Isaiah on Tuesday - Who do you trust?

Short post today (World Cup Madness, you know...) Isaiah 30:1-5 is an interesting tidbit. I can't really tell whether it's an introduction to what follows, an oracle concerning the animals of the Negev, or a conclusion to the "in that day" section. Regardless, its message is the same - woe to you who trust in others and not in the LORD.

Israel looks to Egypt for protection and help eschewing God as their refuge. Isaiah lays it out, though: when looking for help you will only find disgrace and shame. Seems to me it's better to look in the right direction if we want to find help.

Here's the full text:

1 "Woe to the obstinate children,"
declares the LORD,
"to those who carry out plans that are not mine,
forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit,
heaping sin upon sin;

2 who go down to Egypt
without consulting me;
who look for help to Pharaoh's protection,
to Egypt's shade for refuge.

3 But Pharaoh's protection will be to your shame,
Egypt's shade will bring you disgrace.

4 Though they have officials in Zoan
and their envoys have arrived in Hanes,

5 everyone will be put to shame
because of a people useless to them,
who bring neither help nor advantage,
but only shame and disgrace."