This world is a place of sin and death! I was reading through Isiah and this always helps me with a lot of the worldly crap: Do not call conspiracy everything this people calls a conspiracy; do not fear what they fear, and do not dread it. The LORD Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread.” (Isaiah 8:12–13). This comes during the Syro-Ephraimite crisis (roughly 735–732 BC). Aram (Syria) and the northern kingdom of Israel (Ephraim) formed an alliance and threatened Judah. The people of Judah were panicked, talking of conspiracies/plots/confederacies, and tempted to seek human political solutions (including turning to Assyria) instead of trusting God. The Lord strongly warns Isaiah not to adopt the people’s mindset or share their fears.⁠ The Hebrew term (often rendered “conspiracy,” “confederacy,” or “plot”) refers to political alliances, plots, or treasonous schemes. God is not denying that real political threats or alliances exist; He is instructing His prophet and the faithful not to be swept up in the popular fear, paranoia, and human-centered explanations of events. The proper response is to revere the LORD of hosts rather than live in dread of human plots. In short, Isaiah 8:12 is a warning against joining the crowd’s conspiratorial fear and panic, and a call to fear God instead.