UPDATE: I was floored by how many of you jumped into the classroom and participated in this assignment! (As of noon Monday, several hundred have yet to be moderated but you’ll see them posted soon.) Your papers were FABULOUS. You did exactly what we hoped. You gave the assignment thought and authenticity. My tremendously busy weekend only afforded me a perusal but I look so forward to getting deeper into the stack. You are amazing women. You blow my mind over and over. I wish so much you could all have been at staff prayer today because each coworker brought her homework for us to discuss. We also had a particularly fun and unique translation addition (remember how you were to check 3 translations?)Â because I asked Melissa if she’d read it to us in Hebrew. We got such a charge out of it. It truly was beautiful. To me, one of the most intriguing insights from many of your papers was the varied forms fleeing can take. Those differences were also articulated in our staff circle today. Running takes all sorts of forms, doesn’t it, Sisters? Here’s what we can know: Only when we’re fleeing from God can the enemy catch us. And even then, if we’re in Christ, he cannot have us. Nor can he keep us. Our God be praised. Gotta get back to work! Bible study tomorrow night! I love you, Sisters! And I think about you daily. THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING!!
Happy Friday, you wonderful things!
As soon as I push publish on this post, I’ll be heading out the door to the airport. I have a Life Today taping this weekend for the Wednesday program. (Two sessions tonight. Two in the morning.) Please pray for Jesus to fill us, teach us, heal us, and thrill us and that the group will be greatly responsive. Thank you! I do not know where I’d be without prayer. What I’m asking for in this Bible study ministry as a whole is something only Jesus can do. I need Him so much.
OK! So, this morning God impressed something on me in prayer time that I became convinced over the next hour He wanted me to share also with you. It’s coming in the way of a homework assignment I want to offer to any of you who’d like to participate. I have to be sparing in my words this morning because I have very little time but my heart is tremendously enlarged over it.
Here’s the ground rule: Please complete your assignment without reading any of the comments. Let’s resist any comparison or competition. Everybody who participates gets an A+. So you’re not tempted and so that you don’t get well into the assignment and lose your connection and your work, do it first on a Word document or the equivalent and then copy and paste it into your comment. I’m not looking for smart or scholarly sounding responses or ones that demonstrate impressive and great Spiritual prowess. I’m just looking for thought-out answers that are real.
You game? Me, too! OK, here goes. You do not need to include the questions or instructions in your answers but, for the sake of organization, please do list them by number. (1-6)
1. Please go to a website like Bible Gateway or to your Bible software if you have it and look up Isaiah 30:15-18. Please read it thoroughly in 3 different translations. In your response to this first exercise, please tell me what 3 translations you read then copy and paste the one that spoke the most blatantly to you. (In your answer you will have the abbreviations to three translations and then the full text in one of them. Make sense?)
2. Look up the word “threat” in any good English dictionary and write the full definition. After you write the definition, please share how it hits you and how you feel most threatened in this season, if at all. Keep in mind that nothing trips the switch on our insecurity like feeling threatened. Be careful as always in this community not to over-share by telling things about other people who wouldn’t necessarily appreciate it.
3. What does “fleeing” tend to look like in your life? In other words, how are you most prone to flee? And, are you in fleeing mode right now?
4. Compare or contrast the Isaiah text (30:15-18)Â to 1 Peter 5:8-10 and James 4:7.
5. One of my translations this morning for this text was The Message. Here it is on the card I wrote out.
Do you perchance need to hear the words “settle down!” as much as I do? If so, why?
6. Finish your assignment with any particular personal insight you gained from it and, most of all, what you discern God is saying to you through it.
I love this kind of thing! If you don’t, I still love YOU. I will look so forward to reading many of your “papers.” Girl, I do dearly relish a classroom, and from both sides of the desk. Lindsee will be in town moderating your comments then I will start looking at them as soon as I finish up in Dallas.
PRAY FOR US! I LOVE YOU!!!
1. NIV1984, The Message, NLT: I chose the NLT
15 This is what the Sovereign LORD,
the Holy One of Israel, says:
âOnly in returning to me
and resting in me will you be saved.
In quietness and confidence is your strength.
But you would have none of it.
16 You said, âNo, we will get our help from Egypt.
They will give us swift horses for riding into battle.â
But the only swiftness you are going to see
is the swiftness of your enemies chasing you!
17 One of them will chase a thousand of you.
Five of them will make all of you flee.
You will be left like a lonely flagpole on a hill
or a tattered banner on a distant mountaintop.â
Blessings for the LORDâs People
18 So the LORD must wait for you to come to him
so he can show you his love and compassion.
For the LORD is a faithful God.
Blessed are those who wait for his help.
2. Threat-
a. an expression of intention to inflict evil, injury, or damage
b. one that threatens
c. an indication of something impending
The word impending hits me the hardest, if it is happening then you have to deal with it but if it has not happened yet I can make it seem worse than it will be if it even happens at all. I am most threatened right now by changes at my work and the possibility of having knee surgery.
3. Fleeing in my life looks like total absorption in something unrelated to the problem. I busy myself with other things so as not to confront the things I need to face.
4. The passages are different in that in Isaiah the people are fleeing from the threat, while Peter tells us to stand firm and James tells us if we humble ourselves before God and resist the devil then the devil will be the one who is fleeing. The passages are the same in that they show God as loving, kind and faithful. He is always there to help us when we let Him.
5. Most of the time telling myself to settle down and seek God will fix things for me. I just need to learn for this to be my first reaction rather than when I have let things get out of control. Sometimes I have to say the words âsettle down Lisa!â sternly to myself to get my attention.
6. In my Wednesday night class the pastor said the other night that the Israelites getting help from Egypt was similar to us getting help from the world. That is why I chose the NLT because I immediately saw them getting their faster horses from Egypt similar to me trying to get help from the world instead of seeking Godâs help. I was asked to take a new volunteer position at church on Sunday mornings this past August. Through it I am learning to depend on God more, something I have realized I was âunconsciouslyâ unwilling to do. I am slowly learning to wait on His help instead of rushing off on fast horses I borrowed from the world!
Thanks for always pushing us to look deeper into the Word and ourselves,
Lisa
Answer to #1:
NLT
NIV84
NET:
15For this is what the master, the LORD, the Holy One of Israel says:
âIf you repented and patiently waited for me, you would be delivered;
if you calmly trusted in me you would find strength, but you are unwilling.
16 You say, âNo, we will flee on horses,â so you will indeed flee.
You say, âWe will ride on fast horses,â so your pursuers will be fast.
17 One thousand will scurry at the battle cry of one enemy soldier;
at the battle cry of five enemy soldiers you will all run away,
until the remaining few are as isolated as a flagpole on a mountaintop
or a signal flag on a hill.â
18 For this reason the LORD is ready to show you mercy;
he sits on his throne, ready to have compassion on you.
Indeed, the LORD is a just God;
all who wait for him in faith will be blessed.
Answer to #2:
âThreatâ: an expression of intention to hurt, destroy, punish as in retaliation or intimidation; an indication of imminent danger.
In a word: change. My daughter got engaged over the holidays, she has also started nursing school; my relationship with my husband in this season of empty nest is âaverageâ.
Answer to #3:
I am definitely in a âfleeingâ mode. My way of fleeing, though, is to withdraw from my feelings and erect walls to keep my fears and feelings in check.
Answer to #4: The Isaiah verse speaks of Godâs people fleeing, thinking they can outrun the enemy. James and 1 Peter speaks of standing firm, standing still, and relying on God to help you resist the enemy and keep you safe from his threats.
Answer to #5: My life Bible verse is Psalm 46:10 âBe STILL and know that I am God. I have a difficult time being still and settling down when Iâm in a fleeing state and my negative thoughts take over everything I know to be true. Besides, itâs much EASIER to flee and try to outrun than it is to BE STILL and let God.
Answer to #6: A reaffirmation that I need to remember that my future is already Godâs history. He will handle anything Iâm going through and will help me get through it. I need to just LET GO (and not take it back).
1. NIV, MSG, Amplified – 15 For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: In returning [to Me] and resting [in Me] you shall be saved; in quietness and in [trusting] confidence shall be your strength. But you would not, 16 And you said, No! We will speed [our own course] on horses! Therefore you will speed [in flight from your enemies]! You said, We will ride upon swift steeds [doing our own way]! Therefore will they who pursue you be swift, [so swift that. 17 One thousand of you will flee at the threat of one of them; at the threat of five you will flee till you are left like a beacon or a flagpole on the top of a mountain, and like a signal on a hill. 18 And therefore the Lord [earnestly] waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are all those who [earnestly] wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him [for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy, and His matchless, unbroken companionship]!
2. Threat: (1) an expression of intention to inflict evil, injury, or damage; (2) one that threatens; (3) : an indication of something impending I feel most threatened in this season by our enemy. I believe we are in the last days and he is pulling out all stops. Trying to wreak havoc among Godâs people, the church. Iâm a pastorâs wife and Iâm afraid. Of course I know how it ends and the victory truly is ours but I want myself and those around me to be strong and faithful to the end!
3. Fleeing for me isnât so much from the things that I know Iâm not supposed to do but the thing I am supposed to be doing. Like – avoiding conflict & people that Iâm disappointed in and not approaching topics even when I know God wants me to, forgiving others, and being patient with those who donât quite âget it.â
4. Wow, I didnât realize what I Peter 5:8-10 said when I wrote the above. How sweet God is. Christ Jesus, will Himself complete and make you what you ought to be, establish and ground you securely, and strengthen, and settle you. I love that our God is so great that the enemy will FLEE when we are IN HIS Presence.
5. âSettleâ down â I need to stop trying to do things my way; stop worrying over what is going to happen and trust the One that can truly make a difference.
6. Iâm so glad to be reminded of Godâs power, in His time, If I wait and am patient and expect it. In quietness and trusting confidence⊠Praying God will help me slow down and be quiet and then to do what I hear him tell me and gather strength that he offers and supplies.
1. Isaiah 30:15-18 The Message (MSG)
God Takes the Time to Do Everything Right
15-17 GOD, the Master, The Holy of Israel,
has this solemn counsel:
âYour salvation requires you to turn back to me
and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves.
Your strength will come from settling down
in complete dependence on meâ
The very thing
youâve been unwilling to do.
Youâve said, âNothing doing! Weâll rush off on horseback!â
Youâll rush off, all right! Just not far enough!
Youâve said, âWeâll ride off on fast horses!â
Do you think your pursuers ride old nags?
Think again: A thousand of you will scatter before one attacker.
Before a mere five youâll all run off.
Thereâll be nothing left of youâ
a flagpole on a hill with no flag,
a signpost on a roadside with the sign torn off.â
18 But GODâs not finished. Heâs waiting around to be gracious to you.
Heâs gathering strength to show mercy to you.
GOD takes the time to do everything rightâeverything.
Those who wait around for him are the lucky ones.
Isaiah 30:15-18 New International Version (NIV)
Isaiah 30:15-18 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
The further you run, the weaker and lonier you will be. To run is futile, to hide is a waste of time, who are you really hiding from? Growing up we use to play hide and seek. It was never just called âhideâ there was always seeking involved. I guess the question should really be, who do you want seeking you? Its somebody, why? Who do we truly want to be found by? There is no hiding from Jesus, He knows all of your hiding places. I love that He takes the time to do everything right, and I pray we all rest in that truth today.
2. Definition of THREAT
1: an expression of intention to inflict evil, injury, or damage
2: one that threatens
3: an indication of something impending
Impending threats could be my living situation changing, financial situations unsure, threat of loss of friendships
3. In times of great pain, I flee to the feet of Jesus, I flee to His Word, I flee to Him, to find rest, peace, love, acceptance. It wasnât always like that, I use to flee to anything that would take my mind off the pain or loss or rejection, but it was always futile and I just found myself back where I stared and time wasted. But when I flee to the Cross and rest in His love that never changes, and the truth that when He sees me, he sees me just as if I have never sinned, but also, just as if I have always obeyed!! And that is only because of Jesus, because I am âIn Christâ When God looks at me, He sees Jesus. And when I feel as if I have disappointed God, I have to remind myself, God is not disappointed with Jesus, therefore, He is not disappointed with me, so there is no need to flee from Him. I should flee TO Him because He is the only ONE that can do anything about anything.
4. To run away from God, takes us further from His protection. Its like the sheep wondering off from the Shepherd, outside of the reach of His staff. The wolves lurk around waiting for the lone sheep to get far enough away so it can pounce and kill. But, we may stray from the shepherd, but never from His eye sight, once we turn and face Him, He is right there, staff ready to swing and take out any wolf. ANY WOLF. God is in the business of restoration and redemption, its called the Gospel, and if we donât believe that He is, then how then can we believe in the Gospel? I pray we all flee to the Gospel and its truths and live out life out in those truths. God can do ANYTHING! He specializes in the Impossible! Walk in Peace my dear sisters! Thank you Beth for being a mentor to so many that you have never met, we are praying for you!
5. Settle Down- Yes, sometimes I get so caught up in despair of the world and wonder if it will ever get any better, truth is, its only going to get worse. But I know that does not mean stop trying, we are called to do our part in this broken world, we are all âon assignmentâ We are all being made more into the image of God, everyday. Most times I want to see change right now, the wait is the hardest, so when I hear settle down, I hear the Lord saying, Hey, baby girl, I got this, I have had it since the beginning of time, and I will have it long after you are gone. REST in My Promises, REST in Me, I am working it out ALL for the good for all involved.
6. Wait on the Lord, When you just donât know what to do, Flee to Him, Tell Him all about it, He can handle it, ALL of it. The fact is, He already knows and He even knows the âwhyâ even when we donât. He is trustworthy and can handle the why, even when we canât.
1. NIRV (New International Reader’s Version
NLT (New Living Translation)
GWT (God’s Word Translation)Isa 30:15-18 “15. This is what the Almighty LORD, The Holy One of Israel says: “You can be saved by returning to me. You can have rest. You can be strong by being quiet and by trusting me. But you don’t want that.
16. You’ve said, “No, we’ll flee on horses,” So, you flee. You’ve added, “We’ll ride on fast horses.” So those who chase you will also be fast.
17. One thousand people will flee when one person threatens then, and you will flee when five threaten you. Then you will be left alone like a flagpole on top of a mountain like a signpost on a hill.
18. The LORD is waiting to be kind to you. He rises to have compassion on you. The LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all those who wait for Him.
2. Threat – noun 1. a declaration of an intention or determination to inflict punishment, injury, etc.. in retaliation for, or conditionally upon, some action or course; menace 2. an indication or warning of probable trouble
I feel most threatened when it seems like someone is questioning my intelligence or ability. I work in a Mom’s Day Out program. We have a mom that talks down to us – every day! She tells us to make sure to give her toddler little pieces of table food. To only give her fruit at lunch. To make sure we put her socks back on if her feet feel chilly. On and on! I am a mom of 3 children and my co-teacher is a mom of 4. We have worked at this place for 5 years. I’m quite certain we can give her daughter the best care.
