The Fear of the Lord

This was a study I did a while back for a home church I was going to. They had various young folk take the podium to give their own lesson. I choose this subject, though we only had 10 minutes to teach, I didn't get half way through!
It is not super in-depth, but it was a general outline for a 10 minute+ study. Take it as you will.


The Fear of the Lord

First let's get some definitions out of the way, here I looked up some relevant terms:

Fear:
1) An emotion excited by danger, evil, or pain; apprehension; dread.
2) Reverence or awe.

Awe:
1) Wonder and veneration somewhat mixed with fear. Overwhelming admiration or appreciation.

Veneration:
1) Profound respect combined with awe. The act of worshiping; worship.

Reverence:
1) A feeling of profound respect often mingled with awe and affection. An act of respect; an obeisance, as a bow or curtsy.

Apprehension:
1) Anxiously fearful. Of or pertaining to understanding or perception.

As we can see by the various terms related to fear, it is not always fearing for one's own safety or well-being.

HOW DO WE FEAR?

1) Acknowledge God's control of our lives:

Job 23:13-16: But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? And what his soul desireth, even that he doeth. For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him. Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him. For God maketh my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me:

Ps 77:3: I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed.

We, unlike these men, should not be troubled that God is in control, but we should rejoice. So part of fearing God is knowing he is in control.

2) Obey His laws

Pr 16:6: By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.
Departing from evil means obeying God's laws.

3) Be in awe

Jer 5:21,22: Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not: Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence...

Ps 76:7: Thou, even thou, art to be feared: and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry? Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was still...

Ps 89:7: God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.

Here it is saying that you will fear if God was in your presence, and saying that even the earth itself feared when God was angry! In these contexts we are wondering why the people do, or wouldn't, have a fearful awe if God is near. As if God could pass by and you wouldn't notice or be fearful in this way.

4) Try to understand Him

Pr 9:10: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Job 28:28: And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom: and to depart from evil is understanding.

Here, understanding is both learning about God, and departing from evil. It is both the knowing of, and application of, understanding, which is a form of fear.

5) Hate that which God hates

Pr 8:13: The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

So again, we are to hate the things the LORD hates, we figure these things out through understanding (number 4). And it all works together for what it means to "fear" God.

6) Everything belongs to God

Ge 22:12: And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

We are not to withhold anything from God, because everything comes from God and does not belong to us. Part of the fear we have toward God is knowing and acknowledging that it is only by his grace we have anything at all. And further realize that he could give, or take away, at any moment. Not that this is a fear that we'll loose our stuff, but it aught to cause us to praise him for it, rather then give credit to our own works.

7) Accept punishment

Pr 22:15: Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

Ps 23:4: Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Pr 3:11,12: My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

God's rod and staff comfort us because as the child, God will drive foolishness "far from us". This we aught to desire, for how do we know if we do some evil without any corrective measure being leveled upon us? This "fear" is not one which we hold at all times, but will come upon us only when we sin against God. As a child does not fear his parent until he has done some bad thing to warrant correction.


WHY DO WE FEAR?

"One of the ways we fear God is to fear punishment. This kind of godly fear will taper off as we are perfected in love. But for now, the fear of God will keep us from evil."

"If we fear anything other than God, we are deceived. God is the only thing in the universe worthy of fear. Satan, of course would disagree and has made an industry out of generating bogus fear. His weapons are horror movies, anxieties, worries, nightmares, phobias, panic attacks, demons, etc... Satan wants the fear due God. To be sure, Satan is truly a terrifying master to those under his care, but those "in Christ" have been purchased from his mastery and need not fear him any longer. Whenever it is in our power, we should cut off any access Satan has to our minds or hearts to plant bogus fear.

[note: I didn't record sources for my citations at the time, but these quoted italics are not from me where they come up.]

God is the only person worthy of fear because He is the only person who holds our eternity in HIs hands. Here are some examples:

Fear because of eternal consequence
Fear God because He alone has eternal power.
Mt 10:28: And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Lu 12:4,5: And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.


WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF FEAR?

If we fear God for all these perfectly healthy reasons, what can we expect in return for obeying God?

1) We are protected from evil
Pr 19:23: The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.

2) Confidence, children's safety, escape death
Ps 14:26,27: In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge. The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

3) God will reveal His plans for our life
Ps 24:12-14: What man is he that feareth the LORD? Him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth. The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will show them his covenant.

4) We gain wisdom, and understanding
Ps 111:10: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

5) We will not lack anything we need
Ps 34:9-11: O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing. Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

Pr 15:16: Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.

God wants us to fear Him, because with fear we will obey Him, and by obeying Him, we will be happy, and our children, for ever! What a promise!

De 5:29: O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!

