The Fear of the Lord

What is the fear of the Lord? As a teenager, it seemed to me that was the second most popular question, (following, "How can I know God's will for my life?") Is the fear of the Lord being scared of Him, having reverence for Him, somewhere in the middle, or a combination of both? In spite of multiple sermons on the subject, I was aware that I did not understand the concept. Years later my understanding awakened as I was reading through Proverbs and recognized the link between wisdom and the fear of the Lord.

I believe my understanding was first triggered by Proverbs 8:13, which states, "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil." Part of the fear of the Lord is to hate and therefore avoid the things that God hates and declares to be evil. If I fear Him, I will want to be careful not to offend Him or violate His commands. Instead I place myself in a position of humble obedience. This understanding relates to the negative side of the fear of the Lord, leaning toward the interpretation associated with being afraid of Him.

The opposite is also true. If I fear the Lord, not only will I want to avoid what He hates, but I will also want to do what He loves. I will want to please Him by involving myself in what is precious to Him. I will want to be His servant or attendant, constantly doing things that bring Him pleasure. This positive side corresponds to the interpretation of reverence, admiration, or devotion.

Both aspects are dependent upon seeing God as big and myself as small. Both are also dependent on knowing how God evaluates things - what He loves and what He hates. This is where the Bible comes into the picture. Through the Bible I learn about God's attributes; as I see how great He is, it is natural for me to see the contrast of my proper place. God is someone to honor and not to offend, and my role is to give Him honor and avoid offense.

As I read the Bible, I also gain wisdom to know how to achieve those objectives. True wisdom comes from God’s Word, from a life-long pursuit of learning more and more of God’s thinking. This wisdom from the Word is far more than academic knowledge; it is something beyond a theological mastery of biblical facts. Truly valuable wisdom is prompted by motive and is gained as I understand the fear of the Lord through the pages of God's Word. Practical wisdom for the everyday Christian life is found as I long to know God so that I can better please Him.

Only with that motivation for my diligent seeking  will my heart be prepared to fully grasp the wisdom that God's Word provides. Deep wisdom does not come automatically to everyone who reads and studies the Word; it is only with the additional component of the fear of the Lord and the accompanying humility that the barriers are broken down and God really starts to show His truth. "He instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in justice, and He teaches the humble His way. . . . Who is the man who fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way he should choose. . . . The secret of the LORD is for those who fear Him" (Psalm 25:8b,9,12,14a).

I had often wondered why "the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom"; I didn't understand what the two things had to do with each other. In part, I had never fully understood that verse before because I had never really grasped the concept of the fear of the Lord before. It takes humility to be convinced that I don’t have the answers and that I am truly dependent on God for Him to show the way. That humility comes when I properly understand the relationship between God and myself. When I fear Him, I now have a reason to seek His wisdom.

Wisdom can be found as I seek it in the Word. Wisdom personified speaks in Proverbs 8:17, "I love those who love me; and those who diligently seek me will find me." As I diligently seek the Word, I will see the glory of God and begin to fear Him, which allows me to receive wisdom. It is freely offered to all who will seek, regardless of their innate ability to start with. Wisdom calls out, "'Whoever is naive, let him turn in here!' To him who lacks understanding, she says, 'Come, eat of my food'" (Proverbs 8:4-5a). This wisdom enables me to live out the concept of the fear of the Lord.

The fear of the Lord is being so aware and in awe of who God is that I diligently seek to learn what His desire for me is in every situation of life so that by doing the right thing I can please Him rather than offending Him. Both the knowledge of God and the wisdom for knowing what to do come from a diligent seeking in the Word of God. The fear of the Lord is the starting point for wisdom; it is what drives me to seek true wisdom, which can only be known by learning to know God and His Word. I seek the wisdom not for its own sake, but because I am concerned to please the God I fear.

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." Proverbs 9:10 (NASB)