The people of Judah during Isaiah’s time on the earth were “rebellious children,” and they had stopped trusting in God and had decided to trust in Egypt (Isaiah 30:1-2). The people of Judah would see that when God is for someone, who can be against that person? In Isaiah 31:1, a “woe” is pronounced upon Judah for their trust in Egypt and their failure to seek the Lord. The only Wise God would bring upon them calamity for their failure to look to Him (Isaiah 31:2).
The people of Judah would learn that there is none like unto God. The Psalmist realized this when he declared in Psalm 71:19, “Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!” The people of Judah would know that the Egyptians are mere mortal men. God is Almighty (Genesis 35:11). No one can stand against God and prevail. Those who trusted in Egypt for help would not prevail. In fact, both those helped and those who tried to help them apart from God would fail together (Isaiah 31:3). God would come against Judah like a young lion roaring on his prey and even if many shepherds were called against Him, He would not be afraid of their voice. God would thus come to fight for Mount Zion. He would fight against the evil shepherds. God would deliver Jerusalem from these evil leaders (Isaiah 31:3-5). The children of Israel had deeply rebelled against Him, but there was an exhortation given to turn to Him through giving up their idols (Isaiah 31:6-7). The Assyrian would fall when the people looked to God and as He therefore fought for them. Any nation that dared to strike Judah when Judah sought out God, would perish in the Lord’s fiery furnace of indignation (Isaiah 31:8-9, Hebrews 11:27).
The people of Judah would learn that a failure to trust in God would result in their going into Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 1-39), yet when they were for God, then He would protect them, and no nation could prevail against them (Isaiah 31:8-9). Likewise, today the church is God’s people for we are His holy nation (I Peter 2:9-10, I Peter 4:17, I Timothy 3:15). As such, we must realize that we shall have enemies, such as how that His people had the Assyrians as enemies in the past, but we must do good to them (Matthew 5:44). We will be persecuted for righteousness’ sake (II Timothy 3:12). Through obeying God, the enemies that we have will be brought down into eternal punishment and overcome through Jesus in the end, while we obtain eternal happiness (Hebrews 5:9; I Corinthians 15:25; Matthew 25:23, 46; Revelation 21:4). As Romans 8:31 says, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” The answer is no one! Make sure you are on God’s Side!
-Jason Gann, TBC Online Instructor
