We believe all of God’s Word and we hope that the Almighty will always illuminate His direction for us, and for all of you as well, in the truth of His Holy Word.
We Are Commanded to Fear God
The Bible tells us over and over again to fear God. It is listed first as the fear of God in Gen. 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.”
It continues throughout the Scriptures as a commandment to “Fear God”.
Deut. 10:12, “And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,”
Deut. 10:20, “Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.”
Deut. 13:4, “Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.”
Lev. 19:14, “Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD.”
Lev. 25:17, “Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God: for I am the LORD your God.”
What Does Fear Mean?
The Bible means just what It says, Fear.
The definition of fear is: To be afraid of; have fear of; have reverent awe; to be apprehensive. As a noun it means: a strong emotion caused by expectation or awareness of danger, anxious concern because of retribution or punishment for sin.
Why We Should be Afraid of (or Fear) God
I think that if we were to use just one scripture that should apply to our Christian walk in regard to the fear of God, it is Prov. 16:6: “By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.”
Job said, in Job 23:15, “Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him.” Job feared God.
The Psalmist and King, David, was afraid of God. “My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.” Psalm 119:120
II Sam. 6:9, “And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, How shall the ark of the LORD come to me?”
Psalm 2:11, “Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.’
These were two great and holy men of God; how much more should we fear God, or be afraid of Him, i.e., his judgments.
The Greatest of All Feared God the Father
“Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;” Heb. 5:7-9. Jesus also, the greatest Man that ever lived, feared God His Father, and ours, and commanded us to also fear God. Why? Because He has power to kill our body and soul in hell. “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.” Matt. 10:28. I think we’d better be afraid of God, don’t you?
The main purpose of the fear of God is written in 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.” That ye sin not!
Reward for Fear of the Lord
We know we should fear, so if we fear God, what will happen to us? Many good things will happen, because of obedience. The first, and probably one of the most important, as we discussed earlier, is that we will depart from evil. (See again, Prov. 16:6.)
Prov. 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.” God will keep us from evil when we fear Him.
Prov. 14:26, “In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.”
Prov. 14:27, “The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.
If we fear God, He will teach us the way we should go and we will dwell at ease, i.e., compared to others.
Psalm 25:12-14, “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 shew them his covenant.”
The Lord will watch over us if we fear Him.
Psalm 33:18-19, “Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.”
God’s angel will be with us: Psalm 34:7, “The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.”
In Conclusion
There are many more benefits of walking in the fear of God. It is something that must reign in our lives, just like prayer, obedience to God’s Word, and continuously acquiring more knowledge of God.
Prov. 23:17-18, “Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long. For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.”
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