"Take Heed, And Be Quiet; Fear Not"

by J. Taylor, Crowborough, U.K. | Category: General | Dec 1983

These words may not be quite so familiar to us as are some of the more often quoted passages of Scripture, but they are words spoken by the Lord through the prophet Isaiah to king Ahaz (Isa. 7:4). As do so many like words spoken by the Lord to His people in Old Testament times, they have real meaning for us. Ahaz was not one of those kings of whom it could be said that he did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, but we are told that "he walked in the way of the kings of Israel (2 Kings 16:3). In spite of his failure, the Lord in His wondrous mercy and grace gave him these words of encouragement at a time of national crisis. We too can marvel that, fails as we often do, the Lord in His love and kindness gives us encouragement and tokens of unfailing care and love.

It will be helpful to look briefly at three of those words which the Lord gave to Ahaz.

Take heed! How we too need this exhortation to take heed to the word of the Lord to us, and to act upon it. The writer to the Hebrews tells us: "Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things that were heard, lest haply we drift away from them" (Heb. 2:1). Paul, in writing to Timothy, says, "Take heed to thyself, and to thy teaching. Continue in these things" (I Tim. 4:16), and finally, Paul in writing to the Corinthians, says, "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall" (I Cor. 10:12). May we all take heed to these exhortations.

Be quiet! Real quietness is very difficult to find in these days of noise and turmoil, but, nevertheless, times of quietness are essential for the child of God who would experience life as the Lord intended it for us. The word of the Lord through Isaiah has a very definite message for us today. It reads, "For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength" (30:15). What words of encouragement to us in these tumultuous days. There is, however, a sad note at the end of this verse: "and ye would not." May this not be true of us. This reminds us of the time when the Lord Jesus Himself was saddened by this attitude which He found in those to whom He had come, in Jerusalem. "How often would I have gathered thy children together ... and ye would not!" (Matt. 25:37). How much they missed, and how much we miss if we fail to respond to the Lord's desire for us.

Fear not! This too is a very much needed word in these days when men's hearts are failing them in fear of the threat of nuclear warfare and its consequences. We need to hear again the words of our blessed Master, when on many occasions He spoke those words "Fear not", and particularly His words to His own in John 14:27, "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful." We may rest assured that the destiny of men and nations are in the hand of God, "and none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest thou?" (Dan. 4:35).

So then, may we each endeavour to take heed, be quiet and fear not.

J. Taylor, Crowborough, U.K. | Dec 1983
General