Fear No Fear

(All scripture from the World English Bible, ebible.org, all rights reserved)

Gedaliah swore to them and to their men, and said to them, “Don’t be afraid because of the servants of the Chaldeans. Dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will be well with you.”
2 Kings 25:24 (emphasis added)

King Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem. The city, the temple, and many of the people. He decimated it. The Israelites lost everything. They’d been warned. They had been warned so many times. But they did not turn from their idols. They did not serve the Lord. And this happened. Remember: when you step out of the fence of obedience, out of the yard of Blessing, out from under the wings of the Most High, you leave yourself exposed to the full force of the curse of sin. The wages of sin are in fact death (Romans 6:23). We have been spared by the Mercy, Grace, and Faith of God through Jesus, the Christ who paid the penalty. But the Israelites had only the Law to keep them safe. And they didn’t follow it. Not they tried but fell short because all of us do unless we’re abiding IN Jesus. They did NOT follow it. At ALL.

Now they were conquered. When the king of Babylon left, he made Gedaliah governor over the people who remained. And they came to Gedaliah. Any and all military men and the remnants of the royal family line. They were concerned. About their future, security, and what they were able to do and not do. But Gedaliah said they had nothing to fear. Nebuchadnezzar had what he wanted. If the people just went about their lives, they’d be fine. Don’t break the laws, and they’d be fine. Just be copacetic and they’d be fine. He gave his word on it.

They heard him. But some of them didn’t hear him. There is no record that they sought God. There is no evidence they were being led by God. And seeing as this was the result of them refusing to follow God and stay in His yard of Blessing, I don’t think God approved of what they did. One of the remaining members of the royal family came with ten men and assassinated Gedaliah.
When you kill someone in local authority, if they are in that place because they were legally placed there, the people above that person usually don’t take it kindly. This is especially true in regimes that are based on military might or other forms of strength. Shows of strength are always required to keep the peace. These men had violated the local authority of the king who had just come down and kicked their collective tushies. They knew Nebuchadnezzar was not known for his generosity or warm fuzzy demeanour. So they (and all the people young and old who were nearby and might be blamed) fled to Egypt (vs 26).

It is important to hear with our ears what is said. Not just the words but the message behind them – especially if that message is a warning. We are able to hear words, but not take in the point. We might miss it. It might be over our head. In other cases, we might choose to refuse a message. Because we don’t like it, or who it’s coming from. We are able to close our ears and ignore the point. We might miss it because we are hurt. Others in the same position of authority said things like this message, but didn’t follow through. Or abused their trust. We are able to be scarred and miss the message. We can hear, but not hear.

This is especially true with the Word of God. Don’t just hear the Word, accept it. Don’t be a heard the words but not the message type of person. Jesus warns about it in Matthew 11:15 & 13:9,15, and 16; in Mark 4:9 and 23, 7:14-16; and in Luke 9:44. There are more examples. Taking Matthew 11:15. Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” When John got his vision of the future and the end of the world, the punishment of the wicked, and the final victory of Jesus the warning comes again: Revelation 2:7, 2:13, 2:29, 3:6, 3:13, 3:22, and 13:9. Take Revelation 3:6. Jesus said, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.” This is not an exhaustive list. It comes up again and again.

Don’t say that you can’t unless you’re convinced. Be convinced first. Have you ever heard a weather report? Don’t you take your umbrella? Dress for warm weather? Buy up on road salt? Grab a new set of rubber boots? We heard and we took it in. We believed. We didn’t just hear the report. We heard and applied it. Even though the weather being mentioned might not have been visible yet. The weather might be great, but about to turn. Or terrible and about to break. But we take it on the experience of those who report it and believe. We can — and should — do the same thing with the Word. It was crafted by Almighty God. Word for word. “Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, that each person who belongs to God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Another translation from the Greek could be Every writing inspired by God is. Everything that is in the Bible, is supposed to be there. Everything that isn’t, isn’t. Trust it. Trust it more than the weather report.

If you have ears that work, use them. If you can consume words, listen to what they are — by print, audiobook, teaching message, or another person reading them to you. If you can hear the Word, hear it! It is so important. God speaks to us in His Word. The Old Testament shows us His heart, His righteousness, His inability to be in the same place as sin, and the cost of sin. The New Testament explains the sacrifice of Jesus, shows us how to accept the gift of salvation, and how to live in glory here on earth and later in heaven. None of it means anything to you if you’re not hearing it. But if you are hearing it, it will alter every thought, emotion, and action in your life bit by bit.

Hearing is a choice. Life is a choice. We don’t have to choose death. We can choose the blessing and not the curse. Life and not death (Deuteronomy 30:19). We can choose salvation. We don’t have to choose damnation.

Choose life. Choose to hear. Choose Jesus.

Daily Affirmation of God’s Love: Deuteronomy 7:8-11

God loves us enough to save us from the slavery of sin. He uses His mighty hand and pulls us up and out into the promised land – the hope of glory, the righteousness of the resurrected Jesus, and the covenant of Jesus’ blood shed for us. What love. What gifts. How easy He makes it to receive them. Receive them if you haven’t. He will maintain the covenant relationship with you if you’ll maintain the covenant relationship with Him. What Grace that is! This is more than just a handshake and a piece of pie. This is the Creator of EVERYTHING who cares enough about EACH INDIVIDUAL that He wrote our names down in a book. Seriously (Exodus 32:31-35). He started things before He made ANYTHING (Revelation 13:8). He did not waiver. He did not stop. He finished the work (John 19:30). He offered it to us and will continue to offer it to us right to the end. THAT is love.

Your Daily Confession of God’s love to YOU:

Today God loves that I _______.