Fear of God

What does it mean to be afraid of something or to fear it

Anxiety

Dread

Loss of courage

Have any of you ever been afraid

What have you been afraid of

Why?

I have been afraid many times

Maybe more anxious

Football games

Track meets

New Job

Proposing

In yosemite

Luther talks about two types of fear

Servile fear

Fear of your master

Fear of punishment

Slave with a terrible master

Filial fear

The fear of disappointing our loved ones

Tremendous love and respect for

Not worried about torture or punishment

When we talk about the fear of God we talk about these two types of fear

I Want to start with the first one

Servile fear

This is similar to the fear of God’s wrath

When we say we should fear God its true for both the believer and unbeliever

For the unbeliever its a servile fear they should have

When we read in this book the punishment for sin and disobedience unbelievers should have a fear of that God

Matthew 10:28 says

English Standard Version Chapter 10

28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell

This is Jesus encouraging people to proclaim the gospel message. But the principle is important

We should fear the one who can destroy Both soul and body in hell

We have seen this instance so many times in the old testament

God destroys nations because they are disobedient

This is a fear of God that motivates pharisees

Filial Fear

The fear possessed by those who love God

Its a fear that is really more of a reverence for God

A fear that puts God in a high pedestal

A fear the recognizes God’s Holiness

A fear that sees his purity

A fear that understands how sin separates us

Check out this passage from Deuteronomy 5:22-29

English Standard Version Chapter 5

22 “These words the LORD spoke to all your assembly at the mountain out of the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice; and he added no more. And he wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me. 23 And as soon as you heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, you came near to me, all the heads of your tribes, and your elders. 24 And you said, ‘Behold, the LORD our God has shown us his glory and greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire. This day we have seen God speak with man, and man still live. 25 Now therefore why should we die? For this great fire will consume us. If we hear the voice of the LORD our God any more, we shall die. 26 For who is there of all flesh, that has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of fire as we have, and has still lived? 27 Go near and hear all that the LORD our God will say, and speak to us all that the LORD our God will speak to you, and we will hear and do it.’

28 “And the LORD heard your words, when you spoke to me. And the LORD said to me, ‘I have heard the words of this people, which they have spoken to you. They are right in all that they have spoken. 29 Oh that they had such a heart as this always, to fear me and to keep all my commandments, that it might go well with them and with their descendants forever!

Oh that they would always fear me like that

Oh that when you saw my glory and you were in awe of me

That is the proper fear of the lord

The recognition of his greatness

How to we gain this fear

Lets look at Proverbs

First Proverbs 1:7

To fear God is where wisdom begins

When you have a right awe and respect for who God is you will gain a right awe and perspective for our world

Now Lets skip down to Proverbs 2:1-5

English Standard Version Chapter 2

2 My son, if you receive my words

and treasure up my commandments with you,

2  making your ear attentive to wisdom

and inclining your heart to understanding;

3  yes, if you call out for insight

and raise your voice for understanding,

4  if you seek it like silver

and search for it as for hidden treasures,

5  then you will understand the fear of the LORD

and find the knowledge of God.

Then you will understand to fear the Lord

When you read your bible

When you study it

When you pursue your relationship with God as you would hidden treasure

English Standard Version Chapter 6

4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

10 “And when the LORD your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you—with great and good cities that you did not build, 11 and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant—and when you eat and are full, 12 then take care lest you forget the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 13 It is the LORD your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear. 14 You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are around you— 15 for the LORD your God in your midst is a jealous God—lest the anger of the LORD your God be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the earth.