When Peter was writing to encourage the Christians dispersed throughout Asia and neighboring regions, he told them that they would suffer persecution yet not to be afraid. "Do not fear their threats and do not be troubled"(1Pet 3:14). Having said that, he turns around in the next verse (1Pet 3:15). and says that they ought to fear God.
These two verses of Peter compare with a similar two verses in Isaiah. First the Lord says, "Do not fear their threats or be in dread."(Isa 8:12),Then he says, "The Lord of hosts shall be your fear"(Isa 8:13),
The Background
As we read through Isaiah, we keep coming across this theme, "Don’t fear your enemies but do fear the Lord". God was letting the armies of surrounding nations invade Israel and Judah. Even the dreadful armies of the Assyrians from the north were coming. The invasions are likened to a flood that will come up to Judah’s neck (Isa 8:7-8). Understandably, these invasions made the people fearful. God had sent Isaiah to meet king Ahaz when "the people shook, as the trees of the forest shake with the wind". Isaiah’ told Ahaz, Be calm, have no fear, and do not be fainthearted"(Isa 7:2-4).
That is the background to the exhortation with which we started this lesson, "Do not fear their threats or be in dread... The Lord of hosts shall be your fear."(Isa 8:12-13). Now let us look at places further on in Isaiah where the theme recurs.
First study
The Messiah himself will have "the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord, and he will delight in the fear of the Lord(Isa 11:1-5) As disciples of the Messiah, we should take this eternal spirit within ourselves.
Isaiah fortells that, after the invasion and captivity at the hands of Babylon, "the Lord gives you rest from your pain and fear"(Isa 14:1-7). This is a symbol for us of heaven.
In an oracle about Egypt, Isaiah predicts that it will be the Egyptians who tremble in dread because of the purpose of the Lord of hosts (Isa 19:16-17). The same applies to all who set themselves against God.
Isaiah’s prophecy about the end of the world reminds us that "he who flees the sound of fear will fall into the pit"(Isa 24:17-22). The sound and fury of the Lord’s coming will terrify those who have not known and feared him (2Th 1:6-10). Let us live in the fear of the Lord now, so that we need not fear him then.
The hymn "O Lord you are my God, I will exalt you" has the line, "Cities of ruthless nations will fear you... the song of the ruthless is silenced"(Isa 25:1-5). We live in a ruthless world, but that world is coming to its judgment. Meanwhile we must be faithful in exalting our God by our different way of life.
Isaiah tells God’s people that they should cast away idols and return to God. He gives them a victory song to sing, in which the princes of Assyria "will be in fear" when they see the standard of the Lord. (Isa 31:6-9). Here we may regard the king and princes of Assyria as representative of the spiritual forces of darkness against which we fight (Eph 6:10-12).
Isaiah tells us of the final destruction of the Destroyer who seems so invincible, and of the victory of the just and righteous God. The Lord gives us something absolute to trust in troubled times, and the certainty of heavenly reward if we will but fear and obey the Lord. How does God regard such fear? "The fear of the Lord is his treasure"(Isa 33:1-6).
Isaiah continually encourages those who are distressed. We finish this first part of our study with one of those lovely passages where God tells Isaiah to encourage and strengthen his people who are fearful, and to tell them, "Take courage, fear not, behold your God will come with vengeance... but he will save you"(Isa 35:3-4).
Second study
Our second study begins with another of those lovely passages of encouragement. "Do not fear for I am with you. Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Surely I will help you. Surely I will uphold you with my righteous hand."(Isa 41:10,14).
The coming flood and fire of invasion and captivity will be a fearful thing, but God’s people are not to fear. God has called and redeemed them and they will survive. "When you pass through the waters I will be with you... when you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched."(Isa 43:1-2). This promise echoes the words from king David’s song, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff they comfort me."(Psalm 23:4).
In telling the people, "Do not fear", the Lord invites them to consider the nature of their God. "I am the first and I am the last. There is no God besides me. Who is like me? ...Is there any God besides me? Is there any other Rock? I know of none!"(Isa 44:1-8). Note incidentally that Jesus described himself as "the first and the last" thus claiming to be God (Rev 1:17, 22:13).
The one who is afflicted and who is plunged into darkness need have no fear so long as he fears the Lord and trusts in him. (Isa 50:6-10). This passage has a special application to the suffering of Christ, and a general application to all disciples of the Lord.
Again Isaiah encourages the people, "Do not fear the reproach of man, neither be afraid at their revilings." He goes on to compare man who dies like the grass with God who is eternal. If we trust in God, we need not "fear continually all day long because of the fury of the opressor." Isaiah assures us that "the one in chains shall be set free"(Isa 51:7, 12-16).
One effect of opression and tribulation is that the victim is humiliated. Isaiah encourages the people in that regard. "Fear not... neither feel humiliated... you will forget the shame."(Isa 54:4,14).
A right relationship with God depends on fearing and trusting him. This the leaders of Israel did not do, but Isaiah looks forward to God sending his Son so that people "will fear the name of the Lord from the west and his glory from the rising of the sun"(Isa 57:11, 59:16-21).
The final chapters of Isaiah confront us with an awful truth. If we go on resisting God’s Holy Spirit and straying into sin, God will harden us and alienate us with his righteousness. Instead of being our redeemer, he will become our enemy and adversary, a consuming fire (Isa 63:7-19, 66:4,14-16). The Hebrew writer draws on these passages when he puts the fear of God into us by his strong warnings (Heb 10:23-31).