God’s Power to Protect & Provide for Israel (His People)
8But as for you,
O Israel, you are Mine, My chosen ones; for you are Abraham’s family, and he
was My friend. 9I have called you back from the ends of the earth
and said that you must serve but Me alone, for I have chosen you and will not
throw you away. 10Fear not, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed. I
am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you with My
victorious right hand.c
11See, all your
angry enemies lie confused and shattered. Anyone opposing you will die. 12You
will look for them in vain—they will all be gone. 13I am holding you
by your right hand—I, the Lord your God—and I say to you, Don’t be afraid; I am
here to help you. 14Despised though you are, fear not, O Israel; for
I will help you. I am the Lord, your Redeemer; I am the Holy One of Israel. 15You
shall be a new and sharp-toothed threshing instrument to tear all enemies
apart, making chaff of mountains. 16You shall toss them in the air;
the wind shall blow them all away; whirlwinds shall scatter them. And the joy
of the Lord shall fill you full; you shall glory in the God of Israel.
17When the poor and needy seek water and there is none, and their tongues are parched from thirst, then I will answer when they cry to Me. I, Israel’s God, will never forsake them. 18I will open up rivers for them on high plateaus! I will give them fountains of water in the valleys! In the deserts will be pools of water, and rivers fed by springs shall flow across the dry, parched ground. 19I will plant trees—cedars, myrtle, olive trees, cypress, fir, and pine—on barren land. 20Everyone will see this miracle and understand that it is God who did it, Israel’s Holy One.[1] (Isaiah41:8–20)
God
Has the Power to Protect and Provide for Israel (His People).
This is a wonderful assurance to all believers who sense that they fail the Lord often and fall so short of His glory. Israel too failed the Lord repeatedly and miserably disappointing God over and over again. Nevertheless, the Lord loved His people and never ceased to reach out to them. For generations the Israelites were oppressed, not only by the Assyrians and Babylonians but also by all the surrounding nations who preceded those two world empires. They suffered continual hardship and domination from a stream of tyrants down through history—all due to their sins. In Isaiah’s day, few of the Jews genuinely trusted the Lord or lived righteous lives. Most were living in unbelief, rejecting God, and engaging in sinful, unrighteous behavior. Still the Lord loved His people and reached out in compassion to them. In the present Scripture, God stirred Isaiah to give strong encouragement and hope to His people. If they truly believed and followed Him, He would use His power to deliver them from their captivity and would protect and provide for them. Note the assurance and promises given by the Lord:
a.
God assured His people that they were His chosen
servants (vv. 8–9).
Note that God Himself addressed the people as Israel, my servant and Jacob, whom I
have chosen. He then called them the descendants of Abraham, my friend (v. 8). These are titles of
great honor. Consider what a privilege it is to be a servant of God, chosen by
Him, and to be a descendant of Abraham, the friend of God Himself. God had
always pursued a close relationship with the Israelites, even those of Isaiah’s
day, and offered them the privilege of knowing Him intimately. In fact, God has
usually offered the privilege of knowing Him personally to both Jew and
Gentile. But the human race has always chosen to reject His offer. Even though
God had chosen the Israelites to be His very special servants, they had often
proved unfaithful. Consequently, God was forced to continually discipline and
punish them.
Here, it is God’s purpose to give His people great assurance. Though God used the Assyrians and Babylonians to punish them, the Lord would one day gather them from the ends of the earth. They were His servants, chosen by Him; therefore, He would not forget them in their hour of trial. He would not reject them (v. 9). He would set them free them from the Babylonian captivity so they could return to the promised land.
b. God assured His people that He would protect them in the here and now, in the present distress they were experiencing (vv. 10–16). No doubt God’s promise of freeing His people from the coming captivity was very encouraging, especially to the true believers who were to endure the Babylonian captivity. But they needed far more than just a distant, future hope of deliverance. Righteous believers needed to know that God was with them day by day in their present painful circumstances. So, God met their need and gave them a most wonderful promise: whether in the present or in the future and in whatever circumstances, God’s people were not to fear. Three reasons are given why righteous believers should not be anxious, afraid.
First,
God’s people were not to fear because He Himself would be with them. He would
strengthen and help them and uphold them with His right hand—His righteous,
victorious hand. God’s promise to be with His people applies to all righteous
believers of all generations. Even in the very worst times believers are not to
be dismayed or frightened by the oppression of any enemy. Even if the enemy
seems much stronger and the believers feel extremely weak, the Lord promises to
strengthen His people. Even when believers fall and collapse before the enemy,
the Lord will uphold them with His right hand, a hand of righteousness and
justice (2 Ti. 4:18).
Ø The Lord will
shame and confuse all who oppose His people; their enemies will perish by the Lord’s
victorious, righteous hand (v. 11).
Ø The Lord will totally eliminate all the enemies who contend with or wage war against His people (v. 12).
Second, God’s people were not to fear because He would hold their right hands and help them as they faced their enemies (v. 13). Note the close relationship being stressed here: the Lord tells righteous believers that He is “your God” and that He will “hold your right hand.” He will “help you.” Meditating upon this promise should give enormous encouragement to believers who are facing oppression and hardships.
Third,
God’s people were not to fear because He was their Redeemer (v. 14).
Redeemer here refers to the kinsman
redeemer (goel), who in ancient
history was the family protector. The redeemer was a person who saved or
rescued a family member who was suffering or distressed due to financial
trouble, the death of a spouse, loss of property, or some other heavy burden (Ru.
2:20). In the present Scripture, the Lord calls Himself the Redeemer, the
family protector of His people. As their Redeemer, He promises to help them.
