Politics As Usual?
And Egypt, vainly and emptily they help. So I have called to this: Their strength is to sit still. Isaiah 30:7
To Sit Still – Welcome to God’s PAC – the divine Political Action Committee. Of course, His PAC is a bit different from the ones we have. The operative procedure of His PAC is a word that is found only four times in Isaiah. It is the verb shabbat. God’s political theory is shabbat – sitting still.
Isaiah reminds Israel that alliances with the superpowers of the world are useless. Egypt, Assyria, Babylon offer no protection. Protection is the exclusive provision of God Himself. And how is that protection procured? By shabbat. By rest. By sitting still in confident assurance that God will act for His people. “Keeping still is holiness in regard to the political attitude of God and His people.”[1] Once again we find that God’s ways are backwards, upside-down and counter-intuitive. Once again we discover that God doesn’t do things the way men do things. Once again we are reminded that He is sovereign and we are not. Our pretensions and predilections to act are unfortunately indications of our unfaithfulness and lack of reliance. “Be still and know that I am YHWH,” is an instruction too easily forgotten.
The world demands action. From the Hebrew perspective, shabbat is action. It is the action of waiting on the Lord. Of course, the world rejects this attitude, calling it passive irresponsibility. We must do something! The Hebrew replies, “I am doing exactly what God requires. I am waiting, resting, being still in Him.”
If keeping still is holiness, then what is political frenzy? What is push and shove and get it done? What is “we can make it happen” thinking? Could it be that all this political chaos is unholiness? Could it be sin? A long time ago I wrote about the Hebrew view of accomplishment. I said that it was based on four simple things: STOP-WAIT-LISTEN-ACT. Shabbat is precisely this method. Be still. Stop. Be still. Wait. Be still. Listen. And then you will know what to do. Where there is no shabbat, there can only be chaos and sin.
Short and sweet. But the challenge is in the action: being still.
Topical Index: be still, shabbat, Isaiah 30:7
[1] Martin Buber, The Prophetic Faith, p. 136.
“Their strength is to sit still.”
Isaiah 30:7
“Your salvation lay in conversion and tranquility,
your strength in complete trust;”
Isaiah 30:15
Sometimes life seems like words and music
That can’t quite become a song
So we cry and sigh then we try again
And wonder what could be wrong
But when we turn to the Lord at the end of ourselves
Like we’ve done a time or two before
We find His truth is the same as it’s always been
We never will need more
It’s not in trying but in trusting
It’s not in running but in resting
Not in wondering but in praying
That we find the strength of the Lord
He’s all we need for our every need
We never need be alone
Still He’ll let us go if we choose to
To live life on our own
Then the only good that will ever be said
Of the pains we find ourselves in
They are places to gain the wisdom to say
I’ll never leave Him again
It’s not in trying but in trusting
It’s not in running but in resting
Not in wondering but in praying
That we find the strength of the Lord
“If you abide in me- and my words abide in you..” Abide/remain/rest/be still/-shabbat shalom
There is a quiet place
Far from the rapid pace
Where God can soothe my troubled mind
Sheltered by tree and flower
There in my quiet hour
My Cares are left behind.
Whether a garden small
Or on a mountain tall
New Strength & Courage there I find
Then from this quiet place
I go prepared to face
A new day
With love for all mankind.
“He who dwells (yashab) in the shelter of the Most High will rest (abide,remain) in the shadow of the Almighty.” (Psalm 91.1)
Political affiliation?- “Melech HaKavod” My G-d is King. We didn’t vote Him in- and we’re sure not going to vote Him out. -“When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The LORD, He is God; the LORD, He is God.” (1 Kings 18.39)
I lift up my eyes to the hills- Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip –
He who watches over you will not slumber;
Indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
YHWH watches over you
The LORD is your shade at your right hand;
The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The LORD will keep you from all harm –
He will watch over your life;
The LORD will watch over your coming and going
Both now and forevermore.
Psalm 121
Thanks Skip for the message of Shabbat, and for Michael’s and Carl’s response, thanks guys. Blessings to all today in the name of our great king, Yeshua! Blessed are you Lord our God, King of the universe. May you be plesed to reveal yourself to your people today!
“Be still. Stop. Be still. Wait. Be still. Listen. And then you will know what to do.” This is so what I am going through while I wait, listen, stop, be still – proceed when told or don’t go – to obey for sure – while “actively” seeking employment. This is the test – the hardest of lesson(s) to learn right now in this circumstance (and this too shall pass – PRAISE GOD). My family & some friends think I am crazy & sometimes I think I’m crazy too – I have had fear wash over me like I have never felt before but that has become less & less & more faith & confidence in HIM that I am doing this “thing” His Way – YHWH & not my way for sure. This is the test – not the seeking/finding of a job/wages to take care of me – but that I trust My PROVIDER in all ways! I am getting better at this way that is His Way & not our ways for sure. My miracle will be His Glory – no way it can even belong to me because of the way He set up the circumstances – there is no way I that I would ever get or receive the glory for what He is doing in my life at this time.
