The strange act of the prophet Isaiah going naked and barefoot for three years is recorded in Isaiah 20:1-4. This bizarre behavior was meant to be a sign and symbol of God’s coming judgment on Egypt and Ethiopia through Assyria.
Isaiah 20:1 says this took place “in the year that the commander in chief, who was sent by Sargon the king of Assyria, came to Ashdod and fought against it and captured it.” This places the event around 711 BC when the Assyrian king Sargon II conquered the Philistine city of Ashdod.
Verse 2 states that “at that time the Lord spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, “Go, and loose the sackcloth from your waist and take off your sandals from your feet,” and he did so, walking naked and barefoot.” God commanded Isaiah to take off his outer garments and sandals and walk around naked and barefoot.
This was meant as a sign of God’s coming judgment on Egypt and Ethiopia which Isaiah prophesies about in verses 3-4, saying that just as Isaiah went naked, so the king of Assyria would lead away the Egyptians and Ethiopians as captives and exiles, naked and barefoot.
This strange symbolic action was meant to warn Judah not to put their trust in Egypt and Ethiopia for deliverance from Assyria, but to trust in God alone. God was displaying his sovereignty over the nations and that he would give Judah’s enemies over to humiliation and judgment.
Some key points about Isaiah’s naked prophecy:
- It was commanded directly by God as a prophetic sign.
- It was meant to warn Judah against trusting in Egypt and Ethiopia.
- It symbolized God stripping Egypt and Ethiopia bare in their defeat by Assyria.
- It demonstrated God’s control over the nations and kingdoms.
- It showed that Assyria was merely a tool God used to judge nations.
There are several reasons why God may have commanded this radical prophetic sign from Isaiah:
- Dramatic Symbolism – Isaiah’s nakedness powerfully symbolized Egypt and Ethiopia being stripped, shamed and taken captive.
- Warning to Judah – This shocking display warned Judah not to trust in Egypt and Ethiopia.
- Demonstration of Obedience – Isaiah obeying despite the difficulty displayed his faithfulness to God.
- Gain Attention – Isaiah’s nudity ensured this vivid object lesson got people’s attention.
- Emphasize God’s Sovereignty – God controlled kings and nations, using Assyria as His instrument of judgment.
There are also some key lessons we can take from this unusual episode in Isaiah’s prophetic ministry:
- God’s ways are not our ways – God sometimes calls His people to difficult or strange acts of obedience for a greater purpose.
- Do not rely on worldly powers – Judah was rebuked for trusting in Egypt and Ethiopia rather than God.
- God is sovereign over the nations – All kings and kingdoms serve God’s ultimate divine plan.
- Radical obedience – Isaiah obeyed despite the deep personal cost and embarrassment.
- God uses the unexpected – Judah likely thought Egypt/Ethiopia would protect them but it was Assyria that fulfilled God’s plans.
Isaiah’s nakedness fulfilled God’s intended purpose, as shortly after this, the Assyrian king Sennacherib invaded Judah and devastated many cities. This humbled Hezekiah and reminded Judah only the Lord could deliver them (Isaiah 36-37).
In conclusion, though bizarre to modern readers, Isaiah’s stripping naked and barefoot walking for three years served as a graphic prophetic sign and warning from God against trusting in earthly powers like Egypt and Ethiopia. It demonstrated God’s sovereignty over all nations and that He would bring His Word to pass, using Assyria to judge the nations and humble Judah for their lack of faith in Him alone.
The prophet’s radical obedience despite the difficulty and embarrassment of what God commanded powerfully declared God’s coming judgment so Judah would turn away from reliance on human help and trust fully in their divine Deliverer and Protector. Though incredibly challenging, Isaiah’s obedience resulted in God’s intended message being unmistakably communicated and His purposes accomplished for His people.
Though God does not call His people today to such shocking symbolic acts, Isaiah’s example remains both a demonstration of radical faith in God and a reminder that He at times works in perplexing and unexpected ways to fulfill His will. As was true in Isaiah’s day, believers must reject reliance on human powers and solutions, and humbly obey God’s Word, trusting in His flawless sovereign plan.
As it says in Isaiah 55:8-9, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” May this unusual prophetic act increase our confidence that though we may not always understand, we serve the all-wise eternal God who is accomplishing His good and glorious purposes.