“Fear seized them all” Thoughts from today’s Bible readings – March 16th

“FEAR SEIZED THEM ALL”

In today’s 7th chapter of Luke several miracles of Jesus are recorded: the reaction to them varies considerably.  We read how Jesus came “to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him.” [v.11]  What an entourage! They had obviously witnessed remarkable things and this caused then to follow in expectation of more!

They came “near to the gate of the town” and a dead man “was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow” and Jesus “had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” [v.12,13]  Then Jesus “touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, ‘Young man, I say to you, arise.’ And the dead man sat up …” [v.14,15]

This was the first time Jesus had brought a dead person back to life – and it says, “Fear seized them all” [v.16] What sort of fear? We see this as great awe, far more wonderful than his previously miracles, such as the healing of the Centurion’s servant we read of at the start of the chapter.

We see this as natural for human nature. But how unimaginably great will be the “fear” in the world soon, for, as we will read in Luke ch.21, with “Jerusalem” no longer being “trampled underfoot by the Gentiles … the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” [v.24]    Increasingly we see, “distress of nations in perplexity … people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world.” [v.25,26] This “fear” can only increase.

Let us see v.28 as being spoken to us – so that we can be strong in faith – Jesus said, “when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”