What sort of fear is it, in relation to God?
PS 34:7 The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them
What is Jehovah God like?
NUM 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Unchangeable
IS 40:13-23 (read) Unequalled
1 KINGS 8:27 But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded? Infinite
JER 32:17 AH lord God! Behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee
- All powerful
REV 19:6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderlings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
- All powerful
PS 139:7-12 (read) Ever present
1 JOHN 3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. All knowing
HE is perfect Spirit Almighty
JER 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?
By nature we are deceitful, sinful. Sin elicits Gods wrath and displeasure
ROM 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
ROM 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Without debate, the ultimate penalty affects us all. HE desires us to live a life pleasing to HIM
1 PET 1:14-16 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance. But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye Holy; for I am Holy.
We were chosen HE is Holy and said you must be Holy because I am Holy.
A relationship with God begins with a fear that will drive us to the safety, certainty and enjoyment of HIS love.
HE is to be feared more than all others. We dont like to think about things that frighten us. Without fear life itself would be difficult, even the animal world is endowed with an alarm and an escape mechanism that provides flight necessary for survival.
This emotion of fear is neglected in relation to God. Yet to know HIM is to fear HIM.
Yet in understanding this fear, it calms all other fears and drives us to GOD and not away from HIM. It is that fear that teaches us to love, trust and enjoy HIM.
PROV 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
In other words the fear and knowledge of God go hand in hand. No one or nothing deserves to be feared more than GOD. Not people, governments, disease, death, not even satan.
GOD is to be feared.
DT 28:58-68 (read)
To know HIM is to take HIM seriously, HE expects to be listened to when HE warns us about moral and spiritual failure
PROV 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy to the evil way, and the froward mouth I do hate.
PROV 16:6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by fear of the LORD men depart from evil.
MAT 10:28 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
HE alone determines where we will spend eternity.
REV 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
REV 20:1-15 (read)
Such authority deserves our respect and fear
PS 34:7-9 The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. Oh taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.
James