Today's Readings: Isaiah 41:13–20; Psalm 145; Matthew 11:11–15
Go back through the Old Testament reading for today and pay attention to any word pertaining to fear.
Did you know that the most repeated command in the Bible has to do with fear? “Do not fear” and “fear God” both appear in our readings today and they are directly related to our weekly theme of faith.
Isaiah’s Israelite audience had many reasons to fear. God, being faithful to his covenant promises, brought judgment upon them as a result of their perpetually unrighteous choices. They were worshipping other gods and living contrary to God’s laws. As a result, the Israelites were facing worldly oppression and exile. In other words, they foolishly traded their fear of God, which would have resulted in blessings, for a rejection of God, which resulted in having to fear for their lives, their families, and their future. Yet, God reminded them not to fear. Why? How?
In the midst of this fearful judgment, God wanted them to remember who he was, what he had done, and to help them understand what would happen as a result of his faithfulness. He used his judgment as a time to purify his people. He used their fear of worldly oppressors to remind them to fear him alone as the one who rules over all other powers. He wanted them to grasp the depths of his holiness, faithfulness, and justice. He also wanted them to trust in his desire to extend grace and forgiveness. After all, he is the Holy One of Israel who will redeem Israel from their oppression. He is the one who made them, chose them, brought them out of Egypt, made their name great, delivered the Promised Land into their hands, and was continually faithful to his promises to them. So, they did not have reason to fear their circumstance or oppressors because God has power over all powers, people, and things. Instead, they needed to fear God.
What they didn’t understand at the time was that the oppression God was going to redeem them from was not just physical. It was also spiritual. Sin and death reigned in their hearts. Evil was oppressing them in such a way that they could not obey the law of God and receive the blessings God desired to give them. They needed to be set free from sin, but they couldn’t do it on their own.
This is why so many Israelites had a hard time with Jesus. They wanted to be set free from worldly oppressors like the Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians, and Romans. These worldly oppressors were their greatest source of fear and God had promised to help them through it. While this is true, they missed the fact that God was going to help them through it in a way and in an amount of time they didn’t expect.
Israel longed for a worldly king to deliver them from their worldly oppressors, but God sent them something better. God himself would come to them in the form of the flesh he created in order to save them. First, he saved them from the oppression to sin and death through the cross of Jesus. Second, he will deliver all those who fear him from all physical oppression, evil, injustice, and worldly powers someday upon his return. For now, God promises to be with all those who fear God. He tells his people today what he told his people then, “Do not fear the world. Fear me.”
Fear and faith have always been directly related. Those who know to fear God are faithful to him, place their highest hope in him, and give their ultimate allegiance to his kingdom. They do not fear the people, powers, or temporary circumstances of this world. They do not worship anyone or anything other than the triune God. They are those who can utter the words of Psalm 145 with boldness. We are those fearful and faithful people who exalt God the King forever and ever. We are those who bless God’s holy name in this season and in every season until his long-awaited return.