His ways are so not the way(s) of this world – TO HIM BE THE GLORY FOR EVER & EVER & EVER & AMEN… ♥
“Be still. Stop. Be still. Wait. Be still. Listen.”
Hi Jan,
I tend to think in terms of the “safe zone” and the “green zone.”
For me, what you describe above is the “safe zone.”
Not to be confused with the “gifts of Zoan.”
Isaiah 30:4
Yes, Jan- our G-d “is” Semper Fi- “always faithful.” As a construction electrician for years- I have know “feast or famine,” but my last unemployment crisis was to last nine months. I am married-two kids- wife is a stay-at-home mom- I am the sole “breadwinner” in this household.
An “interesting” episode or season in my life “fer sure.” “Got a job yet?” was the constant inquiry and the words did tend to seek their teeth into my hide. One day, while pulling weeds in my back yard- Oh!- I forgot to “set this up”- my car was stolen Tuesday and I was laid off the next day Wednesday. The ole’ one-two punch. Upper cut and lower cut,- wham-bam. Laid off and laid out for nine months. No job, no prospects, nowhere to go, no way to get there. A stay-at-home dad with his legs cut off. Plop. I like to say now- in retrospect- G-d “plopped” me. What was He teaching me during this “crisis?” Why, lo and behold, and behold and lo- the very same thing He is teaching you. We all are on the same trail toward our destination , but are spread out- some in front and some behind.
So what was the “lesson” learned during this painful (yes, it was) time? G-d is (always) faithful and G-d is (always) good. Looking back (with my 20/20 hindsight), it was one of the best seasons of my life.
How did I keep my family fed during this time? How did I pay my bills? – Sorry.., but I haven’t a clue. “This is the LORD’s doings and it is marvelous in our eyes. I can truly say it, mean it, and know it- “G-d did that.” -Call it a miracle if you want to, I won’t try and stop you. lol!
It actually was during this period I “discovered” the Sovereignty of G-d. I was drawing near to G-d and He was drawing near to me, and dear sister I can promise you- “things” were happening.
G-d “wastes” nothing in our lives. G-d would agree with our political leaders today- “never waste a good crisis.” What we call “waste” G-d calls opportunity. Remember how He fed the five thousand and commanded that the crumbs be collected? (A rather odd thing to do wouldn’t you say?) -What is the lesson learned? (ask yourself this daily and you will be amazed!) G-d wastes nothing. -Nothing. The good, the bad, the ugly- He uses every bit of the pig, up to and including -the squeal.
So,- how was I “delivered?” What is the “end of the matter?” Well.. for one thing- I’ve moved into about seventeen “scenarios” since. Job changes, open heart surgery, melanoma cancer and now the “crisis du jour” -rotator cuff surgery. (yes, -ouch.) In all these things we are “more than conquerors” through Him who loved us. (and loves us still!)
YHWH is teaching us and instructing us to “walk by faith!” I remember the words of a faithful friend to me. When I asked him how he was faring..”It’s hand-to-mouth and I like it that way.” Oh?- “Yes, it’s G-d’s hand to my mouth and that is a good thing. – And yes, -it (always) is.
Thank you, Jan, for this wonderful sacrifice of praise during your time of testing. Praying for His strength to keep you during this part of the journey:
“But he knoweth the way that I take: [when] he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. ” Job 23:10
Wow, so very different from “Rahab the Do-Nothing” (last part of Is 30:7 NIV) and most other widely used translations. Very grateful for the new look at this passage, because it never quite made sense to me. At first glance one would think it is describing Egypt, not Israel. Not so, I see.
Ps 37:7 has always been one of my favorite “Be still” passages of scripture, among others. Thank you for this new look! Very encouraging and instructive.
(My 1st post. Hello everyone!)
Greetings, Mark. Blessings!
John Milton, the English poet, 1608-1674, who suffered more than most: —” he seemed destined for Anglican Orders, but his growing rebellion against what he regarded as the corruption of the clergy made such a program for him quite impossible. He married a seventeen year old, Mary, quite the opposite of him in every area. She returned to her parents home within a month. He saw nothing of her for two years. But her parents were Royalists, and with the collaspe of the King’s cause in 1645, Mary returned to Milton. Of this reunion, three daughters were born, the mother died at the birth of a fourth child in l652. With Milton’s office as Oliver Cromwell’s Latin Secretary, the extreme strain on his eyes of writing, he became totally blind in 1652. He was 43 years old. He never saw his second wife. Catherine, whom he married in 1656, , and who died like Mary Powell, in childbirth. His third wife, Elizabeth, a young woman of 24, survived him by many years. He wrote one of the two greatest epics in English literature: “Paradise Lost”. His objective is clear, he would “justify the ways of God to men”——-
And in the poem, “On His Blindness”; he wrote, ” ——- God doth not need Either man’s work or his own gifts. Who best Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best— THEY ALSO SERVE WHO ONLY STAND AND WAIT.” —– The Literature of England– Scott, Foresman & Co. 1953-
— This certainly keeps things in perspective for us, right? Blessings to all of you, and especially the new one, MarkB. We have learned so much in the approx eight years on this web site, ( yes, I have printed ones back to 2002), and still learning. LaVaye & Ed 81, and 77 years old.