ALL THE WORLD WILL BRING GIFTS TO ZION

Passage: Isaiah 18:1-7

Key verse: 7

NIV

A Prophecy Against Cush

18 Woe(A) to the land of whirring wings[a]
    along the rivers of Cush,[b](B)
2 which sends envoys(C) by sea
    in papyrus(D) boats over the water.

Go, swift messengers,
to a people tall and smooth-skinned,(E)
    to a people feared far and wide,
an aggressive(F) nation of strange speech,
    whose land is divided by rivers.(G)

3 All you people of the world,(H)
    you who live on the earth,
when a banner(I) is raised on the mountains,
    you will see it,
and when a trumpet(J) sounds,
    you will hear it.
4 This is what the Lord says to me:
    “I will remain quiet(K) and will look on from my dwelling place,(L)
like shimmering heat in the sunshine,(M)
    like a cloud of dew(N) in the heat of harvest.”
5 For, before the harvest, when the blossom is gone
    and the flower becomes a ripening grape,
he will cut off(O) the shoots with pruning knives,
    and cut down and take away the spreading branches.(P)
6 They will all be left to the mountain birds of prey(Q)
    and to the wild animals;(R)
the birds will feed on them all summer,
    the wild animals all winter.

7 At that time gifts(S) will be brought to the Lord Almighty

from a people tall and smooth-skinned,(T)
    from a people feared(U) far and wide,
an aggressive nation of strange speech,
    whose land is divided by rivers(V)—

the gifts will be brought to Mount Zion, the place of the Name of the Lord Almighty.(W)

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Footnotes
  1. Isaiah 18:1 Or of locusts
  2. Isaiah 18:1 That is, the upper Nile region
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

An Oracle Concerning Cush

18 Ah, land of (A)whirring wings
    that is beyond the rivers of (B)Cush,[a]
2 which (C)sends ambassadors by the sea,
    in vessels of papyrus on the waters!
Go, you swift messengers,
    to a nation (D)tall and smooth,
to a people feared near and far,
    a nation (E)mighty and conquering,
    whose land the rivers divide.

3 All you inhabitants of the world,
    you who dwell on the earth,
when (F)a signal is raised on the mountains, look!
    When a trumpet is blown, hear!
4 For thus the Lord said to me:
“I will quietly look (G)from my dwelling
    like clear heat in sunshine,
    like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.”
5 (H)For before the harvest, when the blossom is over,
    and the flower becomes a ripening grape,
he cuts off the shoots with pruning hooks,
    and the spreading branches he lops off and clears away.
6 (I)They shall all of them be left
    to the birds of prey of the mountains
    and to the beasts of the earth.
And the birds of prey will summer on them,
    and all the beasts of the earth will winter on them.

7 (J)At that time tribute will be brought to the Lord of hosts

from a people (K)tall and smooth,
    from a people feared near and far,
a nation mighty and conquering,
    whose land the rivers divide,

to (L)Mount Zion, the place of the (M)name of the Lord of hosts.

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Footnotes
  1. Isaiah 18:1 Probably Nubia
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. A message to all people of the world (1-6)

Cush is ancient Ethiopia. The tall, smooth-skinned people represent the powerful, aggressive nations of any age. This nation of powerful people strikes anxiety in the hearts of people of weaker, smaller countries. But God is not moved. He sits in silence on his throne, looking down on the feverish anxiety of men (3,4). He is waiting on his own right time. He will reap a harvest of destruction.

2. Gifts from the powerful nations (7)

The nation feared by all will become a servant and vassal of the Sovereign God. May this happen in America. All nations will acknowledge God as Sovereign and Lord. His dwelling place on earth-once Mount Zion--is now in the midst of his own people. Someday spiritual order will be restored. This is God's vision and this is our hope.

Prayer: Lord, I believe that surely the day will come when all the nations of the world acknowledge your Lordship and come bringing gifts to you.

One Word: All people! Hear and repent