WTW 2021
February 18
Isaiah 18
Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled!
Isaiah 18:2b
Understanding is so important.
Understanding God’s WORD is key.
This requires knowing what God says, and this means knowing and understanding the words He speaks and what He means.
For so the Lord said unto me, I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.
Isaiah 18:4
At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
Matthew 11:25
Let us come like little children again today, and we will understand what our Father is saying to us.
Isaiah 18:2
הַשֹּׁלֵ֨חַ בַּיָּ֜ם צִירִ֗ים וּבִכְלֵי־גֹמֶא֮ עַל־פְּנֵי־מַיִם֒ לְכ֣וּ ׀ מַלְאָכִ֣ים קַלִּ֗ים אֶל־גּוֹי֙ מְמֻשָּׁ֣ךְ וּמוֹרָ֔ט אֶל־עַ֥ם נוֹרָ֖א מִן־ה֣וּא וָהָ֑לְאָה גּ֚וֹי קַו־קָ֣ו וּמְבוּסָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־בָּזְא֥וּ נְהָרִ֖ים אַרְצֽוֹ׃
Go, swift messengers, To a nation far and remote, To a people thrust forth and away—A nation of gibber and chatter—Whose land is cut off by streams; Which sends out envoys by sea, In papyrus vessels upon the water!
Mashak literally means draw or drag.
Morat means peeled.
Mashak has somehow been translated in some cases as tall.
Morat has somehow been translated in some cases as fair-skinned.
God is identifying the people he is indicating here.
Wisdom in the WORD 
You diligently study the scriptures, thinking that through them you have life, yet you refuse to come to JESUS the author of life.
In the past, God spoke to us through the prophets, but in these last days He has spoken to us through His Son, Who is the WORD made flesh and living among us, Emmanuel, Who is God with us.
So as we walk this WTW daily discipleship journey, let us do more than R.E.A.D. and walk daily in the daily chapter in God’s WORD. Let our true and only aim be to walk daily with JESUS God’s Son who is our WTW.
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Comment from a friend:
Matthew Henry, even though he said that this is one of the most obscure prophecies in the whole book of Isaiah, seems to believe this is referring to Egypt during the time of Hezekiah’s reign. One of the reasons given is that Egypt was a fellow sufferer with Judah at the hands of the Assyrians under Sennacherib. And in 2 Chronicles 32:23 it speaks of how “many brought gifts unto the Lord to Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah: so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from henceforth.” This passage of 2 Chron. is quite similar to that of Isaiah 18:7 where it says “In that time shall the present be brought unto the Lord of hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the Lord of hosts, the mount Zion.”
Matthew Henry also the case for Egypt since the chapter mentions the use of boats made of bulrushes (papyrus) which apparently was something that the egyptians were known for.
Perhaps a reason I would say Egypt is because of the next chapter that follows. Not that it is necessarily an accurate connection. But the next chapter is specifically about Egypt without a doubt. So, why not this chapter be a prelude to the next?
But, if chapter 18 is about Egypt and that because of the failed invasion of Assyria, then verse 5 speaks of how the attack of Assyria will be cut off right before it is about to bear fruit for them. And this seems to have been the case in 2 Chronicles 32 where Sennacherib’s army seems to come in with great confidence only to be turned around in shame empty handed.
This is how Sennacherib came in: “After these things, and the establishiment thereof, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fenced cities, and thought to win them for himself.” (2 Chron 32:1) ——- very confident.
But the word of encouragement through the mouth of king Hezekiah to the people of Judah “Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him. With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battles.”
And the result was that “the Lord sent an angel which cut off all the mighty men of Valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So, he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his on bowels slew him there with the sword.” (2 Chron. 32:21).
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I strongly encourage you to watch this short 30 minute video on Isaiah 18. I would greatly value watching this and engaging together with you further.
Isaiah 18 with Baruch Korman
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Interesting. And puzzling why, if this is in reference to Israel, it is not more clear as in other chapters. And in verse 7, it appears the gift will be brought by this people to Mount Zion, as though they are coming from elsewhere. Typically, except fire the diaspora, we see Israel already at Mt Zion, even called by that name. Korman didn’t address that or I missed it.
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Agreed, still taking in the wide lens view. Today’s chapter is a fascinating historical glimpse.
Do you see the chapter 18:2&7 people as the Assyrians? That does make sense.
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Thank you, Rollin
Excellent information for further study
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Yeshayah 18
Oy to the Eretz Tziltzal Kenafayim (Land of Whirring Wings, i.e., Ethiopia), which is beyond the rivers of Kush; That sendeth envoys by the yam, even in vessels of gomeh (papyrus) upon the mayim, saying, Go, ye swift malachim, to a Goy (nation) tall and smooth of skin, to an Am Norah far away on the other side; a Goy powerful and treading down, whose land the neharim (rivers) divide! All ye inhabitants of the Tevel, and dwellers of Eretz, when a nes (battle flag) is lifted up on the harim, look; and when a shofar is blown, listen! For so Hashem said unto me, I will remain quiet in My rest, and I will consider from My dwelling place like shimmering chom (heat) in the ohr, and like a cloud of tal (dew) in the chom katzir (heat of harvest). For before katzir (harvest), when the bud is perfect, and the boser (sour grape, ripening grape) is ripening in the flower, He shall both cut off the zalzallim (shoots) with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the netishot (tendrils, branches). They shall be left together unto the birds of prey of the harim, and to the behemat ha’aretz; and the birds of prey shall summer upon them, and all the behemat ha’aretz shall winter upon them. In that time shall there be offered in homage to Hashem Tzva’os an Am (people) tall and smooth of skin, an Am Norah far away on the other side; a Goy powerful and treading down under foot, whose land the neharim (rivers) divide, even at the makom (place) of the Shem Hashem Tzva’os, Har Tziyon.
Yeshayah 18:1-7 OJB
https://bible.com/bible/130/isa.18.1-7.OJB
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Lolensi
Pray tell who is this friend
What is his name
And what is his son’s name
Joe mag taig a tori nin sranang yere
Bika a mati brok a tori moi suifer nin ptjien geld gim en mi wan tak en dantji.
Na JE?
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Johnny.
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Let me just say
Sefaria, which I used for the first time ever in this post, [and not even to mention my other usual modern go to], got it completely wrong. I could not understand who was intended in this chapter at all so when I posted I was searching intently and with the greatest diligence trying to find to whom He was pointing. After reading INT and mechon mamre, I remembered another parallel I just recently saw for the first time in an exposé sent out by a friend. So I looked that up and found sefaria. After listening to Korman and reading Rollin’s Henry and looking at OJB, it seems abundantly clear.
18 in a nutshell
Whoa, Egypt
You’re sending swift messengers to Israel, a nation that has been stretched and scraped, peeled and toughened [like leather], a people fearful from that time forward, a nation scattered and oppressed, wrecked by powerful forces. You think you’re going to overwhelm them but you will end up paying tribute to Yahweh in Zion.
As usual RVR & kin have it right all along.
Okay I just double checked to be sure:
So not RVR but kin still stands alone.
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Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
1 Peter 1:10-12
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