A friend recently sent me this verse. No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the LORD. (Isa 54:17) This is certainly a promise given to Israel. Presently, Israel walks through her own valley, scattered around the world and waiting for the return of Messiah. Yet, there is great application to those who will trust in Jehovah, El – Shaddai (the All powerful One).
The world hates the Jews, because Satan hates the Jews. The existence of one Jew is a sign that God will keep His unconditional covenant to Abraham, David and all of Israel. Satan tried to destroy the line to Christ. If he could have destroyed the line, then the Messiah could not have come to redeem Israel and the world from their sins. Now that Messiah came, died on the cross and has returned to heaven, Satan wants to destroy Jews again. Only now he wants to destroy them, because if he can destroy them, then God cannot fulfill his promises in the Abrahamic and Davidic Covenants. That is why anti-Semitism has been a problem in history since the time of Christ. In recent history, the holocaust was a Satanic attack to destroy the Jewish people. But God’s promise of protection continues for the Jewish race as a whole.
Isaiah addresses the attacks of people who have an agenda. They believe their agenda is right and will do what is necessary to put you down. They try to be subtle. They may sound sophisticated. They often don’t even realize how painful their words might be. They often don’t care, because they have a burr under their saddle and you may be the target of their “tongue which rises against you.” They are not acting like God the Father.
I used to be bothered when people criticized me. To be slandered in public is especially painful. But it is all part of God’s plan to grow us up and prove that His will is good, acceptable and perfect (Rom. 12:2). When we trust the Lord, the judging tongue, whether from a person who is close or from an al qaeda terrorist, will strengthen your resolve to trust the Lord even more.
There are plenty of hopeful New Testament promises to those who pursue the Lord. As a believer, you are in the Lord’s hands (John 10:28-30). God promises to take every situation, even the slanderous tongue, and work it out for divine good (Rom. 8:28-30). God set believers free from sin, which is the most vicious enemy of the believer (Rom. 6:22-23). Verbal attacks are proof that we are in enemy territory and often those in your own family, blood and spiritual, will be the adversaries that the enemy uses to attack you (1 Cor. 16:9; cf. Matt. 10:34-36). We should not fear, for Jesus became sin for us that we might be made righteous (2 Cor. 5:21). For every attack tests your metal – will you trust in yourself or in Him by faith (Phil. 3:9)?
Shepherding Truth 