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Isaiah 20 ✒️ An Uncomfortable Message

April 12, 2024 • Dr. Dave Burnette • Isaiah 20

1In the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod, (when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him,) and fought against Ashdod, and took it;

 2At the same time spake the LORD by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put off thy shoe from thy foot. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot.

 3And the LORD said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia;

 4So shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians prisoners, and the Ethiopians captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, even with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt.

 5And they shall be afraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory.

 6And the inhabitant of this isle shall say in that day, Behold, such is our expectation, whither we flee for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria: and how shall we escape?


COMMENTARY by Dr. Dave Burnette


Written By: God through Inspiration

Penned By: Isaiah

Date Penned: (700-681 BC)

Overview: To Tell of God's Salvation through the Messiah (c 1-66)

Theme: Words of Judgment (c 1-39)

Message: Prophecy Against Egypt and Ethiopia (v 1-6)


Isaiah 20 Commentary 


(20:1-6) Judah - Sargon II was king of Assyria from 722 to 705 BC, and this event happened in 711 BC. Isaiah graphically reminded Judah that they should not count on foreign alliances to protect them. 


(20:2) God's Message - God's command to Isaiah was to walk about naked for three years, a humiliating experience. God was using Isaiah to demonstrate the humiliation that Egypt and Ethiopia would experience at the hands of Assyria. But the message was really for Judah: Don't put your trust in foreign governments, or you will experience this kind of shame from your captors. Human governments and institutions can never take God's place as the ultimate authority on truth, justice, and dealing righteously with people. 


(20:2) Trust the Lord - God told Isaiah to do something that seemed shameful and illogical. At times, God may tell us to take steps we don't understand. We must obey him in complete faith, for he will never lead us astray.


LIFE APPLICATION by Dr. Dave Burnette


Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today, we continue in the Book of Isaiah with Chapter 20. In our text today, we see prophecy against Egypt and Ethiopia. In this message, Isaiah was to deliver a message to these nations that was uncomfortable to him. In applying, we see the Lord sometimes will ask us to deliver messages to others that might make us uncomfortable. Sometimes, telling others about their sin or delivering the Gospel will make us uncomfortable. Still, we are to obey the prompting of the Holy Spirit for the ultimate good of others. How about you? Do you see that we are to obey the Lord even when it is uncomfortable? Let us learn from our text today and the example of Isaiah to remember to follow the Lord even when it is not comfortable.

More from Isaiah

Isaiah 56 ✒️ A House of Prayer

May 18, 2024 • Dr. Dave Burnette

Isaiah 55 ✒️ Seek the Lord

May 17, 2024 • Dr. Dave Burnette

Isaiah 54 ✒️ No Weapon Shall Prosper

May 16, 2024 • Dr. Dave Burnette

1 Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.  2Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;  3For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.  4Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.  5For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.  6For the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God.  7For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.  8In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.  9For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.  10For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.  11O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.  12And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones.  13And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.  14In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee.  15Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.  16Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.  17No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD. COMMENTARY by Dr. Dave Burnette Written By: God through Inspiration Penned By: Isaiah Date Penned: (700-681 BC) Overview: To Tell of God's Salvation through the Messiah (c 1-66) Theme: Words of Comfort (c 40-66) Message: Israel Will Be Rebuilt (v 1-17) Isaiah 54 Commentary  (54:1) Childless - To be childless (barren) in the ancient world brought a woman great shame and disgrace and guaranteed a future of poverty for her. Families depended on children for survival, especially when the parents became elderly. Israel (represented by Jerusalem) was unfruitful, like a childless woman, but in the future restoration God would permit her to have many children and would change her mourning into singing.  (54:6-8) Sins Separation - God said that he had abandoned Israel for a brief moment, so the nation was like a young wife rejected by her husband. But God still called Israel his own. The God we serve is holy, and he cannot tolerate sin. When his people blatantly sinned, God in his anger chose to punish them. Sin separates us from God and brings us pain and suffering. But if we confess our sin and repent, God will forgive us, showering us with love and compassion. Have you ever been separated from a loved one and then experienced joy when that person returned? That is like the joy God experiences when you repent and return to him. Heaven rejoices when a lost person returns to God (Luke 15:7).  (54:9-13) A Covenant - God made a covenant with Noah that he has never broken (Genesis 9:8-17). Likewise, God made a covenant of peace with the people of Israel, promising that the time would come when he would stop pouring out his anger on them; he would restore their wealth, and he would personally teach their children. In Isaiah  (54:11-12) The New Jerusalem - we see a picture of the future new Jerusalem (see also Revelation 21:10, 18-21). LIFE APPLICATION by Dr. Dave Burnette Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today, we continue in the Book of Isaiah with Chapter 54. In our text today, we see a promise of Israel to be fulfilled and rebuilt as the people of God are protected and restored by God. I love verse 17, which says that no weapon formed against thee shall prosper. In making an application, we see the promise of the Lord is still true today. We might face opposition and even lose a few battles, but the Lord reminds us that He will deliver us. How about you? Are you facing a battle? Let us learn from our text today and the promises of the Lord that no weapon formed against us shall prosper.