Portraits of Jesus Christ from Isaiah

Isaiah 1:1 "The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz concerning Judah and Jerusalem, which he saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah."

Luke 4:18 "And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written."

Introduction:

The four Gospel writers record Jesus referencing Isaiah's prophecies nearly fifteen times throughout the course of His earthly ministry. With the exception of Moses, no prophet influenced Jesus more than Isaiah. Isaiah has been called by past preachers "the prince of the prophets". Undoubtedly his writing style is the most eloquent and most sublime among the writing prophets. Yet that is not what makes Isaiah so precious to students of the Bible. Rather, it has to do with how many prophecies are included in Isaiah's writing that point to the Lord Jesus Christ. Today's post is called: "Portraits of Jesus from Isaiah". I want to alert readers to some of the more significant prophecies about the Messiah contained in Isaiah's book. Afterall, can we ever get too much of Jesus? I think not. Notice....

1. Prophecies of Jesus' earthly reign. Isaiah 2 

When Jesus returns, He will bring into visible sight the Kingly reign with which He inaugurated spiritually following His ascension into heaven (Acts 1:11; 2:33-36). This earthly, visible aspect of Jesus' reign will usher in an age of peace and fulfillment of God's promises to Israel (Romans 11:25). Revelation 20 states on six occassions that Jesus' earthly reign will last a millennium or 1,000 years. Oftentimes Bible teachers call this Jesus' millennial reign on this earth. Throughout Isaiah prophecies we see reference to Jesus' earthly or millennial reign (Isaiah 25,32,35,60-66). Some reputable Bible teachers see these prophecies as giving an earthly description of what will be the eternal state of Jesus' and His people Israel and the redeemed nations. However, the repeated imagery of an earth-based headquarters for Jesus' throne cannot be ignored. Thus Isaiah gives us a glimpse into what will be Jesus' reign on this earth for 1,000 years. 

2. Prophecies Jesus' earthly life. 

Isaiah 7:14 and 9:6-7 both predict the virgin birth/conception of Jesus' in His humanity. Undeniably Isaiah 9:6-7 reminds us of the fact that the Son has been and always will be eternal God. Yet, Isaiah 7:14 predicts what would be the Son's assumption of human flesh in the virgin's womb. New Testament passages such as Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:35 and John 1:14 all testify to the beginning of Jesus' earthly life as the virgin born Son of God.

Isaiah 40:1-3 predicts the forerunner of the Lord Jesus Christ - namely John the Baptist. As the Holy Ghost predicted Jesus' beginning of human life through Isaiah, it is in passages such as Isaiah 40:3 that we see the beginning of Jesus' public ministry as a result of John the Baptist's forerunning ministry (compare Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4-6; John 1:23). 

Then of course remarkable physical descriptions of Jesus are given in Isaiah 49:3; 50:6; 53:2. Isaiah 61:1-2a predicts what would be Jesus' earthly ministry as referenced by Jesus Himself in Luke 4:18. So Isaiah predicts Jesus' future earthly reign and the beginnings of His life, as well as his full life and ministry here on earth.

3. Prophecies of Jesus' death and resurrection

Perhaps no chapter in Isaiah stands out more than Isaiah 53. Isaiah 53:1-8 predicts the crucifixion of Jesus. Isaiah 53:9 predicts the burial of Jesus. Then Isaiah 53:10-12 predicts what would be the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Notice how this corresponds with the definition of the Gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 "Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures." It's like Jesus said to His disciples on the road to Emmaus following His resurrection in Luke 24:44, that is, how the law of Moses, the prophets and the Psalms testify concerning Him. 

Your source of strength in difficult times

Hebrews 4:11 "Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience." 

In order to get our attention, God will often times cut off the ungodly things or relationships that we have mistakenly come to view as sources of comfort. Such Fatherly discipline by God is designed to teach the believer that He alone is the believer's source of strength. Additionally, the process of God's discipline communicates that His word, as well as godly counsel and the people of God are resources he provides for Godly living, strength and comfort. 

