Isaiah 31

[San54]

How do you interpret this scripture?
Isaiah 31:1-3
1 Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!
Isaiah 31:1-3
2 Yet he also is wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back his words: but will arise against the house of the evildoers, and against the help of them that work iniquity.
Isaiah 31:1-3
3 Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the LORD shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and they all shall fail together.

I have unsaved loved ones that are young with a young family.I really tried to help them spitiually,financially and with prayers and giving of my time.In addition there are other unsaved people I thought that helping them would lead them to Christ.These are ardent church attendees now.
I noticed that they really didn't appreciate the help that they needed and even seemed to resent that God had blessed others to help them.
This verse of scriptures seems to say do not help the house of the evil doer.That includes the entire household.If you disobey you will perish with them.
Thank you for your interpretation and comments.

 

[NostalgicGranny]

Basically (to me) it is saying you can not fight against God and win. You are forgetting maybe that God stretched out his hand against these people.

If God stretches out his hand against someone would you then run up saying no-no and try to push his hand out of the way? Hopefully not.

If these loved ones are your family than consider this verse:
[BIBLE]1 Timothy 5:8[/BIBLE]

 

[NostalgicGranny]

Sometimes when someone does not have to work for something, They just do not appreciate it as much as if they had expended their own blood, sweat, and tears.

It seems like you are talking about relatively "baby Christians" As they learn and grow with Christ as their saviour, they will come to learn that coveting someone else's blessings or being jealous because someone else is blessed is not a proper christian attitude.

I will pray with you that they will learn to accept their own blessings, and grow as a christen.

 

[JTLauder]

Before applying any Scripture passage to our lives today, it's essential to first understand the context in which the passage was originally written.

I don't have time right now to do a more indepth study of the entire background and setting, but from a quick glance, this is what I surmised. So maybe someone else can fill in the details.

The background of this passage is that the Israelites were threatened by the Assyrians attacking them. Whether it was explicitly stated previously or not, by Ch.31, it looks like that the Israelites were thinking maybe the Egyptians can help them defend themselves. And from this passage, it could be assumed that God already has a plan of things to help the Israelites. And here in Ch. 31 God is warning them to not depend on the Egypians. However mighty and wise they may appear because God is mightier.

Throughout the OT, the Israelites have struggled with trusting God and trying to do things on their own judgement. And here too, God is saying to trust him and not go elsewhere.

So to apply it to our lives today, this passage is not about helping the unsaved, but is a warning to trust God more than other people for help.