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[Announcer] (0:01 - 0:17) Think about the Bible like you never have before. You're listening to Christian Questions. Access more audio, videos, and Bible study resources at ChristianQuestions.com.

Our topic is: "What is the Fear of the LORD?" Here's Rick and Jonathan.

[Rick] (0:20 - 0:27) Welcome everyone, I'm Rick. I'm joined by Jonathan, my co-host for over twenty-five years. Jonathan, what's our theme Scripture for this episode?

[Jonathan] (0:31 - 0:45) 2 Corinthians 7:1: "Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."

[Rick] (0:45 - 1:26) If we are not careful, it can be easy to misrepresent God. So often we hear people proclaim that God is a God of anger and wrath, a God who demands that we fear Him. While God does absolutely and ultimately demand that all will eventually honor and reverence Him, we need to be able to grasp what He requires of humanity now. The Bible, if clearly and carefully understood, supplies these answers.

By examining what fear of the Lord looks like first in the Old Testament, and then in the New, we can receive a clear picture of what He demands. What does this picture show us? It reveals His power, His authority, and His overwhelming benevolence.

[Jonathan] (1:26 - 1:56) In many ways, the phrase "fear of the Lord" in the Old Testament defines itself. Outside of the prophetic meanings of some Scriptures, remember that the "fear of the Lord" was described to His people Israel in the context of their receiving very physical fulfillments of His promises. The physical blessings apply to Israel.

That's not for us. However, the principle still applies to us because we receive spiritual blessings.

[Rick] (1:56 - 2:06) That's important. The physicality of Israel and the spirituality of our perspective need to be separated but looked at together so we can get a bigger picture.

[Jonathan] (2:06 - 2:37) Let's begin with the words for "fear." These several words are different forms of the same word. Collectively, they mean "fearing; morally reverent."

The Lexicon adds that in the negative sense, fear is a terrifying thing. In the positive sense, reverence shows "respect" and "to stand in awe of." Rick, could the frightening fear be our conscience telling us that God is not pleased with us now? For example, if we're doing wrong?

[Rick] (2:37 - 3:16) It's important to realize these words do have two sets of meanings. There's a negative sense and a very positive sense. When we're looking at the fear of God, we might have that negative sense. We're going to find out that it's the positive sense that we need to focus on.

King David, for instance, he had a great fear. When Nathan said, "Thou art the man," he had fear over what he had done, rightfully so. But it brought him to a reverence and a respect, which we will unfold as we go through these things.

Let's look at this concept of "fear of the Lord." Fear of the Lord was the very foundation for applying the Law that was given to Israel. Let's look at Deuteronomy 6:1-2:

[Jonathan] (3:19 - 3:53) "Now this is the commandment, the statutes and the judgments which the LORD your God has commanded me to teach you, that you might do them in the land where you are going over to possess it, so that you and your son and your grandson might fear the LORD your God..." Why? "...to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged."

Reverence for God is for the purpose of keeping focus, to live and do all things in a godly way. Think of the peace that brings.

[Rick] (3:54 - 4:23) Think of the foundation that gives us to be able to stand on. It was the foundation of the giving of the Law. Remember it in the reverence of God, because it's such a high and lofty, wonderful thing that guides you into that kind of peace.

It really is an important foundation to begin with. Let's look a little further. Fear of the Lord also brings His truth, His loving kindness, and His deliverance.

Let's look at Psalm 86:11-13:

[Jonathan] (4:23 - 4:48) "Teach me Your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear (or reverence) Your name.

I will give thanks to You, O LORD my God, with all my heart, and will glorify Your name forever. For Your lovingkindness toward me is great, and You have delivered my soul from the depths of sheol." Reverence brings total reliance on God.

[Rick] (4:49 - 5:15) That reverence opens us up to His truth, His loving kindness, and His deliverance. This is a...David in the Psalm is, in a poetic way, showing us how these things come from deep reverence; not being afraid and shaking before Him, but having deep reverence.

Let's continue. Fear of the Lord brings confidence and abundant life. Let's look at Proverbs 14:26-27:

[Jonathan] (5:16 - 5:32) "In the fear (reverence) of the LORD there is strong confidence, and his children will have refuge. The Fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, that one may avoid the snares of death." So the fear or reverence of the Lord shows trust.

