Sometimes a message needs repeating to get the point across. That appears to be the case with Isaiah 30-31. The mighty Assyrian army is threatening little Judah, whose response has been to heed the ungodly advice of their drunken leaders. God seemed unreal to them. So instead of looking to the Holy One of Israel, they chose to put their trust in the horses and chariots of Egypt (v 1). And why not? Horses have speed and stamina. Hitch chariots to them, place skilled drivers and archers onboard, and you have a powerful military force. Today a nation may put their trust in shell-proof tanks, stealth aircraft, and laser-guided missiles. An individual may sleep better with a pistol under the pillow. But what does it mean to trust God and not armaments? What’s wrong with going down to Egypt for help? Why is God offended by such an alliance? The first problem is that Judah was not consulting with God about how they should respond to this threat. As the Bible makes clear, there is nothing wrong with taking reasonable measures of security. Sometimes God called His own people to take up the sword and go to battle. But the issue is, are we trusting in visible weapons or divine protection? Where has our true confidence been placed? The people of Judah claimed to believe in God, but their real faith was in human power. Instead of relying on the Creator, they relied on His creation. This is foolish because the power of God is superior to all other powers. He is wise enough to know how to rescue His people from disaster, and also how to bring His people into disaster. He opposes any who oppose Him. If God is in our troubles, all the Egypts of the world cannot save us. The only way out is His way. We are too easily impressed with worldly power when our unseen, spiritual ally is our mightiest ally. The LORD is like a fearless lion standing over its prey, sovereign over any threat. He is also like a gentle bird hovering over its nest to protect her own. What more do we need? (v 2-5). That brings us to the pivotal verses of this chapter, the only ones written in prose instead of poetry: “Turn to Him from whom people have deeply revolted, O children of Israel. For in that day everyone shall cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold, which your hands have sinfully made for you” (v 6-7). There is no alternative to complete repentance, no other way to experience the blessing of the LORD. It doesn’t matter how much time and money we have invested in our idols. They must be abandoned, for disloyalty to God in any area of our lives is nothing less than treason. Forget your Egypt. Forget your Assyria. And when God’s sword falls on the last day, you will have no regret (v 8-9). For further meditation: