Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations: Prepared Hearts

Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: New Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2005-11-27

Synopsis: John Weaver addresses the sin of fearing man rather than God, using Isaiah 51 as the primary text. He argues that fear is contrary to faith and love, is a form of idolatry, and stems from forgetting God's sovereignty and power. Believers are called to trust in God's deliverance and comfort, recognizing that man is mortal and weak, while God is mighty and faithful.

[John Weaver] I want you to open your Bibles, if you would, please, to the book of Isaiah, chapter 51. Isaiah 51. And I trust that you remember the name of the sermon this week, and I hope you've thought about it and see if you figured it out. But the title of the sermon is Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? And if you look in your Bibles, Isaiah 51, and let's read verses 1 through 13, I'm sure that you will probably pick up on it as we read along. Isaiah 51, beginning with verse 1.

[John Weaver] Hearken to me, you that fall after righteousness, you that seek the Lord. Look unto the rock which you're hewn and to the hole of the pit which you're digged. Look unto Abraham your father and unto Sarah that bear you. For I called him alone and blessed him and increased him. For the Lord will comfort Zion, he will comfort all her waste places, and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord.

[John Weaver] Joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving of the voice of melody. Hearken unto me, my people, and give ear unto me, O my nation. For a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light on the people. My righteousness is near, my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people. The isle shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust.

[John Weaver] Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath. For the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner. But my salvation shall be forever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished. Hearken unto me, you that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law. Fear you not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their reviles. For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool. But my righteousness shall be forever, and my salvation from generation to generation.

[John Weaver] Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord. Awaken as in the ancient days in the generations of old." Aren't thou not it that hath cut Rahab and wounded the dragon? Art thou not it who hath dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, that hath made the depths of the sea away for the ransom to pass over? Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return and come again with singing and design, and everlasting joy shall be upon their head. They shall obtain gladness and joy. Sorrow and mourning shall flee away.

[John Weaver] I, even I, am he that comforteth you. Who art thou that thou shouldst be afraid of man that shall die, and of the Son of man which shall be made his rest? And forgettest the Lord thy Maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth, and is feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy?" And where is the fury of the oppressor?

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to understand that the Word of God has a great deal to say about the subject that I'm going to be dealing with. Who is afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? Everyone in this room is aware of the question that is in the title of this message. The three little pigs were not afraid of the Big Bad Wolf until at least two of them had their houses blown down. The third little pig, of course you'll remember, had built his house solidly out of bricks, and that house alone was safe. All else had failed. Now there is a big bad wolf that concerns all of us, and the wolf's name is fear. Our Lord talked about this, and if you'll hold Isaiah 51, but look in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 7 very quickly, in verses 24 and 26. Matthew 7, verses 24 and 26. Notice, if you would, please, what our Lord is teaching. Matthew 7, beginning there with verse 24, our Lord says, Therefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man who built his house upon a rock.

[John Weaver] And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock. And everyone that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto the foolish man who built his house upon the sand, and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it." So our Lord is saying simply, those who do not build their house based upon His truth and His teachings have a great deal to fear. But those who build their houses solidly upon the rock of his word have absolutely nothing to fear. The word fear occurs 400 times in our King James Bibles.

[John Weaver] So evidently it is a very important subject to have been recorded that many times. There are all kinds of phobias. Tripp was telling me this week that he's heard that there is a phobia even of Ball-headed men. And of course, I guess there's a phobia of phobias. But it was Winston Churchill, I believe, who told the English people, we have nothing to fear but fear itself.

[John Weaver] Well, let me ask a question. What do people fear most? I suppose that the greatest fears are in relationship to death, persecution, the unknown, and suffering.

[John Weaver] Now, let me submit something to you. Fear itself needs to be feared. Not in the sense that fear is anything that you and I should respect, but in the sense that we do not want to fall into that entangling and destructive snare. Most people have never understood the destructive and the devastating nature of just fear. Fear itself is an emotion, it's a state of mind, it's a disposition, listen carefully, that is contrary to God and His Word.

[John Weaver] It paralyzes, demoralizes, devastates, and destroys. Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles. We're going to come back to Isaiah 51, but I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 Timothy chapter 1. I want you to note something from the outset that fleshly and worldly fear is never from God. Here's a passage that I would encourage every one of you to commit to memory. I can quote the passage, but I want you to see it. Look at it. Second Timothy chapter one in verse seven.

[John Weaver] It's a very simple statement. The Bible says, For God hath not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of sound mind. Now look at it. For God hath not. Given us a spirit of fear. So you've got to ask yourself this question, if God does not give us a spirit of fear, where does fear arise? Well, it may arise from the world. It may arise from the flesh. It may arise from a lack of faith. It may arise from the devil. But it never, ever comes from God. Now, there is a fear of God that is a reverential trust. But we're talking about the fear of man. We're talking about fear in general. And God says He has not given us a spirit of fear, but God gives us a spirit of love and power and of a sound mind. I want you to note, and I'm going to prove this before I close today, that fear is exactly the opposite of faith. Now, I also want you to see, based upon the Word of God, that fear is also contrary to biblical love.

[John Weaver] If you look in your Bibles very quickly to 1 John chapter 4, 1 John chapter 4 and look in verse 18. 1 John 4 and verse 18. 1 John 4 and notice if you would please verse 18. Look what God says. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear. Why? Because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. Now, no, there is no fear in love. There is no fear in biblical love, but perfect love does what? Casteth out fear. Why? Because fear has torment. So faith then and fear are exact opposites, but also love and fear are contrary to each other as well.

[John Weaver] Now, if I were to ask you. What is your greatest fear? Or if I were to ask people in general, What is their greatest fear? Undoubtedly, one of the most frequently given answers would be the fear of death. But let me ask that you turn in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter two, and I want to just show you that for a child of God, you should never, ever have a fear of death. In fact, the Bible tells us very explicitly that we have been delivered from that fear if we have been genuinely converted. Look in Hebrews chapter 2, beginning there with verse 14.

[John Weaver] The Bible says, For as much as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he that is Christ, also himself likewise, took part of the same. Now look, that through death, He might destroy him that hath the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." What did our Lord do in saving us? One of the benefits of being saved is being delivered from the fear or the bondage of death.

[John Weaver] Now, you've just got to ask yourself whether or not you're afraid of death. If you're a child of God, there should be no reason why you should fear death. I'll explain that in just a moment. Another common answer that is given is, well, we're afraid of the unknown. I mean, who knows what tomorrow's going to hold? Who knows whether or not I'll have surgery? Who knows whether or not I'll die? Who knows whether or not I'll be financially bankrupt? The fear of the unknown. The fear of the unknown should never ever bother a child of God. Why? Well, first of all, what did our Lord tell us?

[John Weaver] That sufficient unto the day. Listen, we may not even be around tomorrow. But what else does the Bible say if we are around tomorrow? Romans 8, 28. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to the purpose. His purpose. Why in the world should I fear anything when I know that God is ultimately going to work everything out for my good and for his glory? So I should not have a fear of death as a child of God. I should not have a fear of the unknown. What is your greatest fear? Now, if you were honest in answering that question, you would probably say my greatest fear is the fear of man. Or we could say that another way. My greatest fear is the fear of government.

[John Weaver] I am fearful of what men can do to me, to my family, my possessions, and my life. If you're honest, you'd probably say that. The truth of the matter is this. None of us want to be reviled, reproached, persecuted, or prosecuted. Yet the truth of the matter is this. When you live in a corrupt and ignorant society, with a compromised and corrupt judicial system, and you live under a government that is bent on silencing all who are opposed to it, and all who are exposing its sins and wickedness, in one sense of the word, you could say it would be quite natural to fear. Because you know, inevitably, the power of man and the power of government is going to come down upon you. But at the same time, you have to recognize the dangers of fear. Listen to this. Fear is forbidden to the child of God. And especially the fear of man.

[John Weaver] Look in your Bibles, if you would, to Luke 11. Luke 11. Let me show you what our Lord says, Luke 11, and let's begin reading there with verse 4. A very powerful passage, Luke 11 and verse 4. Notice these are the words of our Lord. He says. I've got Luke 11. But that is not the passage that I want. OK, let me just put it for you. Here's what our Lord says. Uh, the passage that I want says specifically, and I say to you, my friends, being on afraid of them that can kill the body and afterwards they can do no more.

[John Weaver] But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear, fear him who, after he has killed, have power to cast him to hell. Yeah, I say to you, fear him. You'll find that passage in Luke. It's also in Matthew, but notice what our Lord is saying. Our Lord is saying we're not to fear man. Where to fear God? God not only has power to kill, he has power to cast them to hell. Yeah, that's it. I just jotted down the wrong passage. It's Luke 12 verse 4. And I say to you, my friends, be not afraid of them that kill the body and after they have no more they can do. But I will forewarn you who you shall fear. Now who is our Lord telling us to fear? Fear him who after he is killed hath power to cast him to hell again. I'm saying to you, fear him. So once again, it's not man that we're to fear, it's God that we're to fear. Do you realize if we did not really fear man, how much more bold, brave and courageous we would be?

[John Weaver] Just stop and think about this. As wicked as fallen men are, do you realize there is a limit as to what they can do? What is the utmost that a wicked man can do to a child of God? The most he could possibly do is to kill the body.

[John Weaver] Now, my question is this. Why should a child of God fear death? You remember, our Lord told us in Hebrews chapter two that he came to deliver us from death. You know what the Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5 in verse 8? Listen to this. He said, We're confident, I say, and willing rather, to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

[John Weaver] So once we are killed, what happens? We're in the presence of the Lord. Do you remember what the Apostle Paul said in Philippians chapter 1, where he was there in the Philippian jail, or the Roman jail, writing to the Philippians, he's in a Roman jail, writing to them, and he said, I am in a straight betwixt two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.

[John Weaver] Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. And then he said, for me to live as Christ and to die as what? Gain. I mean, how horrible could it be to be ushered into the presence of Jesus Christ if you're a child of God? And the answer is, it's not horrible, it's desirable. It's what we want. We want to be with the Lord. So how in the world can even the threat of death to a child of God be a terror or be a fear to us?

[John Weaver] Now, you say, but pastor, you don't understand. It's not just your life that they can take. But they can take everything you've ever worked for. They can confiscate everything that you ever had. You just don't understand. Well, I do understand. Let me ask you several questions. The first one is this. How much of your stuff did you bring into the world with you? My next question is, how much of your stuff are you going to take out of the world with you? My third question is this. Is all that stuff really your stuff?

[John Weaver] I mean, let's be honest, who gave it to you? Who gave you the ability to work and to earn and to save and to purchase all the stuff that you have? I believe the correct answer is God and God alone.

[John Weaver] Now, let me just tell you and listen carefully, because this is a very important point and we'll show it to you from the Bible. There's a difference between men and women. You never knew that, did you? Do you know what the greatest concern for a woman is? Security. Really. She wants security more than anything in the world. And one of the greatest fears that a wife has is this.

[John Weaver] What will happen to me if something happens to my husband? What will happen to me if my husband goes to prison? What will happen to me if my husband dies? And if you have children at home, then that is intensified.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Job. Let's look in Job chapter one, and here's an amazing thing. Job went through more than anyone in this room would ever go through. Do you remember that Job was the wealthiest man in his time? He lost all of his possessions in one day. All of his camels, all of his asses, all of his cattle. He lost everything. In fact, in one day, he not only lost all of his possessions, he lost ten children. He not only lost all of his possessions and ten children, he was smitten with the disease from head to foot, boils, putrefying sores, being eaten with worms while he was alive. In fact, that's what he had the pot shirt for, was to scrape the worms off.

[John Weaver] So therefore, he was useless for any work, even though he was left alive. Now here's a man who's lost everything. Including his children. Including his health. And I want you to see his attitude. Look in Job chapter 1, beginning there in verse 18. Job chapter 1 verse 18. And while he was yet speaking, there came also another and said, My sons and my daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house. Behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead, and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, and said, Nephi came out of my mother's womb, And naked shall I return thither.

[John Weaver] The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

[John Weaver] Now note this next verse. In all this, Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

[John Weaver] Now here's the man who had lost ten children. Lost everything he had. And in all this, he sinned not. nor charge God foolishly. He just said the Lord gave and the Lord take it away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. You know, the interesting thing is, as you study the book of Job, the one thing that was left to Job was his wife. But the problem was, her attitude was not the same attitude that Job held. If you look in Job chapter 2, Let's begin reading verse 7. You'll see her attitude. Job 2 verse 7. So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord and smoked Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot into his crown. And he, that is Job, took a potsherd to strike himself withal, and he sat down among the ashes. Now look.

[John Weaver] Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God and die. But he said unto her, Now speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evil? And all this did not Job sin with his lips. The one who should have been an encouragement was the one that tried to get him to defect and sin and curse God and die. And what did Job do? Job looked at his wife. He never got upset. He just says, you're speaking as one of the foolish women.

[John Weaver] You haven't thought this thing through. Shall we receive good at the hand of God and not evil? I mean, God is sovereign. God can send whatever He pleases. We know it's from His hand and I'm willing to bow to it. So Job then not only corrected her in one sense of the word, he rebuked her. And by the way, Job was right, because if you'll turn right over to the book of Job, chapter 42, you'll notice in this passage that Job not only retained his integrity, Job not only did not sin in the fact that he did not curse God, the Bible tells you in Job, chapter 42, verse 10, look carefully, and the Lord turned the captivity of Job when he prayed for his friends. Also, the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.

[John Weaver] So ever how many millions he had before he got double? By the way, he had 10 more children. He didn't get another wife. I was going to say that. He got 10 more children because the 10 that were killed really were not known. I mean, they were with the Lord, you see. He still had double. He had 20 children.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to take note of something, ladies. Listen carefully. I want you to take note of how a wife may become an encouragement or discouragement unto her husband based upon either her faith or her fear. Job's life was fearful, but Job was a man of faith. Do you realize it makes a difference when you move in faith. Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to Hebrews 13.

[John Weaver] Because let's go back to this mentality. Well, what if they take my husband? Or what if the Lord takes my husband? What if he dies? Well, watch this, if you would, in Hebrews 13, beginning there with verse 5. Look what God says. Hebrews 13, verse 5. I usually quote this verse to my wife. She'll come in and she'll say, You know, I need some new clothes and I say, well, we're Christians. Let's see what the Bible says. And I preach this verse.

[John Weaver] It's one of my favorites. Hebrews 13 verse 5. Let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things as you have. I'd say there's your answer right there. You don't get it. No, the verse goes on. Let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things you have. Watch. For he had said, that is God had said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. Now, wait, don't stop there. Watch the next verse so that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper.

[John Weaver] I will not fear what man can do unto me or shall do unto me. I will not fear. Why? Because we are never, ever alone. We're never forsaken. I don't care if you're a widow woman. I don't care if you're Husband and your children are in prison for the faith's sake. You're still never, ever alone. You know what David said in Psalm 37 verse 25? Once again, this is one of my favorite verses. David said it like this.

[John Weaver] I've been young and now I'm old. Yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread. God will take care of his own. He'll take care of the widow. He'll take care of the orphan. He'll take care of the husband. He'll take care of the wife. I've been young and now I'm old, yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread. You can mark her down if you are a child of God, and if you move in faith, and if you obey him, He will protect you and he will never leave you and never forsake you. You can mark her down. You're going to be taken care of. Our trust.

[John Weaver] Has got to be in Christ alone. Our faith has got to be in Christ alone. You better stop and think about something, ladies. Your husbands will not live forever. And then your wives will not live forever. But that doesn't mean that you're never alone or ever forsaken. God will take care of you. I remember a widow woman who was deathly afraid to go to sleep at night because of all the break-ins and the muggings and the rapes. And she basically stayed awake most of the night, but just too fearful. And so she was reading her Bible one night And she came across the passage in Psalms that said, the Lord thy God that keepeth thee neither slumbereth nor sleepeth.

[John Weaver] And it dawned on her. And she said, well, Lord, since you're going to stay awake, there's no reason for both of us to. I think I'll just go to sleep. And that's a fact. The Lord that keepeth thee neither slumbereth nor sleepeth.

[John Weaver] Now, let me ask you, why in the world should we fear what man can do unto us when the sovereign Lord of heaven and earth is on the throne? Man may kill the body, but that's all he can do. But the Lord can give life back to the body. Man may confiscate and take everything that you have, but God may give back double, triple or quadruple or whatever he pleases.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles. We're coming back to Isaiah 51. But I want you to turn in your Bibles to Proverbs 29. And look, if you would please, at verse 25. Here's another verse you need to memorize. You need to memorize 2 Timothy 1 and verse 7. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. You need to memorize Proverbs 29 and verse 25. And look at what the Bible says. The fear of the Lord bringeth a snare. But whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe. The fear of the Lord bringeth a snare. You know what a snare is?

[John Weaver] It's similar to a trap. But usually a snare is made out of wire or a rope or a piece of heavy string. And a snare is usually made in a circle like this, and it's tied to a a tree or a small branch, depending on what you're hunting. And when the animal goes through it, it closes around his head and the animal is choked to death. And he's held there until whoever sets the snare comes by and releases the body and resets the snare.

[John Weaver] Now, what does God say? The fear of man bringeth a snare. The word snare occurs 20 times in our Bibles. It's translated jinn three times and it is translated ensnared one time. What is God telling us? Whoever fears man is ensnared and trapped. It's a snare and a trap that is designed to hold us in slavish fear. So God says, whosoever fears man is ensnared. But whosoever putteth his trust in the Lord is saved. Now, let's go back in our Bibles to Isaiah 51.

[John Weaver] And I want you to see this. Isaiah 51. And I want you to look closely at the context. Because here is a passage that really destroys the fear of man, if you understand that. Look, if you would, please, first of all, to whom this text is addressed. Look in verse 1. Hearken to me, you that follow after righteousness, you that seek the Lord.

[John Weaver] Now, if someone's following after righteousness and seeking the Lord, I would say pretty much he's a believer, wouldn't you? Look in verse 4. Hearken unto me, my people, and give ear unto me, O my nation. Oh, now God specifically says you're my people, you're my nation. Look in verse 7. How can it be to me that no righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law? Now he says those who know righteousness and those whose heart has his law entombed in it.

[John Weaver] Now, if you just look at the context, you cannot help but see this passage is written to true believers. In fact, Look in verse 1. Hearken to me. Skip down into verse 4. Hearken to me. Skip down to verse 7. Hearken to me. Three times God says to his people, hearken, listen, pay attention, shut up, take notice. I'm telling you something. You need to know it. Now. Let me just give you the context of verses 1 through 6. I'm not going to deal with that passage, but I'm going to give you context. In verses 1 through 6, God specifically identifies himself as the source of all blessings in verses 2 and 3. Secondly, he also designates himself as the source of all help, all righteousness and all salvation. It is God alone who can turn a desert into a fruitful garden, verse 3. It is God alone who will stand the test of time, verse 3. All else may wax old and decay and vanish, but God and His righteousness shall endure forever, verse 6.

[John Weaver] So what is he saying? I am the source of all your health. I am the source of salvation. I am the source of righteousness. I am the source of all your prosperity.

[John Weaver] Now, in light of these verses, and in light of these truths, since God says that He is the All-Sufficient One, since God says that He is the Sovereign One, and in light of His power, His mercy, and His grace, I want you to look at verse 7. Hearken unto Me, you that know righteousness, The people that are as hard as my law, look at this admonition, fear you not the reproach of men, neither be you afraid of their revilings.

[John Weaver] Now let's ask a question. Why in the world are we so afraid of what people will think, say, or do? Why is it that we're afraid of being laughed at, mocked, ridiculed, persecuted, prosecuted, and revived. Just stop and think. How in reality do those things hurt us? Let me tell you. You've heard that old expression, sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.

[John Weaver] Well, that's not really true. I mean, names do hurt, especially when we're being reviled and mocked and ridiculed. Nobody likes that. But here's our real fear. Our real fear is that those mockings and ridiculings will turn into real persecution and those threats will turn into reality.

[John Weaver] Now, you haven't even noticed what I've just said. When we begin to fear the revilings and the reproaches and the threats of man, guess what? We are afraid that that will turn into reality. What does that mean? We are now being motivated and controlled by fear. I want you to turn in your Bibles, hold Isaiah 51, we're coming right back there, but turn in your Bibles, Romans chapter 6. I want you to look at this passage because it will demonstrate how easily we can be manipulated and we can be controlled. Look in Romans chapter 6 and verse 16. Now, in this passage, our Lord is talking about sin. Romans six, let's see, it is verse. I said 16, but that's oh yeah, verse 16. I was looking at Romans five. Yeah, Romans six, verse 16.

[John Weaver] Know you not that to whom you yield yourself service to obey his service, you are to whom you obey, whether sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness. Now, look what he's saying. Know you not that to whom you yield yourself servants to obey, his servants you are." We understand that. If ever one of you came and bowed the knee to me today and said, Pastor, you're our master.

[John Weaver] Whatever you say, that is what we will do. Then I am your master. You are my servant. It's just that simple. So our Lord is saying, if you bow the knee to sin and say, I'm going to follow you. I'm going to do what you want me to do. Then sin is your master. You could take this same concept and basically add this. Watch it. Read verse 16.

[John Weaver] Know you not that to whom you yield yourself service to obey his servants, you are to whom you obey, whether of fear under death and destruction or of obedience under righteousness. What is he telling you? Whoever you yield your body to and your mind and your thinking to is your master. So one of the dangers in fear is this, that fear not only manipulates us, it will control us. Once fear takes over, are you listening?

[John Weaver] We do not think or act. We panic and we react. I never will forget, and I barely remember it. But I was a boy, probably three or four years old, and my mother and father were down at my grandfather's pond fishing. And I walked behind my mother just as she put that reel back to throw out there And it had one of those vast things on there with a treble hook on the end.

[John Weaver] And as she did this, it caught in my cheek. And when I screamed and she turned around and saw what she had done, she reached down and picked me up and started running to the house screaming. And of course, I was dragging the reel. My father had to chase her down, take me away from her, slap her to bring her back to reality, and take the pliers and cut off the treble and then get it out. What was she done? She just panicked. She wasn't in control.

[John Weaver] Now, all I'm trying to tell you is this. When fear comes upon us, we panic and we react. The greatest sin in fearing is not our panic, it is not our loss of control, there is a far greater sin.

[John Weaver] Now, why does God admonish us in verse 7, to fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be afraid of their revilings? I've got two points and we'll give them to you. There are two reasons. First of all, there is the more there is the mortality and the weakness of the center. And secondly, there is the might and wonder of the sovereign. So let's look in verse eight at the mortality and the weakness of the center. Now, in verse seven, he says, let's read the latter part. He says, fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings. Why? Here's why.

[John Weaver] For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool. Just stop right there. Men are so weak, they are so mortal, they are compared to a garment that a moth eats, or to wool that a worm eats. Here's a picture that God is presenting to us of fallen man, of sinners, of man in general, That man is really helpless, powerless and unable to do anything.

[John Weaver] In other words, the rage of the sinner will be brought to absolute not to not. Now, I want you to consider, first of all, he says the moth. He says, for the moth shall eat them up like a garment. Do you realize how delicate a moth is? How many of you have ever caught a moth? Yeah, you know what happens when you touch their wings, everything starts coming off and falling apart. He says the moth shall eat them. The most delicate insect will be able to destroy them. The moth that has no means of self-defense. is a creature that God uses to demonstrate the mortality and the weakness of the sinner. Moreover, one must also consider that this raging, wicked oppressor is here likened to a garment.

[John Weaver] Now let me ask you this, and think about this. How many garments do you have hanging in your closet that can defend themselves against a moth? None. Not one. Can your wool defend itself? No. It's just hanging there. It can't do one thing. The garment has no power in and of itself. Here's what God is saying. It doesn't matter how powerful men are. It doesn't matter how rich they are. It doesn't matter how oppressive they are. They're just as defenseless as a garment, and a little moth can eat them and destroy them and bring them to nothing.

[John Weaver] I want you to look in your Bibles. Hold Isaiah 51. But look in your Bibles, first of all, to Job 4. This picture, and I had to be selective, but this picture occurs many times in the Bible. Look in Job 4, beginning there in verse 19. Job 4 verse 19. Look what he says, in fact. It is so clear Job 4 verse 19, how much less in them that dwell in houses of clay whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth. Which are crushed before the moth. The moth can crush sinners Isn't that amazing? Look in your Bibles at Psalm 39 and verse 11. Psalm 39, verse 11.

[John Weaver] You see, when God takes away the power of man, man has no power. Look in Psalm 39 and verse 11. Look what David said. When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth, surely every man is vanity. And then if you'll go back to Isaiah 50. And look at verses eight and nine, Isaiah 50 verses eight and nine. Isaiah 50 verse eight.

[John Weaver] He is near to justify me, who will contend with me. Let us stand together. Who is mine adversary? Let him come near to me. Now look! Behold, the Lord God will help me. Who is he that shall condemn me? Lo, they all, that is, all of the enemies of Christ, they all shall wax old as the garment, and the moth shall eat them up." As a garment is eaten by the moth, secretly, slowly, silently, surely, and at last completely and totally, so that the garment becomes good for nothing, so secret, gradual, certain, and sure, and complete ruin and destruction shall come upon the enemies of Christ. The worm, he said, shall eat them like wool. The moth shall destroy them. The garment cannot prevent itself from being destroyed. Do you realize the moth and the worm are a picture of God's judgment upon the wicked, not only in this world, but in the next world where the Word of God says, where the worm died not and the fire is not quenched. So here's what God is asking.

[John Weaver] Why should you and I fear such a mortal, weak sinner. So weak that a moth can crush him. So weak, so helpless that he cannot hinder a moth from destroying him.

[John Weaver] Now, there is also another truth in Isaiah 51, verses 9-13, and that is this. Here's why God is telling us that we should not fear man. It's not just because man is mortal and weak, but secondly, because of the might and the wonder of the Sovereign. Look in verse 9. Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord, awake as in the ancient days, in the generation of old.

[John Weaver] Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab and wounded the dragon? Art thou not it that hath dried up the sea and the waters of the great deep, that hath made the depths of the sea away for the ransom to pass over?

[John Weaver] Now, our Lord has said that His righteousness and His salvation shall be forever. What does He mean by that? No one or nothing can stop Him from delivering His people. Do you not know a simple truth? The Lord did not deliver us to be destroyed. He delivered us to be brought unto Himself. Therefore, when persecution and oppression And torment arises, especially from man. It is our duty.

[John Weaver] It is our obligation to do what Isaiah did. What you say, what did Isaiah do? We'll look in verse nine. It's a prayer. It's a cry to the Lord. He says awake, awake, put on strength, oh, armor the Lord awake as in ancient days in the generations of old. Here's a prayer of the prophet. Here he is praying as a representative of the church and he is addressing God the Father who, according to his understanding, Isaiah's understanding, does not immediately appear on behalf of his people and hence he is thinking that God may be asleep. Not that God slumbers or sleeps. God does not slumber. God does not sleep. But it appears that God has not moved quickly enough and that we're being persecuted, and we're being oppressed, and we're being tormented. And so he says, Awake, awake, O arm of the Lord, awake as in ancient times. In other words, we're in real danger here. We need help. We need divine help. We need divine intervention.

[John Weaver] Here is a picture then of vehement importunity. It's not just that we're saying now, Lord, please send help. No, no, no. We're crying and saying, Oh God, do something. Do something. Please move. Show thine arm. In fact, if you look in your Bibles, hold Isaiah 51, turn in your Bibles to Psalm 44 and verse 3. I wish that I had time just to go through the Psalms showing you the arm of the Lord and the hand of the Lord. But notice in Psalm 44 and verse 3, the word of God says this, Psalm 44, verse 3. For they, that is, the children of Israel, for they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them, but thy right hand and thine arm and the light of thy countenance, because thou hast a favor to them." What did God do? God destroyed their enemies. Look in Psalm 77 and verse 15. Psalm 77, verse 15. Notice, once again, the Scripture says, Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph.

[John Weaver] Thou hast with thine arm." Look in Psalm 89 and verse 13. Psalm 89, 13. Thou hast a mighty arm, strong as thine hand and high as thy right hand. And then if you look in Psalm 98 and verse 1. Psalm 98 and verse 1. O sing unto the Lord a new song, for he hath done marvellous things, his right hand and his holy arm have doth in him the victory." What is Isaiah praying when he says, Awake, awake, O Lord! Awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord! He is saying, oh God, in your power, in your justice, in your might, awake and deliver us and destroy our enemies.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to note that this prayer request is augmented by a review of biblical history and demonstrations of God's great power. He says, Art thou not it that cut Rahab and wounded the dragon? That's Egypt and Pharaoh. Are thou not it that hath dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over? Turn in your Bibles to Exodus chapter 15, and as you turn there, I'm sure that you will remember that it was God who destroyed Egypt. It was God who destroyed Pharaoh and his army. It was God who parted the Red Sea. It was God who delivered his people. And if you look in Exodus chapter 15, We won't have time to read all of this, but look at it.

[John Weaver] Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord. It's fake saying, I will sing unto the Lord. Why? For he, God, hath triumphed gloriously. The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my song. He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will prepare him a habitation. My Father is God, and I will exalt him. The Lord is a man of war. The Lord is his name. Pharaoh's chariots and his host have he cast into the sea. His chosen captains are also drowned in the Red Sea.

[John Weaver] The depths have covered them. They sank into the bottom as a stone. Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power. Thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemies, and with the greatness of Thine excellency Thou hast overthrown them that rose up against Thee. Thou sentest forth Thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble, and with a blast of Thine nostrils the waters were gathered together. The flood stood upright as a heap, and the depths were congealed, and the heart of the sea.

[John Weaver] The enemy said, Watch, I will pursue. I will overtake. I will divide the spoil. My lust shall be satisfied upon them. I will draw my sword, and my hand shall destroy them. Thou didst blow with thy wind the sea cover them. They sank as lead in the mighty waters. Who is likened to thee, O Lord, among the gods? Who is likened to thee, glorious and holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? Thou stretchest out thy right hand, and the earth swallowed them." Thou and thy mercies led forth thy people which thou hast redeemed. Thou hast guided them into the strength of thy holy habitation. The people shall hear and be afraid.

[John Weaver] Sorrow shall take hold of the inhabitants of Palestine." What is he saying? He's saying, Awake, O Lord. You've done this in times past. Do it again. God is immutable. The word immutable means that God is unchangeable. Listen, if God has delivered his people in time past, will he not do it again? Well, of course he will.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to look at this unequivocal answer. Look in verse 11 and verse 12 of Isaiah 51. Isaiah has said, Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord, awake as in ancient times. And then he gives the historical illustrations of how God has delivered his people in time past. Now, look in verse eleven, he says, therefore. That is, as a consequence of God arising and answering this prayer, therefore, the redeemed of the Lord shall return and come with singing into Zion and everlasting joy shall be upon their head. They shall obtain gladness and joy and sorrow and mourning shall flee away. Look what God says.

[John Weaver] I even I am he that comforted you. What is God saying? God said, I can turn your sorrow into joy. I can turn your mourning into happiness. I am the one that comforts you. Why will God do it? So that men may know that God is God alone. Do you know Ecclesiastes 3 and verse 14 says this? Listen carefully. I know whatsoever God doeth, It shall be forever.

[John Weaver] Nothing can be put to it and nothing shall be taken from it. And God doeth it so that men should fear before him. God will deliver us. And he will deliver us so that we may learn who we are to fear. Now, watch this. He has shown us the mortality and the weakness of the sinner.

[John Weaver] Now he's showing us the might and the wonder of the sovereign. So in light of his perfect, complete and sovereign work, in light of his deliverance and comfort, I want you to note the question that is asked in verse 12.

[John Weaver] Now look, after he says, I, even I am he that comforteth you, here's the question, who art thou? that thou shouldst be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the Son of man which shall be made as grass." In other words, if you are a child of the Most High God, if you are the subject of His converting and delivering grace, if you are one who is esteemed in His sight, if you are one who will be ultimately delivered from every enemy and from all enemies, Who are you to be afraid of man, and especially a dying man who shall be made as grass? You know what I can do to grass?

[John Weaver] I can walk out and snap it with my fingers. I can pull it up with my fingers. It's no big deal to kill grass. And how in the world can you fear a dying man? What can a dying man do? Nothing but die. So look at this question. Watch it. Think about this now. In light of God's salvation, in light of God's power, he asks who are thou? And remember, he's addressing this to his people, who are thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die and of the Son of Man which shall be made his grass. Why would you fear man?

[John Weaver] I want to show you the clincher. I want to show you why Christians fear man. I want to show you why Christians fear government. I want to show you why Christians fear period. Are you looking? Let's read verse 12 again. I, even I, am he that comforteth you. Who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of man that shall die? And the son of man which shall be made his grasp. Are you looking?

[John Weaver] and forgettest the Lord thy Maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth, and hast feared continually every day, because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy." Where is the fury of the oppressor? Do you know why you fear? Because you forget God. That's what he said. Look at it in verse 12. Who art thou that thou shouldst be afraid of man that shall die, and the Son of man which shall be made as grass, and forgettest the Lord thy Maker, that hath stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth?" You cannot fear until you forget. Remember I told you earlier fear and faith were opposites?

[John Weaver] They're contrary to one to the other. You have fear on the one hand or you have faith, but you cannot have them together. And our Lord says, when you fear man. It's because you've forgotten me. You've forgotten my person, my power and my position.

[John Weaver] Now, let me just show you something else before I make some applications. He said in verse 13, and has feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy. And then he asks this question, and where is the fury of the oppressor? May I answer that question for you? Where is the fury of the oppressor? Here's the answer. In the hand of the sovereign God of heaven and earth. Man cannot do one thing apart from God. Do you realize it is God who either sends, allows, or withholds and restrains and ends the fury of man. Psalm 76, verse 10. Here's another verse to memorize. Psalm 76, verse 10. The wrath of man shall praise the Lord. Are you listening? And the remainder of wrath shall he restrain.

[John Weaver] You know how much fury and oppression and torment and persecution will be dished out to God's people? only enough that will ultimately be for our good and for God's glory. The rest He will restrain. Everything is in His hand. Man can do nothing apart from God. Why should we fear man when we know that every man is in the hand of the sovereign God of heaven and earth?

[John Weaver] Let me make a couple of applications. The first one is this. I told you earlier. That the greatest sin in fear is not just its manipulation and our loss of control. The greatest fear and sin, I mean, the greatest fear and fear or the greatest sin in fear is that it is sin in and of itself. You know what the Bible says in Romans 14 in verse 23? For whatsoever is not of faith is sin. For whatsoever is not of faith is sin. Is fear a faith? No, it's not. So fear then is sin. Now let me tell you what you do when you fear.

[John Weaver] When you fear, you not only forget God and fail to put your trust in Him, In actuality, the fear of man is a form of idolatry because you're placing the power of man ahead of and before and higher than the power of God. You're saying, in essence, I don't need to fear the one true of the living God, but I need to fear man because man is greater than God. No, that's pure idolatry. It is sin to fear. And our fear can become, and it is, idolatry.

[John Weaver] Isaiah 12 and verse 2. Here's another verse to memorize, and I'll tell you a story. Isaiah 12, verse 2. Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song. He also has become my salvation. When Wendy, our oldest daughter, was three years old, she is afraid of the dark. Like a lot of children, we taught her this verse. In fact, we only taught her the portion that said, I will trust and not be afraid. And you could hear her walking down a darkened hall, going to her bedroom in the dark, and she would be saying over and over, I will trust and not be afraid. I will trust and not be afraid. Well, let me tell you something, people.

[John Weaver] We need to do that. And when fear seizes us, we need to say, I will trust and not be afraid. I will not give man the glory and the honor that belongs to God only. The second application is this. Why should we fear man when we know that the fury of the oppressor is in God's hands? Romans 8 28, which I quoted earlier, conclusively demonstrates that God is not going to allow anything to happen to us, which will not be for our good and his glory.

[John Weaver] Now, let me tell you something. Listen carefully. The Bible says, Romans 8.28, and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called of God. It may not always be good to us, but it's always good for us. You may not like the suffering. You may not like the pain, but whatever God allows is always going to be for our good and for His glory.

[John Weaver] You've got to remember this. Our Heavenly Father is too loving to be unkind and too wise to make a mistake. Whatever He does is for our good and glory.

[John Weaver] Thirdly, fear is the opposite of faith. I've told you this earlier. I'm going to say it again. It is impossible to exercise faith and fear at the same time. You may either fear or you may exercise faith, but you cannot do them together. When you are overwhelmed in your fears, you must repent and turn back to God. It is God and His Word alone that will encourage us, embolden us, and enable us.

[John Weaver] Do you remember in Acts 2 and Acts 4 when those disciples were threatened You remember what they did? They got together and said, Lord, in this prayer meeting, Lord, behold their threatenings. And now, Lord, grant with all boldness we may preach Thy Word. When fear came upon them, they fled to God in faith and asked for boldness. And they never backed down. and they never backed up and they never stopped. You can either be fearful or you can exercise faith, but you cannot do both at the same time. And if you're fearful, you're sinning against God. And committing idolatry because you're placing man above God, you just need to remember The fear of man bringeth a snare, but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe. You need to remember, for God hath not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. You need to remember, I will trust and not be afraid. You need to remember, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, so that we may boldly say, The Lord is my Helper.

[John Weaver] I will not fear what man shall do unto me." If you have faith, you cannot fear. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we vow to Thee. We ask You, Lord, to make us men and women of faith. Make us, Heavenly Father, fearless toward man, but fearing the one true and living God so that we may give you the reverence and the honor and the glory that you so richly deserve. We pray, Father, that you would instruct us, build us up, enable us to exercise faith, and always stand for you and your truth. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.

Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	1906154227
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations: Prepared Hearts
Genre	Sermon
Date	2005-11-27
Dictation Name
Book	Book 136: Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations - Volume 1 — Chapter 8
Source Timed Segments	101

Formatted Transcript

Introduction: The Big Bad Wolf of Fear

Weaver introduces the topic of fear using the analogy of the three little pigs and the big bad wolf, stating that fear is a destructive force contrary to God.

I want you to open your Bibles, if you would, please, to the book of Isaiah, chapter 51. Isaiah 51. And I trust that you remember the name of the sermon this week, and I hope you've thought about it and see if you figured it out. But the title of the sermon is "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" And if you look in your Bibles, Isaiah 51, and let's read verses 1 through 13, I'm sure that you will probably pick up on it as we read along. Isaiah 51, beginning with verse 1.

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 51:1-13

"Hearken to me, you that follow after righteousness, you that seek the Lord. Look unto the rock whence you are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence you are digged. Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him. For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord."

The Nature and Source of Fear

Fear is not from God but from the world, flesh, or devil. It is opposite to faith and love, and God gives a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind.

It's a very simple statement. The Bible says, "For God hath not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." Now look at it. "For God hath not given us a spirit of fear." So you've got to ask yourself this question: if God does not give us a spirit of fear, where does fear arise? Well, it may arise from the world. It may arise from the flesh. It may arise from a lack of faith. It may arise from the devil. But it never, ever comes from God. Now, there is a fear of God that is a reverential trust. But we're talking about the fear of man. We're talking about fear in general. And God says He has not given us a spirit of fear, but God gives us a spirit of love and power and of a sound mind. I want you to note, and I'm going to prove this before I close today, that fear is exactly the opposite of faith. Now, I also want you to see, based upon the Word of God, that fear is also contrary to biblical love.

If you look in your Bibles very quickly to 1 John chapter 4, 1 John chapter 4 and look in verse 18. 1 John 4 and verse 18. 1 John 4 and notice if you would please verse 18. Look what God says.

Scripture Reading — 1 John 4:18

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love."

Now, note: there is no fear in love. There is no fear in biblical love, but perfect love does what? Casteth out fear. Why? Because fear has torment. So faith then and fear are exact opposites, but also love and fear are contrary to each other as well.

Common Fears and Biblical Deliverance

Common fears include death, the unknown, and man. Scripture teaches that believers are delivered from the fear of death and can trust God for the unknown.

Now, if I were to ask you, "What is your greatest fear?" Or if I were to ask people in general, "What is their greatest fear?" Undoubtedly, one of the most frequently given answers would be the fear of death. But let me ask that you turn in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter two, and I want to just show you that for a child of God, you should never, ever have a fear of death. In fact, the Bible tells us very explicitly that we have been delivered from that fear if we have been genuinely converted. Look in Hebrews chapter 2, beginning there with verse 14. The Bible says,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 2:14-15

"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."

What did our Lord do in saving us? One of the benefits of being saved is being delivered from the fear or the bondage of death.

Now, you've just got to ask yourself whether or not you're afraid of death. If you're a child of God, there should be no reason why you should fear death. I'll explain that in just a moment. Another common answer that is given is, well, we're afraid of the unknown. I mean, who knows what tomorrow's going to hold? Who knows whether or not I'll have surgery? Who knows whether or not I'll die? Who knows whether or not I'll be financially bankrupt? The fear of the unknown. The fear of the unknown should never ever bother a child of God. Why? Well, first of all, what did our Lord tell us?

That sufficient unto the day. Listen, we may not even be around tomorrow. But what else does the Bible say if we are around tomorrow? Romans 8:28: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Why in the world should I fear anything when I know that God is ultimately going to work everything out for my good and for his glory? So I should not have a fear of death as a child of God. I should not have a fear of the unknown. What is your greatest fear? Now, if you were honest in answering that question, you would probably say my greatest fear is the fear of man. Or we could say that another way. My greatest fear is the fear of government.

The Fear of Man and Its Dangers

The fear of man is a snare that leads to panic and idolatry. Believers are commanded not to fear those who can only kill the body.

