Every day, voices tells us to be terrified – “what if this happens?” “How will we survive that?” Listen to God: “Don’t walk in the way of this people. Don’t be terrified!”
Scripture:
Isaiah, chapters 8-10; Hebrews, chapter 8
Isaiah 8:11-15 (CEB):
The Lord spoke to me, taking hold of me and warning me not to walk in the way of this people: “Don’t call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy. Don’t fear what they fear, and don’t be terrified. It is the Lord of heavenly forces whom you should hold sacred, whom you should fear, and whom you should hold in awe.
God will become a sanctuary – but he will be a stone to trip over and a rock to stumble on for the two houses of Israel; a trap and a snare for those living in Jerusalem. Many of them will stumble and fall, and be broken, snared, and captured.”
Observations: Don’t Walk in the Way of this People; Don’t Fear what They Fear
Chapter 8 begins with a prophecy of the coming judgment against Aram and Samaria. Those two nations allied against Judah; God had promised Judah that they would not succeed (see Isaiah 7:16). Chapter 8 begins with a continuation of that promise. God tells Isaiah that before his newborn son knew how to say ‘my father’ and ‘my mother,’ Assyria would conquer both Aram and Samaria.
But that judgment would also “splash over” onto Judah, as a warning against its people. “It [the floodwaters of the Euphrates, the king of Assyria] will sweep into Judah, flooding, overflowing, and reaching up to the neck” (Isaiah 8:7-8). The then-current king of Judah, Ahaz, was not walking in the ways of his father Jotham and his grandfather Uzziah. God warned the people of the judgment that would come if they didn’t change their ways.
And he warned Isaiah not to walk in the way of this people. What was their way? Looking everywhere for conspiracies, living in fear and terror. Why? Because they trusted in themselves and their own ways. God pointed Isaiah in the right direction: It is the Lord of the heavenly forces whom you should hold sacred, whom you should fear, and whom you should hold in awe.
Application: Don’t Fear what They Fear, and Don’t Be Terrified
Last year when we came to this passage on the schedule, I reflected specifically on God’s warning against fixating on conspiracies (“Don’t Call Everything a Conspiracy”). I think our culture has gone even further into that conspiracy-mania than before. We are deeply polarized. Each faction sees conspiracies in everything that the other faction does. Meanwhile, those of us between the two factions grow more and more disgusted at it all. God’s challenge to Isaiah resonates with me: Don’t call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy. Don’t fear what they fear, and don’t be terrified.
Don’t Be Terrified
I’m particularly focused on the word terrified, because so much of our political “discourse” has devolved into fear-mongering about the “other side.” I intentionally watch less and less television news these days, because so much of the “discussion” is simply a recitation of reasons to be afraid of what “the other side” stands for. I believe that most of America is not terrified. Are they completely unconcerned? No. Do they not care who is elected to lead us? Of course they do. But experience has shown us that no matter how bad the predictions of impending doom, things never turn out as bad as the “prophets of doom” have proclaimed.
Particularly as followers of Jesus, nothing in this world should “terrify” us. “Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body but can’t kill the soul. Instead, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28). The broader context of Scripture tells us that this “fear” of God is not “terror,” especially not for those who walk in His way. “There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear expects punishment. The person who is afraid has not been made perfect in love. We love because God first loved us” (1 John 4:18-19).
Don’t Be Terrified; Trust God
Perfect love drives out fear. God’s love is perfect, and he imparts that love to us. As we grow in His love, He enables us to love others more perfectly. And because His love is perfect, we can trust Him. God is in control. Trust God! He guards us against the terrors of this world.
We fear because we believe that everything depends on us. Deep down, we know that we can’t save ourselves. The more unsure we are, the more afraid we become, because it seems as though the situation is hopeless. But for those who trust in God, no situation is hopeless, because our hope is not in this world or its systems. My eternal destiny is far more important than what happens in this world, and my eternal destiny does not depend on any earthly leader, law, or election!
Don’t Walk in the Way of This People
That doesn’t mean that I can ignore political or cultural matters. As a citizen of this country, I have an obligation to be aware of issues, and to participate in whatever ways God leads me to. But the results do not depend on me; it is sheer arrogance to believe that I can control them. All that I can control – all that God calls me to control – is my obedience to Him. If I do what God directs me to do, I can trust Him with the results. That’s why God says, “Don’t be terrified!”
Prayer:
Father, every day it seems that our “leaders” are using fear to try to motivate us to do what they want (“Do Not Be Afraid”). Thank you for reminding us not to “walk in the way of this people.” Our trust is in you, and we know that you do all things well. Your focus is on preparing us for your eternal kingdom. Guard us against the arrogance that would claim that our way is your way; remind us that you call us to follow your way. As Abraham Lincoln said, we’re not concerned that God is on our side; our concern is that we are on God’s side. Help us to listen to you each day. Lead us to walk in your way each day, and to not allow the fear-mongers to distract us from following Jesus. Amen.
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