I have a feeling she doesn’t mean to be belittling, but it is hard to remember as she is giving us our daily instructions. (small lol)
3. I can stand up for mistreatment of others, but tended to flee confrontation when it came to myself.
4. I need to resist sin and stay close to God
5. YES! I need to settle down and wait for God to work
6. This assignment showed me that God wants me to FULLY depend on Him! My Dad made me be independent. One time in my early 20’s, I had to change my car tire. In the dark. In front of the house of a guy I liked. While the guy, his dad and my Dad stood outside watching me and talking. Oh yeah – it was a Sunday night and I was still dressed for church!! I can laugh about it now, but at the time I wasn’t happy! I know Dad meant well when he wanted me to not depend on a man to do things for me, but it has caused trouble in that I want to do the “thing” and not wait for God to do it. I have trouble understanding why God won’t do it NOW when I want it done! I understand that His timing is perfect as He can see the entire situation and I only see the immediate part, but that doesn’t prevent me from having a spiritual (sometimes literal) tantrum.
1. NIV, NRSV, The Message
Isaiah 30:15-18
The Message (MSG)
God Takes the Time to Do Everything Right
15-17 GOD, the Master, The Holy of Israel,
has this solemn counsel:
âYour salvation requires you to turn back to me
and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves.
Your strength will come from settling down
in complete dependence on meâ
The very thing
youâve been unwilling to do.
Youâve said, âNothing doing! Weâll rush off on horseback!â
Youâll rush off, all right! Just not far enough!
Youâve said, âWeâll ride off on fast horses!â
Do you think your pursuers ride old nags?
Think again: A thousand of you will scatter before one attacker.
Before a mere five youâll all run off.
Thereâll be nothing left of youâ
a flagpole on a hill with no flag,
a signpost on a roadside with the sign torn off.â
18 But GODâs not finished. Heâs waiting around to be gracious to you.
Heâs gathering strength to show mercy to you.
GOD takes the time to do everything rightâeverything.
Those who wait around for him are the lucky ones.
2. Threat:
1. a declaration of an intention or determination to inflict punishment, injury, etc., in retaliation for, or conditionally upon, some action or course; menace:
2. an indication or warning of probable trouble
The âdetermination to inflictâŠâ hit me. Someone/something wants to hurt me.
I am, thankfully, not currently feeling threatened in any areas of my lift.
3. I am most prone to turn inward when I flee. I âsuck it upâ and try to deal with it on my own. Usually someone close to me confronts me and I âfess up! I am, thankfully, not fleeing anyone/anything right now.
4. We want to run off and deal with things ourselves. We are impatient and feel like we can do everything on our own. When we are tempted we either give in or try to âfleeâ in our own strength. It never works. We fail. We fall. We get into more trouble. We are hurt. BUT God is ALWAYS faithful. He is always there to pick up the pieces and put us back on track. If we would ONLY turn to him first we would save ourselves âand him â a lot of pain and suffering! We need to be in prayer- serious prayer â to walk in his ways and not be easy prey for Satan. We need to SETTLE DOWN and stop our âsilly effortsâ to save ourselves.
5. I stand amazed at Godâs patience with me. At his unfailing grace and mercy. At his faithfulness when I am so unfaithful. No matter how many times I jump on the horse to run, he is there to stop me in the end and gently guide me back to his path. I am eternally grateful for his love and sovereign rule in my life.
Thanks Beth, I enjoy doing this kind of homework!
I read NASB, KJV, and NRSV
Isaiah 30:15-18
15 For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength. But you refused
16 and said, “No! We will flee upon horses”–
Therefore you shall flee! and, We will ride upon swift steeds”–
therefore your pursuers shall be swift!
17 A thousand shall flee at the threat of one, at the threat of five you shall flee until you are left like a flagstaff on the tip of a mountain, like a signal on a hill.
18 Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.
NRSV
“Threat” – The expression of an intention to inflict evil or injury on another, menace, denuncation
-Webster’s 1936 edition-
I do feel threatened by a sister-in-law that seems to look for ways and reasons to hurt me and damage my relationships with my family. Also, I’ve been doing a lot more praying and Bible Study and I’ve seen a lot of friends, family, and even our church with a lot more problems–satan is at work is the best way to say it.
I would have to say I am fleeing from some of the situations… Sometimes kind of a fall back to regroup, sometimes because I just don’t want to get in the line of fire, and sometimes because it just hurts too much.
When I conpare James 4:7, 1 Peter 5:8-10 I find hope, hope that the Lord knows what is going on and that He is a just GOD. So I pray and hold on to the Lord even more it these terrible days.
#1 – (NIV84, MSG, KJV, HCSB)
15 For thus the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said, “In repentance and rest you will be saved, In quietness and trust is your strength.” But you were not willing,
16 And you said, “No, for we will flee on horses,” Therefore you shall flee ! “And we will ride on swift horses,” Therefore those who pursue you shall be swift.
17 One thousand will flee at the threat of one man; You will flee at the threat of five, Until you are left as a flag on a mountain top And as a signal on a hill.
18 Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the LORD is a God of justice ; How blessed are all those who long for Him. (NASB)
#2 – threat – (1) a declaration of an intention or determination to inflict punishment or injury, etc. in retaliation for, or conditionally upon, some action or course; menace. (2) an indication or warning of probably trouble. (3) a person or thing that threatens.
During this season in my life, there are many elements that I feel threatened by: the loss of our spiritual rights in our country; the condition of the quality of life in which my children will live; the continued growth rate of crime; the ongoing venture away from the spiritual beliefs upon which our country was founded; and the increasing bitterness and anger towards the US.
#3 – Currently, I don’t believe I am in a fleeing mode, but more in a mode of praying, researching, studying and preparation. Possible fleeing could include moving to a safer community and considering alternative forms of education for my children.
#4 – In contrast to Isaiah where God knows the Israelites are falling into the trap of taking matters into their own hands, I Peter and James are instead warning signs – I’m envisioning an oversized “CAUTION” sign warning that there will be trouble. Just like a caution sign going into a sharp curve around a steep mountain helps to prevent us from going over the cliff, God’s warnings to us in I Peter and James encourages us to stay alert and watch out for the “cliffs” [threats] of life and cling to God and the hope in what lies ahead.
#5 – Yes, often times I need to hear the words “Settle Down” and “Be Still and Know that I AM GOD!” When I think of how quickly our country is spiraling downward, my only hope is found in Him and His Word. Historically, God has never allowed His people to endure hardship indefinitely, but rather rescued them from it. Why do I think He would treat His believers now any differently?
#6 – Just this week a group of my peers were discussing the 2nd Amendment and more importantly, what do we believe scripturally is said in regards to our right to bear arms and protect ourselves. Honestly, I have grown up with, married and given birth to “man’s men” . . . They are outdoorsmen; therefore, I have always known how to respect and safely use a gun. My Dad is extremely cautious and has taught my son the same respects. Although, my comment to the group was when my husband is traveling – (yes, we have two dependable, protective dogs and an alarm) and my head lies down on the pillow it isn’t Smith and Wesson, Browning, Winchester, Sig or any of the others that I find my protection in, it is the one and only, dependable, never forsaking GOD ALMIGHTY! I don’t pray for protection from anyone else than the Holy Spirit and that’s who I trust. This, once again, affirms my trust in Him and not in man made weapons. We must find our hope in Him and Him alone!
“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of The Lord our God.” Psalm 20:7
Thank you Beth for this wonderful lesson . . . It was quite timely!
1. a) KJV
b) NIV
c) NLT
Isaiah 30:15-18 New Living Translation (NLT)
15 This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: âOnly in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it. 16 You said, âNo, we will get our help from Egypt. They will give us swift horses for riding into battle.â But the only swiftness you are going to see is the swiftness of your enemies chasing you!
17 One of them will chase a thousand of you. Five of them will make all of you flee. You will be left like a lonely flagpole on a hill or a tattered banner on a distant mountaintop.â Blessings for the LORDâs People 18 So the LORD must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion.
For the LORD is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help.
2. Threat
a declaration of an intention or determination to inflict punishment, injury, etc., in retaliation for, or conditionally upon, some action or course; menace:
The devil is inflicting punishment in my mind for what I have done, in that I donât think I can ever forgive myself for hurting certain people the way I have. Always telling me that I deserve everything I am getting.
3. Yes, I am fleeingâŠfleeing from the fact that I know God can and will save me! The guilt is consuming me so much that I donât feel I deserve saving or that I can last long enough to get to that point.
4. If we wait on the Lord, he will save us! But we have to wait and resist the devil!
5. YES!! I have never been the one to have patienceâŠ.but if I would have just a little, HE WILL SAVE ME!
6. I need to just have a little patience, not try to save myself, trust in God and resist the devil, and He will surely save me!!
Thank you so much for this “homework”!! Although I know my answers are not as in depth as others, this has truly helped me in this awful situation I have created! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
I am so profoundly thankful to God for the timing of this assignment and for Beth to pass it out. My husband has pastored 2 yoked churches for the last 7 years and was let go this past October, with his last day being June 30, 2013. It has been a difficult 7 years and the only way we’ve lasted this long is through God. But still I was taken by surprise by this dissolution of his job at this time and dealing with feelings of rejection, disappontment, betrayal, sense of failure, anger/frustration, being humbled, insecurity and uncertainty. So in the midst of that comes Isaiah 30:15-18:
1.) I read it in the KJV, NIV, MSG and NIrV Kids Quest Study Bible, the latter being the one that spoke to me the most: “The Lord and King is the Holy One of Israel. He says, ‘You will find peace and rest when you turn away from your sins and depend on me. You will receive the strength you need when you stay calm and trust in me. But you do not want to do what I tell you to. You said,’No. We’ll escape on horses.’ So you will have to escape! You said,’We’ll ride off on fast horses.’ So those who chase you will use faster horses! When one of them dares you to fight, a thousand of you will run away. When five of them dare you, all of you will run away. So few of you will be left that you will be like a flagpole on top of a mountain. You will be like only one banner on a hill.” But the Lord longs to show you his favor. He wants to give you his tender love. The Lord is a God who is always fair. Blessed are all those who wait for him to act!”
2.) “Threat”: 1. a declaration of an intention to inflict punishment, injury, etc. as in retaliation for, or conditionally upon, some action or course; 2.an indication or warning of probably trouble; 3. a person or thing that threatens. [Random House Webster’s College Dictionary]
– No. 2 of the definitions – “an indication or warning of probable trouble” hits me the most. Our vacation that we had booked for the last week of June/first week of July is now threatened by the possibility that we’ll have to be moving right then. So in other words, instead of much-needed rest and diversion, we may have more stress than usual.If we do not have a new place lined up to go, then that presents a whole new challenge which feels like a threat of logistical strain and strain on already worn-thin relationships.
3.)Fleeing tends to take the form of withdrawal from people/relationships in my life; a cooling of connections, an attitude of suspicion and isolation to self-protect. Right after my husband was told he’s being let go, I wanted to just pick up and leave as soon as possible. The fact that we have to hang around all these months seemed intolerable in some moments. Then again, the deadline looms as our job search has not been successful yet. Having to sort out this transition time has stretched me.
4.) James 4:7 reads like a more urgent, outright call to turn to God than Isaiah, which is more like, “You’re not getting it, you’re wayward, but just so you know, God is waiting, whenever you’re finally ready.” But both Peter and James seem to slightly turn up the heat a little more, mentioning the devil and the bigger picture (fellow-believers around the world also undergoing similar trials).
5.) I definitely have needed to hear and heed the words “settle down”! I have not rested in God but done a lot of things in my own strength. My spirit has not been in a peaceful, restful place, but been on my guard against adversity from – church people! I had moments where I begged the Holy Spirit to just come and blow away rebellion and bless us with unity and thriving fellowship. I think his answer and activity has been subtle. Far from the sweeping grandeur I wanted. Physically I’m quite settled here so the prospect of moving annoys me, as does the loss of established structures for our children (we have 3 – ages 8,5 & 2). So I’m ticked that I can’t stay physically settled but…-
6.)…I have begun to see that as a result of this upheaval (which at first did not look like a gift at all!) there is going to come a much-needed inner revival and a very welcome reset button in many ways. So I’ve started to embrace this season with all its thorns and hoping I will pass it with a good grade. I have been so proud of many things/abilities that in reality I have to hone more. I thought I had a lot to offer and that this ministry was going to be victorious; but many times God was not in it, it was my own idea, not His marching orders, and I’ve seen that I don’t know the first thing about how to serve these people because I don’t understand them and don’t listen very well. So as a mover and shaker I’ve ‘moved people who didn’t want to be moved and shook things that were better left alone’ (a quote from Liz Curtis Higgs in “Slightly Bad Girls Of The Bible”, in a study of Rebecca – who I’ve newly discovered I’m a lot alike in many ways). That’s what I’ve learned, and that I have done a lousy job of waiting on the Lord.
~I loved this assignment; it is exactly what I needed and totally dove-tails on an “evening of letting go” I attended 2 nights ago, where we cast our cares in written form into a box that was then nailed shut (crucifixion moment, the sound of those nails!) and then burned. Thank you Beth.
1. NLT, NCSB,
CEV:
“The holy Lord God of Israelâš had told all of you,âšâI will keep you safe âšif you turn back to meâš and calm down. âšI will make you strongâš if you quietly trust me.â
Then you stubbornly said,âšâNo! We will safely escapeâš on speedy horses.â
But those who chase youâš will be even faster.
As few as five of them, âšor even one, âšwill be enoughâš to chase a thousand of you.âš Finally, all that will be leftâš will be a few survivorsâšas lonely as a flag poleâš on a barren hill.
The Lord God is waiting âšto show how kind he isâš and to have pity on you.âšThe Lord always does right;âšhe blesses those who trust him.
2. threat: a declaration of an intention or determination to inflict punishment, injury, etc., in retaliation for, or conditionally upon, some action or course; menace: He confessed under the threat of imprisonment.
or
an indication or warning of probable trouble: The threat of a storm was in the air.
Currently, I am feeling threatened by some emotional baggage from a recent short season of our life. We found ourselves in a wilderness phase for about a year (Aug â11-July â12), but were released from that wilderness phase last July and sent to a new place that is providing a lot of peace, contentment, challenge, mentorship, and healthy relationships for my family. However, I have not let go of some pain and hurt that happened during our wilderness phase. It is threatening my mental and emotional health and beginning to affect my ability to stay focused as a wife and mother.
3. I believe I flee by cutting ties swiftly and completely without dealing with the deeper stuff. I will avoid situations that bring with them emotional reactions. I will set non-Christ-like boundaries for the sake of not feeling hurt/angry/anxious/etc. (I just watched the final video in James about boundaries-very insightful!) Each of these things listed above could be done in an appropriate manner and sometimes need to be done. However, I do not feel that I always employ them in the right manner when fleeing. I just want away from the pain/hurt/anger/anxiety and I will do what it takes to get rid of it quickly.
4. The Isaiah passage is talking about us fleeing while James is talking about the devil fleeing when we resist temptation. 1 Peter also talks about standing firm against the devil because he is looking for someone to attack. Isaiah and Peter both discuss Godâs kindness in giving us strength if we will just submit to Him.
