The Reason Why (1)
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you.” Isaiah 43:1b NASB
Redeemed – The world has no answer for fear. It has lots of suggestions, but none of them is sufficient. In fact, the world is actually based on fear. The world does not make sense without fear. And most of us buy into the tyranny of fear. We live in a constant state of worry protection.
Need convincing? Turn on the news. Fear is splashed through every story. The man next door who turns out to be a predator. The terrorist in the tunnel. The chemicals in the water. The fumes in the air. What you eat or don’t eat. What pill to take. What stock to buy. The greatest commandment of the world is: Thou shalt fear.
But the world according to God is a very different place. So different that the fear-laden consciousness of this world can’t even comprehend it. From the world of “Thou shalt fear,” life with God doesn’t make any sense at all. “How can I trust God when everything around me is so frightening? What can God do about snipers on the freeway?” Even the questions come from the wrong perspective.
Isaiah tells us why we do not need to be afraid. It has nothing to do with security blankets, perpetual blessings, prosperity gospels or mental attitudes. Isaiah says that we have absolutely nothing to do with removing fear from our lives. It’s not some sort of self-help religion. There is only one reason why we do not have to live in fear: God has redeemed us.
gealtika – I have redeemed you – is the most important, life altering word in Scripture. It says that I was completely unable to buy myself out of the slavery that kept me in bondage. Someone else acted on my behalf by becoming my redeemer. Left alone, there was no escape for me. I was lost in fear, a slave to its power. No self-assistance, no human effort, no mental shift, no government program or new technology would ever free me. But God did. He intervened and released me from the world of fear. Suddenly, I can sing the song of the redeemed.
How did He do that? Oh, I’m not sure. I don’t really know. But does it matter? What I know is that He cares for me and He is the absolute sovereign of the whole universe. Do I need to be afraid any longer? I can’t imagine why. The Hebrew verb ga’al sets the tone of my life now. A kinsman has come. I am rescued.
Are you free from fear today?
Topical Index: fear, ga’al, redeem, Isaiah 43:1
Fear. False Evidence Appearing Real.
Fear is believing something that isn’t so.
“I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”
“And ye shall know the Truth,and the Truth shall set you free.”
Free from what? Fear.
Fear is instinctive.
Instinct is natural.
Truth is supernatural.
It’s what happens to darkness
when light enters the room.
Let there be Light!
This TW just makes me think of the many times our Master said “Fear not” or “Do not fear”. It is definitely a part of the Kingdom of God that I need to walk in and be reminded of constantly. Abba, help me to sing the song of the redeemed. Thanks Skip.
Fear keeps the animal (in us) alive.
Your primitive mind (midbrain) attempts to save and protect your body through fear.
When you accept that you are going to live forever, there is no need for fear any more.
However, humans are programmed to fear and the only way to sustain the knowledge of eternal life, is to replace the fear with SHALOM (peace and unity with YHWH)
I did a google search for the word “gealtika” and found a relevant quote. It is from a commentary on the book of Isaiah by Edward J. Young. I don’t know who the “Reichel” is he quotes, but in his commentary on Isaiah 43:1 he says:
“Reichel goes to the heart of the matter when he writes:
‘We cannot comprehend what an inexhaustible depth this word gealtika (I have redeemed thee) contains within itself . . . Redemption, redemption, redemption, that should be our creed, our theology, our distinctive character, our daily song of praise, our secret wisdom, our pearl of great price, our invaluable jewel, our one and all . . . May we know nothing but the wounds which have redeemed us; may we look at nothing but the blood which has saved us. May I think of nothing else, see nothing, feel, hear, love, honor nothing else than thy love and thee.’
BRAVO! Standing ovation for Skip! Fearing ONLY the LORD God YHVH in reverence is how the power of God is worked out in the lives of His servants and Skip was able to give us a good visual. Your description of the world’s creed is perfect.
What a great gift you gave me this morning upon my (usual achy, knotted up, pain ridden) rising, Brother! Thank you so much for this post.
Yet still what’s hard to humanly comprehend is our divine Lord’s own fear and agony in the Garden of Gethsemene.
God’s Final Word
How did He do that? Oh, I’m not sure. I don’t really know. But does it matter? (It does..) What I know is that He cares for me and He is the absolute Sovereign of the whole universe. Do I need to be afraid any longer? I can’t imagine why. The Hebrew verb ga’al sets the tone of my life now. A Kinsman has come. I am rescued.
