What Fear Does Our Unbelief Reveal?

Reflections for this date are based on the following scripture passages:
John 11	Deuteronomy 2

Jesus' miracles prompted a response to Him of either belief or unbelief. Few, if any, could simply walk away from witnessing His miracles without giving some consideration either way. Raising Lazarus from the dead was certainly one of those instances. In fact, God intended it for this purpose. When Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick He intentionally delayed going to him, saying to His disciples, "This sickness will not end in death but is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it." At the tomb, when Jesus prayed for Lazarus to be raised, He said to God, "Father, I thank You that You heard Me. I know that You always hear Me, but because of the crowd standing here I said this, so they may believe You sent Me." (John 11:4, 41-42)

After witnessing the raising of Lazarus from the dead, we are told "Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary and saw what He did believed in Him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done." There is a contrast between those who believed in Jesus and those who reported to the Pharisees. The conjunction "but" makes this clear. The report to the Pharisees was driven by unbelief. When the Pharisees received the report they convened the Sanhedrin and said, "What are we going to do since this man does many signs?"

Raising Lazarus from the dead was like a last straw for the Pharisees. Jesus had performed a number of miracles and popularity was building, but with this miracles they felt forced to do something before their world was turned upside down. It is significant that in none of the sessions of the Sanhedrin concerning what to do about Jesus was there any effort made to seek God's guidance. Though they jumped on Jesus' words, when they questioned Him, to accuse Him of blasphemy against God, it seems apparent it was their own honor rather than God's that they were attempting to protect.

In this we come up against an important question when we are inclined toward disbelief. "Of what am I afraid? What or whom am I trying to protect as a result of my unbelief?"