As God speaks words of judgment to Egypt, Philistia and Moab through Jeremiah, He is judging nations that had at first plagued Judah throughout her history. As one reads the Old Testament's portrayal of the history of God's people, they eventually came to view these former enemies as spiritual and political allies in times of desperation. God's prediction of defeat on these nations served to remove any confidence that the Jewish people had in anyone of these nations. 

So why would God do this? So as to provide space for Jeremiah's message of comfort to Jerusalem and her inhabitants that God alone was her Savior. Though God would be disciplining His people, their destiny would entail restoration after it was all over. (Jeremiah 46:27-28) 

In the New Testament, the writer of Hebrews 4 urges us to fix our eyes on the Lord and keep them there. As we think about the outcomes of God's people in the Old Testament, Christians today need to ask: where or in whom is found ultimate spiritual, emotional and physical refreshment? Is it in this world or in the Lord? Does the Creator and Savior bring us our greatest thrill or do we have more confidence in created things? Do you and I rely upon the opinions of men to put band aids on our heart or do we rely upon God's word which alone can cut, wound and heal the heart, making it anew? Only at the throne of grace in Jesus Christ can we find unending comfort and strength.

The Prescription for Strong Christian Faith

Hebrews 3:1 "Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of aheavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession."

What is the prescription for strong faith? As we begin today's post in Hebrews 3, we discover three important things to consider for having a strong faith: 

1. Consider the Lord (Hebrews 3:1-6) 
2. Consider His Word (3:7-11) 
3. Consider your heart (3:12-19). 

The writer of Hebrews is warning his readers of a powerful virus that is already in the heart of unbelievers and threatens the spiritual lives of God's saints: namely the disease of unbelief. In citing a historical example from the days of the first generation of Israelites coming out of Egypt under Moses, the writer of Hebrews demonstrates the results of not taking the prescription for strong faith. 

The first stage of the disease of unbelief begins to set in: hardness of heart (Hebrews 3:12-15). The second stage following hardness of heart is spiritual blindness (3:16-17) with the final stage that demonstrates the lack of true saving faith, namely inability to enter into God's rest of salvation (3:18-19). The frightening reality of these warnings about unbelief is that true believers can experience for seasons at a time the first two stages of hardness of heart and spiritual blindness. Only the grace of God in God's Fatherly discipline can prevent them from falling away from salvation. (compare Hebrews 12:5-8) 

To illustrate this from the Old Testament, whenever you read Jeremiah 43-44 you see God the Father attempting yet again to convince the left over people of Judah to repent and turn to Him. However the people refuse and in perhaps one of the most blatant acts of rebellion recorded in God's Word, actually tell Jeremiah that they will not listen to God. They refuse Jeremiah's God-given prescription for strong faith. The result? God does to them as described in Romans 1 - He hands them over to the depravity of their desires and mindset. 

The worse form of judgment is whenever God gives us what we want. The people's refusal to receive the remedy demonstrated their lost condition. Because of their refusal, God passed over them in judgment, even though He desired to show mercy. Jeremiah 45 is another prophecy written prior to the events of Jeremiah 43-44 that demonstrates how much God has issued repeated warnings and given space for repentance. May you and I receive God's prescription for strong faith: consider the Lord, His word and your heart.

It's always better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man

Psalm 118:8 "It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man."

The opening passage of today's post is appropriately the middle verse of our English Bibles. The Bible is unquestionably God centered. Wherever you turn in the books of the Bible, you will find verse after verse depiciting either man's ultimate need as being God in Jesus Christ or the glorious revelation of this God. Take the prophecy of Jeremiah for example. In Jeremiah 40-42 we see what happened to the people of Judah who were left behind following the exile of the majority of Jewish people into Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar. 

Jeremiah the prophet was left to live among the poorer people spared by Nebuchadnezzar to remain behind in and around Jerusalem. Not everyone was happy to be remaining and much fear was brewing among the remnant of Jews as to whether they would be taken to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar had assigned a governor by the name of Gedeliah to watch over the people. To compound the already jittery climate of fear, Gedeliah was assassinated by a wicked man named Ishmael who was part of an intricate plot conceived by the Ammonites, a pagan people who dwelled in the land. Ishmael's wickedness was demonstrated when in killing a bunch of men he had them thrown into an old, dried up well in the city. 

