Be Strong and of Good Courage

by
by Tommy S. West (Wake Forest, North Carolina)
     Recently, I was given the honor and privilege to present a short message to a small local church group in Garner, NC — The Sabbath Church of God — on the important subject of courage. Yesterday, I presented it to a group in Clinton, NC — The Clinton Church of God. Courage is an attribute that God demands of us as we trek the road of life. It is NOT limited to Christians only — it is a universal trait and is a characteristic of every successful person. Please allow me to further explain to you in deeper detail the meaning and consequences of this valued asset.
     Let us begin with a secular dictionary meaning. Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth Edition defines courage as: “Mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear or difficulty.” Some synonyms are: mettle, spirit, resolution, tenacity.
     We have seen a secular definition. Now let us spend a little while on the Biblical definition of courage. There are 5 uses of the word “courage” in scripture. As we examine each of these, perhaps we can achieve a clearer understanding of what this asset means to each of us. (KJV Throughout)
     The first definition: Strong’s #2388, chazaq, khaw-zak; a prim. root; to fasten upon. This definition has many applications. The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew And English Lexicon define courage (2388) as: “be or grow firm, strong, strengthen” Now, let’s look at 2 examples.
a. 2 Sam. 10:9-12 –” When Joab saw that the front of the battle was against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians:
V. 10 — And the rest of the people he delivered into the hand of Abishai his brother, that he might put them in array against the children of Ammon.
V. 11 — And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then you shall help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee.
V. 12 — Be of good courage [emphasis mine throughout] and let us play the men for our people and for the cities of our God: and the Lord do that which seemeth him good.”
b. Num. 13:17-20 — “And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain:
V. 18 — And see the land, what it is; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many;
V.19 — And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strongholds;
V. 20 — And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the first ripe grapes.”
     The second definition: Strong’s #7307, ruwach, roo’-ach; from 7306; wind. There is only one occurrence of this definition. It is found in Joshua 2:11 — “And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God of heaven above, and in earth beneath.”
     The third definition: Strong’s #3824, lebab, lay-bawb’ ; from 3823; the heart (as the most interior organ). Again, there is only one application in scripture. This is found in Dan. 11:24-25. The subject here is the coming BEAST and his exploits.
V. 24 — “He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his father’s fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time.
V. 25 — And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him.”
     The fourth definition: Strong’s #2294, tharsos, thar’-sos, boldness. This is the only New Testament usage of courage and it pertains to Paul. Let’s look at Acts 28: 11-15.
V. 11 — ” And after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the isle, whose sign was Castor and Pollux.
V. 12 — And landing at Syracuse, we tarried there three days.
V. 13 — And from thence we fetched a compass, and came to Rhegium: and after one day the south wind blew, and we came the next day to Puteoli:
V. 14 — Where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them seven days: and so we went toward Rome.
V. 15 — And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum, and The three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.”
     Now we come to the fifth and last definition. I feel that this is the most important. This is Strong’s #553, ‘amats, aw-mats’, to be alert. There are 8 uses of ‘amats found in the Authorized Version, all of them in the O.T. We need to look at all 8 of these.
     1. Deut. 31: 1-6
V. 1 — “And Moses went and spake these words unto all Israel,
V. 2 — And he said unto them, I am an hundred and twenty years old this day; I can no more go out and come in: also the LORD hath said unto me, Thou shalt not go over this Jordan.
V. 3 — The LORD thy God, he will go over before thee, and he will destroy these nations before thee, and thou shalt possess them: and Joshua, he shall go over before thee, as the LORD hath said.
V. 4 — And the LORD shall do unto them as he did to Sihon and to Og, kings of the Amorites, and unto the land of them, whom he destroyed.
V. 5 — And the LORD shall give them up before your face, that you may do unto them according unto all the commandments which I have commanded you.
V.6 — Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”
     2. Deut. 31:7 — “And Moses called unto Joshua [Joshua’s original name was Oshea (Num.13:16b) and meant “salvation” but was changed by Moses to Joshua which means “God is salvation”], and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the LORD hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it.”
