September 15, 2021
Scripture: “Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it. And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any.” Isaiah 44:8 ESV
Observation: In chapter 44, Isaiah prophesies the Lord’s assurance that Israel is his chosen people and that there are no gods but Yahweh, who is the nation’s Rock (see above verse and Deuteronomy 32:4). He then expounds on the folly of idol worship and concludes by reminding Israel that he is their Redeemer (verse 24). The Lord concludes with an epilogue to his prophecy: Cyrus will be his shepherd and fulfill his purposes regarding Israel by permitting them to return from exile and rebuild Jerusalem and its temple (verse 28). Amazingly, Cyrus conquered Babylon and assumed his reign about 100 years after Isaiah’s recording of this prophecy. Isaiah spoke these prophetic words without any knowledge of this forthcoming pagan ruler.
Takeaway: Our God created time and space and is not confined by these elements of his creation. He knows all of history instantaneously and has graciously given us a written account of his past redemptive work to assure us that he is our Rock and Redeemer. Therefore, “fear not,” for he has “told [us] from of old.”
Prayer: Father God, thank you that you are our Rock and our Redeemer. Please help us reflect and learn from biblical history that we might grow confident in your sovereign reign over time and space and fear not of what lies ahead. Amen.
Rev. Gordon Green, M.Div., M.A. Counseling
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