Part 1
Isaiah 7:4 (NASB20) and say to him, 'Take care and be calm, have no fear and do not be fainthearted because of these two stumps of smoldering logs, on account of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and the son of Remaliah.
In this passage the northern tribes of Israel are coming against Judah in war, and God is telling Isaiah to tell Ahaz (the wicked king who married Jezebel) not to fear.
God even challenges Ahaz to ask Him for a sign that He will do what He said, and Ahaz refused to test the Lord. Then God told Him that He will give a sign anyways — that the virgin will bear a son and His name will be Immanuel.
This passage challenged me, because I didn’t understand at first why God was telling Ahaz not to fear when Ahaz is said to have been a terrible king. I still don’t fully understand it because when you read about Ahaz in 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles he did not trust in God, but sent the gold and silver from the temple to pay for assistance from Assyria, but God still gave the victory to Judah. See also: 2 Kings:16 and 2 Chronicles:28
I think what might be happening here is that God is talking to Ahaz early in his reign — before he committed most of his atrocities. God is telling Ahaz that he can, and should, trust Him — even telling him to ask for any imaginable sign he could think of. God knew Ahaz’s heart, but gave him every conceivable chance to turn from his wicked ways.
God refers to Ahaz a few times as “House of David” and I think that shows how God is offering his blessing not just to Ahaz but to the entire lineage of David who keeps leading Israel away from Him. It’s a bitter contrast that it is to this wicked king that he gives the promise of how Jesus will be born.
I feel like this passage carries a lot of weight with it. God is telling Ahaz, who does not revere Him, that he can trust Him. God knows the extent of our wickedness but is willing to love us anyways. And even though Ahaz will not trust God, God still pronounces to him the greatest miracle of all time — that He will come and live among us.
Is God telling you to be clam and have no fear? Are you listening to Him; trusting Him? Or are you seeking refuge somewhere else? I know it’s not always easy. We all have our moments where we are compelled to take matters into our own hands. We all have those things that stick in our mind, like a thorn, and we just can’t seem to let it go. I thank God that, at least for me, it doesn’t take long before I see the fruitlessness of my own ways when my will tries to take over. And I thank God that He is always right there with me when I turn back to Him seeking rest and refuge.
Isaiah 8:12-13 (NASB20) "You are not to say, 'It is a conspiracy!' Regarding everything that this people call a conspiracy, And you are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it. "It is the LORD of armies whom you are to regard as holy. And He shall be your fear, And He shall be your dread.
Everyone who follows Christ is not to get wrapped up in the news of current events. God has never told us to fret about what’s going on in the world — never in the Bible does He say that we will find peace in solving the world’s problems. We are not to worry about everything that’s going on in the world. Even though most of the “conspiracy theories” of the past few years seem to have come true, we don’t have to worry about that.
We don’t need to fear what everyone else fears. The media would have us believe that our society has pulled itself so far away from God that it seems like everyone has lost all hope, and is always afraid of everything. If you listen to the news, it would seem like a vast majority of our population have become desperate and vicious; ready to snap at the slightest provocation. Everyone seems to be on edge all the time, and everyone is blaming everyone else for every problem under the sun.
This is not new, because we humans have behaved this way for most of our existence, but it is getting a lot of attention, and the public spotlight seems to be constantly shining on anything and everything that’s going wrong.
I believe that all of this is being blown way out of proportion by the media, though. Not to say that there are not real problems — there always have been and there always will be real problems until the Lord returns. But I believe that Satan, the deceiver, is behind it. He is trying to fool people into believing that all hope is lost, that they should give up on God, and not trust in God — and, unfortunately, it seems to be working — or at least that’s what he wants us to think.
We have to keep our eyes on God through all of the storms, no matter what form they take. And we have to trust that He will overcome all the darkness with His light, and all deception with His truth. God has us in His hands. We don’t have to worry about what’s going on in the world. Our focus should always be to do our Father’s will, which is to love Him with every fiber of our being, and to love each other as we love ourselves.
The enemy wants to deceive us into believing that the world is bent on hate and destruction, but God wants us to be focused on truth and love. You can’t do both because they are opposites of each other. Do not follow the world into the pit, but keep your feet on the path that God has set before you. The path to destruction is wide, but the path to salvation is narrow. If you want to follow that narrow path, all you have to do is follow Jesus, and He will guide you there because He is the narrow gate (John 10).