5. YES! I need to settle down (calm down in CEV). My mind is like a hamster on a wheel trying to solve so many problems all at one time. I just need to stop and rest in His presence and let Him deal with it!
6. This was such a great assignment for me to sit down and do for a few minutes today. My anxiety levels have been high in recent weeks and I have chosen the wrong things to flee from and to. I need to put this verse up on my bathroom mirror and spend time meditating on it in the mornings, and release my anxieties to the One who is waiting to bestow kindness on me.
1. NIV84, CEV, NLT
Isaiah 30:15-18NLT
15 This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: âOnly in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it.
16 You said, âNo, we will get our help from Egypt. They will give us swift horses for riding into battle.â
But the only swiftness you are going to see is the swiftness of your enemies chasing you! 17 One of them will chase a thousand of you. Five of them will make all of you flee. You will be left like a lonely flagpole on a hill or a tattered banner on a distant mountaintop.â 18 So the Lord must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the Lord is a faithful God.
Blessed are those who wait for his help.
2. World English Dictionary
Threatâ n
1. A declaration of the intention to inflict harm, pain, or misery
2. An indication of imminent harm, danger, or pain
3. A person or thing that is regarded as dangerous or likely to inflict pain or misery
Falling prey to Satan and not following our God is our greatest threat. I feel most threatened in this season by our great country not following God.
3. To me fleeing looks like shrinking back and hiding. I am not currently in that mode. ï But I sure have been in certain seasons!
4. Comparison: Our threatâŠSatanâŠis always lurking. We MUST be still and patient and wait for our faithful Father.
5. YES! ï I need the daily reminder that I must have desperate dependence on my Father!
6. I am currently not working, allowing me lots of time to see and hear what is going on in our country. It frightens me and deeply concerns me. BUT, I know that God is taking this opportunity to teach me to lean into Him, with that desperate dependence and to pray for our nation and its people to turn back to God. To put our trust in Him and not man.
I loved this homework assignment. I love reading and studying Godâs word. Thank you!
NIV, HCSB, MSG
Isaiah 30:15-18
The Message (MSG)
God Takes the Time to Do Everything Right
15-17 GOD, the Master, The Holy of Israel,
has this solemn counsel:
âYour salvation requires you to turn back to me
and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves.
Your strength will come from settling down
in complete dependence on meâ
The very thing
youâve been unwilling to do.
Youâve said, âNothing doing! Weâll rush off on horseback!â
Youâll rush off, all right! Just not far enough!
Youâve said, âWeâll ride off on fast horses!â
Do you think your pursuers ride old nags?
Think again: A thousand of you will scatter before one attacker.
Before a mere five youâll all run off.
Thereâll be nothing left of youâ
a flagpole on a hill with no flag,
a signpost on a roadside with the sign torn off.â
18 But GODâs not finished. Heâs waiting around to be gracious to you.
Heâs gathering strength to show mercy to you.
GOD takes the time to do everything rightâeverything.
Those who wait around for him are the lucky ones.
The Message translation spoke to me the most – âYour salvation requires you to turn back to me and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves. Your strength will come from settling down in complete dependence on meâ The very thing youâve been unwilling to do.â
This is a year of discipline for us regarding eating, exercising, budgeting, and Bible reading & studying. I realize that I canât do all of this on my own â these all have to be things that I do ONLY through the Lordâs strength â I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13. I feel âthreatenedâ by the enemy when I try to do all of these things on my own strength, which causes me to feel doubt. To me, âfleeingâ means I quit relying on Godâs strength and instead listen to the enemy coaxing me to avoid these disciplinary tasks, convincing me Iâm just wasting my time.
threat
âhttp://dictionary.reference.com/browse/threat?s=t
noun
1.
a declaration of an intention or determination to inflict punishment,
injury, etc., in retaliation for, or conditionally upon, some action or course; menace
2.
an indication or warning of probable trouble
3.
a person or thing that threatens.
Def. #2: an indication or warning of probable trouble â this spoke to me the most as I feel like if things continue in the way they are going and a change is not made, trouble will ensue in the near future. I feel very comforted by the fact that Iâm not alone in my struggles, for according to 1 Peter 5:9, âyou know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.â These believers are my Siestas around the world! From these readings today, I have discerned that submission to God will make me strong.
NCV,NIV and from the New Living Translation:The Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel,says, “Only in returning to me and waiting for me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it. You said,’No,we will get our help from Egypt. They will give us swift horses for riding into battle.’ But the only swiftness you are going to see is the swiftness of your enemies chasing you! One of them will chase a thousand of you. Five of them will make all of you flee. You will be left like a lonely flagpole on a distant mountaintop.” But the Lord waits for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for him to help them.
Shame is a threat. I feel threatened by how I am perceived socially.
Sometimes I feel threatened around other believers.
I flee by building walls and then I feel like that lonely flagpole on a distant mountaintop.
I can stay and fight and not flee. I don’t have to give in to threats from the enemy. “In quietness and confidence is your strength.” I can quiet my mind before Him and trust His truths. What a scriptural gem. Thank you.
1. NIV, NLT, MSG
Isaiah 30:15-18
New Living Translation (NLT)
15 This is what the Sovereign LORD,
the Holy One of Israel, says:
âOnly in returning to me
and resting in me will you be saved.
In quietness and confidence is your strength.
But you would have none of it.
16 You said, âNo, we will get our help from Egypt.
They will give us swift horses for riding into battle.â
But the only swiftness you are going to see
is the swiftness of your enemies chasing you!
17 One of them will chase a thousand of you.
Five of them will make all of you flee.
You will be left like a lonely flagpole on a hill
or a tattered banner on a distant mountaintop.â
Blessings for the LORDâs People
18 So the LORD must wait for you to come to him
so he can show you his love and compassion.
For the LORD is a faithful God.
Blessed are those who wait for his help.
2. THREAT (N)
– an expression of intention to inflict evil, injury, or damage
– one that threatens
– an indication of something impending
I’ve been married thirteen years. Mind you, it has never been perfect or easy, but the
last four years have been difficult. Work, money, addiction and the usual stress of
marriage have taken a toll. I know for certain, Satan is attacking marriage. Not just
mine, but those of all Christians. It may be all he has left. So much of God has been
removed from our lives already. Marriage is ripe for the picking. There are days I
think I can’t go on. There is a real “expression of intent to inflict damage”. Not physical damage, but Satan’s damage to my marriage. Believe me, I claim His name every single day and He is the only reason this “threat” has not progressed to something more!
3. Fleeing (fight or flight)
Ah, fleeing. I am VERY good at this. Fleeing for me is the actual removal of myself from a room, situation, or relationship. I am gone ~ either emotionally or physically! I can shut my mind from anything. Well, when I sleep, I usually get those gentle messages about not doing this. I frequently ignore those, too: ) Confliction makes my eye twitch. Let’s face it, none of us like it. But, I can’t even watch TV shows if there is conflict. Seriously. I turn the channel! As I type this…He is talking. Yes, I’m listening. “Turn to me, my child.”
Wow. That feeling of peace has washed over me. Guess I’m done with number 3.
4. Turn to God and resist the devil. 1 Peter, Isaiah, James…always a reminder that God is the answer! We can’t, shouldn’t, and weren’t meant to do this alone. Let Him lead the way!
5. Settle down!! Oh how I need to hear this! My mind and actions run amok. I can’t tell myself to settle down. God always has a messenger. I can be in my head and a friend talks to me about something and there it is. I’m talking to my friend about scripture and I realize, I need this Word today.
6. God is telling me the same thing He has told me for forty years. He is the answer!!
God has a plan and I need to get on board. It is time I stop trying to fix and control and follow Him. The threats I feel are real, but God is with me. I just need to spend more time on my knees and in The Book.
I’m not exactly a homework kind of gal, but this was great! I didn’t make a New Year’s resolution. I DID dedicate myself to Proverbs 3:5 and God has heard my plea. This assignment, SSMT, friends, those who have lost their faith are constantly before me. I know this isn’t new…I’m just listening to Him, now!
Thank you, Siesta Mama!
1) CEV, NLT,
God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 30:15-18
This is what the Almighty Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:
You can be saved by returning to me.
You can have rest.
You can be strong by being quiet and by trusting me.
But you donât want that.
Youâve said, âNo, weâll flee on horses.â
So you flee.
Youâve added, âWeâll ride on fast horses.
So those who chase you will also be fast.
One thousand people will flee when one person threatens them,
and you will flee when five threaten you.
Then you will be left alone
like a flagpole on top of a mountain,
like a signpost on a hill.
The Lord is waiting to be kind to you.
He rises to have compassion on you.
The Lord is a God of justice.
Blessed are all those who wait for him.
2) Threat: A declaration of an intention or determination to inflict punishment, injury, etc., in retaliation for, or conditionally upon, some action or course; menace
Rebuke: An expression of sharp disapproval or criticism
I find it interesting that the original word for threat is rebuke. I tend to respond strongly when verbally or physically threatened, and working with an inner city mission, I have had occasion to be threatened. I believe God gives me a supernatural bravery for those times, and I generally don’t run.
Being rebuked is an entirely different matter. I turn into a puddle when I am criticized or spoken harshly to by others, especially Christians. I guess a rebuke trips my flight response more than anything, and I am an easy mark. My usual response is to completely agree and believe whatever is thrown my way, whether correct or not. I have a hard time not believing everything negative said about me, and I work hard so I won’t be criticized. It undoes me for days and I have a hard time recovering.
3) Fleeing for me is isolation and self-pity. Sounds pitiful when I think about it. Verse 17 is a perfect definition the results of my fleeing. I end up alone and tattered. It is a tough discipline for me to âput myself out thereâ. I have had many fleeing opportunities in the past 6 months or so, sometimes I run away, and sometimes I am a big girl about it. I have learned many lessons about the Lord and myself in the process.
4) In reading Isaiah and the New Testament verses I am deeply moved by God’s great desire to show me His love. I waste so much time that could be used to wait on Him. I miss so much peace by choosing the wrong response.
He will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. 1 Peter 5
The Lord is waiting to be kind to you.
He rises to have compassion on you.
The Lord is a God of justice.
Blessed are all those who wait for him.
You can be saved by returning to Me.
You can have rest.
You can be strong by being quiet and by trusting me. Isaiah 30
5) I do need a constant reminder to be quiet and trust in Him. I so want to control my own life and the lives of those close to me, even if it is in a âhelpfulâ way. Working to defend or protect is not my jurisdiction, it is the Lords!
6) But you donât want that. (Isaiah 30:15)
The insight that these verses give me is that God wants to be with me during the threats and rebukes, and when I am self-focused, I am missing so very much. I feel a good, gentle reminder (a rebuke?) that when I try on my own by fleeing, isolating and self pity, I am actually rejecting God and His love, compassion, and rest.
Waiting on God is resisting the enemy. Standing firm and humbling myself seem like opposites. They both are actually very strong forms of spiritual warfare.
How easily I miss these opportunities.
Wow! This response also really spoke to me! Thanks for sharing your insights!
The message, NIV, and
ESV:
For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, âIn returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.â But you were unwilling, and you said, âNo! We will flee upon horsesâ; therefore you shall flee away; and, âWe will ride upon swift steedsâ; therefore your pursuers shall be swift. A thousand shall flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you shall flee, till you are left like a flagstaff on the top of a mountain, like a signal on a hill. Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.
2. Threat: an expression of intention to inflict evil, injury, or damage; one that threatens ; an indication of something impending
Threatens: to utter threats against; to give signs or warning of ; to hang over dangerously; to announce as intended or possible ; to cause to feel insecure or anxious
I feel most threatened by my spouse’s sexual addiction. With a recent relapse, I feel threatened by the possibility of our marriage ending. The definition of threaten which ends with “to cause to feel insecure or anxious” really resonates with me.
3. I flee by withdrawing, getting cold, and stonewalled towards the painful thing…mental/emotional fleeing. Sometimes I flee towards God, and sometimes into myself away from Him. I do recognize that I’m in a fleeing mindset/action right now.
4.While God wants repentance, rest and trust from me, doing them doesn’t mean that I won’t experience suffering and painful things. There is so much hope in all of these chapters that: God wants to be gracious and compassionate towards me, that He is able to restore, confirm, strengthen and establish me. I am challenged to stay faithful to God and wait for him to accomplish these things in me. I hear Travis’ song, “oh my soul march on” in my head right now. haha.
5. Wow, absolutely. When I read the picture of your notecard, I knew I needed to do this assigment. I have been doing some good emotional work, and yet realizing that I need to settle down with my silly efforts in my own strength, and get back to that complete dependence on Him. Such a great reminder and challenge.
6. I feel drawn to Him through his word and this assignment. I feel some hope even admist the pain in my marriage. I am challenged to stay firm in my faith, to find strength by “settling down in complete dependence” on him and to wait on his mercy and compassion.
1 I read NIV, MSG & AMP I liked the Amplified version
15 For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: In returning [to Me] and resting [in Me] you shall be saved; in quietness and in [trusting] confidence shall be your strength. But you would not,
16 And you said, No! We will speed [our own course] on horses! Therefore you will speed [in flight from your enemies]! You said, We will ride upon swift steeds [doing our own way]! Therefore will they who pursue you be swift, [so swift that]
17 One thousand of you will flee at the threat of one of them; at the threat of five you will flee till you are left like a beacon or a flagpole on the top of a mountain, and like a signal on a hill.
18 And therefore the Lord [earnestly] waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are all those who [earnestly] wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him [for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy, and His matchless, unbroken companionship]!
2.
âą a declaration of an intention or determination to inflict punishment, injury, etc., in retaliation for, or conditionally upon, some action or course; menace: He confessed under the threat of imprisonment.
âą an indication or warning of probable trouble: The threat of a storm was in the air.
âą a person or thing that threatens.
I feel anything that takes away my security is a threat. I have experienced this while walking through illness with my children, my husband moving away (What a reconnection testimony though), Unstable finances, and most recently attacks on my character.
3. Fleeing for me is pulling away, I feel at times it is a cat and mouse game where I will walk away from something to see if anyone cares enough to come after me. Once I realized this, I have since learned to stay steadfast and engage, press in. I found I was fleeing before the miracle had an opportunity to manifest itself. By pressing in, I am living in state of expectancy waiting for birth of something magnificent.
4. I love how Isaiah is all focused on what we do out of our own power and 1 Peter and James are expressing living secure in His power. The biggest lesson I have had to learn in my life is when to ask the question. âLord, is this your battle or mine?â Since I started asking that question, I have not had to fight any battles. I have just enjoyed the Splendor of the Kingdom, even during some very tough times I have been able to focus on Him and have a peace that I cannot explain and people cannot understand.
5. Settle Down is a great word, now with my pressing in, it is a fine line between pressing in and waiting patiently, or pressing in growing anxious over what is yet to come. Settle Down is a reminder that our God is Timeless and everything happens at just the right time. If I push to hard to make something happen, I will not be able to see or receive the fullness of the blessing, mostly because I will already be striving for the next thing to come.
