Do you think Isaiah 18 is about America?

[Mantis]

Thoughts?

[Jayne]

I do not.  It's about Ethiopia - a warning to them.

Verses 1 and 2 - "Woe" to the people of Cush [Ethiopia].  At this time, during Isaiah's time, Ethiopia was a powerful nation. Historically speaking, they were also at war with Assyria.  [Who wasn't!]

They were sending ambassadors in "reed boats" somewhere.  To where?  Well, since Isaiah is speaking TO Jerusalem - it must be them.  Then Isaiah tells Judah [Jerusalem] to send messengers to meet the Ethiopian ambassadors and give them a warning.

He says go the the "people tall and of smooth skin" [ever seen an Ethiopian?]  God calls them terrible from the beginning, powerful, and treading down.

God says that "rivers divide up their lands.  Back then Ethiopia and Egypt included what we call today the Sudan and more.  The Nile, running through it all split it all in half [including the tributaries of the river].

 

Verses 3 - 6 = What did Ethiopia want with Jerusalem?  I don't know.  Did they want military allies to fight Assyria?  One commentary I read said so and that makes sense to me.

Back to that in a minute.

First, the warning:  [And this is why I agree with the commentator who said the Ethiopians were looking for help to conquer Assyria]  God's warning:

• If God wants to raise up an army to defeat Assyria, he will raise a "banner" and blow a "trumpet" that will make it all very clear.
• Until that happens, God is taking "rest" - he isn't worried about Assyria because he is sovereign.
• God is going use  "pruning hooks" to take care of Assyria when the time comes.  But the time has not come yet.  God STILL has plans for Assyria.  He is going to use Assyria to conquer the Northern Kingdom - Israel - and take them into captivity.  So it is not time for Assyria's destruction.

Hence, the warning it to not get in God's way or, no matter how well-intentioned, try to thwart HIS plans.

 

Verse 7 - Ethiopia will one day come to worship God.  And they have. 

 

 

 

 

[Mantis]

My bible says: Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia

 

which is quite different than yours. I read the KJV. Beyond the rivers of Ethiopia says to me that it is NOT Ethiopia but rather a land “beyond the rivers of Ethiopia”.

[Sister]

Hi Mantis

I am editing this because I said this chapter was about Babylon.  I  have looked at it again and I need to show that my answer was not exactly right, and to be more precise.  I have to correct the record.  Not that my reply was answered anyway.

 

When God mentions "rivers" he is spiritually speaking about belief systems.  Satan has fouled the rivers with false belief systems, with many different types.  These rivers have flowed into the sea unto all the nations.  So False belief systems everywhere coming from those rivers which the nations have been drinking of.  Each drinking of their own river.

Ethiopia has their belief system, their teachings, their own river, but there are worse teachings even beyond that.  Rivers more fouled.

The rivers have sent their messengers by the sea.  Their false belief systems now spreading from nation to nation.

Israel is that land shadowing with wings who has also drunk of these rivers, even deeper than the rivers of Ethiopia. They have drunk of those rivers even more fouled than that of Ethiopia. Israel is that land that the rivers have spoilt.  These rivers have reached also unto them.

The chapter is about Israel.  Not America.  In the end, Israel will delivered from these rivers and taken to the Lords mountain - Mt Zion where there is truth.  There they will be drinking of fresh running water, uncontaminated and pure.  Those old rivers will be dried up.

 

Isaiah 18:1   Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia:

Isaiah 18:2   That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled!

  Isaiah 18:3   All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye.

  Isaiah 18:4   For so the LORD said unto me, I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.

  Isaiah 18:5   For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches.

  Isaiah 18:6   They shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth: and the fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them.

  Isaiah 18:7   In that time shall the present be brought unto the LORD of hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, the mount Zion.

 

 

 

Edited June 15, 2020 by Sister
Revisited

[Jayne]

5 hours ago, Mantis said:

My bible says: Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia

 

which is quite different than yours. I read the KJV. Beyond the rivers of Ethiopia says to me that it is NOT Ethiopia but rather a land “beyond the rivers of Ethiopia”.

As I said, at the time of Isaiah, [around 700 - 600 bc] Ethiopia was a great power.  It actually governed over Egypt to an extent.  "Beyond the rivers" is still Ethiopian land and areas under their control.  Today it's called Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia, and Egypt.  

"Ethiopia" here is a much larger area - much larger and powerful - than present day Ethiopia.

And by-the-by, my Bible - the ESV - says "Ah, the land of whirring wings that is beyond the land of Cush, which sends ambassadors by the sea, in vessels of papyrus on the water. "                  

 

[luigi]

Wherever the land shadowing with wings, made up of a people who have been terrible from their beginning is, it is a land beyond Ethiopia, and therefore not Ethiopia.

Isaiah 18:1 Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia:

[Diaste]

"Wing of a great eagle" is the only possible reference I see to the USA in scripture. 

And that's only if one believes 'great eagle' is synonymous with our national bird.

[Mantis]

For some reason I am fascinated with this chapter.  I am not convinced either way if it is America, Ethiopia, or Babylon. To me it is a future end time event so I am leaning towards America, but I'm probably wrong.

Now I am not a catholic but I did read this article about a catholic "prophet". Now if he is a false prophet we will know by October. When you prophesy you had better be right and those words better be from God . He is talking about the USA getting nuked this fall. Here is the article:

https://www.mysticsofthechurch.com/2020/06/will-purification-for-humanity-begin-in.html

thoughts?

Edited June 16, 2020 by Mantis

[Sister]

Mantis

God sent his prophets.  We listen to them.  They tell us exactly how it will be, and their Words are recorded in the scriptures for a witness, that they are indeed from God.

If we go outside of the prophets that God sent us, we will hear different things that the Lord didn't say, and if you know your scriptures, you will see all sorts of contradictions.

America is not going to be nuked.  It's not in the scriptures.  Beware of wars and "rumours" of "wars".  All is to put fear into us.  A great war will come, yes, but not until the end at the 6th trumpet. 

When the first angel sounds, he will send fire on a third of the earth, the second will smite a third of the oceans, the third will smite the drinking waters, etc etc.  It will happen in that exact order.  When the FP arises, he will uproot 3 kings.  It doesn't say that any whole nation will be killed, for God is saving this for Jesus.  The Word that comes out of his mouth is the fire they will receive.  This is his honour, to bring down the nations, so all nations have to exist for that day that is reserved.

And if anything that this guy says do come true, it's only because he knows their agenda or involved with them somehow, but I can assure you that America will be not be nuked for the reasons above. 

Before the false prophet comes, yes, there will be lack of water and food, things will get worse as this is the time of the black horse.  It's a no brainer, for the 10 kings are destroying this system, only to bring in a new one, and to make us desperate for one.  They will bring hardship on us so we can accept their man, the Son of Perdition.

Babylon has many prophets, and they are not serving the Lord but serving their church.  Serving their own belief system from their own river which is polluted.  Using their river as an authority.  Desperate to draw more fish to their river.

Yes, his followers can tell that by October if things don't come to pass - he is false, but we should already be able to tell that what he has spoken so far, and what he is doing already is false.

 

  Jeremiah 14:14   Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.

 

Jeremiah 23:21   I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.

 

 

 

[luigi]

The phrase "shadowing with wings" sounds like it may refer to a large air force.