Turn off social media and open your Bible. Turn off the news and listen to an audio Bible. Don’t get caught up in talking about the latest headline, but pray to God and let your voice be an instrument for praising Him.
Faith in God doesn’t mean that we will not have storms in our lives — it means that no matter what those storms are God will be with us in them and get us through them. Do not fear, but trust in the Lord!
Isaiah 10:24 (NASB20) Therefore this is what the Lord GOD of armies says: "My people, you who dwell in Zion, do not fear the Assyrian who strikes you with the rod, and lifts up his staff against you the way Egypt did.
In this passage Isaiah is actually telling Israel that God will not stay mad at them. He used the Assyrians as a punishment against Israel for their unfaithfulness. He said they are the rod of His anger and the staff of His indignation. But He says that in a little while His indignation against Israel will end and He will turn His wrath against the Assyrians.
This passage reminds me that God is forgiving — not just in a way that means He overlooks our shortcomings, but in a way that when we say we’re sorry and He say’s don’t worry about it, we really don’t have to worry about it.
Israel turned their backs on God, and suffered the consequences for it. The consequences were that they eventually fell under the threat and dominion of Assyria. God’s love was never completely dependent on their faithfulness, though. When God made covenants with people He always did it in a way that showed that He was both making the promise, and holding Himself liable for the fulfillment of both sides of it.
God never made His love conditional on our ability to reciprocate it. I think it’s because we are limited and He is not. Our love cannot compare to His, let alone reciprocate it. That’s not to say that He doesn’t want us to love Him, but He knows that it would be unfair of Him to expect our love to ever match His.
So, when God tells Israel not to fear Assyria because His indignation will soon relent, I think He’s telling them that they’ve made mistakes that have put them in a bad situation, and that He’s willing to give them yet another chance. He’s willing to, once again, fill the gap in their relationship with Him with His love. They don’t need to fear because He is on their side.
Yes, there are consequences for our actions. But our God is merciful, and does not hold a grudge. We may suffer consequences for a little while, but ultimately it is God who pays our debt. We do not need to fear.
Part 2
Isaiah 12:2 (NASB20) "Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; For the LORD GOD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation."
Isaiah 11 is about the coming of the Messiah. It’s a wonderful portrayal of the peace that the Messiah will bring to the earth — the lamb will lie down with the wolf, etc… And Isaiah 12 is a short chapter simply expressing gratitude to the Lord.
God is our salvation. The Messiah has the power to subdue the earth, but He does not do it by force, but in righteousness, and love, and with truth and justice.
We can trust God and not be afraid. He is our strength. He is our salvation. Let us worship Him and give Him thanks!
Isaiah 35:4 (NASB20) Say to those with anxious heart, "Take courage, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance; The retribution of God will come, But He will save you."
This passage is about the joy God’s people will have because of the Lord’s restoration of His people. Not just saving us from our enemies but healing our infirmities. Not just restoring us, but restoring the land from a desert wasteland into a safe and fruitful garden.
God has a plan for all of His creation. It is a plan for good beyond our understanding. We might feel like we’re in a desert wasteland right now, and it might seem like there’s no end in sight. We might feel like ever step forward gets harder and harder. But God knows the day when He will change all that, and on that day you will not be able to hold back your gratitude for Him. You will fall down on your knees and worship Him with joy and praise.
He is with us, and His coming will be swift and His overcoming will be complete. We do not have to be anxious or fearful because He will save us, and restore us, and we will never have to want for anything ever again.
Isaiah 37:6 (NASB20) And Isaiah said to them, "This is what you shall say to your master: 'This is what the LORD says: "Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me.
We saw this passage in 2 Kings 19 when King Hezekiah was distressed by the report that the Assyrians were attacking Judah and blaspheming God. It is retold from Isaiah’s perspective here, but the meaning is the same. Hezekiah turned to God for protection when he was overcome by the enemy, and God vowed to destroy that enemy for His glory.
When we admit our dependence on God, and turn to Him for help, and have concern for His glory, then God will answer. We do not need to fear. We only have to trust in Him.
