CUSH BRINGS A PRESENT TO THE LORD This chapter is considered as the vaguest of all in the Holy Bible. A minority of scholars believes that the talk here concerns Assyria; but the majority believes that it concerns either Egypt or Ethiopia. Yet some reject referring it to Egypt, on the ground that the prophecy concerning Egypt will come in the next chapter that begins with the phrase: “The burden against Egypt” (Is. 19: 1). Cush here means ‘Southern Egypt’ - nowadays, Nubia, Sudan, and Ethiopia; under the great king Tirhakah (2 Kings 19: 9), who reigned over Cush and Egypt. He sent messengers on small vessels of reed to Judah, requesting an alliance against Sennacherib, king of Assyria. The prophet wanted to confirm, that if Cush requested an alliance against the growing might of Assyria Cush together with Egypt will come to Jerusalem to join the rest of the nations, to worship the Lord of hosts. In other words, God is in no need of human alliances against the forces of evil, as He is a mighty Stronghold for all nations that worship Him. 1. A delegation from Cush 1-6. 2. Cush brings a present to God 7. 1. A DELEGATION FROM CUSH The prophet addresses Cush, saying, “Woe to the land shadowed with buzzing wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia.” (Is. 18: 1). What does he mean by the expression “The land of buzzing wings”? a. Some believe that it is a reference to the empirical authority that stretched its wings over all the land of Cush and its neighbors. The Holy Bible used this expression several times: saying about the king of Assyria: “The stretching out of his wings, will fill the breadth of Your land, O Immanuel” (Is. 8: 8); and likening the king of Assyria as “a great eagle with large wings and long pinions” (Ezekiel 17: 3). b. Certain scholars believe that the expression “buzzing wings,” refers to the authority and greatness of Egypt. Others believe them to be referring to Great Britain, with its great glories across the seas. Yet others believe them to refer to the United States of America, that have the eagle as its symbol1. c. The buzzing wings referring to insects, symbolize the land of Cush famed for its flying insects, especially that the Hebrew word ‘silsal,’ was used in the book of Deuteronomy 28: 42 to designate insects (locusts)2. d. The word ‘sel’ means ‘shadow,’ so it is referring to countries close to the equator, where the value of shade is doubled of great importance because of the intense heat3. e. Some based their interpretation on what came in the Septuagint version and the Targum, that the buzzing of wings refer to vessels; as if the prophet is saying that the Ethiopian vessels stretch their sails as the wings of insects. Sailors used to call sails ‘wings4.’ 1 Ironside: The Prophet Isaiah, p. 103/4. 2 Oswalt, p. 359. 3 Ibid. 4 Ibid. Anyway, the King of Ethiopia, in a hurry, sent ambassadors on board his vessels of reed. The enemy was close by, and its danger was at that time, eminent on the whole world. The Ethiopians were well known for their capabilities of spying on locations and movements of the enemies, using their small swift vessels. That is why the king did not lose much time to invite Judah to join forces with him against the growing danger of Assyria. The delegation of the king was for alliance, but it was not one for peace, it was rather an invitation for war against Assyria, and a rebellion against Sennacherib; something that all nations looked forward to, as it is said: “All inhabitants of the world and dwellers of the earth. When he lifts up a banner on the mountains, you see it; and when he blows a trumpet, you hear it.” (Is. 18: 3) I wish the messengers of the Bible bear such zeal like that of the king of Ethiopia and his messengers. They are invited to set forth to join forces, not against Assyria, but against the devil, when the banner of the cross is lifted up, and the trumpet of the word of God is blown. For the spiritual battle to be fought under the leadership of the incarnate, crucified, divine Word, who bears us in Him, and hides us in His pierced side, to grant us the spirit of conquest and victory. He entered the battle through His temptation on the mount, and had victory in our name and to our credit. Then He remained striving for our sake, until He consummated His strife on the cross. God taught us, through His example, how to be able to conquer, where He was tempted5. Abbot Serapion Jesus, our Leader, allowed himself to get into temptation, to teach His children how to fight6. St. Augustine The prophet says, “Go swift messengers, to a nation tall and smoothed skin, to a people terrible, from their beginning onward; a nation powerful and treading down, whose land the rivers divide.” (Is. 18: 2) Some scholars believe that the description here applies to Ethiopians, to Assyrians, or even to Medes. Yet, this delegation was directed to the people of God, who was called “an awesome people,” because their God is an awesome God (Exodus 23: 27; 34: 10; Deuteronomy 28: 58; Joshua 2: 0; Psalms 139: 14). It was an awesome people from its start of its existence, got out of Egypt by a mighty hand and an exalted arm. As to his saying, “Whose land is divided by rivers.” (Is. 18: 2), that may refer to its critical situation; the enemy about to attack it, as a torrent river. As to describing it as, “a nation tall (extended) and smoothed skin (sharp) (Is. 18: 2); it came in the Septuagint version as “a nation torn and crushed...” the enemy dragging the people as sheep, and taking them into captivity. If the prophet is asking the people to reject the delegation of the king of Cush seeking alliance, what is God’s position concerning the aggression of Assyria against His people? “For so the Lord said to me, ‘I will take My rest, and I will look down from My dwelling place. Like a clear heat in sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.’” (Is. 18: 4) It looks, as though, God is does not care about us. He might let the arrogant king of Assyria kill and destroy cities, till he reaches the gates of Jerusalem. Then God would proclaim His hidden role, and turn the king of Assyria back, demolishing his pride and that of his armies. 5 Cassian: Conf 5:5,6. 6 Serm, on N.T. Lessons 1; On the Holy Trinity 4:13. The Almighty God cares for everything large and small, but in His longsuffering, we assume that He has forgotten us, or does not care for us; then to say with the Psalmist, “Do not forsake us to the end.” As, even, if He seems as though He has forsaken us, He is actually planning for our salvation and edification. St. John Chrysostom likens God to a mother taking her little child’s hand in hers, to train him to walk; and then all of a sudden, she draws away her hand from his. When he falls down, and lifts his eyes toward her in teary admonition, she gives him her hand back. By that, she gets him to walk. She may pretend to leave his hand, but she would never take him out of her thought or heart. What we consider forsaking is actually care. God, in the midst of our afflictions, looks down on us, to turn our bitterness into heat, that gives maturation to beans, or into a cloud in the heat of harvest, that gives dampness and shade. It is apparently afflictions, but inside, it is edification and comfort! He also sees in afflictions, a kind of ‘cutting down the extra branches,’ to let the tree produce more fruits (Is. 18: 5). Finally, having allowed Sennacherib to conquer many cities in Judah, God destroyed him and his forces, just before entering Jerusalem, leaving their dead corpses “for the mountain birds of prey, and for the beasts of the earth” (Is. 18: 6). In one single day, 185 thousands of Sennacherib’s men were killed. 2. CUSH BRINGS A PRESENT TO GOD If Cush, Egypt, or other nations, think that they are capable of protecting the people of God against Assyria, they will all realize that they are in need of Him, who comes out of the tribe of Judah, to be protected against the devil and all his evil works. So that all the nations, struck with pride, would humbly come to bring a present to the Lord of hosts (Is. 18: 7), to the “Mount of Zion,’ that is to say to His Church. The prophet Isaiah saw uncountable numbers of kings, rulers, and elite, coming to Jerusalem, to worship the true King, who never put on His head a worldly crown, but one of thorns. He saw believers as spiritual kings submitting to the King of kings, the Lord of glory, who comes out of the tribe of Judah.
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