We used to hear a lot in the old days, ( I’m old, 62 years old, well nearly, so I remember the old days!) about people having the fear of God. We don’t hear this phrase anymore, or at least I don’t. I also believe that the understanding of what this phrase means has died with the use of the phrase. In fact today the fear of God seems to be totally lacking in the lives of many of those who call themselves "Christians."
We find in Scripture many promises to those who "Fear the Lord." To come into the good of these promises we need to understand what this fear of the Lord means. Does this mean to have a terror of the Lord or be frightened of Him? Is this the fear which bring blessings? Let us look at what the fear of the Lord is NOT!
"Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not: which have ears, and hear not:
Fear ye not me? saith the Lord: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over?
But this people (the Jews) hath a revolting and a rebellious heart: they are revolted and gone."
Neither say they in their heart, Let us now FEAR THE LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.
Your iniquities
have turned away these things, and your sins have witholden good things from you." (Jeremiah 5:21-24)Even though the Lord was speaking through His prophet Jeremiah to His chosen people Israel, it is the same today, most refuse to see and hear what the Holy Spirit through the Word of God is wanting to reveal to them about their sins, and their need of a Saviour. Most today have revolted and departed from the Lord as there is no fear of the Lord before their eyes.
Should not all the earth or those that dwell therein stand in awe of this mighty God by whose word the heavens were made and all the host of them by the breathe of His mouth? He just spake the Word and it was done. He commanded it and it stood fast. Surely who would not want to know this mighty God of the Universe? The Maker of the whole Universe! Everything either seen or unseen was created by His powerful hand. See Psalms 33:6-9.
How can we, mere human beings, have a relationship with this mighty Creator? How can we have a deep awe of Him? How can we show a deep respect for His Majestic qualities? Surely His ways are past finding out? Surely they are too high for up com comprehend? Surely we are as the dust of the ground in the presence of the enormity, the greatness of this mighty God?
"It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, (if men would have read this long ago they would have realized that the earth was not flat, but round!) and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: that bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity." (Isa. 40:22, 23)
Look at what the nations are in His sight. "Behold, the nations are as a drop in the bucket, and are counted as the small dust in the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing …. All the nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity." (Isa. 40:15, 17)
Before we can know or understand anything about our sinful selves we must have some understanding, as little as it may be of the greatness of God. Luther said once, "Your thoughts of God are too human." I think this is part of the problem that we do not stand in awe of this mighty God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We need to know something of God’s greatness, before we will have any understanding of how small and unworthy we really are. God never changes "The Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent. (1 Sam. 15:29) God cannot go against His own Word. He cannot lie!
God is absolutely holy, and He absolutely hates sin. We see God’s holiness portrayed in the dealing with His spotless Son on the cross of Calvary. God poured out His righteous anger and wrath against our sins and it all fell on the blessed head of the Lord Jesus Christ! It was not a matter of Christ dying for His own sins. He did not sin; He could not sin, as He was God in the flesh who came down from the heights of glory to rescue us poor sin –sick human beings and save us from our sins. No it was our sins that made the Lord of glory die. He died that we might live, that we might "become the righteousness of God in Him."
How does God view man? God’s Word tells us that he is "estranged from the womb." All are sinners and fallen short of the glory of God. We are born in sin and shapen in iniquity. We are sinners by nature and by practice (Romans 3:23) until we come into the good of God’s offered salvation through the redemptive work of Christ on the cross of Calvary. Within unredeemed man, within his heart lies a cesspool of iniquity, the heart is desperately wicked and evil above all things, who can know it? Scripture tells us. As soon as we are born we go astray. There is none that doeth good, no not one, for all have gone out of the way. We have altogether become unprofitable. (Romans 3:10-13
Where do you stand; are you in this category?
"Their throat is an open sepulcher:
with their tongues have they used deceit;
the poison of asps is under their lips:
Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
Their feet are swift to shed blood:
Destruction and misery are in their ways:
And the way of peace have they not known:
THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES."
(Romans 3:13-18)THE FEAR OF GOD IS TO HAVE A WHOLESOME DREAD OF DISPLEASING A HOLY GOD!
The vile thoughts and iniquities of mankind have been written on public buildings, which reveal their putrid sin-sick hearts! Man is a hypocrite because they want all to see the good side and thus put on a good face, a mask, but God looks on the heart, and what a man really is, is revealed by what he does in the dark, when no-one but God can see.
God tells us in John 3:19, "Men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." It has been said that what a man does in the dark reveals his true character, or what he really is.
Those who choose to stay in their sins; keep living a life apart from God, pleasing self, sin and the world, will reap what they sow. God keeps His promises and He will not repent of what He has declared! "But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; BECAUSE HE FEARETH NOT BEFORE GOD." (Ecc. 8:13)
"I know that it shall be well with them THAT FEAR GOD, WHICH FEAR BEFORE HIM." (v. 7)
"He that walketh in his uprightness FEARETH THE LORD, but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him." (Proverbs 14:2)
There are only two categories of people in God’s sight. Those who fear the Lord and live a righteous and holy life because of the "love of God shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Spirit;" and those who still live in rebellion and sin and will not obey the voice of the Lord, but will go on living in trespasses and sin, as they have never had a real encounter with a Holy and Majestic God.
Will you put away, self, sin, lust and pride, and say from the heart, "Christ for me!" This is what the publican did when he saw his exceeding sinfulness before a thrice Holy God, he cried, "God be merciful to me a sinner." He went home justified rather than the man who thought he was righteous, and never had the forgiveness of his sins.
One thing is certain and that is only a seeking sinner and a seeking Saviour will meet. The Saviour is seeking you! Are you seeking Him? Or are you happy with a false foundation, a foundation built on sand which one day will collapse, if you have not come by the way of the cross. It is the only way that leads home. All sins must be left at the foot of the cross. Then you will know what it means to have the FEAR OF GOD!
