Trust in Jehovah for Guidance and Protection, Chapter Sixteen

AS SEEN in earlier chapters of this book, God's people face a frightening threat in the eighth century B.C.E.  The bloodthirsty Assyrians are ravaging one land after another, and it is only a matter of time before they attack the southern kingdom of Judah.  To whom will the land's inhabitants turn for protection?  They are in a covenant relationship with Jehovah and should rely on him for help.  (Exodus 19:5, 6)  That is what King David did.  He acknowledged:  "Jehovah is my crag and my stronghold and the Provider of escape for me."  (2 Samuel 22:20 Evidently, though, many in the eighth century B.C.E. do not put trust in Jehovah as  their stronghold.  They are more inclined  to look to Egypt and Ethiopia, hoping that these two nations will provide against the threatened Assyrian invasion.  The are wrong.

Through his prophet Isaiah, Jehovah warns that seeking refuge in Egypt or in Ethiopia will be disastrous. The prophet's inspired  words provide a salutary lesson for his contemporaries and contain a valuable lesson for us about the importance of trusting in Jehovah.

Next time: A Land of Bloodshed

From the Book Isaiah's Prophecy Light for all Mankind, 2000