Mankind is no better than a well full of dead corpses when attempting to preserve himself in the face of judgment . Jeremiah the prophet comes along and warns the people and the leaders among them not to fear, but to dwell in the land around Jerusalem, for God is willing to grant favor and sustain them. Jeremiah warns those who have it in them to flee to Egypt to not go, lest they suffer by the hand of the king of Babylon from whom they are trying to escape. 

Despite the prophet Jeremiah's warnings, certain leadership convinces the people that they have no other choice but to flee to Egypt. They choose to trust in man rather than God. Jeremiah and others are forced to go with them, showing that God has a remnant whom He uses to bear witness and call others to repentance. 

When we briefly turn to the New Testament, the book of Hebrews urges the reader to look to the excellency and supremacy of Jesus Christ. In Hebrews 2 we see the first of five warnings in the book issued to those who claim to know Jesus with their lips but do not possess the necessary saving faith in their hearts. Anyone who refuses to heed God's voice does so because it was in them to do so as a result of their willful choice. (Acts 13:46; Hebrews 2:3) Anyone who turns and believes on the Lord does so because of God's grace working in the person whom He has given to run into the arms of Jesus. (John 10:27-29; Hebrews 2:13) The writer then details all that God did in the sending of His Son, and how Christ alone provides salvation and the grace necessary to fight and overcome temptation. 

So in this brief look at two books of the Bible, what can we glean? It is always better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.

Understanding doubt and how doubt can be overcome

Matthew 28:16-20 "But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful.18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo,I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Introduction:

Yesterday we considered the account of Jesus' walking on the water and Peter's initial stepping out on faith and ultimate giving into doubt. We saw how his anxiety over the winds and waves caused his focus on Jesus to shift to the visible circumstances. We also noted how the word translated "doubt" in that passage is found in only one other place - Matthew 28:17. Such observations are eye-catching, being that the author is using a rarely used word to convey the emotional and spiritual struggle of those who are doubting. 

Doubts do arise in the Christian life, and at seemingly the wrong places or unexpected times. I find out of all the places for which we would not expect to find doubt in the New Testament is at Jesus' final post-resurrection appearance in Matthew 28. The text of course is the setting for the famous "Great Commission" that Jesus gives his disciples and truly his church. I am sure readers have heard Matthew 28:18-20 quoted in sermons or in lessons. Such verses stir faith and vision for the unsaved world. However, the oddest detail of the surrounding context is the seemingly out of place presence of doubt. 

I read Matthew 28:17 and ask myself: how could anyone have any doubt about Jesus at the time of His appearing in Galilee? The nature of Jesus' post-resurrection appearances are describe as compelling and convincing in Acts 1:3 - "To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God." The NIV and HCSB describe the nature of Jesus' appearance as that of "convincing proofs", whereas the KJV renders the character of His appearances as "infallible". This is to say, the clarity and compelling nature of Jesus' post-resurrection appearances was such that the evidence was beyond reasonable doubt. 

Jesus' appearance to the disciples in Galilee was physical, and it was accompanied by Him speaking and dialoguing with them. He had already appeared on several occasions. There was no way anyone could have any doubt after all was said and done. And yet there was doubt. The question is: how did such doubt function in the face of otherwise unassailable evidence? 

Understanding the pathology of doubt

The clue to the pathology of this particular type of doubt is found in passages that describe what was going on inside the disciples hearts during Jesus' post-resurrection appearances. Mark 16:14 records Jesus saying: "Later, He appeared to the Eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table. He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who saw Him after He had been resurrected." In Luke's Gospel, we read of the disciples' response to the initial report of the women concerning Jesus' post-resurrection appearance to them in Luke 24:11  "But these words seemed like nonsense to them, and they did not believe the women." Then we read elsewhere of a separate incident, another appearance by Jesus, wherein he says in Luke 24:25 "He said to them, “How unwise and slow you are to believe in your hearts all that the prophets have spoken!" From these three passages we can better understand how the doubt of the disciples was working, and perhaps how we can better understand either our own doubts or the doubts of others we encounter. Notice....

