The Fear of the Lord: A Holy Delight

Section 1: Understanding the Fear of the Lord

Introduction: The Rise of Fear in Modern Culture

Understanding the Culture of Fear

Modern society is marked by anxiety.

"These days, it seems, everyone is talking about a culture of fear."

People worry about terrorism, climate change, political instability, and personal health.

Parenting has become increasingly cautious due to overblown fears of child abduction and other dangers.

The paradox of fear and safety.

"We live more safely than ever before, yet we are skittish and panicky like never before."

Despite medical advancements, security measures, and greater prosperity, anxiety levels continue to rise.

The Absence of the Fear of God

Fear of God once controlled other fears.

"That fear of God was a happy and healthy fear that controlled our other fears, reining in anxiety."

The absence of God leaves people searching for security in uncertain things.

“Our culture has lost God as the proper object of fear. That fear of God (as I hope to show) was a happy and healthy fear that controlled our other fears, reining in anxiety. With our society having lost God as the proper object of healthy fear, our culture is necessarily becoming more neurotic and anxious. In ousting God from our culture, other concerns—from personal health to the health of the planet—have assumed a divine ultimacy in our minds. Good things have become cruel and pitiless idols. And thus we feel helplessly fragile, and society fills with anxieties. (Reeves, p. 17).

Atheism promised freedom from fear.

"For atheism sold the idea that if you liberate people from belief in God, that will liberate them from fear."

But the result has been the opposite—greater fear and uncertainty.

Fear is now seen as a disease to be treated rather than a condition to be understood biblically.

Christianity has been affected by cultural attitudes toward fear.

"Small wonder, then, that we shy away from talking about the fear of God, despite its prominence in Scripture."

Christians need to reclaim a biblical understanding of fear, distinguishing between sinful fear and the fear of God.

What is the Fear of the Lord?

The fear of the Lord is a central theme in Scripture, yet it is frequently misunderstood.

Often mistaken for terror, biblical fear is an affectionate reverence.

"Not a groveling, shrinking fear but an affectionate reverence by which the child of God bends himself humbly and carefully to the Father’s will" (Reeves, p. 23).

Theological Perspective: The fear of the Lord is foundational for wisdom and knowledge, meaning that apart from it, true understanding of life and God’s ways is impossible. Proverbs 1:7 “7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Practical Question: How does a right understanding of the fear of the Lord affect the way we live daily?

Page - The “Fear of God” in Ecclesiastes

The Nature of the Fear of the Lord

Moses sets out a contrast between being afraid of God and fearing God: those who have the fear of him will not be afraid of him. Yet he uses the same “fear” word for both. Evidently there is a fear of God that is desirable, and there is a fear of God that is not.

Exodus 20:18–20 “18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. 19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. 20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.”

I. The Fear of the Lord we Dread

Sinful Fear / We are tempted to call it “wrong fear,” but there is a sense in which it is quite right for unbelievers to be afraid of God. The holy God is terrible to those who are far from him. Instead, I am calling it “sinful fear,” since it is a fear of God that flows from sin.

A. Characteristics of Sinful Fear

Is driven by sin.

The fear demons have (James 2:19).

Adam’s fear after sin (Gen. 3:10).

It causes people to run from God instead of toward Him.

Opposes the love of God.

Rooted in sin and rebellion.

Leads to doubt and rationalizes unbelief.

Fuels atheism and idolatry—people replace God with false realities.

Christopher Hitchens: Self-described “anti-theist.” Asked on Fox News what he thought about the possibility of God’s existence, he replied: “I think it would be rather awful if it was true. If there was a permanent, total, round-the-clock divine supervision and invigilation of everything you did, you would never have a waking or sleeping moment when you weren’t being watched and controlled and supervised by some celestial entity from the moment of your conception to the moment of your death.… It would be like living in North Korea.”

Creates a distorted view of God.

Example: The unfaithful servant in Jesus’s parable (Luke 19:21).

Saw his master as severe, not kind.

Satan promotes a false image of God as a threat.

Leads to:

Fleeing from God entirely.

Religious obedience driven by terror rather than love.

B. Sinful Fear in Christians

Even believers can struggle with sinful fear.

Causes:

Poor teaching.

