The Fear of God

(Please take the time to look up the verses that have not been typed out.Thanks)

A profound mystery revealed by God. Pray for it, to understand it, to have it.Psalms 19:9 “The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the LORD are true & righteous altogether.” Everything that is of God is good, clean, pure—for our good. Fear of God is also good. (verse 10 “more to be desired are they than gold)  We should not disdain this Holy thing. Wordly people/pseudo spiritual-the proud-despise & mock this. Isaiah 33:6 “And wisdom & knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, & strength of salvation: the fear of LORD is his treasure.” Romans 11:19-22 “ Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, & thou standest by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness & severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, If thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou shalt also be cut off.”  Our picture of  God needs to be accurate, rightly divided. Goodness & severity. Severity & goodness—not just one, not just the other. We’ve experienced  goodness, great goodness  of God ( lovingkindness, peace, joy, love, heavenly places. We must also understand how dreadful God is. Know the severity of God: His stand against sin, pride, self-will,--Absolute justice meted out by God Almighty. The fearful, dreadful.mighty judgment of a holy, holy, holy God. It makes the goodness real. Not just a fluffy, all smiles, toy god that humans invent. The universe is so wide, large beyond imagination; and only one place in the entire expanse is habitable=earth. Everywhere else you would die nearly instantly. Heat 100, 1,000 mega degrees; mostly cold 100’s degrees below zero; poisonous gases, UV light, no protection, air pressure too high/low, no air, food, water. Only here by the mercy of God, we have this gift, a place to live, full of  God’s goodness. This is how reality is: great goodness-severe judgment. 2 Corinthians 5:10-11  “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of  Mashiyach (Christ); that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he has done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we persuade men: but we are made manifest unto God: and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.” A holy, just God must make a distinction between right/wrong, sin/purity. God will not treat the righteous as the wicked (Gen 18:25) , nor the wicked as the righteous. The righteous suffer here, they will be eternally rewarded. The wicked will not be rewarded—they may frolic in selfish pleasure now; but they must face eternal punishment. Jeremiah 25:31 “…he will give them that are wicked to the sword,…” Job 31:3  “…destruction to the wicked” Revelations 20:11-15 “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away: and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small & great, stand before God: and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it: & death & hell delivered up the dead which were in them: & they were judged every man according to their works. And death & hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Throughout the Scriptures = reap what you sow. It matters to God what we do to each other, to Him. Angels who sinned were cast out,  (2 Peter 2:4) He cut off “natural branches” His own people; we can also reap severity. Imagine this dreadful scene. A passage that helps is Exodus 19:16-25  Mount Sinai smoking from fire of Yahveh (the LORD); a trumpet so loud, everyone was trembling-even Moshe (Moses) (Hebrews 12:21) “And so terrible was the sight that even Moshe said, I exceedingly fear & quake:)” – A terrifying sight- but not as dreadful, glorious, majestic, & terrible as standing before God’s white throne-after heaven & earth are gone, eternity awaiting; mighty holy angels present ( no longer hidden) –all secrets out. We must be ready on that day. Psalms 111:10 “The fear of Yahveh (the LORD) is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that keep his commandments: his praise endureth forever.” Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of Yahveh is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom & instruction.”  Best not to wait till that day to begin fearing God. The time to learn His fear is now. Understand it. Pray for it. Until a person begins to understand the fear of God his beliefs are just arm chair philosophy. When a proud, sinful person realizes he is lost, naked before a Holy God, in more trouble than he ever imagined; & when he gets down off his high lofty horse, & gets down on his knees, & starts pleading for mercy not to be condemned to a righteous judgment of eternal destruction—now he has the “beginning of wisdom”—he can be instructed. Until there’s true broken repentance it’s just words. Wisdom is too high for a fool. The world mocks this fear of God; the means of getting close to God. (Job 28:12-28) Where is wisdom found? Not in the sea; not in the ground; not bought for gold…found in the fear of God; “to depart from evil is understanding.” This is wisdom. Looking ahead, seeing the consequences. Not just thinking, “pleasure now”—fear, don’t touch; heed the warnings: Danger, Do not enter. “In the fear of God all day long.” When you arise in the morning press in not to be loose—steer clear of lust & sin. Isaiah 66:2 “For al those things hath mine hand made, & all those things hath been, saith Yahveh: but to this man will I look, even to Him that is poor & of a contrite spirit, & trembeleth at my word.” (Numbers 12:8)  Hebrews 11:7- “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, & became heir of righteousness which is by faith.” Noah was moved with fear. Fear God, depart from evil. Knowing God is just; if we tread into sin than we’re not fearing; we will reap consequences. Job 9:4 “He is wise in heart, & mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, & hath prospered?”

  Think of God asking this, “Why are you not afraid to speak evil/lie/lust/be proud/speak a multitude of words…?” Job 41:33-34 “Upon earth there is none his like, who is made without fear. He beholdeth all high things: he is king over all the children (pride), blaspheme His name; because they’re not afraid, hard-hearted. Isaiah 63:17 “Oh Yqhveh, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, & hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants sake, the tribes of thine inheritance.”  -heart hardened from His fear. Proud don’t fear God. Those who do not fear Him are proud. Jude 12 “These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots.” Acts 5:1-11-Ananias & Sapphira. Psalm 85:9 “Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.”—People are robbing themselves. The fear of God is clean, holy, sober—brings glory in your life. Do you desire the glory of God to dwell in your heart? Light, love, righteousness of God flowing through you? Do not harden yourself. Seek after this Holy gift = fear of God. Psalm 103:11 “For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.” Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God & keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” Purpose of life = holiness, purity, charity. A lack of fearing God will rob you of these and cause you to walk loosely, lust, offend others, speak things you shouldn’t. Why do people speak evil, gossip, slander = not fearing God. Why do people lie, distort, babble = not fearing God. Why do people become loose in their ways, let down the standard, not care if they’re disobeying those in authority in the church = not fearing God. Why aren’t people putting forth a diligent effort to be charitable, upright = not fearing. Ecclesiastes7:18 “It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this: yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.”  Do you want to endure, unto the end & be saved? Seek after the fear of God. Isaiah 8:13-14 “ Sanctify Yahveh Tzev’ot (The LORD of host) himself: & let him be your fear, & let him be your dread. And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offense to both the house of Israel, for a gin & a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.” It is not a bullying, oppressive intimidating, Nazi style, unclean fear. God’s not “out to get us”. He desires to show mercy, to help, to save. His Holy nature although will be eternally & absolutely opposed to sin. We will reap what we sow. If we tread without fear, live loosely, do not repent; we must reap thereof. So fear. Keep heart away from uncleanness—stay away. Luke 12: 4-5 “ And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body and after that have no more they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: fear him which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.” Look past this flesh, it’s got to go anyway, one way or another. Those that love Yeshua know that, “to live is Mashiyach (Christ) & to die is gain.” Love God, serve Him in Truth with all your heart, in His Holy fear; when it’s time to be done you get to go home with Yeshua. Matthew3:7 “…who hath warned you of the wrath to come?” There is wrath on the way—it’s coming. We’ve warned 1,000 upon 1,000—most disregard it, some mocked it. Flee the wrath, depart from evil, fear eternal consequences for ignoring God’s warning. Nehemiah1:11 “ O Yahveh, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, & to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: & prosper I pray thee, thy servant this day, & grant him mercy in thy sight of this man. For I was the kings cupbearer.” God’s servants desire to fear His name—not disdaining it; but praying for it, seeking it, seeing the value/good effects of it.