FEAR NOT: 1 Kings 17:13-14

"And Elijah said to her, "Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. For thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the LORD sends rain on the earth.'" 

BACKGROUND/COMMENTARY from David Guzik (blueletterbible.org): In this chapter, we read about the prophet Elijah and his encounter with the widow at Zarephath, a Gentile city. Widows were notorious for their poverty in the ancient world and this one was no exception, especially when the whole region was going through a severe drought and there was no food to eat. As a matter of fact, when Elijah first sees her, she is getting ready to prepare the FINAL meal for herself and her son. After that, they would just wait for death to take them.

"Do not fear: This was God's first word to the widow through Elijah. Her present crisis rightly made her afraid, and God wanted her to put away fear and put trust in Him." "Go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first: This was an audaciously bold request from the prophet. He asked this destitute widow to first give him something from her last bit of food. This seemed like the worst kind of predatory fund-raising." Finally, "The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the LORD sends rain on the earth: This shows why Elijah could make such an audacious request. It was because God told him that He would provide a never-ending supply of food for the widow, her son, and Elijah himself. He asked the widow to put her trust in this great promise of God." 

 

PERSONAL APPLICATION: The moral of this story: the widow's obedience resulted in God's overflowing blessings! "She and he and her household ate for many days: God fulfilled the promise to the widow, her son, and Elijah. God used her as a channel of supply and her needs were met as a result." God can and does use anyone who puts their full trust and faith in Him. Even this widow who was not a believer came to believe in God because of the miracles He showed her. Later on in the chapter, we learn that her son died but was raised back to life because of Elijah's faith in following God's commands. We, too, should have this same heart of obedience. There's NO TELLING what awesome things God can do in and through us if we just follow Him!!

FEAR NOT--2 Samuel 13:28

"Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon; then kill him, fear not: have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant."
BACKGROUND/COMMENTARY (David Guzik at blueletterbible.org): This chapter deals with the very sad and unfortunate chain of events that began with Ammon's obsession with his half-sister Tamar and ended with Ammon's murder at the hands of Absalom's men. Absalom and Tamar were the children of David through David's wife named Maacah, who was the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur (2 Samuel 3:3). Amnon was David's first born son, born from his wife Ahinoam the Jezreelitess (2 Samuel 3:2). Being the first born, Amnon was the crown prince - first in line for the throne of Israel.
Amnon longed for Tamar so much that he became lovesick. It was even more difficult for him because she was a virgin - meaning that she was available for marriage, but not to Amnon because marriage between half-brother and sister was forbidden. As later events will show, Ammon did not love Tamar at all. Amnon lusted after Tamar and called it love. He certainly is not the last person to do this, and lust often presents itself as love. In verses 11 to 14, we are told of Ammon's rape of Tamar. This was followed in verse 15, of Ammon's rejection of Tamar. "Amnon hated her exceedingly: This reveals Amnon's attraction for Tamar for what it was - lust, not love. Amnon was attracted to Tamar for what he could get from her, not out of concern for her. In many lustful relationships there is a combination of both love and lust but in Amnon's attraction there was only lust."
Absalom's words to his men to "fear not" just shows that Absalom felt he was justified in committing murder because of Ammon's ungodly treatment of his sister Tamar. He was telling his men that their act of murder was necessary so they were to be courageous and valiant in their attack on Ammon. The use of "fear not" in this verse is the opposite of God telling His children to "fear not" because when God says this, He means that He is with us and will protect us and make us victorious because our mission is just and pure. Absalom's men's mission, however, would never be sanctioned by God, yet Absalom decided to go ahead and "play God" where his sister's honor and reputation was concerned.
From Robert Jamieson @ blueletterbible.org: The law as to premeditated murder ( Num 35:21 ) gave Absalom no hope of remaining with impunity in his own country. The cities of refuge could afford him no sanctuary, and he was compelled to leave the kingdom, taking refuge at the court of Geshur, with his maternal grandfather, who would, doubtless, approve of his conduct." "In Eastern countries, where polygamy prevails, the girls are considered to be under the special care and protection of their uterine brother, who is the guardian of their interests and their honor..." However, by committing pre-meditated murder, instead of being able to protect his sister, Absalom had to leave his home and flee to Talmai. This left Tamar alone, depressed, and possibly suicidal because of what had been done to her.
PERSONAL APPLICATION (David Guzik): In this single-minded lust, Amnon only built upon the example of his father David. David was never this dominated by lust, but he was pointed in the same direction. David's multiple wives (2 Samuel 3:2-5) and adultery with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:2-4) displayed this same direction. This is often how the iniquity of the fathers is carried on by the children to the third and fourth generations (Exodus 20:5). A child will often model a parent's sinful behavior, and go further in the direction of sin the parent is pointed towards."
As for committing pre-meditated murder, that's a no-brainer… After all, God gave us a specific command NOT to murder. He intended for us to follow that to the letter of the law.
i wonder what happened to Tamar... we don't hear about her after this... i hope she wasn't left to cope all alone with the broken pieces of her life...

