Fear and the Sin of Unbelief
We see the connection between fear and unbelief in the parashat b’shalach בשלח in which HASHEM brings the children of Israel בני ישראל out of Egypt מצר. We see that HASHEM brings Israel out of Egypt and puts them in a closed-in place by the sea in order that He can bring Pharaoh and Pharaoh’s armies out of Egypt and destroy them.
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
Speak to the children of Israel, and let them turn back and encamp in front of Pi-Hahirote, between Migdol and the sea; in front of Baal Tsephone Neco, you shall encamp opposite it, by the sea.
And Pharaoh will say about the children of Israel, They are entangled and trapped in the land. The desert has closed in upon them.
And I will harden (strengthen) Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them, and I will be glorified through Pharaoh and through his entire force (army), and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord. And they did so.
וַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל משֶׁה לֵּאמֹר
דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיָשֻׁבוּ וְיַחֲנוּ לִפְנֵי פִּי הַחִירֹת בֵּין מִגְדֹּל וּבֵין הַיָּם לִפְנֵי בַּעַל צְפֹן נִכְחוֹ תַחֲנוּ עַל הַיָּם
וְאָמַר פַּרְעֹה לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל נְבֻכִים הֵם בָּאָרֶץ סָגַר עֲלֵיהֶם הַמִּדְבָּר
וְחִזַּקְתִּי אֶת לֵב פַּרְעֹה וְרָדַף אַחֲרֵיהֶם וְאִכָּבְדָה בְּפַרְעֹה וּבְכָל חֵילוֹ
וְיָדְעוּ מִצְרַיִם כִּי אֲנִי יְהֹוָה
וַיַּעֲשׂוּ כֵן
Exodus 14:1-4 שמות יד:א-ד
When the children of Israel saw themselves trapped between the mountains and the sea, and when they saw the chariots and the armies of Pharaoh approaching, they were gripped by tremendous FEAR.
Pharaoh drew near, and the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold! the Egyptians were advancing after them. They were FILLED WITH TREMENDOUS FEAR, and the children of Israel cried out to HASHEM.
וּפַרְעֹה הִקְרִיב וַיִּשְׂאוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת עֵינֵיהֶם וְהִנֵּה מִצְרַיִם נֹסֵעַ אַחֲרֵיהֶם
וַיִּירְאוּ מְאֹד
וַיִּצְעֲקוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל יְהֹוָה
Exodus 14:10 י שמות יד:
The fear was THE FEAR OF DEATH.
They said to Moses, Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us to die in the desert? What is this that you have done to us to take us out of Egypt?
וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֶל משֶׁה הֲמִבְּלִי אֵין קְבָרִים בְּמִצְרַיִם לְקַחְתָּנוּ לָמוּת בַּמִּדְבָּר מַה זֹּאת עָשִׂיתָ לָּנוּ לְהוֹצִיאָנוּ מִמִּצְרָיִם
Exodus 14:11 שמות יד:יא
This fear was so overpowering that it caused them to return in their hearts to the bondage of Egypt.
Isn’t this the thing [about] which we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, Leave us alone, and we will serve the Egyptians, because we would rather serve the Egyptians than die in the desert
הֲלֹא זֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְנוּ אֵלֶיךָ בְמִצְרַיִם לֵאמֹר חֲדַל מִמֶּנּוּ וְנַעַבְדָה אֶת מִצְרָיִם כִּי טוֹב לָנוּ עֲבֹד אֶת מִצְרַיִם מִמֻּתֵנוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר
Exodus 14:12 שמות יד:יב
This fear of death caused the children of Israel to enter into the sin of unbelief. They forgot the miracles, the signs, and the wonders that HASHEM had wrought upon the Egyptians. They forgot the exhilaration of victory that they had just experienced as they were leaving Egypt.
and the children of Israel were marching out triumphantly.
וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל יֹצְאִים בְּיָד רָמָה
Exodus 14:8 שמות יד:ח
They ignored the palpable miracle that HASHEM was leading them in the pillar of the cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night. Fear DISTORTED THEIR REALITY so that all they could see was the FALSE IMAGE. They believed the false image, and they began to accuse Moses.
This was actually an accusation of HASHEM.
