~
The Israelites Were Commanded to Fear God, 9 ~
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 ~ This
week’s Scripture follows the giving of the Ten Commandments. Once again we see the link between fearing
God and obedience to God.
This Week’s Passage ~ “So it was, when you heard the voice from the
midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, that you came
near to me, all the heads of your tribes and your elders. And you said: ‘Surely the Lord our God has shown us His glory and
His greatness, and we have heard His voice from the midst of the fire. We have seen this day that God speaks with
man; yet he still lives. Now therefore,
why should we die? For this great fire
will consume us; if we hear the voice of the Lord
our God anymore, then we shall die. For
who is there of all flesh who has heard the voice of the living God speaking
from the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? You go near and hear all that the Lord our God may say, and tell us all
that the Lord our God says to you,
and we will hear and do it.’
“Then the Lord heard the voice of your words when
you spoke to me, and the Lord said
to me: ‘I have heard the voice of the
words of this people which they have spoken to you. They are right in all that they have spoken. Oh,
that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all
My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children
forever! Go and say to them, “Return to
your tents.” But as for you, stand here
by Me, and I will speak to you all the commandments, the statutes, and the
judgments which you shall teach them, that they may observe them in the land
which I am giving them to possess’” (Deuteronomy 5:23-31).
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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