An oracle concerning Egypt.
"Behold, the Lord is riding on a swift cloud
and comes to Egypt;
and the idols of Egypt will tremble at his presence,
and the heart of the Egyptians will melt within them."
Isaiah 19:1
The picture of God coming in a storm to judge Egypt is vivid. Anyone who has survived a storm knows the attendant feelings of helplessness that the storm brings. There is fear and an awesome respect for the merciless fury in the winds and rain. And that was the warning given to Egypt. All their false gods would be of no comfort when God finally came to judge them.
The image of an idol trembling is arresting. God will shake our trust in anything other than Him. He will make us uncomfortable. He will bring a healthy fear as our idols fail us. He will reduce them to nothing worthy of our trust. Our hearts will be ripped of their false beliefs when we have to face the reality of God's swift storm.
I am reminded that fear can be good. It can drive us to trust God. It can goad us forward to find faith again. It can help us strip idolatry from our souls so that we might truly worship a mighty God. In the raging storm is a call to align our hearts fearfully with a powerful God. So when God judges, He will be known. And that is glorious and good.
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