{"id":41496,"date":"2018-05-14T07:00:06","date_gmt":"2018-05-14T14:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.olivetree.com\/?p=41496"},"modified":"2023-05-02T15:21:51","modified_gmt":"2023-05-02T22:21:51","slug":"what-does-it-mean-to-fear-the-lord","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/what-does-it-mean-to-fear-the-lord\/","title":{"rendered":"What Does It Mean to Fear the Lord?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A frequent command given to God\u2019s people in the OT is to \u201cfear God<\/em>\u201d or \u201cfear the Lord<\/em>.\u201d It’s important that we understand what this command means for Christ\u2019s followers today. Only as we truly fear the Lord will we be freed from all destructive and satanic fears. By fearing God, we can avoid being trapped by the natural pull toward going our own way, defying God and giving in to the inviting ways of immoral behavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is an excerpt adapted from the Fire Study Bible Notes<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese are the commands, the decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all His decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.\u201d \u2014 Deuteronomy 6:1-2 <\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

What does it MEAN to FEAR God? The broad command to \u201cfear the Lord\u201d involves understanding several things about a believer\u2019s relationship with God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ONE: GOD IS LOVING & JUST<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First of all, we must recognize that God is loving, merciful and forgiving; but He also is holy, just and righteous. Knowing God and understanding His character (cf. Pr 2:5<\/a>) means accepting the fact that His justice and holiness (i.e., purity, perfection, completeness of character and separation from evil) cause Him to judge sin. In this sense, fearing the Lord is to appreciate His character.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

TWO: FEAR OF THE LORD CAN PRODUCE AWE<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fearing the Lord means to be in reverent awe of His holiness<\/strong>, to give Him complete reverence and to honor Him as the God of great glory, majesty, purity and power. For example, when God revealed Himself to the Israelites at Mount Sinai through \u201cthunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast<\/em>,\u201d they all \u201ctrembled\u201d in fear (Ex 19:16<\/a>) because of His great power. They even begged Moses to deliver God\u2019s message to them so they would not have to encounter God Himself (Ex 20:18-19<\/a>; Dt 5:22-27<\/a>). Also, when the psalm writer reflects on God as Creator, he says: \u201cLet all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere Him. For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm\u201d (Ps 33:8-9<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

THREE: FEAR OF THE LORD CAN PRODUCE FAITH<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

True fear of the Lord causes believers to place their faith and trust in Him alone for salvation. For example, after the Israelites crossed through the Red Sea on dry ground and saw how God destroyed the Egyptian army who came after them, they \u201cfeared the Lord and put their trust in Him<\/em>\u201d. The psalmist encourages all who fear the Lord to \u201ctrust in the Lord\u2013He is their help and shield\u201d (Ps 115:11<\/a>). In other words, fearing God produces confidence, hope and trust in Him, which are necessary when we are looking to God for mercy, forgiveness (Lk 1:50<\/a>; cf. Ps 103:11<\/a>; 130:4<\/a>) and spiritual salvation (Ps 85:9<\/a>). Here, fearing God means to be moved to belief and trust.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

FOUR: GOD IS ANGRY ABOUT SIN<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Finally, to fear God involves recognizing that He is angry about sin and has the power to punish those who stand arrogantly against Him and break His laws (cf. Ps 76:7-8<\/a>). When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, they were afraid and tried to hide from God\u2019s presence (Ge 3:8-10<\/a>). Moses experienced this aspect of the fear of God when he spent forty days and nights praying for the sinful Israelites: \u201cI feared the anger and wrath of the Lord, for He was angry enough with you to destroy you<\/em>\u201d (Dt 9:19<\/a>). In the NT, the author of Hebrews acknowledges God\u2019s coming vengeance and judgment, and then writes: \u201cIt is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God<\/em>\u201d (Heb 10:31<\/a>). This type of fear is to be afraid, especially if you are caught on the wrong side of God’s justice.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

WHY FEAR GOD?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The reasons for fearing God are found in the different meanings of the \u201cfear of the Lord,\u201d as described above. Although there are different types of fear, part of our respect and awe is in the knowledge of his wrath and power. It’s all connected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n