Fear No Fear

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

“Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place, and strengthened himself against Israel. He placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken. Yahweh was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and didn’t seek the Baals, but sought the God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not in the ways of Israel. Therefore Yahweh established the kingdom in his hand. All Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he had riches and honor in abundance. His heart was lifted up in the ways of Yahweh. Furthermore, he took away the high places and the Asherah poles out of Judah. Also in the third year of his reign he sent his princes, even Ben Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah; and with them Levites, even Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah, the Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, the priests. They taught in Judah, having the book of Yahweh’s law with them. They went about throughout all the cities of Judah and taught among the people.”
(2 Chronicles 17:1-9)

“But we are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which he called you through our Good News, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold the traditions which you were taught by us, whether by word or by letter. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good work and word.”
(2 Thessalonians 2:13-16)

Jehoshaphat (great name, isn’t it?) didn’t just do things. He sent teachers out into all the Land so that people understood WHY the things were being done. WHY they were important. WHY it mattered. And everywhere the teachers went, the love of God spread so that all the people were united behind their king in following God. The result of this was that they had peace. “The fear of Yahweh fell on all the kingdoms of the lands that were around Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat” (2 Chronicles 17:10). Years of peace in which to build up the nation and prosper. Because their service to Yahweh brought them security. Because when they obeyed they were able to receive from God the things God had promised to them. They were facing Him and able to take from His hand.

The people of the church in Thessaloniki were being persecuted. Others were trying to get them to return to a pure following of the Law, instead of continuing through the Grace of Jesus. As if those two things were incompatible (Jesus told us if we follow Him and obey Him we will find ourselves obeying the commandments and the Law without trusting in the Law or our performance for our salvation – Matthew 22:35-41; John 14:15). They had been taught the truth. They had the Word. They needed to stand on it and not let it go. To continue to believe in what had originally saved them and not listen to false reports and lies. Knowing the truth was their greatest weapon against these attacks.

Summary

“For, “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? How will they hear without a preacher? And how will they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!”” (Romans 10:13-15). It is important for us to proclaim the Kingdom. Not a message of condemnation, but one of hope and redemption (John 3:16-18). It is important for us to teach the Word, because we need to mature and develop into good disciples of Jesus (1 Timothy 3:16). It is when we know the Word that we can obey the Word. When we obey the Word we KNOW we are doing the will of God. When we are in the will of God, we are in the BLESSING zone and that makes us even MORE of a witness to the world around us. Hold onto good teaching. Hold onto the Word. Stand on it. Don’t let it go. It is the FOUNDATION of everything we eagerly expect, joyfully experience, and lovingly witness.