Isa 18:4 For so the LORD said unto me, I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.

Commentators agreed that Isaiah 18 is a difficult chapter. I do not want to dwell deep into the chapter too. Generally, Isaiah 18 is an oracle concerning Ethiopia. In the days of Isaiah, Ethiopia was a major world power, ruling Egypt and a chief rival to Assyria. Since Judah was caught in the middle of this conflict, it made sense for Judah to align herself with Ethiopia against Assyria. And, Ethiopia was more than happy to garner as many allies as possible against the rising Assyria. In the midst of all the political actions that were going on in the earth, God said: “I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest” (v.4). God rests calmly in heaven while events are ripening. The world may get agitated; but not God. Note these words used by God – rest, consider, clear, and cloud of dew. Those words mean: 1. God is at rest. 2. He is watching from His dwelling place 3. He has the best view of events: “like clear heat in sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest” (v.4b). It is a lesson for us. We, in our finite feebleness, are often impatient in spirit and hurried in action. We are easily affected by the events that are happening around us. We get anxious because we cannot see what lies ahead of us. But God sees everything - past, present and future. He has the best view from the top. He knows what is ahead. He sees the end of the road; we see only what is in front of us. The Chinese has this idiom: 当局者迷，旁观者清 (dāng jú zhě mí, páng guān zhě qīng). The literal translation is: The person involved (当局者) is baffled (迷), the onlooker (旁观者) sees clearly (清). The idiom is taken from two persons who are playing a game of chess. Those watching the game (旁观者) always seem to see more clearly than the two persons who are playing (当局者). The meaning of this idiom is hence: Those closely involved cannot see as clearly as those outside. The winner of the game is the one who sees clearly. What are his strategies? Keep calm (at rest), watch (consider his opponent’s move), and see all the pieces instead of focusing on one (like clear heat in sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest). It is the same strategy we can use in our daily lives – keep calm, think through (consider), and see thoroughly. I like this verse in Psalm 46:10: “Be still, and know that I am God.” We need to keep calm and remember that God is in control. We recall as soon as the children of Israel left Egypt, Pharaoh changed his mind and pursued after them with his armies and chariots. The Israelites panicked. They were sandwiched in between the Red Sea and the Egyptians. They thought they were going to die. Moses said to them: “Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD” (Exodus 14:13). With God on our side, we can stand still and be at rest. Faithlessness causes us to be afraid, become agitated, anxious, worry, do all the wrong things and make wrong choices. It happened so often when we forgot God is in control, and because we were not at rest, did not consider, and failed to see clearly. Fear causes us to lose sight of God, keep calm, and see clearly. Have faith in God: Look up; look in; and look around.