1. Doubt arises from some sort of hardness of heart

The disciples were not looking for a risen messiah. They had already been struggling with Jesus' ten predictions of His pending death. Anytime we show resistence to Divine truth prior to further illumination of more truth, we will have an inability to digest it. Doubt can arise when we presume there is nothing to find or no forthcoming explanation of what is before our eyes. This is what is called "hardness of heart".

2. Doubt arises from cynicism about the credibility of the evidence

If the doubt we have arises from a misplaced attitude or cynical approach, the credibility of the evidence will be in question. The disciples themselves thought the women's report of a resurrected Messiah to be nonesense. Doesn't this sound all too-familiar in today's world? The first characteristic of doubt's pathology has to do with the activity of the will. This second expression of doubt deals with the attitude of the mind towards the evidence. Typically if someone has already made up their mind that the evidence is nonsense, then all that can be expected is an argument (apart from God's supernatural intervention). 

3. Ignorance or weak response to the evidence

In the Luke 24:25 passage, Jesus is rebuking the disciples for their lack of understanding an slowness of heart. At times, ignorance of what the scriptures say can contribute to doubt. Othertimes, slow obedience in the past or lack of applying scripture with one's life can also contribute to doubt. Neglect is as much of an enemy to the spiritual walk as willful and overt sins of commission. 

Different types of doubt 

The Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, page 355, notes about doubt that when studied as a category, it entails the mind, emotions and will. The article on doubt identifies four types of doubt that roughly correspond to what we explored in the three passages above:

1. Philosophical doubt or skepticism, which concludes there are no answers to be found. The Evangelical dictionary suggests that Thomas evidenced this type of doubt. When Jesus manifested himself, Thomas realized then that there was indeed an answer!

2. Provisional doubt calls into question certain assumptions in order to reach a more firm conclusion on larger issues. Typically a person who is wrestling with doubts in their Christian life may actually find their faith being strengthened, since in addressing doubt, their faith is excercised and validated.

3. Denial doubt is where there is overt and willful saying of "no" to the evidence. According to the Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Satan's dialogue with Eve was disguised as a series of veiled assertions about God, which of course were a strategy to plant doubt in Eve's mind. This type of doubt is unwilling to acknowledge the validity of the evidence.

4. The final category of doubt is ignorant doubt, whereby the person has enough evidence to have basic faith but yet does not know what the final explanation would be in putting to rest doubts that plague his or her faith. In ignorant doubt, even if the person had a full explanation, they wouldn't know it. This is usually due to inadequate instruction or a blindspot in the person's thinking that can only be exposed by the Holy Spirit and scripture. 

These four types of doubt could be placed along a spectrum of doubt ranging from the most hostile at one end due to it's purposeful knowing and oert denial of the evidence (i.e denial doubt) to ignorant doubt at the other end which has incomplete knowledge and thus lacks complete trust. The other two types of doubt fit in between, with all four pictured below:

Denial   Provisional          Philosophical                             Ignorant
Doubt   Doubt                   Doubt                                         Doubt

The reader may notice that all four are placed at different intervals from one another. The distances correspond to the rate of the growth of doubt that occurs if one stays to long at any given point. Hence the distance and time one can remain in ignorant doubt before it results in damage to one's faith is longer than philosophical doubt. The denial end of the spectrum is by far the most dangerous and is arrived at as a result of having journeyed through the other three.  

Only God's supernatural power through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit can overthrow doubt at any level
Whenever we see the disciples in Matthew 28:17 having doubt, we must ask: what or Whom overcame their doubts? Acts 1:8 recounts Jesus telling them to wait until the Holy Spirit came upon them at Pentecost. The contrast between the uncertainy in Matthew 28:17 and the disciples' boldness and faith 50 days later in Acts 2 is profoundly different. Only two conclusions can be drawn as to how a group of doubting, uncertain disciples could become so bold - Jesus had indeed risen from the dead and the Holy Spirit had came upon them and in them as Jesus said. 

