Face of Fear and Afeared! Fifty three years ago a professor from what was then Philadelphia School of the Bible made an interesting comment to the satellite class I was attending. I have never permitted his statement to slip into the oozing pit of forgetfulness. Here’s the gem:
“The rule of first mention usually means the first time a particular thing is mentioned. In scripture it is dealing with the raw fundamentals of that which is mentioned.”
If the above statement is true, and for today’s purposes it is true enough, then what do you suppose is the primal human fear? Some psychiatrists promote the idea of the primal fear as that of falling. I reject that premise, but do so with the full knowledge that they are close to the truth. Others suggest a fear of falling and certainly after the horrific Icarus experience the fear of flying and then falling enters the discussion.
The ideas of primal human fear are legion, but the majority is under the above suggested banners. Falling into darkness, falling from a high peak, falling out of the sky and numerous other concepts has one common denominator, falling. And each of these misses the center of the target. Falling is certainly in the mix, but not the actual event itself, but the consequences thereof. The result of falling from the sky is normally death. That is on target and is the consequence. (Falling never hurt anyone. It’s that sudden stop at the end that does it.”)
Enter the biblical explanation, The Fall!
Notice the first time “afraid,” or as the great theologian of his time, Mark Twain, would state it, “afeared,” is used in the scripture:
Ge 3:10 So he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself."
Earlier, God had told Adam, leave the fruit of this particular tree alone, for the day you eat of it you will die. (LML’s version). In Gen 3:10 the voice that had instructed, inspired and conversed with Adam, now struck fear into his heart. The voice triggered the guilt response for having disobeyed and Adam tried to hide his nakedness, his flaw, from his Creator. Adam failed to realize that he was as dead spiritually as a door nail. When the spirit is dead the “voice” of God brings thoughts of terrifying consequences.
Thankfully we are not left in such a predicament, for the Lord made provision for Adam and the race as Father prepared a symbolic sacrifice mirroring the coming Saviour, Jesus Christ, to fully reconcile the children to the Father.
Learn, you can’t hide from God, nor do you have to live in constant fear of consequences, but as did Adam, accept God’s provision and march on in life clothed with the garment of the righteousness of Jesus Christ, with a guilt-free conscious.
Copyright © 2015 Larry Lilly
For Computer Help Check Oral Deckard
“The rule of first mention usually means the first time a particular thing is mentioned. In scripture it is dealing with the raw fundamentals of that which is mentioned.”
If the above statement is true, and for today’s purposes it is true enough, then what do you suppose is the primal human fear? Some psychiatrists promote the idea of the primal fear as that of falling. I reject that premise, but do so with the full knowledge that they are close to the truth. Others suggest a fear of falling and certainly after the horrific Icarus experience the fear of flying and then falling enters the discussion.
The ideas of primal human fear are legion, but the majority is under the above suggested banners. Falling into darkness, falling from a high peak, falling out of the sky and numerous other concepts has one common denominator, falling. And each of these misses the center of the target. Falling is certainly in the mix, but not the actual event itself, but the consequences thereof. The result of falling from the sky is normally death. That is on target and is the consequence. (Falling never hurt anyone. It’s that sudden stop at the end that does it.”)
Enter the biblical explanation, The Fall!
Notice the first time “afraid,” or as the great theologian of his time, Mark Twain, would state it, “afeared,” is used in the scripture:
Ge 3:10 So he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself."
Earlier, God had told Adam, leave the fruit of this particular tree alone, for the day you eat of it you will die. (LML’s version). In Gen 3:10 the voice that had instructed, inspired and conversed with Adam, now struck fear into his heart. The voice triggered the guilt response for having disobeyed and Adam tried to hide his nakedness, his flaw, from his Creator. Adam failed to realize that he was as dead spiritually as a door nail. When the spirit is dead the “voice” of God brings thoughts of terrifying consequences.
Thankfully we are not left in such a predicament, for the Lord made provision for Adam and the race as Father prepared a symbolic sacrifice mirroring the coming Saviour, Jesus Christ, to fully reconcile the children to the Father.
Learn, you can’t hide from God, nor do you have to live in constant fear of consequences, but as did Adam, accept God’s provision and march on in life clothed with the garment of the righteousness of Jesus Christ, with a guilt-free conscious.
Copyright © 2015 Larry Lilly
For Computer Help Check Oral Deckard
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