Isaiah 18 reminds me of being sent to the bank by the owner of the company when I was in High School. He abruptly ordered me to “Go get me five hundred dollar bills”. Not sure if he meant 500 singles, or 5 $100 bills, I awkwardly asked him to clarify. Robert was not a patient man, and he simply repeated his demand, much louder. I left his office with him screaming “five hundred dollar bills!” Hoping this was a normal transaction, I gave the teller the withdrawal slip. She cheerfully offered to call to confirm the denominations and I heard him thunder the same phrase through the phone. Needless to say, we got it wrong, and I was never asked to go to the bank for him again. We are often very poor in communicating important information. Though God’s Word is subject to translation and interpretation, it can also be ambiguous at times. I believe God makes some lessons less specific to allow for our personal application. That is, God will often confirm His truths, repeating them in multiple times, in multiple ways and often through multiple people. Today’s chapter is widely considered to be obscure, but is there something here for you? Isaiah begins, “How terrible it will be for the land beyond the rivers of Cush. It is filled with the sound of wings… That land sends messengers across the sea; they go on the water in boats made of reeds“. Many interpret this to be directed at Ethiopia, which at the time included Egypt. Both Ethiopia and Israel were united in their mistrust of Assyria. Isaiah continues, “Go, quick messengers, to a people who are tall and smooth-skinned, who are feared everywhere“. Is there someone you have been too intimidated by to share a message they need to hear? All of us are messengers, prepared or not.
Every time I am obedient enough to offer a word of hope, or reconciliation or of God’s love, I trust that I am one of many messengers. The apostle Paul explains we are “Only servants, through whom you came to believe as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow” (1 Corinthians 3:6). No matter how ineloquent I am, it may be enough to water a seed of faith. Isaiah continues to describe this nation, “They are a powerful nation that defeats other nations. Their land is divided by rivers“. This could be our nation too. Isaiah adds, “All you people of the world, look! You will see a banner raised on a mountain“. God lifts up nations and God lifts up people to raise His banner. Luke 33:18 reminds us, “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden“. Are you hiding His light?
God spoke to Isaiah, “I will quietly watch from where I live“. We are the only messenger of Peace some people will ever know. Isaiah concludes today’s transaction with a reminder that the doors will close and then it will be too late to make a withdrawal, “The time will come, after the flowers have bloomed and before the harvest, when new grapes will be budding and growing. The enemy will cut the plants with knives; he will cut down the vines and take them away. They will be left for the birds“. They will be left to rot. Isaiah ends with a note to the willing messenger, “a gift will be brought to the Lord All-Powerful from the people who are tall and smooth-skinned“. Still worried about approaching that brother or sister whom God loves? “Do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you” (Matthew 10:19). God is patient, bank on it!