FEAR NOT--2 Samuel 9:7

"And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually."

BACKGROUND/COMMENTARY from David Guzik (blueletterbible.org): This chapter tells of [the] gesture of kindness by David to Mephibosheth and unveils the kind of heart David had. It also illustrates the mercy of God to the underserving. One of the demonstrations of kindness shown by David to the house of Saul was to restore all the property of Saul to his heir, Mephibosheth. Because of what happened to Saul, all that belonged to him became David’s property. But, David gave it back.
In verse 5, Mephibosheth must have been terrified when messengers from David knocked at his door and demanded that he come with them to see the king. In the back of his mind he anticipated the day when David would do as other kings did and massacre every potential rival to his throne. According to the custom of the times, Mephibosheth had a lot to fear from David. Yet his fear of David was not founded in fact, only on assumption.
But, in verse 7, David removes the fears of Mephibosheth. David [had] made a covenant with Jonathan in 1 Samuel 20, promising to show kindness to the descendants of Jonathan. David gladly makes good on his promise, [even] though Jonathan is long dead. David simply promised Mephibosheth would receive what was his. Mephibosheth knew about these lands all along but he was afraid to take possession of them because it would expose him before the king. David went against all custom in showing such kindness to an heir of the former dynasty. Finally, go[ing] far[ther] beyond giving Mephibosheth what was rightly his, [David] gave Mephibosheth the honor of a close relationship with the king. 

PERSONAL APPLICATION from David Guzik (blueletterbible.org): David's grace to Mephibosheth is a wonderful picture of God's grace to us. We are Mephibosheth. We are hiding, poor, weak, lame, and fearful before our King comes to us. We are separated from our King because of our wicked ancestors. We are separated from our King because of our deliberate actions. We separated ourselves from the King because we didn't know him of His love for us. Our King sought us out before we sought Him. The King's kindness is extended to us for the sake of another. The King's kindness is based on covenant. We must receive the King's kindness in humility. The King returns to us what we lost in hiding from Him. The King returns to us more than what we lost in hiding from Him. We have the privilege of provision at the King's table. We are received as sons at the King's table, with access to the King and fellowship with Him. We receive servants from the King. The King's honor does not immediately take away all our weakness and lameness, but it gives us a favor and standing that overcomes its sting and changes the way we think about ourselves.
David's grace to Mephibosheth is also a pattern for us in serving and ministering to others. We are David. We should seek out our enemies and seek to bless them. We should look for the poor, weak, lame, and hidden to bless them. We should bless others [even] when they don't deserve it, and bless them more than they deserve. We should bless others for the sake of someone else. We must show the kindness of God to others.

FEAR NOT -- 1 Samuel 28:13

"And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth."

BACKGROUND/COMMENTARY: From verses 3 to 14, we read of King Saul's visit to the witch of Endor because he wanted to speak with Samuel about the impending battle with the Philistines. In verse 12, the witch realized that it was King Saul in disguise who had come to ask for her help and she was afraid because witches were banned from the land. King Saul, desperate to find the answers he was looking for, assured her that she need not be afraid because of what she was being asked to do.
According to the Isidro Annotated Old Testament, "There are some well-meaning scholars who believe that the true and real Samuel appeared to Saul. They believe that God made a special exception to the clear prohibition in Deuteronomy 18:11. However, based on exegesis and theological considerations, it is the view of this annotation that the real Samuel did not appear. Instead, it was a demon imitation of the voice of Samuel which Saul heard. First, Saul did not see Samuel. Both sides of the debate agree that Saul really did not see the appearance of Samuel... Second, we also read that after Saul heard the description from the woman, “he stooped with [his] face to the ground, and bowed himself.” This further proves that Saul did not see the apparition because his face was towards the ground. He did not look up. Third, we also know that Saul was not in normal health at this time. We read the following words from 1 Samuel 28:20—Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night. With his physical condition, plus his fear of the forthcoming battle with the Philistines, Saul was very vulnerable to any form of deception. This, again, is another proof that the appearance was not real, but rather a deception. 
Additionally from the Isidro Annotated Old Testament:  "1 Chronicles 10:13-14 considers the event as a great sin on the part of Saul. Here is the passage:  So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, [even] against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking [counsel] of [one that had] a familiar spirit, to enquire [of it]; And enquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse. V. 14 is very emphatic that Saul did not inquire of the LORD. The Hebrew word translated “inquire” is darash which is in the perfect tense. The usage of the word means “to seek diligently.” Instead, Saul asked counsel from a medium. Therefore, it was not the real Samuel who appeared but an apparition of a demonic spirit. If the real Samuel had appeared, then God would have compromised His instruction never to seek guidance from the spirit world."

