19:1 Here is a message about Egypt: Look, the Lord rides on a swift-moving cloud and approaches Egypt. The idols of Egypt tremble before him; the Egyptians lose their courage.
Isaiah goes north and looks into the future and sees that bad things are to come upon Egypt. Jehovah is seen as riding upon a swift cloud to judge Egypt. This same idea was used of Baal (storm and rain god) In Canaanite mythology. However, it is Jehovah who is the true Giver of rain. Even though Moses had show that the Egyptian gods had no power, centuries later the Egyptians were still worshiping insect gods. However, these false demonic Egyptian insect gods would not be able to save Egypt from the Assyrians. Therefore, it will do Israel no good to make an alliance with Egypt.
19:2 “I will provoke civil strife in Egypt, brothers will fight with each other, as will neighbors, cities, and kingdoms.
The coming of the Assyrian invasion will cause civil war in Egypt.
19:3 The Egyptians will panic, and I will confuse their strategy. They will seek guidance from the idols and from the spirits of the dead, from the pits used to conjure up underworld spirits, and from the magicians.
The Egyptians will panic and seek assistance from the occult.
19:4 I will hand Egypt over to a harsh master; a powerful king will rule over them,” says the sovereign master, the Lord who commands armies.
Egypt will be handed over to Assyria. The harsh master will be the Assyrian king Esarhaddon, who conquered Egypt in 671 B.C.
19:5 The water of the sea will be dried up, and the river will dry up and be empty.
God will send a drought to Egypt which will ruin their natural resources and their economy. This drought will effect the Nile River.
19:6 The canals will stink; the streams of Egypt will trickle and then dry up; the bulrushes and reeds will decay,
This prophesied drought would deplete the food supply of Egypt.
19:7 along with the plants by the mouth of the river. All the cultivated land near the river will turn to dust and be blown away.
Egypt cannot survive without the flooding of the Nile.
19:8 The fishermen will mourn and lament, all those who cast a fishhook into the river, and those who spread out a net on the water’s surface will grieve.
This drought would effect the Nile fishing industry.
19:9 Those who make clothes from combed flax will be embarrassed; those who weave will turn pale.
This drought would effect the Egyptian linen industry.
19:10 Those who make cloth will be demoralized; all the hired workers will be depressed.
This drought would effect the Egyptian clothing and labor industry. All of these judgments would cause unemployment in the Egyptian job market.
19:11 The officials of Zoan are nothing but fools; Pharaoh’s wise advisers give stupid advice. How dare you say to Pharaoh, “I am one of the sages, one well-versed in the writings of the ancient kings?”
The problem with Egypt was that foolish leaders were guiding them into destruction. Any political leader, counselor, or advisor who does not master Bible doctrine from the entire counsel of the Word of God is a foolish political leader who will lead their nation into destruction.
19:12 But where, oh where, are your wise men? Let them tell you, let them find out what the Lord who commands armies has planned for Egypt.
Egypt was known in the ancient world for her wisdom writings and her wise men. However, these men know only the secular wisdom of the satanic world system. When Moses brought in true Bible doctrine via the Ten Plagues, then the wise men of Egypt rejected it.
It is important to note that the most wisest and intelligent men cannot see the truths of the Word of God unless these truths are revealed to them supernaturally by the Holy Spirit. They are blinded by an enemy that they do not know exists. Unless they are chosen to receive en efficacious call from God, then they are totally clueless in spiritual matters. The Bible is a closed book to them. They are deaf to the words of even the best evangelists.
19:13 The officials of Zoan are fools, the officials of Memphis are misled; the rulers of her tribes lead Egypt astray.
Like Israel, the leaders of Egypt were leading their people astray. Zoan and Memphis were two leading political cities of northern and southern (upper and lower) Egypt. Even modern Egyptian leaders were foolish, because they had led Egypt into four foolish wars against modern Israel. Each of these four wars were devastating to Egypt, because they were all in violation of the Abrahamic Covenant.
19:14 The Lord has made them undiscerning; they lead Egypt astray in all she does, so that she is like a drunk sliding around in his own vomit.
