Is the God you worship - Worthy of Worship

Isaiah 19:5-15

Is the God you worship able to see into what we human critters call the future, and to be in total control of all that happens?  If not, why are you worshiping such a small god?  Worship is a strange word that is often attached to a Supreme Being that most refer to as God.  I have often stated that everyone is religious, and the reply is always the same, I’m not religious, I never darken the door of a church.  But going to church is not the measure for being religious.  Many are more committed to golf, football, exercise, or travel, than many in the church are to the church.   My computer dictionary uses this as one of many definitions of religion: a pursuit or interest to which someone ascribes supreme importance: consumerism is the new religion.  The little god, who fits this role for Christian and non-Christian alike is “Self" and often it has a pursuit of interest to which it ascribes supreme importance.

So with that backdrop, it is important to remember the Nile River is the lifeblood of Egypt, if it dries up the people of Egypt are in big trouble.  And this is what Isaiah is seeing in his vision from God.  First, the farm land is not able to produce, then the people who earn a living by fishing are gone, and last those who work with flax, a product to make clothing, are out of business, and the princes and Pharaoh’s wisest advisers give stupid advice.  What a picture of our time, when a nation’s leaders and advisers chase the little gods of power and wealth, and have no knowledge of God’s desires or His plan, such nations are in big trouble, just like Egypt.

Egypt was known for its wise men in fact, Egypt was the center of wisdom in the ancient Near East.  In verse 12 Isaiah is told by God to ask this question: “Where then are your wise men?  Let them tell you and reveal what the Lord of Hosts has planned against Egypt.”  What these so call wise men did not have understanding about is found in Isaiah 55:8-9, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.  “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” 

Luck was not involved in the affairs of Egypt, nor is luck involved in our life; it is the Sovereign will 

of God.   In verse 14, we have this insight: “The LORD has mingled within her a spirit of confusion, 

and they will make Egypt stagger in all its deeds, as a drunken man staggers in his vomit.”  That is a 

great word picture, it is obnoxious to see a drunk rolling around in their vomit, and that is what 

leadership void of God looks like.  It matters not what plan they come up with, nothing is going to 

stand against God’s devastating judgment.

If only the Pharaoh had the mind and heart of the king of Nineveh  who heard the word of God spoken 

by the reluctant prophet Jonah, “And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put 

on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.  The word reached the king of Nineveh, and 

he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.”   

(Jonah 3:5-6)

And we do know that God withheld his judgment, for His plan in sending Jonah was the repentance of t

he people of Nineveh.  But Egypt was too full of so called wise men to hear from God, and one must ask, 

is the United States the same as Egypt with its so called Czars.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice