our faith in God. If we are putting anyone or anything in place of God, trouble is sure to follow, for there isn't anyone or anything who can do for us what God can do for us. People will let us down even if they don't intend to let us down. But the Lord's promises are unbreakable and His power is unshakable.
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