PERSONAL APPLICATION: I know this is a given, but it's good to be reminded again that, as children of God, we should never dabble with demonic spirits in any way, shape or form. This includes consulting one's horoscope, the reading of tarot cards, etc. Consulting with the witch of Endor which was expressly prohibited by God contributed to King Saul's death.

As for the "fear not," the witch did not need to fear what Saul would do to her, but Saul had PLENTY to fear because he disobeyed God's law...

FEAR NOT--1 Samuel 23:17

"And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth."

BACKGROUND/COMMENTARY from David Guzik (blueletterbible.org): Verses 16-18--This was the last time David and Jonathan would ever see each other on the earth, and their relationship was still confirmed in the commitment of covenant.
What did Jonathan do for David? Jonathan strengthened his hand in God. Jonathan could not rescue David, but he strengthened his hand in God. Jonathan couldn't give David all the answers, but he strengthened his hand in God. Jonathan couldn't stay with David, but he strengthened his hand in God. What a precious gift Jonathan gave David!
"He comforted and supported him against all his fears, by minding him of God's infallible promises made to him, and his singular providence which hitherto had and still would be with him." (Poole)
In encouraging David, Jonathan gave him reasons to not fear. David could reject fear because God would ultimately protect him (Saul my father shall not find you). David could reject fear because God's promise would come to pass (You shall be king over Israel). David could reject fear because he had loyal friends like Jonathan (I shall be next to you).

PERSONAL APPLICATION: Jonathan is an excellent example of a TRUE friend. It's rare to find someone who believes in you wholeheartedly and supports all your efforts. If we find a friend like Jonathan was to David, we should do everything to keep and value their friendship.

FEAR NOT -- 1 Samuel 22:23

"Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be in safeguard."

BACKGROUND/COMMENTARY: From the Isidro Annotated Old Testament---This chapter records the massacre of the priests in the city of Nob. Verses 6-19 gives the account of the massacre of the priests of Nob and their families by the order of Saul because they had helped David in his escape from Saul. While the soldiers of Saul refuse to slay the priests, Doeg the Edomite led in the massacre. Saul lost his reverence for the priesthood of Israel due to his hatred against David. In verse 23, it is to Abiathar, one of the sons of Ahimelech, who was able to escape that David says, "Fear not..."
from David Guzik (blueletterbible.org): In verses 16-19, Saul commands the execution of the priests and their families, and Doeg the Edomite carries it out when Saul's soldiers refused to do it. When he heard about the murders, David felt really responsible for the death of all of those families. He knew that he made a mistake in letting this Doeg go. He should've killed him when he had the chance during an earlier encounter with Doeg. Doeg was not a Jew, but an Edomite. In Psalm 52, David shows his outrage against Doeg: Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man? Your tongue devises destruction, like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. You love evil more than good, lying rather than speaking righteousness. You love all devouring words, you deceitful tongue (Psalm 52:1a, 2-4)
David protects Abiathar, the only survivor of Ahimelech's family. David could not do anything about the priests who were already murdered. He confessed his guilt in the matter, and sought forgiveness from the LORD. Now, all he can do is minister to the need in front of him - Abiathar, the surviving priest. 

A PERSONAL APPLICATION can be made from Saul's thoughts and actions which led to the massacre of the priests and their families in the city of Nob: What a warning is here that we should not yield to the first intrusion of evil, lest the thought should lead to the act, and repeated acts to the habit, and habits congeal to character, and character become set in destiny! (Meyer)

FEAR NOT -- I Samuel 12:20

"And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart"

BACKGROUND/COMMENTARY from David Guzik (blueletterbible.org): "(In verses 20-25) Samuel exhorts Israel to walk right with the LORD today. Samuel will not minimize Israel's sin. Yet, he does not want them to dwell on the sin of the past, but to get on walking with the LORD today. The Living Bible puts the thought well: Make sure now that you worship the Lord with true enthusiasm, and that you don't turn your back on Him in any way. We can't do anything about yesterday, and at the present moment we can't serve God tomorrow. At the present moment, all we can do is not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. Satan would love for us to live in the past or in the future; to do anything but serve the LORD with all we have right now! Samuel wants Israel to know that rejecting the LORD, and turning aside from Him, just doesn't work. If they will not serve God out of spiritual reasons, then let them do it for pragmatic reasons: nothing else can profit or deliver! It is precious place in our walk with God when we realize this. It isn't easy to come to this place; we usually learn by bitter experience that nothing else can profit or deliver. But how wonderful to say with Peter, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" (John 6:68). What a gift to know that as tough as it might be serving God, it is only worse to turn aside from Him! 

PERSONAL APPLICATION: Why doesn't God give up on Israel? Because He loves them. Why is God willing to put away the sin of the past? Because He loves them. Why is God willing to give them a new start? Because He loves them. Only God's love makes any sense of this!
God's love for Israel is the same love that He shows to us, His children. May we NEVER forget that!!