Notice that Jehovah caused Egyptian leaders to become undiscerning of the truth. Egypt was a nation of drunks, so God gave them drunken leaders. God gives people the kind of leaders that they deserve. America is currently a godless nation, so the godless American electorate are voting in godless leaders who are leading them into their own destruction. The liberals, feminists, Muslims, and atheists have combined to change America into a socialistic godless nation.
19:15 Egypt will not be able to do a thing, head or tail, shoots and stalk.
When the Assyrian Empire attacks Egypt, then their leaders would make foolish decisions. Jehovah warned Egypt not to count on her wise men to save the nation from coming destruction.
19:16 At that time the Egyptians will be like women. They will tremble and fear because the Lord who commands armies brandishes his fist against them.
“At that time” refers to the future Millennial Kingdom. During the Millennial Kingdom, Egypt will fear Jehovah. They will recognize that Jesus will rule with “a rod of iron.”
19:17 The land of Judah will humiliate Egypt. Everyone who hears about Judah will be afraid because of what the Lord who commands armies is planning to do to them.
During the Millennial Kingdom, it will be Egypt who fears Judah and not vice-versa. Some of this fear may have begun after Egypt's defeat in the modern four wars against Israel, but the fear is not yet completed.
19:18 At that time five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the Lord who commands armies. One will be called the City of the Sun.
Today in modern Egypt, Hebrew is a forbidden language. During the Millennial Kingdom, there will be five cities in Egypt who will speak Hebrew. This means that their will be a large Jewish influence in Egypt. “The city of the Sun” is Heliopolis. This city was well known for her sun worship. In the Millennial Kingdom, even the Heliopolis citizens will speak Hebrew.
19:19 At that time there will be an altar for the Lord in the middle of the land of Egypt, as well as a sacred pillar dedicated to the Lord at its border.
During the Millennial Kingdom, Egypt will no longer worship the sun. They will no longer exist as a Muslim nation. They will nationally worship Jehovah. Their new altar will be for the worship of Jehovah. The memorial will be a sign and witness that Jehovah saved Egypt from their oppressor.
19:20 It will become a visual reminder in the land of Egypt of the Lord who commands armies. When they cry out to the Lord because of oppressors, he will send them a deliverer and defender who will rescue them.
During the Millennial Kingdom, Egypt will be protected by Jehovah. The deliverer of Egypt is the Lord Jesus Christ.
19:21 The Lord will reveal himself to the Egyptians, and they will acknowledge the Lord’s authority at that time. They will present sacrifices and offerings; they will make vows to the Lord and fulfill them.
During the Millennial Kingdom, Egypt will worship with animal sacrifices which look back to the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. They will make vows to Jehovah and keep them.
19:22 The Lord will strike Egypt, striking and then healing them. They will turn to the Lord and he will listen to their prayers and heal them.
During the Millennial Kingdom, Egypt will be disciplined for not attending the annual Feast of Tabernacles. However, God will heal them and restore them to fellowship.
19:23 At that time there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will visit Egypt, and the Egyptians will visit Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together.
The Via Maris (Kings Highway) was an ancient trade route which connected Egypt with the northern empires of Syria, Anatolia, and Mesopotamia (modern day Iran, Iraq, Israel, Turkey and Syria). In Latin, Via Maris means the "way of the sea." It was a historic road which ran along the coast of Israel. It was the most important trade route from Egypt to Syria. This trade route has been closed since 1948, because many of these Muslim nations have closed their borders to Jews. During the Millennial Kingdom, this road will re-open. Egyptians and Assyrians will worship Jehovah together on these roads. They will trade with each other economically.
19:24 At that time Israel will be the third member of the group, along with Egypt and Assyria, and will be a recipient of blessing in the earth.
In Isaiah’s day, Judah was hoping that Egypt would save her from the Assyrians. During the Millennial Kingdom, these three powers will have a harmonious, peaceful relationship under God’s hand of blessing.
19:25 The Lord who commands armies will pronounce a blessing over the earth, saying, “Blessed be my people, Egypt, and the work of my hands, Assyria, and my special possession, Israel!”
This blessing is a fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant, when “all peoples on earth will be blessed through" Him (Gen. 12:3).