Suffering and trials.

Satan’s accusations.

The need for a cure: The Spirit’s work replaces sinful fear with holy fear. Holy fear draws us to God, not away from Him.

"The fear of the Lord is not the fear that makes you run from Him; it is the fear that makes you run to Him" (Reeves, p. 29).

Key Scripture: Psalm 33:8 – "Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him."

II. The Fear of the Lord as Delight

The fear of the Lord brings joy and spiritual vitality.

Key Quote: "To fear God is to be overwhelmed by His goodness and majesty, not driven to despair, but drawn into His beauty" (Reeves, p. 42).

Key Scripture: Psalm 130:4 – "But with You there is forgiveness, that You may be feared."

The Paradox of Fear and Love: God's mercy increases, rather than diminishes, our fear of Him.

Fear of the Lord Produces Wisdom and Stability:

"True wisdom is not found in the mere accumulation of knowledge but in knowing the Lord rightly and reverently" (Reeves, p. 57).

Proverbs 9:10 – "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."

"Where there is no fear of the Lord, there is no foundation for knowledge, morality, or proper worship" (Reeves, p. 60).

Practical Application: How does fearing God practically guide decision-making in daily life?

A. Surprised by the joy of fear

Fear and trembling arise because of God’s goodness, not His punishment. Jeremiah 33:8–9 “8 And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me. 9 And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it.”

Unlike sinful fear that drives people away, right fear keeps them near God. Hosea 3:5 “5 Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.”

The Lord appears to Jacob at Bethel. Again, the Lord utters not one word of threat but only promise after promise of grace.

Land to Jacob’s offspring.

Offspring will be like the dust (many)

Through them all the families of the earth will be blessed.

Jacob’s response. Genesis 28:17 “17 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”

B. Fear and love are closely connected in Scripture.

Modern culture misunderstands fear, seeing it as wholly negative.

Spurgeon: The fear of God is the “very essence of love.”

Psalm 145:19–20: Fear of God and love for God are closely related.

The Misunderstanding of Love

Love is often reduced to mere preference or enjoyment.

Example: Saying “I love” about a book, a laugh, or food.

This shallow view of love can distort how we think about loving God.

Love Changes According to Its Object

Love is different depending on who or what is loved.

Illustration: Love for a dog. Love for a spouse. Love for God.

Each is real affection, but they are fundamentally different.

Fear as the Intensity of Love for God

Since God is infinitely glorious, love for Him must be overwhelming.

True love for God is not casual—it is trembling, awe-filled, and reverent.

The fear of God expresses the depth and intensity of love for Him.

VI. The Proper Response to God’s Beauty and Majesty

The fear of God shows us what true love looks like.

The fear of the Lord is not the opposite of joy—it defines true joy. Nehemiah 1:11 “11 O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king’s cupbearer.”

God does not desire mere performance or vague preference.

Encountering God rightly leaves no room for indifference.

Conclusion: When we truly see God, His beauty and splendor make our hearts tremble with love and awe.

Section 2: Living in the Fear of the Lord

I. How to grow in the fear of the Lord.

Introduction: The Fear of God Is a Matter of the Heart

The fear of God is not something acquired through self-effort. It is a deep, internal transformation rather than an external practice.

A. Fear is a matter of the heart

Danger of outward religiosity: Mistaking fear of God for mere external actions.

Martin Luther: True fear is not just kneeling in prayer; even a godless man can do that.

Psalm 112:1 “1 Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.”

Fear of God is not about begrudging obedience but a heart that loves God’s ways.

Fear of God transforms affections:

Sinful fear hates God and leads to sinful living. Right fear loves God and longs to be like Him.

The fear of God reshapes our emotions, desires, and worship.

Christianity is a song-filled faith because true fear stirs joy and affection. Psalm 47:1–2 “1 O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph. 2 For the LORD most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth.”

The fear of God is a significant theme in Ecclesiastes, appearing at key points to provide a counterbalance to the book's reflections on life's vanity

Fear of the Lord settles us.

The fear of God here arises from recognizing His absolute sovereignty and control over time and events.

Ecclesiastes 3:14 “14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.”

The fear of God silences us.

