Isaiah 18
ONE of many remarkable developments in the world during the past 20 years has been the changing prospect of the Jews. In the light of the prophetic Scriptures, General Allenby’s capture of Jerusalem on December 9, 1917, was a significant event, and since that time the Jews have become much more interested in plans for making Palestine again their national home. Indeed, a beginning has been made, several colonies of Jews having settled in portions of the Holy Land; but opposition of the Arabs has hindered progress in this direction.
It is plain from the Scriptures that the Jews will go back to Palestine without faith in God. What circumstances will lead them to return? The restriction of their liberties, persecution in one form or another, seem the most probable.
Chapter 18 lets us know that a country doing much business by means of ships will aid the Jews in getting back to Palestine. The name of the country is not given; it will be one further away from Israel’s homeland than the Nile and the Euphrates, the rivers of Ethiopia.
“Shadowing with wings” is believed to indicate the protection of the Jews from hostile nations, as a bird guards its young under its wings. The opening words of the chapter should read,
“Ho! to the land shadowing with wings,” etc. “Vessels of bulrushes” (or papyrus), it is thought, refers to light, fast ships, without regard to the materials of which they are made.
The return of the Jews to the land of their forefathers will, we judge, take place soon after the coming of the Lord for His heavenly people (1 Cor. 15:51, 5251Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (1 Corinthians 15:51‑52); 1 Thessalonians 4:15-1715For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:15‑17)), an event there is much reason to believe to be now close at hand.
But though the help given by the unnamed friendly country will be great, the Jews will not be very long in the land before they are despoiled by Gentile enemies. All the inhabitants of the world are invited to see what happens (verse 3).
God will apparently have no part in what takes place (verse 4), but when everything seems to prosper with the Jews, and glorious days apparently are just ahead, they will be made to suffer greatly. This we know will be during the great tribulation, after the Church is taken away to be with the Lord.
It is only under God that they can be blessed, and in the Millennium, they will be delivered and wonderfully blessed (verse 7).
ML 07/02/1933