Daily Devotional – Wednesday, July 27, 2022
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help…But who do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the LORD!
Isaiah 31:1 (NKJV)
n Genesis 12:10, we read, “Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there…” His sojourn did not end well because God Pharaoh kicked Abram out due to the latter’s lies.
When another famine struck the land in the days of Isaac, God told him, “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you.” (Genesis 26:2).
Do Not Go Down to Egypt
After the exodus from Egypt directed that future Israel kings should not “…cause the people to return to Egypt.” (Deuteronomy 17:16).
In the days of Prophet Isaiah, the Assyrian kingdom threatened the kingdom of Judah, which then sought an alliance with the mighty Egyptians. God warned the Jews:
“Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, And rely on horses, Who trust in chariots because they are many, And in horsemen because they are very strong, But who do not look to the Holy One of Israel, Nor seek the LORD!” (Isaiah 31:1).
Going Down to Modern Egypt
Trusting in the Egyptian horse, horsemen and chariots is doubting the power of God. The Lord promised to destroy both the Egyptians and the Jews if Judah sought Egypt’s help (Read Isaiah 31:2-3).
Going down to Egypt in happens when we trust our intellect, education, spouses, leaders and other ‘arms of flesh’ at the expense of our relationship with God. If your first reaction to trouble is to appeal to a human being or earthly system, you are going down to Egypt against God’s will.
Instead of going down to Egypt, “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” (Matthew 6:33)
Prayer
Dear Father, forgive me for going down to Egypt. Teach me how to trust in you fully.
And Mr Maina the best part of all this trusting God is found in Matt 6:32 where He says “…..for He knows we need these things”. So apparently God has somewhere some sort of ‘budget’ for us all and sits somewhere waiting for us to go request for it but O how of a little faith we are that we can’t even take Christ at his word when he tells that “whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
My prayer this morning is that amidst life’s conflicts whether great or small may we be steadfast in our faith in God for He encourages us to “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Isaiah 41.10
True, Hans. I will let you quote the verse to bless our readers.
Amen 🙏
Yes, there is danger in Egypt.
Amen…may we learn to trust in the lord only, rely not in other sources of strength but the lord only. The bible says.. Isaiah 26:4 ..Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:
Amen, Doc