THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

Isaiah: Jahweh Is Salvation

Part LXVIII: God's Encouraging His People Not To Fear Their Future

(Isaiah 44:1-5)

I. Introduction

A. Current events, if difficult and/or seemingly unable to be checked, can tempt God's people to fear the future.

B. Isaiah 44:1-5 offers a timeless message from the Lord that all believers who are tempted to fear need to heed:

II. God's Encouraging His People Not To Fear Their Future, Isaiah 44:1-5.

A. Isaiah 44:1-5 is set in the context of God's work in future Israel in Babylonian Captivity to be encouraged of His deliverance from such overpowering bondage, cf. Isaiah 43:22-25.

B. As such, captive Israel seven decades in bondage to Gentiles would face fear (cf. Isaiah 41:10, 14; 43:5: 44:8; 54:4; Bible Know. Com., O. T., p. 1098), the fear that her future would be foreboding and unproductive, that she was destined never to be able to get back to her former glory as a sovereign nation in her own land.

C. To encourage Israel, Isaiah 44:1-5 offered God's edifying message that encourages all believers in history:

1. In a series of descriptions, the Lord presented Himself as Israel's Sovereign Creator-Parent, directing her not to fear her plight in Babylon as a long-held captive people, Isaiah 44:1-2:

a. God called His people to hear as His servant, for Israel to hear as His chosen one, Isaiah 44:1.

b. The Lord Who was calling His people's attention had "made" them ('asah, Kittel, Bib. Heb., p. 669; B. D. B., A Heb.-Eng. Lex. of the O. T., p. 793-795), and since the verb is written in the participle form, we render it as a substantive, literally, "your Maker," Ibid.; Isaiah 44:2a.

c. The Lord Who was calling His people's attention had "formed, fashioned" them (yasar, Ibid., p. 427-428), and as this verb is also in the participle form, we render it substantively, "your Former," Ibid. This forming was done from the womb, meaning God was revealing Himself to be the concerned Creator of each person Who cared for His people from the point of their conception onwards, Isaiah 44:2b.

d. The Lord Who was calling His people's attention as their Maker and Former even from the womb would yet help them, Isaiah 44:2c. The argument is profound: The Lord Whose care and oversight as Maker and Former from the womb much as the Ultimate Divine Parent would certainly help them much as one's own caring parents would help him were he to face a state of helplessness and need as a small child!

e. This Creator-Parent Who would help His people then directed Israel not to be afraid as His servant, as Jeshurun, a poetic synonym for Israel (Ibid., Bible Know. Com., O. T.), the one God had chosen to favor and hence to bless, Isaiah 44:2d.

2. The reasons for God's call to encourage His people in captivity is that He would plan to restore and revive them in abundant blessing regardless how hopeless their current state seemed to be to them, Isaiah 44:3-5:

a. God promised to restore Israel physically in great blessing, Isaiah 44:3a ESV: He would pour water out upon the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground.

b. The Lord also promised to restore Israel spiritually in great blessing, Isaiah 44:3b ESV: He would pour out His Holy Spirit on Israel's offspring coupled with His blessing on their descendants.

c. The Spirit-filled offspring of Israel would then spring up among the grass produced by the abundant water on parched ground like decorative willow trees by flowing streams of water, Isaiah 44:4.

d. These descendants would (1) say, "I am the Lord's," (2) another would call on the name of Jacob in prayer, a walk of faith or worship and (3) another would write on his hand, "The Lord's," and name himself by the name of Israel, Isaiah 44:5 ESV.

e. In other words, the day would come when Israel's descendants would not only be back in their land, not in Babylonian Captivity, but that land would physically flourish while Israel's descendants would physically and spiritually flourish in right relationship with the Lord and under His blessing.

Lesson: God's people who are tempted to be discouraged over present difficulties must recall that He is their Creator-Parent Who made and cared for them from conception, that as their Divine Parent He is committed to their ultimate comprehensive blessing in line with His program. They thus need not fear the future!

Application: If fearing the future due to discouragement over a difficulty we face, may we recall that God is our Creator-Parent Who has all along been very involved in our welfare and development, and that He is committed to our ultimate comprehensive blessing in line with His plan. May we thus trust Him versus fearing the future!