When entering a war zone, the first, most elementary consideration of any military neophyte, or even the theater commander, is understanding the complex principle of the “fog of war.” The “fog of war” is the battlefield you walk out on – which is never the same as the one you trained for. Yet another take on this idea was perfectly expressed by professional fighter Mike Tyson: “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.” The recipient of that knuckle sandwich always responds the same way: “Well, I didn’t see that coming!” And that, beloved, is called the fog of life.
And so here we are in America, embroiled in yet another war, shrouded by the very real uncertainties of duration, casualty count, international response, escalation potentials, and even personal economic impact. I am certain that you have personally considered all the vagaries of today’s fog of war that now surrounds each of us. We all have already felt the effects of the war payments we are now personally making at the gas pump, with no idea how bad it will get economically. There is even the real concern about suffering another attack on our soil that may or may not be on the scale of a 9/11 event. Truthfully, there is not an advanced military think tank on the planet that can speculate on the progression or end of this conflict. Indeed, at least one expert believes this is the first major battle of World War III.
Now beloved, having repeated the crazed fear and conspiracy mongering of the media, let us take a step back, chill together, and examine the fog of war as it really is.
In our moment of calm, let us be schooled by God Himself on this very subject from the prophet Isaiah:
“For thus the Lord spoke to me with mighty power and instructed me not to walk in the way of this people, saying, ‘You are not to say, “It is a conspiracy!” In regard to all that this people call a conspiracy, and you are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it. It is the Lord of hosts Whom you should regard as holy. And He shall be your Fear, and He shall be your Dread.’” (Isaiah 8:11-13)
There it is! In just 81 words, Father God clears the fog of war. This war. Any war.
Here, in our New Covenant relationship to Him, God is contrasting what the people care enough about to fear. He compares it to being more concerned about the trivial fears of the local conspiracies than their daily concerns for their relationships with God.
The problem in our culture of multi-channel 24-hour news cycles and an internet with hundreds of other competing voices, the fog just gets thicker. Eventually, no one can even see their own noses. But our scripture reminds each of us indwelled with the Holy Spirit of Grace and Peace that we have been commanded by our Creator 365 times in the Word not to fear men or their conspiracies! Said King David, “In God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (Psalm 56:11)
As we read in Isaiah 8:11-13, we are commanded to toss the televisions and computers out on the lawn and get our news from God Himself.
What’s the difference?
The media is selling fake fear for ad money and making an outrageous profit doing so.
Yet, God warns us repeatedly not to fear the world or other people.
However, He reminds us of His immensity and infinite sovereign power over all people and all things. It is God Who is to be feared, for real, because He is not fake and because not to fear Him is a fool’s game. But don’t take that from me. Here is God’s own voice on that idea:
Proverbs 9:10 — “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
Proverbs 22:4 — “The reward for humility and fear of the LORD is riches and honor and life.”
Proverbs 1:29 — Fools “did not choose the fear of the LORD” and hated knowledge.
And Jesus also had His say on this: “But I will warn you Whom to fear: fear the One Who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!” (Luke 12:5)
Then, 1 John 4:18 focuses and clarifies that idea for each of us in its New Covenant spiritual setting: “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear…” Its flawless context is found in the love of God that saved us from our sin. His eternal wrath and our deserved judgment are satisfied by the blood of Calvary’s perfect Lamb, which is painted across the eternal doorposts of our lives. After that, we are commanded to love God more than anything else in life, loving Him with the same fervor with which He loves us. (Matthew 22:37-40) And in that love He graciously gifted to us, fear of eternal punishment has been transferred to Jesus by His payment made for each of us on the Cross.
Beloved, I wanted to take the time to walk through these steps so that you can understand what God was warning us about by the word of the great prophet Isaiah 2,800 years ago.
The people of his time were caught up in a permanent state of worry and turmoil by agents of fear who took full advantage of people’s fears for money and power – exactly as it is today.
But that fear of men and their many misadventures, scandals, and endless wars, then and now, illustrates a lack of faith in the only One Who deserves fear – the One Who Jesus said could do real eternal harm to those who disobey His commands and ignore His Presence.
Again, that fear is transferred by the sacrifice of Jesus to a fierce and all-in love for Him. The conspiracies of men then fade from the fog of life and the fog of war. The fog is displaced by the crystal clarity that is only granted to those who look at life through the eyes of faith in the only truly Sovereign One Who can make it all disappear in the wink of an eye.
Remember your command: “And you are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it. It is the Lord of hosts Whom you should regard as holy.” Never waste time fearing the mostly concocted and spun-up stories of well-paid conspiracy engineers who will lose their jobs the moment they stop trying to make us afraid of every new sensational headline and panic de jour.
Remember when I advised to “toss the televisions and computers out on the lawn and get our news from God Himself”?
Ok, let me be reasonable. Don’t toss the good equipment – just unplug it from the news.
Get your news from God’s Word and cultivate love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. You will thereby regain control over your own life, its daily contentment, and its ultimate outcome. It’s not worth surrendering any part of these gifts to the merchants of conspiracy and the fog of war and of life, none of which deserve even another minute of your time or emotions.
So, what is going to happen in this war? Are we going to see mushroom clouds before it’s over?
I don’t know. Isaiah was a prophet. I am but an engineer and scientist.
But I do know with certainty that none of it is on my worry list. I gave my fear to the only One Who can dispose of it properly. And now I have all that time back to be happy and to love my life in the shadow of the One Whose Name is Yahweh Shalom – “He Is Our Peace.”
So, beloved Templar – just sit back and chill. He’s got this.