The Book of Isaiah is also known as the “Little Bible” because it has sixty-six chapters, the same number as the books in the Bible. This book was written between 739 and 681 B.C. The prophecy of the Messiah’s coming is the most significant fact in the book of Isaiah. The savior of the world. This is all happening when Egypt and Assyria were threatening the people of Judah. Judah went through seasons of revival and rebellion against God.
God sent Isaiah to encourage the people of Judah to repent of their sins. However, the people were not faithful to God. Therefore, God’s judgment as a “consuming fire” would come to destroy God’s people. Isaiah 41:10 commentary: Fear not, for I am with you speaks of God’s promise. This promise meant that God would never forsake His people even during His judgment. It was a promise of hope and redemption and rivers of grace.
Scriptures
The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Isaiah 1:1 ESV
And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” Isaiah 6:8 ESV
Behold, the name of the Lord comes from afar, burning with his anger, and in thick rising smoke; his lips are full of fury, and his tongue is like a devouring fire; Isaiah 30:27 ESV
For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. John 1:16 ESV
Judah continued their desire to chase idols instead of seeking God. This was their downfall. However, God had a plan, but it would require them to put all their trust in Him. In Isaiah 41:10, God tells his people not to fear and not to be dismayed. He proclaims that He is their God and will strengthen them. He is all the help they need because His help will uphold them with His righteous right hand. Let’s unpack these promises from God one by one to be used when we sin or are being sinned against.
Scriptures
Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the Lord, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged. Isaiah 1:4 ESV
fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 ESV
Fear Not, For I Am With You
God commands us to be fearless. Time and time again, in the Bible, we are told, “Do not fear” by God. If we focus on God, we have nothing to fear. In our time of need, God is the one person we can count on to be there. Even when Israel was not faithful to God, God was always with them. God would always be where they could find help. He would forever be their redeemer.
However, Israel would remain disobedient to God and go their own way. To the point that Judah believed that a man-made God was more powerful than the Lord thy God. They believed that something made by hand from a tree could be more powerful. Isaiah clears this up quickly. He reminds them of what they have been told since Earth’s foundation. God is the only God with us to the ends of the Earth.
In our humble thoughts, we know this to be true. However, this does not stop us from being afraid. In the wilderness of this world, we find ourselves filled with fear and not trusting that God will see us through. Whether we face a job loss, illness, or any difficult situation, dealing with a hard time will be difficult without God. God tells us He will help us.
Scriptures
An idol! A craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts for it silver chains. Isaiah 40:19 ESV
He who is too impoverished for an offering chooses wood that will not rot; he seeks out a skillful craftsman to set up an idol that will not move. Isaiah 40:20
Do you not know? Do you not hear? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? Isaiah 40:21
Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. Isaiah 40:28 ESV
Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I am the one who helps you, declares the Lord; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 41:14
Be Not Dismayed, For I Am Your God
It is challenging to avoid being dismayed when our world appears to be falling apart. However, God is where we can find our joy. In Him, we can count it all joy when we are facing trials and tribulations caused by our sin or other people’s sin. We know this is the testing of our faith. Whether we choose to step out on faith or are left with no choice, we can trust that God will still be our God.
He is steadfast, and we should be too. God is here for our eternity. Therefore, we should focus on our eternity with God. I have been asked, as well as many Christians, why God allows bad things to happen to good people. Job is a prime example of this. Job lost everything except his life.
However, even though Job did not understand why all of his suffering was allowed, he did accept that God was in control. He trusted God’s plan and purpose for his life. Sometimes our suffering is designed to help prepare us for circumstances we are not equipped to handle. There is no testimony without a test. Sometimes, there could be consequences for an unknown sin in our hearts. Outwardly, we look like saints, but the God of heaven knows our hearts. Not all good people are good people.
Sometimes it is just the work of the devil. He is always looking to seek and destroy God’s people. The closer we are to God, the more the devil will attack; therefore, be mind-ful and alert.
Scriptures
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, James 1:2 ESV
for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. James 1:3 ESV
And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:4 ESV
There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. Job 1:1
And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. Job 1:12 ESV
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 ESV
I Will Strengthen You, I Will Help You
I have always found this promise from God comforting. God is the strength of his people. There is no other place you should seek help. Go to God first and watch Him open and close doors. He can make a way when there appears to be no way. God does not sit in high places watching and observing our comings and goings.
He is an active participant in our lives. He is our refuge. A safe place for us to go when we need Him. We can boldly and confidently draw near to Him. God will mercifully and graciously listen to our needs. Therefore, lift your eyes to the Lord. You can have that conversation with Him. Open your heart and listen and watch the hand of the Lord heal your mind, body, and soul.
Scriptures
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1 ESV
The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him. Psalm 37:40 ESV
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 ESV
I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? Psalm 121;1 ESV
I Will Uphold You With My Righteous Right Hand
Throughout the Bible, God speaks of the right hand of my righteousness. This is where we will find our fortitude. It will keep us steady when the ground beneath is shaky. Take His hand and let him lead you. Meditate on the word and follow his teachings. This is where you will find God’s will for your life. Then you will need to pray to receive what God is offering from His righteous right hand. Reach out and take God’s hand, trusting in all of His promises. Therefore, in His hand, we will only receive righteous treatment filled with grace and mercy. God is slow to anger and abounding in love and faithfulness.
