The Answer to Fear: Righteousness!

Isaiah 54 is the glorious promise for those who believe on the suffering Messiah (Isaiah 53):

"4Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more." (Isaiah 54: 5)

Fear is based not on mere threats, but a compounding element of shame, reproach, and confusion.

I submit to you, Beloved, that for every fear you feel or face in your life, there are five elements of shame, condemnation, and reproach which motivated those fears.

Keep in mind, that most people are more afraid of public speaking than death. Why? Because man fears rejection and shame more than anything else. This need for acceptance is strong in man, that his overriding need to be accepted will push aside wisdom, proper judgment, or his well-being.

Look again at verse four:

"Fear not for

1. Thou shalt not be ashamed

2. neither be confounded

3. for thou shalt not be put to shame

4. thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth

5. Thou shalt not remember the shame of the widowhood any more.

There are five mentions relating to shame. The answer to all our fears is a growing revelation of God's grace, which we receive through Christ Jesus (2 Peter 1: 1-2)

The fears in our lives are based on

1. being ashamed:   בּוּשׁ
The first mention of "bosh" occurs in the Genesis 2: 12, in which Adam and Eve are both naked in the Garden, but they were not ashamed. They were not looking at themselves at all. They were looking at God, aware of their standing in Him.

2. confounded: כָּלָם
Kalam speaks of receving dishonor from other people. The first mention of this word appears in Numbers 12, when Miriam is afflicted with leprosy because she spoke against her brother Moses, and the Lord afflicted her for speaking against him. Once again, the theme of white as expressing shame, or a lack of blood, appears again.

3. put to shame: כָּלָם
This word chaper speaks of disappoint which makes one look bad, too. The first mention of this word appears in the Book of Job:

"They were confounded because they had hoped; they came thither, and were ashamed." (John 6:20)

The context of this verse, and thus the word chaper, speaks of a profound disappoint. In Christ, hope does not disappoint (Romans 5: 5), since by His death and resurrection we receive everlasting life and reign with Him (Romans 5: 17) more than conquerors in Christ (Romans 8:37)

4. The shame of thy youth

shame: בֹּ֫שֶׁת
Boshet first appears in 1 Samuel 20: 30 --

"Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother's nakedness?"

youth:

This shame speaks of the bad things which we did in our past, in our youth, which we fear may rise  up once again and drag us down. God assures that we will forget this shame, and it makes no difference if other people attempt to remind us of these shameful moments from our past.