Fear Him that Has Power to Cast into Hell - Luke 12:5

The beloved physician Luke wrote how Jesus said, “Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do”, and in chapter twelve and verse five of his book Luke shared how Jesus said to His disciples, “fear him, which after he has killed has power to cast into hell” where we read:

But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear:

Fear him, which after he has killed has power to cast into hell; yes, I say unto you, Fear him.

The verse reads, “But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear:” Luke began with the words, “but I will forewarn you” or “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding and moreover I, Jesus, make known future things to the people who are listening to Jesus” “whom you shall fear” which means “who the people listening to Jesus should be struck with fear, be seized with alarmed, afraid, put to flight by and frightened”. Luke shared how Jesus began to tell the people hearing Him of “whom” they should be “afraid”.

The verse continues, “Fear him, which after he has killed has power to cast into hell; yes, I say unto you, Fear him.” Luke continued with the words, “Fear him” or “be struck with fear, be seized with alarmed, afraid, put to flight and frightened by the One – who is God”, “which after he has killed” which means “who beyond the time when a person has inflicted with mortal death, destroyed, abolished and extinguished” “has power to cast into hell” or “has the authority, ability, strength, right and privilege to throw a person into the eternal punishment of the place of the future punishment called "Gehenna" or "Gehenna of fire”; “yes, I say unto you” which means “even so and indeed, I, Jesus utter, declare and proclaimed to the people who were listening to Him”, “Fear him” or “the people were to be struck with fear, be seized with alarmed, afraid, put to flight by and frightened by the One – who is God”. Luke shared how Jesus told the people listening to Him they should be “afraid” of the One, God, who has the “power and authority” to “throw” them into “eternal hell” after they have been physically “killed”.

When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we see how Jesus informed the people there was a life beyond the physical, and although someone may “kill” their physical life, they should not be fearful toward that end. The “eternal” separation from God in “hell” should make anyone who considers Jesus' words to be “fearful and frightened by” the One who has the power to “cast” them there. God's desire is to “save” people from this fate rather than “face” it, and when they submit their lives to His Son Jesus Christ as their personal “Savior and Lord”, “fear” subsides, and God becomes their “Heavenly Father”. Though the physical body may be destroyed, even as Jesus Himself and His disciples experienced, the “spiritual” body lives on forevermore. Those who are wise will yield to Jesus and be “saved” from God's wrath against anyone who refuses to receive His Son.

Next time Luke shares how Jesus asks His disciples, “are not five sparrows sold for two farthings”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".