A few years ago, I attended a Bible study in which the instructor vehemently insisted that we should be “scared” of the Lord. She went on to insist that if one were not absolutely terrified of God, that person probably wasn’t truly saved. While it is true that we are to fear the Lord, we should not get out of balance by going to either extreme. Consider these scriptures:
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do His commandments: His praise endureth for ever.”
(PSALM 111:10)
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
(PROVERBS 1:7)
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.”
(PROVERBS 9:10)
From the above scriptures, you can see that the key to gaining wisdom, knowledge and understanding is to fear the Lord. The question is, what does it mean to fear Him? Could it honestly mean to be terrified of Him?
As Christians, we have been brought into a family relationship with God through Jesus Christ, the first-born among many brethren. Paul explains, in Romans 8:14-17, that we are not just servants of God, we are the sons (and daughters) of God. Reflecting on earthly relationships, a child has no fear of his father unless he has been behaving disobediently. Still, when we fall short of God’s standard, we have the promise of forgiveness (see I John 1:9).
If all of this seems somewhat confusing, perhaps it might help to look at the background of certain attitudes. The idea of a “mean” or “angry” God can be traced back as far as the 13th century. Typical of this attitude was a sermon delivered by a priest named Johannes Tauler entitled “2e sermon pour le saint sacrement.” It contains the following quote:
“God does not wish to be the only one to punish us, He wishes that we may be punished by all creatures. Man is hunted like game offered to the Emperor; he is hunted, torn, and bitten by dogs, and he is thus more pleasing to the Emperor than if he had been taken gently. God is the Emperor who wants to eat the game taken by the hunt. He also has his hunting dogs; it is the Enemy who hunts man through temptations of all kinds; he slithers toward you from all corners, in all kinds of ways, and hunts you through diverse temptations; first through pride, avarice, and all sorts of vices, then through despair and excessive sorrow. Dear child, hold steady, that will not do you any harm; your needs must be hunted.”
Even today, many Christians hold fast their belief that it is God’s will and purpose to throw obstacles in their way. They fail to realize that it is satan who puts obstacles in our way. Jesus sits on the right hand of the Father’s throne, constantly making intercession for us (see Romans 8:34, Hebrews 1:3,13, and Hebrews 8:1-2). God’s perfect will is for us to victoriously overcome the obstacles that the world throws at us, thus bringing glory to His name. Good scripture references on that point include John 16:33, 1st John 5:4-5 and 1st Peter 4:12-19.
How many times have you heard someone sing, “Lord, don’t move my mountain... just give me strength to climb?” One of the most popular American gospel songs in the late 1980’s was entitled, “I’m Climbing Up The Rough Side of the Mountain.” Little do the composers and singers of such music realize, they are reflecting the attitudes of 13th century men such as Tauler.
By the way... in case you get into the “mountain climbing” mood, read what Jesus had to say about mountains in Mark 11:22-24.
We must learn to recognize when satan is throwing fiery darts at us and not accept his lies that God is sending those things to teach us a lesson. If we allow the Holy Spirit to perform an “attitude adjustment” in this area, we will no longer cower in fear when disaster strikes. Rather, we will run boldly to the throne of grace into the arms of our loving father (see Hebrews 4:16). Don’t take on Esther’s “If I perish, I perish...” attitude when approaching the throne of our Father.
Let’s get back to our subject... the fear of the Lord. As expressed in Psalm 111:10, Proverbs 1:7 and Proverbs 9:10, we can see the reverent fear of a child before his father. These scriptures do not reflect fright or terror — as toward someone with pernicious or malevolent intent towards you.
The Hebrew word translated “fear” in these scriptures is (transliterated) “YIR’AH” which means moral reverence. It reminds us that our Heavenly Father loves us.
Does that mean that God will never deal with us for our sins? Of course He does. Hebrews 12:5-11 shows us that when God chastens us, it is for our profit, not out of meanness.