[Rick] (5:32 - 6:37) It does. Again, Jonathan, when we asked the initial question, "What is the Fear of the LORD?"-- the answer, unequivocally and repeatedly throughout this entire episode, is a very simple thing.

It's not something you're shaking in fright with. It's something that is instilling confidence and strength, because you see essentially how small you are and how big He is. That's a good thing, because it brings us confidence.

It brings us an abundant life, according to Proverbs. It really is a positive, positive sense in our lives. If you've been afraid of God before this, take a breath, listen to the Scriptures, and let them sink in, and change how you feel so you can see more clearly.

Let's go further in the Psalms. The fear of the Lord brings instruction, prosperity, generational inheritance, and God's promised protection. Now, again, this is, remember, toward Israel, and so it's a lot of physicality here, but we take this on a spiritual level.

Psalm 25:12-15:

[Jonathan] (6:38 - 7:02) "Who is the man who fears (reveres) the LORD? He will instruct him in the way he should choose. His soul will abide in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land.

The secret of the LORD is for those who fear (revere) Him, and He will make them know His covenant. My eyes are continually toward the LORD, for He will pluck my feet out of the net."

[Rick] (7:02 - 7:46) Look, if you're afraid, if you're shaking your boots, your eyes aren't continually toward that which you're afraid of--you're trying to get away from it, okay? Your back is towards it. Here, we are drawn to the Lord in the reverence of Him, because of the instruction and the goodness for Israel, the physical inheritance and the promises and protection that it all brings.

It's a powerful place for us to live. You want to live in the fear of the Lord, because it's going to be transformational. Let's continue.

"Fear of the Lord" fits precisely into the context of all other directions that Israel received from God, and this is important. It fits exactly into the context of everything else. Psalm 19:7-10:

[Jonathan] (7:46 - 8:29) "The law of the LORD (the law of love) is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD (His instruction) is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD (His appointed plans) are right, rejoicing the heart;

The commandment of the LORD (His teaching) is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear (or reverence) of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether.

They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb."

[Rick] (8:30 - 9:21) You see this Scripture; it gives you all of these different aspects of God's overruling providence for Israel, and essentially for us as well. The law of love and the instructions and the appointments and the teachings are all beautiful for us. Then it says "the fear of the LORD is clean."

I love that description. There's a cleanliness, there's a purity to having this reverence, and it's enduring, and because His judgments are true and righteous and all of this is more desirable than gold, so you're not afraid of Him. You want to be before Him to honor, to worship, and serve Him.

That's what the "fear of the Lord" is. Let's go further. Fear of the Lord can bring us a fearless approach to our own challenges.

Psalm 27:1-3:

[Jonathan] (9:21 - 9:55) "The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread? When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, my adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.

Though a host encamp against me, my heart will not fear; though war arise against me, in spite of this I shall be confident." Think of how powerful and freeing it is for those who rely on God's providence.

[Rick] (9:56 - 11:26) Especially in these kinds of challenges, how freeing it is. Jonathan, just a quick personal experience along these lines of applying reverence for God. Sometimes when we have those really deep hard challenges in life, being reverent just doesn't cross our minds because we're so emotionally overwhelmed and distraught.

When our daughter--our youngest daughter--was assaulted at 15 years old, it blew our lives to pieces. I remember very vividly not knowing what to do. I didn't know what to do.

It was a prayerful consideration, and you know, you're kind of shaking on the inside with the trauma of what's happened. For me, it was that prayerful consideration, and then taking the next step based on scriptural principles and just having faith. When I read this Scripture about this giving us this fearless approach to our challenges, it brings me back to that.

Afterwards, people would say, how did you know what to do? My answer was, I didn't. But I prayed and I looked at the Scriptures, and I took that step in faith, and it was the reverence for God, just knowing that He's there, that drove us to rely on Him, and pulled us through that horribly difficult time in life.

This is very, very personal and special for me, looking at the reverence of the Lord in relation to challenges. Let's go a little further. Fear of the Lord will, in God's due time, be spread throughout all nations to their benefit.

[Jonathan] (11:27 - 11:29) Did you say all nations?

