Driving out Fear - Isaiah 41:8-10

God promises to deliver servant, Israel for the sake of Abraham

Fear mentioned in Isaiah 41:8, 43:1,

Romans 8:15 (no more spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but spirit of adoption by Christ)

John 16:33 (I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace).

Context: Written during Israel’s exile Babylonian captivity in 6th century(586-539 BC). Forced to live in a foreign country that worshipped idols.

What I mean by Israel is really Judah… because Israel had already been split up into 2 kingdoms at that point. Northern kingdom (10 tribes) vs southern kingdom (judah&benjamin&part levites)

Consequence of Solomon’s sin of turning his heart away from God and idol worshipping by his many wives—latter part of his reign. So God declared He would tear the kingdom away from Solomon’s hands—more accurately, by his son’s hand, king Rehoboam. (TURN 1 Kings 11:29-35) The real consequence of Solomon’s sin was that had already planted seeds of division within the tribes of Israel.

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But then why did God take all 12 tribes and give it to Jeroboam? Why only 10?

The new king of northern kingdom, Jeroboam was descendent of Ephraim. Why does this matter. TURN to Genesis 48:14-20)

God prophesied by Jacob (renamed Israel) 700 years prior.

But who among the 12 sons of Jacob did God promise the salvific Messiah, with full authority over all nations to come by? (TURN to Genesis 49:8-12)

v10 Sceptor (power & authority)

v10 “tribute comes to him” (shiloh - Messiah) / tribute - obedience. The term “Shiloh” itself means “place of rest”

future promised Messianic king to come from the line of Judah

So Rehoboam, however wicked he was, was a descendent of Judah.

So God preserved the tribe of Judah. That was how the line of future “seed” was preserved.

Do you see how God always keeps His word no matter how much time has passed and no matter what people may or may not understand it?

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(TURN to 1 Kings 11:34-36) God “chose” David

Right up until captivity, Judah was living in a “golden age”: economically strong with good relations with other pagan ally nations. Yet they became conceited and comfortable. Forsook God and gave themselves over to sensual idol worshiping. Pagan worshiping foreign gods. Practiced social injustice marginalizing poor and vulnerable and very corrupt wealthy folk.

Isaiah 1-39 is a warning and judgement against Judah, yet they didn’t listen and repent. They continued in embrace idolatry and practicing empty rituals.

So God proclaimed that they will bare the consequence of their sin by being exiled by Assyrians -> the Babylonians.

Question: Was this punishment just or should God have gone easy on them? After all, He is love...

Pause. I want us to clearly understand that sin is the act of going against God by our unrighteous will. And what is the consequence (Ezekiel 18:4b “the soul who sins shall die”.)

Yet… Habakkuk 1:13 “You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?”

v8 Servant/slave (ebed) is “chosen” by God to worship Him themselves, and to lead others to do the same.

A “slave” does not tell their masters what to do or who to be. “Slaves know who their master is and understand they don’t have their own position or rights. They know they belong to the master”.

God “chose” Israel to be His. It made them proud as they understood they were “governed by God”.

It got to their heads, and so they never acted like they belonged to God, even while performing religious rituals.

Can we relate to this? I think so.

Security in coming to church and praying before meals.

What happens when you start to “forget” who your master is? We

What would have happened if God left them it to be conceited in comfort, idol-worshipping instead of being exiled to Babylon?

My Friend "Loving me(God)” - Why. Did he start out by loving God? No! But God planted faith in Abraham so James 2:23 “and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.”

Did he earn this title as friend? He was chosen as friend of God.

How can we unrighteous worms ever be earn this status with a holy, righteous God? (TURN to John 15:14–15 “You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” )

Speaking of Abraham whom God took from remote Ur of Chaldees (center of pagan worship). In the same why God called people of Abraham’s descendants, people of Israel out of Egypt.

From the “ends of the earth”: God is far-reaching to gather His people from all the earth, including the outskirts. Do you see His sovereignty?

Why would He do this? “chosen”

Again “chosen” out of vain idol-worshipping culture to be set apart for Him as “servant”

“upholding with righteous right hand”. God is the one who ensures His people remains steadfast and strong in face of adversity. Not on own.

Right hand: Hebrew symbolize strength and authority. God’s power and justice. (NOT merely God’s “support”, but His intervention in people’s lives).

What we need isn’t merely support. We need an “enabler”. That means you were in a state where you were not “able” to save yourself from Egypt (bondage of the world in the flesh.. place of wickedness and sin)

On the contrary (Isaiah 8:11–13 “For the Lord spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: “Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.” )

Matthew 8:23–27 “And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?””

Christ cmds storm. He rebukes it and the storms flee