5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected [us], and we gave [them] reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
10 For they verily for a few days chastened [us] after their own pleasure; but he for [our] profit, that [we] might be partakers of his holiness. {after...: or, as seemed good, or, meet to them}
11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Deuteronomy 8:5 further enhances our image of God as our Heavenly Father, who chastens us for our benefit.
5 Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, [so] the LORD thy God chasteneth thee.
In Jeremiah 29:11, God tells us that His thoughts toward us are good, not evil.
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. {expected...: Heb. end and expectation}
In Isaiah 55:6-13, we see that although we may have a negative or cowardly attitude, His thoughts are on a much higher level. In that, we can rejoice!
6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. {the unrighteous...: Heb. the man of iniquity} {abundantly...: Heb. multiply to pardon}
8 For my thoughts [are] not your thoughts, neither [are] your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
9 For [as] the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper [in the thing] whereto I sent it.
12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap [their] hands.
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign [that] shall not be cut off.
If you were to do a word study in the Hebrew scriptures of the word “fear,” you would find about 17 different words in the Hebrew language. These include “Eymah,” which means fright, horror and/or terror. Examples can be found in Exodus 15:16 and 23:27.
Another example is “Yare’,” which Adam experienced in Genesis 3:10 after committing his sin of rebellion against God.
In Job 3:25, Job reveals that the trial he suffered was something that he had been fearing. The word “feared” in this scripture is the Hebrew word “Pachad.” This was something that startled Job and made him tremble. The word “afraid” in Hebrew is “Yagor.” This was pure fear, not a respectful reverence of the Lord.
Let’s take a look at the New Testament perspective of this matter. In 2nd Timothy 1:7, the Apostle Paul uses the Greek word “Deilia” which expresses a timid, fearful and faithless spirit that no Christian should be under.
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
Just how bad is deilia fear? In Revelation 21:8, we read that the fearful (in Greek, “Deilos”) will be cast into the lake which burns with fire and brimstone. Why such a harsh penalty for fear (and unbelief)? Faithless fear denies the power and the love of God. It is a force that can short-circuit God’s blessings in your life.
Kenneth Copeland described the force of fear as the opposite of faith. For example, Acrophobia (the fear of heights) is faith that you will fall. Agoraphobia (fear of being in public or in a crowd) is faith that someone “out there” is going to harm you. In that manner, fear activates satan’s destructive activity in your life (just as faith activates God’s power in your life.
If you are walking in cowardly “Deilos” fear, pray and ask the Lord for an “attitude adjustment.” Otherwise, you will be blatantly denying God’s lovingkindness (which, in itself, is a powerful study topic) and his ability to save, heal and bless you.
Don’t be like Thomas in John 20:25, operating in willful unbelief. Serve God with gladness (Psalm 100:2) and a spirit of faith that worketh by love (Galatians 5:6).
1st John 4:16-19 tells us that God’s perfect love casts out fear (in Greek, “Phobos”). When you are made perfect in His love, your phobias (those things that cause you alarm, fear and terror) will be cast out. Be made perfect by love (see Colossians 3:14). When we serve God out of an attitude of faith and love, we come into a full understanding and experience of the reverent fear of the Lord, which is like the fear a child has for his father.
In Psalm 103:13, the Lord pitieth us like a father pitieth his children. The word “pitieth” in Hebrew is “Racham”) and literally means to fondle, love, have compassion on, show mercy to, and have pity upon. It is an amalgamation of the protective love of a father and the nurturing love of a mother. God has “Racham” for us. Read Isaiah 54:7-9 for more guidance on this topic.
Should you be afraid of God’s chastisement? No... but receive it with joy! God chastens us from His love for us, not out of anger (see Proverbs 3:11-12). He delights in us and desires to see us grow into His image (see Ephesians 5:1-2). As we grow in faith and in a closer walk with Him, He will be glorified by the fruit that our lives bear (see John 15:8). Live your life in a respectful and referent fear of the Lord. Allow Him to cleanse you with His word so that you may become even more fruitful (see John 15:1-4) and have stronger faith (see Romans 10:17).