The wicked flee when no one is pursuing,
But the righteous are bold as a lion.
What a great proverb to take solace in when we are in trouble or in stress. Those who have no faith in God "flee" (look for an escape) even when they don't actually see an enemy. But, they should flee ... for the God of the universe is their Judge! Read also Leviticus 26:17, 36 & Psalm 53:5 for further reference to those who run when nothing is in pursuit. If you remember the story of Hezekiah and the King of Assyria that is exactly what happened. Hezekiah prayed to God and the King and his army fled away from Israel even though no one was there (2 Kings 18, 19). People who don't fear God fear everything else, including their own imaginations. But, those who have trust in God have nothing to fear. Not the army behind them or the Red Sea in front of them (Exodus 14). Not the giant in front of them (1 Samuel 17), or the lion or fire around them (Daniel 3 & 6). Those who trust in God are confident (bold) that God will revive them and use His mighty arms and hands to protect them (Psalm 138:7,8). We can be bold, not because we have some magical strength or superior weapon, but because we are safe in the hands of God. If we face harm it is there by God's design plan. If it is there by God's design plan we can be sure that God will not only bring us through, but also bring us beyond. We can be bold because as God has made us righteous He also will make us safe. (For further study see also Job 20:24 and Proverbs 15:24.)
This proverb is very graphic. In my minds eye I see a man running as fast as he can and as scared as he can be, with no apparent threat to him or with anything pursuing him. As he runs by he passes a man who is sitting in a chair sipping tea. The man in the chair just shakes his head and laughs as the terror filled man races by. The righteous know who is in charge and therefore don't dread or fear the terror by night. God is in complete control of cancer, markets crashing, job unemployment, marriage fights, weather disasters, and any other thing that man fears. The thief in the night can't scare the man who is walking in the righteousness of the King of Kings. The righteous are as bold as a lion because a truly righteous person is not trusting in his own righteousness but knows he is but dust and it is only through the grace of God that he has righteousness. That is what makes the righteous a bold as a lion. Here is how it is stated in the Psalms:
For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.
No comments:
Post a Comment