[Rick] (11:29 - 11:36) I did, and I said it because that's what the Scripture says. Let's look at Psalm 67:3-7:

[Jonathan] (11:37 - 12:23) "Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You. Let the nations be glad and sing for joy; For You will judge the peoples with uprightness and guide the nations on the earth.

Selah." That, as we know, means "pause and consider." "Let the people praise You, O God;

Let all the peoples praise You. The earth has yielded its produce; God, our God, blesses us. God blesses us, that all the ends of the earth may (reverence or) fear Him."

This prophetic view is a perfect conclusion to what God will ultimately bring about in His kingdom on earth with the nations under the new Covenant. The people will reverence Him how? From their hearts.

[Rick] (12:23 - 12:51) Yeah. What a powerful message. Again, this fear of the Lord is positive.

It brings people up. He blesses them. They praise Him with reverence--not shaking--with reverence, with awe, with wonderment, with that sense of goodness that, wow, we have been blessed.

What a great example. Jonathan, let's start Putting Our Fear Of The Lord To Full And Faithful Use: How do we do that?

[Jonathan] (12:52 - 13:19) The Old Testament clearly teaches us that fear of the Lord should produce in us an overwhelming sense of awe, reverence, and wonderment. This fear does not make us want to hide. Rather, it makes us want to be held in His hand, to walk in His path, and to continually follow His will.

Proper fear of the Lord makes us stronger and more focused, and gives us stronger confidence in Him.

[Rick] (13:19 - 14:10) The fear of the Lord opens the doors for that sigh of relief that says, my God is over all and with us and guiding us. What a message from the Old Testament! People say God is a God of anger and wrath and on and on and on, and yet all of these Scriptures show us that behind all of the justice that had to happen in the Old Testament, this is the God behind all of those things.

Now, let's move into the New Testament. As we do so, there are going to be two important details to consider: First, the theme of fearing the Lord does remain the same.

Exactly the same. Second, interestingly, fearing the Lord is a less common teaching in the New Testament. Jonathan, let's define the words for "fear" in the New Testament.

[Jonathan] (14:10 - 14:27) This Greek word for "fear," "phobeo," is where we get the English word "phobia." It means "alarm or fright;" "to be in awe of; that is, to revere." Again, this word can be both negative and positive.

[Rick] (14:27 - 15:12) That's important. A phobia, we look at that and say, hey, that's never good. You're right, it's never good.

The Greek, though, does have that sense of both negative and positive. We want to look at this and try to understand how it unfolds in the New Testament. Let's look at a few examples of this reverent "fear" or reverence that we're talking about here.

A few examples-- first, the transition from Old Testament thinking into New Testament thinking. We, in many podcasts, have gone through that where you look at how things are stated in the Old Testament and look at a transition Scripture that brings you from the Old to the New to say, okay, you can see that it's following the same pattern.

This next Scripture helps us see that. Acts 13:15-16:

[Jonathan] (15:13 - 15:32) "After the reading of the Law and the Prophets the synagogue officials sent to them, saying, Brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it. Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and you who fear God (or you who reverence God), listen."

[Rick] (15:33 - 16:24) This is a perfect transitional Scripture because it's in the synagogue. Paul is talking to a Jewish audience, and he says to the men of Israel, you who reverence God. That's the word for "phobeo" here in the New Testament that's used to explain the reverence of God from the Old Testament. It gives us permission to see it in the positive sense, because we take the Old Testament and Paul is showing us it's the same thing in the New.

Okay, that's our first example, is this transition from Old Testament thinking. Our second example in New Testament teaching; the Apostle Paul had just written to the Corinthian church to not be "unequally yoked" with unbelievers (to not get overly involved with unbelievers and all kinds of things where you could avoid doing so). Here's what he says after that teaching--

2 Corinthians 7:1:

[Jonathan] (16:24 - 16:40) "Therefore, having these promises beloved (the promises of being God’s sons and daughters), let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear (reverence) of God."

[Rick] (16:40 - 17:41) Having the promises of being God's sons and daughters...and again, when you think of a promise of being God's son or God's daughter, that's a powerful, positive experience. That's not one that makes you shake in your boots, it's one that makes you want to run toward your Father. So having these promises, let us put things in order, cleanse ourselves from all of our difficulties in the reverence of God.

