"In That Day"

Isaiah 19:16-25

“In that day” is used five times in the above verses it’s what we call future, something to look forward to.  As a follower of Christ, we also have a day to look forward to, it will be a wonderful day, the day of all days for those who by faith have entered into a personal relationship with the living God, our Father and His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  The apostle John speaks of that day in John 14:1-4,  "Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Trust in God; trust also in me.  In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you.  I am going there to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.  You know the way to the place where I am going."

Some who are reading this may be like Thomas, who said to Jesus, “Lord, we do not know where you are going.  How can we know the way?”  Do you know Jesus did not get upset at this very honest question, in fact I believe Jesus loved His followers to ask Him questions?  The way Jesus answered Thomas is a big problem for non-believers, but most of us who are followers, and all of us who by faith have entered into a personal relationship with Jesus find great joy and hope in Jesus’ reply to Thomas.  “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Isaiah is I believe talking about a day in what we call the future, where the mighty Egypt will no longer be mighty, but be like a women, and it will be the Lord’s doing.  The powerful Egypt will be in submission to Judah and many will also be converted to Yahweh.  The City of Destruction is also referred to as the City of the Sun where the sun god was worshipped.  If it were the City of the Sun, it would be a radical transformation.  We also see “In that Day” verse 19, where an altar to the true God will be set in the center of the nation, and memorial pillars at the borders.  It seems as if all of this will happen after God’s judgment of Egypt, and then the healing will come.  Verse 21 tells of two enemies becoming friends, here Egypt and Assyria will travel freely and they will be united in worship of the Lord.  And in verse 25 we see the blessing of Israel and these two nations that for so long were its enemy. 

I am not sure when all of this will take place, but this I know, Jesus is coming again, and as the angel told those who watched Jesus leave planet earth to return to His Father, here Jesus will return in the same manner as He left.  If you’re not a follow of Jesus, who are you following, what have they done, what can they give you, Jesus made a claim to be the way, the truth, and the life, can the person you’re following come close to that?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice