Christ is a sanctuary to those who belive in Him ~ a place of safety .
He is also the Stone of stumbling, and the Rock of Offence, to those who insist on trusting in something else.
Isaiah 8:15 . . .many . . . shall stumble & fall & be broken & snared & be taken
who trust in something else.
So, WHAT are you trusting in?
Israel and Judah both trusted Resin & Pekah (the 2 kings of Syria & Samaria) for the alliences of protection and help defending them against their enemies attacks. They did not believe or TRUST in God or sanctify Him for their protection(safety) and defence(help).
Isaiah 8:7 Now therefore~ behold the LORD brings upon them~
"the waters of the river strong and mighty; even the king of Assyria and all his glory and he shall come up over all his channels and go over the banks.
The Assyrian armies brought by the hand of the Lord would so invade Israel and Judah like flood waters and strip everything not nailed down leavingonly a very few inhabitance left in the ladn with few possessions. ( So it is with all that belongs to the Lord ~ He prunes away the access leaving little to depend on except HIM!)
This is how God handles pride and self-reliance. In this case, reliance on the weak arm-of-flesh in the Syrian and Samarian armies.
So as an individual, human creation, even like an individual nation, possessing and controlling your life and what you have, WHAT ARE YOU TRUSTING IN to protect youand keep you safe?
The choices are many. Strength, wisdom, luck, destiney, horoscope, religion, relationships, your own understanding, you name it, people are trusting something.
Psalm 37:3-7 (v3)Trust in the LORD and do good; so shall you dwell in the land and be fed on His faithfulness. (v4)Delight yourself in the LORDsnd He shall give you the desires of your heart(and fulfill them). (v5)Committ your way to the LORD. Trust also in Him and He shall bring IT to pass. ( Do you honestly have a better offer pending?)
(THEN) (v6 & 7) HE shall bring forth your righteousness(right living) as the light and your justice as the noon day. REST IN THE LORD and wait patiently for Him;
So how has other THINGS served you? Only you can assess this. But check your invetory and "honestly" evaluate the results.
Then ask yourself~What should I be trusting in? Or should I say WHO?
Isaiah 8:19-22 ~ (v19). . . should not a people seek their God? (v20). . . should they seek the dead on behalf of the living? There is not light in them. (v21) . . .hard pressed
and hungry, they will be enraged and curse their king and their God and look upward. (v22) . . . they will look to the earth, see trouble and darkness and gloom of darkness.
So choose wisely!
WITHOUT GOD ~ there is only darkness!
jfg/LJC