We've been given these promises, let's clean ourselves up and become more worthy of receiving God in the reverence of Him. You want to approach Him because you love Him and you want to serve Him. That's what the fear of the Lord is in this Scripture.

Let's go to our third example of this reverent fear or reverence. The Apostle Peter shows us this reverent awe is to be an integral part of our Christian character; very, very, very involved in our character.

We're going to go to 1 Peter 2:16-17:

[Jonathan] (17:41 - 18:11) "Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king." Since we are to "honor all people" and "honor the king," what does that really mean?

Well, the word for "honor" means "to prize or value." So if we prize and value all people and those in authority, that should bring us peace in our lives.

[Rick] (18:12 - 19:10) That's a great way to describe it. To prize and value all people brings us peace in our lives as we reverence God. You notice that's at the top of everything.

Reverence Him and prize and value those around you. I mean, it's a powerful, powerful message here. This fear, using the meaning of reverence and awe, is not only appropriate for Christians--it is a necessary state of heart and mind.

It's not just a good thing to do, it's a necessary thing to do. Because we have this reverence for God through Christ, there are other kinds of fear that we should not have. So some kinds of fear—reverence, awe, wonderment, looking at His sovereignty, and so forth—yes, those are things we should have.

There are some kinds of fear that we should not have. Let's look at two quick examples of the kind of fear we should NOT have. 2 Timothy 1:7-8:

[Jonathan] (19:11 - 19:34) "For God has not given us the spirit of timidity..." The King James Version uses the word "fear." "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and discipline.

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God."

[Rick] (19:34 - 19:49) "God has not given us the spirit of fear" or "timidity." What is this "spirit of fear" or the "spirit of timidity?" It's interesting that this word in this form is only used once in the New Testament in this text.

Jonathan, what does it mean?

[Jonathan] (19:49 - 19:59) Well, it means "timidity, fearfulness, cowardice." Another form of the word means "to dread" or "to be faithless."

[Rick] (19:59 - 20:35) So God has not given us a spirit of cowardice. Let's use that, because that to me, that kind of touches your heart. If you've ever been in a situation and you feel cowardly, what are you feeling like?

You're feeling like cowering away, staying away, trying to kind of hide. Jonathan, when we were young, they used to have these commercials on TV demonstrating something, and they'd say, "don't try this at home." This idea of a Christian being cowardly--"don't try this at home"--

that's not what we're given. We're given reverence, not cowardice. We need to rise above it.

[Jonathan] (20:36 - 21:11) Rick, I was thinking of a personal example. I remember being at Bible camp, and your children were playing by a little stream. All of a sudden these hornets came out of the ground and started stinging your children. Your wife, she had no cowardice. She ran right in, grabbed them, picked them up, and took them away from the danger.

And me? I saw the bees, and I was cowardice. I ran. I'm like, what?

I just didn't even think. I reacted in cowardice, and I feel ashamed to this day that I did that. But I've got to be vulnerable and explain my mistakes, brother.

[Rick] (21:11 - 21:55) Well, no, that was a really dramatic experience, because all of a sudden there's this swarm. You're right, Trish, she just darted right in and took the kids out, and, we're trying to...and then there's chaos. She got stung like forty times.

We ended up going to the hospital just in case, but it was because there was no cowardice. There was, got to take care of the children! She saw what happened.

She instantly responded and took care of things. I forgot all about that. What a dramatic memory!

All right, let's go on to another example of the kind of fear we should not have. This is when the apostles were in the boat with Jesus during the storm. Remember that?

He's asleep... they were fearful! Let's look at that.

Mark 4:37-41:

[Jonathan] (21:55 - 22:25) "And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful?

How is it that ye have no faith?" The word "fearful" here means "faithless" and "dread." "And they feared (or reverenced) exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"

[Rick] (22:25 - 23:30) You have the two kinds of fear in one Scripture. They were fearful. They were cowardly.

They had dread. Then after he says, "Peace, be still," it says they revered "exceedingly." That's the right kind of fear.

They looked at Jesus and said, "What kind of man is this?" Because through the power of God, he is able to calm the sea. They were afraid, but Jesus showed them to revere.