Scriptures
I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Psalm 16:8 ESV
I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. Psalm 119:15 ESV
Go near and hear all that the Lord our God will say, and speak to us all that the Lord our God will speak to you, and we will hear and do it.’ Deuteronomy 5:27 ESV
pray without ceasing, 1 Thessalonians 5:17 ESV
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.Proverbs 3:5 ESV
But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. Psalm 86:15 ESV
Jesus Christ And The Holy Spirit
Jesus is seated at the right hand of God. He is part of God. He is part of the Trinity along with the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the Savior that the Heavenly Father promised to the faithful followers. As followers of Christ, we are called to be courageous. Jesus courageously went to the cross. He was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our sins. His punishment brought peace and healing to every soul of man. For Jesus to bear afflictions from the cross required courage, because the treatment was horrendous. However, before Jesus left, He sent the Holy Spirit,
The Holy Spirit will rest on us. The grace of His Spirit will provide us with wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and fear of the Lord. This is the only fear we are allowed to have. It means to give deference to God. It is a humble submission with respect for God. The people of Israel lost this along the way. However, God had a plan. That plan was Jesus. Isaiah, a servant of the Lord, speaks a lot about the coming of the Messiah. Isaiah understood that God was a good filled with grace, mercy, and compassion for the seed of Abraham. Therefore, Isaiah was a constant supply of words of comfort to the special people of God.
Scriptures
So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. Mark 16:19 ESV
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:5-6 ESV
And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. Isaiah 11:2 ESV
For the Lord will have compassion on Jacob and will again choose Israel, and will set them in their own land, and sojourners will join them and will attach themselves to the house of Jacob. Isaiah 14:1 ESV
Are Christians Today Two-Faced Like Judah?
Many Christians attend church on Sunday and forget the teachings of Jesus Christ by Monday. They are not faithful followers of Christ. You cannot claim to love God and not love your neighbor. In the Holy Bible, God showers us with His everlasting love. It is one of His precious promises repeated over and over in God’s word. Judah claimed to love God and worship Him, but they were doing lip service. Israel offered sacrifices, but they refused to follow the will of God. As a result of their disobedience, they ended up in painful captivity.
This is the same for most Christians. God cannot bless you if you are not a servant of the Lord. We are to be triumphs of the gospel of Christ. Sharing his message through our words and deeds. We are not to allow the power of darkness to overtake us. We should be the fruit of the Spirit. By our deeds, they will know we are not barren souls.
We are redeemed souls that do the will of our Father. Therefore, we must not be two-faced Christians who end up like the exiled Jews. We should love our neighbors as ourselves. As you come to Christ, let there be a great change in you. Finally, show grace, mercy, and compassion for the widow, the fatherless, and the foreigner.
Scriptures
Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord has spoken: “Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me. Isaiah 1:2 ESV
So he poured on him the heat of his anger and the might of battle; it set him on fire all around, but he did not understand; it burned him up, but he did not take it to heart. Isaiah 42:25 ESV
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 ESV
And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27 ESV
“‘Cursed be anyone who perverts the justice due to the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ Deuteronomy 27:19 ESV
Recap: Isaiah 41:10 Commentary: Fear Not, For I Am With You
God’s command for us not to fear is rooted in His promise to always be with us. With God on our side, who can win against us? God will walk with us in the highs and the lows of our lives. We should maintain a firm grip on this promise. However, man’s pride has always prevented him from surrendering to God. Either we do not wish to wait on God’s time, or we will not accept God’s will for us. In any case, our faith lies in God’s right hand.
It is difficult not to get dismayed, frustrated, fearful, or angry when things are not going our way. However, we serve a God stronger than any problem or situation we are in; He is mighty to save. We must trust that He will work out all things for our good. We may not see it now, but come the morning, we will be renewed. Remember, He is our strong God.
We can find strength in our Lord because we believe He will help us. God will help us in various ways. He can help us to accept what is happening and adjust. God can help us by taking the problem away. He can help us by providing something else. It is up to us to accept the answer. Sometimes, God tells us to wait because He has something better for us.
Waiting on the Lord can be the hardest. I waited many years before God sent a group of wonderful ladies whom I cherish for their friendship, love, and support. I believe God was removing people from my life to make room for new friends. Sometimes we have to deal with the old to make room for the new.
Finally, God promises to uphold us with His righteous right hand. For us to be held in God’s righteous hand is for us to receive just treatment at all times. God’s justice is filled with mercy and grace. He is slow to anger and filled with steadfast love and faithfulness for His people. God is our God and we are His people. He will never leave or forsake us.
We can find protection, guidance, and security in His hand. Hence, no one on Earth or in Heaven could love you more than God. Therefore, praise and worship Him in times of trouble and times of prosperity. God is the one constant in our lives that will never go away. Remember, jobs, people, and things will disappear with time, but not God.
Tips For Obtaining God’s Help
- Pray
- Meditate on the Word
- Praise and worship God
- Fellowship with believers
- Be kind daily
- Help others
- Be generous with your time, talents, and treasure
- Love God
- Love your neighbor
I pray that you found this post encouraging and increased your understanding of how much God loves us. No matter what you may be going through, God loves and cares for you. He is waiting for you to reach out to him and say I know you are here with me. I know that you will walk with me, no matter if I am walking through my version of the valley of the shadow of death. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Additional Reading…
2 Timothy 3:1-5 Commentary On Hope In Perilous Times
How To Find Joy With Bible Verses In The Bible
Bible Verses About Discouragement