What other biblical examples show the dangers of acting out of fear? Setting the Stage: Jeroboam’s Fear 1 Kings 12:26–28: “Jeroboam said in his heart, ‘Now the kingdom may revert to the house of David…’ So the king sought advice and made two golden calves.” Jeroboam’s private panic—“said in his heart”—moved him to create a false worship system that snared Israel for generations. Scripture keeps warning that fear-driven choices rarely stay private; they ripple outward. Below are more portraits of what happens when fear calls the shots. Fear Distorts the Truth: Abraham in Egypt and Gerar • Genesis 12:11-13; 20:11 • Twice Abraham fears powerful kings will kill him for Sarah’s sake, so he lies: “She is my sister.” • Result: plagues on Egypt, near-adultery in Gerar, and rebuke from pagan rulers. Fear made the father of faith look faithless. Fear Blocks the Inheritance: Israel at Kadesh-barnea • Numbers 13:31; 14:2-4 • Spies report giants; the people cry, “Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt.” • God’s verdict: forty wilderness years (Numbers 14:34). Fear cost a whole generation the Promised Land. Fear Rushes Ahead of God: Saul at Gilgal • Philistines press in, troops scatter, Samuel is late. Saul admits, “I saw that the people were scattering… so I felt compelled and offered the burnt offering” (v. 12). • Kingdom torn away—fear birthed disobedience and permanent loss. Fear Creates Idols: Aaron and the Golden Calf • People panic at Moses’ delay. Aaron yields: “Make us gods who will go before us.” • Idolatry, judgment, and 3,000 deaths follow. Fear always looks for a substitute savior. Fear Shrinks Vision: Elijah under the Broom Tree • After fire falls on Carmel, one threat from Jezebel sends Elijah running. He prays, “It is enough; now, LORD, take my life.” • God must redirect him with a gentle whisper and fresh assignment. Fear can make yesterday’s victory feel irrelevant. Fear Denies the Lord: Peter in the Courtyard • Three simple questions, three denials: “I do not know the man!” • Peter weeps bitterly; yet Jesus later restores him. Fear can fell the boldest disciple, but grace can raise him again. Fear Murders Innocents: Herod the Great • “When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed.” His insecurity triggers the slaughter of Bethlehem’s boys. Fear, left unchecked, becomes cruelty. Key Takeaways for Today • Fear is a powerful motivator, but never a trustworthy counselor. • Each story pairs a fearful heart with a costly outcome—lost kingdoms, delayed promises, damaged witness, broken fellowship. • God repeatedly answers fear with an invitation to trust: “Do not fear, for I am with you” (Isaiah 41:10). • Let Scripture, prayer, and obedience replace the inner monologue that says, “What if…?” with the confession, “God is.” |
    |