Fear No Fear

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

“Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. He did that which was evil in Yahweh his God’s sight. He didn’t humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from Yahweh’s mouth. He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God; but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart against turning to Yahweh, the God of Israel. Moreover all the chiefs of the priests and the people trespassed very greatly after all the abominations of the nations; and they polluted Yahweh’s house which he had made holy in Jerusalem. Yahweh, the God of their fathers, sent to them by his messengers, rising up early and sending, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place; but they mocked the messengers of God, despised his words, and scoffed at his prophets, until Yahweh’s wrath arose against his people, until there was no remedy.”
(2 Chronicles 36:11-16)

“Hear my teaching, my people.
    Turn your ears to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth in a parable.
    I will utter dark sayings of old,
which we have heard and known,
    and our fathers have told us.
We will not hide them from their children,
    telling to the generation to come the praises of Yahweh,
    his strength, and his wondrous deeds that he has done.
For he established a covenant in Jacob,
    and appointed a teaching in Israel,
    which he commanded our fathers,
    that they should make them known to their children;
that the generation to come might know, even the children who should be born;
    who should arise and tell their children,
that they might set their hope in God,
    and not forget God’s deeds,
    but keep his commandments,
and might not be as their fathers—
    a stubborn and rebellious generation,
    a generation that didn’t make their hearts loyal,
    whose spirit was not steadfast with God.”
(Psalm 78:1-8)

Josiah restored the Temple and the people restoring it found a scroll of the Torah (believed to be the book of Deuteronomy). It was read to the king and the king was upset because the people hadn’t been following the Word for a LONG time. He led the people to follow the Word. They had a huge Passover in which all the people actually participated with all their hearts. A PROPER Passover. The people rejoiced and praised and followed God. But it didn’t last. Within a few kings, the priests and the king and the people had fallen away. They had chosen idols. They had chosen to reject God. And they not only didn’t listen to His prophets and messengers, they mocked them and beat them and treated them disrespectfully. The people broke covenant. God respected their choice and was grieved to let them walk the path they had chosen – exile and defeat.

Our desires don’t last. Our good intentions don’t last. Our good behaviour doesn’t last. It wears down like a wind-up toy and we stop. Once we have stopped, it’s easy to start going backwards. It is only by the consistent application of the Word before our eyes that we can hope to stay ‘wound up’. The Word brings us TRUTH. The Word shows us how to hold onto it and how to walk in it. The Word renews our thinking. The Word keeps the Light of God on our path so that we continue to walk with Him deeper into Him. We cannot do without it. We ALSO need time with Him, prayer with Him and to Him, worship, thanksgiving, and teaching. But without the Word as an integral part of our lives, we will leave the other stuff behind. We will wind down. We will stop. The lessons of the people of Israel and Judah show us this time and again. God did not lie. God was not unfaithful. Jesus told us: if we seek God, we will get all the things God says are ours (Matthew 6:33).

Summary

The Word is the foundation of our walk with God. It is the benchmark God uses to correct us, instruct us, and in many ways guide us. God’s talking to us isn’t about NEW revelation. It’s revelation of what He’s given us in the Word. It’s explanation and application. Jesus said very little that was brand new. Jesus’ teaching all comes from the Word. It is based on it and expounds on what was written. Jesus called us to the HEART of the Word, not just the rules and regulations of the Law. Holy Spirit lives in us to help make the Word ALIVE to us. The Word will renew our thinking so that we are in harmony with God’s thinking. So that we are seeking what He says we can find. So that we are living how He says we can live. So that we are prospering in every area of our lives: spirit, soul, and body. The Word is our foundation and without it, we are hampered in our walk with God.