Return and Rest – Isaiah 30:15-17

There are a bunch of articles on the web about running away from life. One lady says she ran literally, put on her sneakers and ran, whenever she wanted not to feel. She says she barely remembers her 20’s. She was running all the time from problems. The answer for her, she says, was yoga. God has another answer for Israel.

For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” But you were unwilling, and you said, “No! We will flee upon horses”; therefore you shall flee away; and, “We will ride upon swift steeds”; therefore your pursuers shall be swift. 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. (Isaiah 30:15-17 ESV)

As Israel sees the looming threat from foreign invaders and makes an alliance with Egypt to protect them from Assyria, God speaks through Isaiah to warn them against this. They believe, however, that their salvation is in being able to mount their own resources and should worse come to worse flee to a place of refuge. God says this will not work.

The answer, He says, is in “returning and rest.” It is never too late to return to the Lord and He will never refuse those who sincerely do so. We return by acknowledging that we have trusted in our own solutions and our own wisdom instead of trusting in Him. Then we rest in Him instead of finding our security in anyone else.

The quietness and trust that springs from this relationship with God is our true strength. A padded bank account, a spouse, a network of friends, a job, even one’s church, cannot be our ultimate security, as helpful as each of them could be. Resting in the strength of our great God puts all those other securities in their proper place as gifts from God, should He decide to use them to care for us.

Discussion Questions

What vacation location do you return to over and over because it is so restful?
When have you felt like fleeing to a remote place to get some peace?
What is God telling Israel about their desire to flee their enemies?
What do you think is the intention of the imagery of a flagstaff or signal on a hill?
What have you found yourself relying upon instead of the Lord?
What does “returning and rest” look like for you?

About the Author Randall Johnson

A full-time pastor since 1979, Randall originally graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary (ThM) in 1979 and from Reformed Theological Seminary (DMin) in 1998. He is married with four grown children and a pile of epic grandchildren.

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