Wednesday: Nothing to Fear When We Fear God Himself
Isa: 8:11-15
In his first inaugural address, American President Franklin D. Roosevelt told a nation disheartened by the Great Depression: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” — U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. (March 4, 1933). Isaiah’s message to depressed people is: “We have nothing to fear when we fear God Himself.”
Image © Krieg Barrie from GoodSalt.com
God warned Isaiah not to fear what his people feared, but to fear Him ( Isaiah 8.12-13). This is an important theme in Scripture. For example, in Revelation 14:6-12, three angels proclaim a worldwide message: Fear God and give glory to Him, rather than fearing and giving glory to the earthly beast power described in chapter 13.
How do you understand the idea of “fearing” God? What does that mean, especially in light of the command for us to love God, as well (Matt: 22:37)?
True fear of God as holy means that you recognize Him as the ultimate power in the universe. Such fear overcomes any other fear. If He is for you, nobody else can touch you without His permission. If He is against you because you have rebelled against Him, you can run, but you can’t hide!
Doesn’t the idea that we should fear God contradict 1 John 4:18? “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love” (NRSV).
There are different kinds of fear. If someone with awesome power is your friend, with whom you share mutual love, you do not fear that person in the sense you think he or she will hurt you. But you have a kind of fear in the sense that you know and respect the power of that person and the boundaries of your relationship.
| As Christians we aren’t to love the things of the world, the things people of the world themselves love (1 John 2:15). Thinking, then, along parallel lines, as Christians, are there things the world fears that we as Christians shouldn’t fear? If so, what are they, and why shouldn’t we fear them? At the same time, what things does the world not fear that we Christians should? See, for instance, Matt: 10:28; Jeremiah 10.2-3. |
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Most of us know enough about electricity to fear it. We may not understand amps and volts but we know that given enough of them in the right place, we will die. In actual fact, it’s a bit complicated. Most references cite 100 milliamps through the heart as a lethal dose. So if I put my left and right hands on the terminals of a 12-volt battery that typically supplies between 50 and 100amps when used to start a car engine, why don’t I die. The short answer is that your body resistance is too high to allow the required 100 milliamps to flow up one arm, through your heart and down the other arm. However, put your hands on the active and neutral household supply wires running at 240 Volts and your body resistance is insufficient to keep the current below 100 milliamps, and it will be most likely the last thing you ever do.
And for many of my science students, that little discussion starts their investigation into amps, volts, ohms law, and the mysteries of electricity. Some of them learned just enough to pass the questions in the inevitable term test; while others understood it and thought about the consequences as they connected wires and appliances, repaired fuses, and did the 101 other tasks that require a rudimentary knowledge of electricity and electrical safety.
Our fear of electricity is well-founded. I am sure that most of us have received an electrical shock at some time, which although non-fatal, has been painful enough to reinforce our fear. Yet at the same time, most of us use electricity every day and we would actually find modern life very difficult without it.
The analogy between electricity and the “fear of the Lord” is not perfect but does illustrate a facet of fear that is relevant to us. I am not afraid of electricity per se, but I understand enough about it to respect it and to treat it with an understanding of how I can use it safely and beneficently. My respect allows me to use it effectively.
Now, I don’t fear the Lord because he can kill me. No doubt, he could if that is really what he wanted to do. In the context of this discussion, I appreciate the power that God does have but refrains from using because of his patience and love for me. My fear (respect) is based on my understanding that my creator still loves me even when I am disrespectful to him. The ball is in my court to respond to that love.
Thank you brother Ashton..for interpreting God's word in layman's term, You have helped me to understand what others battle with as well the "thees and thous" in the bible.
"If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1 John 2:15). That's a pretty strong statement! The apostle goes on to explain, "The world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever" (1 John 2:17). The world has an appetite for pleasure and praise and possessions and worries about not having them or losing them. A Christian has an appetite for a deeper relationship with God and only fears anything that would dull that desire. A friend of God is a stranger to the world, like a foreigner in a non-native country. We are in the world but not of it (John 17:16-17).
Before these 2 statements in his first epistle, John gives us a little help. He reminds us to take wisdom from the experience of other saints, from those whose minds are saturated with the Word of God and who have a habit of being in God's presence in prayer, who have experience overcoming the evil one and who walk as Jesus did (1 John 2:5-6, 12-14). What a gift to the church these spiritually mature people are. Having inner peace that springs out of inner purity is probably the best gift we can share with others (James 3:9-18)....it's necessary before we can witness to Jesus' name.
