Facing Satan's Storms - Isaiah 7:1-2
And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind.
The Storm of Syria
The ascending raider nation of Assyria was growing stronger and stronger, threatening the security and peace of all the other surrounding nations. To counter this threat, Israel and Syria, formed an alliance. When they approached Judah, the southern Kingdom to join them, Judah refused. This may sound like an action of faith but in reality, the scornful King of Judah, Ahaz was secretly negotiated with Assyria for his own protection (2 Kings 16:1–9). He wasn’t looking to God for help, he was looking to the enemies of God.
So Syria and Israel, the northern kingdom, went up to make war against Jerusalem. The Bible says that this threat of defeat made the king and the people’s heart to move like the trees of the wood are moved with the wind. A terrible storm was approaching, and the King and people of Jerusalem were directly in the path of the storm.
The Storms of Satan
God’s people, whether they be in the Old Testament or the New Testament, are always in the path of Satan’s storms, the world’s whirlwinds and hate’s hurricanes. It was true for Jerusalem in the days of Ahaz and its true today.
Jesus warned us that we would understand why and not be overcome when the storms strike.
John 15:18-25 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.
The reason the lost world hates us is because they hated Jesus and the reason, they hate Jesus is because He tore away their covering cloak and their sin is exposed. Jesus words and works exposed their sin and they hate Him. They hate Him and because we belong to him they hate God's people as well. It cannot be any other way. If we are truly God’s people then our words, reflect His words and expose their sin. Our works, as we serve the Lord, uncover their corruption and they stand guilty with no way to hide their iniquity.
We may not be facing an invading Syrian army, but we are facing an unrelenting army of of sin, perversion and hate. The storm is blowing and I can identify with the people of Jerusalem. Our nation, our families, our children our churches are in the path of Satan’s storms as God's people always have been and always will be.
What are God’s people to do during such anxious, stressful, fearful times? For the Old or New Testament saints, the answer is the same, look to the Lord and listen to His Word. His message is always one of hope. - Pastor Kris Minefee
