Bible Reading: Malachi 1,2,3, 4, Revelation 22.
“But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.” – Malachi 4:2 (kJVS)
Fear is a feeling you get when you are afraid or worried that something bad is going to happen. It is an unpleasant emotion or thought. It can be real or imaginary and you experience it because of your perception or misjudgment of a situation.
What then does it mean to fear God? The word fear used in the bible comes from the Hebrew word “Yirah” which has several meanings including: worry in anticipation of pain or danger; awe or reverence which include the idea of amazement, mystery, gratitude, admiration and even worship. The fear of God therefore includes having an overwhelming sense of the glory, worth and beauty of the only true God!
Indeed, fear can arise as a result of worry of unpleasant consequences as shown in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 (KJVS) which says, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. [14] For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” And fear can also arise based on the love for good things which lead to a spiritual antipathy towards evil which will culminate in hatred for evil. This is clearly shown in Proverbs 8:13 (KJVS), “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.”
Whichever way you see it, it is important that the fear of God leads you to love and reverence God more by pleasing him. Thus your fear of God should lead to honouring him by upholding his word everywhere and in everything that you do. Then he promises healing and prosperity as in Malachi 4:2 (KJVS) “But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.”
Prayer:
Father, grant me the grace to live a life pleasing unto you at all times in Jesus name.
Bro. Biodun Oyapero