Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb20031221.htm

ISAIAH: GOD'S DIRECTIVES TO THOSE TROUBLED AT GOVERNMENTAL APOSTASY
Part XXII: God's Salvation From The LURE Of False Security Idols
(Isaiah 31:1-9)
  1. Introduction
    1. We often talk about trusting the Lord as a way of life, and we may actually trust Him in many events in our lives, but if our lives and possessions were to come under a huge threat, we might find it easier to look to other sources for security rather than the Lord.
    2. However, God is jealous of our trust in Him versus to our turning to other crutches or "idols" for security, a fact revealed in Isaiah 31:1-9 that shows God works to save us from the LURE of false security idols:
  2. God's Salvation From The LURE Of False Security Idols, Isaiah 31:1-9.
    1. Out of great fear of the cruel, brutal advancing Assyrian forces, some of the people of Judah made a league with Egypt for protection from Assyria in violation of Deuteronomy 17:16, cf. Isaiah 31:1a.
    2. To get Judah to trust Him over trusting Egypt for help in handling Assyria, God gave a sales pitch to the people of Judah to make them respect HIMSELF more than their threat or their crutch, Isaiah 31:1-9:
      1. First of all, God revealed the futility behind the reasons His people had sought Egypt's help, 31:1-3:
        1. The Lord enumerated the following reasons Judah had sought refuge from Assyria by making a pact with Egypt: (a) Judah valued Egypt's many military chariots, 31:1b; (b) Judah appreciated the strength in Egypt's great cavalry, 31:1c and (c) the people of Judah considered themselves to be wise in making such a treaty with such a strong military might as Egypt, 31:1a, 2a implied.
        2. Accordingly, God exposed the futility of these reasons behind Judah's protective treaty with Egypt: (a) God Who is infinitely wiser than those who sought Egypt's help was wise enough to destroy Egypt, making Judah's protection treaty with her an exercise in futility, Isaiah 31:2. (b) Then, God was infinitely mightier than Egypt's chariots and horsemen, and when He stretched out His hand in judgment, both Egypt who helped Judah and thus Judah would both fall, Isaiah 31:3.
      2. Second, God advertised His ability to protect Judah from Assyria, an ability vastly superior to Egypt:
        1. Like a fearless, powerful lion that takes a lamb for prey from a flock even when surrounded by shepherds who shout against it, so God claimed He would respond to the Assyrians who would surround Jerusalem to oppose Himself, Isaiah 31:4. [This prophecy was fulfilled when God used His angel to slay 185,000 Assyrian soldiers who had surrounded Jerusalem, cf. Isaiah 37:34-37.]
        2. Like a hovering bird that darts quickly about to protect its young from any foe that approaches its nest, so God said He would watch over every part of Jerusalem when the Assyrians came against it, Isaiah 31:5. [This prophecy was fulfilled in Isaiah 37:21-22a, 28-29, 33-35.]
        3. As God had laid out the reasons to shift from trusting Egypt to trust in Himself, His prophet, Isaiah urged Judah to turn and trust in God as opposed to relying on their pact with Egypt, Isaiah 31:6.
      3. Third, Isaiah predicted God would powerfully deliver Judah from dreaded Assyria, Isaiah 31:7-9:
        1. Isaiah revealed Judah would one day be so impressed by God's help over her foes that the people of God would cast away their idols and look only to God for their security, Isaiah 31:7.
        2. As for Assyria, Isaiah claimed this feared power would itself flee not before man's military might, but before God's might, Isaiah 31:8-9a. [See the fulfillment of this prediction in Isaiah 37:37-38.]
        3. However, throughout this competition between God and the Assyrian army, God would see that His temple's altar fire in Jerusalem would remain protected so as to continue to burn so His people (like Hezekiah who came to His temple to plea to God) to pray for deliverance from Assyria, Isaiah 31:9b! [See how this prediction came true in the experience of Hezekiah in Isaiah 37:14-20!]
Lesson: God so desired His people to trust HIM versus trusting Egypt for help from Assyria that He OPENLY COMPETED AGAINST BOTH Judah's "crutch" in Egypt AND its THREAT in Assyria!

Application: (1) If we feel so threatened that we rely on some VISIBLE "crutch" BESIDES GOD, (a) HE wants us to KNOW that HE is not only GREATER than our "crutch," (b) but that He can EASILY tackle BOTH our "crutch" AND our THREAT; (c) we then BEST trust HIM for help like Hezekiah did re: Assyria! (2) Thus, we should handle a FAITHLESS FEAR of any THREAT we have by way of a GREATER respect for GOD than what fear we have for whatever causes us to be anxious!