Rahab the Do-Nothing

Last Sunday, I spoke from Isa 30:1-14, in the first part of a two talks continuing to look at why we don’t pray – part 2 is this Sunday.  We also built a wall – click on the photo for a larger image, and read on to find out what it was all about…

When Isaiah spoke this oracle, the Assyrian Empire had already destroyed and taken into captivity the northern Kingdom of Israel, and was threatening the southern Kingdom of Judah.  The year is probably 701BC, and Hezekiah is King of Judah, although he isn’t mentioned in this passage.  While he was in general a good king, the leaders of Judah had decided that the only way to stop the superior might of the Assyrian armies was to form an alliance with Egypt who would protect them (vs. 1-5).

This alliance was not a equal partnership as we might think of two nations forming today.  The only way to get Egypt’s help was to buy it – to cart over the Negev desert that separates Judah and Egypt some of the national wealth to secure the military help of Egypt (vs 6).

A reasonable response you might think.  But along comes Isaiah and says that this is not a plan that the Lord is happy with, nor one that they consulted Him about (vs 1&2).  In fact it will only end in their disgrace and shame (vs. 3-5), because Egypt is utterly useless, as the Lord calls them “Rahab the Do-Nothing”.  (vs 7)

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The imagery might be lost on us, but Rahab was a well known mythical monster in ancient days, powerful yet chaotic.  But the Lord says Egypt is like this mythical monster who sits around, and does absolutely nothing to help!  So why invest your national wealth into this alliance when it will be utterly useless in protecting you from the Assyrians?

This alliance, having been formed without the Lord, means that Judah keep God at arms length.  They want to prophets to say nice things to them, things that confirm the choices they have made.  They don’t want Isaiah to come along and confront them with the “Holy One of God” (vs. 10-11).  This alliances stops them praying, and keeps God away.

Finally in this oracle, the Lord pronounces his verdict on the outcome of this alliance:  it is like a wall (that separates Judah from the Lord) that gives an illusion of protection and security, but in reality is bulging, cracked and will come crashing down, just like a piece of pottery will smash if it dropped on a rock.  Nothing will remain.  The effect will be devastating.

So what might this mean for us today?  We don’t form alliances with other nations, but what do we form alliances with, that give us an illusion of security and wellbeing?   On Sunday, we built a wall (of cardboard boxes) and together we all came up with ideas on what alliances we might form today.  Ranging from work, to food, to success, to national identity, the wall was filled with lots of things that we can form an alliance with, that seems to give us some sense of security or wellbeing.

We invest in these alliances: our time, energy, emotional energy, thinking, and sometimes money, to demand a return from the object of our alliance.  Most of the things we form alliances with are not bad in themselves.  In fact they are good, but somehow along the way, the relationship we form is twisted.  For example, with work, God has given us work for us to contribute to the world around us.  Work is a good thing.  But sometimes the relationship we form with work becomes unhealthy and we are driven to find our identity, a source of self worth, and security from our work.  No longer is the work something that serves us, but we start serving the work, in our desperate need for what it gives us.

The Lord offers us a way out from these alliances.  A way of taking down the wall, brick by brick, before it collapses.  It isn’t easy, nor quick.  But it is possible.  And to hear more about this, you will have to come to Community Church on Sunday 11th …