"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction." (Proverbs 1:7).
It would be amiss to do a study of the book of Proverbs without looking at verses like the one above and consider them carefully. The "fear of the Lord," a phrase repeated fourteen times in the book of Proverbs alone, is one of the subjects that many seem to avoid today in the modern church, with some even teaching that we must not fear God at all.
What Does it Mean to Fear?
The basic definition of "to fear" is reverential awe. Though this definition is correct, and due to the modern use of the word awe, the word is open to misunderstanding. The words awe and awesome are used in such a casual manner today. We sing songs at church about our God being an awesome God, and then we go to Milky Lane and call the Chocnut Sundae awesome.
The proper definition of awe, as defined by Jerry Bridges in his book The Joy of Fearing God, is "an emotion in which dread, veneration, and wonder are variously mingled." This definitely applies to God when you view Him as He has fully revealed Himself in the Bible, but it certainly does not apply to ice cream.
Why Should We Fear God?
As this phrase appears so many times in the book, let us look at some of the reasons attached to this phrase:
- It is the beginning of knowledge (1:7) or wisdom (9:10), and of God Himself (2:5).
- It causes you to hate evil (8:13) and keeps you away from it (16:6).
- It prolongs life (10:27) and is the fountain of life itself (14:27).
- It gives one strong confidence (14:26).
- It is better than the treasures of this earth (15:16).
- It gives you restful nights (19:23).
- It gives you riches, honour and life (22:4).
Fearing God in the way that the Bible tells us to, as per Jerry Bridges definition above, truly has its rewards. Rewards that so many seem to be seeking in the wrong places and in the wrong manner today.
Living Fearfully Today
We are living in a world where people are tormented by fear of one kind or another. Fear of being a victim of crime, of bad drivers, of terminal illness, or the loss of loved ones. Fear grips people and cripples then to the extent that they cannot move forward in life. This is not the fear that we are to have.
When you know God and fear Him in the way described above, one gains a deeper knowledge of God, of who He is and what He does. One gains a clearer picture of what the Kingdom of God will be like. As one draws closer to God through Biblical fear, one's life starts to fill with hope and peace that cannot be described. A hope and a peace that allows one to move forward in life. It causes one to truly believe that the things God allows in one's life, and may even be causing Himself, will ultimately work together for good (Romans 8:28).
Start to think seriously about whether or not you fear God or if it is just a knowledge of Him like some friendly grandfather miles away from you. When you call Him awesome, do you truly know what that means? Do the descriptions of Him in the Bible leave you speechless where all you want to do is bow before Him and give Him the honour due to Him? Does your knowledge of Him make you want to live a life free of sin and evil? Do you want to please Him and Him alone and stop seeking your own desires?
Learn to fear God today and seek to gain the knowledge and understanding of Him and His ways. When you do, your life will begin to make sense and will truly be blessed by God. Both today and for eternity.
Just a Thought!
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