Isaiah 31
v.1
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the Lord.
The fault found in they who relied on horses and chariots is they had not looked to the Holy One. Beloved, fix your eyes on Him.
The decision to call for help from a particular source is in fact a value judgement, particularly when there are a number of options open. Judah was showing that it set greater value on Egypt (“Rahab the Do-Nothing,” 30:7) than on the living God.
v.2
Yet he too is wise and can bring disaster; he does not take back his words. He will rise up against the house of the wicked, against those who help evildoers.
The statement “yet he too is wise” is pregnant with sarcasm. False political wisdom ruled in the courts of Judah. The so-called wise men had themselves used sarcasm when speaking about the Lord’s wisdom (5:19; 29:15). The prophet was convinced that divine wisdom would prove all vaunted human sagacity to be wrong (cf. 1Co 1:18-3:23).
v.3
But the Egyptians are men and not God; their horses are flesh and not spirit. When the Lord stretches out his hand, he who helps will stumble, he who is helped will fall; both will perish together.
Things on earth that seem to possess God’s powers will always be bound to their flesh.