The implication for the Israelites was that He would deliver them from their
captivity. Note also the other title the Lord claims for Himself: The Holy One
of Israel (His people). As The Holy One, He is distinct, completely set apart
from all other creatures by His power, knowledge, and understanding. Thus, He
is able to completely fulfill His purpose in the lives of His people despite
their hardships or difficult circumstances. Note that He refers to His people
as worms, which simply means that
they are weak and helpless. Though they are too weak to help themselves, they
are not to fear the enemies who oppress them, for God is their Redeemer. And as
their Redeemer, God will do two things for His people:
Ø The Lord will
empower them to defeat their enemies (v. 15). He will make them like
a threshing sledge with sharp teeth. They will thresh their enemies and reduce
them to chaff, and the enemies will be blown away as if by a strong wind (vv.
15–16).
Ø The Lord will give them hearts that rejoice and glory in Him (v. 16).
c. God assured His people that He would provide for them (vv. 17–20). This specific promise of God refers to God’s provision for His people during the Babylonian exile and their return from captivity. However, the promise is applicable to every generation of believers. Whenever God’s people are poor and needy or parched with thirst, the Lord will hear their cry for help (vv. 17–19). He will provide water and a fruitful land for them. He will even turn the desert into fertile soil so that it will be productive and fruitful. Note the Lord’s purpose in providing for the needs of His people: it is to demonstrate His power and to show that He alone can free them and meet their needs (v. 20). The world needs to witness God’s miraculous provision for His people when they are suffering and facing difficult circumstances. When unbelievers see the miraculous power of God in action, some will turn to the Lord and become genuine followers of Him.
Thought 1. Two of the great promises of God are that of His protection and provision. If we are believers who truly follow the Lord, He promises to protect and deliver us when any enemy attacks or oppresses us. Although God does not always deliver us from difficult circumstances, He will always deliver us through them. No matter what trial, hardship, temptation, or adversary confronts us, the Lord will protect us and give us whatever provision we need to overcome the difficult circumstance.
If
we genuinely trust the Lord, obey His commandments, and live righteously, the Lord
promises to deliver us through …
Ø financial
difficulties
Ø unemployment
Ø broken
relationships
Ø family divisions
Ø business problems
Ø emotional
difficulties
Ø sorrow
Ø disease
Ø hunger
Ø thirst
The Lord will even deliver us from ever having to taste or experience death. When the moment of our departure comes, quicker than the eye can blink, the Lord will transfer us from this world into heaven. One moment we will be in this world, and the next we will be in the very presence of God.
(1)
The Lord promises to protect us through all the trials
of life and from all the enemies who oppress us.
V “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and
over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you” (Lu. 10:19).
V “But there shall not a hair of your head perish” (Lu. 21:18).
V “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or
nakedness, or peril, or sword? … Nay, in all these things we are more than
conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death,
nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor
things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to
separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ro. 8:35, 37–39).
V “There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man: but
God is faithful, who will not suffer
you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also
make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Co. 10:13).
V “And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (2 Ti. 4:18).
V “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the
victory that overcometh the world, even
our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that
Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 Jn. 5:4–5).
V “The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace” (Ex. 14:14).
V “The eternal God is thy refuge,
and underneath are the everlasting
arms: and He shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say,
Destroy them” (De. 33:27).
V “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to
show Himself strong in the behalf of them
whose heart is perfect toward Him.
Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore, from henceforth thou shalt have
wars” (2 Chr. 16:9).
V “The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and
delivereth them” (Ps. 34:7).
V “Through Thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we
tread them under that rise up against us” (Ps.
44:5).
V “He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler” (Ps. 91:4).
(2)
The Lord will provide for us and meet every need we
have.
V “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all
these things [housing, food, clothing] shall be added unto you” (Mt. 6:33).
V “But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory
by Christ Jesus” (Ph. 4:19).
V “Let your conversation
[conduct, behavior] be without
covetousness; and be content with
such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake
thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is
my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me” (He. 13:5–6).
V “But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find Him, if thou seek Him with all thy heart
and with all thy soul” (De. 4:29).
V “And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the Lord and do all His
commandments which I command thee this day. And the Lord thy God will make thee
plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the
fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the Lord will
again rejoice over thee for good, as He rejoiced over thy fathers” (De. 30:8–9).
V “For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I
arise, saith the Lord; I will set him
in safety from him that puffeth at
him” (Ps. 12:5).
V “Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand
hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great” (Ps. 18:35).
V “The Lord is my strength and my
shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly
rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise Him” (Ps.
28:7).
V “Oh, how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up
for them that fear thee; which thou
hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!” (Ps. 31:19).
V “But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no
tarrying, O my God” (Ps. 40:17).
V “Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with
the river of God, which is full of
water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it” (Ps. 65:9).
V “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our
salvation. Selah” (Ps. 68:19).
V “I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with
bread” (Ps. 132:15).
V “For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in
his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast
of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall” (Is. 25:4).
V “Fear thou not; for I am with thee;
be not dismayed; for I am thy God; I
will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the
right hand of My righteousness” (Is. 41:10).
V “Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art
Mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow
thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither
shall the flame kindle upon thee” (Is. 43:1–2).
V “And even to your old age I am He; and even to hoar
[gray] hairs will I carry you: I have
made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you” (Is. 46:4).[2]
c 41:10 with my victorious right hand, or “with the right hand of my
righteousness.”
[1] Taylor, Kenneth Nathaniel. 1997. The Living Bible, Paraphrased. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House.
[2] Leadership
Ministries Worldwide. 2005. Isaiah: Chapters
36–66. Vol. II. The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible.
Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide.
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