The Teacher warns against multiplying words (e.g., insincere vows or empty religious formalities) and instead calls for a fear of God.

Ecclesiastes 5:7 “7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.”

The fear of the Lord portions us.

The Teacher warns against extremism—both legalism (being overly righteous) and lawlessness (being wicked) and gives the fear of God as the antidote.

Ecclesiastes 7:18 “18 It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.”

The fear of God allows us to wait patiently.

The fear of God gives confidence in divine justice, even when life appears unfair.

Ecclesiastes 8:12–13 “12 Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him: 13 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.”

The fear of God gives us purpose.

The fear of God is the final and ultimate answer to life's uncertainties and vanities.

Ecclesiastes 12:13–14 “13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”

Our view of the heart determines how we cultivate fear of God.

Martin Luther’s early misconception: He believed outward righteous acts could make him righteous. This only led him to sinful fear and hatred of God.

Luther’s discovery: External habits alone do not change the heart. Sinful actions reveal whether one loves or hates God. A heart must be transformed before true obedience follows.

The role of the Holy Spirit: Hearts are changed through the gospel, which preaches Christ. Only when the heart turns toward God will behavior follow.

B. The Cross is where our heart is reset

The cross liberates from sinful fear and cultivates true, loving fear.

Example: The sinful woman at Jesus’s feet. Luke 7:46–47 “46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.”

Her love for Jesus was expressed in intense, reverent, and physical adoration.

Jesus links her overwhelming love to her deep realization of forgiveness. True love for God is so intense, it is fearful.

John Bunyan: The cross increases both our joy and our trembling.

II. Fear of the Lord as the distinctive mark of our lives.

In the fear of God, believers become—like their God—blessedly and beautifully fearsome.

Our fears reveal what we love and where we seek security.

Do I fear sin or discomfort more?

Do I fear God or man?

Do I fear being sinful or being exposed as sinful?

Our fears act as spiritual diagnostics, exposing our priorities and affections.

A. Fear is necessary for deeper communion with God

The fear of the Lord is an indicator of true intimacy with God.

It is a reverent awe that leads to deeper delight in God’s presence.

Those who fear God:

Mourn their prayerlessness but long for a vibrant prayer life.

Desire greater communion with God.

Knowledge and Wisdom

Proverbs 1:7: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.”

Right fear brings true knowledge of God—both His majesty and mercy.

Without fear of God, knowledge is blind and barren.

Fear of the Lord brings true self-awareness:

In God’s light, we see our sinfulness and dependence on Him.

Without fear of God, self-perception is distorted by pride.

The world confuses intelligence with wisdom.

B. Fear is necessary for sanctificaiton

Those who fear God are transformed to reflect His character.

Fear of God:

Consumes sinful desires and fuels holy affections.

Leads to greater joy, since God is the “blessed” (happy) God (1 Tim. 1:11).

Obadiah as an example (1 Kings 18:2–4 “2 And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria. 3 And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly: 4 For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)”

His fear of God made him generous and compassionate.

Right fear produces a jealousy for God’s glory:

Those who fear God cannot tolerate false teaching or self-righteousness.

Humility grows as fear of God replaces self-reliance (Rom. 11:20).

Fear fosters dependent prayer and unity in the church.

C. Fear leads to strength

The fear of man (people-pleasing, peer pressure, anxiety) enslaves.

Isaiah 8:12–13 “12 Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. 13 Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.”

Fear of God overcomes all other fears.

The fear of the Lord imparts strength to resist sin and endure trials.

D. The Battle of Fears in the Christian Life

The enemy (Satan) works to distort fear:

He wants believers to be afraid of God in a way that drives them from Him.

He wants people enslaved by the fear of man.

The right fear of God is cultivated through truth:

Satan’s lies grow sinful fears, while God’s promises drive them out.

Believers must remind themselves daily of God’s love and sovereignty.

The fear of God as a witness to the world:

A right fear of God frees believers from the anxieties of culture.

True fear of God contradicts the atheist claim that fear of God is oppressive.

Conclusion: In fearing God rightly, believers become “blessedly and beautifully fearsome.”

III. In the presence of the Lord, everyone will tremble.

In Scripture, all who encounter God—Abraham, Joshua, David, Ezekiel, Daniel, Paul, and John—fall on their faces in fear.

