“Fear Not, For I Am With You; Be Not Dismayed” (41:1-29)
Neal Pollard
We are not certain if Robert Keen or George Keith penned the hymn, “How Firm A Foundation.” Whomever wrote it, we know they drew their inspiration for the second verse from Isaiah 41. The song says, “Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed, for I am thy God, and will still give thee aid; I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand, upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.” Compare those lyrics with verse 10. Isaiah writes those words in the midst of declaring God’s greatness once more after having done so in the previous chapter. The context now is in the face of other nations and other gods, with His own people tempted to trust both instead of Him. Yet, they can rest assured because of who God is.
They should not fear because of God’s providence (1-7). God begins by inviting the nations to approach and draw near (1). He declares His active involvement in the whole world, the one who stirs, gives up nations, tramples, makes, pursues, performs, and calls them (2-4). He says the coastlands to the ends of the earth fearfully acknowledge His involvement (5ff). Isaiah’s report of the nations’ trembling should be seen as a comfort to His own chosen ones.
Those heathen ones trust their idols, who could not prevent what God was determining to do.
They should not fear because of God’s strength (8-16). This passage reminds me of what Paul says in 2 Timothy 2:13, as he gives the trustworthy statement that “if we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.” They had notoriously chosen gods and nations instead of “the Lord,” Redeemer,” and “Holy One of Israel” (14). They should not fear because this omnipotent God has chosen and called them (8-9), sustained them (10), defended and protected them (11-14), and enabled them for victory (15-16). Because of God’s strength, His people could be strong! That was the only way they could be.
They should not fear because of God’s blessings (17-20). The goodness of God is an opportunity for humanity to look up and appreciate Him as Creator and sustainer. Isaiah isolates the poor and needy, those most helpless, noting that even these are not beyond His benevolent gifts. At the height of their need and despair, God says He will answer them and not forsake them (17) by providing what they need (18-19) “that they may see and know, may consider and understand together, that the hand of the Lord has done this” (20). God’s blessings exist not for our indulgence, but for our enlightenment. He wants us to appreciate that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (Js. 1:17). If we grasp that, we will make the right choice of Master in life.
They should not fear because of God’s control (21-29). God shifts His attention and voice to the impotent idols of the nations. Smith says that He addresses them: “He urged them to (1) make known former things; (2) make known future things; and (3) do good or evil, i.e., do something” (The Major Prophets, 126-127). They are unable to do so, of course. So, God distinguishes Himself from all rivals by declaring things to come (25-27). These idols are powerless and mindless, and they cannot declare what is front of them much less what is to come (28-29). Later in Isaiah, the prophet will show through his words that God gave him a clear message about future events that would be verified in time. Only the Holy One of heaven can do such things.
The Preacher Pollard Blog 