June 24

Many are the rulers and the nations who make threats of war against their neighbors, who rattle their sabers to make themselves feel powerful, and whose evaluation of their own importance is highly inflated. Many are the individuals who talk and act like bullies in order to intimidate others and make themselves feel strong.
The Assyrians were a mighty military force in the seven hundred plus years preceding the birth of Jesus Christ. They were able to conquer one nation after another and those nations not yet under Assyrian control, feared they soon would be. What the King of Assyria did not know is that he was nothing more than a pawn being used by God to accomplish God’s purposes. Both Israel and Judah had been adulterous in their relationship with God for so long, that God was now using Assyria to punish them. But, it was not because Assyria had been so righteous that they were experiencing their many victories. It was not because Assyria had become so close to God that they enjoyed His favor. “Assyria will enslave my people, who are a godless nation.... But the king of Assyria will not know that it is I who sent him. He will merely think he is attacking my people as part of his plan to conquer the world” (Isaiah 10:5-7). And yet, “after the Lord has used the king of Assyria to accomplish His purposes in Jerusalem, He will turn against the king of Assyria and punish him - - for he (the king) is proud and arrogant” (10:12-19).
God wants His people to fear Him and Him only. “Do not fear anything (or anyone) except the Lord Almighty. He alone is the Holy One. If you fear Him, you need fear nothing else. He will keep you safe” (8:13). Our only hope is in God (8:17). We don’t need to fear other bully individuals. And we don’t need to fear other bully nations. Our fear and our faith is in Jesus Christ and in him alone. When we understand that principle, we have a confidence that no one outside of Christ can possibly know or experience (Hebrews 3:14; 4:16; 10:35; 13:6; I John 3:21&22).
Is there anyone you fear? Anything you are afraid of? The whole duty of man is to, “fear God and keep His commandments” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). He will take care of everything else.