Isaiah 8: Doom and Gloom?

Throughout history, nations rise and fall but Jehovah’s perfect plan is constant. When things are going well and my nation is at peace, life starts to get comfortable. My human nature turns me away from God and makes me think I’m doing this by myself. Many in Judah and Isreal turned away from God and did not believe the prophecies of Isaiah. But after these prophecies came true and the Assyrians came and the Babylonians came, God’s people would then remember the words of Isaiah. During the extremely difficult life of being captive or being attacked is when we turn to God for help. God uses these events to discipline his people.

I’m convinced America also will come to its end, and perhaps fairly soon. Maybe attacked by another nation. Maybe it’ll implode from within by a civil war. And not just America but any nation today. The whole world is fragile. There’s plenty of conspiracies out there but as Isaiah says in verses 12 & 13, “do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. But Jehovah of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.” Why waste my time and energy trying to predict the future and be ahead of others with understanding of the political events throughout the world. So I can invest money better? So I can prove to others how smart and in-the-times I am?

I must simply wait for Jehovah and put my hope in him. Of course, not wandering through life aimlessly and idly, but focusing on important efforts. Serving others, raising my family in God’s word, and working diligently at the work God gave me to do. Those who turn to their own understanding “will look to the earth, but behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish. And they will be thrust into thick darkness.”

Lord, let your face shine upon me and be gracious to me. Lift up your countenance upon me and give me peace.