The Hand of God
5/14/26 Bible Thought (Isaiah 43-44)
Main Idea: Difficult circumstances should drive us to God, not fear.
A Look at the Text:
Before the day of captivity ever dawned, the Lord, through His prophet, gave His people clear assurances regarding the nature of their coming plight.
First, they could rest assured that their trial was actually God’s hand at work (see Isa. 42:24-25). Yet, at the same time, they could also rest assured, even before their captivity, that it wasn’t going to be the end of the story. A day was coming when God would gather them from the east, west, north, and south (Isa. 43:5-7).
These things in mind, again, God gives His people the message, “Fear not” (Isa. 43:1, 5; 44:2, 8). He would redeem His people again. He would prove to be their Savior.
While idols were sheer folly, being made from the same wood that would be used to start fires for cooking (Isa. 44:15-17), the God of Israel was the living God. While people might create their idol gods, the God of Israel created all things (see Isa. 44:24). As such, His people could trust in Him.
Bringing it Home:
The repeated Scriptural command to “fear not” gives us some insight into humanity’s propensity to fear. This is especially true during difficult times.
Those of us living millennia later can only imagine what it would have been like to be part of Judah as the Babylonian captivity was on the horizon. After their conquest, Judah was rocked to the core. The very land that God had promised to them and graciously granted to them was lost.
Yet, behind the scenes, it was the same God who was fashioning their present circumstances. As such, they need not fear.
It can be easy for us to struggle with fear. Fear is a logical response to hard times from a natural perspective. But the Scripture showcases to us that fear is the opposite of faith, or you could also say it is a misplaced faith. It is faith in the negative outcome, rather than the positive. It’s faith in the circumstances as sovereign, and not God.
When hardships drive us towards fear, we must instead let them drive us to God. For God is at work through all things to make us more like His Son:
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (29) For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers (Rom. 8:28-29).
Even in the midst of suffering, we can take heart that He is the One in control. Just as easily as we can flick a light switch, God can change everything in a moment. He can cause rivers to burst through in the desert because He is God (see Isa. 43:19).
If nothing comes apart from His loving hand, why then would we fear?
Challenge:
Do I struggle to see the hand of God in the hardships of life?