How to Get Through It
Isaiah 8:13-9:7
In the Book of Isaiah, the People of God were in a very, very dark time – things were bad. And God speaks to the people through Isaiah, and he says things are bad, and they’re going to get worse. Both the northern tribes of Israel and the southern tribes of Judah had turned away from the Lord. They had rejected him as their God, and they had turned to worshiping the idols of the world. And God speaks through the prophet Isaiah (whose name means “The Lord will save”), and he speaks to warn the people and to give them hope.
In Isaiah Chapter 8, God tells Isaiah of the impending Assyrian Army invasion, and God makes it clear (Isaiah 8:7) that this evil enemy is actually going to come upon Israel like a flood.
But as God is warning the people that things are going to get darker, and the enemy is going to come upon them like a flood, he also – at the same time – is telling his people how they can get through the difficult days ahead.
In Isaiah Chapter 8, God is telling his people (through Isaiah) you must cling tightly to the Lord in order to make it through the coming dark times.
And God has Isaiah give the Nation of Israel two requirements in order to cling to the Lord and get through the coming dark times. Here they are:
#1) Make the Lord of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life
#2) Look to God’s instructions and teachings ALONE to guide you
#1) is in Isaiah 8:13. Isaiah says to the people,
Isaiah 8:13 (NLT)
13 Make the Lord of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life. He is the one you should fear . . .
The people were afraid of the coming army, and the Lord says, – Make the Lord of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life. He is the one you should fear…
Those were dark days for God’s people. Maybe it is not that different than the days we’re living in today. And God tells his people – I know… the times are dark, but I already have the answer for you.
In order for you to get through these difficult times, you must first commit to Make the Lord of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life. He is the one you should fear . . . (verse 13).
It means to set the Lord apart, above everything else. It means to give him honor and reverence in your life above everything else – including above your fears and anxieties.
And then, Isaiah tells the people, don’t look to the world’s ways to solve these problems. But instead, #2 Isaiah 8:20 says,
Isaiah 8:20 (NLT)
20 Look to God’s instructions and teachings! People who contradict his word are completely in the dark.
And guys, if we’re going to make it through what we are going through, we have got to look to God’s instructions and God’s teachings alone because God says people who contradict his Word are completely in the dark! Do you think any of the people who are creating madness and mayhem in our country – do you think – they’re contradicting God’s Word at all? God says they are completely in the dark.
If we’re going to make it, we’ve got to:
#1) Make the Lord of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life (verse 13)
#2) Look to God’s instructions and teachings (ONLY) to guide you (verse 20)
Because people who contradict God’s Word are completely in the dark.
Guys, God does have the answer. And it may seem like we’re living in a time of increasing darkness. Jesus was born because of the darkness in this world. Jesus was born so that the darkness and despair in this world would end.
And here is how God’s answer will come, and here is WHO God’s answer IS. This is God’s one and only answer.
Isaiah 9:6–7 (NLT)
6 For a child is born to us (that’s his humanity), a son is given to us (that’s his Deity). The government will rest on his shoulders (God promises it will). And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor (Supernatural Counselor), Mighty God b, Everlasting Father (the Source of Eternity), Prince of Peace (Sar Shalom, the administrator of peace).
7 His government and its peace will never end (because it is eternal). He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment (the zeal) of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!
God’s people needed a Savior, and this was his promise to them, and our world today needs a Savior, and this is God’s promise to us. THIS is God’s answer! Sin and the evil one are the problem. God has provided the answer (don’t mix it up).
If you’re looking past the mind-controlling media, you can tell our nation is in a dark and difficult time right now like none I’ve seen in my life for sure. But God knows, and God has sent the answer – 2,000 years ago because he knew the trouble we were going to be in today. And God’s answer was to come himself in the Person of Jesus Christ to die for every single one of us – without regard for skin color or political preference.
Jesus Christ took upon himself our sins – all of our sins. And he offers us in return, not only his forgiveness but his own righteousness before God in exchange for our sin.
And if you will make him your Savior in the midst of this dark world. He will save you and will become the anchor for your soul.