     3. Josh. 1:1-7
V. 1 — “Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying,
V. 2 — Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.
V. 3 — Every foot that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.
V. 4 — From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.
V. 5 — There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
V. 6 — Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
V. 7 — Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.”
     4. Josh. 1:9 — “Have not I commanded thee, Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”
     5. Josh. 1:18 — “Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage.”
     6. Josh. 10:24-25
V. 24 — “And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings to Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to all the captains of the men of war which went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near and put their feet upon the necks of them.
V. 25 — And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage; for thus shall the LORD do to all your enemies against whom you fight.”
     It is interesting to note that Joshua is a type of Christ which is proven by Heb.4:8.
     There are 2 more examples of ‘amats found in the O.T. They both pertain to incidents in the life of Solomon. These are 1 Chron. 22:9, 12-13 and 1 Chron. 28:20 1 Chron. 22:9 — “Behold a son shall be born to thee [David], who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon [peace], and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days.”
V. 12 — “Only the LORD give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the LORD thy God.
V. 13 — Then shalt thou prosper, thou takest heed to fulfill the statutes and judgments which the LORD charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed.”
1 Chron.28:20 — “And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed; for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.”
     Examples always serve to emphasize an edifying message. One only need to look at Joshua to observe a sterling example of courage. We see from Numbers Chapter 13 — 14:10 that of the 13 spies who were sent by Moses to spy out the land of Canaan only two returned to give a good report. Caleb was one of these; the other was Joshua. Numbers 14:30 states that only Caleb and Joshua of the generation that left Egypt — a multitude of over one million people — would live to inherit Canaan. Surely, God rewards courage.
     We also have the perfect and universal example of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, who so courageously gave His life for all of us. (Remember that Jesus is an anglicized version of “Joshua” which means, God is Salvation.)
     A more personal example of ‘amats concerns my mother who lost her right leg to amputation last May. Over the past few years, mother, who will be 78 on April 16th, has experienced several severe health crises including open-heart surgery in 1994. As a small child I remember her story about the train that was struggling to climb a steep hill. Every chug of the engine would say, “I think I can, I think I can”. Because of that positive attitude, the little train engine successfully climbed the steep hill. Mother’s attitude has always exemplified courage. Even when she was told that because of poor circulation, she would lose her right leg, she courageously accepted the news. At present, her circulation problem is under control, and she is learning to use a prosthesis. Her attitude is still one of courage and optimism. I am deeply gratified to know that her blood flows in my veins. I thank God for her every day.
     Hopefully, this word study on the word “courage” will edify and strengthen all who study it.
     A friend sent a poem to me recently that directly relates to this study. I would like to leave it with you in closing.
 
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
STRENGTH AND COURAGE
It takes strength to be firm,
It takes courage to be gentle.
 
It takes strength to stand guard.
It takes courage to let down your guard.
 
It takes strength to conquer.
It takes courage to surrender.
 
It takes strength to be certain.
It takes courage to have doubt.
 
It takes strength to fit in.
It takes courage to stand out.
 
It takes strength to feel a friend’s pain.
It takes courage to feel your own pain.
 
It takes strength to hide feelings.
It takes courage to show them.
 
It takes strength to endure abuse.
It takes courage to stop it.
 
It takes strength to stand alone.
It takes courage to lean on another.
 
It takes strength to love.
It takes courage to be loved.
 
It takes strength to survive.
It takes courage to live.
 
                                      — Author Unknown
 
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Entire paper copyright © 2-25-01. Permission is granted to reproduce in whole or in part as long as proper consideration is given to original sources. Tommy S. West February 25, 2001. Revised March 10, 2001.
 
(This article has been updated and re-printed from “The Church of God Messenger” January/February 2002—Issue No. 7)
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