I read this concerning Joseph's bringing his family back into Israel, “But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there.” Matt. 2:22
Joseph was afraid to return to Israel. Now, keep in mind Joseph and Mary had seen much grace from God up to this point in protecting them from danger. God had led them and kept them, even speaking to them (and those involved with them) miraculously through dreams and angels, and now God had spoken again. He told them to flee to Egypt and that when the time was right, God would speak again and give them further instructions (v13). Well, here God spoke again, but we see that Joseph was afraid. Was this sinful?
You might say, “Joseph come on! Just go back! God has spoken and you know he can take care of you! Don't be so fearful! After all, God has not given us a spirit of fear...” etc.
I don't think it would be right to talk to Joseph like that. This passage doesn't throw guilt on Joseph for fearing, in fact, it says that after that (assuming some kind of time sequence here) God warned him in a dream. It's not clear how long it was before God confirmed the validity of his fears by sending him another dream and telling him where to go. What is clear, however, is that Joseph is marked out by Matthew as fearing, not because of the dream (as if it came first), but because he heard about Archelaus, Herod's son.
So was he right to fear? I think so. And this is what I'm getting at; Christians have to be reasonable. Joseph had to take danger seriously and so do we. Yes God is for us, but we must use the means of God given discernment and apprehension that God has given us. Part of God's leading, it would seem, is through reasonable concerns and even “fear.”
Examples of being led by fear and concern of danger:
- - - Jesus departing with his disciples when he heard Herod had put John in prison (Matt. 4:12, 14:13)
- - - Paul fleeing persecution when he hears people are plotting his death (Acts 9:25, 17:14)
- - - Paul sending Timothy to check up on the Thessalonians because he knew the devil was trying to tempt them to give up on God (1 Thess. 3:5)
- - - Paul said in Macedonia he had “conflicts without, fears within.” (2 Cor. 7:5)
I guess what struck me was that not all fear is bad for the Christian. Some fear is sin, and some is actually healthy and helpful. It's not that we aren't ever to be concerned about anything. We can be reasonable and say “Father, this is a real problem and concern of mine.” Where fear becomes sin is when we doubt the goodness of God, just because there is a threat of danger. We should always believe God and look to God's good hand and faithful provision. And even if he doesn't provide in the way that we might hope and we have to suffer and die, God is still good; and we shouldn't be despairing and downcast.
You don't have to pretend like everything is ok. God doesn't want that. Let your fears stir you up to action: to flee, to reason, to investigate, to rebuke, and to pray. Don't let you fears stir you up to sin: to despair, to be intimidated, to compromise, to whine, to curse. There's a difference and I think Joseph had the godly, reasonable kind of fear.
