Do Not Fear What They Fear

We live in a world of political intrigue and conspiracy theories. Some would tell us that the planet is doomed in just a few years because of climate change. Some would suggest that a faceless conglomerate of uber-rich and powerful people is running the nation from behind the scenes. The news media seems corrupt beyond repair. The nation is divided politically like we never imagined it would be. Families are foundering. And all sorts of isms, racism, classism, sexism, are tearing our world apart.

In truth, any number of the things listed above may be real problems. For sure, some are quite real and quite dangerous. But what is a Christian’s heart response to the messed-up world we live in?

In Isaiah 8, God is continuing a conversation with Judah through Isaiah. The northern kingdom has just about reached the end of its rope. God is about to allow the king of Assyria to sweep into the land and conquer. And that powerful ruler will threaten Judah as well, coming near to the city of Jerusalem itself. But God promises that he will deliver the people of Judah from this threat. They are to know, as God promised with the birth of a child who would be called Emmanuel, that God would be with them.

Isaiah 8:11-15 – 11 For the Lord spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: 12 “Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. 13 But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. 14 And he will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 15 And many shall stumble on it. They shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken.”

This was the paragraph that started me down the road of considering the fears and conspiracy theories that are so prominent in our world today. Some of our fears and concerns are very real and right. Some are kooky. But all of our fears, if not checked, can lead us to look like the lost world and not like followers of the living God.

Our God would tell us not to fear what the rest of the world fears. God would say that there is not necessarily a conspiracy everywhere the world around us sees one. And even when there is a conspiracy, God would also remind us to fear him, obey him, shelter in him, and find life in him.

If we shelter in the Lord, will the world leave us alone? No, God did not say that. He said that he would be a shelter for us—that’s something we like. But he also said that he will be a stumbling block and offense to the world around us—that’s something we are not so fond of. Christians, grasp that both of these things are true. Trusting in and fearing the Lord means that your soul is finding real shelter under his wings. But to shelter in the Lord and love him and his word is to offend the world around us. There is no other way to be faithful to the Lord.

No, I’m not saying we go out and try to be annoying. Nor am I suggesting that we should not care about doing right by the environment, the oppressed, or the government. We should do all that we can do to live justly and righteously and mercifully in our world. But all that we can do is circumscribed by the commands of our God. And that same God is the One we actually fear. We do not tremble at the things the world around us says are big deals. We do not identify ourselves with worldly causes so much so that our identity as followers of Jesus takes a back seat.

God was offering comfort and counsel to Isaiah by reminding him that God was with him and would not ultimately let Jerusalem fall to
Assyria. God has given us his word to remind us of his eternal plan. We are to set our minds and hearts on eternity, on things above. We are to store up our treasure in heaven where moths and thieves are no problem. We are to find our hope in Jesus who lived, died, and lives again. We are to find our value, not in the opinions of the people around us, but in the approval of our Savior and our joy in his glory.