6. What a great topic to challenge us, it has me now thinking that even though I am better than I was at several of these things I am now looking some of the areas I have chosen not to apply my faith so deeply in. I am asking God to now reveal to me in a supernatural way, how I am still growing in this area, allow me to be mindful as I walk out what He has instore for me. To always press in to who HE is more than what He is bringing.
1. KJV, ESV, NET
Isaiah 30:15-18 (NET) For this is what the master, the LORD, the Holy One of Israel says: “If you repented and patiently waited for me, you would be delivered; if you calmly trusted in me you would find strength, but you are unwilling. You say, ‘No, we will flee on horses,’ so you will indeed flee. You say, ‘We will ride on fast horses,’ so your pursuers will be fast. One thousand will scurry at the battle cry of one enemy soldier; at the battle cry of five enemy soldiers you will all run away, until the remaining few are as isolated as a flagpole on a mountaintop or a signal flag on a hill.” For this reason the LORD is ready to show you mercy; he sits on his throne, ready to have compassion on you. Indeed, the LORD is a just God; all who wait for him in faith will be blessed.
2. Threat
a declaration of an intention or determination to inflict punishment, injury, etc., in retaliation for, or conditionally upon, some action or course; menace:Â
“to inflict punishment in  retaliation for”–that’s the first thing that hit me. The same day this week that I FULLY repented and surrendered myself, my family, and other burdens to the Lord, I had a very strong anxiety attack, and the security and peace I’d felt that morning after praying parts of Psalms 25, 26, & 27 disappeared. Why an anxiety attack after finally releasing everything to God and after a wonderfully sweet time with the Lord?  I definitely feel like that attack was from the Enemy in retaliation for my renewed trust in and devotion to my Jesus.
3. In the past my fleeing mode was withdrawal from life. I’d isolate myself in my house, stop answering my phone, and binge eat, watching video marathons of favorite Tv shows so I wouldn’t have to think. Or I’d just sleep–and sleep–and sleep. My fleeing mode often led me into depression.
4. All of these verses deal with being under attack. All mention submitting or resting in God, surrendering your situation to Him. Our Enemy will flee as we stand firm in our faith in God’s faithfulness, and as we humble ourselves and stick close to God who loves us, has compassion for us, and will help us. They’re telling us to let our God be Almighty God in our situation.
5. Yes, I hear “settle down”. Because my mind needs to settle down and not start doubting God’s faithfulness. If I start doubting His power, authority, and His help, then I’ll start fleeing.Â
6.Thank you, Beth, for this most timely post! God has spoken to me through this exercise. Especially through 1 Peter 5:8-10. I woke up this morning trying to recall it from memory and couldn’t remember its address–then here it is in your post! I cried when I saw those words I had so wanted to remember. God knows our hearts and just what we need and when we need it! Glory to His Holy Name! I believe He is telling me not to doubt but to be alert to the Enemy’s schemes and to stay strong in my faith in my LORD’s  ability and power. To settle down, humbling myself again, casting all my anxiety on Him again, and to persevere.  Let the Enemy do the fleeing this time!Â
The Lord has instructed me today through your lesson! I give Him praise! I love you, Lord! My eyes are ever on You!
1. NIV, NLT, and the one that really spoke to me The Voice
Listen! The Lord, the Eternal, the Holy One of Israel says,
In returning and rest, you will be saved.
In quietness and trust you will find strength.
But you refused. You couldnât sit still;
instead, you said, âNo! We will ride out there on horseback.
Fast horses will give us an edge in battle.â
But those who pursue you will be faster still.
When one person threatens, a thousand will panic and flee.
When five terrorize you, all will run pell-mell,
until you are as conspicuous as a single flag standing high on a hill.
Meanwhile, the Eternal One yearns to give you grace and boundless compassion;
thatâs why He waits.
For the Eternal is a God of justice.
Those inclined toward Him, waiting for His help, will find happiness.
2. Definition of âthreatâ
1. a declaration of an intention or determination to inflict punishment, injury, etc. in retaliation for, or conditionally upon, some action or course; menace
2. an indication or warning of probably trouble
3. a person or thing that threatens
I was struck by it being defined as an indication or warning of probably trouble. I donât currently feel threatened by anything, but it hasnât been that long since I have, and itâs true, nothing makes me feel more insecure that when it seems like Iâm being warned of trouble coming my way.
3. Fleeing for me is most often a withdrawal from life with others. When Iâm feeling threatened by a person or situation, I will turn inside myself and spend my time hiding from everything, hoping that means I wonât feel threatened anymore.
4. Instead of us fleeing, these verses talk about Satan fleeing from us, because weâre protected from his threats by being close to God. When we run to God, we donât flee threats â we find safety and threats flee from us instead.
5. I didnât need to hear the words settle down as something I need to do right now, but more as a reminder that itâs what I have done (finally) and itâs a good thing. Iâm always looking for the next thing to do, so in this season where God is asking me to wait and Iâm doing so (as best I can, not perfectly), the reminder is a good thing.
6. As I was working through this, I was struck by how it all parallels my life. I want to follow God with all I am and I try to listen and only move where He leads in the big things in life. But, more often than I wish, I hear just a small part of what God has for me and I run with where I think it is going. I miss the part where God tells me to wait for Him. Once Iâm ahead of God, doing my own thing, the threats from Satan become all the more terrifying and they do often cause me to flee. God is reminded me that where He is telling me to wait for Him and rest in Him, itâs because itâs what I need right now.
1. NIV, MSG, ESV New International Vesion
2. Threat: a menace; denunciation of ill; declaration of an intention or determination to inflict punishment, loss or pain on another. My life was forever changed a year ago when my 55 year old husband of 30 years suddenly passed away. I now struggle with the feeling that Iâll never have happiness or joy again until weâre reunited in heaven. My threats are doubts about my future, my ability to manage life on my own, and the feeling that Iâll never find happiness again.
3. Fleeing mode is certainly a part of my life during this season. Iâm always wondering if a move to a different city, or a different state, a small town instead of a city, or change careers (fleeing my current life) would make me happy again.
4. I most definitely need to âsettleâ down and wait for the Lord. He will see me through this season. I know it in my head, just not always in my heart. This season is very hard and I just want it to be over.
5. God clearly spoke to me through this exercise. I must wait, I must trust Him, and I must resist trying to take matters into my own hands (the enemyâs hands). These verses were very comforting and calming.
Thank you Beth. I’ve been reminded that He has a plan for my life. Whatever it is, I will wait for it to be revealed.
1. Isaiah 30:15-18 Read in the ESV, CEV, and AMP
Isaiah 30:15-18
Amplified Bible (AMP)
15 For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: In returning [to Me] and resting [in Me] you shall be saved; in quietness and in [trusting] confidence shall be your strength. But you would not,
16 And you said, No! We will speed [our own course] on horses! Therefore you will speed [in flight from your enemies]! You said, We will ride upon swift steeds [doing our own way]! Therefore will they who pursue you be swift, [so swift that]
17 One thousand of you will flee at the threat of one of them; at the threat of five you will flee till you are left like a beacon or a flagpole on the top of a mountain, and like a signal on a hill.
18 And therefore the Lord [earnestly] waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are all those who [earnestly] wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him [for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy, and His matchless, unbroken companionship]!
2.Threat a. a declaration of an intention or determination to inflict punishment, injury, etc., in retaliation for, or conditionally upon,some action or course; menace: b. an indication or warning of probable trouble: c. a person or thing that threatens.
In this precise moment in this season of my life I am the threat. I have to fight my fleshly urges to take control of my life: to fix my financial, marital, and unemployment messes. Not too long ago, I looked at my finances, marriage and my unmet business dreams as the threat to my well being, but now I see that I am (my âself stuff, i.e. self sufficiency) a threat to the good plan that God want to do in me and through me!
3. I am a control freak! I like to know when, where, why, and how. As I have submitted all that I am and all that I have to my Lord, he has graciously yet painfully striped me of my control. I have clung to the hem of his robe, and for the first time stepped out into his precious promises. He has shown me the âtreasures of darknessâ: that he is my healer, my provider, my savior, my comfort, my strength, my encouragement, my everything. He has given me the strength not to flee into taking control of my life, but to trust that he is in control. I struggle daily with the when, where, why, and how questions of my life, but I choose to change the questions I donât necessarily need the answers to with questions like these: âWill you remind me again, Lord, who I am to you? Jesus, will you reveal Yourself to me in this place? And I choose to wait in expectancy and anticipation for all the good things He want to give me; I choose (which is extremely difficult for me) to let God decide when, where, why, and how and I will just rest in who I have learned He is and His character.
4. Our unwillingness to humble (submit) ourselves to our Lord, gives the devil a foothold or authority in the area of our disobedience or resistance. By being disobedient we will be threatened and fleeing the devil.
By submitting to God, returning and resting in Him, we will be saved. Standing firm in our faith, in quietness and confident trust we will have our strength to resist our enemies (the devil, the world, and our flesh). We bow before the Lord in humble obedience, so we can stand – march on in victory.
Our suffering is Godâs opportunity to heal, strengthen, and prepare us for the glory that he wants to reveal in and through us. If we rush the suffering (desert season), we either prolong our suffering or we donât open ourselves to all He has planned for us, exceedingly more than we can ask or imagine! May we allow Him to have his way in us, and in His perfect time He will bless, restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish us. As we wait for Him, may we stand firm in who we are in Christ and resist the devil â send him fleeing as we threaten him!
5. I daily need to hear Him tell me âsettle down and depend on Meâ. I am going on a year of complete dependence on Him in all areas of my life. He is stretching me, and driving my faith deeper.
6. In the past year I have fallen in love with my Jesus! He has been my all; and what I have needed a lot to get through this time is His encouragements to continue to wait on Him. I am a doer, waiting is slow death. As I write this, I know that death is exactly what He is after. I need to die to all my âself stuffâ so that He may live fully in me! My sole desire is to fulfill the plan He has for my life; a plan he has had before time began. I just need to trust in Him, and leave the when, where, who, what, and how in His hands â I need to be content with being on a âneed to know basisâ.
1. NiV, TNiV, Message —
âGod, the Master,the Holy of Israel, has this solemn counsel: Your salvation requires you to turn back to me and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves. Your strength will come from settling down in complete dependence on me â The very thing youâve been unwilling to do. Youâve said, âNothing doing! Weâll rush off on horseback!â Youâll rush off, all right! Just not far enough! Youâve said, âWeâll ride off on fast horses!â Do you think your pursuers ride old nags? Think again: A thousand of you will scatter before one attacker. Before a mere five youâll all run off. Thereâll be nothing left of you â a flagpole on a hill with no flag, a signpost on a roadside with the sign torn off.â
âBut Godâs not finished. Heâs waiting around to be gracious to you. Heâs gathering strength to show mercy to you. God takes the time to do everything right â everything. Those who wait around for him are the lucky ones.â
2. Threat â An expression or warning of intent to do harm; anything holding a possible source of danger.
I always feel the threat that friends will reject me for my beliefs, and my opinions. I always feel the threat that I am missing out on what God really wants me to do. Yet, I am afraid to do what I believe God wants from all of us â to give up our lives for Him by giving up our lives for others in need.
3. I flee by hiding. I watch a movie on DVD. I stay at home. I donât speak out about my beliefs. To some extent, I am always fleeing, by not doing what God wants all of us to do.
4. (1 Peter 5:8-10) Peter says to resist the devil and stand firm in the faith. God will restore you and make you strong. He says to stand firm, not to flee. (James 4:7) James says to resist the devil and he will flee from you! The devil will flee from you!
5. Settling down in complete dependence on God â The very thing youâve been unwilling to do. Yes I have been unwilling to do this, to be completely dependent on God.
6. I have always been afraid to completely depend on God. I keep trying my own way. My word for this year is âTrustâ, to trust God. That is what this assignment is telling me. Donât be afraid. Trust God. I just finished reading a book about a young woman who really does completely depend on and trust God. The book is âKisses from Katieâ by Katie Davis. You can go to my blog and read about her. My blog post is âWe Can Save the World One Child at a Time!â Click on my name above or go to (http://faithcounts.wordpress.com)
1. NIV, NET, ERV,
âGod, the Master, the Holy of Israel, has this solemn counsel: âYour salvation requires you to turn back to me and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves. Your strength will come from settling down in complete dependence on me â The very thing youâve been unwilling to do. Youâve said, âNothing doing! Weâll rush off on horseback!â Youâll rush off, all right! Just not far enough! Youâve said, âWeâll ride off on fast horses! Do you think your pursuers ride old nags? Think again: A thousand of you will scatter before one attacker. Before a mere five youâll all run off. Thereâll be nothing left of you â a flagpole on a hill with no flag, a signpost on a roadside with the sign tore off.â
But GODSâs not finished. Heâs waiting around to be gracious to you. Heâs gathering strength to show mercy to you. GOD takes the time to do everything right â everything. Those who wait around for him are the lucky ones. The Message
For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, âIn returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.â But you were unwilling, and you said, âNo! We will flee upon horsesâ; therefore you shall flee away; and, âWe will ride upon swift steedsâ; therefore your pursuers shall be swift. A thousand shall flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you shall flee, till you are left like a flagstaff on the top of a mountain, like a signal on a hill.
Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him. English Standard Version
2. Noun
A declaration of an intention or determination to inflict punishment, injury, etc., in retaliation for, or conditionally upon, some action or course; menance: He confessed under the threat of imprisonment.
An indication or warning of probable trouble: The threat of a storm was in the air.
A person or thing that threatens.
Verb
Archaic. To threaten
3.Fleeing = leaving a place or situation. Leaving due to threat, fear, insecurity, hurt. Fleeing in my life is usually in the form of shutting down or closing up, backing away, or all out running. Each according to the situation. Being hurt brings shutting down, being insecure means backing away, being threatened means running.
4.Compared with I Peter 5:8-10 Both verses speak of an enemy and give us warnings, directions on how to act. This verse goes on to remind us that others in the world are experiencing the same threats from the devil. Both verses speak of Godâs grace towards us and his desire to restore us to him.
Compared with James 4:7 Turn back to God, submit to God â both require submission for victory. Isaiah tells us to wait on God instead of running from every threat & James reminds us if we resist the devil (canât do this on our own!) the devil will flee â instead of us fleeing!
5.Yes â Always. Because I tend to turn to myself to do things, prepare for things, work things out, understand things â and what a mess I make of those. Settling down requires thought, which naturally leads me to turn to God for the answers or plans and not to myself.
6.God is reminding me that he has awesome plans to show his glory through me and if I will just Settle Down and seek Him he will give me all that is needed, lead me everywhere I need to go, provide the wisdom to impact those he has plans for!
NLT, NIV NASB Isaiah 30:15-18
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
15 For thus the Lord [a]God, the Holy One of Israel, has said,
âIn [b]repentance and (A)rest you will be saved,
In (B)quietness and trust is your strength.â
But you were not willing,
16 And you said, âNo, for we will flee on (C)horses,â
Therefore you shall flee!
