Isaiah
30:17
17 One ['echad] thousand ['eleph] shall flee at [paniym] the
rebuke [g@`arah] of one ['echad]; at [paniym] the rebuke [g@`arah] of five [chamesh] shall ye
flee [nuwc]: till ye be left [yathar] as a beacon [toren] upon
the top [ro'sh] of a mountain [har], and as an ensign [nec] on
an hill [gib`ah]. KJV-Interlinear
17 A thousand shall flee at the threat of
one; at the threat of five you shall flee, till you are left like a flagstaff
on the top of a mountain, like a signal on a hill. ESV
Courage is the
quality that allows a person to face danger, without fear. There are two types
of courage. Genuine courage is formulated from the resources within ones soul,
and is only as strong as those resources. And then there is superficial
courage, which is formulated from resources that are external to oneself, such
as wealth, power, status, insurance, alliances, and such similar things.
The superficial
courage is dependent on external resources, and therefore rises and falls when
those external resources grow or fade.
Genuine courage
draws his fearlessness from the confidence that is developed because of the
content of persons soul.
Bible doctrine is
the ultimate courage builder.
Worldliness is the
ultimate courage faker.
The Israelites
looked to Egypt for their safety and security against the threat of the
Assyrians. The Israelites placed their courage on the alliance that they had,
or thought they had, with Egypt.
God is the
ultimate courage and Bible doctrine is the ultimate courage builder. Without
either of these, any courage that a person has, or thinks he has, is both
temporary and false.
To have courage, a
person has to rely on something. Without Bible doctrine in the soul, then all
you have to rely on, are the things of the world. And when those things fade
away, then your courage fades, and all you are left with is fear. And when fear
is all that is in your life, then panic and terror seize control of your life,
and emotion takes over.
History has
demonstrated time and again, that when a person depends on their wealth, or
their success, or their power, or their status, and such things, and then when
those things disappear, they panic and run, and even commit suicide because the
content of their soul is weak.
A person with
Bible doctrine in their soul, which has been developed over the course of time,
has the resource of doctrine to sustain them through any and all hardships.
And we see in this
verse what will happened to the Israelites, who had numerical superiority, when
a smaller force of Assyrians, invades.
Without doctrine,
a very small force, can send a much larger force into rapid retreat and
disarray. And, that is exactly what did happen to the Israelites, and what has
happened to numerous peoples throughout history, and will happen again in the
end days of history.
But panic and
terror are not restricted to wartime only. When an economy collapses, the
hearts and minds of people can collapse also. And especially in our current day
when we have so many entitlement programs, and so many people are becoming
dependent on those entitlement programs, rather than dependent on their own
resources and abilities, then if and when an economy collapses, and the
entitlement programs disappear, then the panic and heartache and suffering will
escalate rapidly. And when that happens all kinds of social problems manifest
themselves.
History is filled
with examples of spiritually weak people who are overrun and destroyed. History
is also filled with examples of spiritually strong people who are overrun, but
they are able to collect themselves and stand against the assault of
overwhelming odds.
In the final part
of this verse, the flagstaff on the mountain, or the ensign on a hill, both
refer to what little is left when a spiritually weak people have nothing but
empty souls, and weakness, and fear and terror ruling their lives.
The flagstaff here
refers to the mainmast of the sunken ship. The ship, once large and mighty and
grand, now lies beneath the sea, and all that is seen is the top of the
mainmast.
The ensign or the
banner, refers to the symbol of the people that have been destroyed, such as a flag.
Once carried high and proud as a symbol of their prosperity, but also their
arrogance, now lies tattered and torn on the top of the hill for all to see,
for there is nothing left.
Bible doctrine is
the source building material for the structure of the soul. With doctrine there
is knowledge, understanding, discernment, wisdom, and all of the ingredients
for spiritual maturity, and faith, and courage. These things go beyond the
written words of the Bible, but reach into every nook and cranny of the soul,
building a fortress that is impenetrable and superior to anything and
everything that exists in the world.
The Bible says
that God will not test you beyond your ability. And that refers to the
application of world activities and events as they pertain to the content of
your soul. As you grow in your spiritual life, you will face more things, and
you will be able to see for yourself that you are able to deal with more things
in life.
This serves as a
test to prove the content of your soul, but it also serves to show you the
extent of your spiritual growth.
As with a child,
it is difficult to know when you have grown up.
But as an adult,
your level of maturity is demonstrated by how you deal with life.
These
studies are a part of the massive daily study web site at DailyBibeStudy.Org,
and are written, so that you can come to Christ if you have not done so
already, and therefore not be lost forever.
And
if you have already believed in Christ, then these studies are written so you
can learn and understand and grow in your spiritual life, so that you can come
to the full knowledge of Christ, so that you can fulfill your meaning and
purpose in life as God intended for you, and so you can qualify for a phenomenal
eternal reward which you will have forever.
To
ignore this opportunity to pursue a daily study means you will be incomplete,
unfulfilled and you will lose out, big time.
The
Daily Bible Study is online, making it possible as never before in all of human
history, to advance in ones relationship with God, through Christ, and to
complete yourself beyond your imagination.
But
you have to decide to make that commitment.
No one else can study for you.
You have to do that yourself.
