Deep Waters
Author: Jacob Tynes
Editor: Danielle Milliken
Scripture: Isaiah 43:2
Song: Still
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” (Isaiah 43:2)
God is communicating to His people, the Jews, that He is with them in their greatest trials and tribulations. I believe He means the same for us still today.
This entire chapter conveys that God was speaking to the Jews, who were at that time, in captivity in Babylon. The Jewish people faced many afflictions and were persecuted by men, which is represented in this scripture by the waters, rivers, and fires.
Just like today, some Jewish people had rejected God and unwelcomed His wrath. For those who acted as such, the metaphor seen here represents temptations that ultimately led them to being separated from God.
To dive deeper, let's break down some key parts of Isaiah 43:2.
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;…” Found in the book of Exodus, you will see that God opened the Red Sea to allow the Israelites to walk on dry land. After they safely made it through, God allowed the walls of the sea to swallow Israel’s enemies. That would have been wild to see! For fun, go watch the Prince of Egypt.
“…and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.” We see this in the book of Joshua, chapter three. God dried up the Jordan river as a band of priests carrying the ark of the covenant stood at the river’s edge. The Jordan river would typically overflow all its banks at the time of harvest in the spring, from the melting snow from Lebanon. What does this ark that they're carrying represent? It represents the presence of God. God packed the water to reveal a dry riverbed that allowed His people to walk into Canaan and end their wandering in the wilderness. Theologians say that the journey through the wilderness into Canaan symbolizes the believer’s passage from a sinful life, through death, and into heaven.
“When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” Some of us may remember the story in how God protected Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. King Nebuchadnezzar commanded his soldiers to throw these men into a furnace after they refused to bow down and worship any God but the Father (Yahweh). The furnace’s temperature was so hot, that the soldiers that threw these men into the furnace perished from the flames of the fire. Yet Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego emerged from the furnace completely unscathed. There was another in the fire.
Today, I want to encourage you... when you go through deep waters, God is with you. When you feel like you are getting burned and attacked by others, the flames will not set you ablaze.
God’s promise for the Jewish people still holds true for us today. Emmanuel means "God is with us". Though the seas in your life may rise, God remains with you. Hold on to this promise.
Lyrics from our song this week:
I lift every fear to the heavens
Watch them disappear in Your presence
One by one they fall into perfect peace
You know everything, yet You listen
Through my anxious thoughts with compassion
One by one they fall into perfect peace
So I will be still
Oh, I will be still
And know that You are God
Editor: Danielle Milliken
Scripture: Isaiah 43:2
Song: Still
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” (Isaiah 43:2)
God is communicating to His people, the Jews, that He is with them in their greatest trials and tribulations. I believe He means the same for us still today.
This entire chapter conveys that God was speaking to the Jews, who were at that time, in captivity in Babylon. The Jewish people faced many afflictions and were persecuted by men, which is represented in this scripture by the waters, rivers, and fires.
Just like today, some Jewish people had rejected God and unwelcomed His wrath. For those who acted as such, the metaphor seen here represents temptations that ultimately led them to being separated from God.
To dive deeper, let's break down some key parts of Isaiah 43:2.
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;…” Found in the book of Exodus, you will see that God opened the Red Sea to allow the Israelites to walk on dry land. After they safely made it through, God allowed the walls of the sea to swallow Israel’s enemies. That would have been wild to see! For fun, go watch the Prince of Egypt.
“…and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.” We see this in the book of Joshua, chapter three. God dried up the Jordan river as a band of priests carrying the ark of the covenant stood at the river’s edge. The Jordan river would typically overflow all its banks at the time of harvest in the spring, from the melting snow from Lebanon. What does this ark that they're carrying represent? It represents the presence of God. God packed the water to reveal a dry riverbed that allowed His people to walk into Canaan and end their wandering in the wilderness. Theologians say that the journey through the wilderness into Canaan symbolizes the believer’s passage from a sinful life, through death, and into heaven.
“When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” Some of us may remember the story in how God protected Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. King Nebuchadnezzar commanded his soldiers to throw these men into a furnace after they refused to bow down and worship any God but the Father (Yahweh). The furnace’s temperature was so hot, that the soldiers that threw these men into the furnace perished from the flames of the fire. Yet Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego emerged from the furnace completely unscathed. There was another in the fire.
Today, I want to encourage you... when you go through deep waters, God is with you. When you feel like you are getting burned and attacked by others, the flames will not set you ablaze.
God’s promise for the Jewish people still holds true for us today. Emmanuel means "God is with us". Though the seas in your life may rise, God remains with you. Hold on to this promise.
Lyrics from our song this week:
I lift every fear to the heavens
Watch them disappear in Your presence
One by one they fall into perfect peace
You know everything, yet You listen
Through my anxious thoughts with compassion
One by one they fall into perfect peace
So I will be still
Oh, I will be still
And know that You are God
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1 Comment
Loved the break down and proof tht u revealed about the verse this week! Thank you!