One clarification: The lesson says "If He is against you because you have rebelled against Him, you can run, but you can’t hide!" I understand this is meant to convey that God metes out justice that is final and probably refers to the final judgment? However, in my opinion this is worded as a fear-based statement. When we understand God's character we understand that God is never "against" anyone - only against sin. Also, wanting to run and hide from God is a sin itself. Even God's justice is merciful and the only place I want to be when I've sinned is with God. "Thy rod and staff comfort me...."
What does it mean to fear the LORD? With inspiration from the LORD Moses gives us some insight as to how and why.
How - by walking, in His way, love, serve and obey Him
Why - because He is the one and only, all mighty, powerful Creator who owns everything and still loves us.
Shirley, thank you for highlighting this passage! Yes - God has revealed His Will and there is nothing left man can claim ignorance about. His faithful and willing children know their God and His Will and follow it.
“Do not say, ‘A conspiracy,’
Concerning all that this people call a conspiracy,
Nor be afraid of their 1threats, nor be troubled.
13 The Lord of hosts, Him you shall hallow;
Let Him be your fear,
And let Him be your dread.
When I saw today's lesson started with this verse I wondered if perhaps something would be said about conspiracy theories. The verse does seem to have a message for the very time we live in. To me it says that we should not focus on conspiracies and talk about them much. If any have truth, they are the work of satan and we shouldn't judge people. But rather focus on our fear of God, our own sins, and walk with Jesus. Our responsibility to live and share the gospel. To let Jesus transform us in His image and to be saved, and to help those around us, the people that God sends to us, to follow Jesus too. May God bless us all.
What the world fear is 'death'. Death is Man's worst fear (believers and non believers). We fear death more than we value life. Matt 10:28 has said it all.
Some of the things the world LOVE is MONEY, Power, Fame etc. we should be careful of them.
Sarah- there was a time that I was not afraid of death. Then another time I don't know, but a fear came into me and I was afraid to die. Then as I became afraid, I heard a voice asking me why I am afraid to die? As I pondered the words, I realized I can even die in my sleep peacefully. That, I guess, removed the fear our of me and began to trust God more.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Psalm 23:4.
Nothing to Fear When We Fear God Himself
In life the word 'fear' has two different meanings.
#1. Fear- to honor, reverent, obey, respect, awe, submission,
#2. Fear- afraid, dread, scared, fright, alarm, panic, terror, trepidation, painful agitation in the presence or anticipated danger, sensing danger, lost of courage.
'Thinking, then, along parallel lines, as Christians, are there things the world fears that we as Christians shouldn’t fear?
We are called to do #1 Fear in light of #2 fear. Throughout the bible we see the hands of an Omnipresence leading and guiding and he is calling us to do #1 fear. When we forget #1, then #2 steps in, then we began to turn our backs on no #1.
In the bible there are so many texts about #1 and how we ought to live in this life. eg Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God...Isa 41:10.
The same Jesus who is calling a people to do #1 is saying, he knows #2 existed but if we keep our eyes on #1 he will make us overcome #2. Many times #2 might not even be real but to us it appears to be real. We first start saying, 'if what' and 'what if', although 'if and what' and 'what if' might never occur.
Many of us SDA are afraid (#2) of the future for ourselves, our children and our grandchildren although we might not even be married. How do we know we will even get married, have children and grandchildren?
Some in the world are afraid of these. But do we as SDA are part of the large group of people who do not trust in a living God? For example; shortage of food, lost of our jobs, Covid19, members not returning tithes and offering as we should so the bills of the church cant be paid, paying our rent, mortgage, our children becoming contaminated in a public school setting, school fees, and the list goes on and on. But Jesus is saying cont to do #1 and I will show you great and marvelous things. He told Isaiah not to be afraid #2, of the things the people were afraid #2 of, but to cont to serve/#1 him. Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be your #1 fear. Isa 8:11-15.
Remember this has nothing to do with going to the zoo or in the wilderness/jungle and trying to tame a wild animal or taking a selfie with an animal and using the scriptures to verify our reasoning.
Today I choose to Fear the Lord by relying on his strength. I prayed for guidance and protection on my way to work, obeying the signs on the road. I do what is asked of me as a front line worker to stay safe and protected. Whenever I have a sense of fear, I pray and ask the Lord to direct my path in the way he has opened for me.