Please… let us (all) come out from the shadows and into the Sonshine.. -It seems ‘everyone’ is “coming out of the closet” these days..- except for those who ARE redeemed!
Friends, – ~ let the redeemed of the LORD..- SAY SO !!! No, I didn’t whisper this.. and NO- I am NOT ashamed!! Are you listening?? Praise God!! I am redeemed!! And? And I know exactly-precisely-no shadow or peradventure of doubt- the how, the where, the why, the when, (and most importantly of all..- “the Who!” ~ (No!,) I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed..~
My tongue is the pen of a “ready-writer!” lol! But first..- this word from our Sponsor!!
First, so there is zero confusion among any of us..- what does “to redeem” mean? (Ask Ruth!- she knows!) And? – because of the “t” we are Ruth, -and that’s the tRuth! Our Heavenly Boaz is our Near-Kinsman Redeemer! – and we, dear ones, have been bought (and paid for in full!) with a price! What (he inquired) was the price of our redemption? We don’t need to wonder any further, because the “price” or “payment” has been “paid in full” (tetalesti!- God’s Final Word!) by our Near-Kinsman Redeemer, our ‘Ga’al.’
~ But now this is what Adonai says,
He who created you, Ya‘akov,
He who formed you, Isra’el:
“Don’t be afraid, for I have redeemed you;
I am calling you by your name; – you* are Mine ~
~ And “other sheep” I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice; and there shall be one fold, and one Shepherd ~
Other sheep? Yes.. “other.” Ruth was neither Jew, nor Gentile!- but (all) because of Boaz,!- and His actions on her behalf, – what a difference!
His Utmost for Our Highest!..
~ The threshing floors will be full of grain, and the vats will overflow with the new wine and oil. “Then I will make up to you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the creeping locust, the stripping locust and the gnawing locust, my great army which I sent among you. “You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied and praise the Name of the LORD your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; then My people will never be put to shame.
~ As it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense: and whosoever believes on Him shall not be ashamed ~
Carl, once again you have blessed me with your message, and your style of expressing that message is absolutely beautiful!!
Thank you!
Helen
Helen Wolf, this is the second time I have seen you write recently, and that was GOOD NEWS for me, as I have wondered about you. My own husband of 61 years left his earthly home June 01, 2013, and I recall reading several years ago about the struggles you had after your Godly Bible teaching husband left his earthly home and entered into his heavenly one. I recalled at times through my own situation what you wrote those years ago, and was blessed. So I am so glad you are still reading and yes indeed, Carl always writes anointed things from the Lord’s word! He too has experienced some severe health problems, but continues on blessing others & forgetting about himself. Sincerely, LaVaye Billings an Octogenarian , are you one also?
Hello, LaVaye!
My memory is not great these days, and I don’t even recall being on this list after my John went to be with the Lord. Although I do not recall, it is obvious that God kept the memories alive in you!! What a sweet surprise to read your post to me!!
John and I were married in this life for 64 years, and won’t it be wonderful to see him again, although in a relationship far superior to our earthly one.
Thank you for sharing with me that what I wrote 6 years ago blessed you as you dealt with the loss of your husband. All praise to Him Who is the Author of not only our Salvation, but of the sustaining Life in Him!
You asked me “are you one also?”, referring to my physical life here. (I had to look in the dictionary for the definition of octogenarian) If I still reside in this body of flesh on June 18, 2015, I will have completed 90 years!!
Thank you for your message, LaVaye! It has been a sweet blessing to me this morning!
Because He lives, I am
Helen
Skip, your post today inspired me to take 15 minutes and go read through those wonderful middle chapters of Isaiah (Chapters 40-55). And my reading of Isaiah inspires me to take my comments in a more contextual direction than yours.
Here in Isaiah we find God reassuring Israel and Judah: Despite your unfaithfulness, your idolatry etc I am redeeming you, I am restoring you and I am bringing you back to the Land. This is wonderful stuff. God says:
“Do not fear or be afraid; Have I not told you from of old and declared it?
You are my witnesses! Is there any God besides me? There is no other rock; I know not one.” ( Isaiah 44:8)
When we “know” God and His great salvation promises, we have nothing to fear! Reading Isaiah chapters 40 – 55 teaches us that. Israel will be restored by Him. ( Not as we see in this pathetic thing called the State of Israel in our time). Again, we see Paul reinforces this concept of all Israel being saved in Romans chapters 9 – 11. If He restores all Israel surely there is hope for all of humanity for our God is not a partial God!
If we know God and His Promises in His Word, we surely have a lot less reasons to fear than the world at large!