THE HAND OF THE ALMIGHTY (5)

“I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with MY RIGHTEOUS RIGHT HAND’” – Isaiah 41:10b

Freedom from Fear, Divine Strength, and Upholding Help come by THE HAND of the ALMIGHTY GOD: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with MY RIGHTEOUS RIGHT HAND’” (Isa.41:10). These were God’s words to Israel, as the nation wilted under the oppression of fierce enemies. No matter how desperate their situation, or how impossible the odds that they would ever find relief, God assured His people that they were held in His tender care and should therefore fear not. The Almighty God is the Creator, Controller, and Upholder of all things: “upholding all things by the word of His power” (Heb.1:3). The wonderful reality is that the same Hand of Power is available to hold and uphold each of us His children on an intimate, personal basis.

No matter the challenges and troubles that may come our way, our God, having chosen us, will not cast us away (v.9). Rather, He reaches out to us with Strength and Help, and holds us firmly. He gathers us and holds our hands in His strong, but tender Hand: “For I, the LORD your God, will HOLD YOUR RIGHT HAND, saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you’’ (v.13). The Lord proceeded to enumerate detailed actions that His HAND would execute, concluding: “That they may see and know, and consider and understand together, that the HAND of the LORD has done this, and the Holy One of Israel has created it” (v.20). Let’s examine few of the things God’s Hand was set to do for Israel:

Freedom from Fear: “Fear not, for I am with you…Fear not…” (vv.11a, 14a). Fear is one of the most common emotions portrayed in the Bible. In verse 5, the “coastlands” and “the ends of the earth” feared the terrifying power of God. But in verse 10, God tells Israel not to fear because of His abiding Presence and Righteous Right Hand. Israel was not to react like the rest of the earth, being His chosen people. The same applies to the Believer in Christ: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2Tim.1:7). Although fear is universal, we can respond to God’s Word by faith, face fear, and experience freedom because of God's Presence!

Help: “I will help you,” says the Lord and your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel” (v.14b). Though they seemed to be feeble and defendless, God assured His people that He was strong enough to deliver, help, protect, and enable them to overcome and scatter their foes (vv.15-16).

Transformation and Empowerment: “Behold, I will make you into a new threshing sledge with sharp teeth; You shall thresh the mountains and beat them small, and make the hills like chaff” (v.15). God’s Hand makes and transforms us into effective Instruments of Dominion and Conquest over all enemy forces: “You shall winnow them, the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them…” (v.16a).

Supernatural Supplies: These were to be in response to the cries of the poor, needy, and thirsty (v.17). Nothing is ever left to chance. God’s Hand deals with all the detailed demands for divine provisions in the lives of His people: “I WILL OPEN rivers in desolate heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I WILL MAKE the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. I WILL PLANT in the wilderness the cedar and the acacia tree, the myrtle and the oil tree; I WILL SET in the desert the cypress tree and the pine and the box tree together” (vv.18-19). God’s HAND is the active extension of HIS WILL. He says: “ I WILL OPEN… MAKE… PLANT… and SET”!

When there is tendency to feel isolated or depressed, it is encouraging to know that our hands and lives are held in the Strong Hand of the Almighty.