Isaiah 40:9 (NASB20) Go up on a high mountain, Zion, messenger of good news, Raise your voice forcefully, Jerusalem, messenger of good news; Raise it up, do not fear. Say to the cities of Judah, "Here is your God!"
This passage from Isaiah is proclaiming God’s greatness. This chapter is where it says “The voice of one calling out, ‘Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness; Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.’”
This passage is saying to go out and proclaim God to the world without fear. Do not be afraid to share the good news of God’s love, and salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ.
This is a rich chapter of good news. God is mighty and is a shepherd to His people. There is nothing that can compare to the splendor and glory of our God! He does not become weary or tired. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives strength to the weary. Those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength.
Please go read this chapter. It’s wonderful. I can’t do it justice. Let it speak to you. And do not be afraid to proclaim the greatness of the Lord!
Part 3
Isaiah 41:10 (NASB20) 'Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will also help you, I will also uphold you with My righteous right hand.'
Isaiah 41:13-14 (NASB20) "For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand, Who says to you, 'Do not fear, I will help you.' "Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you people of Israel; I will help you," declares the LORD, "and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.
These three verses are from the same discourse where Isaiah is delivering a word of encouragement to Israel. In it the phrase “do not fear” is repeated three times, with an extra “do not be afraid” thrown in for good measure.
Isaiah tells Israel how they can trust in the Lord because He gives them safety and provides for all their needs. In it God reminds Israel that He chose them; that they are descendants of His friend Abraham. God says that He will help them.
How often do you need to be encouraged that the Lord is taking care of you? What does it mean to you when He tells you not to be afraid? How are you trusting in Him?
Life is certainly not in our control. No matter how hard we try to control it, we will always find obstacles, resistance, and compromises in our path. This is true for everyone, no matter what walk of life you are living. Everyone has things that they consider to be problems, and things that could cause them anxiety if they let it.
How refreshing is it to know that God is taking care of you? Do you see every accomplishment as your own victory, or do you see it as a blessing from God? Do you take for granted the things that are going well for you, or do you give thanks to God for your daily provision?
No matter who you are, or how close you are to God, I think we all need a reminder from time to time that God loves us, and that we are in His hands.
Isaiah 40 talks about the greatness of God, and this chapter, Isaiah 41, is a word of encouragement to Israel that they can trust God. I see that as a useful pattern to follow. If you don’t know how great God is, then what comfort is it to know that He loves you and is taking care of you? We first must acknowledge and recognize and dwell on the greatness of God. And then when we hear that we are in His hands, the amount of comfort we get from hearing that will be in direct proportion to our reverence for Him.
I think that one of the things that leads people away from God is that they don’t dwell on His greatness enough. They find no comfort in their relationship with God because all they are focused on is their own self. If God solves our problems, and we create our problems, and all we focus on is the one who creates the problems, then it should be no surprise that we can’t understand or accept the one who solves them. We have to admit that we are not perfect, and that life is messy — that’s just how it is. It’s not necessarily good or bad — there’s just nothing we can do to make it any different. Accidents happen, and mistakes are made — accept that and look to God for help when you need it or you will be stuck in the mud of trying to fix everything by yourself all the time.
God created us to have a relationship with Him — not so that we could be completely independent from Him. He made life in a way that would draw us closer to Him. If He wanted us to be able to get along fine without Him I imagine He would have made the whole thing a lot easier for us to do without accidents, obstacles, mistakes, tragedies, and compromises. I don’t claim to understand why human nature usually requires us to be in some form of despair in order for us to draw closer to God, but it does seem that we naturally stray away from Him when things are going well, and we tend to drop to our knees with rended hearts a lot more often when times are tough.
I know that God is always with me in good times and bad. The question is am I always with Him in good times and bad? If I am with God a lot more often when times are bad, and God desires for me to spend some more time with Him, doesn’t it make sense that He’s going to draw me near in a way that I will respond to? I can’t claim to know if that’s exactly how it works, but it makes a lot of sense to me.
If I completely give myself over to being with God — meaning I spend every minute I can with Him, then what good will another trial do? Or, what will it matter to me if another trial does come? I know I’m in God’s hands either way, and I know that I don’t have to worry about it. I am willing to follow His guidance, and I trust in His provision and protection. I want to do what He wants me to do, and I know that He has all my mistakes and accidents covered.
