The Fear Of The Lord

by W. Horn, Ashgill | Category: General | Feb 1975

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom:

And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding"(Prov. 9:10).

So wrote Solomon, the man to whom God said, "I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart" (1 Kings 3:12). We notice that as Solomon considered the fear of the Lord he linked it with the knowledge of the Holy One. This is significant, and it shows us that the more we know of God, the more we learn to fear Him.

What is the fear of God? It is a reverence of God, because of who He is. We consider His majesty and His glory, and we stand in awe of Him who dwells in light unapproachable, the One who is worshipped and served by heavenly beings who veil their faces before Him. A true knowledge of this glorious Person will beget in our hearts a godly fear or reverence. This attitude becomes all men, and it is greatly lacking in our day: "There is no fear of God before their eyes", Paul wrote (Rom. 3:18), quoting Psalm 36:1. How sorely our modern age needs the restraining influence of the fear of God! "By the fear of the LORD men depart from evil" (Prov. 16:6).

God looks for this condition in His people. We remember the revelation of His power and glory to Israel at Mount Sinai. The smoking mountain: the sound of the trumpet; the lightning and the thunder (Ex. 20:18). As the people stood terror-stricken, Moses said, "Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that His fear may be before you, that ye sin not". Surely we also should learn to fear God, for

"The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life,

To depart from the snares of death" (Prov. 14:27).

Let us consider the importance of this fear in our own lives. God has given us in His word a precious record of the lives of men and women who feared Him, and from whom we can learn.

Four hundred men came to David in the day of his rejection. They were distressed, in debt, and discontented (bitter of soul), (1 Sam. 22:2). But this man of God, who knew the fear of God, taught them this wholesome fear

"Come, ye children, hearken unto Me:

I will teach you the fear of the LORD" (Psa. 34:11). They became David's mighty men, for

"In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence:

And His children shall have a place of refuge" (Prov. 14:26).

We think of the pathetic words of Joseph when he was a slave in a strange land, "I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews" he said, "and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon" (Gen. 40:15). But whether a slave in the house of Potiphar, or a ruler in Egypt next to Pharaoh, he was able to say, "For I fear God" (Gen. 42:18). This kept him from sin and pride, for

"The fear of the LORD is to hate evil:

Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way" (Prov. 8:13).

Those who fear the Lord know His mercy and kindness, as a father pities his children (Psa. 103:13).

When we fear the Lord then we know the goodness of the Lord, and we also enjoy the heritage of them that fear His Name (Psa. 31:19). Even Satan knows the value to us of the fear of the Lord, "Doth Job fear God for nought", he said, "hast not Thou made a hedge about him ... on every side? ... Thou hast blessed the work of his hands" (Job 1:9,10). Yes, our enemies know where our strength lies, and how much more should we!

Looking back to the days of the return of the Remnant of Israel we see the character of the men who built for God. Of Hanani we read, "He was a faithful man, and feared God above many" (Neh. 7:2). Leaders above others must be men in whom is a deep reverence of God. Nehemiah himself said, when he thought of the self-seeking of some others, "So did not I, because of the fear of God" (Neh. 5:15). This wholesome fear will keep us from the love of self, so manifest everywhere. The timely advice of Jethro to Moses was, "Provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating unjust gain ...to be rulers" (Ex. 18:21). Fear of God, love of truth and a care for others are essential characteristics in those who lead God's saints.

The Churches of God have been blessed and enriched by many God-fearing men and women. As we draw near the closing days of this age, and as we stand for the truth of God, we need the condition of which we read, "The church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being edified; and, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, was multiplied" (Acts 9:31). As we see men around us casting off the fear of God we must teach it and show it to our children, and younger people, so that they maybe kept from the blight around them.

In the lukewarm days of Malachi there were some who feared the Lord, ~and who spoke often one with another. These the Lord heard, and a book of remembrance was kept concerning them (Mal. 3:16). To keep the fear of God constant in our hearts it is necessary for us to meet together, and to speak together of the things of God. Godly ministry of the Word will promote the fear of G6d, and the Lord will take knowledge of our times together, "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together", the word says (Heb. 10:25). How very important it is, too, that those who minister the Word should spend much time alone with God, in His fear, to know His Word, so that through them it will be effective in all who hear it.

"Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord" says Paul, "we persuade men (2 Cor. 5:11). This wholesome fear will send us out while there is time to beseech men to be reconciled to God. The fear of God, as well as the love of God, will motivate us in gospel testimony, to speak forth words of truth and soberness.

In closing we think of some of the last words of David, as he looked back over his life, and as he looked forward to the glorious reign of Immanuel (2 Sam. 23:1-7):

"One that ruleth over men righteously,

That ruleth in the fear of God,

He shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth,

A morning without clouds."

The fear of God everywhere will characterize those glorious days, for the King will reign in righteousness. Meantime let us keep the fear of God in our hearts:

"Be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long,

For surely there is a sequel" (Prov. 23:17,18 R.V.M.).

W. Horn, Ashgill | Feb 1975
General