Either could be catastrophic!
Water en force, a veritable flood!
Or raging fire, helplessly out of control!
And yet these are the two very “foes” God mentions in a precious little verse of Scripture … Isaiah 43:2, from the pen of a ready writer!
Debbie and I were riding home from Church last night, from the Revival here in North Carolina. And she found this verse as I guided, drove us through the little city of Canton. We were searching for a verse that particularly promised God’s Presence in times of trouble.
This (from Isaiah) was NOT the verse she sought, but it “satisfied” my need nonetheless! (Hers ended up being in Psalm 139. “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, THOU ART THERE: if I make my bed in hell, behold, THOU ART THERE. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; EVEN THERE SHALT THY HAND LEAD ME, and THY RIGHT HAND SHALL HOLD ME. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: THE DARKNESS AND THE LIGHT ARE BOTH ALIKE TO THEE.” Verses 7-12, not bad either, in fact downright amazing! Yes, God is ALWAYS with us!)
But back to Isaiah 43:2, where God Himself is talking this time: “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”
Not “if” thou passest through the waters … but WHEN thou doest so!
The inevitability of suffering, disruption … as human beings!
And it looks like things get worse in the verse, progressively!
We segue from “waters” to “rivers!”
But God here promises to be the Protector of His people … retarding their being drowned by the deluge and resulting flood!
“I WILL BE WITH THEE!”
“THEY SHALL NOT OVERFLOW THEE!”
Then comes the fire! (Ever notice how “problems” often come in “pairs”, or evdn “triads?” Look at the life of the Patriarch Job for example. (The old-timers used to say, “When it rains … it pours!”)
Yes, fire … every bit as deadly as the waters or rivers … and much more painful!
But God is the Consummate Fireman!
Guaranteeing … “THOU SHALT NOT BE BURNED!”
Even to this degree … “NEITHER SHALL THE FLAME KINDLE UPON THEE!” (The verb translated “kindle” can also mean “to eat up!)
What an invigorating Promise in times of flood and fire!
During the “uncommonly turbulent” or “blistering hot” times of life!
Read it again, Christian friend.
From God to you … today … “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”
Wow!
I pray someone reading here today will find comfort, encouragement in what Isaiah has been commissioned to tell us, on behalf of Almighty God!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell