Fear No Fear

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

Isaiah told the Israelites the word of the Lord. He told them to trust Him, and if they did, He would save as a remnant all who trusted in Him. The people, however, didn’t like that. They wanted prophets who prophesied good news. The kinds of things that would let them do what they wanted, when they wanted. And they were rebellious toward the Lord for wanting that. They despised Him and His prophets.

The people decided they were going to Egypt for safety. They were going to trust in Pharaoh and his nation instead of Yahweh. The Lord told them how that was going to go. That Egypt could not help them. That all the Egyptian efforts would be in vain. And the people that would disdain the Lord to trust in anything not Him? They were rebellious and lying children. The Holy One of Israel (Jesus) said that because they trusted that way, they would fall. Suddenly. Without warning. They would break and their destruction would be like a piece of pottery shattering against a Rock.

But even in this judgment He showed mercy. If they would return and learn to rest in Him, they would be saved. They wouldn’t need to shout and wail. They would only need to put their trust in Him, and deliverance would follow. They would take confidence from that promise and be secure. The Lord prophesied of a time when Jerusalem, though destroyed now, would be lived in again. The people would throw away their idolatry like you throw away a menstrual cloth. Then the Lord would bring the rains and increase to the land. There would be total abundance for man and beast. The dry places would have water and there would be abundant life.

But those that had already rejected Him wholeheartedly He hardened in their desertion so that the plan of His punishment would come to pass. He gave them what they chose, and they would bear punishment for it. Yes, there would be a redemption in the future and a restoration, but for the present punishment was coming. And it was FOLLY that led to it. It was foolishness for them to embark on this path. To reject the Lord and choose to cling to idols and other nations. To decide that a nation like Egypt, who God totally humiliated and defeated, could save them. To choose to walk by what they saw instead of what God Almighty told them, was total foolishness (a lesson for us today as well).

The people would be punished. The nations they were counting on had their own judgment coming and so couldn’t save them either. Only God could save any of them, and He was only going to save the truly repentant. Not repentant with words, but in their hearts. He wasn’t HAPPY about it. He didn’t WANT to judge them. But that was His only choice. We reap what we sow. When He tells us the deal, we have to obey. When we rebel, and we have no Saviour to pay the price for us, we need to be judged. Jesus had not come in the flesh yet, so they were under a covenant of justice. When they refused to listen, sooner or later, judgment was meted out. Not even what they deserved – He is merciful. And He promised to save a remnant with which to rebuilt and restore the nation – He is merciful. He cried out for His children who were choosing destruction over salvation.

If only they would lean into the wisdom and knowledge He had given them, they could have stability. If they called on Him with honesty. If they turned back to Him with their hearts. If they called on His graciousness and mercy, they would receive it. All He had to do was make a noise and His enemies would flee (1 Samuel 7:10). All they needed for life and success came from the Lord. He was only asking them to acknowledge that and live being thankful. It is not too much to ask, nor too hard to do. It was simple truth.

God would rise up. God would exalt Himself. Those who were sinful would be afraid. They would quiver and wonder who could survive this? But the upright who walked as God asked them to. The ones who remained faithful to Him, they would survive. They would see the Lord – a reward for living godly. They would live with broad streams. They would have the Lord as their Lawgiver and King (Jesus). They would have His strength. They would not say ‘I am sick’ because their iniquity would be forgiven. [The Lord links iniquity and sickness here just as He did in John 5:14. When our sin is forgiven, sickness has no right to be in us. Personal sin isn’t the ONLY reason the human body gets sick, but we know from the Word it is ONE reason.]

Summary

Key Players: God, Jesus, Isaiah

Key Verse(s): Isaiah 30:1-5, 15-18; 31:1-3, 8-9; 32:16-20; 33:17-24