Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

Messiah was coming. In fact, it was so sure He was coming and would be the glory of Galilee, that the deliverance of Israel by Messiah is talked of in the past tense – it was already an accomplished fact. Israel WAS redeemed. That virgin who was talked of, the young virgin of marriageable age who wasn’t married yet, would give birth to a son who did not have a human or earthly father. He would be equal with God and establish a kingdom that would continually increase in the government of humanity. Redemption was coming. The Lord is being clear. There IS hope.

However. Before that time, the judgment of the people who were insisting on avoiding a return to God would also happen. Samaria was full of pride and arrogance. Insisting that although the kingdom had fallen, they would rebuild and regain their freedom. But the Lord would let Syria come from in front and the Philistines from behind. Yet even when all their plans came to nothing, still the people would refuse to turn to the Lord. Therefore, from the most honourable man to the most corrupt priest, none would escape His judgment. They would get what they deserved, especially the leaders who led them away from Him. There would be fire, famine, and infighting. No one would escape.

Part of the reason for the anger of the Lord was the people’s mistreatment of the poor, the orphans, and the widows. His heart is partial toward them. But no one was taking care of them. No one was caring for anything but themselves in very shortsighted greed. The ONLY escape from the coming judgment was in the Lord, and they had totally rejected Him. Therefore, they would be among the slain. This is still true today. In ALL times (troubled and not) the Lord is THE only refuge. Everything else is foolishness.

Assyria was the tool that the Lord used to judge Israel. But the king of Assyria claimed all the credit for that victory against Israel. He did not acknowledge the Lord’s hand, but used it as a way to crow over the conquered because of his (Shalmaneser’s) power. Shalmaneser proclaimed himself better than all the other nations. Better than their gods and carved images. He proclaimed himself as the best of the best of the best. God promised that while he was currently a tool, his arrogant heart would be punished. The Lord would show him it was by God’s strength anything was accomplished. The Lord would humble him. The Holy One of Israel (Jesus) would be a consuming fire burning up all who do not accept God. In a day, everything would change and the wicked would be consumed. The subjects of Assyria would be so diminished even a young child could count them.

But a remnant of Israel would be saved. Those who would depend on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel (Jesus), would be protected and would return. [This could mean the return of Israel from captivity in Babylon, the return of Israel as a nation, or a future return to their true Messiah, Jesus.] No matter how many Jews there were, only a remnant would survive. Jerusalem should have no fear of the Assyrians, for they would not be conquered by them (they weren’t). The king of Assyria would give up his siege, a scourge would be stirred up against him, and he would fall (he did).

“And a shoot will come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from its roots will bear fruit.” (Isaiah 11:1)

Israel was a tree that had been cut down. But its roots were intact. Out of those roots would come a stem that would grow into a branch. THE branch: Jesus. That Jesus would be the Messiah, the Branch of Israel. The Spirit of God would rest on Him with wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and a reverence for the Lord. The Son would love the Father. He would delight in the Lord and the things of the Lord. He would judge with righteousness and strike the earth with His words. This was certainly partly fulfilled during Jesus’ ministry, but there is also a further fulfillment needed. Jesus is going to be coming back to accomplish it. His first arrival was for salvation. Then a period for the world to accept that salvation. The second arrival will be for judgment against all who reject that salvation. The prophesy will be totally and completely fulfilled. When it is, life here will be totally different.

Animals won’t be eating each other or us. There will be a peace reigning that hasn’t been present here since the Garden was open to us. All of creation – both animals and humans – will be herbivores as designed. It will be safe. And it will be because of the knowledge of the Lord. It will transform us all. We will all trust in Jesus and what He did, not ourselves or our old thinking. He will gather the remnant of His People from the ends of the Earth. Jesus will be the banner over a complete Israel. Not divided. Not into nations or into tribes. But a WHOLE Israel. There will be peace from Egypt to Assyria and the Jews will walk peacefully into the total fulfillment of their restoration.

What a day of joy for us all. But ESPECIALLY for the Jews. They will trust in the Lord completely and have NO FEAR. They will praise the Lord and call upon His name. They will sing and shout. They will proclaim the Holy One of Israel (Jesus) as great and true. [This saw a partial fulfillment when Israel was restored as a nation, but since they do not inhabit the boundaries of their land as the Lord laid them out, and since they do not all currently proclaim Jesus as their Messiah, I believe there is still a future fulfillment of this prophesy. What they have is great, but it is going to be greater still.]

Summary

Key Players: God, Jesus, Isaiah, Shalmaneser

Key Verse(s): Isaiah 9:1-7, 13-17; 10:12-14, 20-23; 11:1-9; 12:1-6