In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will go to Egypt and the Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together. In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth. The LORD Almighty will bless them, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance. – Isaiah 19:23-25
My Bible reading plan had me in Isaiah 19 last evening, and wow! He ends it with a zinger!
He’s talking about Egypt and Assyria, and that alone should make us pause for a second. These aren’t neutral countries… in fact, Assyria was the terrifying empire of Isaiah’s own lifetime! They were like the bully on the playground – completely wiping out Israel’s northern neighbors. They were truly the bad guys. If Isaiah had been preaching this out loud, many people would’ve had to pick their jaws up off the ground!
But what’s more – Isaiah says, “there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria.” Well, this highway would obviously have to travel through Israel. Now, the Israelites might’ve expected to hear about a possible border wall. But a highway?
In Scripture, highways aren’t always roads. Something bigger is going on here. He’s talking about access and connection. Think movement. And the kicker is movement without fear. This would’ve been unheard of. But Isaiah is saying that a day is coming when people who once wanted each other dead will move freely toward the same God, and actually worship Him together!
Now if that didn’t shock his audience….
“In that day Israel will be the third..”
Imagine how that sounded to an 8th century (B.C.) Jewish listener! Israel isn’t first. Israel isn’t the only one. Israel is standing alongside Egypt and Assyria. Three peoples, One God. One blessing spilling out to the entire world.
And then Isaiah drops the line that probably caused some to become faint:
“Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance.”
Egypt – my people?
Assyria – my handiwork?
Those were words that Israel was used to hearing about themselves! So what’s God doing here?
He’s not kicking Israel out, He’s not undoing His promises. He’s doing something much bigger – He’s extending the family.
This passage is a glimpse of a future where outsiders are brought in. Where people who never had the law, and never grew up with the stories, and never belonged to the covenant… are suddenly welcomed into God’s purposes. They don’t sneak in through the back door. God names them, then He blesses them and claims them.
From where you and I sit today, this should start to sound familiar – it literally points us forward to the gospel. Both Gentiles and Jews coming to faith in Christ. People who once had no category for the God of Israel are now calling Him, “Father.” Think about that! Paul would later say, “You who were far away have been brought near” (Ephesians 2:13). Isaiah is already seeing that day on the horizon.
And here’s what makes that passage so powerful for us: God has always been more generous than His people expect, He’s always been more welcoming than we’re comfortable with sometimes… And (thankfully!) He’s more interested in reconciliation than retaliation. That theme is consistent throughout Scripture.
So… Isaiah 19 is a wonderful reminder that God’s plan was never just to rescue one group of people from the world, but to bless the world through that group. Enemies won’t only lay down their weapons… they’ll kneel side by side and worship the One true God.
So if you’ve ever felt like an outsider, or perhaps you still feel like an outsider now – this is such a comforting passage! God had you in mind a long, long time ago!
Former Blackout Artist 