“Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, and trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but they do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the LORD! Yet He also is wise and will bring disaster and does not retract His words, but will arise against the house of evildoers And against the help of the workers of iniquity. Now the Egyptians are men and not God, and their horses are flesh and not spirit; so the LORD will stretch out His hand, and he who helps will stumble and he who is helped will fall, and all of them will come to an end together” (Isa 31:1-3).
I recently had a divine appointment in England with a single mom who fled the war in Ukraine. She shared with me how she had lost everything—her home, her career, and her comfortable life—to live in a new location that was, in her words, very unwelcoming. As she shared with me her life story, I was surprised to hear myself tell her how truly blessed she is to discover an important truth: trust in anyone (i.e., political alliances with Egypt; Isa 31:1a) or anything (i.e., horses and chariots; Isa 31:1b) that can be taken away or destroyed is a false hope. For in the words of Isaiah, “the Egyptians are men and not God, and their horses are flesh and not spirit” (Isa 31:3). This opened the door for me to encourage her to seek the one hope which will never disappoint or fail her: the Holy One of Israel (Isa 31:1c).
But how awful it would be for us to cross over to the other side of eternity having built our entire lives and all our hopes upon a foundation of sand rather than putting our trust in the only one who can “redeem our soul from the power of Sheol”.
After my conversation, I began to think how much more blessed she was than all the people around her who, though living comfortably in their own homes in their native land, had never had the privilege of learning how foolish it is to lean on flesh and blood. In reality, it’s a completely undesired lesson none of us truly wants to learn. But how awful it would be for us to cross over to the other side of eternity having built our entire lives and all our hopes upon a foundation of sand (see Psa 49:5-14 [6-15]) rather than putting our trust in the only one who can “redeem our soul from the power of Sheol” (Psa 49:15).
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls” (1 Pet 1:3-9).