âAnd we will ride on swift horses,â
Therefore those who pursue you shall be swift.
17 (D)One thousand will flee at the threat of one man;
You will flee at the threat of five,
Until you are left as a [c]flag on a mountain top
And as a signal on a hill.
God Is Gracious and Just
18 Therefore the Lord [d](E)longs to be gracious to you,
And therefore He [e]waits on (F)high to have compassion on you.
For the Lord is a (G)God of justice;
How blessed are all those who [f](H)long for Him.
THREAT1.A warning that punishment or harm will follow if a certain thing is done or not done. 2. A sign or possibility that something harmfl or dangerous might happen. The sky held a threa ofr snow. 3. A person or thing regarded as a danger. A drunk driver is a threat to eveyone on the road. Many of us are feeling a threat because ofthe health care and the ecomony. I tend to go to the Bible and read the encouraging words or other encouraging words. Jesus Loves You
1. NLT, AMP, NIV84
âThis is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: âIn repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it. You said, âNo, we will flee on horses.â Therefore you will flee! You said, âWe will ride off on swift horses.â Therefore your pursuers will be swift! A thousand will flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you will all flee away, till you are left like a flagstaff on a mountaintop, like a banner on a hill.â Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!â ~Is. 30:15-18, NIV84
2. Threat: A statement of an intention to inflict pain, injury, damage, or other hostile action on someone in retribution for something done or not; An indication or warning of probable trouble.
That hits me very personally right now â over the past month, I have been struggling with pain, injury, and damage caused by loneliness and the abandonment of indifference (if that makes sense), and I feel that my joy and hope is being threatenedâŠ
3. I am dealing with some overwhelming sadness lately, but thatâs because for the first time in a long time, I am NOT in âfleeing mode.â I have used denial and disengagement and overeating to suppress my emotions and avoid dealing with grief directly for a long time, but just this year, God has been drawing me closer and helping me to accept and mourn certain losses. It is more difficult to face because I avoided it for so long and made such a mess of things, but God has been close, and I really do believe that He âlongs to be gracious to meâ and ârises to show me compassion.â
4. I think they go together nicely – that we can resist the devil and stand firm by repenting and quietly trusting Godâs heart toward us. This was really encouraging to me: âAnd the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself RESTORE you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.â ~I Peter 5:10
5. Yes! I want to learn to process and deal with my emotions in a healthier way, but it comes in waves, and there are times when it really feels like more than I can take and I am tempted to numb out or âfleeâ from it all. Mostly, I need to remember that God loves me and He is here with me no matter how alone I may feel. And to resist the lies of Satan that my future is bleak and lonely and something to fear. Focusing on God’s goodness really helps to calm me down and let my spirit rest in Him.
6. I think the biggest insight or principle God is reminding me of through this exercise is to hold on to Him and hold on to hope â that He sees me and cares, and that real restoration and healing is on the way!!
1. I read it in the NET, AMP and the NIV.
Isaiah 30:15-18 Amplified VersionâŠ
15 For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: In returning [to Me] and resting [in Me] you shall be saved; in quietness and in [trusting] confidence shall be your strength. But you would not,
16 And you said, No! We will speed [our own course] on horses! Therefore you will speed [in flight from your enemies]! You said, We will ride upon swift steeds [doing our own way]! Therefore will they who pursue you be swift, [so swift that]
17 One thousand of you will flee at the threat of one of them; at the threat of five you will flee till you are left like a beacon or a flagpole on the top of a mountain, and like a signal on a hill.
18 And therefore the Lord [earnestly] waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are all those who [earnestly] wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him [for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy, and His matchless, unbroken companionship]!
2. Threat: An indication of impending danger or harm.
This hits home in this season because of the work Iâm currently putting in to facing some old monsters locked away in closets in my mind. Painful memories that inadvertently came back in full force when an unrelated trauma hit recently. Though my brain screams, âRun!â, and it feels like Iâm stepping back into some horror movie, the Lord (through a fantastic counselor) has helped me face it, plant my feet in that place momentarily and identify the lies that took root so I can rip them up and replace them with Truth.
3. Fleeing, for me, looks like IGNORING. Pretending as if itâs not there or as if everythingâs fine and digging it up and causing imminent discomfort just isnât really that necessary.
4. Oh my word, these 3 verses could be one in the same! Never noticed so much. They all seem to say, âBe real, be cautious. Letâs take an inventory of things planted deep in your soul. Be on the lookout for anything in common with darkness. Do not be afraid to stand your ground, the God of Justice holds your hand âș, do not flee from the enemy, make him flee from you. After youâve dealt with these things for a little while, things other believing sisters are also dealing with (because the enemy is NEVER original with this stuff), our gracious Lord will make you into what you ought to be.â
5. Yes, and I feel vital to the âsettling downâ process is getting my focus and attention on his face. Only his face.
6. I adore homework like this âș. I feel extremely encouraged now which is unbelievably helpful because doing this type of thing can feel SO overwhelming at times. I feel braver, stronger more like a warrior and less like a whiney, shaky cat afraid of a bath or something. Thank you!!
1. HCSB, NET, and (NIV): For this is what the master, the Lord, the Holy One of Israel says:
âIf you repented and patiently waited for me, you would be delivered;
if you calmly trusted in me you would find strength,
but you are unwilling.
You say, âNo, we will flee on horses,â
so you will indeed flee.
You say, âWe will ride on fast horses,â
so your pursuers will be fast.
One thousand will scurry at the battle cry of one enemy soldier;
at the battle cry of five enemy soldiers you will all run away,
until the remaining few are as isolated
as a flagpole on a mountaintop
or a signal flag on a hill.â
The Lord Will Not Abandon His People
For this reason the Lord is ready to show you mercy;
he sits on his throne, ready to have compassion on you.
Indeed, the Lord is a just God;
all who wait for him in faith will be blessed.
2. Threat: an expression of intention to inflict evil, injury, or damage
one that threatens; an indication of something impending.
I am feeling threatened by loneliness, fear, rejection, and insecurity. These threats inflict damage and intimidates me into submission to the enemy’s thoughts and stronghold over me.
3. Fleeing is when I tend to become more inward and secluded and become fixated with my thoughts. I replay the same broken record over and over in my mind. I am usually “fleeing” from what I perceive as a threat. I feel like my mind is both Jeckyll and Hyde; two personalities trying to win my approval. One cry from the enemy’s soldier and poof there I go saddled on top of a horse to nowhere.
4. The verses from Isaiah, Peter, and James are saying: Resist satan and Submit your whole being to GOD. The God of all mercy and justice will restore you and you will be blessed. I often feel alone and invisible in this world; but I was once reminded that in 1 Peter he basically is saying: “You are not alone in your sufferings and instead of running toward the mouth of the enemy to be eaten, Run toward your GOD.
5. Observing from outward appearances one would say that I am settled. I am often quiet, but my mind is saying, observing, thinking, screaming, crying, laughing, rejoicing all at the same time!! The enemy knows to attack my mind and thoughts, knows my vulnerability and my weaknesses. He is not kidding, but neither is my God nor does he have the power when I am with my God. God is telling me to shhhhh!!! He is telling me to rest in him, take refuge, seek his face, soak in his presence. Mark 4:39: “He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, âQuiet! Be still!â Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.”Psalm 46:10 “He says, âBe still, and know that I am God.”
6. I’ve jumped off my horse, got chased down by the enemy, and got some bumps and bruises along the way, but I am now fleeing on a jet plane into the light of God’s glory. “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness, made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the Face of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:6
{1} NIV;ESV;AMP
15 For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: In returning [to Me] and resting [in Me] you shall be saved; in quietness and in [trusting] confidence shall be your strength. But you would not,
16 And you said, No! We will speed [our own course] on horses! Therefore you will speed [in flight from your enemies]! You said, We will ride upon swift steeds [doing our own way]! Therefore will they who pursue you be swift, [so swift that]
17 One thousand of you will flee at the threat of one of them; at the threat of five you will flee till you are left like a beacon or a flagpole on the top of a mountain, and like a signal on a hill.
18 And therefore the Lord [earnestly] waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are all those who [earnestly] wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him [for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy, and His matchless, unbroken companionship]! (AMP)
{2}threat – an expression of intention to inflict evil, injury, or damage
First, I needed to understand the word “expression” … one of the ways it can be defined is as a process that gives voice, a product of pressing out. With that, when I think of the word “threat”, it leads me to envision all of the ways (the slow, torturous process) that the enemy uses his cunning voice, his lies, his defeating chatter, to “press out” my fears, my insecurities, my selfish ambitions.
How do I feel most threatened in this season of life? In fulfilling a âlifeâsâ dreamâŠsounds like an oxymoron for sure, I know! *sigh*
My husband and I have been given the gift of seeing one of our dreams for our family come true, and I am terrified. Truly, I am just fine, I am content, right where we are – even with the endless demands and requirements of this very season of life. My boys are happy, my home is in order (well sorta), and I was even starting to envision the next year – right.where.we.are.
ButâŠthere is an undeniable stirring of the SpiritâŠand of course, it is accompanied by the endless chatter of the enemy telling me all the reasons I should FLEEâŠand they are really good reasons. Sneaky reasons. Fearful reasons. Insecure reasons. AdverntureLESS reasons. Faith-less reasons.
{3) For me, fleeing tends to take on the form of busyness. And, yes, I am in fleeing mode right nowâŠhard to admit, but freeing to recognize. Whether that is âpressed outâ through mopping my floors for the 3rd time in 4 days and/or through the exhausting mental list I make of ALL the possibilites (negative, positive, and in-between) that may or may not be Godâs perfect will.
In short, I guess I tend to run away from the thing that is threatening me by busying myself, either through physical work or through the constant mental work of thinking through every possible answer to âhow do I avoid failing, or making a mistake?â {And how is that working for me? Like a stinkinâ lonely flagpole on top of a hill!}
{4} In the passage from Is., there are two very different scenes: Scene 1: The Father lovingly, earnestly pursuing me with His rest, His peace, His love, His confidence.
Scene 2: The enemy vengefully, deceitfully pursuing me with his threats, his lies, his hatred, his kill-joy.
In 1 Peter and James, there are also two scenes: Scene 1: The believer who is alert and ready to stand firm against the pursuit of the enemy, who isnât caught off guard by his roaring threats.
Scene 2: The ONE constant in both passagesâŠthe God of all Grace, establishing, grounding, strengthening, and settling His child, before, during, AND after the chase!
{5} YES, I need the words, âsettle downâ! Ahhh, for more and more Grace to be still long enough to hear those soul-filling words of His.
{6} Oh Father,
Thank you for your Word. Thank you for the heart-pounding thrill that is breathed into my soul when I seek You as my TreasureâŠdigging, hunting for just a nugget of your Heart, your Truth. You always exceed my hopes.
The enemyâs pursuit is exhausting. You know this full wellâŠand you know precisely the lionâs devouring process, for he must ask You for permission first.
And You also know precisely my tendency to allow his threatening roars to cause this sanctified-redeemed-justified- and-glorified daughter of Yours to RUN.
And the really, really humbling part that I am seeing through the lens of the Gospel today is this: the enemy is RUNNING tooâŠright beside me, never.losing.pace. Goodness, is he ever so swift. The pace is so exhausting. Why? Because I know, deep down, that I will never.get.to.the.finish.line when running with a LOSER. He drains the Joy right out of my heartâŠhe convinces me to give up, to quit, to lose hope, to forfeit my dreams.
Why do I let the enemyâs tactics have such voice in my life? Because I donât fully trust You. I demand far more perfection from myself than Your Grace would even consider. But, hallelujah, You are working all things together for goodâŠto conform me to Your imageâŠto teach me to âstand firm and resistââŠto teach me that I simply cannot win this race without just the right balance of rest, nourishment, training and faith.
Whether I run or whether I stop to rest, YOU are thereâŠyouâll run behind me to catch me, for all of the times I will trip and fall. Youâll even run ahead of me, when I donât know where in the world Iâm running toâŠbecause Your love never runs out. But, most comforting to me today, is that You are even willing to cheer me on, from the sideline. You.wait.for.me. To settle me down, to encourage me, to focus me, to have mercy on my faithless heart…prone to wonder, LORD I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.
Please, please, donât let me fall prey to the lionâs swift paceâŠhelp me not only to hear Your Voice over his, but to expect it…and then run to You. As long as I am running FROM You, the enemy will be able to keep pace, even out running me. But, when I run TO You, that coward of an enemy runs the other way, all alone!
I truly desire to abandon my paralyzing fears and wholly embrace the great adventure of knowing and loving the King of KingsâŠof having the âunbroken companionshipâ of the Prince of Peace.
Transform me to be like the flagpole on a hill that humbly, yet confidently and unwaveringly, displays the flag of real Victory â one whose color is pure white â the radiant symbol of surrender to the ONE that has already WON!
In Jesus Grace-filled Name, Amen.
Love your heart … and ALL you have written, thanks!
1. KJV. , Amplified Bible, NKJV
Isaiah 30:15-18
King James Version (KJV)
15 For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.
16 But ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be swift.
17 One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on an hill.
18 And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.
2. Threat: an expression of intention to inflict evil, injury, or damage.
When I read this definition and really gave it some thought, I realize even more just how much I have allowed Satan to be a great threat to me. I feel most threatened in personal family issues right now.
3. In my life right now, fleeing is a way to get out of doing something that is difficult or puts me out of my âcomfort zoneâ. I am battling âfleeingâ right now. My husband is a minister and several times while we were visiting small country churches, they would be in need of someone to play piano. I began hearing the Fatherâs call on my life to learn to play. I wanted to flee BIG-TIME! That was totally out of my comfort zone. I heeded the call and am now church pianist for a church that my husband now pastors. I still feel like fleeing sometimes but I continue to pray for the Lord to give me strength to persevere and work on for Him.
4. I found that in all the verses, we are being told to NOT stand on our own and try to do things on our own, In ALL things; we must cling to OUR GOD. He is our refuge
and an ever present help in time of trouble.
5. I definitely need to settle down!!!! I have an overwhelming desire to âfixâ things. I need to learn to lean more on the Lord and not my own ways. I should have already learned this lesson seeing all the messes I have made trying to fix things without waiting on Him.
6. I have learned from this assignment that God really wants His children to lean totally upon Him. I know He wants us to use good judgments but while doing so, use His word as a guide. He doesnât want us to run ahead of Him. I love that my God wants to take care of me. Thatâs special.
I read this blog but never comment. Somehow, I was compelled to do this and am posting before I change my mind about sharing it.
Random homework I kind of donât know why Iâm doing:
1. Isaiah 30:15-18- NIV, NRSV, & NLT:
New Living Translation (NLT)
15 This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:
âOnly in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it. 16 You said, âNo, we will get our help from Egypt. They will give us swift horses for riding into battle.â But the only swiftness you are going to see is the swiftness of your enemies chasing you! 17 One of them will chase a thousand of you. Five of them will make all of you flee. You will be left like a lonely flagpole on a hill or a tattered banner on a distant mountaintop.â Blessings for the Lordâs People
18 So the Lord must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help.
2. Threat:
1. a declaration of an intention or determination to inflict punishment, injury, etc., in retaliation for, or conditionally upon, some action or course; menace: He confessed under the threat of imprisonment.
