The Year of our Lord, Jesus Christ
April 15, 2022
Revelation 1:17
And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
Sixty-two times. That is how many times in our Bible that the phrase Fear not is used. Ten more times than the number of weeks in a year. Only four times less than the number of books in the Bible. Eight times less than the threescore and ten years given as an age span. Forty-eight times in the Old Testament, fourteen in the New.
Of all the usages of this phrase only two are not credited to an angel or the Lord Himself. One is found in the story of the unjust judge as related by Jesus in Luke 18:4 wherein the judge said, …Though I fear not God… The second is located in John 12:15 which is a quote from the prophet Zechariah (Zechariah 9:9).
Overwhelmingly then, this message of Fear not is uniquely of divine origin. Meaning that man cannot properly, effectively, or successfully give or fulfil this command. But God can. He sends His angels to tell humans to Fear not. Jesus gives the same heavenly command; Fear not. In Zechariah’s message he does not use the phrase but rather gives the results of obeying the phrase. He says Rejoice greatly… In the New Testament John translates those words with Fear not. Not fearing is the same as rejoicing. Rejoicing is the same as not fearing. They are inexorably tied together. For only God in Heaven through His messengers can deliver one from fear or provide one with great joy with any efficacy.
Fear not cannot come from money. How many have great amounts of money but live in continual fear? Fear not is not acquired through education, strength, personality, or self-will. It is a gift. A gift of God. A person cannot end their fear just by saying “I will not fear,” any more than a person can say “I will grow another 6 inches taller”. Height is a matter of genetics. Lack of fear is a matter of Divine intervention. God desires for His children to live in a continual state of Fear not. His intervention in a life is the only way to obtain such a bold existence.
Nowhere though does God give a command wherein He does not equip the obedience to that command. In other words, if God tells us to Fear not then it is possible to do so. Since not fearing is in essence boldness, Proverbs 28:1 gives an insight as to how to obtain such; The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion. As with so many other things of divine nature, righteousness is the key to living a state of Fear not.
Let the words of Jesus sum up the entire subject Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. John 14:1-3 Because of these promises and so many more…Fear not.
Until next time,
William T. Howe, Ph.D.
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