Hebrews 12 makes it clear that God disciplines and afflicts all of his children. The comments people sent to my last post testify to this testing and affliction and it differs for each one. When I consider the testings given to Emily and Ken, for example, they seem to be more than I could bear, yet God used those afflictions to bless them abundantly. The next verse in Hebrews takes us a step further, the step of embracing and fearing not God’s dealings.
12 Therefore (T)lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and (U)make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint (V)but rather be healed. (Hebrews 12:12-13 ESV)
I usually read from the English Standard Version of the Bible. I find it to be an excellent translation in most cases with wonderful cross references. The references here absolutely astounded me because I did not remember that this passage actually quoted the prophet Isaiah. Nor did I remember the dialogue from Job it mentions. Let’s consider that first.
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
2 “If one ventures a word with you, will you be impatient?
Yet who can keep from speaking?
3 Behold, you have instructed many,
and you have (A)strengthened the weak hands.
4 Your words have upheld him who was stumbling,
and you have (B)made firm the feeble knees.
5 But now it has come to you, and you are impatient;
it touches you, and you are dismayed.
6 (C)Is not your fear of God[a] your (D)confidence,
and the integrity of your ways your hope? (Job 4:1-6)
I confess that after five weeks of this gout attack I was beginning to get pretty cranky and even considered getting mad at God for not healing me. Then I found this passage from Job. Eliphaz’s first words hit me like a brick, “Will you be impatient?” And I considered, what was my physical affliction compared to Job’s? So, I continued reading. Yes, that sounds like it applies to me, I thought. I have tried to do those things. And then, “But now it has come to you, and you are impatient; it touches you, and you are dismayed.” Yes, I was impatient! Yes, I was dismayed! You nailed me, Eliphaz! And then he answered, “Is not your fear of God your confidence, and the integrity of your ways your hope?” Yes, I said, you’re right. God is my confidence. I do fear him. I have tried to walk in his ways. I do hope in his promises and his faithfulness!
This little dialogue between myself and the Word of God did not bring healing to my bones, but it brought peace to my soul. Then I went to the next reference the English Standard Version gave. This Hebrews quote comes directly from this passage and when I read I was blown away because it deals exactly with the times in which we live. The quote comes from Isaiah 35:3, but we should read the entire chapter to understand.
(A)The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad;
(B)the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus;
2 it shall blossom abundantly
and rejoice with joy and singing.
(C)The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,
the majesty of (D)Carmel and (E)Sharon.
(F)They shall see the glory of the Lord,
the majesty of our God.
3 (G)Strengthen the weak hands,
and make firm the feeble knees.
4 Say to those who have an anxious heart,
“Be strong; fear not!
(H)Behold, your God
will come with vengeance,
with the recompense of God.
He will come and save you.”
5 (I)Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
6 (J)then shall the lame man leap like a deer,
and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.
(K)For waters break forth in the wilderness,
and streams in the desert;
7 (L)the burning sand shall become a pool,
and the thirsty ground springs of water;
in the haunt of (M)jackals, where they lie down,
the grass shall become reeds and rushes.
8 (N)And a highway shall be there,
and it shall be called the Way of Holiness;
(O)the unclean shall not pass over it.
It shall belong to those who walk on the way;
even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.[a]
9 No lion shall be there,
nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it;
they shall not be found there,
but the redeemed shall walk there.
10 (P)And the ransomed of the Lord shall return
and come to Zion with singing;
(Q)everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
they shall obtain gladness and joy,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
We live in the time, the very time, when men’s hearts will begin to melt with fear by what is coming upon the earth. Soon the people of the earth will see and experience unheard of catastrophic events. Soon they will see en mass the physical manifestation of Satan and his minions who, I believe, will attempt to deceive people into believing that they are mankind’s saviors who come from other worlds. We live in the time of the fulfillment of the Biblical prophecies and those who have not prepared for these days, nor have watched for their coming, will be shocked out of their senses. But, God has prepared a remnant who know what is coming and it is to them that he says, “Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not!”
Now I didn’t just have peace in the midst of my affliction; now my affliction actually had purpose! I could see that God was using this to prepare me for that which soon comes. Therefore, let us remember, consider, and praise him for his faithfulness toward us and toward those that he calls us to help and to strengthen. Let us take our eyes off of our infirmities and set them with plaited (3-fold) vision upon him, the author of our souls. Strength does not come through the power of our flesh, and we do not war against flesh and blood. Let us remember with Paul,
8 (M)Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this [for example, to take away my gout], that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, (N)“My grace is sufficient for you, for (O)my power is made perfect in weakness.”Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that (P)the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 (Q)For the sake of Christ, then, (R)I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For (S)when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:8-10)
2 Responses to Be Strong & Fear Not! (Conformed to God’s Image (15))