To Fear God
To Fear God 1/7/07 p.m.
Gen. 22:12
Gen.22;12 12 And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”
We find in these scriptures 3 basic principles set forth to fear God.
We find that Abraham;
He worshipped God v5
To reverence Him as sovereign,
He knows what He is doing
He has the right to do so
He is to be respected in doing so
We do not have the right to question His sovereignty
Eph 5:20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Thess.5:18 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Job 23:13 13 “But He is unique, and who can make Him change?
And whatever His soul desires, that He does.
14 For He performs what is appointed for me,
And many such things are with Him.
Job 40:1 Moreover the Lord answered Job, and said:
2 “Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him?
He who rebukes God, let him answer it.”
6 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said:
7 “Now prepare yourself like a man;
I will question you, and you shall answer Me:
8 “Would you indeed annul My judgment?
Would you condemn Me that you may be justified?
9 Have you an arm like God?
Or can you thunder with a voice like His?
10 Then adorn yourself with majesty and splendor,
And array yourself with glory and beauty.
11 Disperse the rage of your wrath;
Look on everyone who is proud, and humble him.
12 Look on everyone who is proud, and bring him low;
Tread down the wicked in their place.
13 Hide them in the dust together,
Bind their faces in hidden darkness.
14 Then I will also confess to you
That your own right hand can save you.
No matter the hardship, heartache, the pressures of life, society, family or friends, no matter how hopeless it may seem, no matter how far away it seems,
Reverence Him as sovereign,
He obeyed God v6, 9-10
And obey Him without question.
Abraham was hurting, he had to give up his only son now that Ishmael was gone, and he had to sacrifice his son’s life himself, he had to give up one of the things he loved most in this life.
But he obeyed God;
Regardless of feelings
Regardless of appearances
Regardless of rejection/acceptance
Regardless of resistance or support
Regardless of the cost
Regardless of physical joy or pain
Obey Him without question
He trusted God v8
Trust Him implicitly,
Heb. 11:6 6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Abraham saw God’s promises to him going down the tubes.
Isaac was the promise and the means of the promises God had made to him.
Abraham had to trust God that He would do as He had promised regardless;
Of his own lack of understanding,
Regardless of how things looked to him,
Regardless of what others might say or think,
Regardless of the perceived outcome
Regardless of logical thought
Trust Him implicitly,
This is to fear God
To reverence Him as sovereign,
And obey Him without question.
Trust Him implicitly,
Gen.22:12-14 12 And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”
13 Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 And Abraham called the name of the place, 3The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”
When We Fear God the result is that God will see & provide
God will keep His word, weather that is for provision, protection, and/or guidance.
God is listening, working and is right in all His ways.
The-Lord-Will-Provide YHWH Yireh “Jehovah-jireh” , which means,
“The Lord will see to it,” that is, “The Lord will provide.”[1]
“In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”
----
3 Heb. YHWH Yireh
[1]Wiersbe, Warren W.: Be Obedient. Wheaton, Ill. : Victor Books, 1996, c1991, S. Ge 22:6