These are the words that God says:
To Abram (Genesis 15:1);
To Isaac (Genesis 26:24);
To Jacob (Genesis 46:3);
To Moses (Exodus 3:11);
To Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20:15);
To Joel (Joel 2:21);
To Ezekiel ( Ezekiel 3:9);
To Joseph (Luke 2:10);
To His disciples (John 14:27);
To Paul (2 Timothy 1:7);
To the apostle John (Revelation 1:17).
That fear is a very real and common emotion is evident from the repetition of God’s instruction not be afraid to the many people listed above, and the list is not exhaustive.
According to the Oxford dictionary fear is an emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain or harm. The medical world describes excessive fear as for instance acrophobia, a fear of heights; claustrophobia, as a fear of closed spaces; aerophobia, as a fear of flying; aquaphobia, as a fear of water; and glossophobia, as a fear of public speaking and the like. These fears are uncontrollable, irrational and lasting fears of a certain object, situation or activity.
The situations described in the lives of the people mentioned above are however not referring to this excessive fear, but cut across all walks of life. It includes old and young, rich and poor, free and slave. No one escapes the uncertainties of life.
From the Old Testament text, just looking at Abram and Moses, Abram had to leave behind the familiar environment of his residence and set out on a journey of which he did not know the destination. Moses is called when he was fleeing from persecution after he killed a man. He had to assume leadership of a nation, address the Pharoah, and set off into the unknown. He did not have a road map, an inventory of the food, and most of all, he did not even know if the Israelites will accept him as leader.
Fast forward to the New Testament. The disciples find themselves on the eve of the Passover being told that Jesus will be crucified. They are anxious because they do not understand what Jesus is talking about and they did not know where He was going as is evident from the text. Jesus starts this conversation with the words “ Do not let your heart be troubled.”
These situations commonly speak of the anxiety of an unknown future. In addition, Moses doubted his ability to be appear in front of Pharoah and address the Pharoah with the message, “Let my people go.”
People today, share these anxieties. As the economies of the world decline, the future becomes more and more unclear, the demands greater and the concerns more real. The anxiety to perform one’s duties to the standards of the Pharaohs of this world is mounting.
None of the people listed, were expected to just stop fearing on God’s command. When God instructs them “Do not fear,” God makes the following promises:
On each of these mentioned occasions, the instruction not to fear is followed by God’s promise. It is not because of our abilities but because of God’s faithfulness that we should not fear.
There is one occasion however that Jesus says that we should be afraid. In Matthew 10:28, Jesus says that we should fear him who can destroy body and soul in hell. In all other instances we are instructed not to fear. Jesus gives the reason. “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny. You are worth more than many sparrows.”
The meaning of the words “do not fear” is expressed in the Hebrew pictographs. The Hebrew words for “do not fear” are al tira. The first word is spelt with the same consonants as the word El which is the shortened form of Elohim, God. The second word תירא tira, is spelt tav-yod-resh-aleph. The pictographs of these letters are a cross (tav), an arm (yod), the head of man (resh), and an ox (aleph). This reads: God, by the mighty act of God on the cross connects man to the strong leader.
Isaiah 35:4 foretells this incident: “Behold, your God will come with vengeance…... He will come and save you… The eyes of the blind will be opened and the ear of the deaf will be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap like a dear and the tongue of the mute shall sing for joy…. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return to Zion with singing, and everlasting joy shall be on their heads…. and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”
Today, God is still instructing everyone not to be afraid. The promise: “I am with you till the end of the age.” You are worth many sparrows, and if God did not spare His own Son, how much more will He not give you all things.
Do not be afraid.
