Those “Fear Not(s)”

Sometime ago I read somewhere that God had included 365 “fear not” statements within the Bible, or something similar – “Be not afraid”, “Do not fear”, etc.  While I have been doing my annual read through the Scriptures I have been trying to make a point to catch these, underline them, and write there address down in a notebook.  I have found 27 after having read through the fifth chapter of Judges.

The twenty seventh one found is in Judges 4:18, and it reads:

“And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle.”

When you get to looking at the story surrounding the event where the woman uses these assuring words, there should almost be a caveat with them; “BEWARE OF THE ONE WHO SPEAKS THE WORDS ‘FEAR NOT'”.  In this case it was a woman who was a friend of Israel, and the one to whom she spoke was the enemy of  Israel, but someone he [Sisera] thought he could trust.

It is certain that when we are on God’s side we need not fear; however when you are an enemy of God and enemy of His people then you had better be cautious of His “Fear not”, they are usually intended for those who hear and obey Him, as words of assurance.

Fear not, when you are resting in Jesus Christ.  Be afraid, O enemy of God.

-Tim A. Blankenship