Two explorers were on a jungle safari when suddenly a ferocious lion jumped in front of them. “Keep calm” the first explorer whispered. “Remember what we read in that book on wild animals? If you stand perfectly still and look the lion in the eye, he will turn and run.” “Sure,” replied his companion. “You’ve read the book, and I’ve read the book. But has the lion read the book?” (Source unknown)
In Psalm 34:9 David says “O fear the Lord, you His saints; For to those who fear Him there is no want”. David’s whole life is a testimony that he feared God more than anything or anyone else. David’s fear of God was healthy and positive.There are two distinct types of fears, servile fear and filial fear. Servile fear is the kind of fear a prisoner has for his torturer. Filial fear is a fear born of reverence, awe, and adoration.
What is the fear of God? Fear of God is doing the right thing in his eyes. The Israelites were commanded “Do not steal, do not lie, do not deceive one another …do not defraud or rob your neighbor, do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great. Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life (Lev.19:11-18).
Do not take advantage of each other but fear your God (Lev. 25:17). Do not accept bribe and rule over others ruthlessly but fear your God (Lev. 25:36, 43). People are harming others in many ways; contaminating food for evil gain, robbing employers in every way possible, taking advantage of the weak, among others. Where is the fear of God? Is God watching all this? Yes he is.
This fear of the Lord is a deep seated reverence for God that causes men to desire to please him at all cost. Because of his fear of God Abraham obeyed a command that must have been quite hard. God’s commanded him to “take your son, your only son, whom you love ...Sacrifice him” (Gen 22:2). Abraham had waited for this son for 25 years (Gen. 12:1-4; 21:5).
We find no resistance and no pleading with God. Instead we see prompt obedience. We are told “early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey” (Gen 22:3). God realized that Abraham would obey him. So just before he killed Isaac, God said “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son” (Gen 22:12).
To fear the Lord is to hate evil (Prov. 8:13). By the fear of the Lord one departs from evil (Prov.16:6). Joseph feared God and shunned evil (Gen.39). His master’s wife desired to lie with him. But Joseph refused and said to her “how could I do this great evil and sin against God?” As she spoke to Joseph day after day, he did not listen to her (vv.7-10).
Joseph faced threats from the rich and powerful woman. She tried his resolve to fear God and to do what is right. Joseph’s fear of God protected him from the persistent advances of Potiphar’s wife that threatened harm if he did not concede. His cogent responses show his moral excellence and fear of God. What an appealing temptation this was, but Joseph fear of God was stronger than the temptation.
The Lord delights in those who fear him (Ps. 147:11). He bestows many wonderful blessings on those who fear him. By humility and fear of the Lord are riches and honour (Prov. 22:4). The fear of the Lord leads to life, then one rests content, untouched by trouble (Prov. 19:23). God fulfils the desires of those who fear him (Ps. 145:19). The psalmist exclaims “how abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you” (Ps. 31:19).
When you fear God you fear nothing else, but when you do not fear God you fear everything. The man who does not fear God, is perpetually worried. The “wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion” (Prov.28:1). Proverbs 10:24 says “what the wicked fears will come upon him. But the desire of the righteous will be granted.”
As “the heaven are high above the earth, so great is (Gods) mercy towards those who fear him...as a father pities his children so the Lord pities those who fear him. For he knows our frame, he remembers that we are dust...the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him (Ps. 103:11-18). His mercy is on those who fear him from generation to generation (Luke 1:50).
Those who fear God are rewarded with wisdom. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Prov. 1:7, 9:10). In James 3:13-17 the Bible says “who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.
Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition , there you find disorder and every evil practice. but the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure, then peace-loving , considerate , submissive, full of mercy and good fruit , impartial and sincere"
In our competitive, wealth glorifying society, earthly wisdom is admired while heavenly wisdom is abhorred. Our society glorifies wealth because wealth is often associated with success, power and status, which appeal to many people. Wealthy individuals are portrayed as glamorous figures. Financial success is often equated with personal achievement.
Today, earthly wisdom is a key to “success”. Corruption, manipulation, lying, stealing etc have given many people the wealth that is greatly admired. The Christians are tempted to use the same ungodly “wisdom” to achieve a similar level of success. The Satan who deceived Eve that God is not fair (Gen 3:1-5), is still doing it today. He tells us that God’s commands are denying us success and fulfillment. But it’s a lie.
Moses chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin .He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasure of Egypt. (Heb 11:24-26). Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and turmoil with it (Prov. 15:16). Do not let your heart envy sinners, but be zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day. For surely there is a hereafter and your hope will not be cut off”( Prov.23:17-18).
God guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful. He instructs those who fear him in the ways they should choose (Ps. 25:9-12). There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death” (Prov. 14:12). David prayed “show me your ways O Lord; teach me your paths”(Ps. 25:4). Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life (Ps. 143:8).
The secret of the Lord is with those who fear him and he will show them His covenant. (Ps. 25:14). In Isaiah 45:5 God says “I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the LORD”. This is an amazing privilege for believers but how many enjoy it? God reveals his secret to those who fear him. Before destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah he said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?” (Gen 18:17).
We should have a healthy adoration for God, but on the other hand we should also know that God can be frightening. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb.10:31). Sinful people have every reason to fear God. it may appear for now like God does not care about what is going on. But, the day is coming when God will separate those who fear him and those who do not. Each will receive his due reward (Mal. 3:16-4:3).
Have you ever wondered how Christian martyrs faced death through stoning like Stephen, beheading like John the Baptist and James, burning at the stake like John Hus? After the burning of Rome, Nero dipped Christians in tar and set them alight as torches. God must have given them a great measure of grace to face ravenous lions that tore them to pieces.
These martyrs were really terrified of the immediate danger they faced. But, they knew they would have to face God someday, after they had denied Him. Falling into the hands of the living God would be far worse than what the pagans could do to them. Jesus said “do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell” (Matt. 10:28).
Sadly, in our day, people have no fear of God or they fear men more than they fear God. It’s unlikely that we will ever face the same kind of situations the early martyrs suffered. Instead, we face more understated alternatives. We get fewer opportunities than our ungodly peers, job loss, short-changing and others unpleasant things. We must choose between obedience to God and some these privileges.
Christian courage, like wisdom, begins with the fear of God. The Scripture exhorts us to fear God rather than man. Let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire (Heb. 12:28-29).
Fearing God and doing the right thing may seem punitive. Can anything good come out of living the way God prescribes? Yes it’s for our own good. The “Lord commanded us to follow all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God for our own good always” (Deut 6:24). God ask of you to fear him and to walk in obedience to him for your own good (Deut 10:12-13). The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death.
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