I am fearful of what men can do to me, to my family, my possessions, and my life. If you're honest, you'd probably say that. The truth of the matter is this. None of us want to be reviled, reproached, persecuted, or prosecuted. Yet the truth of the matter is this. When you live in a corrupt and ignorant society, with a compromised and corrupt judicial system, and you live under a government that is bent on silencing all who are opposed to it, and all who are exposing its sins and wickedness, in one sense of the word, you could say it would be quite natural to fear. Because you know, inevitably, the power of man and the power of government is going to come down upon you. But at the same time, you have to recognize the dangers of fear. Listen to this. Fear is forbidden to the child of God. And especially the fear of man.

Look in your Bibles, if you would, to Luke 12. Luke 12. Let me show you what our Lord says, Luke 12, and let's begin reading there with verse 4. A very powerful passage, Luke 12 and verse 4. Notice these are the words of our Lord. He says,

Scripture Reading — Luke 12:4-5

"And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him."

You'll find that passage in Luke. It's also in Matthew, but notice what our Lord is saying. Our Lord is saying we're not to fear man. We're to fear God. God not only has power to kill, he has power to cast into hell. So once again, it's not man that we're to fear, it's God that we're to fear. Do you realize if we did not really fear man, how much more bold, brave and courageous we would be?

Just stop and think about this. As wicked as fallen men are, do you realize there is a limit as to what they can do? What is the utmost that a wicked man can do to a child of God? The most he could possibly do is to kill the body.

Now, my question is this. Why should a child of God fear death? You remember, our Lord told us in Hebrews chapter two that he came to deliver us from death. You know what the Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 8? Listen to this. He said,

Scripture Reading — 2 Corinthians 5:8

"We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."

Job's Example of Faith Over Fear

Job lost everything yet trusted God, demonstrating that faith overcomes fear. His wife's fear contrasts with his faith.

Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Job. Let's look in Job chapter one, and here's an amazing thing. Job went through more than anyone in this room would ever go through. Do you remember that Job was the wealthiest man in his time? He lost all of his possessions in one day. All of his camels, all of his asses, all of his cattle. He lost everything. In fact, in one day, he not only lost all of his possessions, he lost ten children. He not only lost all of his possessions and ten children, he was smitten with the disease from head to foot, boils, putrefying sores, being eaten with worms while he was alive. In fact, that's what he had the potsherd for, was to scrape the worms off.

So therefore, he was useless for any work, even though he was left alive. Now here's a man who's lost everything. Including his children. Including his health. And I want you to see his attitude. Look in Job chapter 1, beginning there in verse 18. Job chapter 1 verse 18.

Scripture Reading — Job 1:18-22

"While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house: and, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, and said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither." "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."

Now note this next verse.

Scripture Reading — Job 1:18-22

"In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly."

Now here's the man who had lost ten children. Lost everything he had. And in all this, he sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. He just said,

Scripture Reading — Job 1:18-22

"The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."

You know, the interesting thing is, as you study the book of Job, the one thing that was left to Job was his wife. But the problem was, her attitude was not the same attitude that Job held. If you look in Job chapter 2, let's begin reading verse 7. You'll see her attitude. Job 2 verse 7.

Scripture Reading — Job 1:18-22

"So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes."

Now look.

"Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips." The one who should have been an encouragement was the one that tried to get him to defect and sin and curse God and die. And what did Job do? Job looked at his wife. He never got upset. He just says, "You're speaking as one of the foolish women."

"You haven't thought this thing through. Shall we receive good at the hand of God and not evil?" I mean, God is sovereign. God can send whatever He pleases. We know it's from His hand and I'm willing to bow to it. So Job then not only corrected her in one sense of the word, he rebuked her. And by the way, Job was right, because if you'll turn right over to the book of Job, chapter 42, you'll notice in this passage that Job not only retained his integrity, Job not only did not sin in the fact that he did not curse God, the Bible tells you in Job, chapter 42, verse 10, look carefully, "And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before."

God's Sovereignty and Our Security

God promises never to leave or forsake His people, so we need not fear man. His sovereignty ensures all things work for our good.

Because let's go back to this mentality. Well, what if they take my husband? Or what if the Lord takes my husband? What if he dies? Well, watch this, if you would, in Hebrews 13, beginning there with verse 5. Look what God says. Hebrews 13, verse 5. I usually quote this verse to my wife. She'll come in and she'll say, "You know, I need some new clothes" and I say, "Well, we're Christians. Let's see what the Bible says." And I preach this verse.

It's one of my favorites. Hebrews 13 verse 5.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 13:5-6

"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have."

I'd say there's your answer right there. You don't get it. No, the verse goes on.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 13:5-6

"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."

Now, wait, don't stop there. Watch the next verse.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 13:5-6

"So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper."

"I will not fear what man shall do unto me." I will not fear. Why? Because we are never, ever alone. We're never forsaken. I don't care if you're a widow woman. I don't care if your husband and your children are in prison for the faith's sake. You're still never, ever alone. You know what David said in Psalm 37 verse 25? Once again, this is one of my favorite verses. David said it like this.

"I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." God will take care of his own. He'll take care of the widow. He'll take care of the orphan. He'll take care of the husband. He'll take care of the wife. "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." You can mark her down if you are a child of God, and if you move in faith, and if you obey him, He will protect you and he will never leave you and never forsake you. You can mark her down. You're going to be taken care of. Our trust.

Exposition of Isaiah 51: The Mortality of Man

Isaiah 51 addresses believers, urging them not to fear man because man is mortal and weak, like a garment eaten by a moth.

And I want you to see this. Isaiah 51. And I want you to look closely at the context. Because here is a passage that really destroys the fear of man, if you understand that. Look, if you would, please, first of all, to whom this text is addressed. Look in verse 1. "Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord."

Now, if someone's following after righteousness and seeking the Lord, I would say pretty much he's a believer, wouldn't you? Look in verse 4. "Hearken unto me, my people, and give ear unto me, O my nation." Oh, now God specifically says you're my people, you're my nation. Look in verse 7. "Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law." Now he says those who know righteousness and those whose heart has his law entombed in it.

Now, if you just look at the context, you cannot help but see this passage is written to true believers. In fact, look in verse 1: "Hearken to me." Skip down into verse 4: "Hearken to me." Skip down to verse 7: "Hearken to me." Three times God says to his people, "Hearken, listen, pay attention, shut up, take notice. I'm telling you something. You need to know it." Now, let me just give you the context of verses 1 through 6. I'm not going to deal with that passage, but I'm going to give you context. In verses 1 through 6, God specifically identifies himself as the source of all blessings in verses 2 and 3. Secondly, he also designates himself as the source of all help, all righteousness and all salvation. It is God alone who can turn a desert into a fruitful garden, verse 3. It is God alone who will stand the test of time, verse 6. All else may wax old and decay and vanish, but God and His righteousness shall endure forever, verse 6.

So what is he saying? I am the source of all your help. I am the source of salvation. I am the source of righteousness. I am the source of all your prosperity.

Now, in light of these verses, and in light of these truths, since God says that He is the All-Sufficient One, since God says that He is the Sovereign One, and in light of His power, His mercy, and His grace, I want you to look at verse 7. "Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings." Now let's ask a question. Why in the world are we so afraid of what people will think, say, or do? Why is it that we're afraid of being laughed at, mocked, ridiculed, persecuted, prosecuted, and reviled? Just stop and think. How in reality do those things hurt us? Let me tell you. You've heard that old expression, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me."

Well, that's not really true. I mean, names do hurt, especially when we're being reviled and mocked and ridiculed. Nobody likes that. But here's our real fear. Our real fear is that those mockings and ridiculings will turn into real persecution and those threats will turn into reality.

Now, you haven't even noticed what I've just said. When we begin to fear the revilings and the reproaches and the threats of man, guess what? We are afraid that that will turn into reality. What does that mean? We are now being motivated and controlled by fear. I want you to turn in your Bibles, hold Isaiah 51, we're coming right back there, but turn in your Bibles, Romans chapter 6. I want you to look at this passage because it will demonstrate how easily we can be manipulated and we can be controlled. Look in Romans chapter 6 and verse 16. Now, in this passage, our Lord is talking about sin. Romans six, let's see, it is verse 16. I was looking at Romans five. Yeah, Romans six, verse 16.

"Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" Now, look what he's saying. "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are." We understand that. If ever one of you came and bowed the knee to me today and said, "Pastor, you're our master." "Whatever you say, that is what we will do." Then I am your master. You are my servant. It's just that simple. So our Lord is saying, if you bow the knee to sin and say, "I'm going to follow you. I'm going to do what you want me to do," then sin is your master. You could take this same concept and basically add this. Watch it. Read verse 16.

"Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of fear unto death and destruction or of obedience unto righteousness?" What is he telling you? Whoever you yield your body to and your mind and your thinking to is your master. So one of the dangers in fear is this, that fear not only manipulates us, it will control us. Once fear takes over, are you listening? We do not think or act. We panic and we react. I never will forget, and I barely remember it. But I was a boy, probably three or four years old, and my mother and father were down at my grandfather's pond fishing. And I walked behind my mother just as she put that reel back to throw out there and it had one of those bass things on there with a treble hook on the end.

And as she did this, it caught in my cheek. And when I screamed and she turned around and saw what she had done, she reached down and picked me up and started running to the house screaming. And of course, I was dragging the reel. My father had to chase her down, take me away from her, slap her to bring her back to reality, and take the pliers and cut off the treble and then get it out. What was she done? She just panicked. She wasn't in control.

Now, all I'm trying to tell you is this. When fear comes upon us, we panic and we react. The greatest sin in fearing is not our panic, it is not our loss of control, there is a far greater sin. Now, why does God admonish us in verse 7, to "fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be afraid of their revilings"? I've got two points and we'll give them to you. There are two reasons. First of all, there is the mortality and the weakness of the sinner. And secondly, there is the might and wonder of the sovereign. So let's look in verse eight at the mortality and the weakness of the sinner. Now, in verse seven, he says, let's read the latter part. He says, "fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings." Why? Here's why.

"For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool." Just stop right there. Men are so weak, they are so mortal, they are compared to a garment that a moth eats, or to wool that a worm eats. Here's a picture that God is presenting to us of fallen man, of sinners, of man in general, that man is really helpless, powerless and unable to do anything. In other words, the rage of the sinner will be brought to absolute nought. Now, I want you to consider, first of all, he says the moth. He says, "for the moth shall eat them up like a garment." Do you realize how delicate a moth is? How many of you have ever caught a moth? Yeah, you know what happens when you touch their wings, everything starts coming off and falling apart. He says the moth shall eat them. The most delicate insect will be able to destroy them. The moth that has no means of self-defense is a creature that God uses to demonstrate the mortality and the weakness of the sinner. Moreover, one must also consider that this raging, wicked oppressor is here likened to a garment.

Now let me ask you this, and think about this. How many garments do you have hanging in your closet that can defend themselves against a moth? None. Not one. Can your wool defend itself? No. It's just hanging there. It can't do one thing. The garment has no power in and of itself. Here's what God is saying. It doesn't matter how powerful men are. It doesn't matter how rich they are. It doesn't matter how oppressive they are. They're just as defenseless as a garment, and a little moth can eat them and destroy them and bring them to nothing.

Exposition of Isaiah 51: The Might of God

God's power is demonstrated in history (e.g., the Exodus). He comforts His people and asks why they would fear a dying man.

Now, there is also another truth in Isaiah 51, verses 9-13, and that is this. Here's why God is telling us that we should not fear man. It's not just because man is mortal and weak, but secondly, because of the might and the wonder of the Sovereign. Look in verse 9. "Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old." "Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon? Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over?"

Now, our Lord has said that His righteousness and His salvation shall be forever. What does He mean by that? No one or nothing can stop Him from delivering His people. Do you not know a simple truth? The Lord did not deliver us to be destroyed. He delivered us to be brought unto Himself. Therefore, when persecution and oppression and torment arises, especially from man, it is our duty.

It is our obligation to do what Isaiah did. What you say, what did Isaiah do? We'll look in verse nine. It's a prayer. It's a cry to the Lord. He says, "Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old." Here's a prayer of the prophet. Here he is praying as a representative of the church and he is addressing God the Father who, according to his understanding, Isaiah's understanding, does not immediately appear on behalf of his people and hence he is thinking that God may be asleep. Not that God slumbers or sleeps. God does not slumber. God does not sleep. But it appears that God has not moved quickly enough and that we're being persecuted, and we're being oppressed, and we're being tormented. And so he says, "Awake, awake, O arm of the Lord, awake as in ancient times." In other words, we're in real danger here. We need help. We need divine help. We need divine intervention.

Here is a picture then of vehement importunity. It's not just that we're saying now, "Lord, please send help." No, no, no. We're crying and saying, "Oh God, do something. Do something. Please move. Show thine arm." In fact, if you look in your Bibles, hold Isaiah 51, turn in your Bibles to Psalm 44 and verse 3. I wish that I had time just to go through the Psalms showing you the arm of the Lord and the hand of the Lord. But notice in Psalm 44 and verse 3, the word of God says this, Psalm 44, verse 3. "For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them." What did God do? God destroyed their enemies. Look in Psalm 77 and verse 15. Psalm 77, verse 15. Notice, once again, the Scripture says, "Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph."

"Thou hast with thine arm." Look in Psalm 89 and verse 13. Psalm 89, 13. "Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand." And then if you look in Psalm 98 and verse 1. Psalm 98 and verse 1. "O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory." What is Isaiah praying when he says, "Awake, awake, O Lord! Awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord!" He is saying, "Oh God, in your power, in your justice, in your might, awake and deliver us and destroy our enemies."

Now, I want you to note that this prayer request is augmented by a review of biblical history and demonstrations of God's great power. He says, "Art thou not it that cut Rahab and wounded the dragon?" That's Egypt and Pharaoh. "Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over?" Turn in your Bibles to Exodus chapter 15, and as you turn there, I'm sure that you will remember that it was God who destroyed Egypt. It was God who destroyed Pharaoh and his army. It was God who parted the Red Sea. It was God who delivered his people. And if you look in Exodus chapter 15, we won't have time to read all of this, but look at it.

"Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him. The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name. Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea." "The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone. Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy. And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble. And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea."