Even creation trembles:

Isaiah 6:4: The temple’s foundations shake.

Nahum 1:5: Mountains quake, hills melt, and the earth trembles at His appearing.

Hebrews 12:26: At Christ’s second coming, all of creation will shake.

The nature of this trembling:

For creation and believers, it is a trembling of exultation and joy.

Romans 8:19–22: Creation longs for redemption and freedom.

For unbelievers, it is a trembling of terror (Revelation 6:15–17).

The final appearing of Christ will bring about the climax of both joyful fear in believers and horrified dread in unbelievers.

A. Eternity is a world of fear

Hell is the final culmination of all sinful fears.

Job 18:14 “14 His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle, and it shall bring him to the king of terrors.”

James 2:19: Like the demons who shudder at God, the damned in hell will live in eternal dread of holiness.

Hell is the fulfillment of a world of fear, a place of unrelieved terror and hatred of God’s light.

Heaven Is a World of Fear

Heaven is the paradise of delighted fearful.

Job 26:11: “The pillars of heaven tremble.”

Psalm 89:7: God is “greatly to be feared” among the heavenly beings.

Angels and saints alike will fall on their faces in overwhelming joy and adoration.

In heaven, there will be no sinful fears:

No fear of punishment.

No fear of misunderstanding or deception.

No fear of doubt or separation from God.

Instead, our perfect knowledge of God will enhance our trembling adoration.

Our eternal joy will be defined by this kind of fear—an overwhelming, marveling at God’s glory.

All fears are a foretaste:

Sinful fears in unbelievers foreshadow hell.

Reverent fear in believers foreshadows heaven.

Now, our experience of this joy is partial; in eternity, it will be absolute.

B. The Spirit’s Work: Awakening the Proper Fear of the Lord

The Holy Spirit is the great awakener of the soul, stirring believers from spiritual apathy to vibrancy. Left to ourselves, our hearts naturally grow dull and complacent, but the Spirit breathes life where there was once deadness, igniting in us a reverent, joyful fear of the Lord.

The Spirit’s Work: Moving from apathy to life

The fear of the Lord is not contrary to joy but is the very pathway to it.

The Spirit moves us beyond a passive, lukewarm Christianity and into an ever-deepening relationship with God, where awe and delight increase.

It’s the difference between abstract belief in God and a personal encounter with His reality—a transformation that only the Spirit can accomplish.

The Spirit stirs us from complacency

Making Christ vivid to us, not just as a theological concept but as the living Lord before whom we tremble in joy. Revelation 3:15–16 “15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”

He revives our affections so that what once seemed dull or irrelevant—prayer, worship, Scripture—becomes the deepest source of our satisfaction (Psalm 34:8–9 “8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. 9 O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.”

He intensifies our longing for holiness by revealing the beauty of God’s character, leading us to a healthy, reverent fear of grieving Him (Ephesians 4:30 “30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”

Growth in the fear of the Lord is growth in true life, love, and worship

Our fear is determined by what we love most.

If we love the world, we will fear losing it. But if we love God, we will fear being separated from Him.

This is why growth in the fear of the Lord is directly tied to growth in life, love, and worship.

The fear of the Lord is not the opposite of love for God; it is what love for God looks like.

C. Trembling before God in awe and delight prepares us for Heaven

The more we tremble before God in holy reverence, the more our affections are aligned with heaven.

“Gravitational pull toward glory,” where earthly distractions lose their grip, and our hearts become set on things above (Colossians 3:1–2 “1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”

A trembling delight in God transforms us

2 Corinthians 3:18 “18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

Shaping us into those who long for His presence more than earthly comforts.

Heavenly-mindedness begins now, as the Spirit trains our hearts to anticipate and savor the joys of eternity.

The Spirit expels old affections by the power of a greater affection

“You don’t just remove an idol; you must replace it with something more beautiful.”

We cannot will ourselves into deeper love for God; only the Spirit can reveal Christ’s beauty in such a way that lesser loves fade. Philippians 3:8 “8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,”

Sinful fears and anxieties lose their power when the soul is captivated by the glory and goodness of God. Isaiah 41:10 “10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”