~
The Israelites Were Commanded to Fear God, 10 ~
God
does not want His children living in fear.
“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus
our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life
and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue”
(2 Peter 1:2-3). However,
God does want His children to have a proper respect and reverence for Him. We are told in many places in Scripture to “fear
God.”
Comment ~ In this
week’s passage we find the tenth time that the Israelites are commanded to fear
God. This has been termed The Greatest
Commandment.
This Week’s Passage ~ “Now this is the commandment, and these are
the statutes and judgments which the Lord
your God has commanded to teach you, that you may observe them in the
land which you are crossing over to possess, that you may fear the Lord
your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command
you, you and your son and your grandson, all the days of your life, and that
your days may be prolonged. Therefore
hear, O Israel, and be careful to observe it, that it may be well with you, and
that you may multiply greatly as the Lord
God of your fathers has promised you — ‘a land flowing with milk and
honey’” (Deuteronomy
6:1-3).
Fearing God Results in Salvation
~ “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews
10:31). “A wise
person fears and departs from evil, but a fool rages and is self-confident”
(Proverbs 14:16).
This does not mean the Christian is to live a fearful life—but a life
which reverences God and seeks to do His will.
Fearing God Results in
Fearlessness ~ “The Lord
is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord
is the strength of my life; of whom shall
I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1). The answer is: only God. With the gift of salvation comes
responsibility.
Fearing God Results in Witnessing ~ “Come and hear, all you who fear God,
and I will
declare what He has done for my soul” (Psalm 66:16).
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW
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