Defensor Familae

The Strength of Pharaoh

“The thing that hath been, is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.” - Ecclesiastes 1:9

How many times has history repeated itself without the people of earth learning from the mistakes? How many times have we, as a people, rejected God only to come to ruin because of it? I have been reading through Isaiah, and a great parallel stood out at me as I read through Isaiah 30:

“Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of Me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin: That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at My mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt! Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion…. For the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is to sit still.” (Isaiah 30:1-3,7)

Israel was under the threat of attack from Assyria at this point in history. They were trying to figure out what to do, how to protect themselves against the threat. But they made a disastrous decision: rather than appealing to God for help, they decided to appeal to the pagan nation of Egypt. Egypt was a mighty physical power, they had countless chariots, fighting men, and implements of war, enough to theoretically defeat the hostile nation of Assyria, no doubt. But God desired that Israel trust solely in Him, and not in the temporal strength of a pagan nation. Israel failed to heed God’s commands, however, and thus it led them into yet another sin against a patient and loving, but yet strict, God.

So have we, today in America, forgotten as Christians where our trust should lie. It is not in any human government, be it our own or be it someone else’s, but in God alone is our salvation. No one else truly has the power to save us. In God alone is our trust! May we see the error of our ways as a nation and turn back to God before we are ruined. Our government is powerless before an all-powerful God. Praise Him from Whom all blessings flow! For He is our only Hope. May we, like the psalmist, cry out:

“Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.” – Psalms 119: 133-36