There are major sinful influences in and around us that seek to direct and control our thinking and our actions. God’s sovereign plan ultimately is to destroy these sinful influences through the outpouring of His wrath. Therefore, it makes no sense to place our trust in the influence or wisdom of the world. We must, instead, place our trust in Christ and Christ alone. The world wants to placate us. Christ wants to save us.

Reflection When you read Isaiah 19:1, what image comes to mind and how does that image display the power of God? How does God’s judgment of sin lead to the possibility of redemption? How can we learn to see God’s redemptive purposes in the judgments He brings into our lives? How should an honest reflection on Isaiah 19:23-25 destroy nationalistic thinking among Christians and cause us to think more like citizens of a kingdom that is not of this world rather than as citizens of a particular geo-political nation? Why would a Gentile-hating, nationalistic Jewish person find Isaiah 19:25 so troubling? How might that same attitude be found in us? What do these chapters teach us about the future unity of the people of God in heaven?