Isaiah 20

Isaiah finishes off the section with a fulfilment in the immediate future. Egypt had been looking for the Palestinian states to rise with them, against Assyria. Egypt reneged on its promises to help. In the midst of all this Isaiah had embodied his prophetic word – stripping naked for three years (it’s not just Ezekiel who got to do the weird stuff!) to mime the plight of captives and show the futility of trusting Egypt.
He did it for three years with all of Judah wondering what it would mean – when in v3 they get to see the King of Assyria carrying away Egyptian captives shamed, stripped, barefoot and with buttocks showing.

Two takeways – embody the message and look to God not the world for solutions…

As a prophet Isaiah embodied his message, just as Ezekiel shaved his head with a sword and lay down in dung and Hosea married a prostitute. We too embody the message (thankfully not doing any of those actions!) in the way we live life – in for instance our generosity, servanthood and humility.

Isaiah’s prophetic action was a powerful prophetic word to look to God for the answer to crises not the world and evil alliances.