In a deep personal intimate relationship with God, I really don’t want to disappoint or hurt Him. Trying to be careful of words and actions (by the power of His Spirit), He receives the best that I can give. I want Him to be elevated and know that I’m wholly on His side.
The bond in this relationship makes me overjoyed when there is evidence of His victory in my life and the lives of others.
There is a real ‘fear’ of disappointing God, because He is so much. I believe His side of the story of mankind. When He promises, He comes through. He’s done it too many times to even question Him.
Even though this fear is genuine it isn’t a dread kind of fear. It’s a fear that makes my heart very sad when I hurt or fail Him. At the same time it drives me to Him immediately when there is failure. He’s my only help and He will give strength to get through challenges and troubles here.
What He loves, I love and what He hates, I hate. I love doing what He does and imitating Him.
My fear of sins that the world says are normal, natural or common are things that cause me to have a dreaded fear. The separation that would come between me and my only Source of complete love, compassion and understanding isn’t something I want to even comprehend.
Doing things that would make God not appear to be Who He is would be terrible. There have been times that I poorly represented Him, He has forgiven, forgotten and helped me back into an even closer connection with Him.
“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself” is a good example of how man’s clever intellect deals with the dilemma of living with fear. I think this statement to be hyperbole, a play with words, meant to sound clever but, by itself, not offering any true help in time of fear. Just saying that we ought not to be afraid of what we already are afraid of does not make sense, unless we can *see* a way to eliminate the cause which causes our fear. This statement cannot stand alone, it needs to be part of the solution, but it is being remembered and repeated often enough that one thinks it holds truth.
Fear is no respecter of circumstances; it manifest itself in everything we think, feel, see, hear or do - in other words – when experiencing life. What will eliminate fear? God’s Grace and Mercy, our faith and education.
As I see it, *fear* is experienced as a reflex in response to anything man encounters in the spectrum of LIFE , anything that he cannot understand/control using his own mind’s capacity. Life itself teaches a healthy exchange of the effects of does and don’ts, using our ability to experience the signals of fear as a warning sign to keep our body alive.
Though, man’s greatest fear is the fear of dying! The Word of God through the holy Scripture tells us in the book of Proverbs, “fear is the beginning of wisdom ” – Prov.9:10KJV. God empathizes with man’s fears of inadequacy in his daily living, but much more so with his fear of dying. Everyone experiences this existential fear, but only the faithfully lived, spiritual life of the believer guided by the Creator God exposes him to the Truth which leads to living without the fear of dying – Matt.10:16-22,26-28KJV; Luke12:4,5KJV. To this end, to eliminate fear, God gave mankind the gift of Salvation.
I was the happiest when I understood to be a child of my heavenly Father in whom I can unreservedly put my trust. There is a saying that some people deal with issues of the world in a setting of ‘black and white’ – right and wrong; I am such a person. But now I can see it in ‘red and white’ – sinful versus righteous living. Christ Jesus, my savior has changed black to 'red as crimson' – He calls it sin - this is not an opinion, this is heavenly revealed fact! Right and wrong – sin and righteousness - was established at the foundation of Creation. His Will does not change, it does not waver, it is what God calls true LIFE.
This Truth was established at the Beginning, He has defined for me what is right and wrong, and I accept it. My desire to find the highest Authority and my unwillingness to except nothing but the Truth spoken by the highest Authority to aid me when making moral and ethical decisions in life was my greatest blessing! But our Father gives us so much more; clarity of mind through His Wisdom to deal rightly in all circumstances of life.
My mind's choices are now guided and guarded by the Law of the Holy Light of the Word of God, Christ Jesus, placed into my heart as exemplified and taught in the Scriptures.
I love God with all my heart because He dispelled the darkness of my own mind and gave me the Light of His mind to live by. I am exceedingly happy living in His new Life and rejoice and am glad, more than willing to submit my choices to His expressed Will. I am eager to do His Will - His Will is my delight! There is nothing more comforting to me than to know that I am part of the family of God !
amen lets fear God of host to win the tempest power .
Imagine this world without gravity, and needing to be tethered to the earth at all times. Gravity makes our life stable and predictable. Yet, at the same time we all have a fear of its effect when climbing very high. The higher we go, the greater our fear, and our safety, as long as that fear keeps us alert to our danger.