Of all places where Jesus would have been expected to split the sky with power, it would have been there in Nazareth. But despite all of His established friendships, the obvious poverty and the many needs of everyone there, Nazareth did not get much out of Jesus. The reason for this, lack of faith, is disconcerting. One can’t help but wonder what the lack of faith prevented. Were there sick people in the village that had to keep suffering because of the lack of faith everyone else had? Was there blindness and deafness and leprosy and seizures that remained due to the lack of faith? What might have happened to that little village if Jesus had just found a few more Nazarites with faith? We don’t know because they were not there.
A second story comes from the Old Testament and reveals just how valuable it is to steadfastly maintain faith in God. Tiny Judah was being invaded by the combined armies of Moab and Ammon. Their armies were a colossal juggernaut and the people of Judah were justifiably petrified. But rather than suing for peace or forming a strategy for defending the homeland, the entire populace, men, women and children went to the Temple grounds in Jerusalem and waited as their king Jehoshaphat prayed before the Lord. “… we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you." (2 Chronicles 20:12 NIV) Then they paused. Without a flash of lightening or a clap of thunder to stir their faith, they were jolted out of their silence by the relative unknown Jahaziel and his shocking prophecy. He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.'" (2 Chronicles 20:15-17 NIV) The scripture tells us that the Spirit of God came upon him but honestly how did the people know God really had? How could they be certain the Lord inspired His prophecy?
Now we have come to one of the most important questions facing the Christian religion. How do we know the things we read in scripture are true, particularly the matters that are tough to believe? How can we be certain the God of the Bible made the heavens and the earth and all life came from Him? How can we be sure there is life after death and maybe even more importantly, how do we know Christ rose from the dead Easter Sunday? How can we really know? The truth is the people of Judah didn’t really know the prophecy of Jahaziel was true any more than you know Easter morning happened. They stumbled out of the Temple courtyard with just faith to guide them. No great earthquake to arouse their confidence, no shout from heaven to reassure them. What they had was simple trust in God. Many wonder whether faith is enough to build a life, enough to build a home, enough to build an entire moral network for what you do and don’t do. Something though stirred up those embers of certainty in the hearts of the people of Judah because when the prophecy was proclaimed the entire sum of people bowed in worship. The next day they did a most extraordinary thing. All of the fighting men went out into the desert armed with pitch pipes and choir books. The battle that they had so dreaded just hours before became a crescendo of worship and adoration of God. Nothing had happened yet. The combined armies of Moab and Ammon and even Edom were still out there massed against them and thoroughly armed. But for Judah, the fear was gone and as they marched out against their terrible enemy, they sang praise songs.
To Be Continued
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