But by trusting Pharaoh, you will be humiliated, and by depending on him, you will be disgraced. For though his power extends to Zoan and his officials have arrived in Hanes, all who trust in him will be ashamed. He will not help you. Instead, he will disgrace you.” [Isaiah 30.3-5]
May I take the liberty of replacing "Pharaoh" with "the world and its systems" and create a paraphrase of my own?
But by trusting the world and its systems, you will be humiliated, and by depending on it, you will be disgraced. For though the world's power appears to cover you with safety, all who trust in it will be ashamed. The world and its systems will not help you. Instead it will disgrace you. [my contemporary application of Isaiah 30.3-5]
Whether it is the world and its systems or anything other than the help of God upon which we depend (including our own futile efforts), we are setting ourselves up for failure. Period.
I think my personal greatest fallacy is to think I can 'do it myself' - that I can do enough to insure positive outcome for myself. So here is a personalized of Isaiah 30.3-5 as it would be directed at me:
But by trusting yourself, you will be humiliated, and by depending on your own efforts, you will be disgraced. For though you think you have 'covered all the bases', you will instead be ashamed. You cannot help yourself. Instead your self-dependency will disgrace you.
That's pretty much how I see Isaiah 30.3-5 today...
Father, You are my only source and help. Please forgive me for making myself my own god instead of depending entirely upon You!
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