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Daily Devotions

Isaiah

Isaiah 
Day 
Day 134

"And its foundations will be broken"

Text: Isaiah 19:10

THE FOUNDATIONS OF EGYPT

Each country has its own foundations that helped to make the nation strong. Egypt had a number of things that enabled the kingdom to become powerful. The foundations crumbled along the way and the nation of Egypt became weak and vulnerable.

“The waters will fail from the sea,
And the river will be wasted and dried up.
The rivers will turn foul;
The brooks of defense will be emptied and dried up;
The reeds and rushes will wither.
The papyrus reeds by the River, by the mouth of the River,
And everything sown by the River,
Will wither, be driven away, and be no more.
The fishermen also will mourn;
All those will lament who cast hooks into the River,
And they will languish who spread nets on the waters.
Moreover those who work in fine flax
And those who weave fine fabric will be ashamed;
And its foundations will be broken.
All who make wages will be troubled of soul.”
Isaiah 19:5-10

1. A short list of major things that failed.

a) The water ways of Egypt failed.

i) They were vital to its agriculture.

ii) To its naval defence.

iii) To its transport system.

iv) They failed when rivers ran dry or when the water was fouled up.

b) The River Nile.

i) This was the main River.

ii) It was affected by floods or dry spells.

iii) When it was affected adversely, many related industries faltered too.

c) The Papyrus industry failed.

i) The papyrus had a number of uses.

ii) The making of cloths and sails.

iii) Writing material etc.

2. The people who were dependent on these things.

a) The fishermen depended on the rivers.

i) When the rivers failed, the fishing industry was severely affected.

ii) This, in turn, affected other supporting industries.

b) Those who depended on the Papyrus.

i) The people who made flax.

ii) The people who made garments.

iii) Egypt was famous for the fine fabric it produced.

iv) These faltered and failed too.

3. The foundations of Egypt were made of several parts.

a) Agricultural

b) Naval

c) Industrial

When these basic systems could not be sustained, the foundations began to totter and Egypt became very weak.