That's the difference. This type of fear, this cowardly type of fear, is seldom used in the New Testament. Again, it's cowardice or timidity.

It's cowering away from responses when we should be standing firm. That's what's appropriate. It's giving into emotions instead of seeing clarity to face our outward circumstances.

All of the Scriptures we've talked about give us the sense of that confidence to be able to stand in the Lord and fight and be strong and be stable because we reverence Him and we don't have the cowardice. Again, don't try this at home. We don't want to be there as Christians.

[Jonathan] (23:30 - 23:39) Well Rick, doesn't the false doctrine of hellfire instill the wrong kind of fear? God is love and not a monster.

[Rick] (23:40 - 24:28) Absolutely. That's why the doctrine doesn't belong. First, it's simply not taught in Scripture, but the concept does not fit into the description of the heavenly Father.

It doesn't fit into the description of Jehovah God and all of His mighty wisdom and power. It doesn't enhance it. It completely destroys it.

That's why we've got to keep these things in clear, clear, clear order. You're right, that's more of a cowardice push, and again, just doesn't belong in Scripture. Let's go back now to the appropriate fear or reverence of the Lord.

Look folks, face it; if you are following Christ, we are most privileged, and therefore we should have the deepest of reference and awe for our God. Let's look at 1 Peter 1:17-19:

[Jonathan] (24:28 - 24:53) "If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves in fear (or reference) ...knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ."

[Rick] (24:54 - 25:35) "If you address as Father the One" who judges everything, you should conduct yourself with reverence, because that's YOUR Father. I mean, talk about being proud of your Dad! Let me tell you about my Father and the loftiness of who He is, because we were redeemed through Jesus, not with just a simple buying back, but with the blood of his sacrifice.

That brings us to absolute reverence. The fear of the Lord is a wonderful reverence! Let's work hard to fulfill the gracious will and desire of God our Father on our behalf.

Our final Scripture, Jonathan, Philippians 2:12-13:

[Jonathan] (25:35 - 26:11) "So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling (or reverence and trembling); for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." Rick, it says "fear and trembling" or reverence and trembling, but what does trembling mean? It is the anxiety someone feels when they don't trust their own ability, yet still do everything they can do to carry out their duty.

[Rick] (26:11 - 26:35) That's a great description. The anxiety we feel when we just don't feel like we can. Jonathan, I know you and I have had lots of personal conversations along these lines.

We both have had that experience.

JONATHAN:

We have. RICK:

Too big, too big, I'm shaking, but that's not the reverence of the Lord. That's the trembling in the recognition of ourselves.

[Jonathan] (26:35 - 27:10) Rick, I always had reverence for God from childhood, but that changed when high school began. Trying to find myself, trying to fit in and be accepted by my peers, I went down a selfish and destructive road until I hit bottom without God. Then I refocused.

I only had one way to look, and that was up. I remembered my past with fear and trembling, but now I want to live with reverence for God as I originally thought in my youth. My prayer was, "God, give me direction," and He certainly did.

[Rick] (27:11 - 27:24) That gives you the ability to step up into living reverentially, and that's the point. That's what fear of the Lord is. Jonathan, Putting Our Fear of the Lord to Full and Faithful Use:

[Jonathan] (27:25 - 27:58) The New Testament also clearly teaches that fear of the Lord should produce in us an overwhelming sense of awe, reverence, and wonderment. While the Gospel writings don't focus on this reverential fear, they do place it in the very specific context of our privilege to call Jehovah God our Father. This relationship deeply magnifies our reverence, as its personal nature focuses on pleasing Him at every turn and growing into His likeness.

[Rick] (27:58 - 28:54) When we look at fear of the Lord, what is the fear of the Lord? What we can certainly see in all of these pieces is that it is putting things in their proper order. When you have the God of all things, the Creator of all things, He deserves our reverence, our respect, our wonder, our awe, and to recognize His sovereignty.

Our point as Christians is to live with that running through our veins as we approach each and every experience of our lives. Live in fear, live in reverence of the Lord, and stand in the confidence that that reverence can give to you. Think about it.

Folks, we love hearing from our listeners. We welcome your feedback and questions on this episode and other episodes at ChristianQuestions.com. Coming up in our next episode: "Do the Ten Commandments Apply to Christians Today?"

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