The Fear of God

        Americans live in a “No Fear Zone.” A prominent shoe line uses as its promotion line: “No Fear.”

        A disregard for the law and fear of the consequence adds to lawlessness. Children show no fear of the consequence of misbehaving.

        We have lost the meaning of the fear of God. We have taken Him off the throne and made Him our Good Buddy.

        Isaiah (6:1-13) tells of his vision when he saw the Lord “high and lifted up” and heard the seraphim cry out “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of Hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!”

        In that setting can you imagine Isaiah walking up to God and saying, “Hey, good buddy, give me five!”

        Isaiah said, “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips…”

        Joshua exhorts us to: “…fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth…” (Joshua 24:14).

        In Romans 3: 18 after giving a description of sinners a summary statement is made: ‘There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

        The lack of a fear of God in America is the reason sin is rampant.

        Solomon in his wisdom was inspired to write: “…by the fear of the Lord one departs from iniquity….” (Proverbs 16:6).

        When people don’t have a sense of respectful awe of God, sin abounds. Immorality happens when people forget the fear of God.

        This fear is not a fear of punishment or retribution. It is not fear that God will lay His hand on us. It is a fear God will take His hand off of us. 

        The Old Testament Hebrew word for fear, “yare” means “reverence,” whereby an individual recognizes the power and position of the individual revered and renders him proper respect.

        It means to stand in respectful awe of God.

        Simply stated it means to submit yourself to God in respectful love.

        There are several Greek words translated as “fear.” Various ones mean fright, to run away, or a coward. “Eulabeia,”  the Greek word used in this regard, means “to reverence and show respect for.” 

        The more reverence and respect we have for God the less likely we are to be frightened or run away like cowards from the difficulties and evil we encounter.

        I feared my dad. He was a big strong man, a man of justice. I did not fear him in the sense I was apprehensive he would punish me. I had awe, respect, and love for him that prompted me to want to please him. I feared disappointing him, letting him down, not living up to his expectations of me.

        I knew that he loved me and I was grateful. I knew something of what he had done for me and I was thankful. I had awe for who and what he was and I wanted to please him.

        That is how we are to respond to our Heavenly Father.

        Solomon in his wisdom was inspired to write: “…by the fear of the Lord one departs from iniquity….” (Proverbs 16:6).