Isaiah has a moment in his book when he pulls back the curtain of a idol-making factory.  Where we can see the process and dialogue that the sculptors, molders, and carvers of the idols that will be purchased, taken home and worshiped as a god.  For them it is all just big-business.  And with terror on the rise, they’ve got great job security. Listen as he notes the irony of bowing down to something that can’t stand up on its own:

6 The idol makers encourage one another,

saying to each other, “Be strong!”

7 The carver encourages the goldsmith,

and the molder helps at the anvil.

“Good,” they say. “It’s coming along fine.”

Carefully they join the parts together,

then fasten the thing in place so it won’t fall over.

Similarly, there are people who spend every waking hour honing in on you as their prime market for selling their idols.  After all, its big business!  Gadgets, televisions, perfumes, food, status, an attractive movie star… all of it must be nailed down so it won’t topple over.  It’s all hanging together by a thread, but they give you the  impression that this is the strongest thing in the world.  It is worthy of your worship; and with terror on the rise, its no wonder that retailers just had their biggest Christmas season ever.

In the industry of idol-making these days, millions are spent every day just to get your attention, meanwhile, in desperation you feel you have to yell just to get God’s attention. Maybe your yelling isn’t because God is so far off, but because of the cacophony of the idols that have circled around you.

This noise pollution will last as long as you let it – these gods are perfectly content to receive all your attention and adoration and praise.  But there is another force beyond that is waiting – something that won’t fall over without being nailed down.  He is the very structure of the universe.  And he’s can hear even your slightest whisper when its his name you’re calling.

• Jerusalem will become a highway between Egypt and Assyria, contemporary enemies, but in Isaiah’s optimistic prophecy, they are now sharing goods and a strengthened economy together as allies. v23 No longer is one subservient to the other, but they are equal partners – could the US and Afghanistan be headed for such a future?
• Egypt pledges allegiance to the LORD (v18) – Do even American Christians put their “pledge of allegiance” to God over their allegiance to the Pledge of Allegiance?
• Yahweh’s uplifted hand brings pain and destruction to the Egyptians (v 22) – but Isaiah qualifies that God’s hand is like a surgeon that must hurt in order to heal (Jer 30:12-17).
• Egyptians will come to “know” Yahweh — …the Hebrew word here does not mean “to have information about” …but “to acknowledge intimately and embrace”
• – Ecumenical fellowship between Egypt, Israel, Assyria – once former enemies are allies.

It is easy to read through Isaiah without considering what prophetic imagination might look like in our world today.  But what if we took some of the ideas presented in Isaiah and considered the effects God’s intervention would have on geo-political relations today.  I guarantee – it would totally transform how you and I see the world!

Imagine the Taliban “setting up an altar” to the living Christ! (v 19)

Imagine the US and Iran putting down their nukes, and using the money instead to build new schools for each other’s children!

Imagine North Korea pledging allegiance, not to Kim Jong-Il, not the American flag, but to the LORD!!

The life of the prophet is easy to read about, but it becomes controversial to begin thinking and dreaming “prophetically” about the world today.  But that is EXACTLY what the world needs…