FInding Security in God\'s Word

Finding our security in God’s word.
Isaiah 30
“In repentance and rest, you will be saved; in quietness and trust is your strength.”

It was a troubling time.  Israel was a buffer state between two superpowers vying for control over the Ancient Near East.  To the northeast, Assyria threatened to invade Judah in their quest to put pressure on Egypt.  To the south, Egypt stood firm in its position to remain the dominant superpower.  Lying in the middle of these superpowers was a small nation controlling the major thoroughfare between these two mighty nations.  The kingdom that gained control of the trade routes connecting Africa and Asia would control the ancient near east.  Because of this, Assyria had its eye on Judah.  They had already gained control of the northern portion of Israel.  To complete their conquest, they needed to capture Judah.
Consequently, Judah had every reason to be concerned.  Those in power in Judah desired to ally with Egypt to protect themselves from Assyria.  During the 14th year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, started an invasion of the land of Judah.  However, the problem was more than just political; the problem was spiritual.  Judah was to place their trust in God rather than political maneuvering.  Even after God miraculously delivered Jerusalem and defeated the Assyrians, factions within the nation wanted to ally with Egypt.   Through Isaiah, and later Jeremiah, God warned Judah of the need to return to him. Otherwise, they would face the same fate that the northern tribes of Israel had faced.   The problem was spiritual and their failure to trust in God.  God warns them that they are to trust in him and his promises rather than the power of Egypt.  

Even with this warning, the people of Judah turned to Egypt.  When Isaiah and Jeremiah warned against this alliance, they refused to listen.  Instead, they listened to those who did not pronounce such a dire warning.  They are no different from many today.  We want positive messages that affirm us rather than confront us with sin.  We want preachers to say what we want to hear rather than what we need to hear. Those who denounce corruption are labeled as judgmental and uncaring.  Paul echoed the words of Isaiah 30:9-11 that the time will come when people “will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their desires.”   However, when we reject God’s word to pursue a message palatable, we will become overwhelmed by fear and anxiety.  Security is not found in false illusions but in the protection of God’s word.  Only when we trust and obey his word can we find strength.  The opposite of fearing the enemy is to remain calm and rest by putting our trust and confidence in God.  When our rest and confidence are in him, we can assure that God’s plan for us will be achieved.  

In verse 18, Isaiah closes with a call to the people to trust God, for God longs to be gracious and compassionate.  His justice is both a comfort and a threat.  For those who reject him, it is a threat as he judges sin. However, his justice is also a comfort, for he promises to give deliverance to those who trust him.  For him to fail to do so would be both unloving and unjust, which goes against his nature.

Are we focused on living our life by our wisdom?  Are we striving to follow our agenda, and do we reject his word as outdated?  To do so will only result in overwhelming fear as we are confronted with circumstances we cannot control. However, when we trust his word and obey his commands, we find security and strength for today and whatever may come our way in the future.