Isaiah 20:1-6 Naked
Isaiah gives a prophecy with a timeline and a definite result. No doubt will remain when the captives are led away naked and barefoot as their earthly help fails.
This prophecy is NOT one for the end times. It has already happened in history, but it was still a future event when Isaiah ‘dropped his drawers’ in a physical demonstration of what was to come. My bible helps tells me that in 712-711 BC, the prophecy given through Isaiah came to pass.
God had a VERY STRANGE directive for Isaiah. Taking his shoes off; not a big deal. But doing without clothing to cover his body would CERTAINLY get people’s attention. I’m wondering if he had anything on his body, such as an undergarment, or if he had to go around completely exposed. And how much coverings did the captives walk out with? In the story of David dancing before the Ark as it entered Jerusalem, Michael calls him naked, even though he was wearing an undergarment. How much that covered, I leave to the imagination.
God had Isaiah walk around in this state of undress for THREE YEARS. This ensured that EVERYONE would have an opportunity to hear & view this warning from God. He wanted His people to KNOW what would happen when they put their trust in other nations. NO ONE could save them but God. Only by trusting in Him would they be delivered.
And God KNEW they weren’t going to listen to Isaiah, no matter how outrageous his actions were. That has to be the saddest part of all, for Isaiah and God. “WHY did You have me debase myself when You knew it wouldn’t change the people’s hearts?!?” Did Isaiah feel ashamed as he modeled God’s message? Did He feel God’s personal covering as he ‘walked out’ this message? Did he ask God how much longer he would have to expose himself in public? Did the people laugh at him, and if so, how did that impact him? His trust in God must have been ENORMOUS to have walked out the will of God so publicly. And some of us get embarrassed just talking about God in the presence of non-believers!
Just because God knew they wouldn’t listen, He didn’t stop calling out to them. Because He KNOWS that someday they WILL listen. All His promises of the past that have come true give credence to the promises still to come. Those who really want to deny Him will ignore everything, but those who are searching will have more proof than their hearts could ask for. God is STILL holding out hope for the world, for the nations, and for every individual person who ever lived or will ever live. One day God’s actions will get EVERY PERSON’S attention. EVERY knee will bow and EVERY tongue confess He is Lord.
Father God, thank You for ALL the evidence You have left me to see Your hand at work. Thank You for all the evidence You have left even in my life. I PRAY You never ask me to do what You told Isaiah to do! I don’t know how I would handle it. I PRAY I would obey if You did. I hope my ‘exposure’ on this site is all the ‘unveiling’ You will ask of me. Forgive me for any time I have let fear keep me from standing up for you. Help me to stand firm in the future.
