sf1019 - The Fear Of God (Psalm 128 1)

Psalm 128:1

Introduction

What or whom do you fear?

In our culture we value fearlessness.

In the Scripture fearlessness is equated with foolishness.

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs 14:16 A wise man fears and departs from evil, But a fool rages and is self-confident.

To fear God is the greatest of virtues.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all.

Hebrews 12:28 …let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

Isaiah 8:13 (ESV) But the LORD of hosts, him you shall regard as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.

What does it mean to fear God?

Fear, yare; to be afraid

Best defined by examining how it is appears in Scripture

Why should we fear God?

1A.      Because His Presence is Overwhelming

1B.      In His presence we experience His greatness and majesty

Revelation 1:17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead…

Job 13:21 Withdraw Your hand far from me, And let not the dread of You make me afraid.

2B.      In His presence our sin is exposed

Daniel 10:8 Therefore I was left alone when I saw this great vision, and no strength remained in me; for my vigor was turned to frailty in me, and I retained no strength.

Daniel 10:16 And suddenly, one having the likeness of the sons of men touched my lips; then I opened my mouth and spoke, saying to him who stood before me, "My lord, because of the vision my sorrows have overwhelmed me, and I have retained no strength.

Isaiah 6:5 So I said: "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts."

“Until we have seen ourselves as God see us, we are not likely to be much disturbed over conditions around us…”  (AW Tozer)

3B.      In His presence we see the greatness of His goodness.

Hosea 3:5 …They shall fear the LORD and His goodness in the latter days.

Jeremiah 5:22 Do you not fear Me?' says the LORD. 'Will you not tremble at My presence, Who have placed the sand as the bound of the sea, By a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass beyond it? And though its waves toss to and fro, Yet they cannot prevail; Though they roar, yet they cannot pass over it.

2A.      Because His Name if Awesome

1B.      We are compelled to fear God’s name.

Deuteronomy 28:58 If you do not carefully observe all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, THE LORD YOUR GOD,

Psalm 102:15 So the nations shall fear the name of the LORD, And all the kings of the earth Your glory.

Isaiah 59:19 So shall they fear The name of the LORD from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun…

2B.      God’s name is an expression of His character.

Psalm 111:9 … Holy and awesome is His name.

3A.      What the Fear of God Produces

1B.      The fear of God restrains evil

Proverbs 16:6 In mercy and truth Atonement is provided for iniquity; And by the fear of the LORD one departs from evil.

2B.      The fear of God will bring people to faith in Christ

Psalm 85:9 Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, That glory may dwell in our land.

3B.      The fear of God will produce purity in His people

Psalm 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

4B.      The fear of God will bring peace and satisfaction to His children.

Psalm 34:7 The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them.

Psalm 34:9 Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him.

5B.      The fear of God will produce worship and service in the lives of His people.

Psalm 5:7 …In fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple.

Exodus 15:11 "Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders?

2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Application - Do you fear God?

Sinners should fear the wrath of God

Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,

O sinner! Consider the fearful danger you are in: it is a great furnace of wrath, a wide and bottomless pit, full of the fire of wrath, that you are held over in the hand of that God, whose wrath is provoked and incensed as much against you, as against many of the damned in hell. You hang by a slender thread, with the flames of divine wrath flashing about it, and ready every moment to singe it, and burn it asunder; and you have no interest in any Mediator, and nothing to lay hold of to save yourself, nothing to keep off the flames of wrath, nothing of your own, nothing that you ever have done, nothing that you can do, to induce God to spare you one moment.  (Jonathan Edwards, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God)

Christians should fear the chastisement of God.

Hebrews 12:7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.