2. an indication or warning of probable trouble: The threat of a storm was in the air.
3. a person or thing that threatens.
My reflexive response is ânothing threatens me right now. Besides, even if it did, God is bigger and has it covered.â This is a nice âcorrectâ answer, with elements of truth in it. However, I donât think itâs the complete, honest picture. But, Iâm so determined to run from any threats that I donât even look back long enough to identify it anymore. Maybe itâs the past I want to forget, the uncertainty of even the near future, or the complications of life with bipolar disorder. Iâm not sure. I just know itâs bad and I canât stop running (I didnât know until reading this passage that swift horses were an option. Can I get one of those? Just to try, maybeâŠ..?)
3. In my life, fleeing looks busy. If Iâm focused on other things, I canât focus on a threat. And if those things are good, important, and more positive than the perceived threat, even better and more justifiable. Iâm always in this mode, which is evidenced by the anxiety that sets in if I sit still and think for too long.
4. All three of these scriptures make it clear that being rooted in God is the only way to withstand a threat. They also acknowledge that the threat is real and legitimately overwhelming without divine strength.
5. Apparently, the âsettling downâ part of The Message translation hit something in me, because it made me start to cry. Wow, I sound unstable.
6. This isnât the first time this topic has come up this week, which is generally an indication that God wants me to deal with something. Lovely. So itâs clear that I have to stop running, but also that Iâm not alone nor responsible for the fight. Itâs that trusting part that looks so easy on paper, but can be so scary in reality.
1. NKJV, NCV,
This is what the Sovereign LORD,
the Holy One of Israel, says:
âOnly in returning to me
and resting in me will you be saved.
In quietness and confidence is your strength.
But you would have none of it.
16You said, âNo, we will get our help from Egypt.
They will give us swift horses for riding into battle.â
But the only swiftness you are going to see
is the swiftness of your enemies chasing you!
17One of them will chase a thousand of you.
Five of them will make all of you flee.
You will be left like a lonely flagpole on a hill
or a tattered banner on a distant mountaintop.â
Blessings for the LORDâs People
18So the LORD must wait for you to come to him
so he can show you his love and compassion.
For the LORD is a faithful God.
Blessed are those who wait for his help. NLT
2. Threat-a declaration of an intention or determination to inflict punishment, injury etc. B. an indication or warning of probable trouble.
As I approach my 44th birthday, as a single woman and no prospects in sight; I feel like I have been targeted for a life of loneliness and no meaning. I have not made many friends especially with other women because I feel threaten by them. Not just their looks but their seemingly âput togethernessâ. On top of all of that I have health issues that keep me awake at night(ladies menopause has not been kind to me) I always wonder is this the day that I will punished for the sins I have committed. The enemy has constantly bombarded me lately with the threat that I canât be forgiven without some type of retribution, so I must constantly work at my salvation. If I just read one more hour or pray a little longer perhapsâŠ..
3. I literally run away. I canât tell you how many cities I have escaped to trying to leave my misery behind. I have left countless jobs, hoping and praying that the next one will provide me some temporary relief. I have been in my current job for approximately one year and two months and because relationships have been too hard. I have boxes packed searching for the next place. I was thinking maybe a farm in rural Indiana (now surely that will help a lonely woman feel not so alone), just me and the animals. Although I am trying to make light of this. I am really in a painful season. I want to take off these running shoes once and for all and allow God to show his mercy towards me.
4. The comparison I found in all these verses is that we all have an enemy and his name is Satan and his job is to attempt to make us flee. The sad thing is we are fleeing the one person who can save us and that is Jesus Christ. Not only can he save us He wants to save us. I believe all these scriptures is telling us is to be strong, stand firm, resist the devil and in due time he will have to flee from you. I love that. If I stay strong and resist his hissing threats, he will have to flee from meâŠ.I like the sight of the enemy running away from me.
5. Those two words mean so much to me not just in a spiritual sense but a literal physical sense. I have been running for so long. I have left behind or had to sell many things precious to me because I was trying so hard to flee pain only to add more to it. I want to settle down. I want to make friends, plant gardens, have a few tea parties, celebrate my birthday. I want to let Godâs mercy catch up to me.
6. The one thing I know about God is that he always goes out of his way to bring me an answer. I have not always listened but today I am trying. I am fighting for my life here. I read this blog all the time and I am inspired but when I saw the words flee. I knew this was for me. The fact that God has me pouring over translation after translation on a Saturday afternoon means I am still up for the fight. Satan has thrown out many threats even as I have tried to study Godâs word but I am standing firm in the faith. MAYBE, this is the year that I walk in my promise land-a place where I am finally safe from the threats of the enemy.
1 NIV, HCSB, AMP, MSG
15-17 GOD, the Master, The Holy of Israel,
has this solemn counsel:
âYour salvation requires you to turn back to me
and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves.
Your strength will come from settling down
in complete dependence on meâ
The very thing
youâve been unwilling to do.
Youâve said, âNothing doing! Weâll rush off on horseback!â
Youâll rush off, all right! Just not far enough!
Youâve said, âWeâll ride off on fast horses!â
Do you think your pursuers ride old nags?
Think again: A thousand of you will scatter before one attacker.
Before a mere five youâll all run off.
Thereâll be nothing left of youâ
a flagpole on a hill with no flag,
a signpost on a roadside with the sign torn off.â
18 But GODâs not finished. Heâs waiting around to be gracious to you.
Heâs gathering strength to show mercy to you.
GOD takes the time to do everything rightâeverything.
Those who wait around for him are the lucky ones.
2 threat -an expression of intention to inflict evil, injury, or damage ; one that threatens; an indication of something impending. someone or something that could cause trouble, harm,; the possibility that something bad or harmful could happen; a statement saying you will be harmed if you do not do what someone wants you to do. Right now I am threatened by depression and my weight.
3. Sometimes I flee when I shouldnât. Fleeing in my life looks like withdrawal from the situation and ignoring the people or situation involved. Ignoring the people on an emotional level; we still work together and things look fine on the outside. However, they are not allowed inside. I also ignore my feelings of fear by this threat. I tell myself that the situation/threat does not bother me; I am strong enough to live without it.
4 Of course, James says it as he does everything – short and to the point. His seems to be a summary of the other two. Rely on God, forget/ignore/resist the devil, Godâs got all we need and will fix it all. THANKS for the study on James. In Isaiah more words are used to drive the point home â we love out âword pictures.â Peterâs words emphasis the choice we have and the strength we have as Godâs children to listen to the devil or flee from him. The words in Peter remind me of Godâs POWER!!! All we have to do is realize the threat is the devil, give it to God, and God had it.
5 SETTLE DOWN! Yes, I need to settle my mind on HIM! I let it run around at times. I seem to zap the joy of this life by being tired all the time. What am I tired of? Fleeing from feelings, perhaps.
6. I realized this week that I have not cried in at least a year. My precious kitty got out on Monday night. It became apparent by Tuesday with all the searching that she was gone for good. This kitty sleeps curled but at my face in my arms every night. She sits in my lap while I grade papers. She even sits with me when I bath. I love her. But, I did not cry. I could not allow myself to feel that pain. It ends well, she came home 48 hours later and it back with us. Still, no tears or emotion have spilled out of me.
Reading these verses and taking time to really think about them sheds light on this. This darkness, the feelingless place is where the devil would have me. GOD, however, has other plans! My God has better plans for me. Today is a new day. He can restore!
Thanks for this assignment. I only follow on twitter so posting it there got me. Thank you! Our God is amazing and is doing amazing things through the ministries of Living Proof.
I lost my post? I prefer NLT and it spoke loudly to me this afternoon. I had some sinful lustful thoughts in my head this morning; I also did not read any scriptures all week, so this blog came very personally as a letter from GOD directly to me: Kathy, you are thinking rebelliously and have not spoke or listened to me this week; how dare you! WAKE UP and come back to me NOW! Thanks Beth…GOD continues to speak to me through you!
1. NIV, ESV, HCSB
“This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it. You said, ‘No, we will flee on horses.’ Therefore you will flee! You said, ‘We will ride off on swift horses.’ Therefore your pursuers will be swift! A thousand will flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you will all flee away, till you are left like a flagstaff on a mountaintop, like a banner on a hill.” Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!” Isaiah 30:15-18 (NIV)
2. threat â âan expression of intention to inflict evil, injury or damage; something that threatens; an indication of something impendingâ
Another word comes to mind when I look at the definition of threat, and it is fear. Fear of being hurt. Fear of losing someone we love. Fear of âsomething impendingâ that we have no control over. Fear has this tendency to creep in on us and overwhelm us. But when I read Isaiah 30:15-18, I see that God gives us a way out from underneath our fears. He says to come to Him for our salvation and to trust Him for âthe LORD longs to be gracious to youâ and âhe rises to show you compassion.â
3. When I try to âfleeâ from things, I tend to retreat into myself and into my own thought processes. Lately, Iâve been relying on prayer and Godâs Word more often than Iâve been âfleeing.â
4. In 1 Peter 5:8-10, these words seem to echo what Isaiah 30:15 says: â..standing firm in the faith.. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ.. will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.â To stand firm in our faith (âIn repentance and rest is your salvation..â); to rely on our gracious God who redeemed us through Christâs sacrifice on the cross (â..the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion.â); and to trust God knowing that He is our strength (â..in quietness and trust is your strength..â). James 4:7 shows a different scene of who it is thatâs doing the âfleeing.â Instead of us fleeing from our enemy in fear (Isaiah 30:15-18), the enemy will flee from us if we will submit to Godâs authority and return to God in repentance.
5 & 6. I definitely need to hear the words âsettle down.â Recently, there have been times when my insecurity seemed to wash over me like a wave, and all I could do to keep my mind from cycling through those insecure thoughts was to say over and over in my head, âGod I trust You. God I trust You.â More and more, God is teaching me to trust Him over my limited view of things. Isaiah 30:15 really speaks to me on this. âThis is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says:âIn repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength..ââ
1)Other versions I read were: King James and American Standard
Isaiah 30:15-18
Amplified Bible (AMP)
15 For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: In returning [to Me] and resting [in Me] you shall be saved; in quietness and in [trusting] confidence shall be your strength. But you would not,
16 And you said, No! We will speed [our own course] on horses! Therefore you will speed [in flight from your enemies]! You said, We will ride upon swift steeds [doing our own way]! Therefore will they who pursue you be swift, [so swift that]
17 One thousand of you will flee at the threat of one of them; at the threat of five you will flee till you are left like a beacon or a flagpole on the top of a mountain, and like a signal on a hill.
18 And therefore the Lord [earnestly] waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are all those who [earnestly] wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him [for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy, and His matchless, unbroken companionship]!
2)Definition of THREAT- an expression of intention to inflict evil, injury, or damage
3)I actually can`t believe the timing of this âHomework assignmentâ. I have been in a fight or flight mode for several months now as I deal with a very difficult situation in my marriage. We have even talked about separation and possibly divorce, but when I truly seek the Lord and HIS will, I know that He is encouraging me to see this through no matter how impossible it is. There are times when I am so overwhelmed with it that I just want to hide away and have contact with no one and I am constantly fighting that. I have two children that need me and I can`t quit no matter how much I wish to sometimes. I need to trust and believe that God has a plan and that He can use this situation for His glory and that He will help us overcome and be restored and renewed in this difficult time. Quitting is easy, but it takes God`s strength and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to overcome what life throws at us.
A line from my favorite song right now is by Matt Redman. 10,000 Reasons. âThe sun comes up, it`s a new day dawning. It`s time to sing Your song again. Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me, let me be singing when the evening comes. Bless the Lord O my soul, o my soul, Worship His holy name, Sing like never before, o my soul I`ll worship Your holy name.
4) 1Peter 5:8-10- says to stand, be firm and vigilant and says nothing about running. It also says that we will suffer, but that God will use that suffering to complete us and make us what we ought to be and to establish and ground us in Him.
James 4:7- tells us if we submit to God and stand against the enemy (Not run from him) that the enemy will be the one that will be running away.
5) I definitely need to settle down. I have felt anxious and overwhelmed and know I need to submit all of this to God, for there is no possible way I can do this in my own strength. He needs to do a miracle in my heart and my husbandâs heart and I chose to believe that is possible and happening as we speak.
6) I get my personal insight for this question from Ephesians 6 where it tells us that even after we have done everything to stand that we are to stand firm. Christ is my rock and my fortress and I chose to surrender, my life, my marriage and our future into His hands and even when things seem impossible I will stand on the truth that He is always with me and that He has the power to get us through all things.
1. ESV/MESS/and NLT, which says… This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it. You said, ‘No, we will get our help from Egypt. They will give us swift horses for riding into battle.’ But the only swiftness you are going to see is the swiftness of your enemies chasing you! One of them will chase a thousand of you. Five of them will make all of you flee. You will be left like a lonely flagpole on a hill or a tattered banner on a distant mountaintop.” So the LORD must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the LORD is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help.
2. threat – a synonym that stuck out was intimidation. Am I qualified to do what I feel the Lord leading me to do? Will others feel I am? Aren’t there others that could do better?
3. prone to flee/wander when things sont go smoothly, in working order
4. new testament verses sum up Isaish pretty perfectly, particularly like James…humble, humble
5.settling down – yes! A New Years, do I dare say resoluton…making a daily consistent choice to SET MY MIND on things above, to quiet the clutter, to avoid the petty deistractions, to get in His life-giving WORD and meditate on His truths
6…So the LORD must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. This section of Is. was the one that popped right out. The LOrd is always near, but we need to take the step, make the effort, just as we would in any relationship.
Thank you for this mini devotion for a busy momma on a Saturday. Just put kids down for rest. Being that its the special time of month, getting in His Word to change my mood, perspective, has renewed and refeshed. XO
1. NLT, NIV, and I chose MSG
GOD, the Master, The Holy of Israel,
has this solemn counsel:
âYour salvation requires you to turn back to me
and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves.
Your strength will come from settling down
in complete dependence on meâ
The very thing
youâve been unwilling to do.
Youâve said, âNothing doing! Weâll rush off on horseback!â
Youâll rush off, all right! Just not far enough!
Youâve said, âWeâll ride off on fast horses!â
Do you think your pursuers ride old nags?
Think again: A thousand of you will scatter before one attacker.
Before a mere five youâll all run off.
Thereâll be nothing left of youâ
a flagpole on a hill with no flag,
a signpost on a roadside with the sign torn off.â
But GODâs not finished. Heâs waiting around to be gracious to you.
Heâs gathering strength to show mercy to you.
GOD takes the time to do everything rightâeverything.
Those who wait around for him are the lucky ones.
2. threat
1. a declaration of an intention or determination to inflict punishment, injury, etc., in retaliation for, or conditionally upon, some action or course; menace: He confessed under the threat of imprisonment.
2. an indication or warning of probable trouble: The threat of a storm was in the air.
