How Can You Be So Sure?

“I will have to see it to believe it.” This statement is standard in English. Why would one say such a thing? One instance might be when we have trouble believing an untrustworthy source. Politicians might promise the world and we find it inconceivable when they have not delivered on their previous promises. One might find something hard to believe when there is simply a lack of evidence. When a new miracle drug arrives on the market it may be met with a healthy suspicion. We only have to be misled once for dire circumstances to follow. In matters of religion many self-avowed atheists or agnostics have claimed they will have to see the existence of God to believe in the God of Heaven.

The brethren are guilty of this as well. Many have said, either audibly or by actions, that they simply have to see it to believe it. We should never bury our heads in the sand and assume that things are better than they are just because someone claims that all is well. There were false prophets who gave favorable messages to the people of Judah during the life of Jeremiah. The promise of peace was a lie and God corrected this.

For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.  They have healed also the hurt of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall; at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith Jehovah.

(Jeremiah 6:13-15)

Why would they receive such a message? The answer is that it was easier to stomach than the authentic message God gave to Jeremiah. Judging by the people's insolence, they had the attitude of seeing is believing. When a brother makes this claim they are showing a lack of faith in the God of Heaven. In the book of Judges, this was seen in a different way when brethren refused to listen to God’s deliverer, Gideon, due to fear of the enemy.

            Judges 7-8 recounts that, by the power of Jehovah, Gideon’s 300 men sent all the host of Midian, the Amalekites, and children of the east on the run. As you can imagine, the men of Gideon maintained in pursuit of their enemies. By doing so, they became hungry and needed sustenance. When Gideon came to the village of the Jews, Succoth, he asked the people for food.

“And Gideon came to the Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing. And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they are faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian. And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thy hand, that we should give bread unto thine army? “

(Judges 8:4-6)

The response of Gideon's brethren was to question if Gideon had the kings of Midian in his hand yet. In essence they said, “I will believe it when I see it.” Similarly, down the road at Penuel they answered with the same attitude (cf. Judges 8:8).

            Why would fellow Israelites act like this? In the context of the period of the Judges, we recognize that Israel had again “did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah; and Jehovah delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years” (Judges 6:1).  The people could not get over their fear of their enemy. Why not trust God’s deliverer and be delivered? I fear that some of us err too much on the side of caution. When we are unwilling to take a stand for the Lord, we say we fear the enemy more than we trust God, His Message, and His Messengers. We have the truth, and we are responsible for spreading it in a world of lies.

We must be serious about being right, not for the sake of our own vanity. We must be right because the consequences of being wrong are so devastating. Jesus demonstrated this plainly that not all who claim Him are in Him. (cf. Matt 7:21-23).

So then how can you be so sure? First, The Lord has said we can know.  “Jesus therefore said to those Jews that had believed him, If ye abide in my word, then are ye truly my disciples;  and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32). Jesus prayed for his disciples and those who would come to know Him by them. He prayed that they would be sanctified (set apart) by truth (cf. John 17:17-20).

            So how can you be so sure? Next, the Bible is replete with instances that God would deliver and not forsake His people. Gideon was aware of this. God had proved Himself so far, and He was not going to stop as long as Gideon remained faithful to carry out the work he was commanded to do.

Also, we can reject the attitude that is pervasive among the faithless among us. The church of our Lord is weakened when we, like the ancient Israelites at Succoth and Penuel, choose to fear and, quite honestly, side with the world over Jehovah and our brethren. How does this happen? We hold the message of the cross with contempt. We parrot the language of Ashdod (cf. Nehemiah 13:21-25) when we give ourselves to and make covenant with the enemies of Jehovah.

Finally, we must remember that we are servants together of the God of Heaven. We are a blood bought family in the Lord. We must remember that when we work together, when we are dealing with problems that come up and with each other, that God will deliver us. We can be sure of that.

Grace and Peace.

R.D. Beavers