Fear

Job 28:28, in Psalm 111:10, in Proverbs 1:7, 9:10, 15:33, in Micah 6:9 all say variations of the same thing:

“The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.”

Isaiah 33:6 says the fear of God is Zion’s treasure!  In Isaiah 11:2 there is a description of Messiah, on whom will rest the Spirit of God – the spirit of knowledge, of wisdom, of understanding, of ability to counsel and of power…and the spirit of fear of God. 

You see that ‘fear’ of God is very important.  It’s the beginning of learning how to walk in God’s ways, how to love God and how to show that love to others.

Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, but it also needs to remain alive and active in order for wisdom to continue and to grow. Turn away from fear of God, and turn away from wisdom. God created mankind with the capacity to make wise decisions…ONLY if they ‘feared’ and obeyed Him.  You can see this by reading Genesis 1-3, especially Genesis 3:1-6, where you can learn how they turned aside from God’s wisdom to the ‘wisdom’ of a created being.  We do that too easily. We’re prone to it.  But we’re not excused by it.

We were created to trust in God and to obey HIS ways.  While we will fight against that ‘other’ wisdom our whole lives…God did not take away our ability to fear, trust, love and obey HIM!

To study what ‘fear of God’ really is…and to consider the examples we’re given in the Bible of how to fear God (and what happens when we don’t) is foundational to our faith and our walk through life.

The Hebrew word translated as ‘fear’ is ‘yirah’, and its basic meaning is:  fear!  It’s also translated as terror, fearing, awesome or terrifying thing (object causing fear), reverence, piety, moral reverence, dreadful, obey, worship, afraid, cautious, esteems, to stand in awe of, to cause astonishment and awe, to fear, honour and respect, causing shaking or quaking as a result of fear.

Now…it’s THIS state that’s called the beginning of true wisdom!  How often do we really fear God in this way?  Do you think if we had more of this kind of reverential fear, that it would keep us from disobeying God? 

God is a God to be feared.  This is very clear from the Bible.  And it’s well worth spending time in study and thought about, and in remembering in all situations of life.  It is the fear of God that sinners lack.  It is lack of the fear of God that leads to sin. 

God hates sin.  He hates it because it causes death.  Yet He allows it!  Why?  Because He is fair and just.  He’s not created us as puppets, only able to obey.  He created us in HIS image…able to choose to walk in the way of life…also able to turn away.  God hates sin.  He doesn’t hate us.  He doesn’t want anyone to perish in sin (1 Timothy 2:4, Ezekiel 18:23, 32; 33:11).  Though because He has given us choice, He will allow that to happen if we choose it.  Think carefully on how important that is. 

Not only does God not hate us…He wants us to be whole, healthy and full of the joy that comes from living life with Him.  And because of that, and knowing that the first Adam would turn away and reject God’s rule and God’s gift to him…at the right time, God sent the ‘last Adam’ (Messiah) who didn’t turn away.  He lived and died in obedience to God. He showed us the way back to God.  And we may join with him as ‘one’, to be a ‘new creation’, to be ‘transformed by the renewing of our thoughts’, by repentance and renewal, to receive peace with God.  He died for us. And he lives now, resurrected by God to never need to face the temptation to sin again. 

Just as our Messiah lived with temptation, so will we.  But if we ‘abide in him’ as our leader and King appointed by God, then we receive strength from God to do what is right, to obey God’s good ways.  Of course, that isn’t easy!  But we are not without help.  And proper fear can be a big helper!

Revelations 12:17 warns us the Deceiver (Satan) hates those who ‘keep the commandments of God and who hold to the testimony of Jesus’.  You see why?  Because they can’t be deceived!  It’s in having a proper understanding of God, and in remaining in that knowledge of Who He is…that we have His protection.  And that we walk in the testimony of our Saviour – who did exactly this!

Our Father loves us and wants us to be whole.  One day we will.  But in the meantime, we are to honour, respect, be in awe of, fear, and trust in God…and obey His ways.  He loves us and His ways are for our good.  Will we listen? Will we fear and obey Him, and trust in Him and His ways?  For He is a good God and full of compassion!

Here are some fitting and encouraging words from David                                                         

Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, 

and my hope is in you all day long.
Remember, LORD, your great mercy and love,

for they are from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me, for you, LORD, are good.

Good and upright is the LORD;

therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.
All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.

(From Psalm 25)