When the Spirit's working and Christ's authority is brought to bear with the scriptures, the power to overwhelm any doubt is manifested. God's grace is the only thing that can be credited to anyone trusting in the Lord and overcoming their doubts. Any persistence in doubt is that person's fault, without any blame to be given to God or the evidence of scripture. Scripture describes faith or the ability of firm persuasion that overcomes any unbelief as something that arrives from God to the doubter or the sinner. (Galatians 3:23-25; James 1:18) Such supernatural faith operating in the human heart must be fed by scripture if it is to grow (1 Peter 2:1-2). We know doubts can arise, but thankfully God grants faith as a gift that in turn enables the one doubting to trust and say: "I believe!" (Ephesians 2:8-9). 

Can Christians ultimately lose their faith if they doubt?

Matthew 14:25-32 "And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. 26 When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying,“Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” 28 Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Introduction:

What does it mean to doubt? This is the question I have had on my mind as of late. Christians will at some points in their Christian walk grapple with doubt. 

If a Christian doubts Jesus at any point in their Christian walk, can they ultimately lose their faith if they doubt? Questions such as these will be explored in today's post. The passage featured at the beginning of today's post depicts the famous account of Jesus walking on the water. 

Stepping out on faith in the wee hours of the morning

The winds and waves on the Sea of Galilee were threatening to swallow the disciples. Jesus had sent them ahead to the other side while He went up to the mountain to pray. Between 3:00-6:00a.m modern time, Jesus sensed His disciples were in trouble, and so He went out to them. The disciples saw Jesus and Peter shouted out to Jesus that if He were truly Jesus, then He was to bid Peter to step out of the boat and come out to meet Him. We can look at Peter's actions as impetuous. Nevertheless there appeared to be no doubt in Peter. His faith seemed at that moment to be bigger than the waves and stronger than the winds. So he stepped out - onto the water - and began to walk towards Jesus.

What led to Peter's doubt - anxiety

Doubt seemed a million miles away from this scene. Then it happened. Matthew 14:31 reads - "But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Peter "saw" the wind - that is to say - he saw the affects that the wind was producing. Peter's gaze shifted from the Master of the seas to the sea. He began to sink. What was it that made Peter doubt? One word: anxiety. Peter's anxiousness about the situation overuled (at least temporarily) what little faith He had. 

Taking a closer look at the doubt expressed by Peter

But now we must ask: what is doubt? The cause in this passage is anxiety. But what is there about doubt that distinguishes it? I ask this because the particular Greek word translated "doubt" in Matthew 14:31 occurs only one other time in the entire New Testament - Matthew 28:17. Whenever I see a word appearing once or twice in the entire New Testament, and only one author using that word, that gets my attention. In these two spots we find the puzzling fact that where doubt would seem to be the least to be (situations where Jesus is clearly demonstrating His Sovereignty), doubt is present. 

In Matthew 14:31, the word translated "doubt" refers to the uncertainty that arises when a person is toggling back and forth between one focal point and then another.1 Peter stepped out of the boat with his focus completely on Jesus. However, the strong winds began to divert his attention. Peter began to toggle and to waver. The spiritual eyes of the heart operate on a similar principle as our physical eyes - namely we can only give our full attention to one thing at a time. 

So in thinking about Peter, we can say that he perceived his ability to walk on the water to Jesus to exceed the possibility of sinking. Such a conviction derived from the faith that was already in Peter. How much Peter had exercised his faith prior to that point was going to be tested in this episode. Faith's perception is sculpted by what is unseen (Hebrews 11:1). The moment our perception of truth is informed more by what is seen, we have moved over into anti-faith or "doubt". Peter's anxiety (an expression of his switch to perceiving things with physical eyes) fueled the doubt that led him to begin sinking into the water. 

