WISDOM OF QUIETNESS (1)

“In returning and rest you shall be saved; in QUIETNESS and confidence shall be your strength.” But you would not” – Isaiah 30:15

In addition to knowing when to be silent, GOD’S WORD teaches the WISDOM of QUIETNESS: “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in QUIETNESS and confidence shall be your strength” (Isa.30:15a). The Living Translation 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.” Jerusalem in Isaiah’s time had a problem in the person of Sennacherib who had a mighty Assyrian army at his beckon, and Jerusalem in his sights! The natural solution to this problem was to amass enough power to counter Assyria. A strategic alliance with neighbouring Egyptians should help. Packed animals with necessary bribes and gifts should do the trick (vv.30:6-7). If Egypt could be counted on to cooperate, the problem was good as solved – so they thought.

Natural men believe that whatever requires fixing can be fixed by their intellect and activeness. They see a problem, identify solution-options, develop strategic plans, create budgets and goals, and move into action. These are laudable if only people will reckon with the divine. Alas, God is far from their thoughts, as they lean on “the arm of flesh” – their expertise, plans, and strategic alliances (2Chr.32:8). God says: “Woe to the rebellious children...who take counsel, but not of Me, and who devise plans, but not by My Spirit, that they may add sin to sin; who walk to go DOWN to Egypt, and have not asked My advice, to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt. Therefore the strength of Pharaoh shall be your shame, and trust in the shadow of Egypt shall be your humiliation” (vv.1-3).

Isaiah was convinced that Egypt was worthless as a source of help: “For the Egyptians shall help in vain and to no purpose. Therefore I have called her Rahab-Hem-Shebeth” (v.7). This means “Rahab Sits Idle” or “Rahab the Do-Nothing”! Rahab is the Hebrew word for Pride, and is sometimes used as a title for Egypt (Psa.87:4). Egypt was like a Harmless Dragon with big teeth but no bite. Isaiah warned that sending ambassadors with animals loaded with gifts was a waste of time and money and that, if Judah persisted in this “solution,” it was only a matter of time until everything would collapse “like a breach ready to fall, a bulge in a high wall, whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant” (v.13). By contrast, his divinely-inspired strategic plan was simple: “Return to and rest in God; be QUIET and confident in Him!”

Worldly Go-getters don’t see the Wisdom of “quietness and confidence.” Their creed is, “God helps those who help themselves,” even though they are often so confident in their own abilities that the help of God is rarely seen as significant unless things get really out of hand! This was the case with the Jerusalem elite. They snubbed Isaiah: “Do not see... Do not prophesy to us right things; speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits. Get out of the way, turn aside from the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us” (vv.10-11). In other words: “Shut up! We don’t want any more of your prophecy...We have heard more than enough about your ‘Holy One of Israel.’ We are tired of listening to what he has to say.” God was willing and ready to save and strengthen them, but they “would not” (v.15). They were unwilling!

Beloved, in every situation, let’s turn to the Lord, quietly and confidently, and expect Him to work! Being agitated, aggressive, and trusting in the arm of flesh is not always the answer. God will perform even as we’re quietly confident in Him: “The work of righteousness will be PEACE, and the effect of righteousness, QUIETNESS and assurance forever. My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in QUIET resting places” (Isa.32:17-18). Activism and dynamism are desirable virtues, but QUIET Confidence in God is of greater worth!