The 20 Verses You Love Most: #18 Fear Not

Fear can stalk us, linger in the shadows, track us down, paralyze us. Sometimes our fears are nameless, faceless. And sometimes we know exactly why we’re afraid, and who or what we dread most.

Yet God says throughout his Word, “Do not fear.” Can we really live unafraid?

This week’s verse helps us understand a legitimate source of fear, and the permanent solution God offers. Get a steak knife, beloved, because this is some serious meat!

But now, this is what the Lord says—
    he who created you, Jacob,
    he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have summoned you by name; you are mine.” Isaiah 43:1

How I wish this verse began with, “This is what the Lord says.” We could dive right in and not look back. We could start with the good news, the happy ending, and not worry about what came before—the bad news, the unhappy beginning.

The problem is, our verse starts like this:

But now,…

“And now” (DRA) or “Now this” (EXB) softens the blow, but either way, it’s clear something important came just before our chosen verse.

The last half of the previous chapter—that is, Isaiah 42:18-25—is all about being spiritually lost, utterly deaf, and stubbornly blind to the things of God.

The words in those verses are strong, uncompromising. The kind that make you wince. “You have seen many things, but you pay no attention; your ears are open, but you do not listen” (Isaiah 42:20).

Ouch.

We don’t usually choose such verses as our go-to favorites. They convict, as they’re meant to. They make us see ourselves as we really are. And because of that, they are a generous gift from the Holy Spirit.

We need to know we’re lost before we can celebrate being found.
We need to understand we’re deaf before we can truly hear.
We need to realize we’re blind before we can rejoice at being able to see.

So, the Lord made it plain to his people: “Hear, you deaf; look, you blind, and see!” (Isaiah 42:18)

Why would a loving God speak so bluntly? Because genuine love means helping the person you care about grow.

We can’t grow if we don’t allow the Gardener to prune away the dead branches. And we can’t bloom where God has planted us if we don’t let him examine our unhealthy roots and fertilize them with his Truth.

The Amplified Bible sums up the phrase But now like this: “in spite of past judgments for Israel’s sins.”

Are you thinking, “Hey, I’m not Israel”? If you belong to God, you’ve been grafted in with his people Israel (Romans 11). Be grateful, Paul says, and pay attention. Though this message from the prophet Isaiah was aimed at God’s people exiled in Babylon after the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in 587 B.C., the truths found here are for all God’s people in all generations, including ours.

Go ahead, Lord. We’re listening.

…this is what the Lord says—

Anytime we spot this phrase in Scripture—it shows up more than 300 times—our hearts are meant to stir with anticipation.

“Here is a message” (KNOX), we’re told, so let’s “listen to the Lord” (NLT) and “see” (VOICE) what he has for us.

…he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel:…

Oh, that Jacob. What a troublemaker! A fraternal twin, he entered the world “grasping Esau’s heel” (Genesis 25:26), demanding to have his way from birth. No wonder Jacob means “Supplanter,” “Schemer,” “Wrestler,” “Finagler,” “Deceiver.”

And yet, God loved Jacob. Stayed by his side. Told him, “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go” (Genesis 28:15), right after Jacob stole his brother’s inheritance.

Then, after wrestling with him, God changed Jacob’s name, as further proof of his mercy: “You will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel” (Genesis 35:10).

“Deceiver” became “Triumphant with God.” Wow.

That’s the God we’re talking about here, the One who created Jacob the person, then fashioned Israel the people. Whenever we see “the God of Jacob,” it’s a reminder of what a grace-giving Lord we serve.

Now, the good news you’ve been waiting for.

“Do not fear,…”

If what we fear is punishment for our sins, God says, “Be not afraid” (YLT).
If what we fear is a life of insignificance, God says “Fear not” (ASV).
If what we fear is losing our relationship with him, God says, “Don’t be afraid” (CJB).
If what we fear is the hell we deserve instead of the heaven we long for, God says, “You must not fear” (LEB).
If what we dread is illness, sorrow, or death, God says “Do not thou dread” (WYC).
If what we fear is loneliness, God says, “You have nothing to fear” (VOICE).
If what we fear is losing anyone or anything dear to us, God says “Be not afraid” (YLT).

“…for…”

Forgive me for pausing on so small a word. But it’s the hinge on which everything swings.

Perhaps a better translation is “because” (EXB, GW, NCV). The Lizzie Revised Version would phrase it, “Here’s why you have nothing to fear.” It’s the reason we’re looking for, the explanation we’re hoping for, the answer to why our deepest fears can be banished forever.

“…I have redeemed you;”

Ah. Because of his mercy and grace and salvation and redemption. That’s why we can put aside our fears: it’s a finished work.

And look how personal God’s promise is! “This is for you,” he says again and again. “I have rescued you” (CEV), “I saved you” (ERV), “I have reclaimed you” (GW), “I have ransomed you” (NLT), “I have bought you and made you free” (NLV).

What have we done? We’ve messed up, big time, as Isaiah 42 makes abundantly clear. Deaf, blind, lost.

What has God done? Paid the price. Redeemed us. Bought us back. The Wycliffe Bible puts it, “I again-bought thee.” Like purchasing something, only to have it stolen from your home, then discovering it at a yard sale, and buying it a second time.

That’s how precious you are to God. He redeemed his own creation.

“…I have summoned you by name;…”

Still on that personal note, God says, “I have called you by your name” (AMP). Called is one of those delicious words with a dozen meanings. You can be called on the phone, called out of a meeting, called on to speak, called to a certain career, called on the carpet, called away, called back, called a coward, or called to order.

Here, we’re called or summoned by a name that God has chosen for us. “I named you” (ERV), he reminds us, and he has “given thee the name thou bearest” (KNOX). “I have called thee by thy shem” (OJB), the Hebrew word for “name.”

And what is that name? His.

“…you are mine.”

Your name is I Belong to Almighty God. Your name is I Am the Lord’s Servant. 

“You are Mine!’” (NLV) God says, and “you belong to me” (CEV). Young’s Literal Translation is simply this: “thou Mine.”

We are his, forever. It’s more sacred than a marriage vow, more lasting than any family name. It’s the ultimate promise from God.

Easy to see why so many of us love this verse:

But now, this is what the Lord says—
    he who created you, Jacob,
    he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have summoned you by name; you are mine.” Isaiah 43:1

Now it’s your turn

Several times in preparing this study I’ve had a sheen of tears in my eyes. These phrases are so powerful, particularly the last two lines, which I committed to heart years ago and often include in my messages.

Of these four assurances from God, which one speaks to you, and why?

• Do not fear
• For I have redeemed you
• I have summoned you by name
• You are mine

Kindly share your thoughts under Post a Comment at the bottom.

I try not to chime in too often—it’s far better if you encourage one another—but you can be sure I read and appreciate every word you post.

Next week, we’ll spend time with a lesser-known Old Testament prophet, as we unpack #17 of the verses you love. I’m learning so much, and pray you are too!

Your sister, Liz