When Christians doubt, what keeps them from losing faith all together

I think it is important before closing out today's post to see whether or not Peter lost faith. Its one thing to have one foot in doubt and another in faith versus the condition of people prior to conversion, whereby they have both feet firmly planted in doubt and unbelief. What pulled him up? His faith or the object of His faith? Notice Matthew 14:30-31 But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” Jesus pulled Peter up out of the water by the thin rope of faith. Peter had let go, yet the object to which His faith was tied to did not. 

Though Peter's hand of trust had let go of the line of faith, little did Peter realize that His faith was around the waist of his heart so-to-speak. God had given him the gift of faith to sustain him as a life-preserver. Even though his faith was "little" - nearly out of air - yet it was tied to the Sovereign Lord who pulled him out of those angry waves. This is what Christian theologians have historically referred to as the "perseverance of the saints" or "preservation by God".

Author John Piper writes in his book: "When the Darkness Will Not Life", pages 38-39 - "All the great doctors of the soul have distinguished between faith and its full assurance. The reason for that is that we are saved by the work of God causing us to be born again and bringing us to faith. "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit" (John 3:8). Piper later writes: "...which means that God is at the bottom of my faith; and when it disappears for a season from my own view, God may yet be there sustaining its root in the new birth and protecting the seed from destruction."

So as we see in this episode in Matthew 14, Jesus came out to the middle of the sea to sustain the small faith of a man who was willing to step out. I find it interesting that Peter was unable to answer Jesus' question: "Oh you of little faith, why did you doubt?" There was no good reason. It didn't make sense. Christian doubts never do. Despite that reality, how the episode ends demonstrates the reality and superiority of true saving faith over doubt in the long run. The scene ends with the disciples (including Peter) affirming the Deity of Jesus in the boat. 

Doubts may come and go - and can and will - in the Christian life. Yet, true faith will affirm and overule the doubt that for a season attempted to clip its moorings from the Anchor - Jesus Christ. 

Final thoughts

We began today's post by asking the question: can a Christian ultimately lose their faith if they doubt? In our exploration of the account of Jesus' walking on the water and Peter's doubt, we saw that the short answer is "no". Why? Peter was sustained not by his faith, but rather by Jesus who was sustaining it. It is one thing to have doubt for a season. However, a true Christian won't persist and stay camped in such doubt without calling out for the Lord to come save them. Faith that is momentarily submerged under the seas of doubt will pop back up like a buoy and ring the bell for the Master of the sea to come and save it. I close with this reminder to Christians who are experiencing wavering faith in 1 Peter 1:5 "who are protected by the power of Godthrough faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."

Endnotes:

1. When we speak of faith or doubt, we are talking about being persuaded about the truthfulness of an idea or more specifically, a statement that is called a "proposition". For example, the proposition "2+2=4" is true, regardless of how a person may feel. The Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, page 355, notes the following in it's article about religious doubt: "It should be noted that the proposition in question may in fact be true and even verified. Doubt or uncertainty relates to whether or not the proposition has been perceived to be true." The article then goes on to say: "The subjective attitude (of the person evaluating the proposition) need not have anything to do with the certainty (the degree to which a proposition has been verified or even to its truthfulness."

How the Christian finds hope when doubt, fear and worry arise in the heart

Philippians 4:6-7  "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and yourminds in Christ Jesus."

Introduction:
We began yesterday defining the triple weaponry of the enemy as doubt, worry and fear - and how we can defeat them with the Bible.  We also noted that all three are attitudes of unbelief towards who God is and what he has said.  Doubt is when I have belief about what God has said to me in the past, worry is unbelief about who He is to me in the present and fear is unbelief about what He will do or say in the future.  Will God come through?  That’s the question of fear.  Is God still with me?  That’s the question of worry.  Did God really say that? That’s the question of doubt. 

