Here we have gathered important Bible verses about our call to "Fear the Lord" for a better understanding of its context and significance. Proverbs 8:13 - The fear of the LORD [is] to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the … And many similar words were added to them. 1 Chronicles 28:9 And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever. Psalm 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever. See our article “How to Deal With Fear and Stress” for more on this. Knowledge of the … Many of these come in this life, but the greatest benefits will be experienced in the life to come (1 Timothy 4:8; Psalm 16:11). The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him Fear the Lord, you His holy people, for those who fear Him lack nothing – Psalm 34:6-9 Reverence of God helps us to take Him and His beneficial laws seriously. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, That one may avoid the snares of death. The fear of the Lord is where it all begins." The fear of the Lord is another way of describing trust in the Lord. His praise endures forever” (Psalm 111:10). “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom, And before honor is humility.” Proverbs 15:33. The word “fear” in this context is better understood by the word reverence meaning… But our loving Heavenly Father? Sanctification is not a list of steps or self-help principles that we can check off. The fear of the Lord will be the beginning of all wisdom. Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him . The fear of the Lord is an awareness of these truths. Psalm 111:10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. The reverential fear of the Lord is designed to help us grow to become more like God—to grow in love. Fear of the Lord is the last of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit enumerated in Isaiah 11:2-3. To fear God is to desire to live in harmony with His righteous standards and to honor Him in all that you do. 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. It reads, “The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. It’s a fear that will motivate us towards holy living, reverence of God, and righteousness. Why would God tell us to fear Him? Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.” Walking in the fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom. One resource includes this helpful summary: “The fear of God is an attitude of respect, a response of reverence and wonder. Though we are to voluntarily yield ourselves as bond servants or slaves to God, He is not an abusive, cruel slave driver who terrorizes and torments us, which is the point of this verse. … Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. Proverbs 14:16 Or here is Isaiah 11:2–3, about the Lord Jesus: “The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him. This humility doesn’t mind total dependence on the Lord. This gift of fear of the Lord is sometimes misunderstood because of the word “fear.” “Fear of the Lord” is not a servile fear whereby a person serves God simply because he fears punishment, whether some sort of temporal punishment in this life or the eternal punishment of hell. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature by Arndt and Gingrich gives an excellent explanation of the use of phobos in verse 18. How Should a Christian Deal With the Coronavirus Pandemic? The Fear of the Lord The “fear of the Lord” is God’s divine inspiration for all of us to humbly respect and obey Him, so that we may gain wisdom and blessing, and avoid the consequences of sin. Let’s assume that we benefit from understanding it, and we could use more of it. This is the type of positive, productive fear Luke describes in the early New Testament Church: “Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. Proverbs 3:7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil. It also gives us a reason to be eternally grateful and to grow in love to be more like our loving God! But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared” (Psalm 130:3-4). So we must come out of Satan’s ways—we must not be children of Satan (John 8:44). Take time now to pray for yourself, and for each member of your study group. Sadly, however, everyone sins and earns the death penalty. If people don’t like those in authority, they are being taught to “storm the castle” and overthrow those in power by any means. God’s offer of forgiveness to those who repent gives us a reason to fear—a reason to change. The fear of the Lord is the opposite of a glib shallowness. Various scriptures explain that the proper fear of (that is, respect for) God leads to full, complete lives and bright futures. The basic idea is that the Lord is with us and he is also over us. And, of course, the ultimate example of fear and perfect love working together is Jesus Christ. Ps 19:9 Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.Prov.1:7 All who fear the LORD will hate evil. Study more about this in our article “How Can We Cast Out Fear?”, A different Greek word for fear is found in 2 Timothy 1:7: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”. When we come to the subject of the fear of God, the Bible speaks of "fear" of the Lord in some 295 verses! The fear of the Lord takes all other fear away, and gives inconceivable courage in the certitude of victory. