Bible Reading: Psalm 25, 1 John 4: 8-19
“What man is he that feareth the Lord? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.” – Psalm 25:12-14(KJV)
The word “fear” as used in the scriptures, as it relates to man’s attitude to God is expressed in three broad meanings as follows:-
Firstly, the fear of God could mean a totally submissive and deep rooted love for God that engenders reverence and awe. For instance, a genuine and strong love a woman has for the husband will compel her to be submissive and honour him. The fear of God is a true and genuine love for God that is born out of a desire to reciprocate the overwhelming love shown and demonstrated by God towards man. This kind of love is total, and the person in possession of it is in reverence and awe of the recipient and will do everything to avoid hurting his feeling.
Secondly, Fear of God is having a very high reverence for God as a result of His power and awesomeness. Allowing the awesomeness and the mightiness of God to overwhelm you, thereby bringing you under His authority and influence. That is, allowing the overwhelming influence of the power of the Almighty subsume your human nature thereby affecting your action and behaviour. This comes from a genuine intention to completely be subsumed under God’s overwhelming personality. It is a product of a great craving and yearning for God.
Thirdly, it is the fear of God emanating from the intimidating personality and might of God. This kind of fear is not initiated by love but by fright. It is mostly common with wicked and ungodly men who had experienced God’s anger and fury. To this group, God is a terrible God as in Jeremiah 20:11(KJV): “But the LORD is with me as a mighty terrible one: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail: they shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper: their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten.” Again, the Psalmist expresses the terribleness of God in dealing with His enemy: “Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! Through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee” – Psalm 66:3(KJV). This is the kind of fear that emanates from human knowledge about God’s terrible acts. Such was the fear that entered into the gentiles as Israel passed through the wilderness to their promised land. This type of fear is reserved for God’s enemy. It can lead to repentance but does not sustain relationship with our loving father.
The first two types of fear, as described above, are the fears that sustain relationship with God, our father. Such are the fears that the Psalmist was referring to in the above verses of scriptures.
We shall be concluding this meditational piece tomorrow.
Prayer: Father, by the Holy Ghost, endue me with the Spirit of the Fear of The Lord so I can offer you acceptable stewardship all the days of my life.
Bro. Joel Ezeugo