3. a person or thing that threatens.
Ultimately, the major threat in a believerâs life is the father of contention himself, the devil. He wants nothing more than to steal, kill, and destroy Godâs children. However, he works through many devices that we might point to as a personal threat in our lives. In my life, I have experienced the threat of destruction through unfulfilled dreams, busyness, hurtful people, strained relationships, financial stress, illness, depression, insecurity, addictions, out of control habits, loss, fear of rejection or failure, etc. However, in all of these things, I have learned that I am more than a conqueror, and when I turn to God, these threats have no power over me. I am free from the grip of fear and the paralysis these threats could cause in my life.
3. The seasons of fleeing in my life tend to look more like excuses and procrastination. I run from the enemy by becoming stagnate in my relationship with God. I have great intentions to submit fully to the Lord, but when one of those familiar âthreatsâ faces me, I am the master of putting it off and just withdrawing into my own little world so I donât have to face my insecurities or fears. I make excuses and justify it by saying that I really do plan to get around to obeying God and putting it all in His hands. That has been me lately. I guess that would be defined as being in âfleeing mode.â I have been procrastinating from obeying God because of insecurities, but I try to make myself feel good about it because I have plans to eventually obey. By sitting idly, I think I am fleeing from my perceived enemy, but I am really fleeing from God.
4. In Isaiah, our deliverance comes from dependence on God, not on our own effort. We are to relax and watch Him deliver. However, when we choose rather to depend on our own efforts, the enemy intimidates and chases us, and we flee from him like fools, becoming exhausted and useless.
In 1 Peter 5:8-10, we are urged to stand strong against the enemy rather than fleeing in fear or just sitting by and being tormented. We still have the promise that God is going to deliver us, but we donât have to be wimps in the mean time. We may suffer for a time, but we have the strength to endure and to overcome whatever he throws at us.
James 4:7 goes even further to say that the devil is the one who will have to flee. When we submit to God and resist our enemy, then we need to remember that we are the ones who have the upper hand. There is no need to fear or to be defeated.
5. I have a tendency to have an anxious heart and worry senselessly. As I put my total trust in Him, I am able to settle down, or âchill out,â as I often hear Him saying to my heart.
6. This is a great reminder for me to quit being such a wimpy Christian. As God has called me, and I am allowing Him to work through me, it is often too easy for me to lose perspective and become intimidated by the enemyâs threats. Instead of relaxing and trusting God, there are times I am the one who flees in distress. I have then fallen away from what God is calling me to do. However, I am strengthened by these reminders to stand firm against the enemy because I know confidently I am protected by God, and He fights my battles for me. He gives me the strength and courage to send the enemy running with his tail tucked between his legs instead of my running around like a fool. Therefore, I will not run from Godâs call on my life, and I will not allow the enemy to intimidate me. He is defeated, and he is the one who will flee from me!
1. ESV, NLT, NET
For this is what the master, the  Lord , the Holy One of Israel says: âIf you repented and patiently waited for me, you would be delivered; if you calmly trusted in me you would find strength, but you are unwilling.  You say, âNo, we will flee on horses,â so you will indeed flee. You say, âWe will ride on fast horses,â so your pursuers will be fast.  One thousand will scurry at the battle cry of one enemy soldier;   at the battle cry of five enemy soldiers you will all run away, until the remaining few are as isolated as a flagpole on a mountaintop or a signal flag on a hill.â  For this reason the  Lord  is ready to show you mercy; he sits on his throne, ready to have compassion on you.   Indeed, the  Lord  is a just God; all who wait for him in faith will be blessed. (Isaiah 30:15-18 NET)
2.”A threat is an act of coercion wherein an act is proposed to elicit a negative response. It is a communicated intent to inflict harm or loss on another person. It can be a crime in many jurisdictions. Threat (intimidation) is widely seen in animals, particularly in a ritualized form, chiefly in order to avoid the unnecessary physical violence that can lead to physical damage or death of both conflicting parties.” – Wikipedia
Two things hit me – the word “intimidation” and the first sentence of the definition. Â I have been experiencing this threat/intimidation from the enemy lately. Â He has come at me from all sides trying to get me to give in and quit the ministry that God is calling me to. Â It seems at times like the enemy is “setting me up” by using even people within the church to coerce me into responding in a non-Christ-like manner.
3. YES!!! Â I spent most of my life fleeing – running away and hiding from that which made me fearful and insecure. Â I even used to eat my lunch every day in the bathroom stall in high school because of my fear of being made fun of. Â I have been on a long sweet journey of healing with God, and what He has done in my life is a flat-out miracle! Â I still find myself at times though wanting to flee and hide when I feel threatened. Â The enemy knows this and tries everything possible to get me to run away from my calling.Â
4. The enemy wants us to cower in fear and to flee from that which God has called us to.  The enemy will make us feel isolated and alone, but God in His great mercy has given us everything we need in Christ Jesus to stand up against him.  If we trust God to deliver us and not run like a coward, then instead of US being the ones to flee, the ENEMY will have to flee!
5. Yes! I tend to get all worked up and anxious when I feel threatened or intimidated and start to panic – as if God is somehow not going to come through this time just like He ALWAYS has before! This scripture has really helped me:
“Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and SETTLE YOU DOWN. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. ” Philippians 4:6, 7 MSG
6. This assignment was very timely for this season of my life and the spiritual warfare I have been experiencing. Â I know God is preparing me for something, and I don’t want to miss out on it! Â I am reminded of Gal. 6:9, which says, “Do not become weary in doing good; for at the proper time you will reap a harvest IF you do not give up.” Â I don’t want to give up! Â I don’t want to be the one to flee – I want to see the enemy flee!
Jen
I looked at MSG and ESV but I love the wording of verse 18 in the NASB. I memorized this verse with you Beth in one of the Bible studies (maybe Esther??).
15 For thus the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said,
âIn repentance and rest you will be saved,
In quietness and trust is your strength.â
But you were not willing,
16 And you said, âNo, for we will flee on horses,â
Therefore you shall flee!
âAnd we will ride on swift horses,â
Therefore those who pursue you shall be swift.
17 One thousand will flee at the threat of one man;
You will flee at the threat of five,
Until you are left as a flag on a mountain top
And as a signal on a hill.
God Is Gracious and Just
18 Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you,
And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you.
For the Lord is a God of justice;
How blessed are all those who long for Him.
I am in mid-life. I think my resolve to live the latter half of my life with vision and passion to plow the field where God has placed me is being threatened. I think it is being threatened by a culture that is sucking us all little pockets of isolation. It is a ploy of the enemy to keep us out of community, out of accountability and out of any ownership in seeking the kingdom of God on the earth in our time. I have been in women’s ministry for years and I see the needs but feel like I want to flee from what I am not sure I am up for when it comes to trying to get women together again—out of our hide -e -holes.
Is the Lord not waiting for us to fight in this war against our enemy in this age? Will we wait for the mercy and grace he waits and longs to give. I can just here him as we run…wait, wait, wait Mercy is on its way…—and “mercy triumphs.”
The Lord gave me Is. 50:10-11 to memorize a week or so ago. And it is interesting that Isaiah was asking the questions in verse 10 about trusting the Lord even in darkness–several chapters over. But it was the warning in verse 11 that really got me: “Behold, all you who kindle for yourselves firebrands, Walk in the light of your fire, Among the brands you set ablaze. This you will have from My hand: You will lie down in torment.
When we run, when we try to light our fires, when we are totally dependent on the Lord we aren’t gonna sleep. We are going to stay up and worry and fret and we won’t accomplish anything of kingdom value—and we will reap what we sow if we refuse to stand our ground let him fight our battles even in silence and darkness.
Loved this BTW. đ
1. HCSB, MSG, NIV: Isaiah 30:15-18Isaiah 30:15-1
15. This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: âIn repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it. 16. You said, âNo, we will flee on horses.â Therefore you will flee! You said, âWe will ride off on swift horses.â Therefore your pursuers will be swift! 17. A thousand will flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you will all flee away, till you are left like a flagstaff on a mountaintop, like a banner on a hill.â 18. Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!
2. Threat, Mirriam Webster: âAn expression of intention to inflict evil, injury, or damage.â Syns.: hazard, menace, peril, pitfall, risk.
I donât often feel this way, but the last two weeks I have distinctly felt that Satan is threatening me by dangling temptation in some loved onesâ faces. The temptation for me is to freak out and lose focus in a season when I believe God is training me in intercessory prayer. It takes discipline, focus, and total attention on Godâs ways. Satan would like to put me in a pit by putting my loved ones at risk.
3. I flee by letting my emotions take over and trying to figure out what to do and expecting others to come and deliver me. God is kind and has graciously reined me back in! Spending quiet time with God has become my strength.
4. Submit, resist, stand firm, and be self-controlled and alert sound a lot like âin quietness and trust is your strength.â Itâs all about drawing near to God and drawing strength from God.
5. Yes! There is no strength or victory in being upset.
6. I needed this reminder. I came across this Isaiah passage when my Dad was at the end of his life, struggling with Parkinsonâs Disease. It was so hard to go and see him. I loved him and wanted to see him, but I wanted to see the Dad I knew growing up. Have you ever wanted to yell, âWhere is my parent and what have you done with them?â Iâm ashamed to say, I dreaded seeing him, wondering what would take place. One morning when I was in town to visit my parents and feeling the familiar dread, I read verse 15, â. . . in quietness and trust is your strength.â I realized I would get no strength by remaining all stirred up inside. Strength came from being quiet and trusting God. I did and God was gracious; what a blessing my visits with Dad turned out to be! It was a great lesson and I needed this reminder. Thanks for the assignment, Beth!
1. NIV, Message, NKJV (From NKJV) For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: âIn returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength.â But you would not, and you said, âNo, for we will flee on horsesââtherefore you shall flee! And, âWe will ride on swift horsesââtherefore those who pursue you shall be swift! One thousand shall flee at the threat of one. At the threat of five you shall flee, till you are left as a pole on top of a mountain and as a banner on a hill. Therefore the Lord will wait that He may be gracious to you; and therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all those who wait for Him.
2. Threat: âA declaration of an intention or determination to inflict punishment, injury, etc., in retaliation for, or conditionally upon, some action or course; menace. An indication or warning of probable trouble. A person or thing that threatens.â Right now I am asking God to reprogram me, to set me free from old thought patterns including a longstanding, perfectionistic, anxiety-ridden response to the things of daily life. I am tired of feeling like the threat of punishment is hanging over me if I donât get things right or that somehow disappointing other people is the worst sin I could commit. Iâm just a bit fed up with it.
3. Fleeing looks an awful lot like denial or procrastination in my world. I am working to stand my ground, to look at the things that frighten or overwhelm me most and then just tackle them one at a time. Itâs like the more I give into that âflightâ response, the worse it gets.
4. All three texts give the battle plan and the plan isâŠStand Firm. Hold the line. Resist. And do it in complete reliance on and childlike trust in Him. Do not give ground to the enemy. In Isaiah, the act of fleeing on horses, or maybe trusting in the strength of horses to save instead of God, gives the enemy strength â like they are stuck in a self-fulfilling prophecy, the people flee from the threat and the threat becomes real, turning the people into a panic-filled stampede. The entire time they had only to stand firm, trusting and resting and waiting in quiet and confidence. In Peter, we see the enemy more clearly, the roaring lion, but we are told we can and must resist him through faithâgive him no ground to grow into a mighty devourer. James takes this a step further â we see the threat dissolved into a frightened animal fleeing us when we stand up to his tactics. And the pay-off for holding the line, resisting, standing firm is a bounty of mercy, justice, and blessing (Isaiah), being perfected, established, strengthened and settled (Peter), and victory as our enemy turns tail and flees. We are NOT a lonesome flagpole on a mountain, a tattered banner of defeat. Our Beloved Bridegroom whispers to our souls, âYou are beautiful, my darling, as Tirzah, lovely as Jerusalem, majestic as troops with banners.â (Song 6:4) And this time, we believe Him.
5. Settle down! Yes. For me, just obeying despite my anxieties, getting up and moving on despite my feelings, trusting that if I settle down in complete dependence on Him, He will be my salvation in every sense of the word. My perfecting, establishing, strengthening, settling Lord.
6. I like that He says I can return and rest in Him, and that when I hold steady in quietness and confidence, I will find strength there. I think one of the key terms there for me is âreturn,â or as some translations say, ârepent,â because inevitably I will be one of those stampeding off into the sunset. But my gracious God says I can turn around even in the midst of my fear and disobedience. I can decide to settle down into Him in complete dependence and come up quiet, resolved and unshakable in the face of fear. I can choose peace. I can choose to believe who He is and what He says about who I am in Him.
1. Message, TNIV , NIRV
Isaiah 30:15-18
15 The LORD and King is the Holy One of Israel. He says,
âYou will find peace and rest
when you turn away from your sins and depend on me.
You will receive the strength you need
when you stay calm and trust in me.
But you do not want to do what I tell you to.
16 You said, âNo. Weâll escape on horses.â
So you will have to escape!
You said, âWeâll ride off on fast horses.â
So those who chase you will use faster horses!
17 When one of them dares you to fight,
a thousand of you will run away.
When five of them dare you,
all of you will run away.
So few of you will be left that you will be
like a flagpole on top of a mountain.
You will be like only one banner on a hill.â
18 But the LORD longs to show you his favor.
He wants to give you his tender love.
The LORD is a God who is always fair.
Blessed are all those who wait for him to act!
2. Threat: a declaration of an intention or determination to inflict punishment, injury, etc., in retaliation for, or conditionally upon, some action or course; menace: He confessed under the threat of imprisonment.
My first response was how fearful I was for my husbandâs safety recently in a violent work place situation. I really feared for his life some days, he had an actual escape route all planned out so if this crazy person really did physically do something, he could get out alive. I feel most threatened this season because my husband was âlet goâ from above job after he took a stand against the situation(completely unjust and insane, I know), so now we are looking for new employment. Then the landlords of the place we rent just informed us that they are planning on selling the house we rent from them. Now God, really? So we will have to move soon yet currently have no job. What do we do if the severance runs out before a new job comes? I try to keep my thoughts focused on God…the mountain mover and not the mountain, but itâs hard, especially with three kids to provide for. Iâm especially asking for Godâs blessing in this area as my husband took a stand for truth and justice, two things I know God loves.
3. âFleeingâ most looks like controlling things in my life. When I feel threatened and want to run, I tend to try to âfigure it all outâ on my own, try to put all the scenarios together. Then when Iâm tired I run to Jesus and ask him for help. Iâm really trying to go to him first, do some spiritual exchanges (give him my fear and ask for his peace in place of that). I want my first response to be fleeing into the arms of Jesus, instead of trying to control things around me.
4. Instead of doing things on our own, we need to remember that the enemy wants to destroy us. He hates us. He wants us to try to do this life on our own because he loves it when we fail miserably. But if we run to God for protection and provision, in His time, he will make ALL things right. If we wait, God will help us. If we ask Him to show us the lies and threats from the enemy, He will, then we will be able to ask him to help us resist anything the devil throws our way.