And if you want to make it through the madness in our culture right now, God says in Isaiah Chapter 8:
#1) Make the Lord of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life
#2) Look to God’s instructions and teachings ALONE – Because people who contradict his Word are completely in the dark.
In Isaiah Chapter 8, God tells Isaiah of the impending Assyrian Army invasion, and God makes it clear (Isaiah 8:7) that this evil enemy is actually going to come upon Israel like a flood.
But as God is warning the people that things are going to get darker, and the enemy is going to come upon them like a flood, he also – at the same time – is telling his people how they can get through the difficult days ahead.
In Isaiah Chapter 8, God is telling his people (through Isaiah) you must cling tightly to the Lord in order to make it through the coming dark times.
And God has Isaiah give the Nation of Israel two requirements in order to cling to the Lord and get through the coming dark times. Here they are:
#1) Make the Lord of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life
#2) Look to God’s instructions and teachings ALONE to guide you
#1) is in Isaiah 8:13. Isaiah says to the people,
Isaiah 8:13 (NLT)
13 Make the Lord of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life. He is the one you should fear . . .
The people were afraid of the coming army, and the Lord says, – Make the Lord of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life. He is the one you should fear…
Those were dark days for God’s people. Maybe it is not that different than the days we’re living in today. And God tells his people – I know… the times are dark, but I already have the answer for you.
In order for you to get through these difficult times, you must first commit to Make the Lord of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life. He is the one you should fear . . . (verse 13).
It means to set the Lord apart, above everything else. It means to give him honor and reverence in your life above everything else – including above your fears and anxieties.
And then, Isaiah tells the people, don’t look to the world’s ways to solve these problems. But instead, #2 Isaiah 8:20 says,
Isaiah 8:20 (NLT)
20 Look to God’s instructions and teachings! People who contradict his word are completely in the dark.
And guys, if we’re going to make it through what we are going through, we have got to look to God’s instructions and God’s teachings alone because God says people who contradict his Word are completely in the dark! Do you think any of the people who are creating madness and mayhem in our country – do you think – they’re contradicting God’s Word at all? God says they are completely in the dark.
If we’re going to make it, we’ve got to:
#1) Make the Lord of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life (verse 13)
#2) Look to God’s instructions and teachings (ONLY) to guide you (verse 20)
Because people who contradict God’s Word are completely in the dark.
Guys, God does have the answer. And it may seem like we’re living in a time of increasing darkness. Jesus was born because of the darkness in this world. Jesus was born so that the darkness and despair in this world would end.
And here is how God’s answer will come, and here is WHO God’s answer IS. This is God’s one and only answer.
Isaiah 9:6–7 (NLT)
6 For a child is born to us (that’s his humanity), a son is given to us (that’s his Deity). The government will rest on his shoulders (God promises it will). And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor (Supernatural Counselor), Mighty God b, Everlasting Father (the Source of Eternity), Prince of Peace (Sar Shalom, the administrator of peace).
7 His government and its peace will never end (because it is eternal). He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment (the zeal) of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!
God’s people needed a Savior, and this was his promise to them, and our world today needs a Savior, and this is God’s promise to us. THIS is God’s answer! Sin and the evil one are the problem. God has provided the answer (don’t mix it up).
If you’re looking past the mind-controlling media, you can tell our nation is in a dark and difficult time right now like none I’ve seen in my life for sure. But God knows, and God has sent the answer – 2,000 years ago because he knew the trouble we were going to be in today. And God’s answer was to come himself in the Person of Jesus Christ to die for every single one of us – without regard for skin color or political preference.
Jesus Christ took upon himself our sins – all of our sins. And he offers us in return, not only his forgiveness but his own righteousness before God in exchange for our sin.
And if you will make him your Savior in the midst of this dark world. He will save you and will become the anchor for your soul.
And if you want to make it through the madness in our culture right now, God says in Isaiah Chapter 8:
#1) Make the Lord of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life
#2) Look to God’s instructions and teachings ALONE – Because people who contradict his Word are completely in the dark.