Fear of God and fear of man
In Moses final address to Israel, Moses spoke of the fear of man….and the fear of God
Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, He it is that doth go with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
With the nations they were going to fight….naturally, there was much to fear. They were warlike people….who had been fighting among themselves for years. They had chariots and armies…
…whereas Israel, though they had fought a few battles….was not equipped or taught as they were.
But they had their God.
Later in this address, Moses talks of Who they should fear….
Deuteronomy 31:12-13 “Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the Lord your God, and observe to do all the word of this law:
And that their children, which have not known anything, may hear, and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.”
Fear of man is natural. When we look at their intelligence, or learning, or ability. When we think of how often we have failed the Lord…..this type of fear, brings torment.
1 John 4:18 “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”
We know that the fear of the Lord….which is reverence and awe of HIs person and works….is the beginning of wisdom. (Proverbs 1:7, 9:10)
We begin to understand and become wise when we see everything in it’s right place before God. Him first, and everything else in our lives….only in relation to Him.
(When I was first born again, I lived mostly in my emotions. Good days and bad days. But when I was given the way to stability in my Christian life…..by denying myself, picking up my cross and following (not my emotions) but Christ…
…then, during good days, my focus was not on how I felt….but the Lord’s Will.
And on my bad days, my focus was not on how I felt….but maintaining and doing the Lord’s Will, no matter what was going on.)
When you live in fear of man, you become ashamed of Christ….or HIs Word, and become tormented because you are not living the life of Christ as you should.
Isaiah 51:7 “Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.”
Matthew 10:25, 28 “It is enough for the disciple that he be as his Master, and the servant as his Lord. If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of His household?
And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”
But when you learn the fear of the Lord, and when you are bowed before Him…
….then you are not bowed before the emotions and actions of others.
Proverbs 10:27 “The fear of the Lord prolongeth days:….”
Stress is going,…gone, when our awe of God is covering us in all our days. Work, trials, sickness, and troubles…all are seen as the Way of the Lord….and He will see us through. (Isaiah 41:10)
Proverbs 14:26 “In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and His children shall have a place of refuge.”
A sure knowledge that the Lord is there to help you, wherever you are, and with whomever you are with…..gives confidence to your speech and peace like a garrison to your heart. This comes as we reverence our Lord in everything.
Proverbs 14:27 “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death”
“Satisfaction” in life….is a thing the world is always tempting us with.
You need more…more….more.
Whereas, the awe of God….brings things into focus. When we can come to Christ, and not only know HIs peace,….but also HIs joy in things…as they are….
…this is true contentment. For our satisfaction is not in things or events or even people….but in the Lord and HIs Will for me. I see Jesus…and know, He sees me.
Paul said, when thinking of the things he suffered for Christ and His gospel’s sake:
2 Timothy 1:11-12 “Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
For the which cause I also suffer these things:…
…nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.”
Proverbs 22:4 “By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honor, and life.”
Not that you will be rich in this world’s goods, necessarily….
….but as Jesus said:
Matthew 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
(What things? Matthew 6:31-32 “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? Or what shall we drink? Or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?….for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.”)
But why is it that, as Christians, we are not fearing the Lord as we should?
Isaiah 29:13 “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near Me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor Me, but have removed their heart far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the precept of men:”
(Jesus quoted this in Matthew 15:7-9)
The fear of the Lord is something of the heart.
It comes from the personal knowledge that God knows me…..me, personal, intimate, every thought and every wish…me;…and yet loves me.
Definitions give us what the fear of the Lord means….
….but the deep horror that God knows every bit of me…my sin, anger, resentment, or plans……followed by the deep joy that God loves me (amazing!)….is the beginning of wisdom. And true wisdom leads to Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:30-31 “But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, Who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”
God’s Way is first to lead us to awe of Himself….which takes our eyes off of others and ourselves…and onto Him.
Then God’s Way is to lead us to reverence…a loving humbling of ourselves before Him….a holy fear lest we hurt Him….a joyful placing of ourselves in the hand of His Almightiness and Love, wherever they take us.
Let us fear the Lord.
Psalm 34:9 “O fear the Lord, ye HIs saints: for there is no want to them that fear Him.”
For He becomes all in all to us.
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 