Isaiah 20:2-4, “At the same time spake the Lord by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put off thy shoe from thy foot. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot. And the Lord said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia; So shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians prisoners, and the Ethiopians captives,…”
Sometimes when the people of God failed to hear the Lord’s words, God would command His prophets to preach an Action Sermon. In Jeremiah chapter 13, Jeremiah wore marred and dirty garments to show how Israel’s sins appeared to God; In Jeremiah chapter 27, Jeremiah wore bonds and yokes upon his shoulders and neck to show how Israel would be in bondage to Babylon; In Ezekiel chapter three, Ezekiel played a game of toy soldiers and army to let Israel know that none of their sins had gone unnoticed by the Lord of Glory.
In our study verses, we find Isaiah walking around like a prisoner. In the previous chapter, the Lord called on Isaiah to declare the sins of Egypt. And now, in this action sermon, Isaiah declares unto them the judgment that is in their near future. The Assyrians are coming, and Egypt would be led away prisoners to another nation.
Brothers and Sisters in Christ, The Lord has spoken to us through His precious Word. Are we listening? I fear the nation we live in is not. Some of the recent actions of our government reveal this fact. My heart is overcome with sorrow when I read about America’s tax dollars being given to agencies that promote and perform unimaginable actions against innocent infants. I assure you, God sees and He will not forget. He remembered the sins of Egypt.
Question: What should we do? Answer: Live a life of repentance and obedience. If the Lord was willing to save Sodom and Gomorrah for the sake of ten righteous people (ten that were laboring to do right, see Genesis 18:32), He will have mercy on America also if we, the Church, will labor to please Him. His Word calls on us to follow Him, the One Who never changes. And I assure you, His mercy and goodness is the same today as it always has been.