We do not need to fear or be anxious because God is our faithful father, always willing to welcome His prodigal kids and celebrate when we come back home. The question is, why don’t we just stay there with Him in the first place. Why be a prodigal when you never have to leave in the first place? Be like the eldest. Who has it better — the prodigal who returns from a distant land in despair, or the eldest who returns dirty and sweaty from working in the field all day? The prodigal might get a celebration, but the father says to the eldest “all that I have is yours.”
God loves you, and is for you. He doesn’t want you to be afraid. He doesn’t want you to be anxious. He just wants you to be with Him. Don’t try to understand the Lord whose depth of wisdom and knowledge is unsearchable, just marvel at Him and stay close to Him and trust in Him. Take comfort in knowing that He is beyond your understanding, and His power is beyond your comprehension. If you could measure it then you would know His limits, and place limits on your trust in Him. You can’t know it because He is unlimited, so you can unconditionally trust in Him.
Yes, life can be hard, and life is certainly messy. But God made it that way, only He knows why, and there’s nothing we can do about it. So why not stop fighting against life and instead start resting in Him. Things won’t always turn out how you want them to, but that shouldn’t matter. The closer you are to God, the less those things will matter. Do not be afraid. Trust in the Lord.
Isaiah 43:1 (NASB20) But now, this is what the LORD says, He who is your Creator, Jacob, And He who formed you, Israel: "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!
Isaiah 43:5 (NASB20) "Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, And gather you from the west.
These two verses are from a discourse about God redeeming Israel. He says He will give other nations in exchange for the lives of Israel — indicating sacrifice. He says He will gather back all the people of Israel from the east and from the west.
God has a plan. He knows what’s going to happen, and He knows what He’s going to do. He has claimed a people for Himself that He loves and honors. A people that He will rescue from the floods (Noah) and the fires (Revelation).
We don’t have to know what God is doing. He has given us a few hints about what He’s going to do, but we don’t know exactly what’s going to happen or when. We don’t have to know, though. All we have to do is trust that He knows, that He loves us, that He’s providing for us and protecting us, and that everything — no matter how bad it looks from our perspective — is going according to His plan.
The Bible starts off with God creating a world covered in complete darkness (Genesis 1:1), and ends with a world completely filled with light (Revelation 22:5), and the entire story in between is about God redeeming His creation out of darkness and into light.
We live in a world that has been partially redeemed, but is still covered in a lot of darkness. God’s plan is not completed yet. It’s getting there, but we live among the shadows. We just have to keep our focus on God, and know that His plan is for our salvation. Don’t focus on the shadows, but turn your gaze toward the Light of God (Jesus; John 1), and trust that He created you to participate in the redemption of His creation (“you are the light of the world” Matthew 5:14-16).
God is working out His plan and purpose for His creation. You are a part of that. His ultimate plan is to redeem His creation out of darkness and into the light of His glory. All you have to do is trust Him and follow Him, and do not be afraid.
Part 4
Isaiah 44:2 (NASB20) This is what the LORD says, He who made you And formed you from the womb, who will help you: 'Do not fear, Jacob My servant, And Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.
Isaiah 44:8 (NASB20) 'Do not tremble and do not be afraid; Have I not long since announced it to you and declared it? And you are My witnesses. Is there any God besides Me, Or is there any other Rock? I know of none.'"
These two passages are from a discourse on the blessings of Israel. God is telling Israel that He will provide for the physical and the spiritual needs of Israel. That there is no other god besides Him. Their children will say that they are the Lord’s, and they will write on their hand, “Belonging to the Lord.”
God is assuring Israel of His faithfulness to them, and giving them hope for their future with Him. He is pointing out to them that He is all that they need.
God is all we need. He provides for our physical and spiritual needs. Our children’s lives are in His hands, and they too can depend on Him. There’s nothing else on earth that can replace God, or give us anything good that God cannot give us. He is our hope and our blessing. We only need to trust in Him.
Isaiah 51:7 (NASB20) "Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, A people in whose heart is My Law; Do not fear the taunting of people, Nor be terrified of their abuses.
God says that the sky will vanish like smoke, and the earth will wear out like a garment, and its inhabitants will die in the same way. But His salvation is forever, and His righteousness will not fail.