"The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them. Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters. Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them. Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation. The people shall hear, and be afraid." "Sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina." What is he saying? He's saying, "Awake, O Lord. You've done this in times past. Do it again." God is immutable. The word immutable means that God is unchangeable. Listen, if God has delivered his people in time past, will he not do it again? Well, of course he will.

Now, I want you to look at this unequivocal answer. Look in verse 11 and verse 12 of Isaiah 51. Isaiah has said, "Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord, awake as in ancient times." And then he gives the historical illustrations of how God has delivered his people in time past. Now, look in verse eleven, he says, "Therefore." That is, as a consequence of God arising and answering this prayer, "Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away." Look what God says. "I, even I, am he that comforteth you." What is God saying? God said, "I can turn your sorrow into joy. I can turn your mourning into happiness. I am the one that comforts you." Why will God do it? So that men may know that God is God alone. Do you know Ecclesiastes 3 and verse 14 says this? Listen carefully. "I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever."

"Nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him." God will deliver us. And he will deliver us so that we may learn who we are to fear. Now, watch this. He has shown us the mortality and the weakness of the sinner.

Now he's showing us the might and the wonder of the sovereign. So in light of his perfect, complete and sovereign work, in light of his deliverance and comfort, I want you to note the question that is asked in verse 12. Now look, after he says, "I, even I, am he that comforteth you," here's the question, "Who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass?" In other words, if you are a child of the Most High God, if you are the subject of His converting and delivering grace, if you are one who is esteemed in His sight, if you are one who will be ultimately delivered from every enemy and from all enemies, who are you to be afraid of man, and especially a dying man who shall be made as grass? You know what I can do to grass?

I can walk out and snap it with my fingers. I can pull it up with my fingers. It's no big deal to kill grass. And how in the world can you fear a dying man? What can a dying man do? Nothing but die. So look at this question. Watch it. Think about this now. In light of God's salvation, in light of God's power, he asks, "Who art thou?" And remember, he's addressing this to his people, "Who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass?" Why would you fear man?

The Root of Fear: Forgetting God

Fear arises when we forget God's person, power, and position. It is sin and idolatry, placing man above God.

I want to show you the clincher. I want to show you why Christians fear man. I want to show you why Christians fear government. I want to show you why Christians fear period. Are you looking? Let's read verse 12 again. "I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass?" Are you looking?

"And forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?" Do you know why you fear? Because you forget God. That's what he said. Look at it in verse 12. "Who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; and forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth?" You cannot fear until you forget. Remember I told you earlier fear and faith were opposites? They're contrary to one to the other. You have fear on the one hand or you have faith, but you cannot have them together. And our Lord says, when you fear man, it's because you've forgotten me. You've forgotten my person, my power and my position.

Applications: Trust, Not Fear

Believers must repent of fear, exercise faith, and remember God's promises. Fear and faith cannot coexist.

Let me make a couple of applications. The first one is this. I told you earlier that the greatest sin in fear is not just its manipulation and our loss of control. The greatest sin in fear is that it is sin in and of itself. You know what the Bible says in Romans 14 in verse 23? "For whatsoever is not of faith is sin." For whatsoever is not of faith is sin. Is fear a faith? No, it's not. So fear then is sin. Now let me tell you what you do when you fear.

When you fear, you not only forget God and fail to put your trust in Him, in actuality, the fear of man is a form of idolatry because you're placing the power of man ahead of and before and higher than the power of God. You're saying, in essence, "I don't need to fear the one true and living God, but I need to fear man because man is greater than God." No, that's pure idolatry. It is sin to fear. And our fear can become, and it is, idolatry. Isaiah 12 and verse 2. Here's another verse to memorize, and I'll tell you a story. Isaiah 12, verse 2. "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation." When Wendy, our oldest daughter, was three years old, she was afraid of the dark. Like a lot of children, we taught her this verse. In fact, we only taught her the portion that said, "I will trust and not be afraid." And you could hear her walking down a darkened hall, going to her bedroom in the dark, and she would be saying over and over, "I will trust and not be afraid. I will trust and not be afraid." Well, let me tell you something, people.

We need to do that. And when fear seizes us, we need to say, "I will trust and not be afraid. I will not give man the glory and the honor that belongs to God only." The second application is this. Why should we fear man when we know that the fury of the oppressor is in God's hands? Romans 8:28, which I quoted earlier, conclusively demonstrates that God is not going to allow anything to happen to us, which will not be for our good and his glory.

Now, let me tell you something. Listen carefully. The Bible says, Romans 8:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." It may not always be good to us, but it's always good for us. You may not like the suffering. You may not like the pain, but whatever God allows is always going to be for our good and for His glory. You've got to remember this. Our Heavenly Father is too loving to be unkind and too wise to make a mistake. Whatever He does is for our good and glory.

Thirdly, fear is the opposite of faith. I've told you this earlier. I'm going to say it again. It is impossible to exercise faith and fear at the same time. You may either fear or you may exercise faith, but you cannot do them together. When you are overwhelmed in your fears, you must repent and turn back to God. It is God and His Word alone that will encourage us, embolden us, and enable us.

Do you remember in Acts 2 and Acts 4 when those disciples were threatened? You remember what they did? They got together and said, "Lord, in this prayer meeting, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word." When fear came upon them, they fled to God in faith and asked for boldness. And they never backed down, and they never backed up, and they never stopped. You can either be fearful or you can exercise faith, but you cannot do both at the same time. And if you're fearful, you're sinning against God and committing idolatry because you're placing man above God. You just need to remember: "The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe." You need to remember: "For God hath not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." You need to remember: "I will trust and not be afraid." You need to remember: "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper."

Study Guide

Major Themes

Fear as Sin and Idolatry

Summary: Fear is not merely an emotion but a sin that places man's power above God's, constituting idolatry.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'the greatest sin in fear is that it is sin in and of itself... the fear of man is a form of idolatry because you're placing the power of man ahead of and before and higher than the power of God.'

The Opposition of Fear and Faith

Summary: Fear and faith are mutually exclusive; one cannot exercise faith while being controlled by fear.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'It is impossible to exercise faith and fear at the same time. You may either fear or you may exercise faith, but you cannot do them together.'

God's Sovereignty Over Man

Summary: God controls the fury of oppressors, and man can do nothing apart from God's will, so believers need not fear.

Evidence: Weaver explains, 'Man cannot do one thing apart from God... the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.'

The Mortality and Weakness of Man

Summary: Man is compared to a garment eaten by a moth, emphasizing his frailty and inability to ultimately harm believers.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'Men are so weak, they are so mortal, they are compared to a garment that a moth eats... man is really helpless, powerless and unable to do anything.'

God's Comfort and Deliverance

Summary: God comforts His people and delivers them from fear, turning sorrow into joy, as seen in Isaiah 51.

Evidence: Weaver quotes Isaiah 51:12, 'I, even I, am he that comforteth you,' and explains God's promise to turn sorrow into joy.

The Snare of Fearing Man

Summary: Fearing man traps and enslaves believers, while trusting in the Lord brings safety.

Evidence: Weaver cites Proverbs 29:25, 'The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.'

Key Arguments

Fear is not from God

Summary: God gives a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind, not fear; therefore, fear originates from sinful sources.

Evidence: Weaver reads 2 Timothy 1:7, 'For God hath not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.'

Fear is contrary to love

Summary: Perfect love casts out fear because fear involves torment, showing that love and fear cannot coexist.

Evidence: Weaver quotes 1 John 4:18, 'There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment.'

Believers are delivered from the fear of death

Summary: Christ's death destroyed the devil's power and freed believers from the lifelong bondage of fearing death.

Evidence: Weaver references Hebrews 2:14-15, explaining that Christ came to 'deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.'

Man can only kill the body

Summary: The worst man can do is kill the body, but God has power over eternal destiny, so we should fear God, not man.

Evidence: Weaver cites Luke 12:4-5, 'Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell.'

God's past deliverances assure future help

Summary: Isaiah's prayer recalls God's mighty acts (e.g., parting the Red Sea) as a basis for trusting Him to deliver again.

Evidence: Weaver points to Isaiah 51:9-10, 'Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon? Art thou not it which hath dried the sea...'

Fear stems from forgetting God

Summary: Isaiah 51:12-13 shows that fearing man results from forgetting God's creative power and sovereignty.

Evidence: Weaver reads, 'and forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor.'

Fear is sin because it is not of faith

Summary: Romans 14:23 states that whatever is not of faith is sin, and since fear is not faith, it is sinful.

Evidence: Weaver quotes, 'For whatsoever is not of faith is sin,' and applies it to fear.

Trust in God eliminates fear

Summary: Scripture commands trust in God as the antidote to fear, promising safety and help.

Evidence: Weaver cites Isaiah 12:2, 'Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid,' and Hebrews 13:5-6.

Scripture References

Isaiah 51:1-13

Context: Primary text of the sermon, read at the beginning and expounded throughout.

Matthew 7:24-26

Context: Illustration of building on rock vs. sand, showing that obedience to Christ removes fear.

2 Timothy 1:7

Context: God has not given a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind.

1 John 4:18

Context: Perfect love casts out fear because fear has torment.

Hebrews 2:14-15

Context: Christ destroyed the devil and delivered believers from the fear of death.

Romans 8:28

Context: All things work together for good to those who love God, removing fear of the unknown.

Luke 12:4-5

Context: Do not fear those who kill the body but fear God who can cast into hell.

2 Corinthians 5:8

Context: To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, so death is not to be feared.

Philippians 1:21-24

Context: To live is Christ and to die is gain; Paul desired to depart and be with Christ.

Job 1:18-22

Context: Job lost everything but worshipped God, saying 'the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away.'

Job 2:7-10

Context: Job's wife told him to curse God, but Job rebuked her, accepting both good and evil from God.

Job 42:10

Context: God restored Job's fortunes and gave him twice as much as before.

Hebrews 13:5-6

Context: God will never leave nor forsake us, so we can boldly say, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear what man shall do unto me.'

Psalm 37:25

Context: David never saw the righteous forsaken or their seed begging bread.

Proverbs 29:25

Context: The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.

Romans 6:16

Context: You are slaves to whom you obey, illustrating how fear can control and master a person.

Job 4:19

Context: Those who dwell in houses of clay are crushed before the moth, showing man's frailty.

Psalm 39:11

Context: God makes man's beauty consume away like a moth; surely every man is vanity.

Isaiah 50:8-9

Context: The Lord God helps; adversaries will wax old as a garment and the moth will eat them.

Psalm 76:10

Context: Surely the wrath of man shall praise God; the remainder of wrath He restrains.

Historical References

Winston Churchill

Context: Weaver attributes the quote 'We have nothing to fear but fear itself' to Churchill, though it is commonly associated with FDR.

The Three Little Pigs

Context: Used as an opening analogy for the sermon's title and theme of fear.

Exodus event (Rahab, dragon, Red Sea)

Context: Referenced as historical demonstration of God's power to deliver His people from Egypt.

Important Quotes

For God hath not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Significance: Key verse establishing that fear does not come from God, foundational to the sermon's argument.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Significance: Shows the incompatibility of fear and love, reinforcing that fear is contrary to God's nature.

The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.

Significance: Central warning about the trapping nature of fearing man and the safety found in trusting God.

I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; and forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?

Significance: The climax of Isaiah 51, highlighting the irrationality of fearing mortal man while forgetting the Creator.

For whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

Significance: Used to argue that fear itself is sinful because it is not an act of faith.

Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

Significance: A model response of faith, used to encourage believers to replace fear with trust.

Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.

Significance: Affirms God's sovereign control over human anger, limiting what oppressors can do.

Discussion Questions

In what ways does fear function as a 'snare' in the life of a believer, and how can we recognize when we are being controlled by fear rather than faith?

Context: Based on Proverbs 29:25 and the sermon's emphasis on fear as a trap.

How does forgetting God's character and past works lead to fear, and what practical steps can we take to remember God in times of anxiety?

Context: From Isaiah 51:12-13 and the point that fear stems from forgetting God.

Why is the fear of man considered a form of idolatry, and how does this perspective change the way we view our everyday anxieties about others' opinions?

Context: From the application that fearing man places man above God.

How can the example of Job help us respond when we face loss or threats, and what does his response teach us about the relationship between faith and fear?

Context: From the account of Job's losses and his worshipful response.

What does it mean that 'perfect love casteth out fear' (1 John 4:18), and how can growing in love for God and others diminish our fears?

Context: From the discussion of 1 John 4:18 and the opposition of love and fear.

How does the truth that man can only kill the body (Luke 12:4-5) practically free us from the fear of persecution or death?

Context: From the teaching that the worst man can do is temporary.

In what ways can prayer, like Isaiah's cry for God to 'awake,' help us combat fear and align our perspective with God's power?

Context: From Isaiah 51:9 and the example of crying out to God in times of fear.

How can we cultivate a habit of saying 'I will trust and not be afraid' (Isaiah 12:2) in the face of specific fears we encounter daily?

Context: From the personal story of teaching a child to recite this verse.

Applications

Repent of Fear as Sin

Summary: Recognize that fear is not just an emotion but a sin that must be repented of, as it is contrary to faith and constitutes idolatry.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'the greatest sin in fear is that it is sin in and of itself... the fear of man is a form of idolatry.'

Replace Fear with Faith

Summary: Actively choose to trust God rather than give in to fear, knowing that faith and fear cannot coexist.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'It is impossible to exercise faith and fear at the same time... When you are overwhelmed in your fears, you must repent and turn back to God.'

Remember God's Sovereignty

Summary: Meditate on God's control over all things, including the fury of oppressors, to combat fear of man or circumstances.

Evidence: Weaver explains, 'Man cannot do one thing apart from God... the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.'

Memorize and Recite Scripture

Summary: Use specific verses (e.g., 2 Timothy 1:7, Isaiah 12:2, Hebrews 13:5-6) to counter fear with God's promises.

Evidence: Weaver shares the story of his daughter reciting 'I will trust and not be afraid' and encourages memorization.

Pray for Boldness

Summary: Follow the example of the early church in Acts, praying for boldness in the face of threats rather than giving in to fear.

Evidence: Weaver references Acts 2 and 4, 'When fear came upon them, they fled to God in faith and asked for boldness.'

