Fear of the Lord
Recently, I posted Proverbs 1:7 on Facebook. If we reflect on this scripture, it can leave us puzzled as to why we should “fear” the Lord our God, and what, exactly, is the purpose of this “fear” and why does He want us to “fear” Him? A friend of mine posed this question: “Why do you think God wants you to fear him?”
This question caught me a bit speechless and humbled. I went to the one person I trust has the answer … my daughter, Sarah. A brilliant religious scholar with a Masters in Divinity and a Minister of Discipleship … Sarah is passionate about God’s Words and studies it daily. She immerses herself in His Word and is truly a remarkable scholar. In our family, whenever we have a question about God’s Word, we go directly to Sarah. And so I sought out her answer to this byzantine question.
So in Hebrew the word for fear in the passage can mean fear, terror, trembling, or reverence.
While in scripture there are moments when people encounter God’s holiness and are afraid (for example: Jesus calming the storm on the sea, and his disciples were afraid of Him, or the Israelites fearing the Lord’s presence and glory in the wilderness), it really is referring to extreme reverence.
Fear of the Lord means we give God our fullest attention, highest priority, and more sincere commitment. It’s not the same type of fear one would experience while watching a horror movie, or if a bad situation were happening. This type of fear is the recognition of how “other” God is from us (while still being one of us – Emmanuel), and recognizing His worthiness.
In Isaiah 6, Isaiah is overwhelmed by his own iniquity and the iniquity of his people by just standing in the presence of God. God had not even spoken yet.
Isaiah’s Commission
Isaiah 6:10 Hebrew; Septuagint ‘You will be ever hearing, but never understanding; / you will be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ / 10 This people’s heart has become calloused; / they hardly hear with their ears, / and they have closed their eyes
6 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple.
2 Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”
4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
5 “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar.
7 With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”
8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
9 He said, “Go and tell this people:
“‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding;
be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’
10 Make the heart of this people calloused;
make their ears dull
and close their eyes.[a]
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts,
and turn and be healed.”
11 Then I said, “For how long, Lord?”
And he answered:
“Until the cities lie ruined
and without inhabitant,
until the houses are left deserted
and the fields ruined and ravaged,
12 until the Lord has sent everyone far away
and the land is utterly forsaken.
13 And though a tenth remains in the land,
it will again be laid waste.
But as the terebinth and oak
leave stumps when they are cut down,
so the holy seed will be the stump in the land.”
God’s holiness and righteousness pulls back the veil on our depravity and sin, and reveals it for what it is simply by being in the midst of His presence. Fear of the Lord is also the desire to please God and recognize His wisdom and righteousness are far above our own.
It is reverence but it is also holding full knowledge of the awesome nature of God. Yes, that does mean scripture described the legitimate feeling of fear in God’s presence – but it isn’t the same thing as God wanting us to be “afraid” of Him. In fact, while God often says for us to have the fear of the Lord, He also directly encourages us to not be afraid, because He is with us (Joshua1:9)
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1:9
Fear of the Lord is not the same as God making us afraid of Him. It is a holy reverence, a healthy respect, and overwhelmed humility in the presence of God that reveals our unworthiness for salvation, and our worthiness for judgment, but rather we receive grace, love, and mercy through His character, and His atoning sacrifice through Jesus, thus are filled with reverence.
If we place God above everything, respect His word and Will first, thus having a healthy fear of His nature, it will place us on the journey to wisdom (https://www.crossway.org/arti…/what-does-proverbs-17-mean/)
I once heard a post say that God, like a lion, is not safe; but, He is good. Fear of the Lord is the ultimate terminology for humbling ourselves before the Lord, and recognizing His position in our lives.
I hope this post helps! –
I would like to add this …
Fear the Lord
Deuteronomy 10:12 NIV
And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul,
For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods.
1 Chronicles 16:25 NIV
