The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honor is humility.
- Proverbs 15:33
Thoughts on Today’s Verse…
Mentioning the fear of God, many people are familiar with the concept and understand that those who fear God are blessed by Him. However, only a few truly understand what it means to fear God. Reading the following content will help you grasp the meaning of fearing God and give you an opportunity to become someone who genuinely fears God and receives His promised blessings.
“The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honor is humility” (Proverbs 15:33). This verse enlightens us about the concept of fearing God, which involves accepting His wisdom and teachings, cultivating a good relationship with Him, and ultimately receiving His blessings and approval. In fact, we are familiar with the term “fear,” as it appears over two hundred times throughout the entire Bible, highlighting its significance for all sincere believers. So, what does it truly mean to fear God? Let’s explore this through the stories of the 3 biblical characters.
1. Noah
In Hebrews 11:7, it is said, “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith” (Hebrews 11:7).
We all know that thousands of years ago, the world was filled with evil and corruption, and God decided to bring a flood to destroy it. God called upon Noah to build the ark, and Noah submitted to what God said unconditionally. Whatever God commanded, he faithfully carried out without questioning or seeking reasons. He simply listened and obeyed, and as a result, he received God’s blessings. Clearly, obedience and submission are essential parts of fearing God.
2. Abraham
The Bible records that God gave Abraham a son named Isaac. When Isaac grew up, God instructed Abraham to take his only son, whom he loved, Isaac, to Mount Moriah and offer him as a burnt offering. After Abraham had prepared everything, he raised his knife to sacrifice Isaac. At that moment, God’s messenger stopped him in time and provided a lamb for the sacrifice. Abraham’s unconditional obedience, offering, and willingness to return earned God’s approval and blessing. Thus, it is evident that complete obedience, offering, and willingness to return to God are also manifestations of fearing God.
3. Job
In the Book of Job, it says, “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.” (Job 1:1). Job was a person who feared God and shunned evil. He went through multiple trials, losing all his possessions and children, and even afflicted with painful sores all over his body. Yet, he did not complain at all, but held on to his integrity, worshiping God, and praising Him. This is also an expression of fearing God.
From these examples, we can see that fearing God requires absolute obedience and willingness to offer and surrender, genuine worship and praise. Just as God’s word says, “‘To fear God’ does not mean nameless fright and horror, nor to evade, nor to put at a distance, nor is it idolization or superstition. Rather, it is admiration, esteem, trust, understanding, caring, obedience, consecration, and love, as well as unconditional and uncomplaining worship, requital, and submission.” The words of God make it very clear what it means to fear God.
Fearing God is not about being frightened of God, because fright will inevitably lead to distancing ourselves from God, avoiding Him, which will only result in a growing disconnect from God. Eventually, it may even lead to betraying God, so this cannot be considered as fearing God. Therefore, to see if we truly fear God, we need to examine whether we possess the qualities of trust, understanding, caring, obedience, consecration, love, as well as unconditional and uncomplaining worship, requital, and submission. Upon careful reflection, if we still lack these manifestations of fearing God, it means that we are not yet truly fearing God. So, how can we achieve the fear of God and become people whom God approves of and blesses? If you want to know more, please contact us through the online chat window at the bottom of our website. Let’s learn God’s words together, communicate online, and find the answers!