Passage Read: Isaiah 15-18
Meditation Verse: 18:7
Thought
It seems Egypt seeks an ally across the waters--of the Mediterranean most likely? And that ally is a nation feared far and wide, brutal and oppressive and powerful. Antony and Cleopatra? This one verse prophesies the turning of that nation to God, such that they pay homage to Him. Israel, which is a tiny nation in a significant location, lies beside the great powers of the Mediterranean, yet one day the mightiest and most frightening of Mediterranean powers will worship their God! Israel is insignificant, but their God is the greatest of all gods, that even the mightiest of nations will bow the knee before the Lord. Indeed, in time all of Europe paid homage to the Lord God through His Son, Jesus Christ. God and His Gospel are more powerful than the armies of man. And even the most violent of people are not immune to the power of the Gospel. In fact, God delights to show His might by turning the mightiest of nations into His servants, to do His will.
Application
There are still men today who know nothing about the Lord or care nothing about the Lord. They are violent people steeped in sin, enslaved to sin. They do not know their right hand from their left. But God is able to turn them or their descendants to faith in Him. In fact, God intends for there to be representatives from every tribe and language and people and nation who worship and serve Him for eternity. There is no nation or people too remote or too violent that they will not have at least some who believe. It may take multiple generations of Christians as envoys, but God will have trophies--individuals saved--from every people! If I cannot go, I should be praying for the laborers who will and preparing as many as possible to go in my place.