Author's Note: All previous volumes of this series are here. The first 56 volumes are compiled into the book "Bible Study For Those Who Don't Read The Bible." "Part Two," featuring volumes 57-113, was published in December 2022.
Thanks for joining us today to discuss a complex topic that tends to be downplayed. Next week, we will study New Testament verses about fearing God. We begin with defining the word “fear” in Hebrew. My source is an Israeli-based site:
“The Hebrew word translated into ‘awe’ in the Bible is yirah (יראה, pronounced yir-ah). It often directly translates into fear, like “fear of the Lord,” it can also mean respect, reverence, and worship. But make no mistake about it, yirah is strongly connected to ‘trembling.’” There you have it, “fear and trembling,” how humans act before God.
So, “What does fear of God mean?” This famous passage provides the answer:
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10). Also this verse:
“ ‘His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of the warrior; the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love’ (Psalm 147:10-11).
If we are supposed to fear God, we must understand and acknowledge who God is. He is everything within our realm of human understanding of what everything is. He is also all that exists beyond our comprehension. God never ends. He has no boundaries. That is His identity. Here is a groundbreaking conversation from Exodus:
“Moses said to God, ‘Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, “The God of your fathers has sent me to you,” and they ask me, What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?’ God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you’” (Exodus 3: 13-14).
Jesus embraced the “I Am” identity when in the temple, He said, “‘Before Abraham was born, I am!’” (John 8:48-59), which caused the Jewish authorities to go ballistic.
“I Am” accepts and defines “the truth” without qualifiers. Therefore, we must know the unqualified truth about why we must fear Him. Here is my take:
God has power over the universe and all that exists within that infinite space He created, which means you. God has total control over you. However, He also gives you free will. But He knows how you will exercise that free will with the consequences of your actions and how He will intervene. God’s power and identity as “I Am” are beyond our human understanding, so we must love and fear Him without ceasing.
We can think of the fear of God as the air we breathe. He created the air; he created you along with your lungs. He could stop your lungs from working. Fear of God is recognizing that power since, at any second, you could be gasping for air.
Fearing God is an awareness that He has been watching, evaluating, and judging you since your conception. Most importantly, He also loves you and has gifted you with your life. We must know that He is with us and watching us. There is no escape from God. No hiding our worst thoughts or deeds. From the Book of Job:
“[God] views the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens” (Job 28:24). We can only imagine His power and great glory. He has no beginning and no end.
Therefore, fearing Him is knowing, appreciating, and praising Him while never questioning His Almighty ways. Thus, let's reflect on this Proverb again, credited to King Solomon, who asked for and was gifted great wisdom by God:
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10). Understanding what? Answer: He Is, and you are not. Wisdom is knowing your mission in life is to love, praise, and glorify Him through utilizing your talents through prayer, knowledge of His Word, helping others, and obeying his commandments—some verses about the latter:
[God said to Moses] “Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always so that it might go well with them and their children forever!” (Deuteronomy 5:29). And this:
“Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments!” (Psalm 112:1).
God’s commandments were handed to this man who had a warning for his flock:
“Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid. God has come to test you so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning’” (Exodus 20:20). Moses also said:
“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?” (Deuteronomy 10:12-13).
Without question, what appeared above is biblical “truth.” To learn more, see Vols. 237; 238 and 239. If you don’t know the truth and don’t please God, you should fear Him since you are acting contrary to His will. Let’s move on to Job:
“And he [God] said to the human race, ‘The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding’” (Job 28:28).
Through Isaiah, God explained how to deal with fear in a gentle, fatherly way:
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).
As with all Bible topics, Psalms have much to say about fear. Here is a sample:
“The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether” (Psalm 19:9). From the most famous 23rd Psalm:
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4).
“Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name” (Psalm 86:11).
“The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Psalm 118:6).
Fearing God is central to recognizing his power and dominion over all His creations. Tune in next week for New Testament teachings.
Myra Kahn Adams is a conservative political and religious writer with numerous national credits. Her book, "Bible Study For Those Who Don't Read The Bible," reprints the first 56 volumes of this popular study. "Part 2,” with the same title, reprints Vols. 57-113. Order it here.
She is also the Executive Director of the National Shroud of Turin Exhibit, dedicated to building a future permanent Shroud of Turin exhibit in Washington, D.C. The National Shroud of Turin Exhibit recently hosted a four-day exhibit (with a VIP guest) at the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, IN. Contact: MyraAdams01@gmail.com