A God of No Bounds
4/24/26 Bible Thought (Isaiah 18-19)
Main Idea: God is the Savior of all who will put their faith in Him.
A Look at the Text:
As the judgment oracles of Isaiah continue, there is a slightly different tenor in the judgments on the nations of Cush and Egypt that we see in today’s text. There would come a day when Cush would bring tribute to Yahweh at Jerusalem (Isa. 18:7). Likewise, though Egypt would go through an incredible time of turmoil, ultimately, there would be those who would turn to God.
One day, there would be cities in Egypt that would speak the Hebrew language, the language of the covenant people (Isa. 19:18). There would be an altar in the center of Egypt and along its border (Isa. 19:19). All in all, the Egyptians would know the Lord (Isa. 19:21). They, alongside Assyria, would be known as being His people (Isa. 19:25).
Bringing it Home:
The story of the Bible is one of God progressively making Himself known.
When Moses showed up before Pharaoh and said, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go,” (Ex. 5:1), the Pharaoh initially responded, “I do not know the Lord” (Ex. 5:2). Through the subsequent plague judgments, God made Himself known. Yet, there was no allegiance to Him.
Still, there would come a day when people from all nations would worship the true and living God and leave their idols behind. In Christ, both Jew and Gentile can be reconciled to their Creator.
God’s grace was never to be harbored by one people, but to be shown to all. As in God’s initial blessing to Abraham, there was the promise, “I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 12:3, emphasis added).
Millennia later, prior to His ascension, Christ gave the great commission, “Make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19). Later, when John saw a vision of heaven, he saw:
“a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb” (Rev. 7:9-10).
The grace of God wasn’t to be reserved for one nationality or special people, but it’s available to all who would put their trust in Christ and believe (see 1 Cor. 1:21).
Challenge:
Do I truly see that the offer of salvation is extended to all peoples?