The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom… (Prov. 1:7)
Throughout Proverbs, Solomon underscores that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. But what does it mean to fear the Lord?
In my study of the book of Deuteronomy, I am learning a lot about what it means to fear the Lord. The word “fear” is used 24 times in the book of Deuteronomy, sometimes referring to being afraid of men but often referring to the fear of the Lord. As the Israelites were poised on the edge of the promised land after 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, Moses continually admonished them to “fear the Lord” and warned them not to forget the way He brought them out of the land of Egypt, “out of the house of slavery.”
It boils down to this: the people of Israel could not “forcefully advance” without fearing the Lord, and neither can we.
Four different Hebrew words translated “fear” are used in Deuteronomy, with the most frequent being yare, which is a verb meaning “to fear, to show reverence, to stand in awe.” This word is used in Deut. 1:21, 29; 3:2, 22; 4:10; 5:29; 6:2, 13, 24; 8:6; 10:12, 20; 12:4: 14:23; 17:19; 21:21; 25:18; 28:58; and 31:8, 12, 13. The word yare connotes the psychological reaction of “fear” and may indicate being afraid of someone or something. Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words describes yare in this way: “Used of a person in an exalted position, yare connotes ’standing in awe.’ This is not simple fear, but reverence, whereby an individual recognizes the power and position of the individual revered and renders him proper respect. In this sense, the word may imply submission to a proper ethical relationship to God.”
Fear of the Lord, then, is not being afraid of God, who loves us with a love that is wide and long and high and deep (Eph. 3:17-19), but an abiding reverence of Him that is demonstrated in our humble worship of His awesome nature. But how do we “fear the Lord” in a practical manner? Deuternomy shines light on this as well.
Fear the Lord your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments. (Deut. 6:2)
You shall fear only the Lord your God. (Deut. 6:13)
Therefore, you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him. (Deut. 8:6)
Now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require from you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the Lord’s commandments and His statutes… (Deut. 10:12-13a)
You shall fear the Lord your God; you shall serve Him and cling to Him. (Deut. 10:20)
You shall follow the Lord your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him (Deut. 13:4)
…that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, by carefully observing all the words of this law and these statutes. (Deut. 17:19)
Do you see the pattern in these verses? One thing is quite clear - we fear the Lord our God by keeping His commandments. Showing respect and reverence to our Lord requires our obedience to what He has commanded of us. When we fear Him and remember His faithfulness to us in the past, we are emboldened to forcefully advance His kingdom.
Oh, that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me and keep My commandments always, that it may be well with them and with their sons forever. (Deut. 5:29)
Wow, Sarah, this passage/teaching came to life for me today, as I reflect on our reverance for the Lord and last night’s inaugural River community group at NCC! Thank you!
Christina Regule
February 20th, 2008
Christina, I heard that the inaugural River group was amazing last night. God is good and moves powerfully when we submit to Him, doesn’t He?
Sarah
February 20th, 2008
Good stuff as always, Sarah. I love the continuation of the Forceful Advance theme.
Heather Z
February 20th, 2008