In today's blog we will be concerned about the place where these three issues arise - the heart.  David wrote Psalm 39, explaining all of the doubt, worries and fears he was grappling with in his situation.  You and I can’t tell what he is dealing with in this Psalm, however all of the emotions and stresses He is articulating are well known.  For instance He states in Psalm 39:3 – “My heart was hot within me; while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue.”  This certainly describes how I have felt at times.  How about you?  Do you ever feel like you’re going to explode?  The Hebrew phrase for “the fire burned” carries with it the meaning of feeling like we’re going to explode. 

What do you do when doubt about what God said, worry about the present or fear of whether or not He’ll come through threatens the very fabric of your faith?  In other words – How do you deal with doubt, worry and fear in your heart?  Let’s follow the Psalmist’s thoughts in this Psalm and into the next Psalm.  If you are going to defeat doubt, worry and fear in your heart, you need to….

1. Hand your self-sufficiency to God 39:1-6

At first David thought it would be best to keep his mouth shut.  In 39:1-2 he attempted to “bridle his tongue” and “be dumb with silence”.  Very often the reason why you and I choose not to tell those close to us our deepest struggles is because of our self-sufficiency.  We believe it is best to deal with it on our own.  However, God has a way of breaking that down.  Our own self-perceived strength is our greatest enemy.  God is trying to remind you as Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 12:9 – “His strength is made perfect in weakness”. 

David could no longer hold it in.  He cried out to God, asking God to give him an eternal perspective on his own frailty.  As painful as it was, he asked God to show him in verse 4: “make me know my end.”  As a desperate patient pleading with the surgeon: “Doc, do whatever you need to do to rid me of this disease”, so David appealed to the Great Physician.  David realized that his life truly is but the width of a man’s hand (verse 5) and that men at their very best are but vanity (also verse 5).  Self had to die.  Self-sufficiency is but a mirage in the life of the creature.  Only when we stop clinching our fists, hanging onto what is most dear – ourselves, and only when we open our hands towards heaven to that which is most precious – God alone – will we find true sufficiency. 

2. Hasten to see God as your sole desire 39:7-11

Psalm 39:7 indicates a major shift in this Psalm, note what it says: “And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in thee.”  David shifts from reflecting on how bad things were to how hopeful He is now.  Did his circumstance change?  Not yet.  However his perspective did change.  How?  Having lost all hope in himself, He found all his hope in God.  I so identify with what he is writing here.  In the verse following the struggle is still taking place.  Clearly his inability to explain what He is going through is God’s doing (37:9).

In fact, God illuminates to David that it is He who is testing David.  David actually refers to God as a moth who consumes whatever is beautiful in his life in 39:11.  It sounds so cruel at first- why would God take away what is “beautiful and desirable” in my life?”  The only answer is that God must be the object of my affections and desire above all things.  He alone endures.  All other goods and beauties deteriorate and fail after the passage of time, however, God is the fixed constant, the true Good, never changing nor varying (Malachi 3:6). All goods and beautiful things are given so that through them we can see God who is Good and beautiful.  It is all a matter of keeping everything in its proper order.  Only when God becomes the sole focus can we see the ability to overcome the doubt, worry and fear.  Thus…

3. Have confidence that God is hearing you 39:12-40:5

As we close this blog today, let’s see whether or not God came through for David.   In reading Psalm 39 and 40, it is my conviction that both Psalms are being written about the same event.  After all the struggle and tears of Psalm 39, we need to know: Did God show up for David?  Psalm 40:1 answers – “I waited patiently for the Lord, and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry.”  In fact the remaining verses detail David’s testimony of how God had indeed came through for Him. 

As an added bonus, David will write a prophecy Psalm 40 about the coming of Christ into this world, as spoken by the writer of Hebrews in Hebrews 10:4-5.  It truly was worth it.  Christ was seen more clearly in the end than at the beginning.  So what about you?  Are you and I going to make it?  Is God going to come through?  Have confidence, dear friend.  If you truly know Christ as Savior, Lord and Treasure, place you hand in His, for His other hand is connected to God the Father (1 Timothy 2:5; 1 John 2:20).  Know this:  God hears the cries of his saints.   He is greater than your doubt, worry and fear.