Whom Shall You Fear?

“You are not to say, ‘It is a conspiracy!’
In regard to all that this people call a conspiracy,
And you are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it.
It is the Lord of hosts whom you should regard as holy.
And He shall be your fear,
And He shall be your dread.”  Isaiah 8:12-13

The people of Judah were terrified by the imminent prospect of invasion by the cruel Assyrian hordes who had been further strengthened by a confederacy with Judah’s own brethren in the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel. It is indeed cause for concern when compromising Christians join ranks with ungodly pagans in opposing those who defend the true Word of God, for such a combination seems almost too strong to resist.

A modern example is the current collaboration between the secular evolutionists and those Christian evolutionists and “progressive creationists” who oppose Christians who stand for the literal truth of the biblical record of creation and earth history.

This is cause only for concern, however, not for fear! Just as in Isaiah’s day, we must fear God - not men. In the coming judgement it will be far easier to explain to God why we had too much faith in His word than too little!

These verses are referred to by the apostle Peter in a well-known New Testament passage: “do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence” (1 Pet. 3:14-15).

Therefore, when unbelievers and compromising believers join forces against those who fully believe the Bible, the proper response is not panic, or submission, or even belligerent opposition, but an implicit confidence in God and His word, accompanied by a gracious “answer” (literally “apologetic”) in defense of the truth, given in a meek gift and in fear only of God.