PROGRESSION OF FEAR

Fear doesn't stand sill, we may fear more in the beginning as our love is perfected and as we are punished, corrected, denied worldly pleasures and so forth. As our love is perfected we will fear less and less as we obey more and more, because there is less to fear in regards to punishments.

He constantly trims away that which is unholy to cleanse us. This causes most fear in us, rightly so! But those things which are holy can now grow stronger!
John 15:2: Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
2 Cor 7:1: Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

This purging of sin, and correction, is done entirely in love.

"The fear of the Lord may be the beginning of widom, but the end is love. Love is our hope, our goal, our sure destiny as believers. If we are obedient, we will get close to it while still in this world. In the meantime, we fear now, because none of us is yet without sin or perfect in love."

1 John 4:17,18: Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Very important scripture. To be perfect in love is to not have fear. Do we fear God? Absolutely. But does God fear us? No way! Who's love is perfected? Only God has perfect love.

Christians aught to appreciate God's love and reproof.
Ps 118:4: Let them now that fear the LORD say, that his mercy endureth for ever.

IF THERE IS NO FEAR, THAT SHOULD BE FEARED

If there is no fear in any sense:
Ge 20:11: And Abraham said, because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake.

If people do not fear God, then they are truly free to do anything they wish with no thought of consequence or punishment. Thus they do not fear God or punishment, they do not fear God with respect, awe, or apprehension. Which is a dangerous place for a Christian to be in. Especially in any society which doesn't have it's own man-based laws to fear, rather than God's laws.

EXAMPLES OF DIFFERENT LEVELS OF FEAR

Don't fear what the world fears:
Isa 8:11-13: For the LORD spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying, say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.

Fear after witnessing the great power of God, awe:
Ex 20:18-20: And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.

Here we have a common case of employee/employer relationship. The people know they are bad and when God shows up they know they will be punished! Or think they will. So they only want to talk to their fellow employee, Moses. But Moses says no, when the employer is present, you will be good workers right?

Their fear after seeing God's punishments:
Ex 14:31: And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses.

In this case and many others the people feared because of their new understanding or perception of God as seen through miracles or punishment. Often people or peoples feared God after having witnessed a miracle, whether destructive or not. We aught to learn from this example and keep our eyes heavenward, and our actions in accordance with him commandments so we don't fall in the same way.

God's very love for us is terrifying and even fearful

Phil. 2:12: Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

"We should not fear that God will let us down, or that He is not faithful, or just, or forgiving. In fact, His intense determination to make us holy (so that we can be with Him forever) is cause for the right kind of godly fear: that He will NOT quit sactifying us when, in our opinion, we are good enough. God is the ultimate perfectionist, and He will get what He wants. And if that is us, it is fearful to realize just how far He will go. He is the potter, and He intends vessels of holiness. No, we need not fear that God will fail us or give up on us, but rather that He is indeed faithful to finish what He has started."

Heb 10:31: It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Ps 19:9: The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

We must appreciate both the kindness, and the strict justice of God, fear and love go hand in hand.

Acts 9:31: Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galiless and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied. (We can both fear the Lord, and be comforted by Him)

THE WRONG KIND OF FEAR: SHRINKING BACK

"Too good to be true," we say. This saying illuminates a deep human wound, for we have been burned by every one of our false gods and false loves and false hopes, or soon will be. Since everything else but God really is a sham, our instancts have been trained into suspecion. We hold back, we hedge, we plot our retreat, we lower our expectations. So when we encounter God--who alone is worthy of our trust--we shrink back in the one moment, with the one person, in the one hope that we should abandon ouselves to. Indeed, our wound is serious. Who will heal us?"

2 Ti 1:7: For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (Here the spirit of "fear" they are talking about is that of cowardice or timidity or wimpyness)

Signs of a fearful Christian:

Ge 22:12: I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. (He knew everything belongs to God, even his own son)

Ex 1:17: But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive. (When the laws of men go against the laws of God, choose God's law no matter the earthly consequence)

Job 1:1: There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. (A person who fears God will eschew evil things)

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Hopefully this provided a sort of outline of what fearing the LORD means, what it looks like, and how we can do better at it.
Note that when scripture uses the all caps "LORD", it is talking about God himself, his name. But when you see "Lord" with a single cap, they are talking about the position of Lord as a ruler or king. Thus fearing the Lord is to fear the king or ruler of all. But fearing the LORD is to fear the person himself, as they are using his name, not his position. Like the difference between saying "I fear my wife" (position) versus "I fear Nancy" (the person).

In the future I hope to organize my thoughts into a better flow, record citations and so forth. This was typed up in Word so it was a pain trying to put it in here.


I hope this has helped in some way.

God bless