5. Yes! Iâve been freaking out about this job situation, how are we going to move when we have no income to rent or buy a place. Basically trying to âfigureâ it all out on my own. But God has been speaking to me a lot through this. He wants me to have a new response in situations that are out of my control. My first memorization verse for SSMT this year was this…Isaiah 41:10 âDonât panic. Iâm with you. Thereâs no need to fear for Iâm you God. Iâll give you strength, Iâll help you, Iâll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you.â BTW, this was before the job loss and housing situation…coincidence? I think not ï So basically Godâs been saying âsettle downâ, wait and see what I can do.
6. I really think this is about me trusting God. Thatâs been a hard one for me as I didnât have a trust worthy father. Iâve been relearning what âfatherâ means. God is faithful. He is my provider. And He is good. He is interested in me. He wants the best for me. I really need those things to go down to my soul and not just believe them for others but for me too. So seeing how God will move in these situations will be another step in trust. In knowing Heâs trustworthy. It will be another layer to removing fear that has been an underlying current in my life. God has changed so much of that through the Breaking Free study but I want it finished. I donât want to live with any fear any more. I know I donât have control of my life, none of us do even though we like to live with the illusion of being in control. So trying to control things that feel scary for me instead of going to Jesus is a sin in my heart and needs to be turned over to him.
1. NIV, MSG, AMP
“God Takes the Time to Do Everything Right” (title of passage on biblegateway.com)
“God, the Master, The Holy of Israel, has this solemn counsel: âYour salvation requires you to turn back to me and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves. Your strength will come from settling down in complete dependence on meâThe very thing youâve been unwilling to do. Youâve said, âNothing doing! Weâll rush off on horseback!â Youâll rush off, all right! Just not far enough. Youâve said, âWeâll ride off on fast horses!â Do you think your pursuers ride old nags? Think again: A thousand of you will scatter before one attacker. Before a mere five youâll all run off. Thereâll be nothing left of youâ a flagpole on a hill with no flag, a signpost on a roadside with the sign torn off.â But Godâs not finished. Heâs waiting around to be gracious to you. Heâs gathering strength to show mercy to you. God takes the time to do everything rightâeverything. Those who wait around for him are the lucky ones.” The Message (MSG)
2. Feeling the most threat from: lack of financial stability (husband unemployed) so no way to plan for the future when the focus is on getting by each month.
3. What fleeing looks like: food for comfort, distractions (Pinterest, blogs), too much TV, ignoring housework
4. Passage comparison: Isaiah shows what it looks like to rush off in your own power, determined to figure things out yourself and the passages in I Peter and James are a contrast to that. They implore the reader to be sober minded and alert, resist the enemy and submit yourself to God. The contrasting outcomes are definitely sobering.
5. Yes, need to hear âsettle downâ but even more the next words âcomplete dependence on me.â However, although complete dependence sounds great and who wouldn’t want the outcome it leads to, what does it really look like on a day to day basis? Sometimes I feel confused about that.
6. Personal insights: When things get hard and there’s a season of suffering it sure feels good to ârush off on horsebackâ. There’s adrenaline and energy and a sense of getting things done fast, or of fleeing fast. To wait on the Lord, resist the enemy, and remain in âcomplete dependenceâ feels so slow and like you’re stuck or helpless, just âwaitingâ on something to happen. I struggle with the nuts and bolts of what this looks like daily, hourly to âsettle down in complete dependence on him.â I feel like I need to understand things in really concrete terms sometimes.
1. NIV, HCSB, and The Message
From The Message:
God Takes the Time to Do Everything Right
15-17 God, the Master, The Holy of Israel,
has this solemn counsel:
âYour salvation requires you to turn back to me
and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves.
Your strength will come from settling down
in complete dependence on meâ
The very thing
youâve been unwilling to do.
Youâve said, âNothing doing! Weâll rush off on horseback!â
Youâll rush off, all right! Just not far enough!
Youâve said, âWeâll ride off on fast horses!â
Do you think your pursuers ride old nags?
Think again: A thousand of you will scatter before one attacker.
Before a mere five youâll all run off.
Thereâll be nothing left of youâ
a flagpole on a hill with no flag,
a signpost on a roadside with the sign torn off.â
18 But Godâs not finished. Heâs waiting around to be gracious to you.
Heâs gathering strength to show mercy to you.
God takes the time to do everything rightâeverything.
Those who wait around for him are the lucky ones.
2. Threat- 1: an expression of intention to inflict evil, injury, or damage
2: one that threatens
3: an indication of something impending
Lately Iâve been feeling threatened by a the possible recurrence of a former, difficult to diagnose health issue that put me through a lot as I was trying to figure out what was going on. Looking at the definition of threat, I donât see the health issue itself as a threat, as much as I fear a perceived threat of being hurt again by people not understanding what Iâm going through, including doctors.
3. Fleeing in my life tends to take the form of not talking about it, trying to ignore it. I have been fleeing, but with Godâs help am trying to stop fleeing and have started to talk about it.
4. Isaiah talks about fleeing and losing to the enemy, while the other two verses talk about trusting God and resisting the enemy and winning.
5. Yes! Iâve been driving myself crazy looking for ways that might help to diagnose the health issue when maybe I just need to settle down and trust God.
6. The assignment helped me to clearly identify what I perceived to be a threat. That also helped bring relief, because the amazing surgeon whose hands God put me in at the end of the health issues last time is now my mentor and we talked about it a few days ago. That talk left me reassured that this is no longer a threat. I also really needed to hear the words âStop your silly efforts to save yourself,â and that God is waiting to be gracious to me as soon as I put my trust in Him to handle this issue and settle down.
1. I read the NIV, The Message, and NET. NET says:
For this is what the master, the Lord, the Holy One of Israel says:
âIf you repented and patiently waited for me, you would be delivered;
if you calmly trusted in me you would find strength,
but you are unwilling.
16 You say, âNo, we will flee on horses,â
so you will indeed flee.
You say, âWe will ride on fast horses,â
so your pursuers will be fast.
17 One thousand will scurry at the battle cry of one enemy soldier;
at the battle cry of five enemy soldiers you will all run away,
until the remaining few are as isolated
as a flagpole on a mountaintop
or a signal flag on a hill.â
The Lord Will Not Abandon His People
18 For this reason the Lord is ready to show you mercy;
he sits on his throne, ready to have compassion on you.
Indeed, the Lord is a just God;
all who wait for him in faith will be blessed.
2.Cambridge Dictionary Online
Threat: a statement that someone will be hurt or harmed, esp. if the person does not do something in particular:
For me, I am mostly plagued by imaginary threats right now in my life. There isn’t much that could hurt or harm me, but I imagine these scenarios all the time, and I deal with a lot of anxiety because of it.
3. I tend to flee by retreating into myself, which I’ve been doing quite a lot of lately.
4. I love how in Isaiah, we are doing the fleeing, while in James the enemy is the one fleeing from us because we are standing firm with God. I love this image.
5. Settling down is a great reminder, because I tend to flee inwards. Settling down means making time to meet with God, meet with my neighbor, be there for my kids, LIVE and not retreat.
6. Throughout this, I was reminded of the “settle” command we use with our dog. She is highly anxious, like me. When we tell her “down”, she lies down, but she’s still all on guard. Ears up, eyes wide open, hairs on edge, you know what I mean. We use the command “settle” to mean, “relax already!” She’s having a hard time learning that command, and I realized through this lesson that I’m having an equally hard time learning the “settle” command from God! I’m on guard and on edge most of the time, and the only thing driving me nuts is myself!
Thank you, thank you for this lesson, Mama Beth!
1. KJV, NASB
GOD, the Master, The Holy of Israel, has this solemn counsel: âYour salvation requires you to turn back to me and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves.
Your strength will come from settling down in complete dependence on meâ
The very thing youâve been unwilling to do. Youâve said, âNothing doing! Weâll rush off on horseback!â Youâll rush off, all right! Just not far enough!
Youâve said, âWeâll ride off on fast horses!â Do you think your pursuers ride old nags? Think again: A thousand of you will scatter before one attacker.
Before a mere five youâll all run off. Thereâll be nothing left of youâ
a flagpole on a hill with no flag, a signpost on a roadside with the sign torn off.â
18 But GODâs not finished. Heâs waiting around to be gracious to you. Heâs gathering strength to show mercy to you. GOD takes the time to do everything rightâeverything. Those who wait around for him are the lucky ones. THE MESSAGE
2. Threat- a. an expression of an intention to inflict pain, injury, evil or punishment
b. an indication of impending danger or harm
c. one that is regarded as a possible danger
* I feel most threatened by fear, more specifically the fear that my 5 month old baby will get very sick, hurt and die.
3. Fleeing (due to this fear) in this season of my life looks like me closing my heart off to God while worrying (trying to anticipate) about what could go wrong and trying to control, control, control (in hopes it doesnât go wrong)
4. Be of sober spirit and resist the devil!
5. Yes! After many months in victory, my flesh/bad habits of insecurity are rearing their ugly head again. I desire to walk by the Spirit and to be of sober spiritâŠto settle down!
6. I feel like God is telling me to rest in Him, have confidence in Him and to quit running around trying to control my life, puff myself up and go my own way. That He is right here with me, has His eyes on me and my family.
7. P.S. I loved this assignment! God really spoke to me through it!
1. I chose the ESV, NLT, and NET versions to read. The one that was most impactful the NLT version.
Isaiah 30:15-18 New Living Translation (NLT)
15 This is what the Sovereign LORD,
the Holy One of Israel, says:
âOnly in returning to me
and resting in me will you be saved.
In quietness and confidence is your strength.
But you would have none of it.
16 You said, âNo, we will get our help from Egypt.
They will give us swift horses for riding into battle.â
But the only swiftness you are going to see
is the swiftness of your enemies chasing you!
17 One of them will chase a thousand of you.
Five of them will make all of you flee.
You will be left like a lonely flagpole on a hill
or a tattered banner on a distant mountaintop.â
18 So the LORD must wait for you to come to him
so he can show you his love and compassion.
For the LORD is a faithful God.
Blessed are those who wait for his help.
2. Definition of threat: an expression of intention to inflict evil, injury, or damage; one that threatens; an indication of something impending. I am struck by this. I never really thought of feeling âthreatenedâ by the circumstances that I am currently living. However, I indeed am experiencing that right now. My husband has been unemployed for five months now and money is beginning to run out. It seems his only opportunities are in different states. I know LOTS of changes in on the way, and I suppose that âthreatenedâ is exactly what I am feeling.
3. Fleeing in my life tends to look like âbusinessâ in whatever formâcloset cleaning, shopping, internet surfing, social media; busy and mind numbing, but definitely no productive. OR, by baking and eating (two of my favorite stress relievers). Yes! I am in a fleeing mode!
4. Love the verse in I Peter 5:9, âstanding firm in faith,â this seems like the same concept in Isaiah that says âin quietness and confidence is your strength.â Itâs a beautiful picture of quiet confidence. Reminds me a little of seeing military personnel standing still and quiet at attention. They are strong and confident in their position and commander.
5. Yes, I do. My mind is whirling, planning, analyzing, and trying to figure out what God is trying to show us. I am trying to determine what we should do, what our options are, and what possible scenarios could happen. I need to settle my heart, my mind, and my emotions!
6. This was a timely exercise in that it REALLY brought to my attention how frantic, manipulative, and controlling I am trying to be in the difficult season of my life. I believe He is telling me to settle down, stand firm, and know that resting in Him alone is where I will find my strength and peace. I need to trust His faithfulness, love and compassion.
1. NIV, HCSB, & MSG. HCSB: For the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said: âYou will be delivered by returning and resting; your strength will lie in quiet confidence. But you are not willing.â 16 You say, âNo! We will escape on horsesââtherefore you will escape!âand, âWe will ride on fast horsesââbut those who pursue you will be faster. 17 One thousand will flee at the threat of one, at the threat of five you will flee, until you alone remain like a solitary pole on a mountaintop or a banner on a hill. The Lordâs Mercy to Israel: Therefore the Lord is waiting to show you mercy, and is rising up to show you compassion, for the Lord is a just God. All who wait patiently for Him are happy.
2. an indication of imminent harm, danger, or pain. The main thing that comes to mind is of a coworker who I tend to avoid talking to because I am afraid of her saying something hurtful.
3. I tend to flee from talking with the coworker mentioned. I am kind of in flee mode right now because I’m doing this assignment instead of working on my budget for the next couple of weeks. (I’m taking the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University class at my church.)
4. I see a theme of grace and mercy from God. I also hear “resist the devil and he will flee from you”.
5. I think sometimes I need to hear settle down, but today is a day of good balance since I’m spending some of it alone, with God, and with friends. I think I need to settle down when it comes to wanting a husband and searching for one. The end of the passage really spoke to me, especially the HCSB version where it says that those who wait patiently on the Lord will be happy. I see how that’s so true because when I’m focusing on how I’m not dating yet I’m unhappy, but if I’m just living my life I’m happy. I need to keep fully depending on God for a husband and for everything.
6. We live in a culture of people who don’t like waiting. We tend to think waiting is a waste of time, but I think what this passage is saying is that if we patiently wait for the Lord we can be happy. God is always working whether we can see it or not. He “takes time to do everything right–everything” (part of vs 18, MSG).
1. Isaiah 30:15-18, AMP
15 For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: In returning [to Me] and resting [in Me] you shall be saved; in quietness and in [trusting] confidence shall be your strength. But you would not,
16 And you said, No! We will speed [our own course] on horses! Therefore you will speed [in flight from your enemies]! You said, We will ride upon swift steeds [doing our own way]! Therefore will they who pursue you be swift, [so swift that]
17 One thousand of you will flee at the threat of one of them; at the threat of five you will flee till you are left like a beacon or a flagpole on the top of a mountain, and like a signal on a hill.
18 And therefore the Lord [earnestly] waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are all those who [earnestly] wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him [for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy, and His matchless, unbroken companionship]!
2. Threat â a declaration of an intention or determination to inflict punishment, injury, etc. in retaliation for, or conditionally upon, some action or course; menace; an indication or warning of probable trouble
I think I feel like a threat to myself sometimes, sabotaging my own progress, and not doing what I want/should do.
3. âFleeingâ looks like: closing off to the Lord, not believing truth. My outward actions may remain the same but my heart becomes disengaged and a bit fearful (not the full of awe kind of fear). I think Iâm not in the flee mode right now. A few weeks ago, I asked the Lord to âunpack my baggageâ so I would stop this fleeing nonsense.
4. âBe sober-minded,â âwatchful,â âfirm in your faith,â âsubmit to Godâ â These all come/happen from being in and walking with the Lord. They donât happen apart from that. And it looks like that was the Isralitesâ downfall â not walking with the Lord but rather doing their own thing.
5. This is just another reminder (and there have been many in this season) of how important it is to be in constant fellowship with God. I wonât be free, I wonât walk in victory, I wonât be able to love others as I should or live how I should if Iâm not consistently in the Word, in truth, becoming âfirm in my faith.â