View Death from a Biblical Perspective

Summary: Understand that for a believer, death is gain and being with Christ, so the fear of death is removed.

Evidence: Weaver cites Philippians 1:21 and 2 Corinthians 5:8, 'to die is gain... to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.'

Trust God with Possessions and Security

Summary: Recognize that all we have comes from God and He can restore or provide, so we need not fear loss.

Evidence: Weaver points to Job's response, 'Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away.'

Focus on God's Comfort

Summary: In times of fear, remember that God Himself is our comforter and can turn sorrow into joy.

Evidence: Weaver quotes Isaiah 51:12, 'I, even I, am he that comforteth you,' and explains God's promise to turn sorrow into joy.

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T03:45:16Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T16:24:19Z

Clean Transcript

Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

I want you to open your Bibles, if you would, please, to the book of Isaiah, chapter 51. Isaiah 51. And I trust that you remember the name of the sermon this week, and I hope you've thought about it and see if you figured it out. But the title of the sermon is "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" And if you look in your Bibles, Isaiah 51, and let's read verses 1 through 13, I'm sure that you will probably pick up on it as we read along. Isaiah 51, beginning with verse 1.
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"Hearken to me, you that follow after righteousness, you that seek the Lord. Look unto the rock whence you are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence you are digged. Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him. For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord."
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"Joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody. Hearken unto me, my people, and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people. My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust."
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"Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished. Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings. For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation."
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"Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon? Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over? Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away."
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"I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; and forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?"
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Now, I want you to understand that the Word of God has a great deal to say about the subject that I'm going to be dealing with. Who is afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? Everyone in this room is aware of the question that is in the title of this message. The three little pigs were not afraid of the Big Bad Wolf until at least two of them had their houses blown down. The third little pig, of course you'll remember, had built his house solidly out of bricks, and that house alone was safe. All else had failed. Now there is a big bad wolf that concerns all of us, and the wolf's name is fear. Our Lord talked about this, and if you'll hold Isaiah 51, but look in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 7 very quickly, in verses 24 and 26. Matthew 7, verses 24 and 26. Notice, if you would, please, what our Lord is teaching. Matthew 7, beginning there with verse 24, our Lord says, "Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock."
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"And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it." So our Lord is saying simply, those who do not build their house based upon His truth and His teachings have a great deal to fear. But those who build their houses solidly upon the rock of His word have absolutely nothing to fear. The word "fear" occurs 400 times in our King James Bibles.
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So evidently it is a very important subject to have been recorded that many times. There are all kinds of phobias. Tripp was telling me this week that he's heard that there is a phobia even of bald-headed men. And of course, I guess there's a phobia of phobias. But it was Winston Churchill, I believe, who told the English people, "We have nothing to fear but fear itself."
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Well, let me ask a question. What do people fear most? I suppose that the greatest fears are in relationship to death, persecution, the unknown, and suffering.
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Now, let me submit something to you. Fear itself needs to be feared. Not in the sense that fear is anything that you and I should respect, but in the sense that we do not want to fall into that entangling and destructive snare. Most people have never understood the destructive and the devastating nature of just fear. Fear itself is an emotion, it's a state of mind, it's a disposition—listen carefully—that is contrary to God and His Word.
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It paralyzes, demoralizes, devastates, and destroys. Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles. We're going to come back to Isaiah 51, but I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 Timothy chapter 1. I want you to note something from the outset that fleshly and worldly fear is never from God. Here's a passage that I would encourage every one of you to commit to memory. I can quote the passage, but I want you to see it. Look at it. Second Timothy chapter one in verse seven.
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It's a very simple statement. The Bible says, "For God hath not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." Now look at it. "For God hath not given us a spirit of fear." So you've got to ask yourself this question: if God does not give us a spirit of fear, where does fear arise? Well, it may arise from the world. It may arise from the flesh. It may arise from a lack of faith. It may arise from the devil. But it never, ever comes from God. Now, there is a fear of God that is a reverential trust. But we're talking about the fear of man. We're talking about fear in general. And God says He has not given us a spirit of fear, but God gives us a spirit of love and power and of a sound mind. I want you to note, and I'm going to prove this before I close today, that fear is exactly the opposite of faith. Now, I also want you to see, based upon the Word of God, that fear is also contrary to biblical love.
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If you look in your Bibles very quickly to 1 John chapter 4, 1 John chapter 4 and look in verse 18. 1 John 4 and verse 18. 1 John 4 and notice if you would please verse 18. Look what God says. "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." Now, note: there is no fear in love. There is no fear in biblical love, but perfect love does what? Casteth out fear. Why? Because fear has torment. So faith then and fear are exact opposites, but also love and fear are contrary to each other as well.
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Now, if I were to ask you, "What is your greatest fear?" Or if I were to ask people in general, "What is their greatest fear?" Undoubtedly, one of the most frequently given answers would be the fear of death. But let me ask that you turn in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter two, and I want to just show you that for a child of God, you should never, ever have a fear of death. In fact, the Bible tells us very explicitly that we have been delivered from that fear if we have been genuinely converted. Look in Hebrews chapter 2, beginning there with verse 14.
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The Bible says, "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." What did our Lord do in saving us? One of the benefits of being saved is being delivered from the fear or the bondage of death.
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Now, you've just got to ask yourself whether or not you're afraid of death. If you're a child of God, there should be no reason why you should fear death. I'll explain that in just a moment. Another common answer that is given is, well, we're afraid of the unknown. I mean, who knows what tomorrow's going to hold? Who knows whether or not I'll have surgery? Who knows whether or not I'll die? Who knows whether or not I'll be financially bankrupt? The fear of the unknown. The fear of the unknown should never ever bother a child of God. Why? Well, first of all, what did our Lord tell us?
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That sufficient unto the day. Listen, we may not even be around tomorrow. But what else does the Bible say if we are around tomorrow? Romans 8:28: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Why in the world should I fear anything when I know that God is ultimately going to work everything out for my good and for his glory? So I should not have a fear of death as a child of God. I should not have a fear of the unknown. What is your greatest fear? Now, if you were honest in answering that question, you would probably say my greatest fear is the fear of man. Or we could say that another way. My greatest fear is the fear of government.
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I am fearful of what men can do to me, to my family, my possessions, and my life. If you're honest, you'd probably say that. The truth of the matter is this. None of us want to be reviled, reproached, persecuted, or prosecuted. Yet the truth of the matter is this. When you live in a corrupt and ignorant society, with a compromised and corrupt judicial system, and you live under a government that is bent on silencing all who are opposed to it, and all who are exposing its sins and wickedness, in one sense of the word, you could say it would be quite natural to fear. Because you know, inevitably, the power of man and the power of government is going to come down upon you. But at the same time, you have to recognize the dangers of fear. Listen to this. Fear is forbidden to the child of God. And especially the fear of man.
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Look in your Bibles, if you would, to Luke 12. Luke 12. Let me show you what our Lord says, Luke 12, and let's begin reading there with verse 4. A very powerful passage, Luke 12 and verse 4. Notice these are the words of our Lord. He says, "And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him." You'll find that passage in Luke. It's also in Matthew, but notice what our Lord is saying. Our Lord is saying we're not to fear man. We're to fear God. God not only has power to kill, he has power to cast into hell. So once again, it's not man that we're to fear, it's God that we're to fear. Do you realize if we did not really fear man, how much more bold, brave and courageous we would be?
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Just stop and think about this. As wicked as fallen men are, do you realize there is a limit as to what they can do? What is the utmost that a wicked man can do to a child of God? The most he could possibly do is to kill the body.
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Now, my question is this. Why should a child of God fear death? You remember, our Lord told us in Hebrews chapter two that he came to deliver us from death. You know what the Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 8? Listen to this. He said, "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."
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So once we are killed, what happens? We're in the presence of the Lord. Do you remember what the Apostle Paul said in Philippians chapter 1, where he was there in the Roman jail, writing to the Philippians, and he said, "For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better."
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"Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you." And then he said, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." I mean, how horrible could it be to be ushered into the presence of Jesus Christ if you're a child of God? And the answer is, it's not horrible, it's desirable. It's what we want. We want to be with the Lord. So how in the world can even the threat of death to a child of God be a terror or be a fear to us?
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Now, you say, "But pastor, you don't understand. It's not just your life that they can take. But they can take everything you've ever worked for. They can confiscate everything that you ever had. You just don't understand." Well, I do understand. Let me ask you several questions. The first one is this. How much of your stuff did you bring into the world with you? My next question is, how much of your stuff are you going to take out of the world with you? My third question is this. Is all that stuff really your stuff?
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I mean, let's be honest, who gave it to you? Who gave you the ability to work and to earn and to save and to purchase all the stuff that you have? I believe the correct answer is God and God alone.
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Now, let me just tell you and listen carefully, because this is a very important point and we'll show it to you from the Bible. There's a difference between men and women. You never knew that, did you? Do you know what the greatest concern for a woman is? Security. Really. She wants security more than anything in the world. And one of the greatest fears that a wife has is this.
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"What will happen to me if something happens to my husband? What will happen to me if my husband goes to prison? What will happen to me if my husband dies?" And if you have children at home, then that is intensified.
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Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Job. Let's look in Job chapter one, and here's an amazing thing. Job went through more than anyone in this room would ever go through. Do you remember that Job was the wealthiest man in his time? He lost all of his possessions in one day. All of his camels, all of his asses, all of his cattle. He lost everything. In fact, in one day, he not only lost all of his possessions, he lost ten children. He not only lost all of his possessions and ten children, he was smitten with the disease from head to foot, boils, putrefying sores, being eaten with worms while he was alive. In fact, that's what he had the potsherd for, was to scrape the worms off.
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So therefore, he was useless for any work, even though he was left alive. Now here's a man who's lost everything. Including his children. Including his health. And I want you to see his attitude. Look in Job chapter 1, beginning there in verse 18. Job chapter 1 verse 18. "While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house: and, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, and said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither."
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"The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."
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Now note this next verse. "In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly."
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Now here's the man who had lost ten children. Lost everything he had. And in all this, he sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. He just said, "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." You know, the interesting thing is, as you study the book of Job, the one thing that was left to Job was his wife. But the problem was, her attitude was not the same attitude that Job held. If you look in Job chapter 2, let's begin reading verse 7. You'll see her attitude. Job 2 verse 7. "So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes." Now look.
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"Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips." The one who should have been an encouragement was the one that tried to get him to defect and sin and curse God and die. And what did Job do? Job looked at his wife. He never got upset. He just says, "You're speaking as one of the foolish women."
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"You haven't thought this thing through. Shall we receive good at the hand of God and not evil?" I mean, God is sovereign. God can send whatever He pleases. We know it's from His hand and I'm willing to bow to it. So Job then not only corrected her in one sense of the word, he rebuked her. And by the way, Job was right, because if you'll turn right over to the book of Job, chapter 42, you'll notice in this passage that Job not only retained his integrity, Job not only did not sin in the fact that he did not curse God, the Bible tells you in Job, chapter 42, verse 10, look carefully, "And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before."
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So ever how many millions he had before he got double? By the way, he had 10 more children. He didn't get another wife. I was going to say that. He got 10 more children because the 10 that were killed really were not gone. I mean, they were with the Lord, you see. He still had double. He had 20 children.
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Now, I want you to take note of something, ladies. Listen carefully. I want you to take note of how a wife may become an encouragement or discouragement unto her husband based upon either her faith or her fear. Job's life was fearful, but Job was a man of faith. Do you realize it makes a difference when you move in faith. Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to Hebrews 13.
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Because let's go back to this mentality. Well, what if they take my husband? Or what if the Lord takes my husband? What if he dies? Well, watch this, if you would, in Hebrews 13, beginning there with verse 5. Look what God says. Hebrews 13, verse 5. I usually quote this verse to my wife. She'll come in and she'll say, "You know, I need some new clothes" and I say, "Well, we're Christians. Let's see what the Bible says." And I preach this verse.
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It's one of my favorites. Hebrews 13 verse 5. "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have." I'd say there's your answer right there. You don't get it. No, the verse goes on. "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Now, wait, don't stop there. Watch the next verse. "So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper."
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"I will not fear what man shall do unto me." I will not fear. Why? Because we are never, ever alone. We're never forsaken. I don't care if you're a widow woman. I don't care if your husband and your children are in prison for the faith's sake. You're still never, ever alone. You know what David said in Psalm 37 verse 25? Once again, this is one of my favorite verses. David said it like this.
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"I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." God will take care of his own. He'll take care of the widow. He'll take care of the orphan. He'll take care of the husband. He'll take care of the wife. "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." You can mark her down if you are a child of God, and if you move in faith, and if you obey him, He will protect you and he will never leave you and never forsake you. You can mark her down. You're going to be taken care of. Our trust.
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Has got to be in Christ alone. Our faith has got to be in Christ alone. You better stop and think about something, ladies. Your husbands will not live forever. And then your wives will not live forever. But that doesn't mean that you're never alone or ever forsaken. God will take care of you. I remember a widow woman who was deathly afraid to go to sleep at night because of all the break-ins and the muggings and the rapes. And she basically stayed awake most of the night, but just too fearful. And so she was reading her Bible one night and she came across the passage in Psalms that said, "The Lord thy God that keepeth thee neither slumbereth nor sleepeth."
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And it dawned on her. And she said, "Well, Lord, since you're going to stay awake, there's no reason for both of us to. I think I'll just go to sleep." And that's a fact. The Lord that keepeth thee neither slumbereth nor sleepeth.
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Now, let me ask you, why in the world should we fear what man can do unto us when the sovereign Lord of heaven and earth is on the throne? Man may kill the body, but that's all he can do. But the Lord can give life back to the body. Man may confiscate and take everything that you have, but God may give back double, triple or quadruple or whatever he pleases.
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Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles. We're coming back to Isaiah 51. But I want you to turn in your Bibles to Proverbs 29. And look, if you would please, at verse 25. Here's another verse you need to memorize. You need to memorize 2 Timothy 1 and verse 7: "For God hath not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." You need to memorize Proverbs 29 and verse 25. And look at what the Bible says. "The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe." The fear of man bringeth a snare. You know what a snare is?
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It's similar to a trap. But usually a snare is made out of wire or a rope or a piece of heavy string. And a snare is usually made in a circle like this, and it's tied to a tree or a small branch, depending on what you're hunting. And when the animal goes through it, it closes around his head and the animal is choked to death. And he's held there until whoever sets the snare comes by and releases the body and resets the snare.
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Now, what does God say? "The fear of man bringeth a snare." The word "snare" occurs 20 times in our Bibles. It's translated "gin" three times and it is translated "ensnared" one time. What is God telling us? Whoever fears man is ensnared and trapped. It's a snare and a trap that is designed to hold us in slavish fear. So God says, whosoever fears man is ensnared. But whosoever putteth his trust in the Lord is saved. Now, let's go back in our Bibles to Isaiah 51.
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And I want you to see this. Isaiah 51. And I want you to look closely at the context. Because here is a passage that really destroys the fear of man, if you understand that. Look, if you would, please, first of all, to whom this text is addressed. Look in verse 1. "Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord."
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Now, if someone's following after righteousness and seeking the Lord, I would say pretty much he's a believer, wouldn't you? Look in verse 4. "Hearken unto me, my people, and give ear unto me, O my nation." Oh, now God specifically says you're my people, you're my nation. Look in verse 7. "Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law." Now he says those who know righteousness and those whose heart has his law entombed in it.
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Now, if you just look at the context, you cannot help but see this passage is written to true believers. In fact, look in verse 1: "Hearken to me." Skip down into verse 4: "Hearken to me." Skip down to verse 7: "Hearken to me." Three times God says to his people, "Hearken, listen, pay attention, shut up, take notice. I'm telling you something. You need to know it." Now, let me just give you the context of verses 1 through 6. I'm not going to deal with that passage, but I'm going to give you context. In verses 1 through 6, God specifically identifies himself as the source of all blessings in verses 2 and 3. Secondly, he also designates himself as the source of all help, all righteousness and all salvation. It is God alone who can turn a desert into a fruitful garden, verse 3. It is God alone who will stand the test of time, verse 6. All else may wax old and decay and vanish, but God and His righteousness shall endure forever, verse 6.
