When the Deluge Comes

Several years ago, when my dad was facing the most devastating situation of his life, I felt led to share this Scripture with him:

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,
Nor will the flame burn you." (Isaiah 43:2)

Just as I shared this passage with my dad to try to give him encouragement, comfort and assurance of God's hand in the midst of his life's biggest storm, I have repeatedly heard this verse interpreted by numerous people in the same way. When the deluge comes (not if), God will keep our heads above the water, right? The rivers swift current will not overtake us. The conflagration all around us will not consume and melt us, nor even singe us. That is what He has promised. Am I correct?

Not once, have I ever claimed to be a Biblical scholar and I am lost when it comes to interpreting Scripture through things like genre, tense of the original verbs, original language, etc. If someone else can explain those to me, I can understand them, but I'm not the academic that has a firm grasp on any of these. So bear that in mind as I explain what struck me as I read this passage today in my study of Isaiah. It was perhaps the first time that I have read it within the context of the whole chapter. Meditating on the passage as I asked the Holy Spirit to lead my thoughts, I noticed this little nugget too:

"Behold, I will do something new,
Now it will spring forth;
Will you not be aware of it?
I will even make a roadway in the wilderness,
Rivers in the desert.
The beasts of the field will glorify Me,
The jackals and the ostriches,
because I have given waters in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert,
To give drink to My chosen people." (Isaiah 43:19-20)

How do rivers and waters go from being a "bad" thing in verse 2, to something that will glorify (meaning, reveal His true character) just 17 verses later?

He starts by referring to Himself at least 52 times within the small space of those 17 verses. This segment is all about what He will do and whom He is...Holy One of Israel, Savior, God, Creator, King, and my favorite...LORD. LORD in the Old Testament always represents when the ancient Israelites would substitute YHWH. We call this Yahweh. I heard Beth Moore explain this as the "Ineffable One"...the One that we really can't give a name to because what He represents is just too big! It's used at least six times in this segment of the forty-third chapter of Isaiah.

So I have no doubt Who is speaking and I'm fairly certain that by His repetition when speaking about Himself, He is planning to do exactly what He says He will do. Read the full chapter to understand all He would do to redeem Israel. But the question that popped into my admittedly "different" brain was, I believe, put there by the Spirit.

Why...and how...do beasts, jackals and ostriches glorify God? [I said my brain was different, remember?]

The insight I came away with was nothing short of an amazing blessing to me that I couldn't wait to share. I pray with my limited use of words, you can understand it too.

The first thought was: What if I don't think of this as literal animals, but rather representations of personalities that we all know...or have ourselves?

Beasts? Yeah...we hear of those everyday don't we? The news is rife with evildoers and incomprehensible acts perpetrated by individuals and corporations that slaughter, maim and destroy innocent lives.

Jackals? It only takes a little research to discover that "jackal" has historically been used for any type of wolf, coyote, hyena or literal jackal. They are predators that prey on the weak and marginal. They are opportunistic and excellent scavengers. They mark and defend their territory ruthlessly. Again, only a little research is needed into African, European and even our own history to come across some ruthless Jackals. They are alive and well even today.

Ostriches? What do you think of when you hear that name? My first two thoughts are that when danger is near, they run like a bat out of "you know where" or bury their head in the sand. Sound like anyone you know?

So while we can pat ourselves on the back that we may not be a Beast or a Jackal, I fear there are far too many Christian Ostriches to count. We stick our heads in the sand, or at least plug our ears...and our hearts...to the plight of the starving, destitute, homeless, widowed, orphaned and downtrodden, when we should be storming the gates of hell on their behalf.

Have you noticed something yet though? It's these very same Beasts, Jackals and Ostriches that are glorifying God when the rivers and the waters come. Perhaps what we...in our safe little bubbles...consider as a devastating deluge...those who cannot pretend they are holy are, instead, thankful for the purifying plunge?

Brennan Manning used to say (and he may have been quoting someone else!) that because of God's grace, we would see alcoholics, prostitutes, tax collectors, murderers and the like walking through the gates of Heaven before us. You see, they can't pretend they don't need grace...and neither can the Beast or the Jackal.

I'm afraid though, that the Ostrich can.

Okay. What does any of this have to do with you or me? Maybe nothing...but if I heard clearly...and I listened well...I think what God's Spirit was saying to me today was, "The next time you're passing through the waters...and the rivers...and even the fire...don't run...don't hide...instead, delight in the opportunity for me to wash away...to purify and refine you...into one of My chosen people (verse 20). I will be with you (verse 2) because...just like the Beast and the Jackal and even the Ostrich, you are never too far into the wilderness to drink (verse 20) from the well of My Love ."

Amen!