Fear Forbidden
W. Jay. Deuteronomy 20:1-4 When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses, and chariots, and a people more than you, be not afraid of them… Israel had seen little of war, only a few brushes in their journey with inferior adversaries. Things would soon become more serious. Hence alarm and need of admonition and encouragement. All Christians are soldiers, and wage a good warfare. It is a necessary and trying warfare — continues through every season and in every condition. The forces of their enemies may be superior in number, vigilance, wisdom, and might. Hence danger of alarm and need of fortitude in the warrior. None have better grounds for courage than we; not in ourselves, for then we must fail. I. THE DIVINE PRESENCE: "For the Lord thy God is with thee." Antigonus said to his troops, dismayed at the numbers of the foe," How many do you reckon me for? But God is all-wise and almighty. "They that be with us are more than they that he with them." "Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world." II. HIS AGENCY: "Who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt." To a Jew, this was not only a proof, but a pledge; not only showed what He could do, but was a voucher of what He would do. He is always the same, and never suffers what He has done to be undone. Strange would it have been, after opening a passage through the sea, to have drowned them in Jordan. What would have been thought of His great name, after placing Himself at their head to lead them to Canaan, if He had suffered them to be overcome by the way? He, who begins the work, is not only able to finish, but begins it for the very purpose. "He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" (W. Jay.) Parallel Verses KJV: When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. WEB: When you go forth to battle against your enemies, and see horses, and chariots, [and] a people more than you, you shall not be afraid of them; for Yahweh your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.