What does it mean to fear the Lord? (1)

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:7 (ESV)

Many passages tell us that it is vital that we fear the Lord. We are told that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge (Prov 1:7), and that the sum of our duty as human beings is to fear God (Eccl 12:13). It is clear that we must fear the Lord, but what does that mean? Does it mean to be terrified of God? Yes, that is one aspect of it. “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt 10:28). We should be terrified of the One who has ultimate power over our bodies and souls. But to think of the fear of the Lord as simply a terror of God’s punishment is too narrow an understanding of the concept.

Isaiah 41:10 tells us that the presence of the Lord is a reason for us not to be terrified: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (NIV). Fearing the Lord takes away fear because God is a refuge to those who fear Him. “Whoever fears the LORD has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge” (Prov 14:26, NIV). Although being terrified of the power of God is certainly part of the picture, there is more to fearing the Lord. The fear of the Lord in Scripture usually denotes a reverence that we ought to have towards Him–a reverence that actually dispels our terror.

Fearing the Lord is associated with praising God. “Praise the LORD. Blessed are those who fear the LORD, who find great delight in his commands” (Ps 112:1, NIV; also see Ps 22:23; 111:10; 135:20). We ought to praise the Lord and take joy in His words out of our reverence for Him.

This article by Isaiah Peeler is continued next week as we explore other ways our fear of the Lord finds expression