DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE FEAR OF THE LORD

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE FEAR OF THE LORD

"Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him .... Come you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord."

(Psalm 34:9, 11)

As we read these two psalms, Psalm 33 and 34, there is a word that keeps popping up. It is the word "fear." In addition to our focus verses, it appears four other times:

     "Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him." (33:8-9)

     "Behold the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy" (33:18)

     "The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him" (34:7).

The Scripture is filled with the admonition: "Fear not."  So how do we understand this commandment to "fear of the Lord?" The Hebrew word includes awe and reverence, but it also includes a dreadful terror. I think that we have dumbed down fear and replaced it with "respect."

We are experiencing a culture that has lost its fear – either of man's judgment or God's judgment. Thieves can simply walk out of stores with sacks of unpaid merchandise because there is no fear of judgment. Even the political and legal system has lost the fear of God. It is like the judge that Jesus spoke of who did not fear God nor regard man (Luke 18:2-4). Psalm 36:1 speaks of this when David wrote, "An oracle within my heart concerning the transgression of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes" (cf: Romans 3:18). The ungodly should rightly fear God because they will someday stand before God and answer for their sins. Jesus himself said, "Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10:38). People who do not trust Christ should be afraid because of their sinful acts. As the Scripture says, "Knowing the terror of the Lord, we persuade men" (II Corinthians 5:11).

After searching for the meaning of life in all the wrong places, Solomon ended his quest by saying, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter; Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man's all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil" (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). That fear is in the context of judgment.

It is comforting for those who have accepted the Lord Jesus as Savior to know that we do not have to fear God's judgment on sin, because Jesus took the punishment and wrath of God for our sin when He died on the cross. Yet I wonder if we haven't lost the fear of God – the holy, omnipotent, eternal God who rules the universe.

The Apostle Peter gave these instructions: "Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king" (I Peter 2:17). There is a difference between honoring or respecting the king and fearing God. Let us remember the words of the book of Hebrews: "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire" (Hebrew 12:28).

Love, Dad