He says not to fear the things that will pass away, but by faith in Him, we will not perish. His righteousness is forever, and His salvation is to all generations.
It’s easy to lose sight of the fact that we are living through a very brief part of our eternal lives. Think about that. When God saves you from your sins and grants you eternal life, it’s you who is going to live forever — not someone else. So, if you’re going to live for eternity, in heaven, what real weight should you be putting on the cares and worries of today.
Yes, you have to live each day as it comes. And yes, each day does come with its own weight and burden. But how heavy is that burden really, in light of eternity? Jesus told us to take His yoke upon ourselves because His burden is light. When you view life in terms of eternity, it’s not going to make the burden of today weightless, but it will make it a lot lighter.
I’m not saying that it will ever be easy to bear the brunt of persecution or even criticism, but our lives, in Christ, are going to outlast all of that. Those things will pass away — even the sky will vanish like smoke, and even the earth will wear out like a garment, so what real, eternal impact do the criticism and persecution of our few days on earth have on our eternal lives? Hopefully they do not cost us that eternal life. Hopefully we do not try to bear those burdens fully on ourselves. Hopefully we trust in God to get us through because He is our hope and our salvation — there is no other.
If you don’t know God these things might not make sense, but when you do know Him you will know that He is all you need. Those who know righteousness, and in whose hearts is His law — those are the ones who do not have to carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. Those are the ones who can rest assured that the trials of today will vanish like smoke and wear out like a garment.
God is all we really need. With Him we have an eternal life, and these few days we spend on this earth will seem like a distant memory. Put your hope in Him, and do not be afraid today.
Part 5
Isaiah 54:4 (NASB20) "Fear not, for you will not be put to shame; And do not feel humiliated, for you will not be disgraced; But you will forget the shame of your youth, And no longer remember the disgrace of your widowhood.
Isaiah 54:14 (NASB20) "In righteousness you will be established; You will be far from oppression, for you will not fear; And from terror, for it will not come near you.
These two passages are from a very sweet and uplifting discourse in Isaiah. I encourage you to read Isaiah 54 and drink in the rich promises from God.
God says that He was angry with us for a little while, but that He will not be angry with us again — just like He promised Noah that He would not flood the earth again. He says that we were like young wives that were rejected but that He is our husband and our redeemer and that He will gather us with great compassion.
There are so many great promises and assurances in this chapter. No enemy will come to us from Him, and no enemy that does come to us will prevail, and we will condemn every tongue that accuses us.
We will be established in righteousness. There will be no oppression, or fear, or terror — it will not come near us.
God has us in His hands. He loves us. He has prepared everything that we need, and He generously provides it to us. His love and mercy are overflowing. He is wonderful and gracious, and greatly to be praised. Who can fear when they trust in the Lord? Who can doubt the power and the love of the One who created them for His glory? I love you Lord, and I thank you for the rest, and peace, and joy that I have in your hands.
Isaiah 57:11 (NASB20) "Of whom were you worried and fearful When you lied, and did not remember Me Nor give Me a thought? Was I not silent, even for a long time, So you do not fear Me?
This passage is from a discourse where God is rebuking the evil leaders of Israel. He says that they persisted in their own evil ways and everything they did moved them further away from Him.
Instead of turning to Him for help and comfort they persisted in doing evil and in pursuing their own pleasures.
They had worries and fears, but they were worried and fearful about their idols, and their idols did not give them rest and they found no peace in their wickedness. They did not fear God (that is, they did not have awe and reverence for Him), but they turned away from Him in pursuit of their worldly cares and desires.
God gives sweet promises to those who trust in Him, but those who do not trust in Him suffer from following their own ways and depending only on their own understanding. We were not made to exist apart from God, so everything we do that draws us away from Him inflicts wounds on ourselves. It’s like trying to live without breath, or rather like smoking as a way of pursuing comfort. We were made to breath His breath of life, and we will only harm ourselves by breathing in impure things.
Turn away from wickedness and foolishness that only lead further toward anxiety and selfishness. Give up your idols and trust in God. His yoke is easy and His burden is light, and He loves you. In Him there is no worry or fear. In Him there is rest and peace. Do not fear, but trust in the Lord.
με αγαπη,
BJ