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied” (Acts 9:31, emphasis added). The Greek deilia means “cowardice, timidity, fearfulness” (Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study New Testament). Even the demons believe—and tremble!” (, The unprofitable servant was corrected for being wicked and lazy after he made the excuse, “I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground” instead of using it productively (, “Do not let your heart envy sinners, but be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day; for surely there is a hereafter, and your hope will not be cut off” (, “The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to turn one away from the snares of death” (, “The fear of the LORD leads to life, and he who has it will abide in satisfaction; he will not be visited with evil” (. This terrifying and paralyzing fear is likely the type of fear that comes to mind for many. However, John explains that God’s laws actually define God’s love: “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. It is the only appropriate response to our Creator and Redeemer” (Nelson’s NKJV Study Bible, 1997, note on Psalm 128:1). Prov.8:13 Fear of the LORD is the foundation of wisdom. 3 Ways Wisdom Is Gained from Fearing the Lord 1. All rights reserved. Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.. Job 28:28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.. Psalm 111:10 'Su.i- *' And out of this fear is then born joy. In fact, God offers us help for fighting the effects of wrong kinds of fear. The fear of the Lord in a person’s life has telltale signs. By doing these things, the fear of the Lord helps bring eternal benefits: Learn more about God’s power, His laws and His love using the following links: Another resource that can be helpful is “Knowing God,” our free seven-day Journey. Delight to fear your name. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding” - (Proverbs 9:10). “You believe that there is one God. - Proverbs 1:1–7 God used Solomon at various points in his life while he was fixed on pleasing Him to give His people much of the Old Testament wisdom literature. And again, ‘The LORD will judge His people.’ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”. A genuine relationship with God is based on love, not fear. One of the most profound statements in scripture is found in Proverbs 1:7, 9:10, and in Psalms 111:10, and Job 28:28. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. * isS. When the Bible refers to the “fear of the Lord,” it means having a deep respect, reverence and awe for God’s power and authority. Proverbs 2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. Proverbs 30:3 I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy. The knowledge of the holy is understanding. Some misunderstand and think that love casts out not only fear but law. The fear of the Lord is the fear of a loving child or a dutiful servant: it is such a reverence for God that the one who fears Him is gripped by a holy desire to please Him. Fear the LORD your God and serve him. Whose Opinions Really Matter: God’s or Man’s? Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. The fear of the Lord is the opposite of a glib shallowness. Fear of the Lord gives you the wisdom of minding the company you keep. Updated June 25, 2019 Fear of the Lord is the last of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit enumerated in Isaiah 11:2-3. But we live in a world that is deceived and ruled by Satan. 2. Rather than causing someone to be afraid of God, a proper “fear of the Lord” leads one to love Him. Knowledge of the holy--i.e., "the Holy One," as in Proverbs 30:3. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to avoid the snares of death.” (Proverbs 14:26) “The fear of the Lord prolongs days, but the years of the wicked will be shortened.” (Proverbs 10:27) “By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life.” (Proverbs 22:4) “Who is the man that fears the Lord? 3 ; There are some Christians who by their upbringing are led into the fear of the Lord, even before they come to faith. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to avoid the snares of death.” (Proverbs 14:26) “The fear of the Lord prolongs days, but the years of the wicked will be shortened.” (Proverbs 10:27) “By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life.” (Proverbs 22:4) “Who is the man that fears the Lord? It can be defined as a continual awareness that you are in the presence of a holy, just, and almighty God, and that every motive, thought, word, and action is open before Him and will be judged by Him. The fear of the Lord is an awareness that you are in the presence of a holy, just, and almighty God and that He will hold you accountable for your motives, thoughts, words, and actions. Seeking the fear of the Lord leads us to wisdom. Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. He is your helper and your shield. … This fear is produced by God’s Word (Psalm 119:38; Proverbs 2:5) and makes a person receptive to wisdom and knowledge (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10)” (Warren Baker and Eugene Carpenter, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: Old Testament, 2003, pp. Proverbs 14:26 In the fear of the Lord, there is strong confidence, And his children will have a refuge. The gift of the fear of the Lord, Fr. As Jesus told each of the seven churches in Revelation 1—2, “I know your works.” When we come to the subject of the fear of God, the Bible speaks of "fear" of the Lord in some 295 verses! He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes.” The fear of God is the basis for our walking in … The fear of the Lord is an awareness of these truths. The first mention of the fear of God in the Hebrew Bible is in Genesis 22:12, where Abraham is commended for putting his trust in God. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments; His praise endures forever. Seeking the fear of the Lord leads us to wisdom. Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." As he writes in Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Indeed — fear is the beginning, the catalyst. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. Deilia is consistently used in a negative manner, unlike phobos. This gift of fear of the Lord is sometimes misunderstood because of the word “fear.” “Fear of the Lord” is not a servile fear whereby a person serves God simply because he fears punishment, whether some sort of temporal punishment in this life or the eternal punishment of hell. “…put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him” (Colossians 3:10). The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom because feeling awe expands our perspective on any situation. But the word fear adds connotations of reverence and awe. When the Bible talks about fearing God, it is usually referring to an attitude of reverence and respect, not outright terror. First of all, we must recognize that God is loving, merciful and … The fear of the Lord leads to life, so that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil (Proverbs 19:23). He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes.” The fear of God is the basis for our walking in … It can be defined as a continual awareness that you are in the presence of a holy, just, and almighty God, and that every motive, thought, word, and action is open before Him and will be judged by Him. In America today, we see a total disregard for authority. The fear of the Lord is the sure way to the enjoyment of Y s. «s God's favour and protection. What does the Bible mean by the “fear of the Lord”? It’s a fear we must seek daily. So what type of fear does God want us to have? The Fear of the Lord. A genuine relationship with God is based on love, not fear. Consider these words of the psalmist: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments. The fear of the Lord is a combination of all of these. We must never lose our respect and appreciation for God, but we should grow beyond being motivated solely by fear and rather be motivated by God’s love—having a deep love and respect for God and His words. It draws us in. At the end of Abraham’s greatest test, after he showed his willingness to give up his promised son, believing that God could resurrect Isaac, God told Abraham: “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me” (Genesis 22:12). This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; He saved him out of all his troubles . The “fear of the Lord” can mean two things: First, it can serve as an adjective, meaning the fear and awe that is God Himself, His immense and formidable nature — not only His wrath but also His power in general. And this growth removes any need to be terrified of God’s judgment. In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, And his children will have refuge. Fear is the motivator. The early New Testament church walked in the fear of the Lord (Acts 9:31). All the people of the Bible needed knowledge and wisdom. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Yet, the fear of the Lord remains unclear for most of us, and it is critical to embrace it if we are to grow in wisdom (Pro 1:7). Of course, when they grow older, they should continue to follow the rules out of love. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version (© 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.). The book of Proverbs is filled with references on how those who “fear” the Lord have access to … This fear acknowledges God’s good intentions (Exodus 20:20). The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, That one may avoid the snares of death. Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct, Sacred, God, an angel, a saint, a sanctuary, Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, OT Poetry: Proverbs 9:10 The fear of Yahweh is the beginning (Prov. Such judges would remember their responsibility before God to not take bribes or allow other forms of corruption to creep in. There may be times of temptation or trial when we may forget some of the better reasons for obeying God, and that is when we really need to think of the consequences (Exodus 20:20). Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it” (verses 11, 13-14). Hezekiah is mentioned as one king who did fear God (Jeremiah 26:19). This connection between God’s love and His 10 Commandments is also made clear in Paul’s writings and the Gospels (Romans 13:9-10; Matthew 22:37-40). Fear of the Lord can be defined as “the continual awareness that our loving heavenly Father is watching and evaluating everything we think, say, and do” (Matthew 12:36; Psalm 139:2; Jeremiah 12:3). Psalm … The fear of the Lord in a person’s life has telltale signs. The fear of the Lord is the fear of a loving child or a dutiful servant: it is such a reverence for God that the one who fears Him is gripped by a holy desire to please Him. If everyone is just going to die forever, what would be the purpose of fear? Proverbs 1:7 The Hebrew words rendered fool in Proverbs, and often elsewhere in the Old Testament, denote a person who is morally deficient. Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. As wise as David and Solomon were during their generations, they were not first. The Fear of the Lord – Bible Study 1. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. Wise King Solomon put it this way in explaining his reason for writing the book of Proverbs: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7). Fear is the root, joy the fruit: the deeper the fear, the higher the joy. The fear of the Lord adds length to life, but the years of the wicked are cut short (Proverbs 10:27) The fear of the Lord is the instruction for wisdom, and before honor comes humility (Proverbs 15:33). Consider this fascinating passage: “If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? So there is a kind of fear that is not repulsive. Footnotes. 3 days. A healthy fear of God includes the fear of the consequences of disobedience. He … In the specific context of the verse, the meaning is “slavish fear … which is not to characterize the Christian’s relation to God.”, The same shade of meaning is applied to the word fear in Romans 8:15, “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’”. John A. Hardon notes in his Modern Catholic Dictionary, confirms the theological virtue of hope. First Baptist Dallas Choir & Orchestra | Sunday, April 24, 2016 Yet the fear of the Lord described in Proverbs 1:7 is the fear of a converted person, a reverent love that understands God’s grace toward the sinner who trusts Christ and who wants to do what is pleasing to the Lord. This humility doesn’t mind total dependence on the Lord. God, whose family rules are even more important, also trains us to obey for our own good. If you study the Bible, there is no mistaking the repeated commands to fear God. As Jon Courson says "Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Solomon says the fear of the Lord is the foundation. As the apostle John put it: “Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. God is love (1 John 4:8), and His laws can be summarized as love for God and love for fellow man (Matthew 22:37-40). “Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? Fear of the LORD is the foundation of wisdom. As awe lifts our perspective beyond ourselves to God, we become wise by … First, realize that there is a fear of God that doesn’t produce good results. That is the positive fear of the Lord that I want to talk to you about. The reverential fear and respect of God is the beginning or the starting point of knowledge. Fear of the Lord gives you the wisdom of humility. Obviously this fear is not what God is looking for. First of all, we must recognize that God is loving, merciful and forgiving; but he also is... TWO: FEAR OF THE LORD CAN PRODUCE AWE. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them . What Does It Mean to Fear the Lord? Fear the Lord Bible Verses - Scriptures on Reverence for God "Fear the Lord" is a well-known biblical phrase that is found throughout scripture as a calling to revere and recognize the sovereignty and judgment of God. Jesus Christ Was “Father-Centered”—Are You? The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom because feeling awe expands our perspective on any situation. Other examples of people who feared God include the Israelite midwives who spared the baby boys (Exodus 1:17, 21), Nehemiah (Nehemiah 5:15), Job (Job 1:8) and Cornelius the centurion (Acts 10:22). Get the latest blog posts from Life, Hope & Truth straight to your inbox. Malachi 3:16-17. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.” (Proverbs 1:7) Having addressed how sin works in our lives, we now turn to how we grow in holiness. Now as to the Fear of the Lord, here too a distinction is to be made between servile fear (fear of punishment) and filial fear (whereby a son fears to offend his father or to be separated from him) (II, IIae 19.10) Now it is not servile fear but filial fear that is the gift of … The laws of the LORD are true; each one is fair. As Jon Courson says "Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Solomon says the fear of the Lord is the foundation. If only more of the kings had fully followed this advice! The Bible gives many examples of people God noted and praised for their reverence and respect for Him. When we talk about sanctification, we must emphasize knowledge. Before you start a career — seek God. The Hebrew verb yare can mean “to fear, to respect, to reverence” and the Hebrew noun yirah “usually refers to the fear of God and is viewed as a positive quality. Being in harmony with the spiritual laws that govern the universe has astounding benefits.This is what Hebrews 10:26-31 tells us: “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Psalm 112:1 Praise the Lord! Revelation 21:8, referred to earlier, uses deilos, the adjective form of this word.