Isaiah 31:4-5 This is what the Lord says to me: “As a lion growls, a great lion over its prey— and though a whole band of shepherds is called together against it, it is not frightened by their shouts or disturbed by their clamor— so the Lord Almighty will come down to do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights. Like birds hovering overhead, the Lord Almighty will shield Jerusalem; he will shield it and deliver it, he will ‘pass over’ it and will rescue it.”
Who is the most powerful friend that you want on your side when you see a battle coming? What are the characteristics you want in that person in that moment that you don’t have in yourself? What is the battle coming your direction at this moment in time that cause you to call that friend to help you?
Isaiah is speaking to God’s people in a time of tremendous turmoil. Half of the people of God have been captured and deported from their homes, vineyards, fields, cattle, sheep, possessions, friends, familiarity, and routine to a new place with new people, new language, new residences, new challenges, new relationships, new neighbors, new tasks, new careers, new rules and new opportunities.
And right in the middle of this impossible, there were others who had not been captured yet. They still had the normal, even while other’s normal had been snatched away in a moment. Isaiah speaks to those whose future is going to change. He speaks as a word of warning and a word of opportunity.
Isaiah uses a wonderful picture to illustrate the strength and protection available to His people even in impossible moments. The lion is one of the most feared animals on earth. They aren’t really worried, even if a bunch of shepherds comes toward him. Shepherds are used to handling being outnumbered and out gunned. They are used to putting their life on the line in order to save the sheep.
But compared to a lion, shepherds are no match. Compared to the Egyptian army, the LORD is the lion. Israel had asked Egypt for help against an enemy, but had not asked the LORD! And Isaiah is rebuked for this glaring omission.
Isaiah focuses on the LORD’s intervention. As the lion has no fears, so the LORD offers the Israelites protection and strength that will bring deliverance. Nothing can stand against His power. But they must call upon Him. They have to be willing to yield to His hand. They have to be willing to trust Him.
So what are we trusting to get us out of the pickle we have gotten ourselves in or the pickle we find ourselves in? Who is our Egypt? Who are our shepherds?
The LORD will be our shield, our deliverer, and our rescuer. He is faithful to His Word and His Promises. Governments will fail. Bank accounts will empty. IRA’s will loose their value. Friends will fail and betray. Death happens. But the LORD will NEVER fail. Trust Him!
The Arnold Journey 