Isaiah Chapter 41
Isaiah Chapter 41 holds a message of hope: Fear not, I will help you
“Fear not, I will help you” is mentioned in three verses (v10,13,14).
God begins by declaring that there is none like Him, the First and the Last (v4). He was the one who first called Abraham out and promised that he would be a great nation (v2-4, 9). He chose Israel, the descendants of Abraham His friend (v8) to be His nation and declares His faithfulness to His chosen people. Despite their unfaithfulness to the one true God, God remains faithful, He will help them and cause them to rejoice in Him (v16)!
God will help the children of Israel become strong, turning them into a threshing sledge that can thresh even the mountains (v15)! In their times of need, God will open rivers and fountains for His people who are thirsty (V18). God never forsakes His people (v17).
We often think of the God of the Old Testament as a fierce and scary God. One whose punishments are frightening. We may even be mistaken to think that He was not merciful. While it is true that our God is absolutely holy and has high standards, let us not forget that He has also displayed His mercy and kindness many times in the Old Testament. Most times, God gives warnings before punishing His people. Is not each warning by the Prophets an act of mercy, spoken in the hopes that His people would repent and escape punishment? We see in the book of Jonah how the people of Nineveh truly repented before God, causing Him to relent. And in this chapter, we see God’s faithfulness and love in allowing His people to draw back to Him, promising that He would not forsake them.
Today, let us remember the faithfulness of our God. Just as the Israelites were called by God from the beginning (v4), we too have been chosen before the foundation of the world to be His people (Eph 1:4). Though we may have sinned against God in our weaknesses, He will still remain faithful to us.
“If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.”
II Timothy 2:13 NKJV
As long as we are willing to repent of our sins, He will be faithful to forgiven us and receive us back.
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
I John 1:9 NKJV
Our God is faithful not only to receive us back, but to help us in our need. He is able to strengthen us beyond our imagination (v15) and provide for us when there is seemingly no way out (v18)! When we cry out to our Lord in our distress, He will hear us and help us (Ps 118:5).
The chapter ends with God declaring the futility of idols. They are worthless, their works are nothing (v29). Since the all knowing and all powerful God has declared His faithfulness to us, let us return to Him and not put our trust in worthless things or in men.
“It is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in princes.”
Psalms 118:8-9 NKJV