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So what is he saying? I am the source of all your help. I am the source of salvation. I am the source of righteousness. I am the source of all your prosperity.
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Now, in light of these verses, and in light of these truths, since God says that He is the All-Sufficient One, since God says that He is the Sovereign One, and in light of His power, His mercy, and His grace, I want you to look at verse 7. "Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings."
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Now let's ask a question. Why in the world are we so afraid of what people will think, say, or do? Why is it that we're afraid of being laughed at, mocked, ridiculed, persecuted, prosecuted, and reviled? Just stop and think. How in reality do those things hurt us? Let me tell you. You've heard that old expression, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me."
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Well, that's not really true. I mean, names do hurt, especially when we're being reviled and mocked and ridiculed. Nobody likes that. But here's our real fear. Our real fear is that those mockings and ridiculings will turn into real persecution and those threats will turn into reality.
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Now, you haven't even noticed what I've just said. When we begin to fear the revilings and the reproaches and the threats of man, guess what? We are afraid that that will turn into reality. What does that mean? We are now being motivated and controlled by fear. I want you to turn in your Bibles, hold Isaiah 51, we're coming right back there, but turn in your Bibles, Romans chapter 6. I want you to look at this passage because it will demonstrate how easily we can be manipulated and we can be controlled. Look in Romans chapter 6 and verse 16. Now, in this passage, our Lord is talking about sin. Romans six, let's see, it is verse 16. I was looking at Romans five. Yeah, Romans six, verse 16.
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"Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" Now, look what he's saying. "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are." We understand that. If ever one of you came and bowed the knee to me today and said, "Pastor, you're our master."
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"Whatever you say, that is what we will do." Then I am your master. You are my servant. It's just that simple. So our Lord is saying, if you bow the knee to sin and say, "I'm going to follow you. I'm going to do what you want me to do," then sin is your master. You could take this same concept and basically add this. Watch it. Read verse 16.
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"Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of fear unto death and destruction or of obedience unto righteousness?" What is he telling you? Whoever you yield your body to and your mind and your thinking to is your master. So one of the dangers in fear is this, that fear not only manipulates us, it will control us. Once fear takes over, are you listening?
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We do not think or act. We panic and we react. I never will forget, and I barely remember it. But I was a boy, probably three or four years old, and my mother and father were down at my grandfather's pond fishing. And I walked behind my mother just as she put that reel back to throw out there and it had one of those bass things on there with a treble hook on the end.
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And as she did this, it caught in my cheek. And when I screamed and she turned around and saw what she had done, she reached down and picked me up and started running to the house screaming. And of course, I was dragging the reel. My father had to chase her down, take me away from her, slap her to bring her back to reality, and take the pliers and cut off the treble and then get it out. What was she done? She just panicked. She wasn't in control.
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Now, all I'm trying to tell you is this. When fear comes upon us, we panic and we react. The greatest sin in fearing is not our panic, it is not our loss of control, there is a far greater sin.
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Now, why does God admonish us in verse 7, to "fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be afraid of their revilings"? I've got two points and we'll give them to you. There are two reasons. First of all, there is the mortality and the weakness of the sinner. And secondly, there is the might and wonder of the sovereign. So let's look in verse eight at the mortality and the weakness of the sinner. Now, in verse seven, he says, let's read the latter part. He says, "fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings." Why? Here's why.
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"For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool." Just stop right there. Men are so weak, they are so mortal, they are compared to a garment that a moth eats, or to wool that a worm eats. Here's a picture that God is presenting to us of fallen man, of sinners, of man in general, that man is really helpless, powerless and unable to do anything.
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In other words, the rage of the sinner will be brought to absolute nought. Now, I want you to consider, first of all, he says the moth. He says, "for the moth shall eat them up like a garment." Do you realize how delicate a moth is? How many of you have ever caught a moth? Yeah, you know what happens when you touch their wings, everything starts coming off and falling apart. He says the moth shall eat them. The most delicate insect will be able to destroy them. The moth that has no means of self-defense is a creature that God uses to demonstrate the mortality and the weakness of the sinner. Moreover, one must also consider that this raging, wicked oppressor is here likened to a garment.
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Now let me ask you this, and think about this. How many garments do you have hanging in your closet that can defend themselves against a moth? None. Not one. Can your wool defend itself? No. It's just hanging there. It can't do one thing. The garment has no power in and of itself. Here's what God is saying. It doesn't matter how powerful men are. It doesn't matter how rich they are. It doesn't matter how oppressive they are. They're just as defenseless as a garment, and a little moth can eat them and destroy them and bring them to nothing.
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I want you to look in your Bibles. Hold Isaiah 51. But look in your Bibles, first of all, to Job 4. This picture, and I had to be selective, but this picture occurs many times in the Bible. Look in Job 4, beginning there in verse 19. Job 4 verse 19. Look what he says, in fact. It is so clear Job 4 verse 19, "How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth?" Which are crushed before the moth. The moth can crush sinners. Isn't that amazing? Look in your Bibles at Psalm 39 and verse 11. Psalm 39, verse 11.
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You see, when God takes away the power of man, man has no power. Look in Psalm 39 and verse 11. Look what David said. "When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity." And then if you'll go back to Isaiah 50. And look at verses eight and nine, Isaiah 50 verses eight and nine. Isaiah 50 verse eight.
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"He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me. Behold, the Lord God will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up." As a garment is eaten by the moth, secretly, slowly, silently, surely, and at last completely and totally, so that the garment becomes good for nothing, so secret, gradual, certain, and sure, and complete ruin and destruction shall come upon the enemies of Christ. The worm, he said, shall eat them like wool. The moth shall destroy them. The garment cannot prevent itself from being destroyed. Do you realize the moth and the worm are a picture of God's judgment upon the wicked, not only in this world, but in the next world where the Word of God says, "where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." So here's what God is asking.
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Why should you and I fear such a mortal, weak sinner. So weak that a moth can crush him. So weak, so helpless that he cannot hinder a moth from destroying him.
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Now, there is also another truth in Isaiah 51, verses 9-13, and that is this. Here's why God is telling us that we should not fear man. It's not just because man is mortal and weak, but secondly, because of the might and the wonder of the Sovereign. Look in verse 9. "Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old."
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"Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon? Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over?"
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Now, our Lord has said that His righteousness and His salvation shall be forever. What does He mean by that? No one or nothing can stop Him from delivering His people. Do you not know a simple truth? The Lord did not deliver us to be destroyed. He delivered us to be brought unto Himself. Therefore, when persecution and oppression and torment arises, especially from man, it is our duty.
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It is our obligation to do what Isaiah did. What you say, what did Isaiah do? We'll look in verse nine. It's a prayer. It's a cry to the Lord. He says, "Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old." Here's a prayer of the prophet. Here he is praying as a representative of the church and he is addressing God the Father who, according to his understanding, Isaiah's understanding, does not immediately appear on behalf of his people and hence he is thinking that God may be asleep. Not that God slumbers or sleeps. God does not slumber. God does not sleep. But it appears that God has not moved quickly enough and that we're being persecuted, and we're being oppressed, and we're being tormented. And so he says, "Awake, awake, O arm of the Lord, awake as in ancient times." In other words, we're in real danger here. We need help. We need divine help. We need divine intervention.
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Here is a picture then of vehement importunity. It's not just that we're saying now, "Lord, please send help." No, no, no. We're crying and saying, "Oh God, do something. Do something. Please move. Show thine arm." In fact, if you look in your Bibles, hold Isaiah 51, turn in your Bibles to Psalm 44 and verse 3. I wish that I had time just to go through the Psalms showing you the arm of the Lord and the hand of the Lord. But notice in Psalm 44 and verse 3, the word of God says this, Psalm 44, verse 3. "For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them." What did God do? God destroyed their enemies. Look in Psalm 77 and verse 15. Psalm 77, verse 15. Notice, once again, the Scripture says, "Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph."
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"Thou hast with thine arm." Look in Psalm 89 and verse 13. Psalm 89, 13. "Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand." And then if you look in Psalm 98 and verse 1. Psalm 98 and verse 1. "O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory." What is Isaiah praying when he says, "Awake, awake, O Lord! Awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord!" He is saying, "Oh God, in your power, in your justice, in your might, awake and deliver us and destroy our enemies."
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Now, I want you to note that this prayer request is augmented by a review of biblical history and demonstrations of God's great power. He says, "Art thou not it that cut Rahab and wounded the dragon?" That's Egypt and Pharaoh. "Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over?" Turn in your Bibles to Exodus chapter 15, and as you turn there, I'm sure that you will remember that it was God who destroyed Egypt. It was God who destroyed Pharaoh and his army. It was God who parted the Red Sea. It was God who delivered his people. And if you look in Exodus chapter 15, we won't have time to read all of this, but look at it.
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"Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him. The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name. Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea."
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"The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone. Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy. And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble. And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea."
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"The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them. Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters. Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them. Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation. The people shall hear, and be afraid."
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"Sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina." What is he saying? He's saying, "Awake, O Lord. You've done this in times past. Do it again." God is immutable. The word immutable means that God is unchangeable. Listen, if God has delivered his people in time past, will he not do it again? Well, of course he will.
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Now, I want you to look at this unequivocal answer. Look in verse 11 and verse 12 of Isaiah 51. Isaiah has said, "Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord, awake as in ancient times." And then he gives the historical illustrations of how God has delivered his people in time past. Now, look in verse eleven, he says, "Therefore." That is, as a consequence of God arising and answering this prayer, "Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away." Look what God says.
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"I, even I, am he that comforteth you." What is God saying? God said, "I can turn your sorrow into joy. I can turn your mourning into happiness. I am the one that comforts you." Why will God do it? So that men may know that God is God alone. Do you know Ecclesiastes 3 and verse 14 says this? Listen carefully. "I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever."
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"Nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him." God will deliver us. And he will deliver us so that we may learn who we are to fear. Now, watch this. He has shown us the mortality and the weakness of the sinner.
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Now he's showing us the might and the wonder of the sovereign. So in light of his perfect, complete and sovereign work, in light of his deliverance and comfort, I want you to note the question that is asked in verse 12.
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Now look, after he says, "I, even I, am he that comforteth you," here's the question, "Who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass?" In other words, if you are a child of the Most High God, if you are the subject of His converting and delivering grace, if you are one who is esteemed in His sight, if you are one who will be ultimately delivered from every enemy and from all enemies, who are you to be afraid of man, and especially a dying man who shall be made as grass? You know what I can do to grass?
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I can walk out and snap it with my fingers. I can pull it up with my fingers. It's no big deal to kill grass. And how in the world can you fear a dying man? What can a dying man do? Nothing but die. So look at this question. Watch it. Think about this now. In light of God's salvation, in light of God's power, he asks, "Who art thou?" And remember, he's addressing this to his people, "Who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass?" Why would you fear man?
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I want to show you the clincher. I want to show you why Christians fear man. I want to show you why Christians fear government. I want to show you why Christians fear period. Are you looking? Let's read verse 12 again. "I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass?" Are you looking?
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"And forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?" Do you know why you fear? Because you forget God. That's what he said. Look at it in verse 12. "Who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; and forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth?" You cannot fear until you forget. Remember I told you earlier fear and faith were opposites?
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They're contrary to one to the other. You have fear on the one hand or you have faith, but you cannot have them together. And our Lord says, when you fear man, it's because you've forgotten me. You've forgotten my person, my power and my position.
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Now, let me just show you something else before I make some applications. He said in verse 13, "and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy?" And then he asks this question, "and where is the fury of the oppressor?" May I answer that question for you? Where is the fury of the oppressor? Here's the answer. In the hand of the sovereign God of heaven and earth. Man cannot do one thing apart from God. Do you realize it is God who either sends, allows, or withholds and restrains and ends the fury of man. Psalm 76, verse 10. Here's another verse to memorize. Psalm 76, verse 10. "Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain."
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You know how much fury and oppression and torment and persecution will be dished out to God's people? Only enough that will ultimately be for our good and for God's glory. The rest He will restrain. Everything is in His hand. Man can do nothing apart from God. Why should we fear man when we know that every man is in the hand of the sovereign God of heaven and earth?
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Let me make a couple of applications. The first one is this. I told you earlier that the greatest sin in fear is not just its manipulation and our loss of control. The greatest sin in fear is that it is sin in and of itself. You know what the Bible says in Romans 14 in verse 23? "For whatsoever is not of faith is sin." For whatsoever is not of faith is sin. Is fear a faith? No, it's not. So fear then is sin. Now let me tell you what you do when you fear.
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When you fear, you not only forget God and fail to put your trust in Him, in actuality, the fear of man is a form of idolatry because you're placing the power of man ahead of and before and higher than the power of God. You're saying, in essence, "I don't need to fear the one true and living God, but I need to fear man because man is greater than God." No, that's pure idolatry. It is sin to fear. And our fear can become, and it is, idolatry.
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Isaiah 12 and verse 2. Here's another verse to memorize, and I'll tell you a story. Isaiah 12, verse 2. "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation." When Wendy, our oldest daughter, was three years old, she was afraid of the dark. Like a lot of children, we taught her this verse. In fact, we only taught her the portion that said, "I will trust and not be afraid." And you could hear her walking down a darkened hall, going to her bedroom in the dark, and she would be saying over and over, "I will trust and not be afraid. I will trust and not be afraid." Well, let me tell you something, people.
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We need to do that. And when fear seizes us, we need to say, "I will trust and not be afraid. I will not give man the glory and the honor that belongs to God only." The second application is this. Why should we fear man when we know that the fury of the oppressor is in God's hands? Romans 8:28, which I quoted earlier, conclusively demonstrates that God is not going to allow anything to happen to us, which will not be for our good and his glory.
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Now, let me tell you something. Listen carefully. The Bible says, Romans 8:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." It may not always be good to us, but it's always good for us. You may not like the suffering. You may not like the pain, but whatever God allows is always going to be for our good and for His glory.
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You've got to remember this. Our Heavenly Father is too loving to be unkind and too wise to make a mistake. Whatever He does is for our good and glory.
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Thirdly, fear is the opposite of faith. I've told you this earlier. I'm going to say it again. It is impossible to exercise faith and fear at the same time. You may either fear or you may exercise faith, but you cannot do them together. When you are overwhelmed in your fears, you must repent and turn back to God. It is God and His Word alone that will encourage us, embolden us, and enable us.
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Do you remember in Acts 2 and Acts 4 when those disciples were threatened? You remember what they did? They got together and said, "Lord, in this prayer meeting, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word." When fear came upon them, they fled to God in faith and asked for boldness. And they never backed down, and they never backed up, and they never stopped. You can either be fearful or you can exercise faith, but you cannot do both at the same time. And if you're fearful, you're sinning against God and committing idolatry because you're placing man above God. You just need to remember: "The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe." You need to remember: "For God hath not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." You need to remember: "I will trust and not be afraid." You need to remember: "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper."
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"I will not fear what man shall do unto me." If you have faith, you cannot fear. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee. We ask You, Lord, to make us men and women of faith. Make us, Heavenly Father, fearless toward man, but fearing the one true and living God so that we may give you the reverence and the honor and the glory that you so richly deserve. We pray, Father, that you would instruct us, build us up, enable us to exercise faith, and always stand for you and your truth. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.
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I will not fear what man shall do unto me." If you have faith, you cannot fear. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we vow to Thee. We ask You, Lord, to make us men and women of faith. Make us, Heavenly Father, fearless toward man, but fearing the one true and living God so that we may give you the reverence and the honor and the glory that you so richly deserve. We pray, Father, that you would instruct us, build us up, enable us to exercise faith, and always stand for you and your truth. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T03:45:16Z

Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver addresses the sin of fearing man rather than God, using Isaiah 51 as the primary text. He argues that fear is contrary to faith and love, is a form of idolatry, and stems from forgetting God's sovereignty and power. Believers are called to trust in God's deliverance and comfort, recognizing that man is mortal and weak, while God is mighty and faithful.

Introduction: The Big Bad Wolf of Fear

Weaver introduces the topic of fear using the analogy of the three little pigs and the big bad wolf, stating that fear is a destructive force contrary to God.

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 51:1-13

"Hearken to me, you that follow after righteousness, you that seek the Lord. Look unto the rock whence you are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence you are digged. Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him. For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord."

The Nature and Source of Fear

Fear is not from God but from the world, flesh, or devil. It is opposite to faith and love, and God gives a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind.

If you look in your Bibles very quickly to 1 John chapter 4, 1 John chapter 4 and look in verse 18. 1 John 4 and verse 18. 1 John 4 and notice if you would please verse 18. Look what God says.

Scripture Reading — 1 John 4:18

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love."

Common Fears and Biblical Deliverance

Common fears include death, the unknown, and man. Scripture teaches that believers are delivered from the fear of death and can trust God for the unknown.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 2:14-15

"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."

What did our Lord do in saving us? One of the benefits of being saved is being delivered from the fear or the bondage of death.

The Fear of Man and Its Dangers

The fear of man is a snare that leads to panic and idolatry. Believers are commanded not to fear those who can only kill the body.

Scripture Reading — Luke 12:4-5

"And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him."

Scripture Reading — 2 Corinthians 5:8

"We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."

Job's Example of Faith Over Fear

Job lost everything yet trusted God, demonstrating that faith overcomes fear. His wife's fear contrasts with his faith.

Scripture Reading — Job 1:18-22

"While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house: and, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, and said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither." "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."

Now note this next verse.

Scripture Reading — Job 1:18-22

"In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly."

Now here's the man who had lost ten children. Lost everything he had. And in all this, he sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. He just said,

Scripture Reading — Job 1:18-22

"The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."

Scripture Reading — Job 1:18-22

"So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes."

Now look.

God's Sovereignty and Our Security

God promises never to leave or forsake His people, so we need not fear man. His sovereignty ensures all things work for our good.

It's one of my favorites. Hebrews 13 verse 5.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 13:5-6

"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have."

I'd say there's your answer right there. You don't get it. No, the verse goes on.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 13:5-6

"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."

Now, wait, don't stop there. Watch the next verse.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 13:5-6

"So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper."

Exposition of Isaiah 51: The Mortality of Man

Isaiah 51 addresses believers, urging them not to fear man because man is mortal and weak, like a garment eaten by a moth.

So what is he saying? I am the source of all your help. I am the source of salvation. I am the source of righteousness. I am the source of all your prosperity.

Exposition of Isaiah 51: The Might of God

God's power is demonstrated in history (e.g., the Exodus). He comforts His people and asks why they would fear a dying man.

The Root of Fear: Forgetting God

Fear arises when we forget God's person, power, and position. It is sin and idolatry, placing man above God.

Applications: Trust, Not Fear

Believers must repent of fear, exercise faith, and remember God's promises. Fear and faith cannot coexist.

Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	1906154227
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations: Prepared Hearts
Genre	Sermon
Date	2005-11-27
Dictation Name
Book	Book 136: Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations - Volume 1 — Chapter 8
Source Timed Segments	101

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: The Big Bad Wolf of Fear: Weaver introduces the topic of fear using the analogy of the three little pigs and the big bad wolf, stating that fear is a destructive force contrary to God.
The Nature and Source of Fear: Fear is not from God but from the world, flesh, or devil. It is opposite to faith and love, and God gives a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind.
Common Fears and Biblical Deliverance: Common fears include death, the unknown, and man. Scripture teaches that believers are delivered from the fear of death and can trust God for the unknown.
The Fear of Man and Its Dangers: The fear of man is a snare that leads to panic and idolatry. Believers are commanded not to fear those who can only kill the body.
Job's Example of Faith Over Fear: Job lost everything yet trusted God, demonstrating that faith overcomes fear. His wife's fear contrasts with his faith.
God's Sovereignty and Our Security: God promises never to leave or forsake His people, so we need not fear man. His sovereignty ensures all things work for our good.
Exposition of Isaiah 51: The Mortality of Man: Isaiah 51 addresses believers, urging them not to fear man because man is mortal and weak, like a garment eaten by a moth.
Exposition of Isaiah 51: The Might of God: God's power is demonstrated in history (e.g., the Exodus). He comforts His people and asks why they would fear a dying man.
The Root of Fear: Forgetting God: Fear arises when we forget God's person, power, and position. It is sin and idolatry, placing man above God.
Applications: Trust, Not Fear: Believers must repent of fear, exercise faith, and remember God's promises. Fear and faith cannot coexist.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Fear is not from God

God gives a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind, not fear; therefore, fear originates from sinful sources.

Weaver reads 2 Timothy 1:7, 'For God hath not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.'

Fear is contrary to love

Perfect love casts out fear because fear involves torment, showing that love and fear cannot coexist.

Weaver quotes 1 John 4:18, 'There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment.'

Believers are delivered from the fear of death

Christ's death destroyed the devil's power and freed believers from the lifelong bondage of fearing death.

Weaver references Hebrews 2:14-15, explaining that Christ came to 'deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.'

Man can only kill the body

The worst man can do is kill the body, but God has power over eternal destiny, so we should fear God, not man.

Weaver cites Luke 12:4-5, 'Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell.'

God's past deliverances assure future help

Isaiah's prayer recalls God's mighty acts (e.g., parting the Red Sea) as a basis for trusting Him to deliver again.

Weaver points to Isaiah 51:9-10, 'Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon? Art thou not it which hath dried the sea...'

Fear stems from forgetting God

Isaiah 51:12-13 shows that fearing man results from forgetting God's creative power and sovereignty.

Weaver reads, 'and forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor.'

Fear is sin because it is not of faith

Romans 14:23 states that whatever is not of faith is sin, and since fear is not faith, it is sinful.

Weaver quotes, 'For whatsoever is not of faith is sin,' and applies it to fear.

Trust in God eliminates fear

Scripture commands trust in God as the antidote to fear, promising safety and help.

Weaver cites Isaiah 12:2, 'Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid,' and Hebrews 13:5-6.

Scripture References

Isaiah 51:1-13: Primary text of the sermon, read at the beginning and expounded throughout.
Matthew 7:24-26: Illustration of building on rock vs. sand, showing that obedience to Christ removes fear.
2 Timothy 1:7: God has not given a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind.
1 John 4:18: Perfect love casts out fear because fear has torment.
Hebrews 2:14-15: Christ destroyed the devil and delivered believers from the fear of death.
Romans 8:28: All things work together for good to those who love God, removing fear of the unknown.
Luke 12:4-5: Do not fear those who kill the body but fear God who can cast into hell.
2 Corinthians 5:8: To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, so death is not to be feared.
Philippians 1:21-24: To live is Christ and to die is gain; Paul desired to depart and be with Christ.
Job 1:18-22: Job lost everything but worshipped God, saying 'the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away.'
Job 2:7-10: Job's wife told him to curse God, but Job rebuked her, accepting both good and evil from God.
Job 42:10: God restored Job's fortunes and gave him twice as much as before.
Hebrews 13:5-6: God will never leave nor forsake us, so we can boldly say, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear what man shall do unto me.'
Psalm 37:25: David never saw the righteous forsaken or their seed begging bread.
Proverbs 29:25: The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.
Romans 6:16: You are slaves to whom you obey, illustrating how fear can control and master a person.
Job 4:19: Those who dwell in houses of clay are crushed before the moth, showing man's frailty.
Psalm 39:11: God makes man's beauty consume away like a moth; surely every man is vanity.
Isaiah 50:8-9: The Lord God helps; adversaries will wax old as a garment and the moth will eat them.
Psalm 76:10: Surely the wrath of man shall praise God; the remainder of wrath He restrains.

Historical References

Winston Churchill: Weaver attributes the quote 'We have nothing to fear but fear itself' to Churchill, though it is commonly associated with FDR.
The Three Little Pigs: Used as an opening analogy for the sermon's title and theme of fear.
Exodus event (Rahab, dragon, Red Sea): Referenced as historical demonstration of God's power to deliver His people from Egypt.

Important Quotes

For God hath not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Key verse establishing that fear does not come from God, foundational to the sermon's argument.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Shows the incompatibility of fear and love, reinforcing that fear is contrary to God's nature.

The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.

Central warning about the trapping nature of fearing man and the safety found in trusting God.

I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; and forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?

The climax of Isaiah 51, highlighting the irrationality of fearing mortal man while forgetting the Creator.

For whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

Used to argue that fear itself is sinful because it is not an act of faith.

Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

A model response of faith, used to encourage believers to replace fear with trust.

Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.

Affirms God's sovereign control over human anger, limiting what oppressors can do.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

In what ways does fear function as a 'snare' in the life of a believer, and how can we recognize when we are being controlled by fear rather than faith?

[Context]

Based on Proverbs 29:25 and the sermon's emphasis on fear as a trap.

[Question]

How does forgetting God's character and past works lead to fear, and what practical steps can we take to remember God in times of anxiety?

[Context]

From Isaiah 51:12-13 and the point that fear stems from forgetting God.

[Question]

Why is the fear of man considered a form of idolatry, and how does this perspective change the way we view our everyday anxieties about others' opinions?

[Context]

From the application that fearing man places man above God.

[Question]

How can the example of Job help us respond when we face loss or threats, and what does his response teach us about the relationship between faith and fear?

[Context]

From the account of Job's losses and his worshipful response.

[Question]

What does it mean that 'perfect love casteth out fear' (1 John 4:18), and how can growing in love for God and others diminish our fears?

[Context]

From the discussion of 1 John 4:18 and the opposition of love and fear.

[Question]

How does the truth that man can only kill the body (Luke 12:4-5) practically free us from the fear of persecution or death?

[Context]

From the teaching that the worst man can do is temporary.

[Question]

In what ways can prayer, like Isaiah's cry for God to 'awake,' help us combat fear and align our perspective with God's power?

[Context]

From Isaiah 51:9 and the example of crying out to God in times of fear.

[Question]

How can we cultivate a habit of saying 'I will trust and not be afraid' (Isaiah 12:2) in the face of specific fears we encounter daily?

[Context]

From the personal story of teaching a child to recite this verse.

Applications

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