9 When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away."
10 Then he said to them: "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.
Here, Jesus is giving us a heads-up in His Word regarding future end time events. He certainly has a wide variety of ways of getting our attention does He not? Fearful as these sites may be to our human eyes, Jesus commands His followers: “Do not be frightened”.
“There is never a fear that has not a corresponding ‘Fear not.’” Amy Carmichael
“There shall be fearful events and great signs from heaven. ‘Do not be frightened.’ Others will be frightened at them, but as for you, do not be frightened, as to the fearful sights, let them not be fearful to you. You fall into the hands of God. Trust therefore in Him, and be not afraid. It is your interest to make the best of that which is, for all your fears cannot alter it: these things must happen first.” Matthew Henry
All throughout Scripture He sent forth this same message to His servants who found themselves quaking in their shoes! Those who are now easily frightened by the thoughts of miraculous events (that would certainly include me) are in good company amongst many of the greats in the Bible – Moses, Joshua, Gideon, Esther, David, Elijah, Peter and John just to name a few. Supernatural fearful events often cause mere mortals to fall down like dead men. Jesus tells His sheep – do not be afraid. I am reminded in Revelation when the Apostle John came face to face with the glorified Jesus on the island of Patmos. This being the same John, by the way, who rested his head on the chest of our Lord:
9 I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11 which said: "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea." 12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man," dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. Rev 1:9-17 (NIV)
In similar fashion, the Apostle Paul fell to the ground when he experienced Christ in His glory on the road to Damascus. Luke tells us in Acts:
3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" 5 "Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. 6 "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do." Acts 9:2-6 (NIV)
To doubt the good will of God is an inborn suspicion of God with all of us. Besides, the devil...goes about seeking to devour us by roaring: 'God is angry at you and is going to destroy you forever. ‘In all these difficulties we have only one support, the Gospel of Christ. To hold on to it, that is the trick. Christ cannot be perceived with the senses... The heart does not feel His helpful presence. Especially in times of trials a Christian feels the power of sin, the infirmity of his flesh, the goading darts of the devil...the scowl and judgment of God. All these things cry out against us, death thunders at us, the devil roars at us. In the midst of the clamor the Spirit of Christ cries in our hearts, 'Abba, Father.' And this little cry of the Spirit transcends the hullabaloo of the Law, sin, death, and the devil, and finds a hearing with God. The Spirit cries because of our weakness...(and) is sent forth into our hearts...to assure us of the grace of God." Martin Luther, Commentary on Galatians
“Anxiety comes from strain, and strain is caused by too complete a dependence on ourselves.” Thomas Merton
"Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God." Corrie Ten Boom