Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

Yahweh is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in loyal love.

Psalm 103:8

Adonai shows anger for the first time in scripture in Exodus 32:10 saying “And now leave me alone so that my anger may blaze against them, and let me destroy them, and I will make you into a great nation.” He was speaking of the Israelites, the descendants of Abraham, that He had been dealing with since He spoke to Abraham about them in Genesis 15:13 “And he said to Abram, “You must surely know that your descendants shall be as aliens in a land not their own. And they shall serve them and they shall oppress them four hundred years.” Exactly four hundred and forty years after that (Moses cost them forty years when he tried to do it his way – Exodus 2), the Law was given on Mount Sinai in modern day Saudi Arabia. At this point – the giving of the Law – Adonai had miraculously brought them out of Egypt with signs and wonders, showed Himself on the mountain, spoke to them in an audible voice, and spent time teaching Moses what he would need to teach the people. And they were worshipping idols because they didn’t want to wait. THAT is when Adonai showed His anger. Four HUNDRED years plus of dealing with these people, this chosen bloodline, and they were STILL going to reject Him? Four HUNDRED plus years before Adonai got angry. I would DEFINITELY agree that Adonai is SLOW to anger – especially considering this bloodline had had murderers, cruel people, adulterers, and liars among them more than once. Adonai is VERY MUCH slow to anger.

Canaan was not the ancestral home of the Philistines. They were aliens in the land the same way the Israelites were. Caphtor was an island of the ancient world – possibly Crete or Cappadocia, depending on who you study. Some of the Philistines are associated as being from Casluhim (also thought to be an island). The Philistines who came to Canaan, displaced the Avvim who lived there. “And also the Avvites, who lived in villages as far as Gaza, and the Caphtorim, who came out from Caphtor, destroyed them and then settled in their place” (Deuteronomy 2:23). They were remnant survivors from their place of origin that entered the Canaan/Gaza region at the end of the Bronze Age (when the Minoan civilization centred on Crete was collapsing, possibly due to volcanic eruption). Adonai brought them to His Land to preserve them. To save them. But they turned on Him and despised Him. They took to the idols of the land and worshipped them. Around 1380 B.C, the Israelites started to clash with them. Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon destroyed them (604 B.C.). They finally ceased to be a cultural group around the late fifth century B.C.. So they knew of Adonai, rejected Him, fought His people, and were finally judged over a period of time running about five hundred and seventy-one years at a MINIMUM. Who knows how long they knew and served Adonai before being brought to Gaza? That’s still a long time.

Egypt unified around 3100 B.C. Amenhotep II ruled Egypt around 1453–1426 B.C. (high chronology) or 1427–1401 B.C. (low chronology), both of which puts him in the running to be the Pharaoh of the Exodus (it’s complicated, but both dates work depending on which system of coordinating dates/calenders you use). If that’s true (I personally agree), then that is over sixteen HUNDRED years from formation to a judgment which proved Yahweh’s superiority in EVERY WAY to their idols. That isn’t even the FINAL judgment, just A judgment. That’s a LONG time. How did other empires who stood against Adonai fare? The Assyrians lasted 1,900 years. The Babylonians lasted 300 years (Old) and less than 100 (New), for a total of around 400 years. The Amorites for over four hundred. All these nations got judged – and some of them got partially judged with more judgment yet to come. Hundreds of years. Multiple generations. Adonai does NOT get mad fast. We REALLY need to stop thinking of Him as a smiter.

We could look at it in reverse as well. Jesus speaks of returning to the Earth SOON. According to Merriam-Webster, ‘soon’ means without undue time lapse; in a prompt manner; at once, or immediately. It has been more than TWO THOUSAND YEARS on our calendar. If Jesus said that was QUICK, then we definitely should think of ‘slow’ as being a long time. In other words, NOTHING you can do could stir up Adonai’s anger toward you within your lifetime. Sadness? Yes. Correction? Definitely. A talking to? Most likely. But ‘anger’? Very doubtful. Besides, with Adonai CORRECTING you, you don’t NEED His anger. His FIRMNESS is enough to melt mountains, much less our insides. Adonai’s anger is not needed in His dealings with humanity. It DOES come up from time to time, but over CENTURIES, not a few years. Adonai is SLOW to anger.

Isn’t that something to praise Him for? To be absolutely and totally thankful for? Well, if He isn’t angry, what is He? Compassionate. Gracious. Full of abundant and loyal love. THAT is the character of Adonai. He isn’t smiting nations and bringing woes on people. That isn’t His job description. Does that occur? Of course! We live in a fallen world with free will happening all the time AND we have an enemy devoted to getting worship for himself (which ultimately kills us) and when the devil can’t get that he tries to destroy us (John 10:10). That ANYTHING good happens AT ALL is a HUGE testament to the GOODNESS of Adonai. The love and compassion of Adonai is what draws people to Him (John 3:17-18). Not the threat of a spiritual hand upside the head. You cannot read the Word and end up with a negative picture of Adonai – not if you pay attention to what’s really going on. Most of the prophetic writings are pleas over decades and decades and decades for the people to repent in order to avoid penalties for their sins. No judgment rushes on them without warning. He even holds back judgment because the people haven’t had enough of a chance. Innocents are never harmed, only those who have refused to submit and obey the ONLY one who is RIGHT and the ONLY one who gives LIFE and FREEDOM.

We have SO MUCH to be thankful for, and the truth that Adonai is NOT getting angry at us is one of them. The truth that Adonai will correct us both gently AND firmly is another. I know that I will go off course, we ALL miss it one way or another. I don’t want to be four hundred kilometres into the wilds before I get a correction. I want it right away. Oh, I might not LIKE it, but I WANT it. I want to get His point of view on what sent me wrong. I don’t want mine. His is a help. Mine is a welp. I am thankful that Ruach HaKodesh doesn’t stop speaking to me. Even silence is LOADED with intent. I am NEVER without commentary by Him about ME. All of it based on things Jesus has said. All of it based on the Word. All of it testable, checkable, and true! I am NEVER alone. He is MORE THAN ENOUGH for me. Because He is FAITHFUL in His love for me. He is compassionate toward me. And Ruach HaKodesh NEVER lets me forget it, praise Adonai! He is SLOW to anger and QUICK to reconcile when I repent. I am SO GRATEFUL to Him. Aren’t you?

Daily Affirmation of the Goodness of Elohim: Proverbs 16:26

“The life of a worker works for him, for his hunger urges him.” Adonai knew what He was doing when He created hunger. It not only fuels our work, but it brings us back to replenish. It is a WONDERFUL daily picture of what we are to be doing with Jesus (John 6:51; 7:37-39). Our hunger for the spiritual purity of Jesus DRIVES us to open the Word, seek Him in prayer, and praise His glorious name. Ruach HaKodesh is THE cheerleader of the Kingdom, ALWAYS pressing in on us to help raise the hunger up. To keep us looking where He is pointing (at Jesus). He does NOT leave us to wander empty cupboards desperate for whatever crumbs come our way. He does NOT leave us to click on Uber Eats and get whatever unhealthy but good tasting morsels the world is offering. He ALWAYS creates a hunger for the GOOD things. For things that BUILD US UP and not poison us. No pains. No hooks. No scars. Only GOOD and RIGHT and JUST things. Godly things. HIS things. Always available. Always edible. Always tasting sweet. What a GOOD God!

Your Daily Confession of Elohim’s Goodness:

I taste and see that Yahweh is good; I am blessed because I take refuge in Him.

Psalm 34:8