Counselors Of Zoan

I. EXORDIUM:

Have you seen the lay counselors of Zoan? Don't bother they're all foolish.

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To show that even leaders of a so-called local church can be foolish even drunkards.

IV. TEXT:

Isaiah 19:14-15 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

The Lord has sent a spirit of foolishness on them, so all their suggestions are wrong. They cause Egypt to stagger like a drunk in his vomit.

There is nothing Egypt can do. All are helpless— the head and the tail, the noble palm branch and the lowly reed.

V. THESIS:

Discover the characteristics of foolish leaders as pictured by the leaders of Zoan.

VI. TITLE:

Counselors of Zoan

VII. EXPLICATION:

Parallel verses:

Isaiah 28:7 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

Now, however, Israel is led by drunks who reel with wine and stagger with alcohol. The priests and prophets stagger with alcohol and lose themselves in wine. They reel when they see visions and stagger as they render decisions.

1 Kings 22:23 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

“So you see, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all your prophets. For the Lord has pronounced your doom.”

A. Author: Isaiah - son of Amos, prophesied during reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah.

B. Isaiah is regarded as greatest Old Testament prophet: (1) preeminently the prophet of redemption, (2) passages in this book are among the finest in literature.

VIII. MAIN BODY:

A. What is Zoan?

1. Zoan is an Egyptian city. (Numbers 13:22) A plain in Egypt where the GOD's miracles have been done in front of the eyes of the Israelites. (Psalms 78:12, Psalms 78:43) Came from the Hebrew word "Tsoan" which means "a place in Egypt." (Ezekiel 30:14) Most probably located along Southern Egypt. (Ezekiel 30:14)

Numbers 13:22 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

Going north, they passed through the Negev and arrived at Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai—all descendants of Anak—lived. (The ancient town of Hebron was founded seven years before the Egyptian city of Zoan.)

Psalms 78:12 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

the miracles he did for their ancestors on the plain of Zoan in the land of Egypt.

Psalms 78:43 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

They did not remember his miraculous signs in Egypt, his wonders on the plain of Zoan.

Ezekiel 30:14 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

I will destroy southern Egypt, set fire to Zoan, and bring judgment against Thebes.

2. Zoan symbolizes foolish leaders. (Isaiah 19:11, Isaiah 19:13)

Isaiah 19:11 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

What fools are the officials of Zoan! Their best counsel to the king of Egypt is stupid and wrong. Will they still boast to Pharaoh of their wisdom? Will they dare brag about all their wise ancestors?

Isaiah 19:13 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

The officials of Zoan are fools, and the officials of Memphis are deluded. The leaders of the people have led Egypt astray.

3. Egypt symbolizes sin or a carnal church.

B. Characteristics of Zoan's leaders:

1. The LORD has sent a spirit of foolishness to them.

a. If you follow foolishness, you may wander from from the faith. (1 Timothy 6:21)

b. Leaders of Zoan symbolizes foolish leaders of a local church.

1 Timothy 6:21 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

Some people have wandered from the faith by following such foolishness. May God’s grace be with you all.

2. All their suggestions are wrong. (Job 12:20)

If their suggestions are wrong, then leaders of Zoan don't have insight.

Job 12:20 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

He silences the trusted adviser and removes the insight of the elders.

GOD's Words gives insight to the leaders and people of GOD. Without it, all leaders are clueless. Want to know which leader or member of your church does not read or meditate GOD's Words regularly? Ask them for insights, if they don't have any, then it's proof that they're not reading GOD's Words or meditating it regularly. (Psalms 19:8)

Psalms 19:8 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living.

3. They cause people to stagger like a sick drunkard.

Jeremiah said that the cause of being his drunkard is because of the false prophets. (Jeremiah 23:9)

Jeremiah 23:9 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

My heart is broken because of the false prophets, and my bones tremble. I stagger like a drunkard, like someone overcome by wine, because of the holy words the Lord has spoken against them.

If you stagger like a drunkard, look at your leaders of the church.

4. Nobody in them can offer any help (Matthew 25:40)

a. rich or poor

b. important or unknown

Matthew 25:40 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’