Fear Not, Trust Him Who is with His People

Isaiah 41:1-13 

1 "Keep silence before Me, O coastlands,
And let the people renew their strength!
Let them come near, then let them speak;
Let us come near together for judgment.

2 "Who raised up one from the east?
Who in righteousness called him to His feet?
Who gave the nations before him,
And made him rule over kings?

Who gave them as the dust to his sword,
As driven stubble to his bow?
3 Who pursued them, and passed safely
By the way that he had not gone with his feet?

4 Who has performed and done it,
Calling the generations from the beginning?
'I, the LORD, am the first;
And with the last I am He.'"

5 The coastlands saw it and feared,
The ends of the earth were afraid;
They drew near and came.

6 Everyone helped his neighbor,
And said to his brother,
"Be of good courage!"

7 So the craftsman encouraged the goldsmith;
He who smooths with the hammer inspired him who strikes the anvil,
Saying, "It is ready for the soldering";
Then he fastened it with pegs,
That it might not totter.

8 "But you, Israel, are My servant,
Jacob whom I have chosen,
The descendants of Abraham My friend.

9 You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth,
And called from its farthest regions,
And said to you,
'You are My servant,
I have chosen you and have not cast you away:

10 Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'

11 "Behold, all those who were incensed against you
Shall be ashamed and disgraced;
They shall be as nothing,
And those who strive with you shall perish.

12 You shall seek them and not find them—
Those who contended with you.
Those who war against you
Shall be as nothing,
As a nonexistent thing.

13 For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand,
Saying to you, 'Fear not, I will help you.'

Fear not.  Do not be afraid of your enemies.  Trust Him who promises to be with His people whom He has chosen as His own.  God calls them into accountability to judgment who are against all His people, Israel and the rest of the church in Christ.  He calls us still to stop and hear these words of comfort to us by recalling His calling of a people by faith through Abraham, a people to rule the nations and through whom the ultimate Sovereign Ruler over all would come.  He fought the battles and gave victory to Israel and fights for all His people chosen and called out to Himself even now, reminding us to cast off fear of being defenseless or cast off from His goodness and providence.  God called the generations to follow Abraham before they were born as a predetermined calling because He is the first and last, the great I Am.  This powerful working made the nations fear Him for their impending judgment when they opposed God’s people, causing them to hand together to help and encourage each other but ended up trusting in lifeless idols covered in gold as if trying to make them more valuable or appealing, but of no use for defending them from the Sovereign One.  The LORD chose His people as descendants of faithful Abraham (James 2:23, Romans 4:3, Galatians 3:7-9) who was the friend of God.  This includes we who are of that same trust in God’s work and promises in Christ Jesus.  Just as He took Abram from out of the farthest place and Israel as well, so He pulls us out of the nations because He has chosen us through faith to serve Him forever without fear of being ever cast out from His presence.  We are forever His through trusting His work (John 6:29) and not our own attempts to attain righteousness (Titus 3:5).  Therefore, we have no fear of not being good enough to not be let go afterwards because it is His choosing and sustaining grace of His choice for the chosen as His own whom He gives eternal life (John 17:2-3, 10:28).  He reminds all His people then to not fear because He is with us as our eternal God who will give us strength and protection to keep us forever.  This is by His omnipotent hand of goodness and grace which has been gifted to us and not earned.  He further promised that all opposed to His people will ultimately only find shame and disgrace as they strive in futility and fail as they perish eternally because they reject God through His chosen ones.  They will be gone from our presence forever just as the enemies of Israel were told would not be found because God Himself will hold their right hand with His righteous hand of power and strength while reminding them and us to fear not.  He helps us in His righteousness and imputes it to us as a guarantee of that eternal and irrevocable promise of eternal life in His work and choice of the chosen.  He will never leave or forsake us in judgment (Hebrews 13:5-6, 1 John 4:18).  Fear not!  Amen.