The Scripture exhorts us:
Take heed, my brothers,
Lest there be in any of you
An evil heart of unbelief
In departing from the living G-d.
השמרו, אחי
שלא יהיה באיש מכם
לב רע וחסר אמונה
לסור מאלוהים חיים
Moses משה corrects them in their error, and causes them to turn their eyes from beholding the chariots and the armies of Egypt to beholding the Messiah המשיח.
Moses said to the people, Do not be afraid! Stand firm and see the Lord’s Yeshua ישוע
And what He will do for you today, for the Egyptians who you see today, you shall see them no more forever.
וַיֹּאמֶר משֶׁה אֶל הָעָם אַל תִּירָאוּ הִתְיַצְּבוּ וּרְאוּ אֶת
יְשׁוּעַת יְהֹוָה
אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה לָכֶם הַיּוֹם כִּי אֲשֶׁר רְאִיתֶם אֶת מִצְרַיִם הַיּוֹם לֹא תֹסִפוּ לִרְאֹתָם עוֹד עַד עוֹלָם
Exodus 14:13 שמות יד:יג
At this point Yeshua ישוע appears. He is the true reality. He is the reality of victory and freedom.
Psalm 20 confirms this:
We will sing praises in your Yeshua ישוע
And in the name of our G-d we will set up our banners.
HASHEM will answer in fullness whatever we ask him.
נְרַנְּנָה בִּישׁוּעָתֶךָ
וּבְשֵׁם אֱלֹהֵינוּ נִדְגֹּל
יְמַלֵּא יְהֹוָה כָּל מִשְׁאֲלוֹתֶיךָ
Psalm 20:5 תהלים כ:ה
Confidence returns to their hearts as they behold the Messiah המשיח.
Now I know that the Lord saved His anointed; He answered him from His holy heavens; with the mighty acts of salvation from His right hand.
עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי כִּי הוֹשִׁיעַ יְהֹוָה מְשִׁיחוֹ
יַעֲנֵהוּ מִשְּׁמֵי קָדְשׁוֹ בִּגְבוּרוֹת יֵשַׁע יְמִינוֹ
Psalm 20:6 תהלים כ:ו
The Messiah המשיח delivers Israel from the false reality of the fear of death which is the fear that generates bondage.
These trust in chariots and these in horses, but we-we will remember
the name of the Lord our God.
אֵלֶּה בָרֶכֶב וְאֵלֶּה בַסּוּסִים וַאֲנַחְנוּ בְּשֵׁם יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ נַזְכִּיר
Psalm 20:7 תהלים כ:ז
Moses says to Israel:
HASHEM will fight for you, but you shall remain silent.
יְהֹוָה יִלָּחֵם לָכֶם וְאַתֶּם תַּחֲרִשׁוּן
Exodus 14:14 שמות יד:יד
When the children of Israel listened to Moses, and turned their eyes from fear and unbelief to behold the Messiah Yeshua ישוע המשיח in His glory, they were delivered into the victory and the freedom of the sons of G-d while their enemies were being destroyed.
They are bowed down and fall, but we rise and gain strength
הֵמָּה כָּרְעוּ וְנָפָלוּ וַאֲנַחְנוּ קַּמְנוּ וַנִּתְעוֹדָד
Psalm 20:8 תהלים כ:ח
For the Scripture says that we have victory in the Messiah Yeshua המשיח ישוע:
For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear,
But you have received the Spirit of adoption,
Whereby we cry Abba, Father.
הרי לא קבלתם רוח של עבדות
לחזור אל הפחד
אלא קבלתם רוח המקנה מעמד של בנים
וברוח זאת אנו קוראים
אבא, אבינו
We do not have to live our lives in the miserable bondage of the false reality of the fear of death, but we can live our lives in the glorious liberty and victory of the sons of G-d through the faith of the Messiah Yeshua המשיח ישוע. For the Scripture says:
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood,
He also himself (the Messiah) likewise took part of the same;
That through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
And deliver them who through fear of death
Were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
וכיון שלילדים היתה שתפות של בשר ודם,
גם הוא-המשיח-שתף עצמו בבשר ודם
כדי שישמיד על ידי מותו
את זה שבידו ממשלת המות—הוא השטן
ויתיר וישתחרר את כל אלה שבגלל אימת המות
היו נתונים לעבדות כל ימי חייהם